Local Activities

  • Teaching Our Children: Teamwork and Manners

    Playing outside with the neighbor kids. Karlie and Brina working together to push their friend up the driveway!

    Our neighborhood is pretty small and currently we are the only family on the street that is not retired.  I am thankful for our neighbors and we have grown to really enjoy them over the past few years.  A year ago another family lived on the street with kids about the same age as the girls and they would come over a couple times a week to play.  They only moved a few miles away and since their grandparents still live in our neighborhood they come over every couple weeks or so to play.

    If it is a nice day the kids have a blast outside running, swinging, riding bikes, and playing together.  I am thankful for the opportunity to spend a few minutes with our neighbor and the kids love being able to play with their friends.  The picture above was taken a few weeks ago when their friends come to play.  The kids took turns riding the “go cart” as the girls call it down the driveway and pushing each other back up the driveway.  As I was watching the kids play together I was reminded of the importance of having friends over to play.  There are many valuable learning benefits to having friends over to play, here’s just a few:

    • Taking Turns – it teaches the kids the importance of taking turns so everyone has the opportunity to enjoy playing.
    • Sharing – a toy may have been given to your child, however, when friends are over your child will learn how to share those toys and have fun.
    • Teamwork – when siblings or friends work together it is pretty amazing what they can do.  Even though this “go cart” is pretty heavy for one kid to push up the driveway when they work together they can get it up the driveway more quickly thus giving the kids more turns to ride the go cart.
    • Friendship – having guests over allows your kids to learn valuable characteristics in a friendship.
    • Conflict Resolution – When you have a group of kids for an extended period of time something is bound to happen (someone’s not taking turns, a child is losing a game, a toy gets broken, someone skins a knee, etc..)   Sometimes you need to step in and play referee during the event and other times it is best to speak with your child after the activities once the friends have gone home.  Life doesn’t always go perfectly which allows great teaching moments for children.

    Next time your children have friends over don’t worry about the mess, instead focus on making that time a learning opportunity for your children.  When everything goes well thank them for playing nicely, using their manners, and being a true friend while their guests were over.  If something happens (not taking turns, sharing, showing characteristics of a true friendship) take the opportunity to talk about what happened and how to do better next time.

    These activities with our children provide great reminders for us as parents as well.  Are we being a good friend / hostess to guests who come into our homes?  When our children see how we interact with our friends we are giving them an example of what manners and friendship characteristics are acceptable.  Our actions speak volumes to our children so make sure your are practicing the principles you want to your child to learn.

  • Family Activities: Bubble Trouble

    Brina blowing bubbles and Skipper chasing them across the front porch trying to pop them.

    One of the best parts about having a pet is the entertainment they provide the family.  Brina and Karlie LOVE blowing bubbles outside because Skipper has a blast chasing and popping the bubbles.  It is hilarious seeing Skipper twist, turn, and jump trying to pop the bubbles while hearing the girls giggle and blow more bubbles.  Thankful for two kiddos and one furry four legged puppy that bring laughter to the family.  She is a great dog and companion for the girls plus a good squirrel hunter and protector of the home front.

    Skipper popping bubbles from Brina and Karlie.

    Living in South Carolina has its perks too.  Even though our cooler winter months are in December, January, and February there are days when it is warm enough we can go outside and play.  There have already been several days in the 70s this winter.  I am  thankful for those days when we have beautiful weather so we can have fun outdoors.  The girls love playing outside with Skipper and I would rather have them playing outside getting some fresh air.

    Karlie in the midst of a sea of bubbles as she tries out her bubble blower.

    Even though we didn’t get a white Christmas, like last year, the girls are still hoping that we get a few days of snow this winter so they can play outside.  They have fun making snow angels, snowmen, sledding and all those fun activities too.  I am fine with having a mix of both warm and cool days because it makes the Winter months even more entertaining for the family!

  • Travel & Vacation: Carriage Tour in Charleston, SC

    Our family had the opportunity to go on a Carriage Tour through Charleston one of the weeks we were traveling in that area for work. The tour was packed full of amazing history of Charleston and all of us enjoyed it (including the girls).

    Carriage horse in Charleston

    Brina having fun saying “Hi” to all the horses in the carriage barn

    Karlie relaxing while waiting for our turn to ride the carriage!

    Going on a carriage tour of Charleston.  The girls LOVED riding in the front and watching the horse as well as soaking in all the history of Charleston.  Jake and I went on one of these rides before the girls were born.  It was a lot of fun and we learned more pieces of Charleston’s history!

    Beautiful iron work outside the front doors of one of the local churches.  The history of the many buildings along the ride was really neat.

    The architecture of the churchs and homes was pretty amazing.  I didn’t want to take a bunch of pictures into peoples personal homes so I snapped more of the churches during the tour.

    See the oval sign under the light, it is a “fire insurance” sign.  After the great fires in Charleston if your house had one of these signs that specific fire company would come put out your fire.  Also, many of the Charleston homes have a “privacy” door on their porches as seen in the picture above to allow the families to cool down in privacy on their porches during the warmer months.  It wouldn’t be decent seeing a lady in her “under garments” as she cooled off on the porch therefore privacy doors became a popular addition to the homes.

    Beautiful houses in Charleston.  This house used to by at the waters edge and is now several blocks from the shore!  Charleston used to have “HAVE” and “HAVE NOT” sections of town, this house was in the “have” section. 


    On the left side of the picture you can see a brown brick building through the trees.  After the really devastating fires in Charleston many of the wealthy families built their kitchens and servants quarters in a separate building outside of the home to help prevent fires from engulfing the entire home which also allowed a little extra time for the fire company to arrive and put out the fire.

    Charleston’s old jail house.  Our guide had a lot of “interesting” stories about the old jail house.  Supposedly it is “haunted” and you can take tours during the day or a ghost tour at night through the old jail. 

    Many of the houses in Charleston are visibly leaning due to age and the variety of natural things including settling that have occurred over time.  Also, you’ll notice that a lot of the houses are narrow as you see in this picture.  Not much of a front or side yards with a street on three sides but the house has some history!

    It was beautiful and peaceful touring Charleston on a carriage.  If only I could remember ALL the cool pieces of history our guide shared with us that day!

    Daughters of Confederacy building in downtown Charleston.  This building is near the market area.

    Brina and Karlie saying goodbye, petting, and thanking the horse for the history tour of Charleston.  They really have a soft spot for animals and loved the long ride through Charleston just as much as we did.

    Jake and I were able to “surprise” the girls with this carriage tour.  I was able to get tickets at a discounted rate through Groupon, but the company we received the coupons for refused to accept the reservations because they were too “busy” that day.  Thankfully we were able to get another carriage company to basically accept their competitors coupon otherwise we would have had two very disappointed girls (and Momma). Even though it was a busy time, we had to switch carriage companies, and it was warm we had a BLAST touring the city and learning all the history.

    If you ever go to Charleston this is a wonderful activity to do with your family, just make sure to budget or plan ahead for the tour because without a coupon it could be a little pricey especially for a large family or group.  Even though the carriage rides are open pretty much year round if you are going in the summer and it gets above 94 degrees (or somewhere near that temperature) the carriage companies have to pull the horses off the street because it is too hot for them.  It was a great experience for all of us!

    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: Isle of Palms Beach

    On our way to the beach!

    One of the benefits of traveling with the family is we get to enjoy some pretty amazing scenery.  When we travel together for work we try to squeeze some fun activities in as well.  I am thankful for the great memories and fun times together with my family this year.  Charleston is one of the locations we have been multiple times over the last several months.  Here are some pictures and memories from one of our trips together.

    Isle of Palms Beach!

    One of our favorite spots to go is the Isle of Palms near Charleston.  They have a great beach area with life guards.  The girls always love our trips to the beach.

    Karlie is ready to head to the beach! She is waiting patiently as we get everything out of the van.

    Brina is ready for our family beach day!

    Heading into the water!  (Karlie, Daddy and Brina)

    Splashing around in the water, the girls can stay at the beach for hours.

    Two little chickies buried in the hot beach sand.  They were really still until we were done burying them.

    After several hours of splashing in the water, digging in the sand, and collecting sea shells the girls were still going but we took a break for a snack and a little quiet time in the shade before heading back out for more fun.  The girls have a blast at the beach.  We saw dolphins several times while we were swimming and playing in the sand at Isle of Palms.  It was wonderful having some extra time to relax and spend time together.

    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!

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    Go to ShopAtHome.com (it’s free to signup) login and search for Restaurant.com click on the coupon that says “$1 For $25 Gift Certificates” + 35% cash back!   ShopAtHome allows you to earn cash back on your online purchases.  It is like a rebate that you get after purchasing items online.  These gift certificates are great for Date Nights, Family Outings, to get as gifts or to use while your on vacation!

  • Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip

    Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip

    I haven’t made this dip in a couple years so when I came across it again I figured it was time to bring out the recipe especially since we had several upcoming Christmas parties!  The recipe is easy to put together, add a few items to dip and you have a great party food to share with family and friends.  The last party I took it to we came home with an empty platter! 🙂

    Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip:

    • 8 ounces softened Cream Cheese
    • 1 stick softened Butter (unsalted)
    • 1 cup Powdered Sugar
    • 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
    • 1 cup miniature Chocolate Chips
    • Dipping Items – Teddy Grahams, Graham Crackers, Pretzels, or Animal Crackers

    Blend together butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Add powdered sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla to the cream mixture until mixed well.  Stir in the miniature chocolate chips.  Eat immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve the dip.  Serve dip with teddy grahams, graham crackers, pretzels, or animal crackers.

    Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip with Teddy Grahams, Graham Crackers, Pretzels, and Animal Crackers

  • Blessing Lives Everyday with Special Surprises (B.L.E.S.S.): 25 Days of Christmas Blessings (Week 2)

    Box of Candy Canes the girls shared with their class at gymnastics 

    We have entered our second week of our 25 Days of Christmas B.L.E.S.S. (Blessing Lives Everyday with Special Surprises).  It has been a real joy doing these fun events everyday.  In some cases we get to see who receives our B.L.E.S.S. gift and in other cases we will never know who is on the receiving end.  We pray that whoever receives or finds these gifts will experience joy during this Holiday Season.  Each night we take down the B.L.E.S.S. activity for the next day and read the verse and the activity then pray for those who have and will receive our little BLESS’ings.

    Colored paper ornaments to hang on the Christmas Tree in the children’s wing at the local library

    Here is what we have done so far and a couple pictures to share of our adventures:

    Gathered and donated 105 magazines to a local public library and school library

    • Day 5– Picked out and donated gifts to Country Santa which gives Christmas presents to local children who would otherwise have none at Christmas.  The girls each picked out two gifts to give to Country Santa for another child’s Christmas then we prayed for the kids that would receive these gifts for Christmas.
    • Day 6 – Gave out Silly Bandz to kids coming in and out of several local stores.  I was surprised at the different reactions we noticed while passing out silly bandz from sheer delight to total disinterest.  The girls still had fun doing the activity and sharing with kids.
    • Day 7 – Gathered and donated magazines and a stack of books to a local library and school library.   Both the school library and local library staff were excited to get some new books and magazines.  Our family loves reading so this was a fun activity for us.  We spent about 30 minutes in the local library donating items, picking out books to read, and coloring Christmas ornaments to hang on their Christmas tree.  The lady at the children’s desk was so sweet when the girls showed her the ornaments that had colored for the tree.
    • Day 8 – Bought and gave Candy Canes to all the kids in the girls gymnastics class.  We just started taking the girls to gymnastics about a month ago (we got Groupon deal from a local gymnastics school) and it has been a lot of fun watching them learn not only new skills but seeing them start new friendships.  It has been great getting to know kids (and their parents) outside of school and church that we can be a blessing to as well.
    • Day 9 – Handed out candy canes as we were running errands around town and at local stores.  It was cute seeing the excited looks on kids faces as the girls handed them a candy cane.  The girls loved doing this activity so much I had to remind them not to “rush” to the kids with a candy cane because it could startle the younger kids or their parents if they saw another child charging towards their little one. 🙂
    • Day 10 – We had a blast making and delivering Christmas goodies to our neighbors.  It was nice to spend a few minutes and catch up with the people on our street.  Taking the extra time to reach out to our neighbors has made a tremendous impact over the last few years even on our small street.  One of our neighbors lost their only child right before Christmas a few years ago so this is a tough Holiday for them.
    • Day 11 – Picked out, wrapped, and donated gifts to the Heart of Christmas for kids in our local schools who would not have gifts otherwise this Holiday Season.  Our church coordinates with the school guidance counselor to get information on these kids who are in need (naturally the names of the kids are not given just their sizes, styles, needs, etc…).

    Delivering more goodies to kiddos at another local store!

    One of Brina’s ornaments hanging on the Christmas Tree at our local library

    One of Karlie’s ornaments hanging on the Christmas Tree at the local library.

    A stack of books we donated to the school library.

    A basket full of goodies ready to be delivered to our neighbors!

    One of our favorite verses this week went along with our Day  10 activity. 

     This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. – John 15:12

    Something as simple a sharing a little gift to say “Merry Christmas” to our neighbors has opened many opportunities to interact with them.  I think this verse really stood out to all of us this week because we don’t take the time to invest in the lives around us as often as we should.  This activity was a little longer because we made it a point to spend time socializing with each of our neighbors for a few minutes but we all walked home feeling even more blessed because of it.

    Heart of Christmas

    I am super excited to see how great this B.L.E.S.S. activity is going already.  It has been a true joy sharing with others (many of whom we’ll never meet).  It has been a great experience and I look forward to seeing what will happen with our fun adventures this week.

    Helping local kids by giving fun and practical gifts.

    The main purpose of this activity is to teach our family the joy of giving and sharing to those around us.  I plan to do another update on our fun B.L.E.S.S. adventures next week.  Sometimes it’s the little stuff that can make the most positive impact.  I would love to hear how you are spreading the Christmas cheer this Holiday Season.

    To learn more about our 25 Days of Christmas B.L.E.S.S. activity and what we have done far check out the links below:

    I have been asked by a number of people for a printable version of the 25 Days of Christmas B.L.E.S.S. activities, verses, and sheets to handout so here they are for your family to enjoy as well:

  • Blessing Lives Everyday with Special Surprises (B.L.E.S.S.): 25 Days of Christmas Blessings (Update)

    Candy Cane and B.L.E.S.S. note taped to a local ATM Machine

    We have officially started our 25 Days of Christmas B.L.E.S.S. (Blessing Lives Everyday with Special Surprises) and in all honesty I think we have been blessed more by doing these activities.  It has been a real joy doing these fun events everyday and it has been a great experience so far.  In some cases we get to see who receives our B.L.E.S.S. gift and in other cases we will never know who is on the receiving end.  We pray that whoever receives or finds these gifts will experience joy during this Holiday Season.  Each night we take down the B.L.E.S.S. activity for the next day and read the verse and the activity then pray for those who have and will receive our little BLESS’ings.

    Quarters taped to the toy and candy vending machines at the front of the store.

    Here is what we have done so far and a couple pictures to share of our adventures:

    • Day 1 – Gave a donation to the Salvation Army then passed out stickers at our local Walmart as people were coming in and out of the store.   During our 45 minutes passing out stickers at Walmart we saw several friends (it was great to greet friends on their way in or out of the store).  The girls gave one little girl and her Dad a sticker, the Dad reached into his Walmart bag pulled out a new container of cookies gave it to his daughter and then had her give the girls each a cookie to say “thank you” for sharing a sticker.  It was so sweet, I almost cried watching the whole interaction in the middle of the Walmart store entry way!
    • Day 2 – Taped a candy cane to the ATM at a local bank.  Taped quarters to the toy and candy vending machines at a local store.  The girls wanted to go back the next day and see if the quarters were used!
    • Day 3 – Hid dollars in the toy section at the Dollar Tree, the girls loved doing this one and giggled the whole time they were hiding the dollars.  They were very excited for the kid who would find a dollar hidden in the toys.
    • Day 4 – Collected food for the Alms & Legs Food Pantry to help families in our local community.  The girls each picked out items that they wanted to share with others.  They spent a considerable amount of timing picking out the perfect cans of vegetables, fruit, and other goodies to share.

    Quarter taped to the vending machine for another little kid to enjoy

    One of our favorite verses this week went along with our Day 4 activity. 

    For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.  – Matthew 25:35

    The verse was very specific so it was a fun one to discuss.  When we discussed the verse with the girls they knew exactly what it meant.  “If a person is hungry we should give them food.”  They enjoyed picking out some of their favorite foods to share.

    Karlie’s $1 “hidden” in the Dollar Tree toy aisle

    I am super excited to see how great this B.L.E.S.S. activity is going already.  It has been a true joy sharing with others (many of whom we’ll never meet).  It has been a great experience and I look forward to seeing what will happen with our fun adventures this week.

    Brina’s $1 “hidden” in the toy section on Dollar Tree.

    The main purpose of this activity is to teach our family the joy of giving and sharing to those around us.  I plan to do another update on our fun B.L.E.S.S. adventures next week.  Sometimes it’s the little stuff that can make the most positive impact.  I would love to hear how you are spreading the Christmas cheer this Holiday Season.

    (Update) I have been asked by a number of people for a printable version of the  25 Days of Christmas B.L.E.S.S. activities, verses, and sheets to handout so here they are for your family to enjoy as well:

  • Blessing Lives Everyday with Special Surprises (B.L.E.S.S.): 25 Days of Christmas Blessings

     

    I have been thinking about ways we can be a blessing to others throughout this Christmas season. It is easy to get caught up with the shopping, parties, celebrations, and everything else that we lose sight of what’s really important.  I want the girls to experience the joy of giving and helping those around us so we are delivering special surprises over the next 25 days.  I came up with the acronym B.L.E.S.S. to help remind us why we are sharing these little blessings.

    • Blessing
    • Lives
    • Everyday with
    • Special
    • Surprises

    The plan is to deliver a small special surprise to at least one person every day from December 1st to December 25th.  Each bag contains an activity to spread cheer and a scripture verse to discuss.  At dinner we will discuss our current days activity, pray for the people that received our gift, and get our bag for the next day.   The girls and I have came up with a lot of great ideas of ways we can share blessings with people around us (some will go to people we know and others to complete strangers or people we will never meet).

    Here’s how we put our B.L.E.S.S. activity together:

    Stack of B.L.E.S.S activities with scripture verses

    B.L.E.S.S. Cards to give out during our activities

    One of the B.L.E.S.S. Cards we made

    Day 1 through Day 25 bagged and ready to hang up

    All 25 Days of B.L.E.S.S. hung up and ready for us to start!

    The girls are very excited about doing this fun 25 Days of Christmas Blessings activity.  I hope to share some of the stories, what we did, experiences, pictures and lessons learned as we go throughout the the 25 days.  It is my intention to update you at least once a week.  I will share as much as I can but the real reason for doing this activity is to teach our family the joy of giving to others.

    (Update) I have been asked by a number of people for a printable version of the  25 Days of Christmas B.L.E.S.S. activities, verses, and sheets to handout so here they are for your family to enjoy as well:

  • Raising Multiples: Upstate Multiples Club Fall Party

    Checking out the rabbits

    Our family had fun at the Multiples Club Fall Party!  We went to Fisher’s Orchard in Greer, South Carolina.  It is a small peach farm with a little barn, farm animals, pumpkins, hayrides and more for families to enjoy.

    Karlie having a blast with the rabbits!

    Karlie loved petting, talking to, and looking at all the rabbits on the farm.  She was thrilled to find that they were very soft and enjoyed eating the apple pieces she was feeding them.

    Brina tickled pink to have a chance to hand feed the bunny rabbits!

    Brina has a soft spot for animals and babies.  She had a grand time hand feeding all the animals on the farm.

    Hand feeding and petting the farm animals.

    The girls thought it was awesome hand feeding all the farm animals.

    Karlie running through the maze with a friend

    They had a really neat maze that the girls loved.  Both girls went through it several times on their own.  They enjoyed being able to do it by themselves yet they could still see us!

    Brina giggling as she rounded the final corner of the maze!

    Brina thought it was hilarious she made it through the maze before Karlie the first time.

    They got faster every time they did the maze.

    Both girls coming around the final piece of the maze at the farm.

    Hayride through the peach orchard

    The girls enjoyed the ride through the peach orchard.  We saw all kinds of scarecrows, trees, and a giant hay bale spider.

    Our two little pumpkins sitting with the pumpkins.

    Pausing for a moment to snap a picture (much to the girls protest).  They thought that we should take home some of the huge pumpkins but since they were $80 or more we decided they were a little out of the family budget.

    Family at the Fisher Orchard Farm

    Quick family shot on the hay bales at the orchard.

    Karlie getting her hand painted

    There is just something about being able to get your hand or face painted.  The girls had fun getting their hands painted during the party. Karlie got a United States Flag and a Rocket.

    Brina getting her hand painted

     Brina waited for Karlie to finish now she gets to have her hand painted.  So much fun!  Brina got a rainbow on one hand and a flower on the other hand.

    Relaxing on the hay bale outside of the maze

    Brina and Karlie loved all the scarecrows at this farm and hay bales to sit on.

    Pretty girls next to a happy hay bale at Fisher Farm

    It was a lot of fun hanging out with our family and families of Multiples at the farm for a few hours.