Sunday Drive- taking time to explore

Hello all! So, starting a blog and writing is out of my comfort zone, but this whole experience that we are about to embark on is out of my comfort zone so here goes nothing! What started as a wine (and maybe whiskey) fueled dream conversation about traveling with our family, has now turned into a reality- with the harshness and beauty that generally accompanies actual reality. So, most of you all know us (that is why I am doing this as I am off social media but love my family and friends and am awful at texting) but we are the Brannen Family. Hilary, Walter, Olive, Frog and Sadee, and we have embarked on a journey for the next year to find a community where we feel we can flourish and have space enough where we don’t have to worry about Sadee’s barking annoying the neighbors.

Walt and I met nearly 13 years ago in Bozeman, MT when Bozeman was the absolute perfect place for those who loved the outdoors, didn’t have much money to spend on anything besides “happy meals” at the Crystal (cans of PBR and a shot of rot gut whiskey) and some outdoor gear, and who wanted to work as little as possible to survive. As we galivanted along the Rocky Mountains in Walt’s Ford Escape lovingly called Hannah Montana, we learned about ourselves, each other, this beautiful state, and developed a love that we knew could conquer any obstacle. I am from Montana and thought of myself as an outdoorswoman, but it wasn’t until Walt (an ex-NASCAR driver from south Georgia) had the patience to teach my stubborn self, that I truly learned how to fish and developed a passion for slowing down to hear the sound of the water and feeling the tug of line.

Soon however, the carefree lifestyle and run-down rental dubbed “The Crack house” where we lived were traded in for building careers and a mortgage. This was also an incredible time in our lives where we loved fiercely and worked harder than we ever thought was possible and in turn it allowed us to be at the place where we are now. Oh, that and the ridiculous housing market, but I would like to think it was all our hard work 😉

 And so that brings us to today. We have sold our beautiful home and have purchased a 40-foot 5^th wheel camper that our 4-year-old daughter Olive has named “Sunday”. Sunday is her favorite day, and she states that it is because she gets to adventure with her mom and dad on that day…and generally eat pancakes. Again, I would like to think that we override pancakes, but I can’t be sure. Either way it represents our goal of this year- to slow down, adventure, spend time with family and eat a shit ton of pancakes.