Foxfire & Freeways: Prepping for Indiana

The camper is currently in full cleanup mode as we get ready to head down for the Southern Indiana Renaissance Festival.

We’ll be staying down there for about two weeks since it really wouldn’t make much sense driving back and forth between both festival weekends. At this point, the camper is starting to feel less like “traveling” and more like its own little moving home base.

Unfortunately, the entire household seems to be getting hit with what feels like nonstop allergies.

Apparently the tree pollen has been especially bad this year according to the neighbors, and lil man is experiencing it for the very first time. Puffy little face, constantly runny nose, and absolutely no interest in letting us catch him long enough to wipe it 😅

Poor guy has definitely been feeling it.

The rainy weather has at least helped a little with calming some of the pollen down, so we’re hoping that continues.

Meanwhile, Sunna has already grown what feels like twice the size from when we first got her. She’s starting to really catch on with her training, learning quickly, and settling into life with us more and more every day.

She’s also been having an absolute blast playing with her doggy sister over at the father-in-law’s place, which has been good for her energy levels… and honestly probably good for ours too 😂

So for now, it’s cleaning, organizing, allergy season survival, puppy training, and getting ready for another stretch of festival life.

The road keeps moving.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there 🧡

To the moms running on coffee and chaos…
the ones balancing babies, road trips, long nights, and everything in between…

I see you.

This past month has been full of miles, festivals, camper life, sleepless nights, beautiful moments, stressful moments, and memories I know I’ll carry forever.

And through all of it, being “Mama” has still been my favorite part of the journey.

Whether your day is quiet, messy, exhausting, healing, joyful—or a little bit of everything…

I hope you know you’re doing better than you think.

Happy Mother’s Day from our little traveling crew

🧡

Foxfire & Freeways: A Full Day in Chicago

What was supposed to be a quick overnight stop in Chicago turned into another full day there—and honestly, I’m glad it did.

We spent the day taking in as much as we could. Saw the Chicago skyline, passed by the Morton Salt factory, and spotted some absolutely beautiful churches with towering steeples that stood out against the city.

And yes… we also found what most men apparently can’t find—

The Bean 😂

From there we made our way to Navy Pier, where we saw all kinds of ships, yachts, and shrimp boats lining the water. We passed Trump Tower, apartments tucked along the river, and lil man even got to sit in a giant-sized chair for a bit.

Sunna had an entire day of walking and exploring and eventually reached the point of complete exhaustion. She was absolutely passed out while we sat back for a moment with a couple “brewskis” and enjoyed the atmosphere.

To finish the night properly, we went to the original Giordano’s because you really can’t visit Chicago without having deep dish pizza.

And let me tell you…

that cheese pull was unreal.

I’m pretty sure I achieved the equivalent of an around-the-world cheese pull with one slice, which immediately told me the mozzarella there is the real deal.

Now we’re almost home to Akron, and honestly, after a full month of traveling, that’s going to feel like a huge relief.

As much as I’ve loved the road, I think we’re all ready for a little rest.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways

Foxfire & Freeways: Simple Moments and Rhubarb patches

Today was one of those full, simple days.

We spent most of it outside at the cousins’ place—just enjoying the weather, the breeze, and finally having a moment to slow down a bit. I even pulled some weeds to help clean up the veranda, which honestly felt kind of satisfying.

At one point I had a tiny little spider friend stop by, and not long after that we spotted hawks circling overhead. I took a few zoomed-in photos and… I’ve gotta say, the zoom on this iPhone is pretty wild.

It’s been one of those nice, easy days you don’t always get when you’re constantly on the move.

Walter had a full day outside too—he tried a rhubarb stalk for the first time and absolutely loved it. I even tried it myself (for the first time ever), and honestly… not bad at all. Not sure why I avoided it for so long.

He was happy as ever, bouncing around and getting the hang of his sippy cup like a pro.

And Sunna—our beautiful girl—spent the whole day in the sun and grass, soaking it all in. She’s completely tuckered out now.

Days like this feel like a reset.

Just good weather, simple moments, and a chance to breathe before heading home to Ohio.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways

Foxfire & Freeways: Meet Sunna

We’ve been a little quiet lately…

and now we can finally share why.

We got a puppy.

Her name is Sunna.

We picked her up during our trip to Texas and spent some time just getting to know her—letting her settle in, getting her used to us, and starting the early stages of training.

She’s 8 weeks old now, and already such a big part of our little world.

Sunna is named after the Norse goddess of the sun—a symbol of light, warmth, and guidance. It felt fitting for this next chapter of our journey.

Lil man absolutely adores her. Watching them together already, you can just tell… this is going to be one of those lifelong bonds.

Of course, not everyone has had something positive to say about it.

But at the end of the day, that doesn’t really matter.

What matters is that she’s loved.
She’s cared for.
And she’s going to grow into one incredibly smart, loyal companion alongside us.

This life we’re building—it’s ours.

And now, it includes Sunna.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways

Foxfire & Freeways: Beltane & Barefoot Days

We’re back on the road again—this time heading toward Iowa for a pit stop at the cousins’ place before making our way home to Ohio.

This past weekend we were in Fort Morgan for the Beltane festival, and honestly… it was a good one.

Lil man and I spent most of the day barefoot, just soaking everything in. It felt grounding in the best way—sun on our skin, feet in the earth, and a chance to slow down and just be for a bit.

Of course, we missed a few spots with sunscreen and ended up with some random sunburns 😅 but that just comes with the territory.

There were some really awesome vendors, a fire show that stood out, and just an overall energy that made the whole weekend feel worth it.

Lil man absolutely loved it—especially getting to hang out with his uncle Henry and Aunt Valeria. Those moments are always the best to watch.

It wasn’t perfect. There were still a few negative people and some stress that tried to creep in…

…but it didn’t take away from what the weekend was.

A good time.
Good people.
And a reminder of why we keep doing this.

Now it’s onward to Iowa, then Ohio.

More miles ahead.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways

Foxfire & Freeways: Colorado, Chaos & A Quiet Pause

We made it into Colorado Springs on April 20th…

and almost immediately ran into another hiccup.

The camper slide-out decided it wasn’t going to cooperate again, which meant an unexpected overnight wait for someone to come take a look. Turns out one of the motors had gone bad, so that had to be replaced before we could move forward.

Not exactly how we pictured arriving—but that’s been a bit of the theme lately.

Once that was sorted, though, things slowed down in the best way. We spent a few days in Colorado Springs visiting friends, catching up, and taking a much-needed break from being constantly on the move.

After that, it was time to head to the grounds for the Barbarian Festival, April 24th through the 26th.

And honestly… it was worth it.

There’s something about being surrounded by that kind of energy, people, and atmosphere that reminds you why you do all of this in the first place.

But after the festival, things shifted.

Our little surprise—something we’ve been excited about—ended up bringing more attention than expected. Not all of it good.

There were some negative reactions, some stress that followed, and it was enough for us to take a step back for a bit. We went quiet. Disconnected from social media. Took some time to just focus on what’s in front of us.

Because not everything needs to be shared right away.

Some things need space first.

We’re still here. Still moving. Still figuring things out as we go.

Just a little quieter for the moment.

More to come when the time is right.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways