Memories
First Lego League (FLL): State STEM Lego Robotics Competition
So proud of the girls and their teammates! They won a Judges Award Trophy at State!
Last weekend we had the privilege of going with the girls to State STEM Lego Robotics Competition. The competition is called FLL or First Lego League! The state competition was in Columbia, South Carolina and they had to be there by 7:45 am on Saturday morning. It was a full day, but it went by quickly. The kids had several presentations in front of the judges as well as three rounds with their robot completing various tasks. In between they had the opportunity to trade swag with other teams and doing various other activities.
There were 60 teams participating at the event. They were competing alongside a variety of great elementary and middle schools from around the state. Even with that many teams and their first time at State they ended up bringing home a Judges Award trophy for the Rising Star. The kids were so excited!
Both the kids and their coaches have put in countless hours of research, programing, practice and more since October. Thankful for a great team of coaches who volunteer their time after school twice a week to help mentor and encourage these kids to learn. There are 4 faculty members from the kids school who help – Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Ponder, Mr. Moore, and Mrs. Husso. They have truly been an amazing blessing to these kids!
The quote the coaches gave at the beginning of this club year was – “It’s the hardest fun you’ll have!” It is hard work, yet a great way to learn not only about STEM, robotics, research, but also how to work effectively as a team. Proud of the team and coaches for all they were able to accomplish this year so far and looking forward to the fun things they have in store for the remaining meetings this year.
One of the few times all 4 of us are matching (well 5 if you include Skipper who was not cooperating for the picture). Jake and I had team shirts too! 🙂
Solar SySTEM in the parade at the beginning of the event!
First robotics map round!
The kids were troopers and had great attitudes all day with all the activities, events, presentations, and more!
Cheering and clapping for their team!
The coaches put together goody bags for the kids to trade with the other teams at State! Lots of good loot. Not sure if our girls came home with many items that were originally in their bags!
Listening intently to Coach Johnson’s instructions for an upcoming presentation.
The kids designed and decorated their table displays, posters, presentation props, and more.
Hanging out for a few minutes in between events with Coach Ponder!
They had a few moments in between to relax a little and even play a game with friends.
Ready for the next event!
Watching closely!
There were a lot of people at State FLL
Waiting for the awards to be presented!
Their team number was drawn to come up in front of every person and team at the FLL Competition! They did a great job. Karlie was the first one to answer a question in front of a huge crowd and she was so excited about her project she wasn’t nervous talking with a mike in front of a very large crowd!
They won a trophy! WOOHOO!
Way to go! Solar SySTEM team with 2 of their coaches.
Yay! It was a great day for the team!
Love the FLL trophies! They are made out of legos! Very neat!
Slogan and shirt designed by the kids! “Stay in Orbit!”
Flashback Friday: Sweet Girls (13 Months)
Sweet girl!
Today’s Flashback Friday brings us back to 2006 when the girls were just over a year old – 13 months. It was amazing how quickly the first year flew by. It is hard to think that they are now 10 years old!
Having fun!
Karlie trying to eat the “ice cream” (which is actually a bubble container) while Brina checks it out! Curious and exploring new things!
All smiles!
Travel & Vacation: Festival of the Lion King at Animal Kingdom (Orlando, FL)
Festival of the Lion King
Karlie had been wanting to go to the Festival of the Lion King at Animal Kingdom all day, but every time we passed that area we were not there at a time close to show time or we were heading for another activity. We finally got a chance to go towards the end of the day and we only had about a 15 minute wait in the stand-by line.
The girls were hoping that the show had live animals, but were pleasantly surprised by all the cool things to watch (even though there were no live animals). We got great seats only three rows from the front. If you are looking for a good show, a cool place on a hot day, and a place to sit down and be entertained this is a good spot to go. It was a really neat show.
Bringing out the giraffe!
Super tall!!!
These orange “creatures” did some amazing flips right in front of us!
The lights, smoke, and movement made it harder to capture all the cool pictures, but this was beautiful!
The girls had a fun time trying to figure out what animals all the people were dressed up as.
Singing along to the Lion King songs as we watch.
Timon from Lion King, he was hilarious!
Lots of fun music and action with this show.
The girls enjoyed this one!
Travel & Vacation: Petting Zoo at Animal Kingdom (Orlando, FL)
Petting Zoo at Animal Kingdom!
The girls were thrilled to find the petting zoo at Animal Kingdom! They had a section were you could brush, pet, and interact with a variety of farm animals. They had goats, sheep, pigs, and a cow that you could help groom. There were llamas too, but they were not out in the big pen, the kids could see and pet them, but they did not interact as much as the other animals. The kids loved brushing, petting, and hanging out with the animals.
We got there about 30 minutes before the workers took the animals into the barn for the night for their evening meal. The animals were very active and it was fascinating to watch them trot into their barn stalls. They knew when it was time to go into the barn and which stall contained their food.
They had an area in the shade that was roped off and contained a small jungle gym where the animals could go if they needed a break or didn’t want to be petted or brushed at that time. You would see a handful of animals in that area, but for the most part they would go in run a loop through the jungle gym and come back out with the kids. There were always plenty of animals out walking or laying around in the non-fenced off area that the kids had a blast.
You have to take the Wildlife Express Train to get to Rafiki’s Planet Watch and the Petting Zoo area.
Loved this part of Animal Kingdom!
Petting, brushing, and talking with the cow.
Brushing a pig
Giving this pig a good brushing!
Laughing at the animals being silly. Brina had a blast in the petting zoo. I think if they hadn’t taken the animals into the barn while we were there it would have been hard getting her to leave this area!
Karlie brushing a goat.
All the pets in this area were very well groomed, probably from all the kids brushing them every day. They were very tame and interactive with the kids.
You want to brush the goat Mom?!
A herd of sheep.
Walking with a new friend
Giving her a good brushing!
Finished brushing the cow now ready to find a new animal to groom!
The goat enjoying a face rub.
Waiting for the train to go back to the rest of Animal Kingdom
The train and our cargo have arrived!
Travel & Vacation: Interesting Characters at Animal Kingdom (Orlando, FL)
Hanging out with Daisy Duck!
We met some fun Disney Characters while at Animal Kingdom. There were a few that we did not get an autograph or picture with because the line was too long or we were headed to a specific activity. We did get a few which was another fun experience while at the park. At Animal Kingdom we met and got pictures as well as autographs from Daisy Duck, Chip & Dale, and Rafiki.
Daisy Duck autographs
Chip & Dale were mischievous and fun. They tried taking a sip of gatorade from Karlie’s camelback hose, using Brina’s hand sanitizer, and other silly actions. These two were probably the girls favorite characters they met because they were so funny and the cast member helping them was very good interacting with them too.
Rafiki getting ready to give Brina a big hug!
Autographs and picture with Rafiki!
Travel & Vacation: Dinoland at Animal Kingdom (Orlando, FL)
Triceratop Spin
The girls convinced me to go on the Triceratop Spin in the Dinoland section at Animal Kingdom. They know I don’t handle spinning rides well which they thought it was funny. The ride wasn’t too bad and since the wait was less than 8 minutes we did it twice back to back. Dinoland also has other rides, a bone yard, huge jungle gym, carnival games (although some of the carnival games require additional payment), shops, restaurants, Wilderness Explorer stops and more!
We had a blast in Dinoland and explored as much as time would allow before heading to the next section. While we were at Dinoland it did sprinkle a little but not enough to get out the ponchos or get us wet so we journeyed on. It was the only day we had any rain so we were very fortunate.
Checking behind them to make sure I had my seat belt on. Karlie ended up coming back with me before the ride started so she could run the controller!
In the triceratop ride the front seat controls whether your dinosaur goes up and down. The back seat controls whether you are tilting forward or backwards. We had to ride the ride twice so both girls could try each controller.
Having a blast and checking to see if I was getting dizzy yet!
Big dinosaur!
Pausing on the jungle gym for a brief picture. They had fun exploring the jungle gym and I got to sit down for a few minutes while they played. Nice place for the parents to catch a breathier plus the area is fully enclosed so the kids (which helps even more for the younger ones) are more contained.
Exploring together!
Sitting on a dinosaur bone as we talk about where to go next!
Huge dinosaur bridge that led over to the Bone Yard
Hanging out on the bridge!
Digging for dinosaur bones. She found one. Loved that this area didn’t have the little grains of sands, but more like small pebbles. It was much easier to clean off the kids.
Finding another perfect spot to dig!
Travel & Vacation: Amazing Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal Kingdom (Orlando, FL)
Brina ready to head out on the Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal Kingdom
The fast passes were gone for the Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal Kingdom before we decided which day we would be going to the park which is a sign that this is a popular activity. We waited in line for about an hour to go on the safari, but it was very worth it. This is the longest we had to wait for any activity while at Animal Kingdom. During this safari we were able to see real animals in their natural habitats during the expedition through the Safari.
We got to ride out to the safari where many animals were living in the wild. We went through mud, standing water, on “shaky” bridges, and more while seeing animals at every turn. Many of these animals I would not want to meet out in the jungle, however, the animals in this jungle looked well fed, peaceful, and relaxed. It was a wonderful experience. The kids LOVED this and rated the Safari as one of their favorite activities while at Animal Kingdom. If you are ever at Animal Kingdom don’t miss this activity if you like seeing a lot of wild animals fairly close!
Karlie on the lookout for animals!
An okapi which is half zebra and half giraffe!
Hippo sunning itself on the bank by the water.
A group of hippo hanging out in the water.
Beautiful scenery!
That’s a lot of alligators in one spot!
Thankfully that big guy is heading that direction and not our way!
Life is rough!
Very tall termite mound! Surprised at how many of these were around in a variety of different sizes and shapes.
Giraffes nibbling on the tree!
Grazing!
Friendly elephant!
The elephants were covering themselves with mud to keep from getting sunburned.
A cluster of elephants rooming around.
The upside down tree (looks like the roots are growing out of the top).
Pink flamingos hanging out around the water.
Rhinos munching on hay!
Had to stop our drive through the grasslands when a rhino decided to cross the road in front of us.
Meandering along!
A gathering of rhinos helping themselves to some delicious rhino snacks.
Cheetah napping in the shade.
Lion sleeping in the cool rocks.
Zebras munching on the grass.
Warthogs resting
Ostrich eggs?
Zebras were pretty!
The animals were so peaceful!
Relaxing!
Travel & Vacation: Kids Wilderness Explorers Program at Animal Kingdom (Orlando, FL)
Learning about the Wilderness Explorers program!
While at Animal Kingdom the girls participated in their Wilderness Explorers program. It was a great having a chance to stop at the various stations throughout Animal Kingdom, get a sticker, and learn about a variety of educational animal topics. They quickly figured out that they just needed to look out for workers wearing the Wilderness Explorer uniforms (brown, tan, and orange). They wore the orange bags with stickers. In order to get their sticker for that activity they had to participate in an activity and / or listen to a presentation.
It was fun and educational. The only thing that we had problem we had was occasionally with missed a sticker because we couldn’t find the worker. This is a wonderful program especially for kids who can read or enjoy learning about various animal educational items. You can get a Wilderness Explorer book, your first sticker, an explanation, and a Wilderness cheer.
Looking through their Wilderness Explorer books to check where we need to go next.
Learning about a variety of animal sounds!
Standing in front of the Tree of Life looking through their Wilderness Explorer packets!
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!
Travel & Vacation: Downtown Disney (Orlando, FL)
Walt Disney World – Where Dreams Come True! We made it!
Recently our family had the opportunity to go to Orlando, FL. Jake had a work conference and the girls and I tagged along. He spent the majority of the week working, but was able to join us at the end for some fun family time together. We got up at 3 am on Monday morning and made the drive to Orlando. The kids slept the first few hours and entertained themselves the remaining distance with books, games, a movie, and more. Thankful for kids who travel well. They love going on road trips.
We made good time on our way down to Florida so we decided to stop for a little bit and stretch our legs at Downtown Disney. We still had a some time before we could check into our hotel and Jake heading off to the conference. It was a beautiful sunny day and Downtown Disney wasn’t too busy. There was some construction going on at Downtown Disney and from what we hear it will soon no longer be called Downtown Disney, but rather Disney Springs.
Mickey Mouse! Made out of greenery!
The Lego store Downtown Disney had some amazing lego displays. This dragon breathing fire on the knight was in front of their store. It was massive!
Jake and the girls standing next to another lego display!
This dragon was actually partly in the water! Very neat!
Snow White and the 7 dwarfs working around the mine.
Outside of the T-REX Restaurant
Inside the T-Rex Restaurant and gift shop!
This was a ride you could go on in Downtown Disney. It looked like fun, but we were not there long enough to investigate it further.
Hotel with a flower Mickey Mouse across the water from Downtown Disney.
Look out for that alligator! It actually comes out closer to you and opens it’s mouth much to the fascination of the kids.
The girls always love the fish tanks inside the Rainforest Cafe. They also have a neat gift shop just watch out for the python (I have learned to look out for this creature from a past encounter)!
On the outside of the Rainforest Cafe is a volume. The volcano erupted as we were walking by. Very cool to watch. The random explosions probably lasted about 5 minutes. The kids loved it!
Learning more about this pretty white bird.
Frozen! Thankfully, it was a warm sunny day for us!
Karlie and Brina near the Disney Christmas shop!
Having fun in Downtown Disney!
Three shirts with familiar faces on them!
Had to sit on the bench next to Pooh, Tigger, and Piglet!
Once Upon A Toy was a neat shop. The girls brought their spending money and looked around this store a couple times during the week we were there. The Disney items are really neat, but for their budget were a little pricey. They ended up coming home with most of their money because they wanted to shop around for better prices instead of spending it all in one place. Glad to see them choosing to wait on some items.
Walking through Downtown Disney with Daddy!
