One Year Later...

On July 22^nd Brian and I celebrated 1 year on this CRAAAZY Adventure!

Champagne Wishes & Caviar Dreams

It all started with a dream, as do many Adventures.  A dream of getting out of debt (the hard way: Working For It). A dream of owning a house. A dream of a couple of new cars. A dream of  independence. A dream of living like the ‘other half’ (What was it like to have money?)

What we found from these dreams is that it isn’t always easy! Saving money isn’t easy! In fact it’s down right HARD! But we are getting there! Our loft 1^st year goal was missed BUT we have learned some valuable lessons and with a synch of the belt we will be able to make that up AND continue to year number two’s goal!

A Love To Last A Life Time

I can’t believe the changes I have seen in my husband (all things I knew that were deep down inside)! Up before the birds? Yes! Up before the sun? Sometimes.  Brian isn’t a morning person never has never will be. His favorite phrase to me in the morning (that isn’t a grunt) is “Too many words.”

He has a full time job!  This came as a shocker to everyone who knows him.  The last time he had a full time job was when he was 16.

The latest “WOW, what just happened here?!” is his construction project.  He and our land lord are constructing an 8X12 mudroom/entryway/pantry/storage unit thing.  It is almost done! I’ll post before/after and progress pictures when it is finished!

Church

We have been so blessed to find a church home.  They have welcomed us with open arms and allowed us to use our talents to serve the church. Also, this is big for me, I feel comfortable going when Brian is at work. His schedule (4 on 2 off) rotates even if it is Sunday or a holiday or he is sick or it’s 40-below outside.

The Oil Boom Impact

There are people everywhere, trucks everywhere, semis everywhere. Traffic! Hair appointments are four months out. Vehicle service booked out six weeks. DMV title and licensing three months behind. There isn’t enough food in Wal-Mart, and even with all of the check-outs open you are still looking at a 45 minute to an hour wait in line.

In June the city passed a ‘No RV Ordnance’. (I’ll keep my Soap Box put away on that subject) No impact on my home, so not to worry!

What I’ve Learned

That you can live in an RV when it is below zero (we didn’t have much of a winter so ask me how I feel after we have a real one with snow and wind and cold).

I can be proud of my husband with out a ‘but’ coming after.

Oil clothes + non-oil clothes X same dryer = all oil clothes.

You can live without an oven (but not a microwave).

Why have a magazine subscription when you have time to read them in line at Wal-Mart?

There are different colors of oil! Black, Brown (like you’d think), yellow, ‘Mountain Dew’…Montana has the black, thick stuff.

The light WILL turn green, just maybe not as soon as you would like.

A stop-sign is optional, always (according to the people who drive here).

Patience! When you are at the front of this line there will be twice as many people waiting.

Every state has a different vehicle title and sometimes they aren’t easy to fill out! (Best, Wyoming. Worst, California)

You can live without internet for your computer but only if you have a smart phone!

You can watch a full series TV show (hour long episodes) in 6 weeks but only if the Library isn’t open on the weekend (for your internet) and you put in some Saturday/Sunday Marathons.

The mountains in Montana are gorgeous! But nothing beats a ‘big sky’ sunset in your own back yard.

We couldn’t be on this Adventure without the love, thoughts, prayers and support of our family and friends back home.   Thank you all so much!!

Our Adventure Grows On....

Since the last time I wrote so much has happened....

• I started a new job.
• I am a cashier/receptionist at a car dealership.  Been there about 3 weeks.
• Thanksgiving
• Brian and I were lucky and blessed enough to get to go home for the holiday!  We surprised our families--there were tears--and it was hard to go home.  We don't know the next time we will be home but are hoping that Mom and Dad Nelson, Baby Sister Nelson, Little Sister Nelson and   J-Dork Nelson can meet us at Yellow Stone/Glacier National Park for a summer vacation...If not Brian wants to take me to Paris or Rome or on an Alaskan Cruise.....

I love my dreamer! He wants me to have moon and the stars!!

• Brian and I, as well as the church we attend were featured in the United Methodist Reporter 
• Here is the link to the feature story:  http://www.umportal.org/article.asp?id=8404
• My car is broken!
• Monday morning, after we came home from Thanksgiving in Wisconsin, I got in my car to head to work...and I had no gas, I found this weird because I had put $20.00 worth in that afternoon on my lunch break.  'Fantastic!' I think, 'Someone stole my gas!' Thankfully the van had a full tank from the trip.  After I get to work I called Brian and told him.  I removed my 'jumping to conclusions' foot from my mouth when I went home for lunch and had the sun to show me the blatant ring under my car--YUP your right my gas had all leaked out! I work for a Chevy dealer ship, and my car is a Ford (lol) but they said they would be willing to look at it and give me an idea of what the problem is (gas line or hole in the tank) and how much it will possibly cost.  The thing is it's a 2000 how much money do you put into a car that is 11 years old, and has it's third transmission, it is a good car! So we will bang it out I suppose... maybe for Christmas I'm getting a gas tank (erg).
• My phone died!
• All day Wednesday (11/30) it was acting slow.  And what I have learned about Black Berries is if they are acting stupid pull the battery and start over.  I am sure any tech-y people are freaking out yelling at my stupidity.  We it has worked in the past.  After the battery pull it was doing the load.  After the first try the screen when white and it did the load over...it did this 15 (no lie) time before the screen when white and stayed that way displaying an error message.  Lucky for me that the V-store (was that sneaky enough?) was open.  Brian and I go in and the lady tells me 'this is a problem with Black Berries'. Fantastic!  She called and ordered a replacement.  I told her I wanted it the next day and have them overnight it.  She told the Representative on the phone this and they told me I would have to pay 12.99 for the shipping charge or I could 2 day it and pay only 6.99, sounds like a scam to me. I said fine put it on my bill.  I received an e-mail that had the tracking info.  It told me that the phone wouldn't be at the store till Friday...that isn't "over night'' if you ask me!! So on Friday after work (6:30pm) I head over to the V-store.  The guy at the counter then has the guts to ask me if I was called to come pick up my phone.  I look at him blankly hoping he wants to take the words back before I make him look like a fool.  "No! My phone is dead! You were suppose to call my husband BUT I don't have a way to get a hold of him 'cause my phone is broken." He looked, not very hard. Then informs me it isn't here.  

Me: "Can you call V and ask them where it is? I asked it be over nighted."
Him: "Have you ever over nighted any thing in Williston? --Me: "Yes.  I got it on time."--Him: "Doesn't exist."
Him: "You'll have to call V and ask them to track it with the confirmation number given to you."
I'm half way across the store by now Me: "I wasn't given one."
Him: "Oh, that's right that is for something different....Sorry Hon."  My brain exploded right there and I should have yelled at him for his insincere sexist comment but I just stormed out.  Now by the looks of the e-mail I won't have a phone until Monday night.  And that means....No Facebook, No Twitter, No communication with anyone.  I can't believe how much I miss those "I love you" texts Brian and I would exchange during the day.

Other than all that--Not much has been going on the last 3 weeks.  Hehehe.

Home Sweet Home

Hello from the great plains of North Dakota!

It was a heck of a drive! 700 miles in 24hours (nap included).  My BIL drove the RV without a single problem (Thanks Eli!).  Brian and I have been alone for a week.  Brian doesn't have a job just yet but the manager of the shop said he could vouch for him getting a position (yippee!)  The only person who can do the interview and first day paperwork is on vacation 'till the 15th of August-so now we wait.  In the meantime we have been 'sight seeing' around our new town.  We found lots of things to do (no money quite yet to do them) and a lot of nice people!  Everyone you talk to for more than 5 minutes hands you a business card (maybe they hand them out at the boarder, lol).  In fact today two young men helped us change the break pads on our van (all they wanted was money for food, we pitched in a little more "J" did a fantastic job!)  The dogs are getting used to the new environment.  I worry about Chance, he isn't eating normally.  I hope it only has to do with nerves and soon goes away.  Princess loves following the sun (which is ALWAYS out here) from window to window taking naps (nothing has changed with her).  Williston (the town where we are) has a Puppy Park.  Brian and I have taken the dogs everyday.  Princess loves the openness for running and Chance (who is normally a big oaf) loves the ramps and tunnels in the agility part.  I still don't have a car so that also means no job. I also get board often siting in the RV when Brian goes out but it is all for a good cause!  I am liking North Dakota very much and can't wait for the opportunitys that can come of this ADVENTURE.  We still don't have a computer so these Blogs will be far and few between but the Library has AC :). 

Until the next time! ~J