As we hit each milestone of this whole "Van Plan", Humz and I have looked at each other at any various point and said "So we're really still doing this, riiight?" like one of us is just waiting for the other to pull the plug. Spoiler alert: not counting Humz's last minute idea to trash the house so the buyers would reject it, and my waterfall-sob-fest where I wouldn't leave the house the day of closing, we are still going strong...as I write this from my van home.

We had a good run in Hoboken; don't get me wrong. We had a great house, aka, a 702 square foot abode with backyard oasis for the pup and lots of grilling and corn-hole-playing, and enough awesome friends and family in close proximity to keep us busy until 2018. This was the longest continuous place I have lived in since I was in 4th grade and it was our first purchased home together. We got married while living there, we hosted Halloween, New Years Eve, and Super Bowl Parties; we even had a 4th of Jaws-ly Party where we watched Jaws on the projector in the back yard and ate shark-themed foods. I will even miss the lazy weekends where we did nothing but binge-watch Netflix on our huge sectional couch while mustering up enough energy to throw something in the crock pot (and there were many of those.) Hoboken’s spectacular Manhattan skyline views, quick 12 minute PATH ride to the city, and proximity to restaurants, coffee shops, Trader Joes, dog/parks, beer gardens, and boutique shopping are what lured us there in the first place…cue the Sarah McLaughlin “I Will Remember You, Will You Remember Me” song while I sob in the corner…

We Made a Picture Frame

With a little help from our friends!

Cornhole in the Backyard

Decorating 40's for our Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties

Because we LOOOVE crafting!

#humzasleeponthings

Humz taking a breather during our 4th of Jaws-ly party!

When You Trust Your Friends With Your House Keys

They will use your washer/dryer, fall asleep on your couch, and hang awesome handmade decorations in your house to welcome you back from your honeymoon!

Humz's Birthday

Yes we are playing Mario Kart in the backyard while having an Orange-Juice-Tasting-Contest on a 70 degree December day!

Relay Races at Pier A Park in Hoboken

Best Hoboken Neighbors

Especially when they help you dig out your car.

Strolling the Streets During a Snowstorm

One of my favorite activities!

Apollo and Superman

Getting ready to run the HoBOOken 5k, our annual Halloween tradition

The Only Friends I Trust to Eat on my Italian Tablecloth from Piensa.

(I was saving it for when the Queen of England comes to dine at Casa Gunn.)

So why leave such a great place; what was missing? The answer was freedom. After 8+ years of us both working in the New York City metro area (which has been my dream since I was about 10), it was becoming too monotonous and robotic doing the same thing every day. Wake up, go to work, come home from work, be exhausted...play with the dog...fall asleep. So we traded in our 702 square foot oasis for an even smaller 145 square foot traveling home, hence giving us the freedom and funds that we need to make this lifestyle work, for awhile anyway. I still miss my crock pot. though.

- Katharine