Dawn, AKA, Mom, I am the “hatcher” of the roadtrip plan, a hermit homebody or nomad, I am not sure which. Give me the open road or a small cottage in the middle of nowhere and I am happy. It’s the in between daily grind that grinds on me. My previous incarnations have included Teacher, Swimming Instructor, Wellness Coordinator, Waitress and Pediatric Cardiac Sonographer. I get bored if left to “rot” too long, am always looking for the next challenge and have a particular interest in photography and writing. I enjoy Motherhood beyond words and am glad that the “Dudes” came along later(not late!) in life so that I could free myself up to devote to them.
David, AKA, “Hippy-geek Handyman”; Some might say that Hippy and Geek AND that tie-dye and pocket protectors are mutually exclusive terms and never the two shall meet. Then there was David. Some of his previous incarnations include Computer Systems Analyst(geek part), Cook, Roofer, Sailboat Rigger and Environmental Chemist all of which have contributed to his abilty to live in and manage an RV. He also has a wonderful sense of humor and the ability to diffuse tension among the ranks with just the right words which is another essential skill for living in 200sq ft with 4 people and a dog. He doesn’t care for my cooking or driving which thankfully relieves me of those duties and he will defend his ponytail to the last strand(hippy part).
Kailash, 11, AKA “Big Dude” is the quiet, sensitive, thinker type but his “leader” emerges when with his friends. As with all big brothers, he lives to get a reaction out of his little brother but, when he’s not torturing him, he adores the “Lil’ Dude”. His hobbies include building zillion piece Lego kits(he will go without food, water and bathroom breaks until they are finished) and exploring nature. I have retrieved enough rocks, sticks, leaves and bones out of the washer and dryer to open a natural history museum. Slapstick comedy tickles his funny bone ’til he cries and he is a passionate reader of sci-fi and fantasy. I anticipate he will become either and Engineer or Naturalist. If those don’t work out, he could always become a “Trekie” or Lego artist.
Kaden, 6, AKA “Lil’ Dude” may be the smaller one but, is a force to be reckoned with. He came out of the womb smiling and with an answer for everything. He is hardly ever pressed for words whether they make sense or not and will debate any issue until the sun goes down…and comes up again in the morning. He is also a charmer and a lovebug. From the time he was a baby, he would reach his arms out to the two nearest people, wrap them around their necks and pull them in for a big squeeze. He is fearless which makes his Mother fearful and a tough guy who shakes-off falls that have emergency room potential. He also adores and aspires to be like his big brother. He is definetly on track to be a lawyer but, if that doesn’t work out, he could always be a stand-up comic or create world peace.
Sophie, the “Princess”. Although humans try to give unconditional love, the only creature on earth truly capable of unconditional love is a dog. Sophie, our lovable, furry, sweet golden retirever is no exception. Her favorite person is everybody, her favorite food is everything. She is a snuggle buddy for her “Dudes” as well as a great hiking companion. She replaces the need for a vaccuum and a blanket in the RV and often replaces the need for a TV. She takes up very little space unless it happens to be your side of the bed and our family and trip would not be complete without her.