Tuesday Tales: Date Day at the RV Show

 

Good morning, friends! Before I share about our date day, I wanted to let you know my dad is still sick. Sometimes it feels like a one-step-forward-two-steps-back kind of thing, so we fully welcome any continued prayers you’d like to offer on his behalf! It’s been a crazy few days, that’s for sure. Because of his illness, we weren’t sure we were going to be able to go to our planned date day, and in fact, we did delay it a day. We bookended our date with trips to the hospital to see him and were glad that we had the chance to sneak away for a few hours for some RV tours in between visits to his room.

                Two years ago, while we were working out at the gym, I saw a commercial for the RV show at the Coliseum in Fort Wayne. It was happening that very weekend, and on a whim, we decided to go enjoy it! We had so much fun that we made a point to schedule a date night to the show last year, and we both decided we wanted to go back again this year!

                (Note to our future selves: try to go back to Friday night visits to this show. Saturdays are very chaotic.)

                Ryan had a craving for IHOP, so before we made our way to the land of RVs, we stopped by IHOP for lunch. Want to hear something crazy? Guess who was eating two tables over? Glenn, the cohost of the afternoon show I was a guest on a couple of weeks ago! He was having lunch with his wife, so I was able to meet her, and Ryan met them both. That was a fun encounter!

                The Coliseum was hopping that day. They had multiple events and tons of people there.

                Because it was so busy, it was really hard to get fun pictures. There were always too many people in the mix. So please overlook some of my weird photography here. I did what I could with the space I had.

                This RV reminded me so much of Abby (our sweet camper) in its layout.

                Ryan liked the TV in this one. 😊 I asked him if he wanted me to come back later and pick him up. He decided to keep touring with me.

                I loved the window above the cab in this one. Our car has a sunroof, and I have gotten so spoiled by that over the last 13 years that I want one in every vehicle always!

                This camper was so popular that I couldn’t get a picture (ever) without people in the mix. But I learned a good life lesson in this one, so I thought I’d share it. I was inside and heard a guy ask the company representative if he ever thought they would make a 5^th wheel model. The gentleman said no and then added “We stay in our wheelhouse of small campers. This is what we know, and we do it well.” I appreciated that reminder that small and specific is sometimes better than grand and varied!!

                I liked this one, because it felt more character-laden in its décor than most standard campers do. I loved the industrial touches, the shiplap wall, and the fireplace!

                Miss Abby, our first camper, was a 24-foot drivable motor home, and ever since we sold her (two years ago this weekend, actually) we have gone back and forth between whether we would want another drivable camper or if we would want a pull-behind on our next purchase. I have a feeling the final answer will come down to what our travel lives might look like.

                But we learned last year, and confirmed this year, that we really like the Rockwood Mini Lite models. They had a few floor plans there this year, and this one was our favorite. It’s a 26 foot pull-behind camper that is cozy and spacious at the same time. Here were our favorite features:

*The couch was so comfy.

*The kitchen was huge and had a breakfast bar for two, which felt so much more practical than a whole separate table.

*The bedroom had a spot for a washer/dryer.

*It has a good amount of storage!

                It was fun to get to walk around, see fun RVs and even run into some friends from Big Lake Church of God! (I have spoken at their women’s retreats a few years and made friends there!)

Menu Monday: Nourishing Body and Soul

 

Last week was a master class in culinary improvisation at our house! We came home from the marriage conference and did not realize we were going to be subject to the winter storm for days and days on end. We also did not know we were going to have a boil advisory for most of the week, making it a real pain to cook or wash dishes. So the name of the game was…use leftovers, cobble together dishes using what we had in the pantry, and try to use up every last little thing so it wouldn’t go to waste. So, I present to you…our week of weird meals.

Monday: Leftover Pita Pizza Bar with Homemade Sauce + Chopped Salad

What I Loved: Because I had all the toppings prepped for when I made this the day before, it was one of the fastest, freshest leftovers ever. I just threw together new pizzas and baked them quickly. It was such a yummy leftover that felt like fresh food.

Tuesday: Cobbled Together Salad with Air Fried Chicken

What I Loved: Well, clearly I didn’t love taking a picture of it! Ha! Ryan and I spent the hour after he got home from work feverishly shoveling the driveway, and by the time we came inside, we were HUNGRY! I threw a couple of chicken breasts in the air fryer and cooked them. Meanwhile, I cobbled together mixed greens, diced bell pepper, diced cucumber, sliced cherry tomatoes, and feta to make a salad. We used our G Hughs Sugar Free dressing on top and it was a mighty yummy meal. Imagine it, will you?

Wednesday: Mexican White Bean Chicken Chili

What I Loved: After all the cold of the last few days, soup sounded really good. I scrounged around to see what I could make with what I had, and I had almost everything for this recipe. I lacked the corn, but I just omitted it and life went on. While I had enough Greek yogurt to put in what it called for, that would have meant I didn’t have enough for snacking the rest of the week, so I got creative and put some cottage cheese in the blender, whipped it, and used that instead. You know what? I think I liked it better! I learned from Dashing Dish that Greek yogurt and cottage cheese can be used interchangeably as thickening proteins in shakes, so I saw no reason why that wouldn’t also work for this soup. We liked it so much, I think we’ll keep it on the menu! (Here is a somewhat similar, free recipe.)

Thursday: Leftover Mexican White Bean Chicken Chili + Pita Bread Grilled Cheese

What I Loved: See above about what I loved regarding the chili. It was all still true on the second day. We had one piece of pita bread left from our pizzas last week and this week so I used it to make a grilled cheese which I split between the two of us. Ryan said he liked it even better than grilled cheese on bread! I call that a win.

Friday: Grilled Chicken Sandwich + Steamed Green Beans

What I Loved: We were originally planning to have a date night on Friday, but our plans changed, so I wanted to try to create a date-night feel at home. I was hoping this would sort of feel like Chick-fil-A? I air-fried the chicken breasts and we used the multi-grain thin buns. I had some bags of green beans in the freezer, so we had that for a side dish. It was easy to make and tasted delicious.

Saturday: Date Day at IHOP

What I Loved: Ryan and I haven’t been to IHOP in a really long time! He enjoyed one of the specials, and I had the veggie egg white omelet with fresh fruit. It was delicious, and I was excited that the fresh fruit had flavor and variety. (I feel like fruit bowls in Indiana in the winter are sort of lackluster.) I would get this again!

Sunday: Greek Chicken Bowls    (very similar recipe here)

What I Loved: The flavor! This was so good. For the chicken, there are three cooking methods offered in the recipe: slow cooker, stovetop, and oven. We went with oven (only because the slow cooker was in the refrigerator with food in it) and it was good. I did put together the marinade early Sunday morning and let it rest all day until dinnertime. I made regular rice for Ryan and cauliflower rice for me!

What I Didn’t Love: The “Greek salsa” does take a little time to chop and assemble. It’s really not a big deal, but we were just so tired from an almost 12 hour day, and I wanted to EAT, not cook. Next time I would work to be sure I had a little more lead time to cook.

        

Sunday Scrapbook: Memorable Moments from the Week

 

This week has gone completely off-script in nearly every way. I think I could have said PLOT TWIST every day in my journal! Whew. As we start this new month, I am unsure of how it will unfold, but I AM sure I’m grateful for a faithful God and new mercies each morning.

                Here’s how the week actually went, which is far different from the plan!

Last Sunday was such a rarity in our world! The winter storm came with fury, and our church services were canceled. It was such an absolute gift to be able to sleep in on a Sunday morning, and we rested on the couch the entire day. We napped, watched movies, watched football, scrapbooked (that part was just me), and enjoyed being together. What a sweet day!

We were under a travel advisory RED on Monday, so I worked from home. I had such a good time working on all the projects at hand that I ended up working about 10 hours. (I am honestly more productive from home than anywhere else, most of the time!) Ryan did have to report to work, and I was sad to see him go, but happy to welcome him safely home at the end of the day.

We had a driveway-shoveling date this week. Wait. Is that not a thing? Ryan had worked so hard Sunday night (late) to shovel out most of the driveway, but it wasn’t all done, and we started hearing about more snow on the way, so we went out to try to clear the path before more snow arrived. I realize in this photo, I look like I am wearing a disguise, but I was really just trying to keep warm.

We were under a boil advisory most of the week, which was a new thing for us, and it was far more disruptive to our daily rhythms than we realized it would be. Partway through the week we had to try to thaw water bottles in Lexi's room by closing them in with a space heater. (We keep our house so cool they weren't thawing fast enough on their own!) 

By Thursday night, we were worn out from all the early morning workouts, keeping up with all the cold weather chores, and general life heaviness. We decided to watch some lighthearted TV and snuggle together on the couch, and I do think it was the best medicine.

Friday was a hard day in our world. My dad is sick and if you think of him and would be willing to pray for him, we would all sure appreciate that. Ryan and I went back and forth trying to help him and also Mom…and in the middle of it all, our friend showed up with coffee for us. I wanted to cry on the spot, partly because I needed coffee, but mostly because…that’s a giant hug, right there. Thanks for blessing us!!

We wrapped up our week yesterday by visiting my parents some more – and enjoying our annual date to the RV show. We don’t usually go on Saturday, and now I know why. SO BUSY!!!! But it was so fun to run into two different people we knew, and we found our favorite RV!

Here’s to a new week and month!

Saturday Suggestions: Inspirations for Your Weekend

 

                It’s been one week since our big snowstorm hit, and I have to tell you, it’s been a joy to have the flexibility to work most of my week from home. Loved it! Whether you are stir crazy or happy to be hunkered down on these cold days, I hope you have a good Saturday. Here are some fun finds for you on this chilly Saturday!

I am sure that somewhere along the way, I’ve shared a post like this one, but even if I have, it bears repeating. I’m noticing a deep return to nostalgia, and if you fall into that category, you might need some ideas for some good, old-fashioned, slow-living hobbies. You know…things that don’t require the digital world? If you want something fun to explore, check out the ideas here and try something new in 2026!

Yes, I know Christmas was over a month ago, but in my opinion, it’s never too late for a good Christmas season story. Earlier this month, KariAnne from Thistlewood Farms released the story of this year’s handmade Christmas gift. Every year, her family makes gifts, and every year, she tells the story of the best handmade gift. The gifts themselves are always really neat, but the stories that go with them are even better. I loved the sentiment behind the one from this year!

February arrives tomorrow, so my mind is busy thinking of all the little decorative touches to add to the house leading up to Valentine’s Day. I don’t love to go crazy with red and pink, so I really love Kate’s ideas for neutral decorations that add joy without being too over the top! The thing I love about finding these sorts of ideas is that it helps me know what to look for at thrift store throughout the year. I can slowly modify our collection of decorations if I have a color palette in mind!

Oh this piece by Ann Voskamp is a GOOD ONE. You know, friends, I think sometimes the grownups need a good talking-to, in the style of our childhood. I shared a link a few weeks ago about a pastor who challenged his church to bring themselves up to maturity. This is a lesson in that same vein, and I urge you to not just read it, but to take it to heart. We CAN do hard things and we SHOULD do hard things. Let’s not be stagnant in our maturity!

Even with layers in the mix, for some reason I struggle with winter outfits at times. Once I construct an outfit, I can repeat it, but mixing and matching new options doesn’t always go seamlessly for me. If the same is true for you, read Katie’s post about winter outfit inspiration. I bet you’ll find something you can replicate with what you own!

This house is no longer on the market, but you have to look at the pictures! Can you imagine owning a lighthouse on an island?? It is just beautiful. All the rocks…the beautiful view…WOW! (Could you do it? Live on a private island?)

Friday Fun: January Randoms

 

                At the end of 2025, Callie wrote this post as a structured round up to the year. I loved it so much that I earmarked it to revisit at the end of THIS year, but I actually decided to use it as a springboard for a monthly recap. Today will be the first of those!

Best Personal Adventure: Choosing to participate in WBCL’s Reunion Lunch and Nostalgia Week was one of the best decisions this month. I loved getting to see all my old work friends and spending a few minutes on the air with Glenn and McKalia. I’m beyond thankful the Lord made it possible for me to step aside from work for an afternoon and kept the weather clear so I could enjoy this fun day!

Photo Credit: Amy Sprunger Photography

Best Adventure Together: I have two for this one. Ryan and I really, really loved getting to have our godson in our home for a weekend. Because we are not parents, it’s always an adventure to have a full time kiddo in the house, but we loved it. We also loved getting away for the marriage conference! It was good to get away, good to spend time together, and good to learn!

Best Milestone: This month marked one year of being in our sanctuary at church! I still remember that first day back, and the whole year has just felt like such a gift. Being away from home sure makes you appreciate being back all the more, doesn’t it? All the learning and worshiping and growing that has taken place in that space over the last year has been wonderful.

Best Faith Grower: I’m teaching Darlene Schacht’s study on the book of Nehemiah, and I am actively working to learn to be bolder in my prayers. (We studied that in the first chapter.) I’ve always been more of a broad pray-er, and I’m working to be more specific and bolder.

Best Lesson Learned: Earlier this month, Ryan and I served as photographers at a wedding. My first time doing that was almost a decade ago when Ryan’s sister got married and I was an assistant photographer. I enjoyed that job because Ryan was a groomsman and I couldn’t hang out with him anyway, so it gave me something to do – but I wasn’t ultimately in charge of the pictures. Then about a year and a half ago, Ryan and I photographed his cousin’s wedding. Everything about the photography went swimmingly until the ceremony. The sanctuary was dark and I am not well-versed in lighting adjustments on my camera. The pictures were okay – but not what I would have wanted for her. So when I was asked about this wedding, I did my best to talk the bride out of it, but she insisted she just wanted random, candid photos like she knew I was capable of taking. It was a second wedding for both the bride and groom, as both lost their first spouses several years ago, so their expectations were different. We did okay, I think, but I learned during that adventure that I really am better making the scrapbooks with someone else’s photography. Primary wedding photography is just not my gift.

Best Purchase: Can I have three bests? Starting with the most frivolous…the health coach I worked with during my WillowBridge days posted about a recent Aldi shopping haul. She raved about the fresh dill pickles in the refrigerated section, so we tried them. LOVED THEM! We’ve long been a Claussen pickle family, but I think we will be switching to these. Next up…back at Christmas I gifted Ryan a little travel white noise machine. We used it for the first time on our marriage retreat trip, and it was perfect! It’s about the size of a slider sandwich, and it puts out a powerful sound. It saved a lot of room in our luggage, so that was a win! And finally…I used Christmas money to purchase Britt Fisher’s Healthy HomeBarista Course. I’ve been perfecting my pour over game (so far) and am looking forward to learning more skills, especially for lattes at home!

Best Habit Created: I started following someone on Instagram who is working to handwrite the entire Bible. I am not ready to take on that big a project yet, but I had already decided to study the gospels this year, so I chose to begin handwriting them. Each morning, I sit down with my notebook and Bible and write out that day’s section. I’m in Matthew chapter seven and have really come to appreciate the art of learning Scripture from writing.

Best New Recipe: I think I narrowed it down to two from this month. The first? The Frosted Brownies I made for New Years. They have sweet potatoes in them and were so delicious! I also really liked the sloppy joe bowls I made toward the end of the month. I am a sucker for a good bowl recipe, and this one was pure comfort food in a bowl!

Best Tradition: I thoroughly enjoyed our New Year’s Day traditions this year. We stayed up until midnight, toasted the new year with sparkling grape juice and a kiss, enjoyed a day off work together, and went through our little box of memories. New beginnings are so important to me, and I was so happy to enjoy ours together!

Best Little Luxury: I have a meeting every week at the Shaka Shack (and random other meetings there throughout the month in addition to the standing meeting). The owner knows my drink by heart and all I have to do is walk in and sit down at my table, and as if by magic, a drink appears. I’ve told Ryan over and over that it absolutely makes me feel like I have arrived. It’s a complete first world luxury, and I hope I never get over the joy of it.

Best Date: I loved our hiking date on New Year’s Day! We elected to skip going to the state park for the organized New Year’s Day hike and instead, just do our own hike for three (we took Lexi along). It was so much fun. It was a cold, cold day, but we had the trails to ourselves, enjoyed fantastic conversation, and took so many great pictures!

Best Answer to Prayer: We have been praying for the last four years to find a “Ryan and Bekah” for Lexi. Remember when we used to dog sit for Phoebe the goldendoodle? We were her home away from home, and her people always knew she could stay with us. Unfortunately, most of our friends don’t really love dogs, so we have never had a home to take Lexi to when we go away. We’ve had a good place to board her, but it’s a business, and we always feel sad at night when we know she’s hanging out all by herself. This month, when we went to our retreat, she stayed at a new place, and the host said she did great! I know she may not always be able to stay there, depending on availability, but it sure was the sweetest answer to prayer for us this month!