We’re the Hiob’s. And we’re so glad you found us.
We’re the Hiobs — pronounced HIB, not HE-ob. The O is silent, and yes, we’ve given up correcting people at Starbucks.
I’m Shelbi, and this is my husband Bryce — two kids from South Lake Tahoe who were probably destined to find each other long before they actually did.
We grew up in the same town, crossed paths throughout childhood, and both loved soccer. We knew of each other through middle school and high school but it wasn’t until later in life that we actually found each other.
Here’s our favorite part of the story though — when we were putting together a photo video for our wedding we stumbled across something that stopped us in our tracks. A childhood photo of Bryce and his brother Brady — and there in the background was my brother Scott. We pulled out our own photos from that same day at Sierra at Tahoe and sure enough, we were all there together. Same mountain. Same day. Years before we ever officially met.
Some people are just meant to find each other. Last year we made it official — married out in the mountains surrounded by the landscape that shaped both of us. It was everything. 🏔️
We have three kids who are our whole world.
Devin is seven — a firecracker, a people magnet, full of energy and always ready to learn something new. He has this gift for walking into a room and making instant friends with everyone in it. He also has a way of surprising you. When he was just a toddler, he and Bryce found each other — and honestly, I think Devin chose Bryce for us before I even knew I was open to it. Watching them together still gets me every time.
Jayceon — Jayce — is four and just graduated kindergarten at the top of his class — yes, at four years old. He might be a little shy when you first meet him but don’t let that fool you. Jayce is one of the most observant people in any room and has this incredible gift for finding solutions to problems. And we’re not talking kid solutions — we mean actual logical answers that make you stop and think “how did he figure that out?”
Brielle is two and is already proving she can keep up with her brothers. She will absolutely get filthy at the lake and then come home and demand her princess dress. She is pure joy wrapped in glitter and chaos and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
And then there’s Nyx — aka Nixie — our newest family member and adventure cat in training. We’re teaching him to walk on a harness and leash, and he has absolutely no idea what he’s in for. Neither did we, honestly. He’s already stolen all of our hearts. 🐱 And yes — that’s Haley peeking in the background. She’s our homebod German Shepherd who holds down the fort while we’re out adventuring. Every trail crew needs a home base. 🐾
Why we homeschool
When Devin first started public school, we actually loved the school and community. I volunteered in his classroom during reading groups and quickly realized he was already ahead in certain areas. He was doing multiplication and division while the class was still learning addition, and he kept coming home asking for more work because he genuinely loved learning.
At the same time, we started asking ourselves bigger questions as parents.
Did we want our days to always feel rushed? Did we want most of our time together to happen after school, after work, and before bedtime?
The answer was no.
We wanted more time together. More freedom. More experiences. More real life learning.
So we decided to try a different path.
Now learning happens everywhere for us — on trails, at lakes, around the dinner table, during road trips, through conversations and experiences and everyday life.
One of the coolest parts has been watching the younger kids learn alongside Devin. Because we started homeschooling, Jayce picked up sight words before even starting TK and is already reading far beyond what we expected.
We get asked about socialization a lot. For us, homeschooling was never about isolating our kids. It was about being intentional with the people, places, and experiences that shape them.
This lifestyle may not be for everyone. But for our family, it feels right.
Why we started Raising Trail Blazers
The past year has been one of the hardest of our lives. We walked through something that shook our family to its core, and somewhere in the middle of it all, we made a decision.
We were not going to let hard circumstances steal our kids’ childhood.
We started asking ourselves what we actually wanted our family to look like — not someday, but now. More presence. More mornings outside. More yes and fewer not yets.
So we started saying yes. To the hike on a Tuesday. To the camping trip we almost talked ourselves out of. To letting the kids get completely filthy at the lake. To pulling out the fishing poles even when we only had an hour.
And something shifted.
We became more intentional with our time. Some days we are tired — really tired — but we do it anyway. Because we know these moments don’t last forever. The kids won’t always be this little. The chaos won’t always look like this. And we want them to look back someday and have a life they’re thankful for.
That’s what this is all about.
What we want for your family
We don’t have unlimited time or money. We’re two working parents homeschooling three kids in a real house with a real budget and real chaos.
But we’ve learned that some of the best memories don’t require any of the things we think we’re waiting for.
You don’t need a huge travel budget. You don’t need an RV or a flexible schedule or one parent home full time. You don’t need to wait until the kids are older or life gets easier or the stars align.
You just need to start where you are.
Take the hike. Go camping. Explore the local park. Let the kids get dirty. Build the memories now instead of waiting for the perfect time.
We believe extraordinary childhoods are built through ordinary adventures — one trail at a time.
If Raising Trail Blazers gives your family anything, we hope it’s permission to start. 🏔️
Shelbi, Bryce, Devin, Jayce & Brielle — South Lake Tahoe, CA
and Nixie — our adventure cat in training 🐱
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Join us as we share family adventures around Lake Tahoe, homeschooling resources, camping trips, outdoor skills, and simple ways to create unforgettable childhood memories.