Foxfire & Freeways: Growth Everywhere

The last couple of days have been spent tackling the kitchen, and I can finally say it’s set up the way I want it—for now.

What I thought would be a quick project turned into a two-day adventure of sorting through things left behind, reorganizing cabinets, unpacking boxes, moving things into temporary spots, and then moving them again once I figured out where they actually belonged.

You know… the usual.

But it’s done.

And honestly, it feels really good to see another piece of the house coming together.

As soon as I finished, Bug apparently decided it was time to celebrate too.

He was chilling in his walker then he made the entire trip from the kitchen through the house all by himself. He was so proud of himself, and honestly, so was I.

Lately it feels like he’s learning something new every day.

He’s working on waving bye-bye, giving high fives, and getting closer and closer to walking.

There’s been a lot of growth happening around here.

And speaking of unexpected growth…

I accidentally became a chicken tender. 😂

We picked up a couple chicks and ducklings that were originally intended as food for my snakes. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on who you ask), one snake took one look at them and decided she was absolutely not interested.

And permanent members of the household.

So now they’re pets.

Future egg producers.

Meet Thelma and Louise.

They were ride-or-die…

and somehow became the ride. 😂

I’m exhausted tonight, but it’s the good kind of tired.

The kind that comes from seeing progress.

The house is slowly coming together.

Bug is growing by the day.

The animals are settling in.

And for the first time in a while, things feel a little less chaotic.

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

Foxfire & Freeways: Rainbows & Fireflies

Another festival weekend officially in the books.

This weekend turned out to be a really good one. Saturday stayed dry for once, which was a nice change after some of the weather we’ve had lately. Today, however… was a completely different story 😅

Let’s just say some people took the rain as an invitation to go full mudding mode.

Bug absolutely thrived this weekend. Everyone loved him, and he soaked up every bit of attention like he was born for festival life.

Somewhere along the way, he also attempted dancing again—but this time he developed what I can only describe as “Elvis style.” Lots of swaying, little leg movements, and dramatic enthusiasm. He even managed to throw in some perfectly timed war cries during a few songs.

Honestly? Adorable.

Earlier in the week I also got a little time to myself, which was really refreshing. A friend invited me to a sewing and knitting circle just to hang out, connect with people, enjoy some local coffee, and share a little “gossip” with the community.

Afterward, we met up with her family for dinner at a really neat place called Lola’s Modern Restaurant, named after the owners’ youngest daughter.

The place was packed with nostalgia—vintage arcade games, vinyl records, 8-tracks lining the walls, and life-sized cardboard cutouts of people like Elvis and Star Trek characters scattered around the restaurant.

Unfortunately I didn’t think to take pictures, but if we go back next year I definitely will.

The next evening we had a bonfire and roasted beef-and-cheddar stuffed franks along with s’mores.

And now I’m about to pass on the best s’mores advice I’ve ever discovered:

Take a jumbo marshmallow, stuff an Oreo inside it before roasting it, and then build your s’more around that.

Absolutely life-changing.

If you try it, you’ll understand immediately.

Tonight ended quietly—with a double rainbow stretching across the sky and fireflies glowing in the grass after dark.

Seeing lightning bugs again brought back so many memories of catching them in jars growing up. They seem so much rarer now, and I genuinely hope they’re still around by the time Bug is old enough to fully appreciate them himself.

Tomorrow we head back home to Ohio for a much-needed rest and reset before the next festival begins.

For now though, I’m ending this weekend feeling grateful for the little moments.

The music.
The people.
The bonfires.
The rain.
The fireflies.

All of it.

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

Weekend Fun 🧡

Foxfire & Freeways: Rain, Music & New Ground

We made it to the fairgrounds in Indiana Friday evening and spent most of the night getting settled in.

Camper situated, equipment unloaded by the stage, and finally getting a chance to unwind before a busy festival weekend ahead.

Saturday rolled in with rain and a pretty solid thunderstorm moving through. Honestly though, it was beautiful in its own way. The kind of storm you sit and watch for awhile. Because of the weather, the turnout was smaller, but it made for a calmer first day.

Then Sunday showed up completely different.

Perfect weather, blue skies, and a lot more people filling the grounds.

One of my favorite parts of the weekend was finally getting to introduce lil man to people who had been hearing about him for over a year now. Last year I couldn’t attend because there was a chance he could arrive early, so this felt a little full-circle in a way.

And he absolutely loved it.

Somewhere over the weekend he discovered how to sway to the music, and after that there was no stopping him. He loved holding people’s hands and trying to walk around with everyone helping him along.

Seeing him experience all of this has been one of the best parts of festival life. Went to eat at a brewery afterwards called The Bearded Hobo, food was delicious and the drinks cold and refreshing.

Monday we moved over to a different campground nearby, and honestly it’s beautiful out here. We managed to get a paw site too, which Sunna immediately approved of. Plenty of grass, new smells, and room to wear herself out.

Today has been a much slower day—laundry, showers, grocery shopping, and resetting everything after the weekend. The kind of basic things that somehow feel luxurious after several busy days.

Might take lil man to check out the saltwater pool later once things cool down outside a bit.

For now though, we’re just enjoying a quiet moment before another busy weekend begins.

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

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