The Eco Womb parked at the lake surrounded by these mountains that keep calling to us - Summer 2021

Can’t believe it! 11 Years! We actually made it 11 years living full-time on the road in our beloved Eco Womb. Wow! 250 square feet with five people to start, then 350 square feet with seven people at the end. Two babies born on the road, now one adult kid off on his own, and another one making plans to do the same. They have literally grown up on the road, and we as their parents have, too. Such growth! So many miles driven, trails hiked, mountains climbed, oceans swam, events worked, community built, and life lived. We were among the first wave of families to venture out on the road, and while there weren’t as many FaceBook groups to get advice, there were in person meet-ups, rallies and people that inspired us and helped us realize that this crazy leap of faith was possible. We had a lot to figure out on our own, we stumbled, we thrived, and we lived it to learn it.

We chose to step outside of the system, and while at first people doubted us and thought we were crazy (maybe they still do, hahaha), but we chose the unconventional for US and honestly have never looked back. Especially after the last two years, we wouldn’t want it any other way. It’s crazy out there nowadays, but there is also so much good. We live minimal, our house has wheels so we can move anytime we want (and root down when we want, too), we have family and friends, and friends that are family, all over, and in a world gone mad, what a blessing that is!

At the lake with our Village - Summer 2021

2020 knocked a lot of people to the ground, there was fear to overcome, voices to rise, shaky ground to stand on, and powerful stances to make to protect individual sovereignty and basic freedoms. Then, 2021 ushered in a pause, and a decision. "Lean in to the flow" was what this Mama heard loud and clear. Take time for me and my family. Like really take the time. As a lifelong activist and educator for the past decade, I felt a bit burnt out. I needed to focus on me and my close loved ones so that I would have more to give. So, I did. There was healing, deep deep healing, like the kind that says go there, be not afraid, you will come out stronger. And, so I did. And then, there was clarity and freedom and such immense joy, feeling more in my body than I had ever felt before. I danced more, I played more, I even started roller skating again. Woohoo! My big kid self in heaven over just being ME. It was glorious. AND, we found community and people and loved ones that joined in on the joy and movement and growth. We settled into a Village, and gathered, and circled under the moon and around a fire, and gardened, and learned plant medicine, and dance partied, and hugged, so many hugs. The kids joined a homeschool co-op twice a week where they did school and played games and expanded their friend circle and had so much fun! We had park days, and talent shows, and full moon feasts, and time at the lake, and dance parties, ohhhh the dance parties!! And, during a time when some kids were separated and masked and doing school online and alone and in fear, we found a place and people where we collectively created an experience for our kids free from all the schwizz (word of the year, ha!). A community where they gathered and played and learned and grew and thrived! And, so did us as parents. They say you need a Village, and goodness, this past year we really needed one. So many life-giving moments and memories made, and us nomads actually stayed still in one place to find it.

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs - June 2021

But then, of course, we traveled. Being nomadic for over a decade we wanted to keep the wheels rolling and to really see if landing somewhere felt like the right thing. We went to Texas for a couple weeks to see my sister and niece and family, the kids enjoyed lots of cousin time, and we all had some summer fun in the hot sun. Then, on the way back, we went to explore Colorado Springs for a bit. Adventured to Garden of the Gods to do some hiking, our oldest son drove down for the weekend to join us to celebrate Father’s Day, and we had a fun family campout before heading north again. Everyone was excited to get back to the Front Range where we have staked out a spot, but it was a reminder of our freedom in movement and how much we love our house on wheels. She’s been good to us all these years. Thank you Eco Womb!

Then Summer gave way to Fall way too fast, as we all got the big C word mid-August and much of that time became a blur. It knocked us down like nothing else, but we are resilient and made it through. Kids didn’t skip a beat, us parents learned to slow way down. Up next, September, and it brought with it a big trip for the two oldest Eco Womb kiddos, off on their own, touring Utah and Southern Colorado. They had planned this for a long time, mapping everything out and scouting campsites, finally old enough (they turned 21 and 18 this year, wow!!), and with their own car to go off and travel just the two of them. It was a bit strange to have them both gone and traveling without us, especially for two whole weeks, but also one of those parenting moments that you realize you actually raised them to be independent, adventurous, responsible, and they enjoy spending time not just as brothers but as best buds! Yay! Maybe all this crazy nomad unschooling life does work out just fine as the kids become adults, ha! The two middle kiddos also joined activities, gasp! Haven’t done that in over a decade. Soccer and Dance and all of a sudden we had things to go to every week, crazy! But they loved it and made new friends and had such fun! October was then a burst of energy and celebrations and an amazingly long autumn that stretched out as far as the sunbeams that spread across the mountaintops. We had two back to back birthdays, and being surrounded by a village of friends that also meant back to back birthday parties, so much fun! Halloween costume adventures altogether with the village, as well. And then, November 1st it snowed big huge snowflakes down on us as we stood side-by-side thousands of others fighting for freedom in this crazy still upside-down world. A protest rally to stand up and speak out against unjust mandates and for medical freedom for all! A revival of our activist ways, and it gave me hope that there really are enough of us to change the tide, that together good will prevail over evil, and that we got this, that collectively, love will win.

Mid-November came fast, and we dropped everything and headed east to see family. They needed us and we needed them. And, so we traveled again. We piled 8 people and 3 pets into our RV and traveled over 3700 miles over the course of the next few weeks. It was an adventure and a whole lot of crazy, but oh so very glad we did it. Because family is everything and when you need to go get that hug, you do! We made memories to last a lifetime, gathered with family, gave great big hugs to my Mom and Dad (the kids’ Oma and Opa), and even got to go to Winterfest at Kings Dominion, a fun holiday event at the awesome amusement park that we had stayed at for a few months in 2020. But, the mountains called us back, and so we started heading west, stopping in Tennessee for a couple days in between several straight and long days of travel. Super fun to stop in Nashville! We went downtown to Music Row and had the best day, walking Broadway shoulder to shoulder with tons of people, listening to music, shopping for boots, took the whole fam out to dinner, and just taking in the vibrant life of the city. You would have never guessed that there were any mandates anywhere else in the world, because Nashville was wide open with thousands of smiling faces, yay! One thing I love about travel is that you really get to see and experience life in different places, you get a diverse view of the world and different lived experiences. And, although we have been to Nashville before, this time felt different, probably because so many of our other favorite places are way different nowadays. I actually could see us going back to the Nashville area at some point because of how welcoming and alive it felt! But, the mountains out west were still calling, and so we went.

Eco Womb Mama and Papa - Nashville, TN - December 2021

Three more days of travel, through Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and then back to Colorado. We had a stay overnight in Missouri where we got there after dark and pulled in to a winter wonderland of lights right out our front door! That was magical! Then, the next night we stopped in a little town called Ellis, Kansas and upon arriving we were greeted with a holiday train ride through the park adjacent to the campground, that was magical, too! Haven’t traveled during early December in years and it was so nice, especially for the kids, to have a fun holiday surprise after a long day of travel. And, it’s the little things like this that make all the hours on the road worth it. But, we did make the most of our travel days, as well. We danced and sang to so much music, played tons of games, watched Christmas movies together, and colored a lot (the littlest guy’s favorite as of late!). Wasn’t necessarily easy traveling with 8 of us and 3 pets for that many days in a row in such a tight space, but I’m so proud of us for doing it! We made it fun, made memories, and proved we could do it! I mean, we have traveled 49 states over the past 11 years, I think we can do pretty much anything now, haha.

And then, after 19 days of a whirlwind trip back east, and over 3700 miles later, we landed back in CO… back to the mountains, and back to our little spot nestled at the foothills of this canyon. And, we finally exhaled. Still exhaling to be honest. It’s been a year, whew! There’s more to it than I can even write out, there’s layers upon layers of other things, there’s more growth and healing and hard life things that are not mine to share. But, from it all, I have learned that I can’t give from an empty cup, that dancing with my family, kisses from my husband, and hugs and laughter with my Village is what fills my soul. And, that these mountains, even though the trails are tough and the climb is sometimes difficult, that these mountains keep calling me back. Like my dear wise sister friend always tells me, if everyone went where it's easy it would be easy, but we were called here, because change needs to be made here. And so, I am listening to my gut intuition and drowning out the noise. I am knowing that we can bring change where change needs to happen. That we were brought here to do this. That building a New Earth requires being where it’s difficult. But, it also requires tapping into more joy, and building up community in that joy.

The Eco Womb Fam, 11 Years and still sharing the love and peace!!

So, I am doing more of what gives me joy and fuels my energy and less of what drains it. I am standing strong in my freedoms and showing my kids how to do the same. I am not fighting mandates with fear anymore, I am choosing to create my own reality without any restrictions. I am surrounding myself with others living the same and building community around that. I am showing up for my family above everything else. I am finally being ok with rest, true rest. And, I am leaning into the now more than ever before, cherishing every hug and impromptu dance party and sunset. And, truly following my heart. Because after 11 years on the road, I can tell you one thing, always always always listen to your intuition and let your heart lead the way. Life will flow and beautiful things will happen if you trust in the path that calls you. It may not always be easy, but you sure will live life fully. Whatever wild ideas, leap of faith you are about to take, or unconventional path you feel called on, DO IT! Don’t let anyone ever tell you not to do YOU! If we had listened to the naysayers back when we started, the past 11 years of epic adventures, amazing experiences, magical memories, and beautiful connections wouldn’t have happened. So YOU do YOU and don’t just live it, but celebrate it fully! Seriously, I’m making dance parties and fancy dinners full of smiling faces our thing this year to simply celebrate LIFE, who’s with me?!?!

11 Year Nomadiversary!!

fueled by love, peace, and veggie grease™