“The best education you will ever get is traveling. Nothing teaches you more than exploring the world and accumulating experiences.”

― Mark Patterson

I remember the best times as a kid, never being in school! My mom and aunts have a free spirit mindset, mixed with the clan of Winnie the Pooh, which may suit them best. These women always expressed life is an adventure, and they don’t disappoint. The best times were always playing in the river with my cousins when my mom let us play hooky..or trip to Big bear to hike. the best were going to themeparks! Maybe that’s what lit my passion for anti-school as a child.  Thanks, Ladies! I’ve learned more from experiences and work than from school in my life. 

Growing up, I was hit with the RV bug when my Dad took us out in the RV’s you could rent. He would load us up and hit the road to Yosemite . To this day, I think of some of those memories daily when we are on the road , I cherish them so much. Those experiences and moments we had , I want my family to enjoy and have as well. Plus I was the son my Dad never had . HA ! Because of how much I loved that , My husband didn’t have to think twice if I wanted to do this kind of lifestyle. Letting our kids explore and gain new experiences is one of the fun parts of our unschooling path.

Over the years, we went down the KYD ( keep your daydream) rabbit hole that took us to Find Our Someday. They had kids that they took on the road and have not looked back since. With such inspiration, our love for RV life and travel was taken up another notch! 

 A few summers ago, we sold our house and hit the road to Montana. After we worked out a schedule with Jen, we got to adventure out for a month! We learned so much as a family and individuals. We made tons of new memories. The kids had run-ins with otters in Utah, fishing in Montana, and throwing away a drone in Idaho.

After we got home, we stayed close because of Makayla and school. We like a good routine and convenience, so we stayed at my parents’ RV area for a while before finding a hidden gem in a town close to home. After settling into our new home, we got our itch again. This time, WINTER CAMPING! We found Lava Hot Springs by accident. We stopped at the KOA West over our summer trip and fell in love. We got to experience the hot springs at the finest time of the year! But cold temperatures bring new learning experiences. With the thrill of winter camping and then vowing never to do it again. We still loved Lava! 

Taking to the internet, we were looking for somewhere we could go for some time. That’s when we reached out to Lava Campground. The next day, we got a reply from the owners. We met Cam and Annie, guessing whether they had monthly stays. Instead, they said, “Hey, we are looking for help with the bathrooms and showers.” After hearing the details, we said yes! Spending the summer outside of the gross heat, I’ll take it! 

Come the end of May, we packed up the Rig and hit the road to the land of potatoes. We rolled up to our home away from home. Once we got there, we met The Salts and the lovely Hostest with the mostest, Rhonda and Jeff. We were off to work after settling in and setting up the RV! Meeting the team out in Idaho, changed my mind on how to look at things. They were not a team, they were a family. Going into this I was thinking one thing, and it turned out to be the complete opposite! Everyone brings something to the table all over the campground. Kicker, even their boys contribute in their own way. Cleaning the bathrooms and showers  could be worse , Of course, there are days when you lose all faith in humanity until you look up and see the night sky! All you need to do is toss in headphones, jam out to some tunes or a good book, and you’re off! 

At the end of our first summer in Idaho, I was sold. I could easily do this again. When we got the invite to come back for the next year, it was, without a doubt, a yes.  Each year, we learned something new and made new friends.  Everyone is busy and off doing their own thing when you’re at home. In our RV, we spend time together and enjoy being close. Of course, we have days when we want to rip our hair out and yell at the top of our lungs. However, the good outweighs the bad every time. Being able to experience these things with our family is a blessing in itself. 

The campground in Lava is a family’s paradise. It offers retro RV rentals, vacation homes, and, of course, some great tent spots. Don’t get me started on the clean bathrooms and showers! Besides the massive playground, a lovely river flows right into the Heart of Downtown Lava. You can scope out the stores, or hot springs and even float the river there! (Secret time: I still have not done it since I’m a chicken. )

While helping at a campground, you meet many people from all over. This year, we met a lovely lady who wanted to help encourage Makayla with her reading ( we spoke about homeschooling struggles ). The day she checked out of the campground, she gave her the full collection of The Chronicles of Narnia. Quickly fast-forward to November 2024, and she is on book 5. The kindness of one person left such an impact; I’ll never forget that. 

The exciting talks about Idaho will lead to many more stories, from friends visiting to Sebastian busting his face on his bike after an epic breakfast burrito. Be warned if you check it out Winter, fall, Spring, or Summer ….Lava Hot Springs will steal your heart as it did mine.  Until we meet again world! 

Like to check out Lava Campground ? Check out the link below !

https://lavacampground.com/