The Ever-Creative Evie

Duct Tape Purse Perfection

As I  walked through the door, I was tackled by Evie. She was excited to see me and have her daddy home. She was overwhelming excited to show me her knew art/craft project. A purse made from duct tape. I have seen a lot of things and I have to say that I am very impressed. 

She had made it for her friend back home she is planning to visit with today. Evie is like that. She often gives of herself and time to her friends. She like to make them happy. Making things, either drawing or using her 'other creative' forces to conjure up something fills her day.

School had gone by so much better today. Kids were up, happy, and much more focused today. Jen had several projects around Arrakis to finish before she heads back home to take care of some personal business, visit family, and check on the house. I for one will fend for myself for the next couple of days. I think I can manage.

A family dinner, a day of unfortunate events

Kids setup the picnic table for a great summer dinner

Today was a tough day...

From the very start of the day, it started to rain. This made travel to my new work location difficult having to almost travel by the Force due to the heavy rain, crazy traffic, and newness to the area. Luckily, with my Waze App loaded on my iPhone, I was able to get turn by turn navigation and avoid some costly delays. Even with the bad weather, I was able to make good time and arrive to my new client site ready to work.

As with any client, there are politics and culture. I have to say that the culture at my new client location is the most difficult I have experienced in recent past. It seems that there are those who are the 'culture police' to make sure that everyone is following 'the policy.' So, I was a little put back by the change in scenery. Especially with worrying about every step I make could lead to someone sending some email to higher ups because of something I may have done. 

Use of headphones... Nope

Eating at your desk...Nope

Use of cellphone... Only in approved areas

Texting.... Nay, Nay!

Jen kicking back to enjoy a book after her tough day

I am a take charge kind of guy. You give me something, I get it done. I am diligent, hard working, and work fast. Part of that is due to my ability to focus a midst distractions. One of my tools is the use of headphones. Being able to listen to music or podcasts in the background allows me to drown out the drivel around me. So, the culture in this location will test my wits and my ability to focus. Change is always hard.

Jen had her own list of struggles today. For one, our oldest was falling behind in her schoolwork and only putting in minimal effort. That is a struggle with homeschooling. The more 'open' environment, can lead to laziness. It is important to identify the struggle, offer encouragement, and if necessary enforce proper habits so that they can succeed. Homeschooling is a pleasure for sure, but these struggles can be daunting. You don't want your children to fall behind. You want to make sure they are making steady progress. At times,  you have to reset, re-evaluate, and make a course correction. Jen, the trooper and mom-extraordinaire, had to take a stronger stance than usual, and Uno followed suit.

On top of that, we had another camper misadventure. We forgot to batten down the hatches so to speak and left the outdoor kitchen door lifted up. This has never been a problem in the past. I guess I say that a lot since we are still inexperienced as full timers. Water seemed to fly sideways and collect on top of the counter in the outdoor kitchen. It then flowed underneath and got the floor wet in the minion's bunk room. So Jen battled getting all the water up, closing the outdoor door (getting soaked in the process), and getting all the wet things dry. We had to go out and get a wet dry vac to help finish the job and using fans to help finish drying the carpet. 

As you can tell, both Jen and I were in foul moods by the evening. Instead of cooking for ourselves, we got take out Chinese and had a lovely evening at the picnic table. The weather was much cooler due to the rain and quite enjoyable. We finished dinner, kids biked, and Jen and I grabbed books, our zero gravity chairs, and set ourselves to a quiet evening. This lasted a while until the swarms of mosquitoes decided to descend to our location. Packing up the books, T-Rex, and a few odds and ends, we headed to the camper. We finished the evening watching '1911', a historical movie about the Chinese Revolution starring Jackie Chan. Tomorrow, will be a better day, at least we hope it to be.

On To Indy...

Caught the Navteq Road-mapping vehicle
as we were leaving Michigan City and heading to Indy

Friday it was our move day and why we really haven't been able to blog much the last couple of days. We got up, ate breakfast and then it was off to the races getting the campsite cleaned up, Arrakis ready to move, and four scurrying minions who resisted our efforts to participate in our pack and move operation.

The one thing I have to say is that Indianapolis is MUCH hotter than it was in Michigan City. Maybe it was the better shade, the lake effect, or just simply cooler up north, but it noticeably hotter the closer we got to Central Indiana. The kids had fun on the move. The gruesome twosome road with me as I hauled Arrakis and our tower of snakes. Jen, Uno, and T-Rex followed along carrying everything we could stuff in the van to make Arrakis easier to haul. Our plan worked.

Last visit to the Indiana Dunes

After a few potty stops, we arrived at our location. At first blush, Indy KOA is a pretty nice camp. Well planned out, good playground, a nice game room and pavilion. They also have fun activities such as hay rides, root beer floats, and breakfast available. The down side you may ask? Internet! OMG! It is non existent. Worse, they only allow one computer for an hour a day. Sorry charlie, that is not going to work for us. If you advertise free WiFi, I think you should also post your draconian restrictions. Let's be real, that is probably all the older RV crowd needs to get by. I am sure, if I was simply vacationing, that would also be fine. It might even seem more than enough for the older generation of RV'ers visiting here. But for us... I say Nay,Nay!

<warning.. rant!>

So, I am struggling with what to do. You see, we cannot even connect to the wireless at our campsite. Not even with our smartphones. I called the office and they said they couldn't do anything for us for the next week or so (after Labor Day). Then, we might be able to move. Should I be upset? Maybe not. Should I ask for some money back because of my lack of connectivity? Probably not since they are providing the wireless for free (with restrictions).

Saturday, it was so hot we decided to go for milkshakes, 

Dos chose milk mustaches

So I guess, I am going to break down and buy yet another pay as you go 4G plan. I had clear for over a year and the service was spotty. Some days it worked great and other days you were left in the wind. Their customer support is terrible and think that by repeating everything you say back to you is the end all of good customer service. Worse yet is if the hardware goes out on you. I have had this happened to me twice. They expect you to buy new equipment and have you send your old in. If they find it defective, they MAY reimburse you the cost of the new equipment. 

It took me forever to get my point across that I would not be paying for faulty equipment again, and that they needed to replace the equipment at no cost. Little did I know that they lied. Replaced the equipment, and charged me. As soon as I saw the charge come across, I threatened to drop their service, and they promptly dropped the charge. As you can see, I am not a fan and no longer use their service. The good or bad part of this is that Clear doesn't have service near our campsite.

This leads me to finding another solution, having to buy someone else's equipment and pay an exorbitant rate for wireless service. Such is life. Don't know if there is a better solution out there. I have been looking and really don't feel that I have found my answer.

<end of rant!> Well for now... don't get me started on our little warning we received about our kids..

Outside of my negative feedback about the KOA's wireless. The camp site is really nice. It is set beside a quiet creek. I believe we have the most shade you can get at the park. It feels ten to fifteen degrees cooler under awning and campground. I actually noticed that as I was coming in from a visit with my brother and his family. 

Amish made Holsters... Really?

My brother lives in Columbus, IN. Not too far from where we were staying. Earlier Saturday, my brother and I visited the Indy1500. It is a huge gun show in the Indianapolis area. There were lots of dealers. Some I recognized from the gun shows closer to Evansville. There seems to be a regular group of dealers that travel the shows to sell guns, accessories, and supplies. Just like the Evansville shows, the prices of guns were higher than they should be. You have to pay $12 to get into the show, see overpriced merchandise, and pay through the nose for concessions. Yet, every yahoo comes out and visits. I even saw a Congressman out there shaking hands.

Sunday we visited on the recommendation of our friends from Calvary Chapel Sunset Coast to visit Horizon's Christian Fellowship. They are a Calvary Chapel Church in the Indy area that have a couple of campuses, have a bible college, and really seem to be doing a good work in the area. We were greeted warmly, helped getting our kids to their classes, and Jen and I enjoyed a great service and challenged Jen and I about things in our life that God is trying to use teach us about trusting him and following his will.

After service, we ate at a local Mexican restaurant that I didn't feel was that spectacular. It was enjoyable, quiet for a Sunday afternoon, and provided everyone with enough choices, that even a picky eater was somewhat satisfied. After lunch we headed to my brother's house for a afternoon visit and dinner.

Pajamas...check! Movie Time!

It was a nice visit. Our kids were entertained by my brother's family dogs, a crazy zombie film on Netflix, and great food. My brother made some awesome hamburgers, with a side of fresh vegetables, yellow watermelon, and a Barnes's staple of Kraft Shells and Cheese. After seeing my family, getting a little out of hand, and Jen and I get into a little tiff in front of my brother and his wife, I knew we were just exhausted for the day and time to head back to Arrakis. 

We all unloaded, got into our pajamas, and snuggled together to watch a movie. Jen had decided to hit the hay early. We watched a great film called 'Tho none shall follow." It was a battle of course because the kids wanted to watch the Lorax for the umpteenth billionth time. I resisted. In the end, they all liked the movie, it had a great message, and I tucked them in to bed. 

Seasons and change

Dos enjoying ice cream from Bubbles

Well our time up in Northern Indiana has come to a close. We will be transitioning to our next location in Indianapolis Indiana. The saddest part about this lifestyle is that you make acquaintances, meet lots of new people, and have fun experiences, and at some time, you just have to walk away. Much like leaving Disneyland without riding all the rides, it feels like you haven't yet begun to experience all there is to see and do.

We definitely feel like that with our church friends at Calvary Chapel Sunset Coast. What a great fellowship there. Sadly, we will have to be moving on. We pray that God continues to bless them and their ministry. Hopefully we will find a solid church with a heart of fellowship in our new location.

That said, I believe our experiment is not going to end with this month! Jen and the kids have agreed that an extended stay is in order. The kids are having a blast. They love the travel, the experiences, and the freedom to ride their bikes just about everywhere. I enjoy having my family with me while I travel. So as long as we can muster it, we will continue this little adventure and see where it takes us!

You see, I finally got it this morning! There is more freedom in my 300 square feet than your 3000 square foot McMansion! Here is why...

If I don't like my neighbors.... I can move
If I don't like the weather...... I can move
If I don't like how the sun hits my face the wrong way in the morning... I can move
If I don't like the homeowners association(we don't have any)............  I can move
If the drunk rednecks across the street decide to light fireworks at all hours in the night.... I can move

I have more freedom in my choices, in where I go, than being locked in on a mortgage, a home, or permanent place.

Tech savvy minions

Can you see the joy and excitement?

As you can see here, we have a new computer for the RV road school experiment. On my last trip to the local Wally-World with Dos, we looked at available and inexpensive options for buying a new laptop for Jen and the family to use along with the other 'tech' tools our children use for their education. I found a 'hodge-podge' selection of laptops that will fit our needs while not breaking the bank.

While not the Macbook air and the poor experience we received from Best Buy, this purchase was straight forward. No surprises waited for us. Jen actually picked out her new machine. While more expensive than I original was looking for, it was far cheaper than our previously mentioned first choice. I prefer Macs, won't stray from that idea, however this wasn't the computer I was going to be using on a day to day basis.

The computer booted up, I setup the user accounts and downloaded a few apps to help us get started. I spent the evening on my own setup with apps such as Evernote and Dropbox. Both accounts I use on a daily basis for storing notes, writing, and documents that I need to save. Evernote is my go to powerhouse. It is free and makes note taking and searching a breeze. I use it for day to day notes and messages to storing receipts that I scan in. There are a million ways to use the application. Some people have used it to write books to movie scripts. Others use it for grocery lists and daily task management. If you can think it, it is open and free enough to do it. Dropbox is an easy way to have documents readily available and shared at a whim. Need to send out a new resume to prospective consulting firms or clients, it is available to me via phone, Ipad, or computer. Evernote is much the same, synced via the 'cloud', I have access to all my notes, to-do's etc.

Other great ways of using these apps is for price shopping. Walking around and find something you want to buy but wonder if you are getting the best price? Take a snapshot on your phone via Evernote of the serial number, model, and price and then at your leisure, you can shop around. That is how we shopped for a new laptop. I took a snapshot of the different laptops we were interested in and shopped around. I found that the machine could be bought more cheaply online, but didn't want the hassle of shipping and the added costs. The two year protection was far cheaper than other options online, so our choice was pretty clear. That said, Jen did buy a different laptop than the one I was shopping for, but ultimately it was for her and she needed to be happy with her choice. Knowing that I wasn't going to pay a huge premium, and the alternatives were 'refurbished' models, my conscious was clear. 

Minion Bday Hooray!

Sunday...

Happy Birthday Minions!

My first day off in two weeks. It's minion celebration day... er Dos and Tres's birthday! So up early and off to IHOP for breakfast. Then rushed over to St. Joseph/Benton Harbor Michigan for church at Calvary Chapel Sunset Coast. We finished the day with a movie of 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days' and dinner at the Texas Corral.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days

Our day was busy and fulfilling. I forgot to bring my iPad to church and Jen kept nudging me and I wondered why. I was taking notes on my iPhone with the Mantis Bible App (really cool Bible program). I think she thought I was texting or sending emails. Who knows. Service was great. It was fulfilling and restful. That is what I like about services there. You leave fulfilled and rested. I have never left there feeling drained, discouraged, or tired. Strange, but I think that is exactly what it SHOULD feel like.

The Lorax Movie at home 'Arrakis'

Everybody wished Dos and Tres a warm and happy Birthday. We supplied them with love and gifts and fun for the entire family. I work hard at what I do so that moments like these are the most important. It isn't the things, it is the experiences!

A cat in the 'cat hat'

Jen took them to the Chesterton European Market. If you haven't had a chance to check that out, I highly recommend it. I think that it was crazy hat day at the market this weekend. Jen came home with some crazy and funny knitted hats. Even I got one. While funny, somewhat cute, I don't know if you will catch me wearing it. However for Jen and the kids, they were fabulous!

Chores and minions

T-Rex showing us she can clean like the bigger minions

Chores and the family, it is essential in keeping Arrakis orderly but it does a whole lot more than that. Have you ever met anyone who couldn't boil water, cook a decent meal, or simply forgot to learn basic life skills before reaching adult hood? I know countless examples from my college days. From simple meals such as Ramen Noodles to balancing a check book, there are people who just don't know.

That scares me quite frankly. At the same time, I remember resenting some of the chores I had when growing up. I remember having to push mow a half acre lawn at least once, maybe twice a week during the summer. I remember also having to weed-eat the entire thing. What was worse, there had to be nice straight lines. No round about in a circle mowing which is easy and keeps you going one direction. Nay, Nay... a nice pristine yard or nothing at all.

Want your own car? Get a job!

Got the job? Great, get your own insurance!

Mine was never this cool....

On down the rabbit hole I go. Teenager to responsibility and self sufficiency was a major piece of the 'raising' I got. Not that it was all bad. I learned how to do things for myself. I had to solve problems. I had to learn to manage money, pay bills, and take care of myself. If my car broke down, I had to buy my own parts. At times, my dad or a friend would assist me in repairs, but the majority of the time, I had to do my own work. I remember replacing the front grill and nose panel on my '78 Pontiac Grand Prix. It didn't match in color, but it looked better than the broken one it had when I bought it for $1000. I put it on myself. The grin on my face, and the feeling of accomplishment was immense.

So in the Barnes family, everybody pitches in. We all participate in getting things done. Basic cleaning to maintenance and repair. We all have our jobs to do. This helps us because it helps the family continue. You could call it 'survive' or better yet 'thrive'. We all are better off by doing the chores. It provides teaching moments, independent skills, and many other life lessons. Think of a goldfish and toilet situation. For us, Hamster and Air Conditioner... long story.

So, here is my list of why chores are important for family life on the road...

• A person who enters the real world with life skills will have a far easier time living, working, and dealing with others.
• Chores teach basic discipline.
• Simple chores around the house teach invaluable things such as time management, prioritization, and organization.
• We are a family, and the chores keep the family moving ahead and thus children learn that everyone has a part that makes the family stronger.
• Staves off 'self-entitlement'. Parents are not slaves to the children and we don't want our children to think the 'world' owes them something. If they want it, go out and work for it.

I am thinking of naming our camper Arrakis

I am showing you the superhero syndrome and your own participation in it.
—Frank Herbert

We found more 3M Command Spice Racks that are 

large enough for our bigger items

I know it is a cheesy...

Referencing the Dune Saga, but if you think about all of this talk about spice racks, the Indiana Dunes, I thought it was appropriate. What would be cooler is if Frank Herbert used the Indiana Dunes as his inspiration for the books. Unfortunately, that came from the Oregon Dunes.

But, Like Paule Atredies, we have had to overcome many hardships in the past ten years. From an unstable economy, several lay offs, poor financial and investment decisions, to the death of my father and closing our martial arts schools, we have had to face a lot. By the grace of God and sheer will, we have made it through. 

Making Arrakis our home, organization and simplicity is the key...

I started to be fascinated by camping and RV'ing a little over a year ago. In my research, I came across Families On The Road, and have been in awe of the families who decided to change their lives and live freely. What is inspiring to see is that people from various backgrounds and countries, changing their lives, living more simply, and experiencing a closeness and contentment I haven't found in the path I had chosen for my life.

You see, I am just different. Sure, easy for me to say, since I am the one writing this. I have so many interests and pursuits, that normally 'define' someone. From my faith in God, strong technical skills, multiple black belts, Master's rank in Kung Fu, entrepreneur pursuits, and various 'sub' interests, I find myself lost, only finding solace in one pursuit or the next.

Obviously, that is unhealthy and not the norm. I decided two years ago to put those pursuits on the back burner and focus on the family and righting both our emotional, spiritual, and financial courses. Changing jobs to become a consultant allotted me less hours of work for much more money. I am home more, spend more time with the kids and dedicate more time to them. We are invested more in our Church and I have taken back the reigns from the world on my family and decided it was time to be back in the driver's seat.

What I admire most from these families and this lifestyle is the simplicity of it. I did a back of the envelop assessment of our expenses living on the road versus living in a traditional home. For our family, I believe we can save $900 to $1000 per month without sacrificing on the luxuries we are akin to.The sacrifice is the home lifestyle in exchange to less room with more experiences, distractions that drain our time to fulfilling our emotional and spiritual needs.

While cutting the chord in selling everything and be completely unattached is still in the planning phase, we have settled on the happy medium of our 'experiment' in living in Casa Barnes, AKA Arrakis for a month. Today, the kids start their first full day of road schooling. We have prepared ourselves and have made the transition. We will keep you updated as our experiment unfolds its results.

Indiana Dunes and the Jr. Ranger Program

Officially, we have told the kids that school starts next week. This will allow us to fully try out road schooling and determine whether or not this is something we want to do for the long term. I will say however, I am very impressed with how the kids are adapting. They have come from having their own rooms to a much more cramped living space. Our living room is combined with kitchen and dining room which means that we multi-purpose everything.

However, each of the children have a designated place to use for learning and working. 'Defined' spaces means a lot to our children as we are still fighting constant 'mines' over property. Just last night we had an Epic battle over an extra blanket being used during a movie of  'Mirror, Mirror' we rented from RedBox. 'It's Mine,' got in the way of a peaceful evening only to be settled by me turning off the TV and reminding the children that we are all in this together and that sharing is an absolute must. Finally, they calmed down and peace was restored.

The Indiana Dunes has been a huge draw for us. The kids love adventures at the beach. From climbing Mt. Baldy, to just playing on the beach, the kids seem to love it. I am actually even more impressed with the Indiana Dunes Junior Ranger Program. They have booklets that you can get in their office or download. The kids explore and learn about the lake shore, the beaches, plants, birds, and other historical information. From there, they fill out their booklets to turn them in and get their Junior Ranger badge.

Earlier last week, I had the chance to climb Mt. Baldy and it was a fun adventure for all. There is so much to do and see. It has also provided us with an endless list of 'to do's' and 'to see's.' What better way to spend an evening than a sunset walk along the beach with the wife as the kids scamper and play in the surf?

Drums and Soda

Trying to keep our children well rounded on the road, we have tried to keep our children's music lessons as part of our program. Both my oldest and middle daughter keep busy with guitar lessons and piano lessons. However, my son is much more laid back and both of those options didn't seem to be a good fit for him. Well, while trying to get new strings for Jayelle's guitar, Jen and the minions visited a music shop. They were quite friendly and helpful. They even installed the strings for Jayelle. That is a plus because normally, I am the one having to do it for her. I don't mind, however this gave her the opportunity to practice during the day while I am at work.

JJ found his calling I believe. He wanted drums. While we don't have the room for a full percussion ensemble, we did find a djembe. It allows him to practice rhythm and work on different sounds made by striking the skin of the drum in different ways. I am excited for him. Normally, he loses interest rather quickly. I think when things become difficult or a sibling may be more gifted, he likes to stray away.  Since nobody in the house plays the drum, it is his opportunity to shine all by himself. We may have to struggle with him banging his lil' drum for a while, but I say 'bang on, my son!'

We also ventured out to the local outlet mall in Michigan City. Pretty cool place. The weather was nice for walking even though T-Rex, our littlest decided not to cooperate. We visited one of the chef supplies places and found a SodaStream with all the different flavors. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love Diet Dr. Pepper. Being a soda addict is an affliction, I know. However buying all those expensive cans and bottles does hurt the budget a little. More so, having storage for all of it doesn't make good sense. We are so limited in space, buying extra and storing like we normally do at home is not an option. There have been nights I have had to do without (how sad, right?). With the SodaStream, they even have a Diet Dr. Pepper flavor. I guess that is all I needed to splurge on the unit.

I am very impressed .The flavors are great. They taste so close to the real thing, you will be surprised. The added benefits of cost, no plastic bottles to throw away, and the reduced calories in the other flavored drinks  makes this a real win for the Barnes family on the road!

I was skeptical, but I was desperate...

I was skeptical, but I was desperate as to whether or not I could ever get any satisfactory wireless internet at the RV. Often times in the evening, I am logging in to make sure there are not problems and to prepare for the next day. Having a decent wireless connection speed saves me tons of time. Instead of fighting to connect, hopefully not getting dropped or suspended for an indefinite time, I want to log on, do my stuff and log off so that I can do something more meaningful like playing with the kids, fishing, or just about anything else.


As for road schooling, we don't have the extra room to store books and lots of 'paper' materials. A lot of the work has to be done online or using products such as Google docs to get the work done. Each of our children have a Amazon Kindle Fire we bought when they were selling refurbished ones for $149. This allows us to use them in conjunction with one laptop computer instead of having a laptop for each child. As you can imagine, for road-schooling like we are, connectivity is a must. Nothing like having a toddler upset that she cannot watch her PBS kids on her Kindle Fire! With the Kindle Fire's loaded down with books, and materials for homeschooling, it is just a matter of having connectivity to the Internet to allow us to facilitate and guide them through the process.


Over the last couple of years, I have tried several products from wireless tethering on my phone to buying a separate service such as Clear.com (don't get me started on them), paying for a data plan on my iPad, and just being frustrated all the time.


However, from a good suggestion I found perusing forums to find a way to amplify or extend an existing wireless network that would work well in an RV setting, I came across the NETGEAR Universal Wi-Fi Range Extender. The price was $67 and available at the local Walmart.  I have spent far more to try and get connected only to feel like I have utterly wasted my time and money. Often times products are so hard or complicated to setup or worse, they just don't work as described.


However, I did try this product after some glowing reviews in the forums along with great reviews on Walmart's own website. I was surprised at how easy it was to setup. I don't own the wireless at the campground but I was easily able to connect to, extend, and fully use it with this extender. As you can see, it takes up very little room and makes a world of difference.