Fun
Travel & Vacation: Elephant Ride (Orange County Kabini, India)
Jake & I on our first elephant ride
Elephants are amazing creatures! If you would have told me at the beginning of 2012 that I would be traveling to India and taking a ride on an elephant I am not sure I would have believed you. Boy, how a few busy months can change and new adventures happen right before our very own eyes.
It was an awesome opportunity to travel to India earlier this year. Jake and I not only got to see elephants up close our both of our Boat Safari and Jeep Safari, we got to touch one, take a ride on an elephant, and give an elephant a bath! How COOL IS THAT?!!!
The kids and Matt going for a ride on the elephant.
Taking the elephant to the water for her bath. Bathing an elephant is a new experience for all of us.
Whose ready to help give the elephant a bath?
How often do you see a sitting elephant?
The workers are getting the elephant to sit then lay down in the water so we can help give her a bath.
Splashing water on the elephant to rinse her off. She seemed to really enjoy the bath. I bet it felt great to have the cool water splashed on her after giving everyone a ride.
This was the best part of the bath! The workers asked to see if anyone wanted to get up on the elephant one last time at the end of her bath. Of course the kids volunteered! Right after they got onto the elephant she reached her trunk down into the water and flung it up over her head spraying them with water. The first time it took all of us by surprise, but before long everyone was wanting a turn. This picture of Erica and Michael getting sprayed by the elephant
Rachel & David getting sprayed by the elephant
It was so neat being able to touch, ride, and interact with an elephant up close. The elephant was big, gentle, and well behaved. I wonder what it would be like to have a “pet” elephant (I know the girls would love it)! Thanks Matt and Jen for showing us amazing place and sharing this experience with us. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to take the girls for a ride on an elephant someday.
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Travel & Vacation: Charleston History & Sites to See (part 2)
Checking out a more modern one….some serious discussions are taking place.
This post is in addition from our post earlier today on Travel & Vacation: Charleston History & Sites to See. At least one night every time we go with Jake to Charleston we spend some time in walking through Battery Park looking at all the monuments, reading them and talking about history. You would think by now the girls have this park memorized and would be tired of it, but they request to go here every time we are in the Charleston area. The pictures of Battery Park are a little darker because we went at night. Plus you’ll see some other great items to look out for on your road trip to Charleston (at least if you are heading to Charleston from the same direction we go).
The girls always request a trip to battery park when we are in Charleston
A large monument in Battery Park, the girls want us to read the monument then they have fun seeing how many different states they can find etched on the stones.
Exploring the cannons at Battery Park
This tree’s looking a little spooky at night in battery park. Still haven’t figured out the meaning behind the white feathers from an earlier trip Travel & Vacation: Fun in Charleston. If you know the reason I would love to find out!
Mommy and girls in the giant gazebo at Battery Park
Karlie especially gets excited when we pass the “rocket” because she loves rockets. Brina gets excited because she knows that we are almost to Daniel’s Island! 🙂
Another favorite sight on our trip to and from Charleston! The girls always love seeing the USA Flag and on the other side of the road is a huge smiley face!
While Battery Park is one of the kids favorite places to visit it is only one of the many great historical sites to see while in Charleston. You can take a tour of Fort Sumter or Fort Moultrie or take a ride on a horse drawn carriage through Charleston as they share history and facts with you or many more wonderful activities. Battery Park is an easy one because it is free (as long as you can find parking). What are some other great historical or fun places to visit in the Charleston area?
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Travel & Vacation: Charleston History & Sites to See
Karlie and Brina standing at the pier with Patriots Point and USS Yorktown in the background.
Brina and Karlie love going to Charleston with us. One of their favorite things to do in Charleston is to explore and learn tidbits of history. Charleston has a lot of history so it has provided many opportunities for us to learn and appreciate our country’s history. We always visit Waterfront Park in Mount Pleasant whenever we go to Charleston. Near the pier is an area with a fountain, monuments, and plaques honoring our military. You can also see the USS Yorktown from that area too (see picture above). There are other areas in Mount Pleasant, Daniel’s Island and Charleston with a lot of history as well. Here is a few we enjoy visiting when we are in the area.
A sign near the monument
Monument….”on behalf of a grateful nation”
Department of Army (1775) monument
Throwing their coins into the fountain.
United States Coast Guard (1790)
South Carolina state flag flying in the wind next to the monuments
United States Air Force
Fountain near waterfront park
Department of the Navy – United State of America
This one is on Daniel’s Island and says “By 1680, Charleston had moved to its present location and was growing rapidly. It attracted French Huguenots and others drawn by the promise of religious tolerance and available land.”
Department of Navy – United States Marine Corps
In Peace and War – United States Merchant Marine (1775)
The neat part about reading these monuments with the girls is that it gives us an opportunity to discuss our country, its history, and show appreciation for the men and women who have served and those who are currently serving. We have many amazing blessings living in the United States. No country is perfect, but we have a lot of great things to celebrate in our history.
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Game: “Carcassonne” by Rio Grande Games
Our family loves playing games! Whether it is a card, board or video game we always look forward to having a chance to sit down with family and friends. Carcassonne by Rio Grande Games is a fun board game that we enjoy playing. We found this board game after spending a lot of time playing Settlers of Catan, it looked similar so we decided to try it out.
Carcassonne is based on the famous French city of Carcassonne that is well known for its roman and medieval fortifications. The game is for between 2 to 5 players ages 8 and up. Each player gets a tile on his turn and can lay it down to build roads, cities, and more. The tiles are chosen at random, however, the player can choose where to place the tile and what to play on it. The game is fascinating for younger kids to watch too because it starts with 1 piece and grows bigger as people build the cities and surrounding areas until everything is linked together like one big interactive puzzle.
If you are a fan of Settlers of Catan or another similar game I highly recommend that you check out Carcassonne for your next game night or get it as a gift for the game lover on your list.
Exploring Roper Mountain Science Center
Getting ready to watch the show at the Roper Mountain Science Center
The first time I took a tour of Roper Mountain Science Center was with the girls class earlier this year. It was a blast watching a space presentation, going on a nature trail, seeing the wildlife, having a picnic and more. The girls had so much fun. I always knew that Roper Mountain Science Center had some activities for the kids but until I went with the girls I had no idea how much!
Karlie entertained by the show, anything to do with space is always a hit with her!
Brina having a fun time! I got to sit next to Brina for the show.
What are they looking at? Don’t fall in the water!
Red Eared Slider Turtles (of course)! The girls were super excited to see the turtles, these are the same kind as Shipwreck and Overboard!
Beautiful flower garden and butterflies near the butterfly crossing.
The girls had a lot of fun exploring Roper Mountain Science Center and learning a lot of great stuff. Roper Mountain has since become one of the girls favorite places to visit. We try to go every month or two. It is a great learning environment if you have kids.
Travel & Vacation: Orange County Kabini, India
We made it to Orange County Kabini, India!
While we were in India we had the opportunity to spend some time with Jake’s cousin and his family who are currently living in Bangalore, India. The week we came to visit them was during an Indian Holiday so Matt had a few days off work and the kids didn’t have to go to school the last half of the week so we decided to make a last minute “road trip”. One of our FAVORITE adventures while in India was when we went to Orange County Kabini. Thanks Matt & Jen for showing us around India!
We took a road trip through the countryside of India you can see pictures of that adventure in my posts Traveling through MySore, India (and a Couple Small Villages) and Traveling to Orange County Kabini, India. It was an awesome place to visit, such great memories. I can see why Trip Advisor has Orange County Kabini listed as Travelers’ Choice® 2012 Winner with a 5 star rating.
As we tumbled out of our Scooby Doo van and went to check into the resort we were serenaded with music. These two musicians were at the front door playing music we each received our bindi blessing. The bindi blessing consisted of a dot placed on our foreheads made out of a red paste (wikipedia definition). What a great welcome for visitors!
Fresh flower design on the floor in the entry way. Every day they had a different floral design. It was always bright, colorful and beautiful.
Michael checking out the map of resort…….what should we do first Mikey?!
The plaque hanging next to the check-in desk. “WE WANT TO GIVE YOU AN EXPERIENCE WHICH MONEY CANNOT BUY” It was an amazing experience. If you are ever in India and have a chance to visit this place it is beautiful, the staff is awesome, the “huts” are wonderful and the food is delicious. It is a great place to relax or go on various adventures (stay tuned for a glimpse at some of the adventures in upcoming posts).
The fun crew we went to Orange County Kabini with Jen, Matt, Rachel, Michael, David, and Erica! This is right after we had our refreshing sugar cane drink brought to us by the staff. Now its time to plan our activities while at the resort.
Jake & I at Kabini!
Our hut for the next few days, it was AMAZING!
The kitchen & eating area in our hut. The ceiling was handmade out of a neat weave material.
A cute porch complete with cushy chairs to relax in after a busy day of sightseeing!
Very comfy bed…..we slept so well at Kabini!
Even our own private jacuzzi for our hut! This view is from our bedroom. The kids loved the private “pool” and were able to squeeze in a few more minutes of swim time each day! Rachel and Erica stayed in our cabin, it was fun spending some extra time hanging out with girls swapping stories and giggles.
Fresh tray of fruit on the table everyday. They also restocked our cookie bowl, drinks, chocolates and other snacks every day!
Aw……what a life it was for those days. We had a blast staying at the Orange County Kabini resort! THANKS Matt & Jen for showing us another awesome part of India. We were super excited to spend the extra time with family and create a lot of great memories along the way. Next time maybe I will remember my passport before making a 7 hour road trip! If you want to check out some more amazing adventures and get a glimpse into the culture in India check out Jen’s blog at Jenny from the Bangalore Block.
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Last week we packed in a lot of regular as well as fun activities. As I look over my goals for last week there were a lot of items that didn’t get done or weren’t done on time. We had a family member get sick the first half of last week and that set me back a couple of days on top of all the other little things that pop up from day to day. Hopefully next week I will be able to tackle more items on my list!
Last week’s goals:
Family Goals
- Read to the girls and have them read to me daily – the girls read to me every day last week but after school, activities, homework, dinner, baths, etc…..there wasn’t enough time left for me to read to them every night last week.
Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night beforeDaily School Activities & Homework CompletedAttend After School ActivitiesPlan one special Activity with the Family– we did a bonfire at the house and went to the fairGo on a Date Night with my Handsome Man –YAY! We were able to go out and celebrate our 12th anniversary together (a little delayed since it was in July, ha). We had a blast together and the girls had fun too! 🙂
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week – had a few extra items put on my plate so didn’t get it done this week
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day – almost did it
- Finish reading Our Boys by Joe Drape – I started this one a couple years ago and never finished so starting over. It’s about the Smith Center, Kansas football team (it has been interesting reading the book so far because I know some of the people in it since my parents live near Smith Center) – only a couple chapters remaining
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – I washed & folded in one day but put it away the following day
Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week- Start tackling my Fall Organizational Schedule – getting closer
Pay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attention- Get caught up on blog items – not sure if I will ever get completely caught up
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchWrite and Send Out Community Group Email
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4 – went over this week
- Payoff the Van – working on it, sold our 200 bushels of wheat so that will help pay down the van
- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses (we are trying to build this back up because we had to take some out for unexpected expenses recently.) – working on it
My goals for the upcoming week:
Family Goals
- Read to the girls and have them read to me daily
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
- Attend After School Activities
- Plan one special Activity with the Family
- Attend Back to School Night Event
- Schedule a Meet & Greet with 1 of the girls teachers
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Finish reading Our Boys by Joe Drape – I started this one a couple years ago and never finished so starting over. It’s about the Smith Center, Kansas football team (it has been interesting reading the book so far because I know some of the people in it since my parents live near Smith Center)
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Start tackling my Fall Organizational Schedule
- Pay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Get caught up on 5 blog items
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- Write and Send Out Community Group Email
- Work out the details of our Community Group Camping Adventure
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
- Payoff the Van
- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses (we are trying to build this back up because we had to take some out for unexpected expenses recently.)
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Left Center Right Dice Game
Our family loves to play games! The problem now that school, homework, and all the extra activities have started we do not have a lot of free time to squeeze in long games. One great game that doesn’t take a lot of time but is still fun for the whole family to play is Left Center Right Dice Game by Koplow Games. Left Center Right is fast-paced dice game with 3 cubes, the player rolls the dice and distributes their chips based on what the dice are showing (left, right, center, or keep). The last player with chips is the winner. The game is designed for 3 or more players.
Another positive is it helps teach younger kids the difference between right and left. It is easy to play even for younger kids and is a relatively short so we can play it after dinner. Since the game is small we have taken it with us to road trips to play as well. Sometimes just taking a few minutes to play together helps everyone relax after a busy day. What quick and easy games does your family like to play?
Travel & Vacation: Traveling through MySore, India (and a Couple Small Villages)
Sometimes the only home and shelter people had was under a tarp with several other family members.
Earlier this year Jake was in India working for a few weeks and I had the opportunity of traveling over there to meet him. After his final week of work we went to spend some time with his cousin and took a road trip with them. Over the next few weeks I will sharing more snapshots of our time in India. India left a special mark on my heart. It was an amazing experience!
Sign in MySore, India showing the way to the local places – MySore Palace, Zoo, Chamundi Hills, Airport, and MySore City Corporation
Houses in a small village that we passed through, even those these are a step up from a tent shelter it still breaks my heart seeing these homes. Our driver stopped briefly to ask for directions. It was during this brief stop I realized that India has many different dialects even from town to town and even though we were only a short distance from where we were going it took awhile to find someone who knew which direction to point us.
I was really surprised at the amount of trash that littered the sides of the roads in India. Some times you would see piles of trash that with people and animals digging through it to find food, supplies, or items they could use or sell.
Fresh Pineapple anyone….only 5 rupees (approximately 9 cents in US currency). Some of the pineapples I saw were a little smaller then the ones we see in our grocery store but for 9 cents you could get quite a few for the price of one pineapple in the United States.
Can you see the bicycle underneath all the fresh coconuts?! Pretty sure he is going to push that bike because it would be impossible to ride with all the coconuts. Behind the bike you can see coconuts that he has cracked open and the shells laying on the ground. It is very fascinating to watch them break open a coconut, they basically take a huge mashedy knife and chop open the coconut. It’s hard to see with the window glare but the ground all around that area is covered with dry coconut pieces…wonder how expensive it would be to buy “coconut mulch” in the United States?
Guy carrying a mattress on his head. It amazes me the amount of stuff they carry on their heads. You would think their necks would be so stiff.
Cows walking along the side of the road. These are not your typical Kansas grass and corn fed beef cattle. In India there are not always large grassy areas for the cows to graze so it is common to see their ribs. You will often find cattle looking for small patches of grass and occasionally you will see them rummaging through the trash on the side of the road looking for food.
Families from the local village washing their laundry in the river.
After washing all the clothes in the river they lay them out to dry on the rocks.
It was fascinating to see a lot of the countryside of India. We passed through towns and small villages. There was always something interesting to see as we drove through the area. Their fresh fruit looked delicious but I am not sure how much I would like washing my clothes in the river and drying them on the rocks, the wash machine is more efficient. These pictures bring back a lot of memories. I am thankful for the opportunity to see India and already looking forward to the next visit.
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Our family is getting into the school routine schedule. Jake had a little bit of traveling last week so I had to manage the house, kids, and animals on my own but everyone did great. Thankfully he is back home for quite awhile now. I had half a day last week when my phone, internet, and email decided it wasn’t going to work (which was a mixed blessing) because I was able to get some cleaning and other items tackled around the house. I did well in some areas this week but not so hot in others. Hopefully this week will be a little better because I am falling behind with some of my goals.
Last week’s goals:
Family Goals
Read to the girls and have them read to me dailyLunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night beforeDaily School Activities & Homework CompletedAttend After School ActivitiesGo to the Upper South Carolina State FairWork on items around the house & yard together on Labor Day– got the yard mowed thanks to the help of my sweet brother and some of the garage cleaned outSpend quality time together on Labor Day since everyone is off work and school
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week – didn’t happen this week
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day – one day I had back to back appointments and forgot to bring a water bottle with me
- Finish reading Our Boys by Joe Drape – I started this one a couple years ago and never finished so starting over. It’s about the Smith Center, Kansas football team (it has been interesting reading the book so far because I know some of the people in it since my parents live near Smith Center) – working on it
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – had to split it up into 2 days with the Holiday weekend and spending extra time with my family
Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the weekPrep for my Fall Organizational SchedulePay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attentionGet caught up on blog items
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchWrite and Send Out Community Group Email
Financial Goals
Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4- Payoff the Van – working on it
- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses (we are trying to build this back up because we had to take some out for unexpected expenses recently.) – working on it
My goals for the upcoming week:
Family Goals
- Read to the girls and have them read to me daily
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
- Attend After School Activities
- Plan one special Activity with the Family
- Go on a Date Night with my Handsome Man
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Finish reading Our Boys by Joe Drape – I started this one a couple years ago and never finished so starting over. It’s about the Smith Center, Kansas football team (it has been interesting reading the book so far because I know some of the people in it since my parents live near Smith Center)
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Start tackling my Fall Organizational Schedule
- Pay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Get caught up on blog items
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- Write and Send Out Community Group Email
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
- Payoff the Van
- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses (we are trying to build this back up because we had to take some out for unexpected expenses recently.)
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
