Moving Into a Newmar Dutchman
BY LEVONNE GADDY – RVT.com
October 19, 2013
If you don’t know the Kellogg Family, you’re in for a treat. Go to the Kellogg Family RV Show YouTube Channel and you’ll see that they have nearly 30,000 subscribers and have had over ten million people view their site over the past five years.
They describe themselves as a “family of 14 — 12 kids, 2 parents and a dog. We are a Badass Family!! We snowboard, kayak, whitewater raft, riverboard, climb, cave and so much more! We are staunchly prolife, profamily, prochild and Catholic! We kill it every day …”
After looking over the family’s various social media sites, I decided to get in touch with them. Mom – Susie – gave the following responses to my questions:
When did you and your family begin fulltime RVing?
We began full-timing in the summer of 2012. We purchased a 1999 Georgie Boy RV to facilitate travel to and from kayaking events in Colorado. In July, we left for a three-month trip to the East Coast and when it was time to come home, no-one wanted to. We decided to go home, put our house on the market, have our little Coby (our 12th child) and hit the road full-time. We haven’t looked back since.
How many RVs have you used for your travels since you began your family adventure?
We have had two RV’s. Our first is our 1999 Georgie Boy Cruisemaster, a 36? diesel pusher. It has one slideout, one bathroom and sleeps eight adults, with a master bedroom, two sofas and a booth dinette.
The second RV is a stark contrast to our Georgie Boy. It is a 43? Newmar Dutch Star 4312. Everything about this RV is luxurious. It has all the amenities of home, including heated tile floors, a full-size refrigerator, washer & dryer and a dishwasher. The finishes are extraordinarily beautiful and there is a bunk room in the back … this might be the stand-out feature of the Dutch Star. The younger kids have a space all their own, where they can retreat and a place where when the day is complete, we can put them to bed and have some quiet adult time.
Where does everyone sleep?
In the Newmar Dutch Star 4312 everyone has their own spot. As with all RV’s everything breaks down into a bed. There is a full size Queen sofa with an air mattress that sleeps two to three, a jackknife sofa across that easily sleeps two smaller children, the dining area sofa sleeps one, the Queen Size Sleep Number Bed in the rear and the bunks in the back. This RV easily sleeps seven to eight adults. Add in a few super small, young kids and there you have an RV that sleeps our entire family of fourteen (but our oldest daughter is not traveling with us at this time).
Could you tell our readers about coming to acquire your new RV?
We have been extremely blessed to have forged a partnership with the Miller family, who own the Newmar Corporation. For the past three months we have traveled in luxury and comfort, realizing that with the right RV, full-timing is a reachable and sustainable goal for anyone.
We were roughing it in our Georgie Boy, which means there was more stress and more difficulty than necessary. In a Newmar Dutch Star, any family in the US could easily embark on a one week, one month or longer vacation with their family and have the space, the amenities and the comfort to make RVing their preferred way to spend quality time on a family vacation!
How is the new RV working out for you compared to your last one?
The difference between the two is night and day. The power and ease of driving with Newmar’s Comfort Drive system is one very glaring difference. I enjoy driving the Newmar for this reason. Automatic awnings equipped with a wind sensor take the guessing game out of when to pull the awnings in. Another amazing feature is the sidewall entertainment system. We have enjoyed many movies outside in the beautiful evening air.
The kitchen is phenomenal in the Newmar Dutch Star. With a full-size fridge, a convection oven, an induction burner, dishwasher, double sinks and plenty of cabinet space, including a pull out pantry. I can’t say enough about the ease of living, traveling and enjoying that Newmar offers!
As for partying, and I mean we are a party wherever we go, Newmar delivers! From epic audio systems to fully integrated surround sound, the setup beats that in our home!
And can I say, 1.5 baths? Oh ease of living! The back bathroom has a stunning glass shower and includes a washer and dryer, which with little kids is a really fantastic addition!
Finally, the bunks have made RV’ing a more enjoyable experience for Dan and I as we are able to relax after putting the younger kids to bed. In our Georgie Boy, literally everyone had to go to bed when the youngest were ready. In the Newmar, their bunk room is in the back of the rig and therefore, they can go to bed at 8 or 9 and the rest of us can stay up and work, write, read, or watch a movie. It has definitely improved the living conditions for our older kids as well!!
I could list a hundred different features of the Newmar including the convection oven for ease of healthy meals, the comfort of the Sleep Number Bed, the numerous and well placed outlets, so so many things, in fact, I can’t name one thing in our Georgie Boy that is better than the Newmar!
(Stay tuned for Part II of the Kellogg Family RV Show interview where you’ll learn what they have planned for the upcoming year.)
If you would like to save a little money and slide into a quality pre-owned Newmar Dutch Star, then please visit our Lazydays Tampa location or log online to have to see the selections. Please register to have an experienced sales expert to explain any discounts and other benefits while guiding you through the selection and purchasing process.
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