Tied To The Land
We sat down with the Tied To The Land podcast to share how a small-town Illinois family ended up chasing adventure across the world.
Watch on YouTubeMore About Our FamilyHi, we're
Hi, we're
the Venture Seekers.
We're Jake, Brittany, Aniston, and Noah. A Midwest family who spent years doing everything "right," and then realized the life we really wanted was waiting outside of it. So we're selling our home, letting go of most of what we own, and hitting the road together in early 2027. We're so glad you found us.
The real story behind the leap
Backyard neighbors
We grew up next door to each other in a small Illinois town, sitting on Brittany's roof and talking about all the places we'd see someday. Neither of us had traveled much. We just knew we wanted to.
Four years of no
College loans and two car payments were not going anywhere on their own. We both worked full time, took weekend gigs dressing up as characters, and passed on so many everyday wants back then. We chose temporary sacrifice for long-term freedom, and four years later we were debt-free with six months put away.
The wake-up call
Then Brittany got sick with Lyme disease, and we lost our sweet dog. It shook us. The kids aren't getting any younger, and we realized someday doesn't promise to show up. So we sold 90% of our things, and we're going.
Where we're headed
Early in 2027, we'll leave Illinois for six months, maybe longer. No RV, just our Sequoia, two e-bikes on the back, and short-term furnished stays where we can cook in a real kitchen and settle in for a while.
We already homeschool, so the road becomes our classroom. We're also quietly hoping to find a place that feels like home, and a community we can grow roots in.
We'll be sharing all of it here, the beautiful days and the hard ones. Every share, save, and comment means more than you know.
Meet the Crew
The four travelers behind the journey.
Jake
Jake loves making the kids laugh and he's up for whatever adventure is next. He's a journeyman electrician and a certified drone pilot, so he can build or fix just about anything. He's good at most things he tries, but he stays humble about it, unless you play him in Scrabble. He's worked hard to build this life of adventure for the family, and he's all in on every step.
Brittany
Brittany is usually the one with a drone in the air. Making videos has always been a passion of hers, and getting to do it as an actual job still delights her. She's the planner of the family. Every fear you might have about what they're doing, she's thought about, talked through, and prayed over. She's a registered dental hygienist who chose to slow down and homeschool their kids. She's happiest outside or dancing in the kitchen.
Aniston
Aniston is 10 and in fifth grade. She's curious, creative, and almost always moving. She loves ballet, rock climbing, and curling up in a tree with a good book. She's fascinated by WW2 history, dreams of being a pilot, and is already logging flight hours. Give her a kitchen and she'll bake you something wonderful.
Noah
Noah is 7, in second grade, and the comedian of the family. Always dancing, always cracking a joke, always hunting down a snack. He lives for Legos and building things out of whatever he can find. Rappelling down a mountain in Utah used to be one of his biggest fears. Now he's the one leading the charge to the next adventure.
Out In The Wild
As featured in.
A few of the podcasts and publications that have shared our story.
