We’ve decided to settle down in…
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON!
It’s the most logical choice. We’ve lived there twice before. We have friends, doctors, dentists, family and other services already established so there’s no start-up stress. It meets all of our criteria for hobbies and activities. Spokane is warm and dry in the summer, cold and sunny in the winter and experiences the four seasons. And it’s affordable to live here without breaking the bank :)
When we set out on this journey 11 months ago, we didn’t know if we’d make it past a week in this lifestyle, let alone permanently. So we set a goal to give it a year and then re-evaluate. We are wrapping up our year and have experienced so much; met some wonderful new friends, saw some much missed old friends, and have evolved as human beings.
We’ve learned how to be respectful of one another in 300 sqft. of space—1000 sqft. less than than the smallest house we’ve ever owned. As a family we’ve learned to practice patience with one another, although I may need a refresher course. My favorite aspect of this adventure has been the process of becoming minimalists—only keeping the essentials with us, even if I need to declutter routinely. The small space allows us to deep clean in about 15 minutes, even if there is so little to do that it’s hard to find chores for the kids to help with. I guess that’s a good problem to have.
Bend has almost everything you’d need, which is good considering central Oregon is pretty removed from the other major cities in the region. It’s quite sunny and picturesque with mountains along the horizon. It’s also considered high desert, at an elevation of over 3000 feet and its VERY dry. I just couldn’t stay hydrated. We would totally considering living here if they had a year round ice rink, but they don’t, so that’s a deal breaker for me :)
Upon recommendations, we booked our stay in Sisters, Oregon, about 20 miles from Bend, where our relatives live. And we’re being completely honest when we say the Bend/Sisters Garden RV Resort was…AMAZING.
By far THE best campground we’ve ever stayed at. It was excellently maintained, with breathtaking flower gardens, spa-like bathrooms and freshly paved drives everywhere! And they were family friendly so the kids could longboard, rollerblade and bike to their heart’s content.
We stopped for a few days to visit Jason’s sister Lisa and her family in Damascus Oregon, outside of Portland. It was perfect timing since we were able to celebrate our youngest niece’s third birthday! They live off the beaten path but had plenty of space in their yard so we boondocked with a little power cord run from the garage. Mainly we hung out in their house with them and just slept in Edelweiss.
Divagirl had so much fun with her cousins. Even though Cate had school during the day, that just gave Divagirl more time to get to know Sammie.