Merry Christmas!

Wow! It’s already Christmas. The last few months of the year feel like they’ve flown by here in the camper. Between driving across the country, getting settled here in Sandy, and waiting for snow that feels like it’s never going to come at this point, we’ve managed to keep busy. It feels like a lifetime ago and yesterday at the same time that we were booking flights and applying to work-stays in Hawaii.

Me with the Christmas lights in the park in Sandy, OR

Everyone uses the beginning of the year as a time of reflection, and working in the ski tourist industry it is usually the busiest time of year for me. This year, due to the lack of snow, it isn’t, which is making it feel like a bit more for a time of reflection. I did a lot of traveling, spending time with loved ones, and overall just hanging out this year. I feel like I did not do a lot of working, and my bank account is showing that now. That is something I don’t want to continue in 2025, especially with all of the hobbies I want to acquire gear for.

I’m feeling very grateful at the end of this year. I have managed to be surrounded by people that love me the whole year. I started the year in Utah, at a job that I was only at for a few months, and still get excited to see the people there when I’m in town. Going from there to working for my best friend and being able to ride Silverton with my dad and brother every day was a time in my life that I will always remember as being so fun to live. After that I spent the summer at home, and even though it’s always a little weird to be back in Avon for that long, it is nice to be able to spend so much time with my family. I had the opportunity to go to Montana for a couple weeks this summer and spend time with Hunter where he lived, allowing him to show me around, and me to get a feel for his normal life, not over the phone. We got to spend two months in Hawaii, creating great experiences, and meeting people who we hope to be able to keep in our lives forever. Now, we get to spend time here in Oregon, with a setup we love and is hard to imagine leaving anytime in the near future.

I can easily caught up in the bad things that are happening around me, and I feel as though I’ve done a lot of that this year. Looking back on the year I’ve had a lot to be grateful for all year. I’m lucky to have the friends and family I do, who will move mountains to make things happen for me. I have a warm, comfy home to come back to every day, even if it is a camper. I have Hunter, and Sunny to spend every night in the camper with.

This is the lifestyle that I’ve always wanted to live, going from place to place, and making friends all over the country. I am beyond happy to happy to get to live this way, thanks to a lot of help from my family. I am also so happy to have found someone to do it with me. It makes long hours in the camper a lot less lonely, although Sunny alone is pretty good company.

This year coming up is feeling really exciting. There will (hopefully) be a lot of snowboarding happening. Hunter and I have already been skating a lot, which is something I am remembering how much I love. I’m really excited to progress in that and super happy Hunter dragged me to the Sandy skatepark, where the people are really nice and encouraging. We’ll get to spend a summer in the camper for the first time. Getting to live outside a lot of the time is a big part of wanting to live in the camper, and up until now I’ve only spent the hard time of year in it. I am just excited for life being in the camper, which is a good feeling to have.

I have some personal goals for the year, most of which just include creating more. It’s easy to get suckered into spending a lot of time on the phone in the camper, and I want to stop scrolling, and start doing more creating in this little camper we call home.

2024 was a year to be grateful for, and I’m excited for what 2025 will hold!