Dana Mize& the big m ranch
Prepare for the Breakdown
I say this with the utmost care for your success in this endeavor. Taking on the lifestyle of full time camper living { or any lifestyle change really} can be a piece of cake depending on your mindset towards the matter. If you are a take the punches as you go kinda person, dust yourself off and keep on chugging kind of person, "I have a goal and this is how I am going to get there" kind of person.... Consider yourself blessed. Not all people are that way. Not all journeys include this adjustment. And sometimes this move could be just flat out unnecessary. The process can be long and drawn out. Much like the picture above. It looks nice and all put together in their little blocks. They look chronological and shows a fairly quick progression. That might be the case but what this collage doesn't tell you is that the empty dirt picture...yea, that first one. Took THREE YEARS to take. In saying this, I want to bring HOPE for ALL OF YOU who feels like God is telling them to climb this mountain {ANY mountain for that matter}! For us, it has been a blessing more than anything else. I call it a nuisance sometimes when I get aggravated that Houston and I bump into each other every time we try to navigate to the bathroom or when I get stuck on that we only have 6 inches of counter space. Did I mention, I REALLY can't wait to have a normal size counter top I swear I am going to ugly cry for a solid month after we move in. You'll come in and see me laying across our "normal" sized counter top... just ugly crying... But to continue... in the end...I always return to saying that," there is no way we could have EVER done the things that we are doing...in the TIME FRAME that we are doing it...at the AGE in which we are doing it...if we never made the decision to listen to Jesus and to walk left while everyone else went right. All the rambling leads to this. My goal in this blog is to help people reach their full potential in life...no matter what that looks like. So while talking and dreaming of the awesome things in our journey... We gotta dig deep into the not so good stuff. {Remember that time I said some "soul searching may be required" ... yea... this is that time....} Those times where giving up is a conversed option and not just a whispered dream that never makes it's way across your palate. Those days where throwing in the towel seems like the best way because your about to pull out your last hair. YOUR. LAST. HAIR. To tell you the truth...this is where we find ourselves multiple times a week for the past year. FED UP to a point of just being cranky all the time. Exhausted cranky... I know you are picking up what I'm putting down, now! These moments were a " just let me cry it out, rant, bitch, nod your head, smile and throw an ice cream at me" kinda week. Those moments that just drain the life out of you. That drain the will out of you. That drain your PURPOSE out of you. I get it. I'm there. I'm here to give you permission to have those weeks!!! I'm here giving myself permission to HAVE THAT WEEK! Have a day like that, and hour, a few minutes. Sulk, dwell, have your feelings validated! In this journey you are always going to get the, " Well, you chose this!" Or the, " Why are you doing this to yourself?" Noise from those that just don't see the ultimate benefit! Remember...that is NOT THE POINT HERE!!! Those comments are unwarranted and unnecessary! Don't let these bother you! The point here to validation. Validating those "FED UP!" feelings. It's okay! I promise! I'm telling you from first person, there are going to be the days where you just wish you didn't have to push a foot pedal to flush your toilet or spend the copious amounts of time fold all of your clothes into interesting shapes to fit in the oddly shaped closest and drawers. You'll find those days that you just want to stretch out a couch but there isn't one...only your bed... Or a biggie for us is not being able to entertain our families and friends unless we are outside... And I'm here to tell you that the South Carolina summers are brutal sometimes! Life just doesn't work conveniently But remember you have a purpose, a goal, a thing that you are working hard for!!! You can't stop! So here's the kicker. YES there is always a kicker... You should know better!!! And what kind of empowering motivator would I be if there wasn't one? Am I right? From the mouth of one of my favorite Pastors, he says, "It's okay to not be okay, but it's not okay to stay that way!" It's okay to be down in the dumps, have a bad hour, a weak day or the utmost crappy week! The best thing that I have found is to PREPARE for the breakdown. The good book tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” I understand that this is simply a paradox, we all know that weakness won't physically make us stronger. The underlying message here is under God's loving hand, His grace is able to shine through us at some of our darkest hours and bring his name praise. This is true, because when we die to ourselves and give up our own desires to the Lord, then he is able to work amazing things through us. There is better in you, and in me. and He knows this. :) I know that I am not the Christian I should be. I am an imperfect human covered by His perfect grace. In that manner, I am always one for practical, everyday uses as well. When the weakness has you buckling to your knees. Have your moment. Take some time to care for yourself. Have a night of do it yourself facials, light a fancy candle, turn out the lights and if you are me have a fan blowing in your face. Lay on the bed and have a Mobile Mansion Oasis night. Sip on sweet tea from a non- solo cup and duke it out with your feelings. Or maybe that is just what we do...Camper Edition. Have your moment but just don't unpack and live there. Refuse to set up shop, refuse to turn on the open sign, refuse to quit. Rejoice in the fact that YOU ARE MAKING HEADWAY!!!! YOU are rolling with the punches and still one step closer to reaching that goal. YOU are learning more about yourself and what you can endure... most people NEVER get the chance to push themselves past their thoughts much less their reality!!! Be proud of yourself, read the book, buy the shoes, take the trip, eat the cake and get back on track. I believe Jesus hand picks our journeys when we are simply a twinkle in his eye! He know you, your heart, your determination and he is prepared to fight for you even when fighting for yourself seems impossible! We are humans that fail everyday. That is the beauty of being human, holding the ability to make mistakes, become self aware and growing through what we are going through. That is what this life season is... you are growing, some years your bear fruit others you don't.... so be gentle with yourself! Remember...it's okay to not be okay. But it's not okay to stay that way. :) Much love, Dana
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Welp... I'm a slacker... There I said it! I've taken {what I consider} way too much time to be overwhelmed and NOT focusing on this blog enough, that I dumped a piece of myself that made me feel whole...that made me feel like I am making an impact outside of myself. The piece where writing gave me a release of all of noise in my noggin. I am working on it and I will do better...for myself and for you guys! With that being said, we are a year and a half in of living full time in our camper. This realization has caused me to do a lot of "assessing", if that is the best word to use, since the last video post. Assessing our goals, dreams, purposes, needs and everything in between. It is a bewildering experience to look back at these past few years and think that most of the big time "assessing" was done in mere moments of thought. Like a blip on a radar or at the bat of an eye. Decisions were made. Visions were refocused. Plans were changed. Hearts..molded with new purpose. They were morphed into something more than I could ever imagine but pushed us in the direction that I feel God is calling...no tugging....even more so...undeniably pulling us in. What I mean is, we ARE focused on self-sufficiency and getting back to the basics but I after this hiatus {if you will} I found that those elements are not my soul's singular intention. To focus just on that of learning how to milk a cow or raise chickens is muddling my true intentions here. Those are just tips of a massive ice burg! I feel like those are the acts that are blurring the clarity of my vision. My heart wants nothing more for you all to find freedom in life. You're thinking, Freedom? Really? That is her purpose? YES. Freedom. Freedom from all that ties you to a life that is everything less than what God desires for you. Which, if you don't know yet, Is so much greater, powerful and brighter than we could ever possiblly imagine for ourselves. For us, that is Financial Freedom. Money. Moolah, Cash-o-lah and the dreaded word..... DEBT. I know. Money isn't everything... but that is OUR "tie down" or what non-southern dwelling individuals would call a ratchet strap. That is one of the main things that is keeping us from the life God has planned for us, creating this world for us where we are required to be much more intentional with our actions in life to dig ourselves out of a hole we thought we had to get in to "make it". I know we can't be the only ones. The main thing is that everyone has their own tie down. Whether it is money, your mindset, your circumstances, family members, yourself..etc. It is my hope to adjust the focus of this blog to help people seek, obtain and upkeep their full potential in life. No matter what that looks like for you. We will still make videos, maybe not as frequent but definitely more solid once we get a house built and have internet. And there will still be the goofy farming posts and videos. I am still interested in the same things just with a new twist. For me, this is deeply rooted in adjusting our thoughts, our morals and our goals... digging deep into our selves to muster up the guts to seek what value we can make out of our short existence .... So. If you are up for it. I invite you to turn to page one of a whole new story. I'll warn you... With this new focus... Some Soul Searching May Be Required Much Love, D. M. I think for all of those who know me..I'm a hippie..I constantly talk myself off the ledge of driving my 1977 VW bus as a daily driver, living in a camper for the rest of my life and handmaking EVERYTHING in our lives..... soooo Bbbuuuttt if you would've asked me 5 years ago what the next 5 years looked like for me.. I don't believe it would have included being married, becoming a farmer, starting a farm, searching for livestock and deciding on Minimal and Tiny Living in a Tiny House! Houston's parents have always had the dream of living on a large piece of property where they can fully enjoy their lives with the close knit family they were creating. When Houston and I started dating in 2009 and our relationship progressed, we also took up the values of keeping our family closer than most people are even comfortable talking about. Now 5 years later with a marriage and property purchase under our belts... WE ARE CLOSER TO OUR DREAMS THAN EVER BEFORE! We are starting to look at home plans, which have lead to some pretty interesting "Lifestyle" discussions, we are looking at the type of impact we want to make on the world, the State of South Carolina, Anderson County, the city of Belton, our neighbors on Broadway School Road and most importantly our family in the making!!! At first we looked through plans and decided on an 1,800 sq ft home that was just to die for! The cabin feel... would just take your soul over as you drive down our mile long driveway, weaving in and our of the trees, down the side of the pasture. The ideas of Thanksgiving and Christmas at the "FARM" were dancing around in our heads... The big front yard, the big house, the big rooms, the big living room and big kitchen, the massive deck with the huge screened in porch..and the fireplace... Oh the fireplace that was fit for an Aspen Ski Lodge for the rich and famous. Let's face it... The picture was painted! Needless to say... We were living small and thinking massive! and those two ideals, my friends, NEVER WORK. You can try and keep up with the Jones but what most people find out is that the Jones' are broke too. This lead us to looking and deciding what direction God was calling our hearts in! That's a funny thing...once you stop babbling about your OWN plans, God speaks ...louder than ever....as clear as a bright blue sky..and HIS plans are more than you could every dream of. Shortly before getting married we started preparing for the Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover that was promptly starting as soon as we said "I Do" The whole mantra of "Live like no one else so that later you can live like no one else." really resonated with us, as we were coming into our marriage with more than $70,000 in debt {a large chunk of that being student loans} and thinking that we didn't want to wait for the "golden years" to enjoy retirement living. We wanted to pay our "stupid tax", eat rice and beans, beans and rice and get the heck out of dodge to enjoy this thing called "life" with our family. Our friends. The people and relationships that matter most to us. Not wait until they are dead and gone and be "wishing" for time we can't ever get back. So deals had to be made. Compromises were set and we are officially in the midst of a growing Debt Snowball. I think the hardest thing for people is Motivation. It is so easy to continue in your 9 to 5. Make payments on a car. Autodraft the rest of your bills. No questions. No harm done. No change to suffer through. We are creatures of habit and comfort and guess what.... Satan LOVES IT!! After doing some serious soul searching, daily prayers to the good man upstairs and researching other people who were also on the same journey we were about to start We stumbled over a Netflix documentary called TINY.... and a little blog from a couple named Tico & Tina Over at their Make room for Greatness Blog. It was this particular post that stopped my search for constant affirmation that we were making the right choice, that our children wouldn't be emotionally damaged, that we could actually do this....PLEASE check it out...This post alone will put a fire in your soul and set you on the road for a completely different and ever changing lifestyle!!!! http://www.ticoandtina.com/exploring-minimalism There was a question posed that asked simply: "What needs to be streamlined in your life to uncover the greatness you were made for?" I slowly started to research heavily about other people that are making the jump to a MINIMAL lifestyle... They are VOLUNTARILY choosing LESS to ultimately have MORE of the things they really wanted in life. One way Tico and Tina describe it....is that "Minimalism challenges what you thought you knew about what you wanted in life." and that statement has been brewing in my soul ever since my eyes ran over the words. Which lead me to this question... "How would my life be different, my family's life, my husband's life.....be DIFFERENT...if we decided to cut the crap, get rid of the junk, cut ties with the materialistic ideas of society and died to ourselves daily... To FULLY live as a steward of God's plan?" This leads me to think of the countless times I have failed God by not listening to him and deciding that MY plan is better.... That, my friends, is playing with fire...and now it is a gamble we are NO LONGER willing to make. We are now on the road to paying our "stupid tax" with the goal to be COMPLETELY debt free by the time we are 30. We have already been told: "good luck {sarcasm}" "no way that will ever happen" "you really think you can do that?" "whatever...just get use to having debt" "It's not likely that will happen, but knock yourself out.." It just breaks my heart every time I hear something like that come out of another humans mouth. I don't see a skeptic...I see someone who has been financially broken for so many years... That they have NO CLUE what financial freedom looks like anymore. I see lost hope. All I have to show them is this... This exert from Tina & Tico's blog post sums the this lifestyle up Perfectly: http://www.ticoandtina.com/minimalist-lifestyle-baby-steps-simple-living-doesnt-hard/ "If the mention of minimalism causes you to picture life in a monastery, or people who have a picture inventory of everything they own (because it’s like 50 things), or the tiny house movement where people voluntarily down-size to a 130ish sq foot home, then you may have dismissed it as something for crazy hippies. But I wholeheartedly believe that minimalism is for everyone. Minimalism is not about subscribing to an extremist lifestyle. It’s also not just some ethereal way of thinking, difficult to pin down and realistically apply. Minimalism is about having the space and freedom in your life for what really matters.I bet you’re actually already a minimalist at heart. Lorilee Lippincott from Loving Simple Living says you can call yourself a minimalist if:
The Minimalists explain minimalism as: … a lifestyle that helps people question what things add value to their lives. By clearing the clutter from life’s path, we can all make room for the most important aspects of life: health, relationships, passion, growth, and contribution. There are many flavors of minimalism: a 20-year-old single guy’s minimalist lifestyle looks different from a 45-year-old mother’s minimalist life. Even though everyone embraces minimalism differently, each path leads to the same place: a life with more time, more money, and more freedom to live a more meaningful life." Did you know that Scripture tells us that God gives us special gifts and talents so that we can fully live for him? Here are a few places in the bible that refer to our gifts: Romans 12:4-8 1 Corinthians 12:9-11 1 Corinthians 12: 27, 28 Ephesians 4:8 Ephesians 4:11-16 Acts 6:1-7 1 Timothy 3:1-13 1 Peter 4:10, 11 and it is such a peaceful thought to know that now I have seen the importance of living for God and that I will be able to follow through with the plan God has for my life! We are choosing a minimalist lifestyle and Tiny living to please God. Living this lifestyle will free up other earthly binders that would hold us back from the plans God has set forth for us. By that logic....Who wouldn't want a life like that? Isn't that what we modern Americans consider "The American Dream"? Interested in learning more about how to simplify and start your minimalist story? Head on over to: http://www.ticoandtina.com/exploring-minimalism/ and decide if the jump is right for you!!! As for us... we are going to hang out here and be open for questions as we put a little elbow grease and dreams into this Debt snowball. Ditchin' the plans,
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With Brian (Father-in-Law) being a General Contractor, we are getting some great hands on experience in preparation to build our very first home together!!!! I think Brian really enjoys someone ELSE learning how to do construction projects other than him!!! From here on out he won't ALWAYS be hearing... Hey..... BRIAN... I gotta project..... (in which he always replies "NO") before you can get a word in edgewise.... ha ha ha |
Brian just working away! It is hard to believe that we are almost finished with our second construction project and still pressing on!
The farm life is so rewarding..even if we are just in the baby stages of building it!
The farm life is so rewarding..even if we are just in the baby stages of building it!
While we were all working away Kindall gets to ride the four wheeler and venture all over the property. There are just so many trails and roads to get lost in down here!
Losing yourself in nature and something else other than an iPhone and a laptop is just awesome!
I couldn't imagine having a childhood on a farm and I can't wait to give that type of lifestyle to our kids.
Losing yourself in nature and something else other than an iPhone and a laptop is just awesome!
I couldn't imagine having a childhood on a farm and I can't wait to give that type of lifestyle to our kids.
Disclaimer: With that much space to roam and get into stuff.. sometimes you find yourself in yucky messes!!!
Kindall ended up getting her four wheeler stuck and guess who had to come and help her out!!! Yup... ME... We had a blast trying to get the ATV unstuck! ha ha ha
Needless to say we were covered and ready for a good supper and a shower!
Kindall ended up getting her four wheeler stuck and guess who had to come and help her out!!! Yup... ME... We had a blast trying to get the ATV unstuck! ha ha ha
Needless to say we were covered and ready for a good supper and a shower!
I added a new sign in the camper since we are a little "off-the-grid"
No internet. Limited Reception. No cable.
We all know this is the exact message we want to get across with making this HUGE lifestyle change.
Getting back to the basics and having more by needing less.
The wordage is absolutely perfect!
"THERE IS NO WIFI IN THE FOREST, BUT WE PROMISE YOU'LL FIND A BETTER CONNECTION"
No internet. Limited Reception. No cable.
We all know this is the exact message we want to get across with making this HUGE lifestyle change.
Getting back to the basics and having more by needing less.
The wordage is absolutely perfect!
"THERE IS NO WIFI IN THE FOREST, BUT WE PROMISE YOU'LL FIND A BETTER CONNECTION"
We ended our hard working day with a little stone skipping in the creek.
Being able to end our day at a gorgeous place like this with our family all around and passing down fun memories is unforgettable and truly a blessing.
We praise Jesus and thank God for all that he is blessing us with.
We are stewards of his word, managers of his money, and messengers of his plan.
We praise Jesus and thank God for all that he is blessing us with.
We are stewards of his word, managers of his money, and messengers of his plan.
Carolina Love,
D.
We, at Big M, are extremely excited to announce the engagement of Dana & Houston! The relationship between us has been 5 years in the making and with starting the farm and all...we are ready to take the next step in our relationship and "Take the plunge","Tie the knot", become the "ball and chain", or around these parts..we call it..."buying the WHOLE cow!". Whatever suits your fancy....
June 6th, 2014
Houston took me down to the farm to pick blackberries, but little did I know there was a whole different experience that was getting ready to unfold.
I think it was shear luck that I had just gotten a few new goodies for my Cannon Rebel including a remote and sensor to take "professional selfies"
don't judge...
So we loaded up my gear and headed to the property. When we hopped out of the car Houston wanted to take a walk down to the river and I wanted to take photos so that worked out nicely.
Off we went down the roads through our future farm, dreaming and talking about what was and what is to come...and of course stopping for a few shots along the way. The weather was perfect, the sky was clear and blue...dotted with fluffy white clouds.
June 6th, 2014
Houston took me down to the farm to pick blackberries, but little did I know there was a whole different experience that was getting ready to unfold.
I think it was shear luck that I had just gotten a few new goodies for my Cannon Rebel including a remote and sensor to take "professional selfies"
don't judge...
So we loaded up my gear and headed to the property. When we hopped out of the car Houston wanted to take a walk down to the river and I wanted to take photos so that worked out nicely.
Off we went down the roads through our future farm, dreaming and talking about what was and what is to come...and of course stopping for a few shots along the way. The weather was perfect, the sky was clear and blue...dotted with fluffy white clouds.
We reached the river and the area is just breath taking each time you arrive, through the woods and then you pop out at the end of the trail where you are greeted with nothing but the sounds of babbling water, chirping birds and a clear sense of fullness in your soul.
As we got down to the river rockbed, I stopped right on the edge of the water and went to my knees to take some wildlife photos. I was still carrying on a conversation with Hou but my back was turned to him.
Little did I know, the sneaky plan he had..it was a perfect moment.
The photos below are the last photos I took as a single woman. :)
And that just makes my heart sing...
As we got down to the river rockbed, I stopped right on the edge of the water and went to my knees to take some wildlife photos. I was still carrying on a conversation with Hou but my back was turned to him.
Little did I know, the sneaky plan he had..it was a perfect moment.
The photos below are the last photos I took as a single woman. :)
And that just makes my heart sing...
As I took these last few photos, our conversation fell silent and a peace ran over the river bed.
No noise, no talking, just nature and the sweet chirping of birds.
My phone went off in my pocket so, I stood up, pulled it out of my pocket and this message was on my screen.
No noise, no talking, just nature and the sweet chirping of birds.
My phone went off in my pocket so, I stood up, pulled it out of my pocket and this message was on my screen.
Yes Ladies and Gents...Those are MY PARENTS.
I was confused about what they were saying yes to and so I turned around asking Houston what he thought they meant...
But by the time I turned around..
Houston was on one knee, in the dirt and rocks...bless his heart, with the most gorgeous ring I have ever seen in my life!
I remember Houston saying that he loved me, and that he wanted us to spend the rest of our lives together...then he said it..
WILL YOU MARRY ME?
{BTW...Don't mind me balling like a baby since I turned around and saw he was on one knee...}
We were so happy afterwards that we hugged it out for a solid 5 minutes and then we did what any other responsible pair of responsible young adults would...
We put the remote control "clicker" to work....
and had a photo shoot.
I was confused about what they were saying yes to and so I turned around asking Houston what he thought they meant...
But by the time I turned around..
Houston was on one knee, in the dirt and rocks...bless his heart, with the most gorgeous ring I have ever seen in my life!
I remember Houston saying that he loved me, and that he wanted us to spend the rest of our lives together...then he said it..
WILL YOU MARRY ME?
{BTW...Don't mind me balling like a baby since I turned around and saw he was on one knee...}
We were so happy afterwards that we hugged it out for a solid 5 minutes and then we did what any other responsible pair of responsible young adults would...
We put the remote control "clicker" to work....
and had a photo shoot.
After our photo shoot we slowly made our way back to the car, dreaming about what this farm is going to become and the amazing things we are going to be able to accomplish with an awesome beginning!
That night I hopped out of the car, shut the gate and paused for a moment...
The sunset was breathtaking, the breeze was sweet and
There in that very moment...
Our entire life was
right in front of me!
That night I hopped out of the car, shut the gate and paused for a moment...
The sunset was breathtaking, the breeze was sweet and
There in that very moment...
Our entire life was
right in front of me!
Carolina Love, D.
Geez... To be playing catch up....
It is time to bring ya'll up to speed.
So we have had many many many weekends down on the farm since the last post. We ended up clearing out some of the future spot of mine and Houston's home and burned it all in a bonfire.
We set up the Plower and had a few weekends enjoying the land with friends and family.
Enjoy the following slideshows of everything that has been going on down on the farm :)
It is time to bring ya'll up to speed.
So we have had many many many weekends down on the farm since the last post. We ended up clearing out some of the future spot of mine and Houston's home and burned it all in a bonfire.
We set up the Plower and had a few weekends enjoying the land with friends and family.
Enjoy the following slideshows of everything that has been going on down on the farm :)
This weekend was the first weekend we started clearing a space for the Metal Mansion. That weekend Bart & Meredith Parson (good family friends) came down and spent the day with us. We walked the property as a group and went searching for walking sticks!
We discovered that our property is very "Viney". Vines cover a large portion of the trees in a few areas. These vines have wrapped themselves around the trunks of new and old trees causing the tree to envelope the vine and grow a twist in them. We found about 30 walking sticks, shared with our friends and well.. I'm whittlin' away at the ones that are left!
We have came to the conclusion to leave all the others and let them grow and when we are ready to put pickets on our rails up stairs and over the porch, we will use these interesting twisted pickets!
Can't wait to see that! :)
We discovered that our property is very "Viney". Vines cover a large portion of the trees in a few areas. These vines have wrapped themselves around the trunks of new and old trees causing the tree to envelope the vine and grow a twist in them. We found about 30 walking sticks, shared with our friends and well.. I'm whittlin' away at the ones that are left!
We have came to the conclusion to leave all the others and let them grow and when we are ready to put pickets on our rails up stairs and over the porch, we will use these interesting twisted pickets!
Can't wait to see that! :)
Brian and myself got a chance to get off work early and take the camper to the farm! The slideshow below shows the trip!!!!!
Here is the before and after of the space the we but down and burned! These photos all depict the same plot of land :)
This slideshow is Houston's Granny and Papa's 1st time to the farm to check it out! Oh, and it was Oliver's 1st time too!
The weekend after that is depicted below.
Leveling the camper, bringing Alicia down for the first looksy and just general non-sense :P
This was also our first weekend that we stayed down at the property for the night. Needless to say
It was freezing!!!
We had a generator for making the electric heaters work but it was cold!!!! We all piled in the rear of the camper and turned the heat up. It was too funny trying to sleep for the first night... Kindall got really cold so she came and slept with me and Houston.
We all kept warm and made it through the night.
Even Oliver got to sleep inside... spoiled puppy... now he goes with us every time we go and he gets so excited... :) It's adorable.
I think out of all of us... HE enjoyed sleeping inside with all of us THE MOST!!!
Leveling the camper, bringing Alicia down for the first looksy and just general non-sense :P
This was also our first weekend that we stayed down at the property for the night. Needless to say
It was freezing!!!
We had a generator for making the electric heaters work but it was cold!!!! We all piled in the rear of the camper and turned the heat up. It was too funny trying to sleep for the first night... Kindall got really cold so she came and slept with me and Houston.
We all kept warm and made it through the night.
Even Oliver got to sleep inside... spoiled puppy... now he goes with us every time we go and he gets so excited... :) It's adorable.
I think out of all of us... HE enjoyed sleeping inside with all of us THE MOST!!!
This slideshow is of the weekend all of Houston's buddies came down for one night. We had so much fun and if this was ANY indicator of what this summer is going to be like.... we better watch out because we had a BLAST!
Though we only took a few photos, these are the photos of the first snow at the property...
We braved the weather and came down to see the snow and play around.
There is truly NOTHING like the Broadway River in the Snow... so peaceful.
We braved the weather and came down to see the snow and play around.
There is truly NOTHING like the Broadway River in the Snow... so peaceful.
Well, my friends, that is how you sum up a heck of a lot of stuff in 1 post! ha ha ha...
Our lives have gotten so hectic since taking on this new adventure and it seems like time just slips away but it is an awesome ride with sooo many new experiences.
We are so excited for spring and summer to further our dreams of being Future Farmers. :)
More "frequent and current" posts to come.
Until Next time!!!
Carolina Love,
D.
Our lives have gotten so hectic since taking on this new adventure and it seems like time just slips away but it is an awesome ride with sooo many new experiences.
We are so excited for spring and summer to further our dreams of being Future Farmers. :)
More "frequent and current" posts to come.
Until Next time!!!
Carolina Love,
D.
So Jacob and Robert made their way over to see the Metal Mansion the other week and aptly named her
"Plower"
it could have easily been a fumbling of the words of trying to say Prowler but that is what he said, it was pretty funny at the time
and it stuck!
He was so creative that he even made a catch phrase for a Big M t-shirt design
"I got Plowed at Big M"
ha ha ha... silly boys
Anyway they both seemed pretty stoked about coming down and hanging out for the weekends until we are able to build our house :)
So that made us feel amazing! We can't wait and we know it is so close to becoming a reality!
"Plower"
it could have easily been a fumbling of the words of trying to say Prowler but that is what he said, it was pretty funny at the time
and it stuck!
He was so creative that he even made a catch phrase for a Big M t-shirt design
"I got Plowed at Big M"
ha ha ha... silly boys
Anyway they both seemed pretty stoked about coming down and hanging out for the weekends until we are able to build our house :)
So that made us feel amazing! We can't wait and we know it is so close to becoming a reality!
We have had the camper for a little over a month now and
ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED WITH REMODELING!!!
I simply had to scream that since I do not want to pick up another paint brush for as long as I live!! ha ha ha
We are pretty proud of ourselves that we busted out a remodel in 3 short weeks so we didn't have to deal with it during or after the holidays :)
If you all can remember well enough, the camper was covered in floor to ceiling faux wood paneling... delicious.. I know!
No?.. You don't remember?
Let me jog your memory!
ARE COMPLETELY FINISHED WITH REMODELING!!!
I simply had to scream that since I do not want to pick up another paint brush for as long as I live!! ha ha ha
We are pretty proud of ourselves that we busted out a remodel in 3 short weeks so we didn't have to deal with it during or after the holidays :)
If you all can remember well enough, the camper was covered in floor to ceiling faux wood paneling... delicious.. I know!
No?.. You don't remember?
Let me jog your memory!
We spent roughly $700.00 on our remodel
priming,
painting,
laying laminate,
cleaning out all of the "complimentary" party supplies..
alcohol bottles, margarita salt, ping ping balls....
these people must have burned the midnight oil
and cranked it up to 11 a good many times..... ;)
Basically, we want to make it feel like home..
well... because that is what it is going to be.
Below are some of the photos of us in action. I was very happy that Brian and Kindall pitched in to give us a hand! We all did what we could, when we could.
But a good bit of time was spent after work painting and getting the camper ready for new laminate floors!
priming,
painting,
laying laminate,
cleaning out all of the "complimentary" party supplies..
alcohol bottles, margarita salt, ping ping balls....
these people must have burned the midnight oil
and cranked it up to 11 a good many times..... ;)
Basically, we want to make it feel like home..
well... because that is what it is going to be.
Below are some of the photos of us in action. I was very happy that Brian and Kindall pitched in to give us a hand! We all did what we could, when we could.
But a good bit of time was spent after work painting and getting the camper ready for new laminate floors!
I know some of you, especially the painters and builders screaming at me through the screen wondering why we would ever take on the feat of
PAINTING fake wood paneling...
No worries my dear!
We purchased 2 gallons of this stuff called
Gripper
to help the paint adhere to the paneling
It was magical not having to sand a darn thing!
PAINTING fake wood paneling...
No worries my dear!
We purchased 2 gallons of this stuff called
Gripper
to help the paint adhere to the paneling
It was magical not having to sand a darn thing!
Instead of purchasing new hardware and shelling out another couple hundred bucks we decided to take all of the old knobs and hardware and cover them with a hammered black spray paint.
2 cans did all of the hardware in the camper
I am much happier with spending $13.00 than $300.00 on brand new hardware.
2 cans did all of the hardware in the camper
I am much happier with spending $13.00 than $300.00 on brand new hardware.
The end result turned out very neat! We got the high end look of the black hardware for a little elbow grease and spray paint!
Couldn't have turned out any better!
Couldn't have turned out any better!
We took down all of the cabinets to be refinished and distressed. I have a neat trick for homemade crackle paint that I will share in a later post! Keep on the lookout to find out how!!! Once again we applied the gripper to EVERY surface that we wanted to paint. then we took a Craft Beer Break :) Getting back to the job at hand We painted a single coat of Gripper over each cabinet face and let it dry throughly. Then we applied the paint color. Each set of cabinets from a different area in the camper had a different color. | Houston enjoyed a Short Straw Farmhouse Red Ale crafted at Blue Moon Brewing Company in Golden, Colorado. Though Stella Artois is not a craft beer, I indulged in their Cidre' which was delicious! |
So I don't give away too much of the process before the instruction post I will go ahead and show you the results!
Kindall goofing off while we were painting!
The color choice was based off of the colors we want to incorporate in our home. This was like a mini test run to see what we thought.
We are Lodge people, we like Log Cabins, Hunting, the outdoors and a warm and cozy feeling to a small hunting lodge so that is the feeling we wanted to carry over into our Mobile Mansion!
Our color choice was the hunter green (seen above), light olive green, golden yellow, a cream color, and burnt orange!
We are Lodge people, we like Log Cabins, Hunting, the outdoors and a warm and cozy feeling to a small hunting lodge so that is the feeling we wanted to carry over into our Mobile Mansion!
Our color choice was the hunter green (seen above), light olive green, golden yellow, a cream color, and burnt orange!
We ended up finding a little devastation when we went to rip the flooring! Ants EVERYWHERE.
Luckily, Brian sees this all the time in houses and knew just how to fix it! We replaced the beams and insulation, and kept on trucking.
We are soooo thankful that Brian can handle all this stuff!
Luckily, Brian sees this all the time in houses and knew just how to fix it! We replaced the beams and insulation, and kept on trucking.
We are soooo thankful that Brian can handle all this stuff!
Through all of that hard work we came out on the other side and are soooo happy with the results!
The Metal Mansion is starting to really feel like home!
I know everyone wants to see the coveted
Before and Afters
So Here they are!
Enjoy. We are so happy we are finished and are one step closer to Big M freedom!
The Metal Mansion is starting to really feel like home!
I know everyone wants to see the coveted
Before and Afters
So Here they are!
Enjoy. We are so happy we are finished and are one step closer to Big M freedom!
We could not be more excited!!! We are closer and closer to living off the grid! :)
Until Next Time....
Carolina Love,
D.
Until Next Time....
Carolina Love,
D.
Late is better than never!
I turned 22 on the 26th of November. #Feeling22
I ended up taking a few days off from being an Undertaker
Spent a day in the ER with my mom
Got a visit from Alan :) :) :)
and of course celebrated Thanksgiving with my Family :)
So this is definitely a re cap of the November in general!
So Folks... Let's start the show.
I turned 22 on the 26th of November. #Feeling22
I ended up taking a few days off from being an Undertaker
Spent a day in the ER with my mom
Got a visit from Alan :) :) :)
and of course celebrated Thanksgiving with my Family :)
So this is definitely a re cap of the November in general!
So Folks... Let's start the show.
Birthdays
I am finally to the point where I can remember adults talking about when I was young.
I remember hearing,
"Enjoy it while you can, eventually birthdays become a notification that life is changing way to quickly
and you can't do much about it!"
The sad thing about it is I understand that now.
Each birthday passes without a princess dress or a having a group of 15 girls spend the night just to celebrate.
Trust me my dad loved those parties..... NOT..
In tribute to me turning 22..
which isn't old at all but it is the oldest I'll ever be as far as I know!
Here is a Transformation Tuesday photo:
I am finally to the point where I can remember adults talking about when I was young.
I remember hearing,
"Enjoy it while you can, eventually birthdays become a notification that life is changing way to quickly
and you can't do much about it!"
The sad thing about it is I understand that now.
Each birthday passes without a princess dress or a having a group of 15 girls spend the night just to celebrate.
Trust me my dad loved those parties..... NOT..
In tribute to me turning 22..
which isn't old at all but it is the oldest I'll ever be as far as I know!
Here is a Transformation Tuesday photo:
I don't know if I am the only one that wondered what they were going to look like or act like as a grown up when they were little but I am looking back at that photo of little me in the lifeguard chair and realizing
I believe she would be so proud of me. :)
Being the equivalent to an Undertaker for almost 5 years makes you grasp life a lot differently than most people.
You forgive easier, you accept without judgement, you cling to relationships with you family, you over commit to life, to experiences, to journeys and adventures, Simply because you are smacked in the face with knowing this life is continually changing
People, lovers, family, friends
Going in and out
at the snap of a finger.
I believe 5 year old me would be pleased with who we have become and where we are going.
She would be proud that I have created a career from nothing, no degree, no hours spent on mind numbing papers, dispositions and Power Points not knowing if it is truly going to take me anywhere.
For having the courage to go against the grain and carve out a path in life and make it work.
She would like that I have some very valuable, genuine friends that support me through anything and that we celebrate "life" as much as we can
She would love that our family is still strong despite some losses, broken ties, and distress.
Reflecting on 22 is a pretty monumental thing
Like I said... This is the oldest I'll ever be, as far as I know!
I am blessed beyond all belief....
So Alicia, Van (her brother) and Houston took me out for Japanese Hibachi for my birthday and got me some pretty awesome dishes for our camper.
In which Alicia asked me if the walls were Snot or baby poop green. :(
NEITHER......
so she went with lime green
ha ha ha
She is a hoot!
and they actually matched... Perfectly
I believe she would be so proud of me. :)
Being the equivalent to an Undertaker for almost 5 years makes you grasp life a lot differently than most people.
You forgive easier, you accept without judgement, you cling to relationships with you family, you over commit to life, to experiences, to journeys and adventures, Simply because you are smacked in the face with knowing this life is continually changing
People, lovers, family, friends
Going in and out
at the snap of a finger.
I believe 5 year old me would be pleased with who we have become and where we are going.
She would be proud that I have created a career from nothing, no degree, no hours spent on mind numbing papers, dispositions and Power Points not knowing if it is truly going to take me anywhere.
For having the courage to go against the grain and carve out a path in life and make it work.
She would like that I have some very valuable, genuine friends that support me through anything and that we celebrate "life" as much as we can
She would love that our family is still strong despite some losses, broken ties, and distress.
Reflecting on 22 is a pretty monumental thing
Like I said... This is the oldest I'll ever be, as far as I know!
I am blessed beyond all belief....
So Alicia, Van (her brother) and Houston took me out for Japanese Hibachi for my birthday and got me some pretty awesome dishes for our camper.
In which Alicia asked me if the walls were Snot or baby poop green. :(
NEITHER......
so she went with lime green
ha ha ha
She is a hoot!
and they actually matched... Perfectly
We can't ever take a serious picture without goofy ones to follow!
Okay... Moving on!!!
Okay... Moving on!!!
Turkey Day
2013
Houston and I are still working on the family affairs during holidays. Our families plan events for the same time
Which results in us having to split up
which isn't any fun for anyone.
We have Christmas down pat but Thanksgiving is still a doozy... so we split this year once again!
Houston and the rest of his family went down to Georgia to visit Tammy's mom and stepdad
Grandma "Carolyn" Howard & Papa Charles
or as Brian Calls her "Calhoun"
Grandma "Carolyn" Howard & Papa Charles
or as Brian Calls her "Calhoun"
Here are a few photos of our Thanksgivings :)
I spent my Turkey Day at my Mom and Dad's with Holly, Mama D (Doris Stone, my dad's mom), my Great Aunt Gail (my mom's mom's sister), and my Nieces.
My mom ended up getting an infection through a cut on her lip and spent a few hours in the ER on Thanksgiving.
Came home
AND STILL COOKED!!!
that woman is invincible let me tell you!
The day after Thanksgiving we had to take her back to the ER because her lip swelled up to the size of a Golf ball.
I would show you the picture
BUT I would like you to be able to read the rest of this post
and that might not be possible after seeing that pic!
Bless her heart, she was admitted to the hospital the day after Thanksgiving and didn't go home until the following Monday.
My Parents spent their 29th Wedding Anniversary in the Hospital
:(
But I love them and am so proud to call them my parents... They are amazing and can and will get through ANYTHING life throws at them!
Check out their
Transformation Tuesday:
My mom ended up getting an infection through a cut on her lip and spent a few hours in the ER on Thanksgiving.
Came home
AND STILL COOKED!!!
that woman is invincible let me tell you!
The day after Thanksgiving we had to take her back to the ER because her lip swelled up to the size of a Golf ball.
I would show you the picture
BUT I would like you to be able to read the rest of this post
and that might not be possible after seeing that pic!
Bless her heart, she was admitted to the hospital the day after Thanksgiving and didn't go home until the following Monday.
My Parents spent their 29th Wedding Anniversary in the Hospital
:(
But I love them and am so proud to call them my parents... They are amazing and can and will get through ANYTHING life throws at them!
Check out their
Transformation Tuesday:
HAPPY 29 YEARS YOU GUYS!!!
Okay.. What else...
Oh Yes...
Alan got to come down and spend some time with us for Thanksgiving. LeAnne went to Hendersonville to spend some time with her family so we didn't get to see her but we had a great time hanging out with Alan and playing our new board game
Would you Rather???
He had to go back to Raleigh the following Monday so we spent a few hours with him and had to say goodbye until next time
We are REALLY glad we got to see him!
Interesting times have come and gone...
Until next time
Carolina Love,
D.
Oh Yes...
Alan got to come down and spend some time with us for Thanksgiving. LeAnne went to Hendersonville to spend some time with her family so we didn't get to see her but we had a great time hanging out with Alan and playing our new board game
Would you Rather???
He had to go back to Raleigh the following Monday so we spent a few hours with him and had to say goodbye until next time
We are REALLY glad we got to see him!
Interesting times have come and gone...
Until next time
Carolina Love,
D.
Well. now that we secured the property and "It's Ours!"
we better get to start building & selling, moving & groovin'
Right?
Right!
So we spent a few hours talking and praying to figure out what God had in store of us next...
and would you know that just so happened to be a
1983 Fleetwood Prowler travel trailer?
Yea.. Me neither!
But seriously,
after we decided we were ready to make this move happen we spent countless hours on craigslist searching for the right Twinkie...
(as my best friend Alicia calls campers & trailers)
We searched in the tri-state area and to be honest campers are expensive little toys, 40,000 here 60,000 there...
We are apparently in the wrong line of work because
I can go ahead and tell you that Gearhead & I are not anywhere close to that tax bracket... ha ha ha
Okay... So we made a plan and I decided I would take on some extra photography work so that we could get our hands on a older nice model camper that would be comfortable to live in.
Yup Live in!
Houston and I are very like minded in the fact that we want to live our lives NOW... to the fullest extent.
I don't want to wait until I am at retirement age to have our dream home.
We are doing it now!
With a lot patience, a lot of help from our parents, modest money management and perseverance we will be self building our own home.
Not to fool anyone to thinking this will be a nightmare.
Brian is a General Contractor and will be guiding and building our house with us!
The Camper comes in on the modest money management side.
We are planning on moving into the camper and living out of it until we are able to complete our home. That may be 1 year, maybe 3 years.. who knows...
We just know we have a goal in mind, we are content with what opportunities we have and we aren't giving up.
This will definitely be an adventure!
So we saved what we had and whatever we could get our hand on.
However I have a bad tendency to dip back into savings if it is accessible... so we ended up cashing out our savings and placing it into a glass jar with a very small bottle neck and of course..
NO WAY to get the funds out unless you break the jar.....
Though this seems very elementary... it worked for us!
We were able to watch our saving grow through the glass and found the nights where we rolled up the bills and shoved them in & wrote the new total on the bottle to be a pretty fun and goofy experience....
Plus you can't argue with results!
Here is our camper jar hanging out waiting for more moolah! and us cramming in more money!
we better get to start building & selling, moving & groovin'
Right?
Right!
So we spent a few hours talking and praying to figure out what God had in store of us next...
and would you know that just so happened to be a
1983 Fleetwood Prowler travel trailer?
Yea.. Me neither!
But seriously,
after we decided we were ready to make this move happen we spent countless hours on craigslist searching for the right Twinkie...
(as my best friend Alicia calls campers & trailers)
We searched in the tri-state area and to be honest campers are expensive little toys, 40,000 here 60,000 there...
We are apparently in the wrong line of work because
I can go ahead and tell you that Gearhead & I are not anywhere close to that tax bracket... ha ha ha
Okay... So we made a plan and I decided I would take on some extra photography work so that we could get our hands on a older nice model camper that would be comfortable to live in.
Yup Live in!
Houston and I are very like minded in the fact that we want to live our lives NOW... to the fullest extent.
I don't want to wait until I am at retirement age to have our dream home.
We are doing it now!
With a lot patience, a lot of help from our parents, modest money management and perseverance we will be self building our own home.
Not to fool anyone to thinking this will be a nightmare.
Brian is a General Contractor and will be guiding and building our house with us!
The Camper comes in on the modest money management side.
We are planning on moving into the camper and living out of it until we are able to complete our home. That may be 1 year, maybe 3 years.. who knows...
We just know we have a goal in mind, we are content with what opportunities we have and we aren't giving up.
This will definitely be an adventure!
So we saved what we had and whatever we could get our hand on.
However I have a bad tendency to dip back into savings if it is accessible... so we ended up cashing out our savings and placing it into a glass jar with a very small bottle neck and of course..
NO WAY to get the funds out unless you break the jar.....
Though this seems very elementary... it worked for us!
We were able to watch our saving grow through the glass and found the nights where we rolled up the bills and shoved them in & wrote the new total on the bottle to be a pretty fun and goofy experience....
Plus you can't argue with results!
Here is our camper jar hanging out waiting for more moolah! and us cramming in more money!
Anyway.. after a short 1 1/2 hour drive to Forest City, North Carolina,
we bought our new Metal Mansion and are starting to call it home while we are shaping the property and getting ready to build.
This is also going to make it easier for Brian to go in and fix anything on the current house and show it to people since our stuff won't be clogging up the place!
Brian and Houston had to fiddle with the ball on the hitch a little.... but we got it...
I still wonder to this day is Papa Mize put Locktite on the threads just to play with us.... because seriously..
He Would!
Either way.. it was pretty funny to watch.
we bought our new Metal Mansion and are starting to call it home while we are shaping the property and getting ready to build.
This is also going to make it easier for Brian to go in and fix anything on the current house and show it to people since our stuff won't be clogging up the place!
Brian and Houston had to fiddle with the ball on the hitch a little.... but we got it...
I still wonder to this day is Papa Mize put Locktite on the threads just to play with us.... because seriously..
He Would!
Either way.. it was pretty funny to watch.
Well, we got the right ball on the hitch and loaded her up to take her home!
Here are some photos of the inside. the front door leads into the living room that the previous owners were using as extra space to have a bed when friends came over. There are two bedrooms through the back door. A full kitchen, dining area and a bathroom.
She is 33ft long :)
She is 33ft long :)
Now to take down all that sexy wood paneling and
MAKE IT HOME! :)
Carolina Love,
D.
MAKE IT HOME! :)
Carolina Love,
D.
Well... Robert got his first taste of the Ranch and this was his overall reaction
Needless to say, he is raring and ready to go. We are so happy he liked the property.
We are going to have to adjust being 30 minutes away from all of our friends so it helps to know that he would like to come stay with us and thinks all of our other friends will be just as ready to come and hang out on the weekends.
We took him down the driveway and his eyes lit up. We showed him where the houses are going to sit and then we went through the property
Showing him all of our hunting stands
We are going to have to adjust being 30 minutes away from all of our friends so it helps to know that he would like to come stay with us and thinks all of our other friends will be just as ready to come and hang out on the weekends.
We took him down the driveway and his eyes lit up. We showed him where the houses are going to sit and then we went through the property
Showing him all of our hunting stands
Then we walked down to the river and it just so happened that a flock of ducks flew out from the undercut of the riverbank.
Couldn't have been more picturesque!
Robert broke out the duck calls and got on it!
That was truly one of the most beautiful moments at the property so far.
Listening to the sound of the duck call bellowing through the trees, listening to the ducks and birds respond, the water flowing.
It was awesome.
Couldn't have been more picturesque!
Robert broke out the duck calls and got on it!
That was truly one of the most beautiful moments at the property so far.
Listening to the sound of the duck call bellowing through the trees, listening to the ducks and birds respond, the water flowing.
It was awesome.
I think Robert will have a blast down here. :)
Dang it... We all Will!
In other news:
I am DEATHLY afraid of heights
However, I am very proud that I made myself get into a
Lock on stand with climbing sticks while we were down at the property.
It took me 3 times to get all the way up...
And about 20 minutes to get down...
Ha Ha Ha but I did it!
Here was my view!
Dang it... We all Will!
In other news:
I am DEATHLY afraid of heights
However, I am very proud that I made myself get into a
Lock on stand with climbing sticks while we were down at the property.
It took me 3 times to get all the way up...
And about 20 minutes to get down...
Ha Ha Ha but I did it!
Here was my view!
Pretty Dang amazing if you ask me!
If I had the courage to do that in the dark, It would be
GAME ON for Deer Season!
If I had the courage to do that in the dark, It would be
GAME ON for Deer Season!
As of right now, I am still a chicken
and It will probably take me a few more tries before I go it along..
But the views are like no other
That is for sure!
Robert ended his trip with a donut and tearin' shit up with his truck Scarlett!
ha ha ha
and It will probably take me a few more tries before I go it along..
But the views are like no other
That is for sure!
Robert ended his trip with a donut and tearin' shit up with his truck Scarlett!
ha ha ha
Pretty good time down on the ranch. Ready to get down there
and really have some fun! :)
Until Next Time
and really have some fun! :)
Until Next Time
Carolina Love,
D.
D.
Dana Here..
25. Married to my High School sweet pea, Houston. We have lived in a 216 sq ft camper working on 3 years now to become as financially free as possible while building our first home ourselves on 25 Acres in the Upstate of South Carolina.
For me, this space is deeply rooted in adjusting our thoughts, our morals and our goals... digging deep into our selves to muster up the guts to seek freedom in our lives in hopes that others watching us will set sail into the uncharted waters of their lives and find their freedom ....no matter what that looks like!
So.
If you are up for it.
I invite you to turn to page one of a whole new story.
I'll warn you...
Some Soul Searching May Be Required