This is beyond frustrating to many, including us.  We were hoping to get on in the spring but will have to see what else he can find, depending on whether or not this affects other jobs as well.  One of my biggest frustrations with this line of work is trying to budget for temporary work.  You just never know when you will get on a job or how long that job will last.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the frustration of it all.  Why would they want to cut so many jobs?  How are we supposed to pay our bills?  Don’t they understand that it will take years to get to a greener earth?  I’m all for saving the planet but until we get our consumption of petroleum-based products under control there is not going to be a time when we don’t need oil and gas.

In my opinion, there are two ways to go about our current situation…

1. We can sit around and wait for another job.  Which we’ve done many times.  Sometimes it pans out and other times, it drains that bank account.
2. Or we can get proactive and do something about it.

What we are working on

For us, we have learned to focus on option #2.  That often means my husband is calling his contacts and I’m asking in the pipeline community for any leads.  The pipeline community is a tight-knit group.  I am always seeing ways that we support our brothers and sisters.  Whether it be a lead on a job, helping with kids, finding resources, or donating time/money to someone in need, y’all got each other’s backs.  We always find a way to get through.

Looking at ways to save money and ways to bring other income in so that our bank account doesn’t take such a big hit can be helpful.  That could be dialing in your budget or starting a side hustle.  Do we really need cable and Netflix?  What about all those Target runs or stops at the coffee shop?  

I know for me, budgeting has always been an issue.  Whether it was because we never really talked about money growing up or because I liked getting what I wanted when I wanted.  Whenever I searched for budgeting help/advice it was hard to find anything that addressed my husband’s line of work.  How do I spread our income over 12 months?  What if there is a layoff?  Finding information to help address these issues was often difficult or missing the mark.

I finally decided to do something about it! 

I created my own budget worksheet that can help work through some of the questions we face.  And I want to give it to y’all for FREE!

FREE budget worksheet

Ladies, I know we can get bored just hanging at the camper/hotel/apartment.  What if you took some of that time and started a side hustle to bring in some extra cash?  Do you love creating, writing, or just helping people?  Think about those skills and start something!  I’ve started my own Virtual Assistant business, blog, and soon a book!  Check out my blog post about side hustles here.

Maybe you’re even ready to call it quits and start that business you’ve been dreaming about.  My husband is always dreaming up ways to make money once he is ready to hang up his boots.  Is there a business idea that you’ve been throwing around?  Talking about “when the time is right”?  What if now is that time?

I know a lot of these things won’t bring instant money but we have to make sure we are looking ahead.  Preparing and planning for those “what if” moments.  I sure hope that our pipeliners will be able to continue doing the work that they love.  That they can continue to contribute to the communities that they pass through.  And that the country will see them as the hard-working individuals that they are, sacrificing time away from their families.  Giving to the local communities, supporting their economies, and building a way for the rest of the country to have access to a (currently) necessary resource.

In the meantime, be kind to one another.  Share resources, information, job leads, whatever you can to help out.  Contact your local union, your state representative, and anyone else that can help.

Resources

Click here to help show your support for Keystone XL

Search for local jobs through Indeed.com (not affiliated)

Want to start your own Virtual Assistant business? Click here

No income budget help, click here

Thanks for reading!

–Kate

For some, like us, October is a reminder of pregnancy and infant loss.  This October has been marked as my 4th loss.  This one made it to 11 weeks but we did not know until my 12-week appointment.

I came so close to starting to fill out the early weeks in the baby book I bought.  Constantly battling in my mind to share the news or keep it hidden because…what if?  I bought a sweet ultrasound pic frame to match your big brother’s and sister’s frames.  Names started coming to mind.  Wondering what you might look like, how would you interact with your siblings, what characteristics would you share?

Thanks to COVID precautions I attended the appointment alone.  I waited in silence as the doppler searched my abdomen for a heartbeat.  The Dr. mentioned the little peanut was hiding so she would try to grab the handheld ultrasound machine.  I knew what she was doing and I knew the answer then.  This wasn’t the first time for me.

We proceeded with the handheld which found an image but she could hear no heartbeat.  On to the traditional ultrasound room.  The tech tried and searched but she knew as well.  I don’t envy their job in this moment.  To have to tell a mother that their child no longer has a heartbeat when it was so strong just 4 weeks earlier.

As I write this, the process is not over yet.  I had 3 options to decide how I will deal with pregnancy loss this time.  I honestly don’t remember being given an option for my second miscarriage.  The other two happened naturally before I knew what was going on.  We are waiting on surgery, a D & C, or Dilation and Curettage.  The same surgery that gave me my scarring, that prevented us from conceiving in the first place.  It has risks as do the other two options but in my opinion, this will have the least emotional toll on me.

We’ve never considered ourselves religious but we’ve never shut it out either.  We listen when others speak about their different beliefs.  We find that we relate to some things and question others.  Lately, it seems God is being placed or maybe I’m seeing him easier.  

When we first found out about the pregnancy, we believed that it must have been meant to be.  My husband and I have never been able to conceive on our own.  Both children that we do have here on earth were conceived with fertility treatments.  So, to have had this happen the way we are “supposed” to was a miracle in itself.  It must have been meant to be.

But what now?  Was this loss meant to be?  Did we have too much anxiety about becoming parents again?  Did we put out the wrong vibes?  Maybe I didn’t push hard enough about needing extra medical support early in my pregnancy.  After all, 41 is old even in today’s medical standards for being pregnant.  Add to that our fertility issues, surely it shouldn’t have been taken so lightly.

Now we wonder, what is the lesson we are to learn from this?  What growth are we to gain?

There is nothing that can be done to change what has happened.  We will get through our grieving and life will go on.  I’ve done this enough to know that I need space to process but I also need to talk about it.  Especially, with my family.

It’s so easy to shut down.  To not share what you are going through.  We keep it in to avoid feeling it, to protect others, to avoid pity, and for so many other reasons.

Everyone grieves differently so I don’t want to write a post that says this is what you need to do to heal.  I don’t know that exact answer.  I know what works for me most of the time and that is all I can suggest.  Read further for ways that I am dealing with pregnancy loss.

How I am coping

Let it out – Cry, scream, speak in tongue.  Whatever works to let it out.  Your body needs this release.

Talk to others (when you are ready) – My communication consists of texts right now.  I can’t get through a conversation if we are going to talk about our loss.  I can share more through text to those that I want to share with.  You could also consider letters, journals or whatever form of communication feels best.  Seek out professional help as well.  Therapy is often a taboo subject but can be very helpful when processing different events.  You can find other suggestions for mental health wellness here.

Take all the space that you need – That may mean getting away or it may just mean staying silent for now.  It can also mean telling family and friends that you don’t want to share any more right now (or ever).  It may mean taking some days off from work.

Find a way to keep busy – If you are at home all day and left to your thoughts you can quickly go dark.  Try to find little things to occupy your time and mind while also giving yourself a chance to grieve.

Accept help – If someone is offering to do something for you, let them.  You can choose what is okay if multiple things are offered.  It’s hard to say yes, I get it.  I have told people “I’m fine” on multiple occasions but I have also accepted.  In those moments, it is nice to just be.

Ways to help others dealing with pregnancy loss

Again, everyone grieves differently so I can’t speak to what will work for everyone.  I am simply sharing the things that I appreciate in these moments.

Offer but don’t push – If you feel inclined to offer to do something, do so but don’t force it.  Give them just a couple of options to choose from.  It can feel overwhelming when it is an open-ended question like, “What do you need?”.  Things that have been offered;

• Watching the kids
• Providing a meal
• Availability to talk
• Company with no pressure to talk about it

Mind your words – No one really knows what to say in these moments but we always feel that we need to make it easier on the grieving person/family.  Less is often more in this situation.  Let them know how sorry you are and that you are here for them.  Try not to add phrases like, “this too shall pass” or “you can try again”.

Give them space but don’t disappear – If they decline help or to talk accept that but continue to check-in.  When you first share such news, you are often flooded with condolences and offers of help but then you are just left to deal with things on your own.  Even if they continue to decline offers, it is nice to know that someone is still thinking of you in your time of need.

I share this not to “air” my personal information but in hopes of helping others who are suffering in silence.  To let them know they are not alone.  That it is ok to talk about it or to keep quiet.

I share it to help myself process and grieve so that I don’t continue to bottle it up and stuff it down.  It feels unbearable at times and incredibly hard.  Having two others to take care of makes it feel almost strange.  We are so lucky to have the two that we do yet I yearn for this one to be a living part of our family.  It’s hard doing this away from extra support too.  We have great family and friends that have offered to travel to help and we are so thankful for that.

Fly high baby Youngs

-Kate

I finally did it!  My book is finished!  I wanted to take a second and share 5 steps to push past your inner critic (And let me tell ya, she was loud) that helped me get my book done.  

I’ve been thinking about writing this book for almost two years now.  The actual writing part was finished this winter but I let myself listen to that inner critic.  Telling me no one will read it, no one will like it, I don’t know what I’m talking about.  ALL the things!

Maybe some of those things will be true but I know that I have the experience, we all do, to write about our own experiences, what has helped us and how that might help someone else in a similar situation.

The actual writing of the book and editing is done.  Currently, it is heading to formatting and cover design.  I set a date near the end of September 2020 to launch!

I wrote this book with y’all in mind.  

As well as those just getting started or thinking about getting started with pipeline travel.  I hope I did ya proud!!  I know I didn’t cover everything but I wanted this book to focus on the beginning of the journey.

It was hard at times, to remember how I felt in certain situations.  Trying to remember all the questions I had, the places we had been (and when), sharing some of the stories.  But it felt right.  It felt like there might be someone out there that needs to hear our story, to get an idea of what it is like to travel with the pipeline or to know that they are not in it alone.

Because it was a journey to get to this point and through the writing, I wanted to share with you…

The 5 steps to push past your inner critic that helped me were;

Making a plan

It can be as simple as writing down the things you want to say.  Mindmapping, brainstorming, or anything else you want to call it.  Get the ideas out of your head and on to a piece of paper, Google docs, or any way else you want to write.  Set a timer, get your sh*t together, and GO!

Put together not only your thoughts for what you want to share but also ideas on how you want to organize it.  Think back to when you were in school and they taught you to create sections for writing.  Get your intro started, your chapter ideas, and your closing thoughts.

Taking action

After you’ve spent some time really thinking about what it is you want to share, take some time to actually do the writing.  It doesn’t have to be perfect.  Put whatever comes to mind, put it in your notes.  Then you can take some time to edit and make adjustments to how you want it to flow.

Creating affirmations

Another huge help in pushing past my inner critic was creating affirmations.  Just the act of thinking about what you want to accomplish is helpful.  Then when you put them into your daily habit and repeat those affirmations.  Say them out loud!  Put them ALL over your camper, phone, house, whatever.  Use sticky notes and put them where you will see them and when you see them, say them proud!  

Making it a priority

How many good ideas have you had only to forget about them?  Scheduling them into your day makes those ideas a priority.  It took me a long time to see this one.  I always considered myself as a person that preferred to not have a schedule but so many things slip through the cracks when they are not noted.

Blocking out time in my schedule to focus on the writing helped, to make it a habit.  I do this with so many things including break periods.  It helps me to see where I’m spending my time and where I can add something else.  I use a combination of my phone calendar and a physical planner (click here for my favorite planner) to help track my days.  Below is a screenshot of my calendar when I was in the thick of things.

Be consistent

This one ties into Making it a priority as well.  In order to make a habit, you have to stay consistent.  That may mean setting it up at the same time/day.  It may mean setting a set time period.  Consistency also means that if you miss a day, you pick right back up.  Don’t go down that rabbit hole where you find every excuse because you missed one time.

If your interested in more info on creating or resetting a routine, read here.

There you have it, 5 steps to push past your inner critic.  

• Making a plan
• Taking action
• Affirmations
• Making it a priority
• Be consistent

These steps can be applied to just about anything you are trying to achieve or when you feel that self-doubt creeping up.

My book was a big hurdle but I’m so glad I was able to get it done.  What hurdles are you ready to cross off your list?

My hope for this book is that it will help future pipeline families.  I hope it resonates with those of us in the middle of it and I hope that it inspires you to go after your dreams.

I’m building my launch team and would love for you to be on it! 

If you are interested in reading this book and helping spread the word, please reach out below or send me an email at travelingwivesclub@gmail.com.

Do you ever have the best intentions but often let things distract you or get in your way?  

I wrote this post back in May and in true fashion, I forgot to publish it.  Most of what I wrote is still an issue however our home projects are on hold since my husband was able to go back to work this month!  He had been off since last September so it was a welcome opportunity, to say the least!

Read on to learn four ways to stay focused in times of chaos.

I am struggling here!

Not just because we are limited on where we can travel and stores to frequent but all the projects.  I think we have started (and almost finished) more projects now than ever before.

Some have been needing to get done.  Others started out of boredom.

Have you ever heard of the squirrel or shiny object syndrome?  In a nutshell (see what I did there!), you start something but then get distracted by something else that sounds or looks even more exciting.  That sums up my life and really highlights quarantine life for us right now!

I have been struggling to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.

The good news is that I’m willing to try new things.  The bad news is that I often don’t give that thing long enough to figure out if it is where I should be.

Can you relate?

Within the last year, I have started a blog, a book, a Virtual Assistant business, and a real estate course.  At the house, we have started a garden, an office, a new cleaning routine, homeschooling, a new workout, meal planning, and what feels like so many other things.

My blog is neglected, to say the least, my book is not published yet and my VA business continues to morph its services.  The light at the end of the tunnel is that we did finish the real estate course and I can finally check SOMETHING off my list of start-ups.  Although, I’ll still be waiting for the COVID restrictions to lift before I can take the exam for the state.

***Edit, the office was completed as well as the garden back home before we left for NC.  Two more checkmarks!

All of this while we are still trying to educate our children, keep up the house, and keep them away from too much screen time.  What happened to the days where you could send your kids outside until mealtime or plop them in front of the “boob tube” and there was no judgment?!!

What I’ve found that is working for us so far,

Scheduling/planning

I take time on Sundays to sit down and look at the week to see if we have any appointments or if I have a crazy busy week for work.  Then I think about the things I want to do and feel for the week. I make sure to squeeze in fun things along with business/school.  

I take out my calendar and write it all down.  I am not a fan of having a schedule because I’m not always great at sticking to it.  So, this is more of a guide for us.  It lets me know what things I have to stay on point for and where there may be some flexibility.

If your routine needs a revision, click here to read more tips.

Blocks of time

I have to break up my day for work so that my kids are not completely zoned out on electronics.  So, I break my work tasks into 1-2 hour blocks.  Giving myself a time limit helps me get a bit more focused and I can generally get a lot done.  My work time is broken up with things like cleaning, cooking, playing, and doing schoolwork with the kids.

Use your resources 

Take advantage of what is around you and your area.  I have fully embraced grocery pick-up instead of shopping.  It saves me time and money!

Extra time with family means we get to learn even more about each other (and fun new ways to annoy each other)!  My daughter recently started helping my mom (we are a multi-generational family) in the kitchen at dinner.  She is learning some skills and they get extra quality time together.  The kids also enjoy fishing with my parents which usually means a cast or two and then eating all the snacks packed for the day.  These are great bonding moments but that also means that we are able to squeeze in focused work blocks or some alone time!!

Need other ideas for social distancing, click here.

Get outside

Taking time to go outside has helped me so much!  I need that fresh air and sunlight to help refocus my mind.  Some days it may only be for 15 minutes but it can still be beneficial.  Let your mind relax for a minute and just look around.

***Edit, Our place in N.C. has a pool so, we are getting lots of pool time.  Which means the kids are learning to swim!

More reasons to get outside!

There you go!  Nothing too fancy or hard to do, just a few ways to stay focused during moments of chaos.  Take some time to schedule/plan your week, break your tasks down into blocks of time, utilize whatever resources are around you, and get outside!  If you need some planner suggestions check out The Happy Planner, The JourneyGuide or The Living Well Planner.  I personally, use The Happy Planner but with my shiny object syndrome, I’m always on the hunt!  LOL

(No affiliation with any of the above planners, just recommendations)

I would love to hear from you!

Any other squirrels out there?  What has been the hardest for you lately?  What have you found that is working for your family?

Pop your comments/questions down below and while you’re at it, follow me on FB or IG to see what we’ve been up to lately.

As always, thanks for reading!

–Kate

Are you managing social distancing in your life?

This is a crazy time right now.  How is everyone handling it? Are you on the road or back home?  Is anyone working at this point?

I feel like we went from 0 to 100 REAL fast.

If you’re anything like me, you may be struggling with your new routine.  You may be wondering how long will this really last? You also may be thriving in some aspects of your life.  All of those questions and feelings are normal and okay to feel.

Our current situation

At this time, we have found ourselves laid off since September and homeschooling 3 under the age of 6.  He had hoped to go back this spring when work started kicking off. I’ve been trying to build my own business and publish a book.  We had trips planned not social distancing.  Much like everyone else, this was not in our plans.

Now I spend my days spending more time sharing my computer with the kids, planning their assignments, breaking up arguments and making meals more than I do working on my business.  Luckily, my husband is home and he likes to clean so that is off my plate!

Now is the time, more than ever, that we need to come together.  We need to help each other out.

Some of us are really struggling, some are nailing it.  Some have been laid off for a LONG time already and others are just starting their lay-offs.  

The actions that are being asked of us in response to COVID-19 may be considered an overreaction to some while others feel like it is not being taken seriously.  There is a lot of panic and unease in the unknown.

What we can do

Please do your best to have a kind heart through all of this.  Remember that although we may not be able to help someone physically while managing social distancing, we can still find ways to help.

Ways like…

• Sending a letter/note
• Giving a compliment
• Asking how someone is doing
• Buying gift cards for future use at small businesses
• Giving extra hugs to our children
• Giving ALL the “space and grace” to ourselves and others as we navigate through this
• Making time for ourselves as well as each family member to feel whatever it is they may be feeling
• Offer tips/suggestions
• Phone calls, FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, conversation
• Go shop for your elderly neighbor or relative
• Use Shipt, Instacart or whatever online shopping is available in your area
• Don’t forget to tip
• Trade services if you have a business
• Share positive information
• Share accurate, truthful information

In keeping with the idea of sharing resources, I wanted to share something with all of you, an online school resources sheet we have been using so far for our kids.  Please feel free to share with whoever may need it.

Don’t forget to check out some previous posts in regards to dealing with isolation, workouts and routines.

I would love to hear from the ladies that have been homeschooling before it was our only choice.  What information, tips or resources are you able to share to the stressed out mothers that are diving in for the first time?

For those just getting started…how can we help?  What is working for you so far?

Here is your online school resource sheet!

As always, thanks for reading!

–Kate

This week I wanted to share a former blogger and fellow pipeline wife’s story of her family’s experience on the pipeline.  Blaire experienced both staying at home while her husband worked on the road as well as traveling as a family for the last 11 years.  Since 2019, her family has settled in their dream spot in Florida and are finding out again what is like to travel just for fun!

Meet Blaire…

Hi y’all, my name is Blaire, and I was a traveling pipeline wife and a stay-back-home pipeline wife over
the last 11 years. I am also a mother and photographer. We have traveled coast to coast and drove the
wheels off a few trucks and travel trailers, literally.

It’s been wild, fun, and stressful, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. We were a traveling family when almost no one was doing it. We were told by well meaning individuals, other pipeline couples too, that we were weird and even bad parents. It’s refreshing to see how things have changed in the pipeline community in the last decade.

I know describing something as a “journey” has become pretty cliché, but there really is no other way to
describe being a traveling wife, is there? My husband Robert and I have never had reservations doing our
own thing, even if family and friends didn’t understand it.

Going on the road as a pipeline family seemed like an journey we were made for, we were young and excited. I grew up traveling and moving with my family every few years, and he was itching to see the country after living in one town his whole life.

Our beginning

When I say were were young, I mean we were barely adults when we hit the road. Our first babies, twins,
were born 3 months after I graduated high school in 2004. By 2007 I was pregnant with our fourth. At
this point we were struggling to keep a roof above our heads and food on the table of our small home in
Texas.

Robert had been going to school and working, getting more and more interested in the oilfield. He
knew that leaving his job as a shop mechanic and getting on with a pipeline company could be our ticket
to a better life.

Finally in early 2008, after the birth of our fourth, his persistence paid off and he got the call to start work as a welder’s helper five states away. He left, we stayed behind. It was one of the hardest days of my life. We didn’t know if this would be a temporary or permanent career change, but we were ready for something to give.

Let me tell you, that first paycheck was like winning the lottery. He made more in one week than what he
was making in a month at home. We were hooked. Now, we all know money doesn’t equal happiness, but
as struggling young family, it equals security and prosperity which is something to be happy about! When
he got home from that first job he had me convinced to travel with him, as neither one of us wanted him
missing out on our babies’ lives. He soon left again to start another job, and again we stayed back
temporarily.

I’m sure everyone we knew thought we lost our minds when I said we were going to go travel with him. First I had to purge everything we owned and then find a realtor to sell the house. I managed to
do it all on my own in a few weeks.

In late summer of 2008, we had 4 children under the age of 4 and didn’t know what we were getting into. Looking back we were a little bit crazy. I will never forget driving away from our little house feeling so excited and nervous. I had my babies and my GPS, and it was 23 hours to New York.

These days a lot of families begin traveling in an RV, but for the first year we were on the road we lived in
small rentals and hotels. He worked through the winter so many RV parks were closed and it wasn’t
practical to buy the propane in the northern states we were in.

That fall we spent in New York, then winter in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Talk about a shock, we got to experience a real winter for the first time. We moved about every 3 months in the beginning; Indiana, Colorado, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi,Tennessee, the Carolinas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, many more. Living in a small space with 4 toddlers was actually very freeing.

In the first year of traveling I became an extreme minimalist. Everyone had a few sets of clothes, a plate, a cup, a couple toys. It took me 10 minutes to clean up the entire cabin.  Everything we owned fit into a couple of Rubbermaid bins. My stress level regarding our home and children went down considerably when we were traveling because I didn’t have to worry about keeping up a whole house.

Making the most of it all

When we did get a travel trailer (which was an old, modest, tiny Coachmen we paid cash for) it felt so roomy after all the hotels. We made it work, we made it home. The kids were small enough that they could share beds. I figured out how to use that small oven to bake and share successful recipes on my own blog, Roadmommy. We even planted a movable garden we took around with us.

Our days were also spent exploring the small towns we were in. The library, McDonald’s playplace, parks, ice skating, sledding. We were all about being together as a family, meeting locals and experiencing everything our new locations had to offer.

It’s one thing to take a vacation to certain spots in the USA, it’s another to live there for months at a time.
You really get to know the area and the people and it begins to feel familiar. We were always staying in
smaller towns where people were curious about our life and friendly to us. Every state in America has
amazing natural beauty and interesting places to visit if you just look. We visited 22 states in all.

There’s fall foliage laced mountains in New York, some of the best hiking & secluded waterfalls in the Virginias, hot springs in Montana, a frozen lake you can drive your car on in Minnesota. The list goes on. I could talk all day about the breathtaking scenery and huge cities we have experienced as a family. What makes the journey truly special are the people you meet, some of which change your life entirely. My best friends are scattered across the nation.

Everyone who meets our children now says they’re so friendly and full of common sense. I’d like to say
they were taught that by their parents, but it’s obvious they learned a lot of it on the road. To be honest, I
threw traditional parenting rules out the window when we went traveling. No one knew us, no one was
judging me. With social pressures released I parented the way that felt natural to me and our family bond
was very tight. We were having fun and growing up with our kids, learning and adapting to one situation
after the next.

On one job in Nevada, I began my own side business doing laundry for the guys my husband worked with. Every morning I’d wake the little ones up at 5 am and we would sit at the entrance to the yard collecting their bags of laundry as the men and women filed in for work. Then I’d drive to the laundromat and wash, dry and fold about 20 loads, the next day we would return the clean laundry to the guys.

We did this 6 days a week. The kids were my helpers. They carried soap, counted quarters and folded socks. They would color in their coloring books while the dryers were rolling and stick their artwork in the bags of clothes. More than one pipeliner told me the colored pages brought them to tears missing their own children back at home. To this day my kids say that laundromats bring back a sense of nostalgia.

Time for a change

In 2012 we decided to follow a new path; my husband had a job offer to work in a gold mine in Alaska.
We decided to run with the opportunity. It was a position as a mechanic, a throwback to his original
career interest. It still meant he was traveling 3/4 of the year, but we could settle and buy a house again as
he would only be traveling to one place and had to stay at a man camp. It was perfect timing because our
oldest girls needed to start first grade and we were uncertain about switching schools every few months on the road.

We had always wanted to live in Colorado so we bought a home there and settled into a new life.  Robert was going on 4-week long hitches to Alaska, home for 2 weeks, and repeat. Settling down again
was bittersweet. The traveling journey had ended but we were ready for something new.

A few years later he was able to save up for his own mechanic service truck and go back to pipelining as a
operator/mechanic. We decided this time it was best I didn’t go. Our reasoning behind me staying home
with the kids was for their sake. They all truly love school and sports and were thriving in their new school
environment.

As much as traveling together would have made sense after doing it once before, it just didn’t feel right. Our kids needed to be home. After he went back to pipelining we decided to ditch suburban life and buy a farm in Michigan. You could call that another journey… two city people buying a farm… but that’s another story all together.

The last couple years that Robert’s been a pipeline mechanic we visited him and he flew down to see us as
regularly as possible. Our kids have a great bond with him because he put in the effort every week, every
day, for years. With young kids I feel it’s really important for daily physical presence to form a healthy
bond with a child, but as they get older there are many ways you can connect with your child.

Thank goodness for phones and social media! He FaceTimed us regularly. We have family group texts and
family Instagram messaging. The simplest thing like sharing memes brought us together when he was far
away.

Traveling took on a new meaning, it was some serious effort. There have been times just one child
visited him in another state. I have driven 20+ hours with 2 big dogs and 4 cranky kids to see him. Just
this past summer I made a 20-hour trip four times to try and coordinate the kids’ sports schedules and
getting us together for school breaks, holidays and birthdays.

On the flip side, he’s spent 10 hours flying to see us just to turn around within 24 hours to go back to work. Families make it work. And when we were together we had some fun grilling out, hiking, kayaking, doing all the things we love together.

A new start

This year, with the slowdown of the industry as a whole, we decided to move on. In 2017 we bought a
home in our dream location, the gulf coast of Florida, and have been researching starting up our own
business since then. Robert has 15 years of experience at what he does and it just felt right to step away, or as we look at it, step forward into something new. It’s the natural progression. This year he started his own business as a mobile heavy equipment mechanic, and I am doing photography as I have been for a while now.

Pipelining is an interesting industry and it’s like a roller coaster. Every pipeline wife will tell you—the highest highs and the lowest lows. You’re never really ready for big change, that’s the way we look at it. We weren’t really prepared to start pipelining yet we did it, somehow. We weren’t really ready to stop, either, but we are doing it now. We have been successfully pursuing our goals since the day we met and don’t plan to stop now.

These days our children are 15, 15, 14 and almost 12. We moved to our town in Florida specifically for the
amazing school district so the kids could further their education with their choice of schools, and it seems
to be the right move. All of the kids are honor roll students in advanced programs, athletes, and generally
great, well adjusted kids. I know living on the road shaped them positively. They are excited to have their
dad home for good now.

Here in south Florida everyone is a transplant. Every time people ask the kids where they grew up, we all
just smile and laugh. Where do we begin explaining?!

***

Thank you so much Blaire for sharing your family’s story here on Traveling Wives Club!  I don’t know about y’all but I love hearing other people’s stories, their experiences and how they are making things work for them.

If you are interested in sharing your own pipeline journey please send a message to travelingwivesclub@gmail.com or comment below.

If you want to know a bit about my story, check it out here.

I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday season whether you made it back to your home state or are out on a project. 

I know ours has been eventful between gatherings, travels and just about every possible illness for each of us at different times. Seriously!  We have been through the flu, pneumonia, vertigo and all kinds of sinus issues! 

That has only played a small part in my absence here. I’ve also started a business and am in the process of writing a book. Both have taken a significant amount of time over the last few months. 

I wanted to jump on here to let you know I’m not done!  Don’t worry, I have plans for 2020 and it involves more writing here on this blog. I am at the tail end of my book and then it is ready for editing!  I am so excited to get the book out for everyone to see so I’m putting my energy to finish that. Then I can make more space to continue my efforts here. 

I have a couple guest posts coming up as well!  We all have unique stories to share whether we realize it or not. There are women out there that need to hear your experiences. They need to feel that connection. To know that others know what they are going through. That others know their troubles and their triumphs. 

I love being able to share others stories with you!  If you are or know someone that may be interested in a guest post or being interviewed for the blog, please comment or send me a message. 

Cheers to the beginning of a new year!

As always, thanks for reading!

-Kate

I’m hoping that you are all still enjoying my posts but I thought it might be nice to hear other women’s perspective so I will try to continue bringing other interviews or guest posts in the future.

Kathleen Reagan started a group in 2013 on Facebook specifically for luncheons in hopes of connecting with other pipeline women while traveling with work.  To her delight, the group grew quickly helping other traveling families find each other and making time to connect face to face over lunch and sometimes, other gatherings.

I hope you enjoy Pipeline Ladies Lunching – An Interview,

TWC: Could you please introduce yourself and a little about you?

Kathleen: My name is Kathleen Reagan, my husband is a helper/journeyman/foreman/testing out of Local 798. We are a blended family of 7, 5 kids, 2 his, 2 mine and 1 ours. Ages range from 15-6. From early 2013 through mid 2016 we traveled with my Husband Zach. He worked non stop for those years, allowing us to travel and be a one income household when previously we were 2. I no longer travel. I am the Marketing and Digital General Manager for CE, LLC in Houston TX.

TWC:  How long have you been a part of the pipeline family?

Kathleen:  Just under 8 years. 

TWC:  Do you travel with your significant other?

Kathleen:  We do not travel with him anymore. 

TWC:  If so, how long have you been traveling?  How many states in how many years?

Kathleen:  We traveled just over 3 years and made it through a dozen or so states, mostly Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, WV and PA.

TWC:  What have you found to be the most difficult thing about your pipeline experience so far?

Kathleen:  The only guarantee in pipeline is there is NO guarantee. With children I am not comfortable not having a source of income to provide when work is slow, like right now. 

TWC:  What do you enjoy most about it?

Kathleen:  I truly have enjoyed the wives and families we’ve gotten to meet. 

TWC:  What is Pipeline Ladies Lunching?

Kathleen:  Pipeline Ladies Lunching is a social group dedicated to JUST luncheon posts. (There is no fee to join.)

TWC:  How/why did you start the group?

Kathleen:  I started the group because I was tired of fishing through drama filled pages for a luncheon post. 

TWC:  How quickly did the word get out?

Kathleen:  It got out incredibly fast. We grew in a few weeks to 500 or more members. 

TWC:  How many members are in the group now?

Kathleen:  3.8k members

TWC:  Are the luncheons only for a certain area of the country?

Kathleen:  No they are for all areas of country and all walks of pipeline life. Union, non union, from Superintendant to swamper. 

TWC:  How often do you get a chance to attend luncheons?

Kathleen:  As I do not travel and work full-time I don’t get to attend many anymore.

TWC:  How can someone find the group? 

Kathleen:  They can search for the group title or be added by a current user. We do require you answer a few questions as we have children attending the event and we want to keep them safe. 

TWC:  Can anyone organize a luncheon?

Kathleen:  Anyone is welcome to organize a luncheon. 

TWC: What has creating this group meant to you?

Kathleen:  This group has meant a drama free setting to meet and get to know other families. 

TWC:  What do you love about the group?

Kathleen:  The camaraderie between the wives and lifelong friends for our children. 

TWC:  Where do you see the group in 5 years?  Will you still run the group?

Kathleen:  Hopefully in another 5 years the group is still maintaining itself with a collective group of women who are interested in supporting the other families in the industry. I am less hands off now, compared to what I was when I started the group but I would like to think in 5 years I would still be somehow involved. 

TWC:  Would you share some of your tips/words of wisdom for someone getting started with the pipeline?

Kathleen:  The only guarantee in pipelining is there is no guarantee. Find a support system no matter where you travel. Part of the intention of the group was to assist families in building a support system where ever they may roam. 

TWC:  What has been your favorite place to visit with or without the pipeline?

Kathleen:  My favorite place to visit has been Leslie, Michigan. We stayed there on two separated jobs for almost a year each time. We made lifelong friends and our children had the opportunity to enjoy a true winter, something we don’t get to experience in South Texas.

There you have it, how the Pipeline Ladies Lunching was born!

Let me hear from you!  Did you already know about this group?  Are you ready to join the group if you are not a member, (no fee involved)?

If you are interested in sharing your personal pipeline story please comment below or send me a message.

If you are looking for other ways to connect with people while traveling, check out my blog here.

As always, thanks for reading!

–Kate

This was a short job and I was currently working back in Michigan.  The job was in a remote area of Maryland, closer to the WV border.  It was a beautiful little resort town that got pretty dang busy during the summer, probably the winter too!

No campgrounds close by that had any openings and the job wasn’t long enough, about 3 months, to warrant finding a home rental.  This was before Airbnb too so, finding an extended stay was not quite as easy.

Highlights

The Inn at Deep Creek– Oakland, MD

• 12ish rooms
• Very clean, spacious rooms
• Close to town
• Friendly staff
• Bars/restaurants nearby
• Beautiful scenery
• Ski resort and large lake in town

Layout

The layout at the Inn at Deep Creek was pretty standard for a small inn.  Two-level building, with a front or back deck.  The rooms were simple and spacious; bed, bathroom and a small deck that looked out to the lake if you were on the backside.  The rooms even had a Keurig in them which was pretty rare at the time.  Some I believe have kitchenettes as well.

The Inn was situated about half way on the lake and at the south end of McHenry (it has an Oakland address).  It was on a main two lane road that took you right through all the amenities.

Favorite things

The staff was so great when my husband stayed there.  Always friendly, helpful and kept things very neat in the rooms as well as the Inn itself.  The Inn had good parking for big trucks and the amenities were easily accessible.

My favorite part of the area was the outdoor opportunities!  The lake was long and had a ton of activities on it.  Lots of places to rent jet skis and boats.  There was plenty of hiking trails to explore. Our favorite was the Swallowtail Falls area.

It was also close to the Ohiopyle State Park and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater.  Both absolutely beautiful areas!  We have been several times since our first visit.

The town

The town of Oakland was relatively small but has grown since we were there for the first time. Picture most small tourist-oriented towns, a few quaint shops, restaurants and a small market lined the main drag.  I don’t remember visiting a typical downtown area, most of the shops and attractions were stretched out along MD-219.  There was a cute little deli style market that we went to a couple times as well as UNO pizzeria.

Nearby

As I mentioned earlier, Ohiopyle and actually 2 of Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes are about an hour to the north from the Inn at Deep Creek.  Ohiopyle offers a chance to walk part of the Appalachian trail as well as areas for fishing, white water rafting and a little rock waterslide.  Both Wright homes are open for tours with gift shops, snacks and hiking opportunities.

Continuing with the outdoor theme if you continue south, closer to about a 2-hour drive, you can access the Monongahela National Forest in WV.  We didn’t actually explore here until last year but it has some beautiful areas as well!  Blackwater Falls being the closest from Oakland, followed by Spruce Knob.

If you are interested in a bigger town you have the option of heading west to Morgantown or to the east for Cumberland.  Both offer beautiful mountain areas, shopping and a bigger selection of restaurants. Catch a college football game over in Morgantown

Overall, it was a great experience for my husband’s stay(we enjoyed visiting as well).  We have come back to the area several times since his first job there.

I hope you have found this review and information helpful!

Please remember that anything written above was my opinion and experience of the area/s.  I have also linked to the Inn’s page and McHenry’s website for more information.

Let me know if you have visited this place or surrounding area!  What did you think?

If you are curious about other places we have reviewed, click here.

As always, thanks for reading!

–Kate

I say “forever” because it really can be difficult to determine if that will be the home you will live in for the rest of your lives but it can certainly be the goal.  We bought our home with the intention of settling down for the kids so that they could establish friends and be a bit closer to family.

Looking back at our previous home purchases, it would have been difficult to make them our “forever” home. Our family doubled in size and then we added my parents to our home as well.  That little 1200 sq ft ranch would have been a tight fit for all of us and our things.

Luckily, when we chose to buy and then again, when we chose to sell it worked out in our favor and we were able to make a profit to help go towards debt and our savings for the next purchase.

These previous purchases allowed us to build up some savings and knock out some debt so that this was an option for us when we were ready to start thinking more about our future.

Here are just some of the reasons we thought it was a good idea to plan to buy a home before leaving the pipeline…

Pay down now with the potentially larger income

If you have little to no debt besides your home left you can take anything extra and apply it to the home. This will help pay things down even quicker and save you interest!  Also, depending on how early on you start doing this, you have the potential to have NO house payments when you are done traveling with the pipeline!!  How amazing would that be?!

Can afford your dream home

Choosing to buy your future home now may mean that you can afford some or all the things you want in a home.  With the bigger paychecks and your other debt paid off it gives you a bit more flexibility in getting what you want.  To some that may mean building a home.  To others it could be a bigger home or high-end finishes.  Whatever your dream home means to you, you have the potential to work it in to your plan if you start thinking ahead a bit.

Make necessary improvements during layoffs

If your option was to build or buy a fixer upper, buying that home ahead of time gives you space to work on it at your pace and fix things up as you go.  This way it is ready by the time you come off the road. You can work on it little by little during any layoff periods.  Another option is to pay someone to work on it during your work periods but obviously this comes at an additional cost.

Start accumulating things/equipment/toys you may want after done traveling

Getting a home ahead of time allows you to start decorating, fixing and gathering any tools/toys you may want to have when you are home.  You can take your time picking out your furniture, paint colors, fixtures, etc since you are not living in it now.  This extra time allows you to slowly update anything you may want to replace.

Rent out the home until you are done traveling

If you are worried about an unoccupied home that you are paying for consider renting it out.  You could rent it to someone you may know or trust. Utilizing a rental property management company who will screen your tenants for you and generally take about 10% for their fee is another great option.  These companies also have a team that is available if something goes wrong and needs to be fixed.  And if god forbid, someone needs to be evicted, they know how to handle the situation.

What’s great about this too, is that depending on your mortgage payment you may be getting that paid for you by your tenant!  How great would it be to have someone else making your payments for you!!  Even if they are not making the full payment they are still helping to pay it down faster.

Debt reduction is key!

It’s important to note that this plan may not be for everyone.  Your current situation will determine whether or not this is something you could do.  If you currently have quite a bit of debt and no savings, I would consider paying that off and getting an emergency fund (about 6-8 months of bills) saved up first.

If you don’t know where to start with debt reduction check out these resources:  Dave Ramsey who I referenced in this post.  Another great resource for money saving tips is from Ruth Soukup’s blog, Living Well Spending Less.

The debt snowball vs debt avalanche

As you pay off each bill of debt try following the avalanche method.  This method has you pay off the debt with the highest interest first and then take that payment and apply it to the next high interest debt.  You continue to do so until everything is paid off. This is a great method to use but can be a bit more difficult with those of us receiving unreliable or unsteady income.

For that reason, I prefer to use the snowball method.  With the snowball method you focus on the smallest debt first.  Not only can you often pay something off quicker but you also get that satisfaction quicker of knowing you knocked some of your debt out.  This can often help keep you excited about paying things off and continue to do so.

Ready?

Get your debt list going! Gather all your debts owed except any mortgages.  List them out with the amount owed and monthly payment.  If you are opting for the avalanche method be sure to get the interest rate as well.   Organize your list based on which payment method you will be using.  Then start tackling that debt!

We followed Dave Ramsey’s plan initially and have tweaked things as we have gone along.  With the plan we were able to knock out several credit cards, a personal loan and our truck.  The thing is, if you want the plan to work and continue to work, you need to stick to it and then continue following it!

What happened is that we did not…we upgraded our trailer to a brand new one, rolling our loss in to the payment.  We bought a used vehicle but used financing.  The only thing we have maintained regularly is our savings.

Looking for a boost?

Pick up a side job or two to help pay down that debt or house even faster!  There are quite a few different options for finding flexible jobs that work with our travel.  If you need some help finding ideas, check out my post here!

Let’s recap…consider having a plan to buy a home before leaving the pipeline so that you are not scrambling when it is time to come off the road.

Follow these tips to get you started:

• Pay down debt
• Save at least 6-8 months expenses
• Find your dream home and purchase
• Consider renting out home to help pay it down
• Pay off your dream home or at least half by the time you want to stop working on the road

Let me know if you have done this, are planning to or have different ideas!  I love hearing from you so please leave a comment below!

As always, thanks for reading!

–Kate