Hi Reader,

If you've been with us since the early No Ordinary Homestead days, back when we were writing from Germany about expat life, butcher shop German and the hunt for decent flour, welcome home. The last email I sent you was in June 2016 from our new home in Florida. That's a decade ago! I'm so grateful to get to write to you again.

If you're new here, welcome! You've found a little corner of the internet for people who believe midlife is a starting line, not a finish line.

So what happened? When we moved back to the US, we eventually stepped back from sharing our story to raise our daughter and build some new projects. But we never stopped loving travel. Now she's heading off to college, Stefan and I live and work from our fifth wheel, and we're more in love with the open road than ever as we look ahead to our empty nest years.

And the timing feels right: I just celebrated another birthday this week, and honestly, getting to show up in your inbox again feels like the best gift. So consider this a fresh start: same heart, new adventures, and a lot more miles ahead.

Here's what to expect. Every other Thursday, you'll get one useful thing we've learned on the road, one place worth the drive, and a peek at what this life actually looks like. If it's not your thing anymore, no hard feelings at all. There's an unsubscribe link at the bottom.

Welcome back, friends. Let's do this again!

Where we are

We're settled in Southwest Florida for the next few months, and fall has finally shown up. The mornings are cooler, the afternoon storms are fewer, and the roads and beaches are blissfully quiet before the snowbirds arrive. Honestly? This has always been our favorite season here.

The one thing worth knowing

Book your winter campsite now

If you're dreaming of trading snow boots for flip-flops this winter, here's the timing secret: the best Florida campgrounds fill up for January through March long before most people start planning.

A few things we've learned:

• Florida state parks open reservations up to 11 months ahead for residents (10 months otherwise), and the popular coastal parks book out fast for winter. Check now, and look for cancellations if your dates are full.
• Ask private RV parks about monthly rates. Staying a month instead of a few nights often costs far less per night, and you get to live somewhere instead of just passing through.
• Hurricane season officially ends November 30. That makes late fall a sweet spot. The weather is calmer, the crowds haven't fully arrived in early November, and many parks still have openings.

If you're mapping out a longer winter trip, our free RV Trip Planner keeps your stops, drive days and budget in one place.

Worth the drive

Oscar Scherer State Park

About an hour and a half north of Naples, near Sarasota, this is one of our favorite quiet Florida campgrounds. It has shady, woodsy sites, easy trails and kayaking, and you're still close to the Gulf beaches. Keep an eye out for Florida scrub-jays. Read our campground review from the archives →​

Gear we actually use

Starlink

We both work full-time from the road, so reliable internet isn't optional. Starlink has been our connection for almost two years now, and it's earned a spot on our must-have list. Here's our honest take after two years →​

From the archive

Planning a winter trip on a budget? Keep RV Camping Cheap: 11 Budget-Friendly Tips covers monthly rates, memberships and the easy savings we wish we'd known sooner.

See you in two weeks,
Tiffany & Stefan