Babel Fish AND another trade

I'm really excited about adding the Babel Fish translator icon to my blog. Some of the languages will not translate when I click a flag but most do. I hope all the folks abroad who stumble on this blog will find it helpful. I have translated a few blogs to English when I have had time by using a web translator. Try it out sometime. It's a trip!

Another really exciting update. So far I have one kind soul (Tess) from Kansas who wants to trade with us. She found the bath tub on ebay we listed as a trade. As far as I know I am the first person who has used ebay to trade an item instead of sell outright. I was not impressed with the lack of response I was getting thru Craigslist.org so we decided to give ebay a try. We've emailed a few times thru ebay today and I am impressed with this person:

1st message: What a great idea! Let me know if you are seroius about any trade, because what I would have to trade is antique and vintage china.

2nd message: Wonderful. If I win the bid, I would pick up. A good road trip never hurt anyone. The china is in storage. If you would like to see it before I can get it, there is some on ebay- search (Victoria Austria 228) And I could throw in a lovely cocktail set that is read and gold with a Thai dancer on it.

Horray for ebay and Tess!! That's all for now!! We're staying busy here and excited about everything we have going on! Thanks for checking in.

All our love,
The Browns

Creative trade ideas

Just trying to give some ideas: If anyone out there wants to make a trade at some point and is a business owner or has a special skill or talent those are perfectly viable trades/barters. I read on another blog gnomeforahome.com about some really creative trades. Also the red paperclip guy had some creative trades come his way.

I'll list a few of these creative trades:
~Five t-shirts with your choice of business logo (presented on a certificate)
~Sailing afternoon for up to 4 in the seas
~A trip to Yahk (in Canada)
~A recording contract
~One year's rent in Phoenix

Pretty cool trades, eh? I was impressed with some of these ideas people came up with!

Will we get banned from Ebay?

I don't know, but we just listed our lovely antique tub on Ebay as a trade only for pick up. We'll see what happens. Either people will like the idea or think we're crazy--or both!! Maybe Ebay will see what we did and make that an option on Ebay. Who knows! They may ban us from Ebay...lol.

Click HERE to see the listing. Please feel free to send the listing or our blog info to anyone you think may be interested. We appreciate your help and positive energy!

All our best,
Heather and the guys

One antique tub up for trade!

We just made our first official trade up!! Mike and Karen now own our little red Matchbox bus and we are proud owners of a vintage tub! I always wanted one. Too bad I can't use it! I hope they have fun with the toys bus!

This lovely vintage tub just came out of Mike and Karen's house which was built in 1904. I have not doubts this tub was the orginal bathtub in this house. They decided to replace it with something larger as they are all very tall (most of them well over 6' tall). The tub is very heavy and may need to be refinished, depending on your tastes. The tub is in solid shape and will probably be around at least another 100 years or more.

We would love to see it go to someone who has a need for it and who appreciates the craftmanship of this antique. I can e-mail more pictures, if needed or you can stop over to see it! I see in the photo I took there's fly or something on the left rim. I'm sure it's not a chip.

Measurements:
This tub measures 5' long from outer rim to outer rim.
It is 30" wide from outer rim to outer rim.
It is about 23" high from the bottom of the ballfoot to the top of the rim.

Other details:
The photos with wording is from the underside of the tub.

Three of the legs are not on the tub right now but they slide on and are in sturdy shape, although a little rusty. We may slide them back on this week sometime.

"The Most Beautiful Thing In The World"

We got a very sweet surprise this morning when we opened the world famous, Act!vated Storytellers website to listen to their new podcast this week, "The Most Beautiful Thing in The World." They posted this message about our family:

"Inspiration: A couple of weeks ago we presented the story of "The Apple Dumpling" and pointed out how it reminded us of the guy who swapped a red paperclip on craigslist.org for something bigger and better, until he got his dream - a house. Well a family of listeners heard the story and decided to try it for themselves! This family's goal is to live on the road like we do, but first they need a bus. So they decided to trade a little red matchbox bus for a real one! You can check their progress at A Bus 4 a Bus."

They also gave an awesome plug about our quest. To listen to their really neat folktale stories on podcast (no ipod needed) go to: http://www.activated-storytellers.com/
or http://activated.libsyn.com/

I still can't believe the kindness, compassion, and enthusiasm we are receiving. It has been so appreciated. Cliff told me to go ahead and sell our house so we can get some monkeys (creditors) off our backs. But he said then what?? Where will we live? I have faith it will all work out. It seems to be so far. Even if we have to live with family for a few months or in a tent at camp grounds near job sites on the road, we will manage. I don't see us putting our house on the market for a few more months. I have been slowly going thru our things and we have a few things that must be done to the inside before we can list it. I will skip making a house payment if I have to just to get those things done.

Yesterday I saw Karen L. and was able to thank her personally for the tub. We still plan to pick it up this weekend. I'm sure someone will swoop down to make a trade on it in the near future. Look for photos and a description of the tub by Sunday.

Thank you Act!vated Storytellers and everyone else for your kindness!! You are all unbelievable!!

All our love,
Heather and guys

The clawfoot tub....

We drove by to see the tub on Sunday. It does exist and it is indeed vintage. Once we get it to our house this weekend I will add photos and a detailed description. We're really excited about it!!

Karen L., if you're reading this: I keep emailing you back but it bounces. I hope to see you Wednesday to ask you a few questions about the tub. Otherwise, I'll just talk to you or Mike on the phone this week to set up a time to pick it up on Saturday or Sunday. Thanks again, Karen and Mike!!

Also, please leave comments to these posts, if you dare. Give us a shout out!! We could use any kind words, positive thoughts about this blog, or suggestions.

Smiles,
Heather and the guys

Our first trade will be...

...a vintage clawfoot (heavy cast iron) tub from a 1904 house. The tub is in good shape. This is not a photo of it, but one I borrowed from a seller on ebay. We will be picking up the tub next weekend and handing over our little bus. If there's anyone who is interest in the bath tub, please let us know by commenting to this post (click comments below) or send us an e-mail: brownsplus2@yahoo.com.

We are very grateful to Karen and Mike for this generous trade for our little Matchbox bus!!! We look forward to seeing the tub and thanking them personally! I will probably drive by to look at it this week! Cliff and I are very thrilled!!!

Thank you, Karen and Mike!! You're awesome people!!

Thanks, Chris and Karen!

We're feeling much love from the unschooling community right now in regards to the support we are getting for this crazy dream of ours. Last night I opened a local unschooling friend's (mentor really) blog and this is what I saw:

Remember Kyle MacDonald who traded a red paper clip up until he got a house? By all the news accounts he is a decent, upstanding, young, single guy who had a cool idea! Check out his blog. It's entertaining and uplifting! A young unschooling family I know here in Iowa, wants to barter up for a converted bus. You see these young parents have been through the mill. They both came from tough beginnings, pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, and want to show their two young boys a big, big, unschooling life -- on the road. So check out their blog, "A Bus 4 A Bus" and if you can, spread the word! If anyone deserves this dream to come true, they do!

Chris, THANK YOU so much for your kindness and help! Words cannot express the emotions I am feeling right now. I just wanted you to know you have really touched our hearts. Cliff even read the post and I think he was moved beyond words as well. I am going to give the link to your blog. I hope that's o.k. I can remove it later, if needed: http://zamunzo.blogspot.com/

Aside from this lovely post from Chris we have been welcomed to visit a beautiful family from SD who is in Iowa right now working. They are living in their pretty bus (see picture) at a neat campground not too far away. We're super duper excited about meeting them and their three young boys tomorrow! It's just what we (mostly Cliff..heheh) need right now to get more inspiration to keep plugging away! You can visit their blog at: http://www.thewildtribe.blogspot.com/

All our love and appreciation,
Heather and the guys

The Apple Dumpling!

I just want to give a shout out to the Goza family, aka, The Act!vated Storytellers. I was inspired to do this after listening to their wonderful podcast from Sept. 7, 2006, "Apple Dumpling." Plus they had this note on their website under the link to the podcast:
After spending an afternoon picking apples we decided to present the English story "The Apple Dumpling". See if it reminds you of the guy who used craigslist.org to trade a red paper clip for something bigger and better and ended up with a house. Read the MSN story about trading a paper clip for a house.

The Goza's and Kyle MacDonald (paperclip guy) are all truly talented and inspiring folks! I appreciate people who bring others up! A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO YOU ALL!!!! You're as sweet as dumplings.

But don't think I forgot the other really awesome people who gave me the support and encouragement I needed when I wasn't sure we were worthy. Thanks Vicki and Chris! You're the best!! :~)

By the way, I'll be sure to upate this blog as soon as we make a trade! Nothing in the works yet! I'll be a little sad when I have to turn over the bus. But it will be worth it!

Conversion Bus on Ebay

CLICK HERE to see a Bus conversion on Ebay

Just dreaming about buses. This is a cool looking one on eBay just to give folks an idea about bus conversions. Buses are powerful diesels and more economical than RVs. They generally have lots of storage as well and can take a beating. The interior can be designed anyway it is needed to be, unlike most regular motorhomes.

Ebay always has lots of them for sale. We know people who have purchased decent ones for less than $20K on Ebay.

We're really excited about getting on the road as a family. Cliff has had some electrician job offers all over the country, but he is staying close to home for now and working for the government for pocket change. Camden's 2nd birthday is next month and Cliff wants to be here.

We're thrilled about the opportunity to see the U.S., family, and friends. We hope some really nice people want to trade up with us. See the previous post about our little bus we want to trade with the hopes of making a series of lucky trades!

Please email us at brownsplus2@yahoo.com for more details! Thanks in advance for your help!!

Our little bus! Wanna trade?

Our family
Two precious boys.
A stay at home mom.
A hard working dad.
Looking to trade a toy bus,
In our quest for a reliable family bus!

If you have an item to trade,
Please don't be shy!
Just send us a line.
We appreciate all the fine folks who said,
"Go for it!"
We'll never regret this one bit...

All our love,
The Brown Family