If you'd asked me at any point in my life (let alone a year ago) if we'd ever homeschool our kids, I would've said “Absolutely not.”

Not because I had researched it and decided it wasn't for us. Honestly, I had simply bought into the stigma. I pictured homeschooling as something other families did: families with more patience, more structure, more teaching experience... definitely not us.

And yet, here we are.

When we decided to trade our house for a 43-foot camper and hit the road full-time, we knew there would be a lot to figure out.

Where would everything go? How would we homeschool? How would we adjust to life in a much smaller space?

And then there was one of our biggest priorities: how do we keep our four-legged family members safe while we're traveling?

With two dogs and two cats coming along for the adventure, pet safety isn't something we can take chances with. Our pets are part of our family, and when you're living and traveling in an RV, there are a few safety concerns that simply don't exist in a traditional home. That's where Waggle has become one of our favorite pieces of RV safety gear.

When we dreamed about full-time RV travel, we pictured a lot of things. National parks. Campfires. New towns. Slow mornings. The girls riding their bikes around campgrounds. School happening outside instead of inside four walls.

What we didn't picture? Nearly having a head-on collision with a semi truck on a mountain road while towing a 43-foot fifth wheel. Our first day on the road taught us a LOT about RV life, but one of the biggest lessons was something we probably should have figured out before we ever pulled out of our driveway:

The route that Google Maps thinks is a great idea isn't necessarily the route that's a great idea when you're towing a 43-foot camper. And that's why one of our first investments after hitting the road was RV LIFE Pro.

There’s something magical about hitting the open road, windows down, music up, and the promise of adventure ahead. Whether you’re pulling into a quiet campsite under a blanket of stars or parking your RV next to a jaw-dropping overlook, road trip camping is one of the best ways to combine travel, nature, and freedom. Take it from the family who ventured on a 10,000+ mile cross-country 6-week roadtrip over the summer with our two kids and two dogs in tow. After countless miles and a fair share of “oops, forgot that” moments, I’ve put together the ultimate road trip camping packing list, plus a few RV tips to make life on the road smoother, cozier, and a little more magical.