Our Story: From City Life to Open Roads to Small Town Bliss

Hey there! We’re Andrea and Mike, two Gen Xers who decided to rewrite our life story in our 40s. Oh, and let’s not forget Bruce Lee, our adventurous pug who’s always up for a new experience (as long as it doesn’t involve water)!

Chapter 1: Love in the Time of Corona (and Chicago Deep Dish)

Our story begins in the Windy City, but our paths to get there? Let’s just say they were as different as deep dish and thin crust pizza.

Mike’s the original Chicago kid. Born and raised in the suburbs, he made the big move to the city proper in 1994 and never looked back. Well, almost never. For nearly three decades, Mike was as Chicago as they come – from braving the bone-chilling winters to defending the superiority of Chicago-style hot dogs (and don’t even get him started on the Bears).

But here’s a little secret: despite his deep roots in the Second City, Mike had always harbored a desire to spread his wings. His job in event planning had him jet-setting across the country, and with each new place he visited, a little voice in his head whispered, “What if?” The question wasn’t IF he’d leave Chicago, but WHERE he’d go when he finally took the leap.

Now, Andrea’s journey to Chicago was a bit more… shall we say, scenic? Born and raised in Flint, Michigan (yes, that Flint – she’s scrappy), she first fell in love with Chicago while studying at Michigan State. Go Green!

After graduation, the allure of the big city proved irresistible, and she made her way to Chicago faster than you can say “Lake Shore Drive.” And yes, her allegiance to the Detroit Lions came with her, setting the stage for some spirited NFL seasons to come.

But life had a few more stops in store for Andrea before she’d call Chicago home again. A marriage took her to Southern California (where she learned that yes, it is possible to get tired of perfect weather), and a divorce led her to Orlando, Florida (where she confirmed that yes, Disney World is just as magical as an adult). Finally, a job offer brought her back to Sweet Home Chicago, a little older, a lot wiser, and ready for whatever the city had in store for her.

And what did Chicago have in store? Well, us!

In December 2019, fate (and maybe a little help from a dating app) brought us together for our first date in Oak Park. Little did we know that the world was about to change dramatically. As 2020 rolled in and the pandemic hit, our budding romance faced a choice: sink or swim.

We chose to swim. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say we chose to quarantine together.

Nothing tests a new relationship quite like a global lockdown, but for us, it was the push we needed. As the world outside went crazy, we found sanity in each other. We traded nights out at Chicago’s hottest restaurants for cozy homecooked meals and swapped crowded concerts for living room dance parties.

In those strange, uncertain days, we discovered something beautiful: home isn't always a place. Sometimes, it's a person. And sometimes, that person makes you realize you're ready for a whole new adventure.

As the weeks turned into months, we started dreaming. Mike’s secret desire to leave Chicago didn’t seem so secret anymore, and Andrea’s nomadic spirit was itching for a new journey. We’d spend nights talking about “what if” and “why not,” our conversations filled with possibilities and places we could go.

Little did we know, those late-night dreaming sessions were laying the groundwork for the biggest adventure of our lives. But first, we had a shuttle bus to renovate and a pug to convince that road life was cool (spoiler alert: Bruce was more interested in the “life” part than the “road” part).

Chicago had brought us together, but it was clear our story was just beginning. The Windy City had been the perfect opening chapter, but now? Now it was time to write the rest of our book.

Chapter 2: If You Build It, We Will Come

While some folks were baking sourdough, we decided to build our own mobile love nest (aka renovate a shuttle bus). It was like Extreme Makeover: Vehicular Edition. Mike did most of the heavy lifting, while Andrea’s contribution was mainly cheering from the sidelines and not accidentally setting anything on fire. But let us tell you, that shuttle bus became our ticket to adventure!

Once our wheeled wonder was ready, we hit the road for some epic trips.

First stop: North Carolina. We fell head over heels for those gorgeous mountains and friendly faces. But we weren’t done yet! Our next adventure took us all the way to Utah, with plenty of amazing stops in between.

Picture this: two city slickers and a pug, navigating the great outdoors in a converted shuttle bus. It was equal parts hilarious and awesome.

Chapter 3: The Asheville Experiment

Remember how we said we fell in love with North Carolina? Well, we fell so hard that we decided to make it our home – at least for a while. When Mike landed a job as a corporate event planner in Asheville (because let’s face it, planning events is his superpower), we packed up faster than you can say “mountain views” and made the move.

Asheville was like a dream come true for both of us.

We spent a year soaking up everything this quirky, beautiful city had to offer.

• Hiking trails? We conquered them, with Bruce leading the way.
• Craft breweries? Mike became a regular, while Andrea sipped on her beloved bubbles – preferably Prosecco.
• Art galleries? We pretended to understand modern art with the best of them.

Our professional lives took interesting turns too. Mike was busy planning swanky corporate events, while Andrea, our spa queen, took a step back and became an Assistant Spa Director at a hotel spa. It was a bit of an adjustment for her, but she ran that place like a well-oiled machine (or should we say, a well-moisturized machine?). Schedules, operations, making sure everything ran smoother than our organic, locally sourced body oils – that became her new world.

But here’s the thing about dreams – sometimes they don’t quite match reality.

While we loved Asheville itself, our jobs and living situation? Let’s just say they weren’t giving us the warm fuzzies we’d hoped for. Don’t get us wrong, we learned a ton and met some amazing people. But there was this little voice inside both of us saying, “Is this really it?”

The final straw came when Mike got a raise at work – cause for celebration, right? Well, not so fast. The same day, we got a notification that our rent was going up even more than Mike’s raise. Talk about taking the wind out of our sails! Our 1600 square foot apartment suddenly felt less like a dream home and more like a very expensive box.

We’d find ourselves sipping our respective drinks on our porch (craft beer for him, bubbly for her), looking out at those beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, and asking each other, “What’s next?” It was like we had all the ingredients for a perfect life, but the recipe wasn’t quite right.

Little did we know, our next adventure was about to kick into high gear…

Chapter 4: The Great Escape

So there we were, in a city we loved, with jobs that left us wanting more and a rent that was eating us alive. What’s a couple of adventurers to do? Well, if you’re us, you decide to shake things up – big time.

We had an epiphany: Why settle for one overpriced home when you can have… a home on wheels? So we sold our stuff, bought a used Class A RV, and hit the road. Because nothing says “midlife crisis” like voluntarily living in a vehicle that’s one-sixth the size of your former apartment.

But this wasn’t just any RV. Oh no, we had plans. Big plans. For three months, we channeled our inner Chip and Joanna Gaines (if they specialized in vehicles instead of farmhouses). We ripped out gross old carpeting, painted over brown walls with crisp white, and installed hardwood floors. Mike even added solar panels to the roof, turning our rig into an off-grid mobile tiny home. It was like Extreme Makeover: RV Edition!

Going from 1600 square feet to 250 was… an adventure, to say the least. But you know what? It felt right. We were downsizing our space but upsizing our lives. Andrea even said goodbye to her beloved Mercedes Benz named Black Betty (moment of silence, please) as we prepared for our nomadic lifestyle. 

With Mike at the wheel of our newly renovated home-on-wheels and Andrea following in Mike’s trusty Prius (with Bruce riding shotgun, of course), we were ready to write the next chapter of our story. A chapter filled with open roads, new horizons, and hopefully, better Wi-Fi than we had in Asheville.

Chapter 5: Home is Where You Park It (And Where the Adventure Begins)

For over a year, we lived the dream of waking up to a new view almost every day. With reliable internet at our fingertips, we turned our RV into a mobile command center for life, work, and transformation. We saw America in all its glory, from sea to shining sea (and yes, we became connoisseurs of gas station coffee along the way).

From coast to coast, we experienced breathtaking landscapes, met incredible people, and learned more about ourselves (and each other) than we ever thought possible. But our journey wasn’t just about sightseeing – it became an unexpected path to health and new careers. Talk about a plot twist!

Our transformation kicked off in Colorado, where Andrea had a chance encounter with a weight loss coach. It was like the universe looked at our Asheville-acquired love handles and said, “Not on my watch!” Andrea dove headfirst into a strict new diet, and suddenly our RV kitchen became a lab for healthy, delicious experiments.

Now, Mike’s idea of a diet had always been “eat when hungry, stop when full” (revolutionary, we know). But with Andrea whipping up these amazing healthy meals, he found himself naturally eating less and enjoying more. Before we knew it, we had lost over 65 pounds between us. Who says you need a gym membership when you’re hauling an RV across the country?

Andrea took to this new lifestyle like a duck to water (or should we say, like Bruce to a new fire hydrant?). She was so successful that she started coaching others on their weight loss journeys. Our travels included not just sightseeing, but also video calls with clients from scenic overlooks. Nothing says “you can do it” quite like cheering someone on with the Grand Canyon as your backdrop!

Meanwhile, Mike decided to dust off an old skill set. Remember the days of dial-up internet and AOL? Well, that’s when Mike first dipped his toes into web design. Fast forward 15 or so years, and he decided it was time for a comeback tour. He started offering web design services to clients, turning our RV into a mobile design studio. Coding websites while parked next to serene lakes became the new normal.

So there we were two people who had set out to find themselves, suddenly finding new careers on the open road. Andrea was helping people shed pounds, Mike was building digital real estate, and Bruce… well, Bruce was living his best life, one state at a time.

Our RV wasn’t just a home on wheels anymore; it had become our office, our gym, our transformational pod. We were redefining what it meant to “work from home” – our home just happened to have a different zip code every week.

Life on the road wasn’t all smooth sailing, though. NFL season brought its own special brand of chaos to our tiny home.

Picture this: Andrea, die-hard Detroit Lions fan, and Mike, bleeding Chicago Bears blue and orange, crammed into 250 square feet during a Bears-Lions game.

Let’s just say there were times when Bruce wisely chose to hide under the dashboard until the final whistle blew. But hey, they say the couple that trades friendly sports jabs together, stays together, right?

From the outside, it might have looked like we were just two people (and a pug) driving around the country. But in reality, we were on a journey of reinvention, helping others while helping ourselves. We were living proof that sometimes, you have to get lost to truly find yourself.

Chapter 6: Frankfort – The Plot Twist (or How the Midwest Stole Our Hearts)

Just when we thought we had this nomad thing down, life threw us a curveball that would make a Major League pitcher jealous. But let’s rewind a bit, shall we?

After spending what felt like an eternity (in the best possible way) boondocking in the Southwest deserts of California, Arizona, and New Mexico, we reluctantly bid farewell to the most spectacular sunsets this side of Mars.

Don’t get us wrong, those desert sunsets are something else – Mother Nature showing off her painting skills every single evening. But as beautiful as those blazing skies were, we found ourselves missing something equally vibrant: our families.

So, we pointed our trusty RV eastward and embarked on what we lovingly dubbed “The Great Midwest Family Tour.” From Memorial Day through Labor Day of 2023, we zigzagged our way through Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

Our home-on-wheels became the ultimate family reunion vehicle, letting us park in driveways or nearby campgrounds for extended quality time. We played more rounds of catch-up than we did of catch, and let me tell you, it was soul-filling in a way that no amount of breathtaking landscapes could match.

As summer started winding down, we had our sights set on the American Northeast. Maine was calling our names, promising lobster rolls, and quaint coastal towns.

But you know what they say about the best-laid plans…

Enter Andrea’s parents, stage left, with an offer we couldn’t refuse: a stay at their weekend condo in Holland, Michigan. We thought, “Why not? We’ll give Western Michigan a try for a few months before heading to Maine.”

Well, folks, a few months turned into six, and somewhere along the way, Michigan worked its magic on us. The fall colors, the lake-effect snow, the friendly faces – it all started to feel like... home?

And then, as if the universe was saying, “You two aren’t going anywhere,” opportunity came knocking. Andrea, our spa queen, got a job offer as a Spa Director at a resort in Northern Michigan. Meanwhile, one of Mike’s old bosses reached out, looking for someone to work remotely planning Business Association events and managing their Digital Marketing.

It was like all the stars aligned, pointing us toward a little slice of heaven called Frankfort, Michigan. So, we did what any sensible nomads would do – we traded our wanderlust for wandermust-stay-here.

Now, we’re embracing small-town living, which is a lot like RV living, except the scenery doesn’t change (but oh, what scenery it is!) and the shower is much, much bigger and the hot water lasts longer (hallelujah!).

We’ve settled into a cozy home, surrounded by the beauty of Northern Michigan. Andrea’s back in the spa world, this time back as a full-fledged Spa Director, while also nurturing a couple of exciting side hustles. Mike’s putting his event planning skills to good use, indulging his passion for woodworking, and continuing his web design work.

When we finally settled into our new home in Frankfort, we faced a new challenge: we only had what was in our RV. Time for a shopping spree! But this wasn’t just any refurnishing project. Andrea, with her keen eye for interior design, took charge. She was determined to blend country charm with city sophistication.

The result? A 10-acre slice of heaven that feels both cozy and chic. It’s like a spread from a home design magazine, but with a pug-hair overlay (thanks, Bruce).

And speaking of Bruce, our intrepid pug has fully embraced small-town life – as long as that life doesn’t involve swimming. He’s more of a “stay dry and on your lap” kind of dog, always on the lookout for his next treat. But put him on a hiking trail, and he’s in doggy heaven. Who knew a flat-faced bundle of wrinkles could be such an outdoor enthusiast?

But here’s the kicker – all that traveling, all those small towns we fell in love with? They didn’t go to waste.

Mike, being the tech-savvy nomad he is, created a website called BestSmallTownsInAmerica.com, where he documents all the charming small towns we discovered on our travels. It’s like our love letter to small-town America, and now we’re living in one of its chapters.

And speaking of websites (because let’s face it, we’re a little bit website-obsessed), our adventures have spawned a whole family of online projects.

Remember those healthy recipes Andrea was whipping up in our RV kitchen? Well, they’ve found a home on her website, DelovelyDharma.com. But it’s not just about food – Andrea’s site is a treasure trove of weight loss articles, mental health resources, and inspiration for anyone looking to start over. It’s like she took all the lessons from our journey and turned them into a digital guidebook for others.

Not to be outdone, even Bruce Lee got in on the action. That’s right, our little bundle of joy has his own corner of the internet at BruceLeeThePug.com. It’s part travel blog (from a dog’s eye view), part pug glamour shots, and 100% adorable. We like to think it’s where the internet goes when it needs a smile.

So here we are, a family of nomads turned small-town dwellers, each with our own little piece of the world wide web. Mike’s showcasing the heart of America, Andrea’s helping others find their path to health and happiness, and Bruce? Well, he’s just here to make sure the internet doesn’t take itself too seriously.

So here we are, in Frankfort, Michigan – a plot twist we never saw coming, but one we’re incredibly grateful for. We’ve traded sunsets over deserts for sunsets over Lake Michigan, and you know what? We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Our journey taught us that sometimes, you have to travel across the country to find your way home. And for us, home is right here in this charming small town, with a pug in our lap and a whole new adventure ahead of us.

Our Story and our Continuing Mission

Through all these changes, our mission remains the same: to guide and inspire you on your own journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Whether you’re dreaming of a big change, considering RV life, or looking to find your perfect small town, we’re here to share our experiences, offer valuable insights, and provide resources to support your path to reinvention.

Join us as we navigate this exciting journey of life, love, and endless possibilities – now from our cozy home in Frankfort. Who knows? Your next chapter might be just around the bend!

And remember, whether you’re a Lions fan, a Bears fan, or (gasp) a Packers fan, there’s room for everyone in our story.

Just don’t expect us to be too friendly during football season – some rivalries are sacred, even in paradise.