Do you ever think of ditching it all and taking your kids on a road trip of a lifetime?  It’s a reality for a Texas family of six.  News 8 met-up with them at the Sunfox Campground in Lisbon during the New England leg of the their adventure.

Imagine trading a five bedroom house for an RV and swapping Little League practice for an afternoon at a national park.  “It was like, something has to give,” explains Jill Krause who, along with husband Scott, felt extremely stressed-out by the typical American Dream.  “We felt like we needed to divert more time to us as a family unit.”

So, they packed-up the RV and left Texas last January to see the country and “re-set” their lives.  Jill is a well-known blogger, creator of Baby Rabies, a pregnancy and parenting web site.  She’s also launched Happy Loud Life to share the family’s travels on social media.

Four kids – ages two to ten – watch TV and eat in the RV.  They sleep next to a map of their stops.  They also study at the kitchen table – taking part in online programs to keep-up with school work.  “My husband manages a lot of that but it’s been great,” explains Jill.  “We got them through one grade and they’re starting the next grade.”  The kids are also learning from experience as they take-in museums and hikes in places like New Mexico, Wisconsin and Vermont.

“It’s been really fun and we’ve been seeing lots of new places around the country,” says 7 year old Leyna.  But, make no mistake!  Typical family issues still exist!  “I’ve learned that this is not a fix for everything,” says Jill.  “Even though we’ve made this massive change, we still have to do the work to keep our family going.”  She’s also learned that her kids need very few material items.  “They’re just more physically active and involved in nature more,” she says.

Connecticut is a hit!  “Oh my gosh, it’s beautiful,” says Jill.  “We came at the perfect time of year!”  It’s one stop on a journey that’s all about new faces, new places and new beginnings.  “Our whole family – I think this will be the topic of discussion at every Thanksgiving and Christmas for decades to come,” smiles Jill.

Next stop: New York!  The Krause’s won’t end this cross country adventure until sometime next spring.  Check out Happy Loud Life on Instagram (@HappyLoudLife) and Facebook.