Carrie Stephens, 46, has six children, ages 10-24. She lives with her two daughters Libby, 10, (left) and Lacey Schroeder, 13, (right) in an RV. Libby and Lacey both go to school and spend the rest of the time with their mother with whom they share a very strong bond. These have been the circumstances for the last five years and Carrie has been able to gain the approval of social services for being able to provide the necessities to her children in this way. However Libby and Lacey are rapidly maturing young women and living in this situation without a positive roll-model they are at risk of following the path of three out of four of there older siblings who are currently struggling with poverty and drug addiction.

Carrie, though not under consistent employment, supplies for her children in many ways because the child support check she would be receiving from the government goes to her ex-husband who has legal custody of both Libby and Lacy but does not provide for them. She spends much of her time collecting recyclables and scrap to cash in or barter with in the surrounding communities that consist mostly of trailer parks. She has lived in the same area for many years and through her consistent drug use has developed connections to the drug supply system in the area. She makes some of her money working as a runner, buying drugs for people and by cutting the drugs she buys with look alike substances to increase their weight and volume.

Libby and Lacey eat dinner with their mother on the bed of the trailer in which they live. The close proximity of this space has both good and bad characteristics; on the positive side the three spend their days together interacting without depending on television or other modern commodities for entertainment. However when tensions arise between them there is no private space in which to escape, this can lead to days of fighting and will sometimes cause Carrie to leave the girls with there father who they don't like spending much time with.

Libby and Lacey wash clothes in a river near their trailer, for the family, transportation and spending the money to visit a laundromat is a large effort, it is much easier for them to use the resources that they have available to them. Libby and Lacey are expected to participate in chores like laundry or cleaning the trailer they do these tasks by working together, Libby though younger then her sister by three years will often take a leading role in these chores directing Lacey to certain tasks.

Two twenty-dollar bills and a syringe sit on the bed in Carrie's trailer. Carrie has been using drugs for about 20 years. For the last ten years she has been using methamphetamine an artificial opiate and one of the most addictive drugs widely available. Carrie says that she uses Meth "Because it makes me feel numb," an escape from the stresses and difficulties that fill her life. Methamphetamine's chemical composition can be formulated from over the counter cold pills containing ephedrine and chemicals found at any hardware store; currently the majority of the methamphetamine in the United States is being imported by Mexican drug cartels. This makes the drug comparatively cheap and readily available.

Carrie assists a friend who was having trouble finding a usable vein to inject methamphetamine. Carrie calls this "Slamming" a reference to the action of a syringe. Though Carrie does not use drugs in front of Libby and Lacey they have become aware of her addiction, and a wide spread presence of these drugs in the community, as well as people that come by to "visit." Three out of four of their older siblings are currently struggling with drug addictions and the question remains as to what influence this will have on them as they mature.

Libby, Lacey and Carrie try to find shade on a hot summer day while waiting for a friend. Libby and Lacey have few friends in the community and spend most of their free time with each other and with their mother. At times this lack of community isolates the girls. They have not spent much time in wealthier households with working parents who do not share the same struggle as there mother thus there understanding of the community at large is skewed.

Libby rides a skateboard on a bike path near the trailer. Carrie has been able to park in this same spot for about five years through an unspoken agreement with the local police. This spot is secluded from any main streets but also close to a convenience store and several mobile home communities. The freeway overpass above provides shade during the day but produces a constant drone of traffic even in the early hours of the morning.

Libby and Lacy show card tricks to one another before going to sleep. Though well supervised and protected in there own home the girls are often left to entertain themselves. The trailer lacks a connection to electricity, water, or sewage this lack of conveniences that our society often takes for granted has been normalized by Carrie and her children. They cook on a camp stove and shower at a friend's house several nights a week.

Carrie fights with long time boyfriend Edward Torrez, Edward and Carrie have been together on and off for about eight years. The two share their addiction with methamphetamine. Ed is not Libby and Lacey's father nor has he stepped in to fill this roll and they often harass him for this. The girls know how to get under his skin and during one of these fights Edward got violent and assaulted both Carrie and her girls and is currently awaiting trial against several felony abuse charges including corporal injury, and child endangerment.

Carrie and Libby fall asleep on a car ride home. Carrie shares a powerful and loving relationship with her children and this is what keeps her from giving up. She tries to make life the best it can be for them and holds their education in utmost importance.

Carrie sits on a curb in front of the convenience store where she often buys food; she is holding a twenty-dollar bill. Because Carrie doesn't maintain consistent income spending money can often mean a decision between buying methamphetamine and buying food. Edward her longstanding boyfriend sits in the background and will often weigh in on Carrie to support the Methamphetamine addiction that they share.