Tonight will be our third and last night of courtesy parking at Nathan and Leah’s house. It has been a great reunion for us and finally gave us a bit of an insight what life is like in eastern Tennessee. I have said in numerous occasions that if I was to move somewhere, it would be in middle or eastern Tennessee. Some place where I can buy some land and build a little homestead. I am hoping that when we eventually get cured of the traveling bug, we will be able to settle in a place like this.

Day 103: Keeping up with the Markhams.

We became acquainted with Leah when we came through south Florida 2 years ago. We started interacting through this blog as they were preparing for an extended RV trip through Europe. Between her and Nathan, she is the planner in the family. She plowed through every resource on and offline for information on just how such a trip can be done. Some people think the logistics of our cross country trips are difficult, it is nothing compared to how they were able to pull off their European trip. I have no idea how to even start to plan a trip like that in another country, let alone an entire continent.

Day 103: Keeping up with the Markhams.

Well before they had children, Nathan and Leah have had a bad case of the travel bug. They have driven across the United States, traveled through Asia, caravanned through Europe and now they are contemplating a possible pan-american trip in a van among a handful of other trips with their two boys.

Day 103: Keeping up with the Markhams.

While we are here in Crossville, the topics of our conversation often lead to next phases of our lives. We both have young children and their boys are a few years older than ours, we can get a little peek into what traveling is like for us in the near future. What we see in their boys makes us very optimistic. Their boys have been homeschooled and are some of the most well-mannered, social and intelligent kids we have ever met.

Day 103: Keeping up with the Markhams.

Our courtesy parking spot on their driveway is yet another stunning spot with views of the lake and beautiful Tennessee woods. Even though we are long past the peak of autumn here, the blue skies with the sparsely leafed trees make for a totally different type of natural beauty.

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The kids are making the best of their last afternoon together scootering and bicycling in circles around the mish.

Day 103: Keeping up with the Markhams.

With a long concrete driveway, there is also plenty of space for chalk art and maybe a little promotion of our blog 🙂

Day 103: Keeping up with the Markhams.

On the backside of their house, there is a dock that sits right on the water of the lake. Each day the Tennessee sunsets are stunning as the sun slowly fades behind the mountains.

Day 103: Keeping up with the Markhams.

We would love to spend some more time here but we desperately want to get out to the warmer climates of the southeast and get back out to beaches on the Atlantic.

Day 103: Keeping up with the Markhams.

Tonight, Nathan made us some delicious homemade southern biscuits and gravy.

Day 103: Keeping up with the Markhams.

Mila provided the music as we once again reminisce about trips we have taken and better yet, adventures we hope to embark on in the future. I will leave you with a few photos that we have never shared on this blog before since we never blogged about our trip to Croatia last year.

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This is Mila and Milo when the Markhams came to Split to meet us for the first time. Mila was not yet 2 years old.

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A few days after their visit, we drove to the town of Sibenik a couple of hours north of Split and visited them at their campground. This is their European caravan that they called home for more than a year.

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The kids are a bit younger in these photos but became fast friends shortly after they met.

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Eli and Ava getting friendly in the hammock, innocently 🙂

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Our two families posing together for a photo in Sibenik. Doesn’t it look like someone is missing? Yeah, Luka still just a twinkle in our eyes 🙂 We will miss them dearly when we leave tomorrow but we know it will not be the last time we see them. There are lots more adventures ahead of both of our families and we will definitely cross paths once again with the Markhams. That is of course if we can keep up with them.

over and out,
dan

 


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