Holidays
Travel & Vacation: Visiting the Atlanta Zoo (Atlanta, GA)
Our family at the Atlanta Zoo!
We surprised the girls with a long weekend trip to Atlanta, Georgia over Easter weekend. They were very excited to go explore the Atlanta area. We are members of our local zoo so we were able to get into the Atlanta Zoo at a discount which was really nice. The kids love animals, learning more about various ones, interacting, and so much more.
Since it was Easter weekend at the Atlanta Zoo the animals were getting special treats to enjoy for the Holiday. The new Amphibian & Reptile Exhibit also opened the weekend we were there as well. There were a lot of people at the zoo, but it was so big we had plenty of time do see and do almost everything (some things the kids enjoyed it so much we did it again).
Pink Flamingos were hanging out peacefully near the entrance to the zoo
So excited….Karlie and Brina! They have their maps out and are ready to GO!
The birds were sleeping peacefully all together on one branch.
It was a little chilly when we first got there in the shade at opening, but no one was complaining!
Birds of all colors
Brina soaking it all in. She loves animals.
Playing around in the water puddles.
Karlie smiling as she quietly watches the birds and little kids.
Meerkat’s roaming around in their pen.
There is always one Meerkat on watch (or guard) for predators
They gave the Meerkats a pillow case stuffed full of hay, little bugs, and special treats. They were a little timid about it at first, but before long they were all taking turns going into the pillow case and digging out their special treats.
Are you done yet! Hurry up and get your bug so I can get my turn inside the Easter treat sack!!!
They look cute, but serious. Look at those claws on this meerkat! Yikes!
Rhino heading out into the sun after getting some sticky mud on itself to protect it from a sunburn.
This rhino was moving the stick around and chewing on it. Must of had something tasty on it.
They drew flowers, easter eggs, and bunny rabbits with chalk on the rocks in the Zebra’s pen.
The warthogs got hard boiled and colored Easter eggs for their special treat. They both found the first one about the same time.
Someone found the purple Easter egg!
The elephants had Easter eggs that had a jello consistency that they place in baskets made of leaves. This elephant just discovered the basket of leaves and is moving it out of the way so she can eat her jello Easter egg.
Whole lot of elephants! They had a huge pen and sometimes if you couldn’t see them on one side you had to go around to see them in a different section.
Jake and his girls exploring the Atlanta Zoo
Beautiful bird
Brina found Big Bird’s Nest!!! HA!
My two little chickies in the huge nest!
Karlie thought the nest was hilarious!
Counting My Blessings: Week In Review
Last week was a great week with the kids home on Spring Break! I have so many reasons to be thankful every day. It was a blessing spending extra time with the kids. We packed in a lot of fun adventures, quality time, and more during their Spring Break!
I want to be accountable to you so the following are snip-its of some of the things I am thankful for this past week. Counting My Blessings – Week In Review:
Monday – Thankful for a chance to spend time with the kids at the Greenville Zoo, Cleveland Park, and Library today. We even spent a few minutes with my brothers family and ran into some friends I have known since a little girl from KS at the park (they use to go to my grandparents church in Smith Center) which was an unexpected surprise blessing.
Tuesday – Thankful that my two nephews could come over to play with the kids for a few hours. The kids had a blast playing inside and outside on this beautiful day.
Wednesday – Thankful for finding some good deals to stock up our pantry at a local store that was having a big sale.
Thursday – Thankful for a chance to talk with Grandma Willa today since she will be having surgery tomorrow. Grateful for my family and Grandparents who have been part of my life and the positive impact they have made. Treasuring all the good times and memories.
Friday – Thankful for a great Holiday weekend – Good Friday and what it means in my life. Easter is a wonderful Holiday to celebrate my Savior who gave his life so that I might live. Grateful that Jake was able to take off Good Friday so we could spend the day as a family exploring Atlanta’s Museums, Zoo, and so much more. Love spending time with my family. Thankful that Grandma’s surgery went well.
What are you thankful for today? I encourage you to take the time to write down a few blessings that you have in your life today. It will help cheer you up and turn your focus on the amazing blessings you encounter each day!
Wishing You A Very Happy Easter!
Wishing you a very Happy Easter!
The girls have been off this week for Spring Break. Yay! It has been wonderful having extra time with the kids! Thankful for an opportunity to celebrate this amazing Holiday. While there are a lot of fun events and activities around the Easter Holidays the real meaning of Easter goes a long way back in time. Easter is the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for a Savior who conquered death. So many reasons to be thankful this Holiday Season!
Sweet sisters!
Travel & Vacation: Welcome to Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Orlando, FL)
A day at Animal Kingdom with these two chickies!
The girls and I went to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, FL recently while Jake was at a conference! They were very excited to check out all the animals in the park. We packed in a full day at Animal Kingdom. We arrived early and were one of the last few to leave at closing. The crazy thing is we still didn’t get to everything we wanted to do, but we definitely did a lot. It was a great day with my girls. Both girls LOVED it, but Animal Kingdom was probably Brina’s favorite place to visit (which isn’t a big surprise for those who know her).
Pretty bird….was the first comment I heard from the girls as we entered the park.
A pair of beautiful birds perched on the branch.
Having a blast!
A Wallaby eating its morning treat. At first we thought it was a kangaroo until further investigation. Must be in the same family though because there are similarities.
Karlie and Brina in front of a gorgeous waterfall in Animal Kingdom.
Starting to get more crowded. The tree in back is the “Tree of Life” and has over 300 animal figured carved into it. Very fascinating to see up close.
Hanging out in line. They were troopers even in the longer lines. We took the time to get something to eat and drink whenever we spent a decent amount of time standing in lines. Thankfully, it wasn’t the busiest season so at Animal Kingdom the longest line we waited in was the Kilimanjaro Safari for an hour in the Africa section which was well worth the wait (I will be sharing more about that safari in a later post).
Big black fish swimming right beside us.
Going through the waterfall as we head into the Tree of Life for the “It’s Tough Being a Bug” Show!
Bug Eyes!!! They are ready for the show! Such a great show and one of their favorites for the day. Wish we had time to do it again!
Africa was one of their favorite places to visit while in Animal Kingdom. It had great music, the Kilimanjaro Safari tour, Lion King, and more fun activities to do.
Musical entertainment shortly after entering the gates into the Africa section. They had people playing on and off all day. Fun upbeat music.
Karlie trying out her musical talent!
Brina going all out!
Swinging around on their jungle gym!
Another one taking a rest!
Rodrigues Fruit Bats hanging around at Animal Kingdom. Wonder what they eat….if you guessed fruit you are correct. All the ones in the section we visited were male. Did you know that their bat wings are made out of similar material that our eyelids are made out of? They were fascinating to watch!
Beautiful tiger lounging peaceful and keeping a watchful eye on the visitors.
This tiger was literally on the other side of the glass from us. It’s fur looked so soft, not sure it would have been a good idea to pet the big cat though!
Deer enjoying a rest in the shade.
Love the colors on this feathered friend.
Mesmerized by all the activity above them!
So much fun. They were on the go and soaking all the cool animal sights in throughout the day.
Mount Everest at Animal Kingdom. The mountain is the host for the Expedition Everest roller coaster. We all agreed that it was probably a little more than we wanted to do, but it was super cool to watch!
They had a blast! Waiting for the bus to take us back to the resort. Thankful for an chance to spend the day with the kids at Animal Kingdom and all the fun memories as well as activities we did that day!
Free Ebooks: Extraordinary Edibles, Art of Frugal Simplicity, Lettering and Calligraphy for Beginners , Crocheting and Quilting, 25 Phenomenal DIY Household Hacks, and more!
The price to download these books is currently $0.00 (although the price may change at any time, please confirm prior to downloading). The ebooks are specifically for Kindles, however, you can click here and download the free application that allows you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.
Download a free copy of Extraordinary Edibles: How to Create Your Own Kitchen Herb Garden by Leslie O. Kaiser
Download a free copy of The Art of Frugal Simplicity: Your Complete Guide to Saving Money, Decluttering and Simplifying Your Life by Jesse Jacobs
Download a free copy of Lettering and Calligraphy for Beginners by Sandra Williams
Download a free copy of Crocheting and Quilting Box Set – The Complete Guide in Learning How to Crochet and How to Quilt Perfectly! by Michael Mertz
Download a free copy of DIY: 25 Phenomenal DIY Household Hacks for Cleaning,Organizing, and Everyday Hacks For An Easier Life by Veronica Bell
Download a free copy of The Tale of the Clownfish and the Great Shark by Lily Lexington
Free Ebooks: Kids Book About Ladybugs, Communication Skills, Teaching English as a Second Language, Freedom From Clutter, Love to Write, and more!
The price to download these books is currently $0.00 (although the price may change at any time, please confirm prior to downloading). The ebooks are specifically for Kindles, however, you can click here and download the free application that allows you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.
Download a free copy of The Kids Book About Ladybugs: 17 Answers to Your Questions About Ladybugs by Vicky Taylor
Download a free copy of Communication Skills: How To Master Your Communication Skills And Make People Listen To You by Paul Jessop
Download a free copy of Teaching English as a Second Language: How to Become an ESL Teacher in a Foreign Country by Kathleen Strauss
Download a free copy of Freedom From Clutter: A Step-by-Step Guide to a Clutter Free Mind and Home by Angela Agranoff
Download a free copy of One Hundred Eggs For Henrietta by Sally Huss
Download a free copy of Love to Write? Turn $6 Into $1,000s Doing What You Love! by Barb Asselin
Let All That You Do…
Package Full of Goodies
My cousin knows us well….the perfect tasty, practical, and fun gifts!
We recently received an AMAZING package from my sweet cousin Renelle! It was packed full awesome items for all of us! The girls were super excited to open it. They were very impressed with how much she was able to fit into the box. Lots of “Ohhs…Ahhhs…” throughout the unpacking process, followed by “Wow, Aunt Renelle is so creative!”
Renelle was the closet “sister” I had growing up in a family with 3 brothers. We had a lot of fun hanging out over the summers and various Holidays during our childhood years. Unfortunately, now that we are older and many more miles apart we don’t get to see each other as often as we like. We try to get together as often as possible and thankfully we are able to stay in touch regularly throughout the year.
The package arrived packed full! So exciting!
Going through Aunt Ren’s goody package and reading all the instructions!
Jellyfish air plant! So cool!
Putting the dirt in the pots for their plants!
Enjoying all the fun goodies from the box!
Awesome name tags for the furry critters – Snowball, Skipper, and Oreo!
Beautiful key chain rings for the girls! They were super excited to put these on their book bags for school!
Always love a delicious chocolate bar!
Super fun Face Paint craft for the girls! Love it – even if that means I have to be the canvas at times!
Bread N’ Boards – the person who made this cutting board, Sears Trostel (a locally owned custom wood shop) donates their proceeds from the sale of this item to a local Food Bank in Larimer County, Colorado! Such a cool way to help those in need in the local community. I love the cutting board!
Amazing White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Coffee – freshly roasted in Fort Collins, Colorado by Jackie’s Java! Delicious!
Ren’s famous homemade Peach Raspberry Jam (it’s AWESOME) and a new flavor of hers I haven’t tried before, but is yummy too – Grape Apple Jam!
Gorgeous plant clippings from Ren’s plants! So far I have been able to keep them alive! So cool!
Some of the amazing items in our package! Thanks Ren! Including a cutting board, cutting more oil, body scrub, local coffee, homemade jam, and more!
Now we are ready for our next pedicure with scented polish and pebble picture crafts for girls night!
Hanging jellyfish air plant! The girls call it the “Wild Hair Day” plant!
Free Ebooks: America’s 50 Favorite Barbecue Recipes, Feeding Success, Parenting and Relationships, Accelerated Learning, Household Hacks, Math Made Easy, and more!
The price to download these books is currently $0.00 (although the price may change at any time, please confirm prior to downloading). The ebooks are specifically for Kindles, however, you can click here and download the free application that allows you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.
Download a free copy of America’s 50 Favorite Barbecue Recipes by Buford Moore
Download a free copy of Feeding Success: A Nutrition Blueprint To Fuel Busy Professionals and Business Travelers by Emmanuelle Galland
Download a free copy of Parenting and Relationships by Samuel K. Taylor
Download a free copy of Romantic Lovers for Life: Keeping the Flames Burning for a Passionate Marriage by Laura Beckder
Download a free copy of Accelerated Learning – Advanced Technique for Fast Learning: Become a Super Learner – Learn Speed Reading and Advanced Memorization by Thomas Abreu
Download a free copy of HOUSEHOLD HACKS: Super Simple Ways to Clean Your Home Effortlessly Using Hydrogen Peroxide and Other Cleaning Secrets by Alynda Carroll
Download a free copy of MATH MADE EASY: A quick and easy guide to mental math and faster calculation. (Intellectible Math Book 1) by Reed Lerner, Brett Moses
Free Ebooks: How To Cook Restaurant-Quality Burgers, Debt Free, Grilling Your Way through Summer, The Skill Artist’s Guide to Chess, System to Fulfill Dreams, Building a Financial Fortress, How To Grow Vegetables, Learning Aikido Techniques of Self-Defense, and more!
The price to download these books is currently $0.00 (although the price may change at any time, please confirm prior to downloading). The ebooks are specifically for Kindles, however, you can click here and download the free application that allows you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.
Download a free copy of How To Cook Restaurant-Quality Burgers by Tony James Miller
Download a free copy of Debt Free: The 7 Step Formula To Reclaiming Your Finances And Start Building True Wealth (How To Get Out Of Debt, Debt Free, Financial Freedom, Budgeting) by Henry Solomon
Download a free copy of Grilling and Barbecuing Your Way through Summer: Delicious Recipes from Around the World to Impress your Family and Friends by Elizabeth Ambrose
Download a free copy of Chess: The Skill Artist’s Guide, Conquer your Friends with 8 Easy Principles: A Cheat Sheet for Casual Players by Maxen Tarafa
Download a free copy of The Idea Lifestyle Bundle: An Effective System to Fulfill Dreams, Create Successful Business Ideas, and Become a World-Class Impromptu Speaker in Record Time by Andrii Sedniev
Download a free copy of Building a Financial Fortress: Lessons from the Great Recession for Savers and Investors by Nick Reichert
Download a free copy of Debt Free Forever 2nd Edition: The Ultimate Guide to “Knowing Nothing to Having Everything in Financial Freedom, Becoming a Millionaire, and Becoming Debt Management, Finances, Financial Freedom by J.J. Jones
Download a free copy of How To Grow Vegetables Without Losing Your Mind by Emily Josephine
Download a free copy of An Open Secret: A Student’s Handbook for Learning Aikido Techniques of Self-Defense and the Aiki Way by Tony Blomert
