1. I can do hard things. This pose does not look like something normal people can do. It defies gravity. Yet, eventually with practice and commitment, I was finally able to pop into crow pose while on our #mobilebiosphere trip!) Now, I can hold it for three, full breaths when Erin Sampson says to.
2. I benefit from being still. I used to get annoyed at the beginning of a practice when we sat with eyes closed and breathed deeply. My inner voice would protest with juvenile defiance, “I know how to breathe… let’s get on with it already!” But over time, I realized that there is a benefit to being still. And that I am far too infrequently still. As my friend Stacy reminds me, being still feeds my soul.

3. It’s good to keep the muscles guessing. Instead of straining the joints with HIT and other strenuous activities day after day, varying the pace and scope of my workout made my exercise my effective.

This is entirely applicable in the workplace, too.

1. We can do hard things.
2. We benefit from being still.
3. And we become more effective when we flex our pace.

The post What I learned from yoga appeared first on Social Legacy.

First, we don’t need much. We will live more simply and express more gratitude for all that we have. Laini’s joyful cartwheeling while shouting, “Our house is so big! My shower was so hot! I love my room!” may eventually taper off, but we hope the appreciation will remain.

1 RV

2 Dogs

3 Humans

4 Facetime cello lessons (thanks, Dr. Li!)

5 Rolls TP (1 toilet, 3 ppl, 22 days – let’s do the math)

6 S’mores (well… 6 bonfires, maybe more s’mores)

7 Movies (started the Marvel series, thanks Uncle Jay)

8 States (vs. 24 originally planned – gotta be agile these days)

9 Selfies (more photos of Laini than in the last 24mo combined)

10 RV Campsites (from total wilderness to trailer parks)

Second, it was worth flexing outside our comfort zone to give each other this unforgettable experience.

I am not:

• An RV person
• A “wing it one day out” kind of planner
• Someone who enjoyed pre-packaged salads
• Accustomed to climbing/crawling to reach basic necessities

However, I am:

• For my family and their joy
• All about creating lifetime memories
• Extracting opportunity from all situations
• Intentionally seeking opportunities to stretch and grow

The post #Mobilebiosphere in Review appeared first on Social Legacy.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. I owe pre-packaged salads an apology. If only they can utilize less plastic.

2. WIFI is a privilege and we shouldn’t take it for granted. This was Laini’s biggest frustration on the trip, as we’re so accustomed to great connectivity. But we learned from our frustration. Did you know that 16 million Americans lack broadband service at threshold speeds? In rural areas (much of where spent our time this month), nearly one-fourth of the population (14.5 million people!) lack access to the service. And in tribal areas (where we also spent a week), one-third of the population lacks access.

3. When hot water is limited, timing a shower is of utmost importance. Don’t ask Laini about the time she ran out of hot water and stood, dripping, waiting for the next batch to heat. Seriously. Don’t.

4. There’s a reason RV rentals don’t come with wine glasses. There is so much more vibration than you’d expect! Durables only, and open the fridge carefully after you’ve parked.

Paved roads are a great use of my tax dollars. The unpaved roads in New Mexico were brutal!

5. I deeply love my family. We didn’t once have an argument. We danced around one another in this small space, and made everything work. From meetings to interviews, school to blogging. We conclude the #mobilebiosphere adventure with loads of new inside jokes, memories, and having consumed probably a dozen too many s’mores.

6. I didn’t know my geography as well as I should have. But I still had a giggle at this German dude’s view of the States.

I’d like to close this post out by encouraging you to get outside your comfort zone with your family. You’ll share an experience that you’ll remember for a lifetime. You’ll learn a lot. Laugh a lot. And come out the other side more humble, empathetic, and educated.

Source: www.fcc.gov/reports-research/reports/broadband-progress-reports/eight-broadband-progress-report

The post Mobile Biosphere Day 21: What I’ve learned living in an RV appeared first on Social Legacy.

Gorgeous sunset on one side, full moon rising on the other.

S’mores in the middle of it all, followed by a movie in the RV.

Pure family bliss.

This has been the adventure of a lifetime. We are grateful for the big moments – monumental, breathtaking beauty. And the little moments – shared meals, s’mores, puppy misadventures, inside jokes.

The post Mobile Biosphere Day 21: Last night under the stars appeared first on Social Legacy.

We have learned so much and experienced some of America’s most beautiful places. Most of the RV camps were just what we hoped for: a place to hook up, right in the middle of nature… glorious views, lakes, forest, and hikes just around the corner.

But sometimes, we found the RV camp we thought we’d reserved was really more of a trailer park. Staying in different kinds of neighborhoods sparked new conversation for our family, and helped develop a new level of understanding for the diversity that makes up our incredible country.

The differing architecture in different places and climates opened up new conversation. What is the purpose of peaked roofs? How much energy does a solar panel provide?

This has been the adventure of a lifetime. While we’re turning back a week earlier than planned, we are grateful for every minute we’ve had out here!

The post Mobile Biosphere Day 20: A different way to live. appeared first on Social Legacy.

They can climb the walls…

And yet still maintain social distance 🙂

Unfortunately, because these are such old sites that need to be carefully preserved, no animals allowed.

The ride to Chaco Canyon (Pueblo Bonita) was at times, unpaved. Made for a very bumpy ride and deep appreciation of paved roads!

The RV camp and immersion with nature was also beautiful, from sunrise…

to dinner and sunset.

Once we left the pueblo dwellings, Holly was glad to be back outside.

Puffin, as usual, stayed inside.

The book we listened to was Code Talker, set in New Mexico. A true story of unsung heroes… definitely worth the read/listen!

If you’re interested, this RV camp was fantastic: Santa Fe Skies RV Park.

The post Highlights from New Mexico appeared first on Social Legacy.

Laini set up on their front patio to surprise-serenade them, and in return they plied us with food for the rest of our #mobilebiosphere trip!

We had our masks on and maintained our distance. 8hrs later as we pulled into our next campsite, we enjoyed a lovely home-cooked Chinese meal!

See you soon, parents. Next time, hopefully, we can share a meal together.

#trailofjoy

The post Mobile Biosphere Day 19: A little surprise appeared first on Social Legacy.

We have the privilege of living in a very beautiful country.

The post Lines. appeared first on Social Legacy.

So, after a family meeting, we decided to skip TX and head to AZ on our way back up North. I’m grateful our family had defined the family meeting ritual, which allowed her the ability to hold a family meeting. See, Laini knows we’re having a great time out here, but she wanted to raise a request that’s important to her. That’s where family rules play an important role in our communication. We all know we can call a family meeting at any time, and that the other two will listen and engage 100%.

After our meeting, we re-routed (yet again!) and should be back in WA mid-next week. We’ll continue to post the next few days, though much of the time will be on the road.

In the meantime, we have really enjoyed Santa Fe! The warm sun, brisk winds, and a particularly whimsical RV camp that features cacti and metal artwork in equal parts.

Thanks for following us and sharing this adventure. It’s been one of a lifetime!

#mobilebiosphere #familymeeting

The post Mobile Biosphere Day 18: Time to pivot appeared first on Social Legacy.

A sweet story of a young lady’s journey of self-discovery as she drives cross-country. Stopping in Oklahoma on land owned by the Cherokee Nation, she finds a Native American child left on her front seat. Taylor takes care of the abused little girl as she continues driving into Arizona. A little tough for tweens, but a great story about social justice, community and relationships.

I love this book! While the protagonist is a 13-year old boy, I think the finer nuances are lost on tweens. She happily plugged in her earbuds while dad and I continued listening.

Laini enjoyed Little Women, so I thought she might be up for this classic. Turns out, the movie was a draw because it featured “Hermione” and the book was a tad on the slow side. Pity, I grew up loving the series.

This is the winner of the bunch. A YA novel about a rebellious teen who gets sent away to survivalist camp as a last-ditch effort to turn her life around.

Excellent writing, a great story. Furthermore, listening to this book and some of the hardships Wren learns to endure was particularly poignant as we drove through the same desert. Highly recommend this one.

What was I thinking? Um… nope.

The post Books by State II appeared first on Social Legacy.