Sitting still just isn't in Sami and Scott Carvin's blood.

  • Family of 8 swaps home for RV, takes off for year-long adventure
  • Sami and Scott Carvin say they want to focus more on family
  • The family plans to travel around the county for a year

They've both been avid travelers all of their lives but took a break to have their family. Now with six kids all under 12, Sami and Scott were bit by the travel bug once again.

The couple decided it was now or never. Taking a leap of faith they gutted a 32-foot travel trailer and fitted it with a new kitchen, comfortable living room, master bedroom, and 5 bunk beds for their boys. Their youngest child, the family's little girl, is just 18-months-old.

"Something like this seems crazy to maybe everybody else," Sami said.

The couple took their Internet-based company, enrolled the 4 school-aged children in Florida Virtual School, and embarked on the adventure of a lifetime.

They plan to stay on the road for the next 12 months. They've already made it from Bradenton to Biloxi, Mississippi, where they will be spending the next week. Their plans for the coming weeks will take them all the way to North Dakota. Then after that, they'll see where the wind takes them next.

"We do a little bit of research and a lot of praying and we find our way through it," said Scott.

Sami and Scott say the purpose of this year-long adventure is just one thing--family.

They say it's easy to get caught up with school, work, sports, and deadlines. But when you're on the open road, life becomes much simpler.

It's also not all travel for the family. They say they plan to stay in each location for about a week, so they can truly explore the area, and show their children what that state has to offer.

"We wanted to get back to just being a family and cut out all the extra noise," Sami explained.

The change from the Carvin's 2,600 square-foot home for the RV was a challenging one for the young family. They had to sell a lot of their possessions in order to make everything fit. But Sami says it was a challenge she's glad she took on.

"It forces you to really evaluate what's important to you, what you absolutely need, and in the end we packed a lot of stuff in here but we're still getting rid of stuff as we go," she explained.

And for the Carvin's, there's no better time then the present.

The Carvin's say by downsizing they've knocked about $1,000 off their monthly living expenses.

"These kids are gonna grow up eventually and we're gonna get old, nows the time," Sami said with a smile.