The time we were paid models

While enjoying the pool at Lazydays campground, we were approached to be models in a photoshoot later that day for the Winnebago RV brand. We met Kathy and walked over to the sales area of Lazydays. They have some truly beautiful areas full of tropical plants with moss covered trees overhead, the perfect place for a shoot. The photographer's daughter joined us for the shoot and poof, a family of five. I should mention that Journey fell asleep in my arms as I carried her to the shoot. They weren't quite ready for us, so she was able to sleep for awhile, but that meant she was still tired for the shoot. Fortunately it worked for me to hold her during some of the shoot, and she woke enough to do the rest herself.

Here are two "behind the scene" photos that I took.

Kathy had the brilliant idea to give my kids the all-important job of holding the flash stand to keep them occupied for this shot.

Here are a couple of the final photos that the photographer sent.

They said the photos may be used on Winnebago's blog, website, or sales materials. 

The kids did a wonderful job and earned their very first paycheck! It was a 

great experience for all of us. We really enjoyed being part of the shoot. 

Sleeping in weird places

The list of weird places that we have slept is growing. So far when we're not at an established campground or in a family/friend's driveway, we're at a Walmart or Bass Pro Shop, it's rare, just for a quick stop on a long drive. Once we slept in a zoo parking lot. We woke up to some delightfully, fun noises there. Now we can add a service bay to that list. While our RV was in the shop in Ohio, someone *an employee most likely* stole our solar panel off the roof of our RV! Yes, pretty despicable! So we had to replace it and since we were going to be at Lazydays for the rally, we figured we'd just have them do it. I have to say, we've dealt with about five RV service shops in the past few years, and while not perfect, this was the best experience of them all. The best part (and most important for a full-timer) is that when the shop closes, you can come back and sleep in your RV while it's still in the service bay! That alone is a reason to go to them for service, well and they have 220 service bays!

While staying at the campground, they give you two breakfast and lunch tickets per site/per day. We still had some left over, so we used those while the service was being done.

We were delighted to find that they have a new waiting area just for kids in the lobby. Our kids made themselves at home and entertained many passersby.

We were able to spend a little extra time with the few fulltime families that had stayed at Lazydays, and of course more pool time.

The kids learned how to kick their legs to swim and tried out their new masks and snorkels
that they had wanted so badly. We're still working on that though. 

It also gave us a chance to go to Tampa's MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry) TWICE!

I think this rope web was their favorite thing to play on. They grabbed a black rope that clipped on to one of the colored ropes and had to follow it over and under the others to get to the other side.

The 3D printing exhibit was very interesting, especially now that we have seen printing in action.
Here's a print of the notorious gun that we've all heard about, some assembly required.

Technology exists which can print a model of a baby while still in its mother's 

womb based on ultrasounds. I would have LOVED to have this done for my babies.

Fancy, shmancy shoes!

They're even using 3D printing to solve crimes based on info left at the scene!

The space exhibit takes you on a ride to the moon where one person 

drives across the moon to mine rocks while the other navigates.

Other random stuff

Our weekend with 40 other full-time RVing families!

While looking into the feasibility of living full-time in an RV, I found a group called Fulltime Families. It's specifically for people who live in their RV while roadschooling their children, perfect! There's this whole "rally" thing that RVers talk about and we were curious to try it, so when we heard the Fulltime Families Rally was in Florida when we would be there, we decided to see what it's all about. I have been on the site for a year and a half and have learned so much from the members, so meeting some of them face to face was a fun concept for us.

It officially ran from Thursday thru Sunday at a place called Lazydays RV Resort, which is across the street from the Lazydays Sales and Service center, which happens to be the largest RV sales location in the world! To say it's a big place is an understatement. The campground quickly filled with families there for the rally. It turns out they placed us all together in the back side of the park which was super convenient once we all met each other.

I didn't take many photos, it's just kind of overwhelming when there's 130-some people all together (and I don't like taking photos of people without their permission). We attended activities that included potluck dinners, movie nights, campfires, crafts and pool time! One of the moms let us try out her kids' swim vests and it allowed Asher and Journey to play without holding on to one of us the whole time. Asher was especially excited about his new freedom and ability. We ended up getting our own the next day. They picked out these whale and dolphin ones.

Tye-dying shirts

Making dolphin necklaces to prepare for our trip to meet Winter.

One of my favorite parts of the rally was the Parade of Homes. Members of the group opened up their RVs so we can see what their homes look like. About 20 homes were on the tour this year. There were a broad range of types, new to older, factory to custom improvements, lots of kids and pets. One family even travels with three dogs and three cats onboard, and you would never know it, actually I didn't know until she told me later. {I was kind of jealous of all the cat owners.}

Here Asher & Journey are meeting one family's cat...

He surprised us all, even his parents, when he climbed up on my kids for a cuddle.

Pretty sure he would have napped on Asher's lap if we didn't have to leave.

Long morning walks with the moms, allowed me to get to know 

some great women. My kids liked to waive to us as we passed by.

One hundred and thirteen of us took a field trip to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to meet Winter and Hope the stars of the Dolphin Tale movies, the true story of Winter's rescue and process of building her a prosthetic tail. She's had quite a few tails thru the years as she's grown larger and the materials have improved. Here's the kids holding one of her old tails.

...and here's Winter floating in the pool.

touching stingrays

We even watched an endoscope performed on a turtle that had swallowed a hook, which then caused scar tissue to form. When the scar tissue grew so large that it was blocking his airway, they performed surgery to remove it, so while we were there, they were checking his healing progress.

Here's Asher and Journey's favorite friend from the rally, Princess, well that's not her real name of course. She looked like a princess when they met, and even now that they know her name is Makenna, they still say things like, "Will Princess be there?"

We ended up finding many friends at the rally and I'm really happy that we went. 

Hoping to cross paths with many of them down the road.

New Smyrna Beach and the Horseshoe Crab

While in Deland, we took a trip to New Smyrna Beach, specifically the dunes. Margie went with us and despite it being 

a chilly, windy day, we had a fun time. We saw a very large raccoon run thru this green bushy dune area off the boardwalk.

I was so excited to find two horseshoe crabs on the beach! I've never found one before. 

Daddy picked it up so we could see the underside and touch it.

Finally the crab had enough human interaction and we watched as he scurried across the sand and disappeared into the waves.

On our walk back to the truck, Asher excitedly pointed out an "A" in the sky.