This past week we lost my stepmother Lois Buerkle after a 3 ½ year battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her family until the end. She is the reason we came back from Nicaragua in August. We have been spending the last three months in Winston-Salem helping to care for Lois and spending time with her and my dad. …
Michael and I had a chance to get away for a couple of days, just the two of us. Aunt Emily, Uncle Jonathan, and Grandpa Richard graciously agreed to keep an eye on Lucas and Henry for us while we went to a little cabin about an hour away in the North Carolina Mountains. This was our first overnight trip…
We took advantage of a warm-weather day and did some hiking in our new temporary backyard at Pilot Mountain, North Carolina. It is only about 20 miles from where we are staying. Pilot Mountain is a state park with hiking trails, rock climbing, water activities, and campsites. Pilot Mountain may look familiar to you even if you have never been…
We were going to stay in North Carolina for two weeks. It has now been 2.5 months. We will be staying here at least through the end of the year. We have stopped trying to make any sort of travel plans. We are still helping my dad and stepmom. Also, COVID is so bad right now that travel for us…
This year, Thanksgiving will not be the Thanksgiving we had imagined, but that is true for many families this year. We planned a large Thanksgiving with family. My brother in California was going to fly to North Carolina with his family. He was going to get to see our Stepmother who is very ill. Cousins were going to see each…
When we quit our jobs last year, we lost our health insurance. When we went to Central America we did not have health insurance that worked there or travel insurance. We did not have any major health issues while we were there. Any medicine we needed was easily accessible and affordable. A big misconception we found out was that our…
We have not had a smooth road heading out on our long term travel journey. Last year our plans were sidelined while Michael battled cancer. Earlier this year our plans were altered because of COVID. Now our plans are shifting again because my stepmother is battling cancer. We came back from Nicaragua at the end of August so that we…
Our Halloween did not involve trick or treating at other houses, but the kids completed a scavenger hunt with their cousins and got to trick or treat around grandma and grandpa’s house. Michael and I are not normally the creative scavenger hunt-creating type of people. With help from my sister, Emily, and her husband, Jonathan, we were able to put…
Halloween this year was not like other years. The boys did not trick or treat. They did not dress up. We still had fun, but we miss the Halloweens of years’ past. Here is a look at the Watkins family’s spooky Halloween history.
We have been in North Carolina for the past two months. We are spending time with my (Judy) parents. We are not getting out and about too much because of COVID. Our days are low key. We are enjoying the fall. We have gotten to see some aunts and uncles and cousins. Family time is always cherished. We got to…