Why?

I've been called some interesting things lately...

Let's see... nuts, psycho, crazy, disturbed, thrill seekin, insane- to name a few.

And trust me I can see how the idea of being in the car as much as we have been could seem a little nutso to some. Remember, I was there.

Then there's smelly fish, crap weather conditions, nasty contraptions to wear, and lots of fashion faux pas to boot. And lest we forget feeling like a skanky hoebag all those endless hours in the car.

Plus these things aren't always conducive for glamorizing oneself. I tried waterproof mascara rafting only to have it run down my face 10 minutes in. I curled my hair before going to the beach in WA- Ha! Not the smartest idea I've ever had. I would definitely have to find a new hairdo if I lived there permanently as most of them were flops.

If you know me even a little you know that I typically don't leave my house unless I'm entirely put together. It's just the way I work. Make-up, hair products, and accessories are never far from reach and require their own piece of luggage regardless of the length of our stay.

So why do I do it you ask?

Well, I have a few secrets to share...



Notice anything about this photo? And I'm not talking about my blinding white skin or slightly crooked hat.

Look closer...

See those pearly whites?

Well, I haven't seen those as much as I'd like lately. And my parents paid a fortune for them. That's the numero uno reason.

Number 2. You don't see this...


or this...



in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Or anywhere in the vicinity. Within driveable distances there are infinite amounts of awe-inspiring landscapes that make my heart tingle and smile from the inside out.

I put together a slideshow to highlight some of our adventures in the last year just to further prove my point. Plus it illustrates just how beautiful this earth really is. We racked up about 15,000 miles on our car traveling to Florida, New Mexico, South Dakota, Washington State, West Virginia, St Louis, and numerous smaller trips within 2 or 3 hours. (Sorry, you'll have to close out that ad on the bottom. I guess that's what I get for using a free program.)

Number 3. Turns out I'm an adventuresome soul at heart and long for more- more than I can get here.






And I'm deathly afraid of heights and still managed to find a smile while ziplining through the forests of West Virginia. The guides had to give me a couple pushes. And I may or may not have screamed my head off.

Number 4. It's great to spend time with hubs AWAY. A time to reconnect and forget about the everyday junk.

Number 5. I hate feeling "stuck". And in case you missed that post you can find it at Butler Way here. We moved to Iowa for what I thought was just a transitory period in our life. That was 12 years ago... I have attended school, had multiple jobs, birthed two children, and moved twice, and we are still here…

And as my niece so eloquently put it, "Sometimes when life throws you lemons, you have to get the hell out of town."

So, I may be broken just a little, but

That's why.