Summer Activities
Travel & Vacation: Swimming Pool Fun on Daniel’s Island
We got to try out a few hotel pools this summer with all our travel adventures. The one in the pictures below we visited more then once and the girls love it. The Hampton Inn on Daniel’s Island, SC (actually the only hotel on Daniel’s Island) was one of the girls favorites I think because we went to it several times over the summer and it was really close to everything.
- Brina and Karlie swimming in their “favorite” hotel pool!
The pool usually had some shade any time you were in it plus it was relatively quiet during the day.
- Brina Bee swimming in the pool.
The girls did really well in the pools and ocean this summer. When it was just Mommy and the girls swimming I made sure the girls wore floaties or their life jackets as an extra precaution. When Jake was with us they could go without the floaties or life jackets because each of us could spot one of the girls. You really cannot be too safe when it comes to swimming pools.
- Karlie showing off under water
Love this picture of Karlie and the pool. As you can see from the picture we were literally the only ones in the pool at this time. The girls would swims for hours. We had a blast swimming and playing.
- Brina smiling at me under water
Cute shot of Brina under water. She did great swimming, splashing and playing in the pool. I was thrilled to see her willing to take off her life jacket and floaties for a few minutes too. She loves the water!
- Karlie ready to jump
Karlie would wait to make sure I was looking before jumping. She loved jumping off the side of the pool into the water. The cannon ball was her favorite because it did a big splash.
- Brina playing in the swimming pool!
Brina had a blast swimming and diving under the water. She thought it was funny that she could see under water better than Mommy.
- Karlie in mid air
Karlie’s face in this picture makes me smile. She loved jumping, diving, cannon balling into the pool.
Brina getting ready to jump Love her little tongue sticking out as she contemplates the best way to jump on her unsuspecting noodle. Brina’s favorite way to jump into the pool was to target her noodle and jump in on it.
Karlie holding her breath under water Karlie wears her goggles almost the entire time she is in the pool. She loves being able to see “clearly” under water. One time she even found another kids diving stick for them! The goggles are on a little off center in this picture but the girls did really well putting them on by themselves.
Brina laughing at her noodle. Sometimes it is the simplest things in life that are so funny. Even though we were really busy filling our days with activities it was wonderful to have play time were we could relax, play and just have a blast together.
Karlie in mid jump.....her target is her blue noodle Karlie loves jumping into the pool. I was surprised at how high she was able to get on some of her jumps. Thankful for this time together and seeing my girls growing up.
Pretty Brina Bee holding her breath under water in the pool It takes talent learning how to hold your breath under water. I think over the last several months the girls have become water bugs. They love swimming!
- Karlie having fun at the pool
The girls could play all day at the pool. After several hours of swimming and several layers of sunblock Mommy decided we better head in so Daddy wasn’t waiting on us. The girls loved swimming in the pool and going on adventures. Most of our activities were simple (swimming in the pool, playing in the park, etc…) yet they were enjoyable for everyone. We made a lot of fun memories together this year. Thankful for my camera Jake gave me for Christmas because I can take it with me in the pool, ocean, or rain and not worry about the camera being ruined. The girls loved that I could take the camera into the pool with 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: Angel Oak Tree and other Family Adventures near Charleston, SC
Canopy of trees on the way to the Angel Oak Tree The girls and I ventured out a little ways to check out the Angel Oak Tree while Jake was working in Charleston one day. The picture above is the beautiful canopy of trees we saw on the bumpy country road that led to our amazing tree adventure that was recommended to us by my friend Janet.
Facts about the Angel Oak Tree In case you cannot read the sheet above here are some of the details – The Angel Oak Tree we visited is said to be between 300 to 400 years old, 65 feet tall, the circumference is 25.5 feet, area of shade 17,000 square feet and the largest limb is 11.25 feet in circumference and 89 feet long. It is located on John’s Island near Charleston, SC. Some people believe that the tree is over 1500 years old.
Angel Oak Tree near Charleston, South Carolina The Angel Oak Tree is massive, it was really hard to get a picture that truly shows it’s size. I took a few pictures from different angles but I couldn’t get the entire tree to fit in one picture. It was simply amazing to see such a huge tree.
Beautiful and huge Angel Oak Tree If you look closely you can see the supports helping hold up the limbs. The girls and I were nearly speechless at the size of the tree. We walked around it several times just in awe!
Brina inspecting the large carrot we picked out at a local Farmer's Market We stopped at this really neat local Farmers Market store on our way back from the Angel Oak Tree adventure. Their carrots were very BIG, the girls have never seen carrots that huge before (not sure I had either). They must have had some great soil for carrots. We picked out a large carrot and nibbled on it for a couple days (I didn’t think to weigh to but I am think it could have been over a pound).
Great quote the girls and I discovered along our adventures The girls love traveling with Jake and I on road trips. We are always on the look out for neat ideas or something interesting to share. Of course one of the areas we frequently visited in our travels were a variety of restrooms. Sometimes the girls were in dire need of a restroom by the time with found one. The girls wanted me to read this sign in the Farmers Market restroom, we all had a good laugh at it as we reminisced together of some times just in the last few months we felt like a minute was a very long time as we waited on the other side of the door.
Walking down one of the girls favorite piers. Some days the water is low and all the greenery is out of the water other days it is complete under water. Love the little “sand” trail that you can see under the water.
The guy fishing off the pier caught a little one! As we were walking down the pier we notice a guy fishing. We asked if he had caught anything yet and he showed us his catch of the morning. The girls thought it was such a cute little fish! They were very excited for him.
Daddy brought us a blue raspberry slushy. After a fun day at the park and pool Daddy brought his girls a blue raspberry slushy. It was amazing!
We had blue tongues after just a few minutes. The blue raspberry slushy made all of our tongues blue! I think the girls drink more of the slushy based off their tongue color, ha!
Cannon outside the hotel. The girls always hoped that our room was never in the line of fire. Thankfully our room never faced the cannon. The girls always loved looking at it!
After dinner we took a little walk together and found a pond with turtles. I am not sure how long we watched these turtles but it was a lot of fun. The girls were mesmerized by these cute little turtles. According to the girl there was a whole family of turtles (we did see quite a few).
Crashed on the pull out couch after a few minutes of chitchat about their "super fun" day We got back to the hotel, gave the girls baths and they spent a few minutes talking and giggling about their “super fun” day before crashing. They were exhausted but in good spirits. We really did pack a lot into one day!
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: Fun Day at Isle of Palms Beach
Beach day with my three favorite people! I love my family and am thankful for the amazing opportunities we had the past few months. It was wonderful sharing so many great memories together at home, the beach and traveling! One of our favorite spots to visit was the beach at Isle of Palms near Charleston, South Carolina.
Crazy crew at the beach. The girls have such different personalities! Karlie has to wear her goggles in the ocean where Brina prefers not having anything on her face in the water.
Swimming in the ocean. It always amazes me how long the girls want to stay at the beach. Usually Jake and I end up decided to go because we are exhausted not because the girls are asking to go. It is not uncommon for us to stay for 6 to 8 hours swimming, building sand castles, collecting sea shells and eating our picnic lunch. Although, the girls typically crash on the way back to the hotel or home.
Karlie Kool Kat having a blast Enjoying her time swimming in the ocean. Thinking she is pretty cool swimming on her own (at least until the next big wave comes)!
Mommy and her girls Swimming together at Isle of Palms. Love spending extra time with the family at the beach.
Brina Bee swimming in the big ocean by herself. Brina all smiles swimming on her own in the big ocean.
Digging around in the sand Sometimes just digging around in the sand is the most entertaining. We typically do a sand castle and just let them play to their hearts content. One of those times playing in the mud is just plain fun!
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: Places to Stay and Play in Charleston
Pizza picnic at the pool in Charleston! We got Domino’s (they had a buy 1 pizza get 1 free coupon) and brought it back to the hotel to eat. The girls wanted to check out the pool so we ate by the pool then went swimming. The first night we stayed at the Holiday Inn in Mt Pleasant, it was literally a block away from Waterfront Park. It was a busy weekend with a lot baseball tournaments, American Idol tryouts, and a couple other community activities. We still had a blast together and Jake was able to get his work done as well. The biggest down side to this hotel is their breakfast was pretty expensive for families but there are plenty of restaurant chains nearby you can get a breakfast for a great price.
Swimming with Daddy in the pool. The girls enjoyed having some time to swim in the pool after a very hot day at the parks around town. Thankful for an opportunity to spend some time relaxing together as a family.
Karlie relaxing and snacking in her makeshift bed. Baths were taken and pedicures were done so Karlie decided to take a few minutes to relax and snack in her bed before brushing her teeth and going to sleep. Glad the girls enjoy going on adventures and are flexible during the trips.
Karlie, Brina and Mommy's fancy hot pink and purple pedicures! On one of our trips this summer I surprised the girls with bringing finger nail polish. It soon became a tradition when we went on a trip for me to bring a couple “wild” colors and all the girls get their fingernails and toenails painted the first evening in the hotel. The girls loved spending the time together and getting beautiful in the process. Sometimes it is the little things you do together that make the most impact.
Karlie ready to try out a new pool. We stayed at the Rodeway Hotel the second night of our trip to Charleston, it was literally across the street from the Holiday Inn so we didn’t have to go too far! I was so thrilled to see the girls confidence in the water increase over the past few months. They loved their noodles but were okay not having on their life jackets in the pool. The hotel had a really great hot breakfast every morning, plus ice cold lemonade any time of the day which was a huge hit with the hot kiddos!
Brina talking and motioning with her noodle. The noodles were great in the water but I remember getting bopped with them several times outside of the pool. The girls were good about making sure to bring them to the pool but sometimes in the process of walking and talking the noodle was more like a weapon, ha!
Relaxing at the hotel before crashing. We introduced the girls to the show “America’s Funniest Home Videos” on this trip. They thought it was hilarious and as you can see from this picture they were completely captivated by the show. Their favorites were the silly animal clips!
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: Enjoying Charleston’s Piers
Boats loading on the edge of the pier. The boats are getting loaded up at the end of the pier.
Little crabs at the waters edge They would run down the sand picking up pieces to eat and then would run back up the beach when the wave came in. It was neat to watch the wave of crabs running back and forth. We were standing on the edge of the pier these little crabs were scurrying back and forth with the tide coming in. The girls thought it was hilarious.
I was moving fast enough so Brina ran back to check on me. Love seeing the thoughtfulness and compassion in this sweet girl. She truly does care about others and wants everyone to have fun together.
Karlie on the run! Karlie noticed that Brina and I were still coming up the pier so she decided to check out what we were up to. When did my babies grown up? So excited yet sad to see how much they have changed even over the past year.
Standing at the edge of the pier looking at the bridge that leads to Daniel's Island. The girls thought it was a little scary at the end of the pier, but thought it was super cool looking at the bridge.
Karlie and Brina running down the pier The girls had a race down the pier. They were running and giggling the whole way. It’s amazing how educational and entertaining time at the pier can be for the kids!
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!
Fresh & Healthy: Sharing the Garden Goodies
Fresh Produce from the Garden that we gave away. We have been blessed with a wonderful garden this summer. It was a great learning experience for the girls. They enjoyed planting, watering, picking, washing, eating, and giving away the produce. The weed pulling wasn’t a highlight for them but they did pitch in and help a few times. I am thankful for how well the vegetables and fruit produced.
We recently replanted the garden for Fall Harvest so we are in between stages right now. The tomatoes are slowing down but still producing a few. Our four okra plants have been consistently producing as well. The above basket was one that we were able to give to several people at Jake’s work. It has been a tremendous blessing being able to share the garden vegetables with others.
Did you grow a garden? What produce did you have in your garden?
Travel & Vacation: Great Parks in the Charleston, SC Area
Cool moving bridge at Center Park We found a cute little park on Daniel’s Island, SC with a lot of shade and water fountains (thankfully since it was over 107 and humid that day) only a couple miles down the road from where Jake was working. This was the most entertaining part on the whole jungle gym! It was a moving bridge! You could get on it at one location of the jungle gym and either have someone push you across or you could stand at other side and spin a wheel that pulls you across to the other side of the jungle gym. The girls (and Mommy) where fascinated by this cool moving bridge and it provided quite a bit of entertainment for all of us!
Karlie sitting on the wall! Karlie thought this wall in the park was awesome! She would climb up, sit for a few minutes watching everyone and talk anyone nearby then get down. I think she liked being up higher and over looking the park!
Brina coming through the blue tunnel at Center Park. She thought it was hilarious going through the random tunnels and would giggle when she “caught” me watching at her! So sneaky!
Brina saying "hi" to her new friend These bubble blowers were such a HUGE hit! It was so cute seeing Brina just checking out it’s face, it really was a bug friend to her!
So....when I blew through here bubbles come out?! I tried to find these again this year but they must have sold out. When you blow through the tail of the dragon fly the silver wings spin and a lot of bubbles come out of the dragon fly’s mouth.
Mommy's about to get blasted with dragonfly bubbles This was shortly before a wave of bubbles came my way. Brina thought it was awesome blowing dragonfly bubbles my direction!
Karlie on the run at Waterfront Park under the Arthur Ravenel Bridge The Waterfront Park under the Arthur Ravenel Bridge is one of our favorite parks to hang out at in Charleston. It always has shade from the bridge and has very clean restrooms and a cold water fountain.
Brina playing at Waterfront Park in Mt Pleasant / Charleston, SC The Waterfront park is a great place to hang out before going into Downtown Charleston. You can play in the park, walk on the pier, enjoy ice cream from the snack shop or watch free movies in the evenings during the summer months.
Sitting on the slide at Waterfront Park Brina and Karlie taking a few minutes to cool down and talk while sitting on the slide. They thought it was such a cool place to sit!
Karlie relaxing on the boat's railing Karlie content to relax for a few moments against the boat’s railing. This little park is in front of the Information Center for Daniel’s Island right next to a pier. The girls really liked this park even though it did not have a lot of shade, a restroom or water fountain they still requested to go to this park to walk the pier and “pet” their turtle friends.
Karlie and Brina driving the little white boat The girls thought it was very cool having the boat in the park.
Hanging out with Daddy on the boat. Karlie is laughing at Daddy, while Brina and Daddy look at the camera. The girls thought this park was so much fun that they had to take Daddy by to check it out too!
Talking about the boat. An inside shot of the boat. The girls and Daddy were having a fun decision about boats by the time I got their. Jake had to be melting that day, it was well over 100 degrees and he was in pants and a long sleeved shirt. Thankfully he was okay going to the “turtle park” to have a picnic with his girls over lunch despite the heat.
- One of the turtles
They named each turtle and every time we go back they catch on their friends.
My two little monkeys on top of the jungle gym! Karlie and Brina on the top for the jungle gym at a park across from one of the Daniel Island schools. I was thankful for the higher railings at the top since they one was a good distance up. They thought it was so funny how little Mommy looked from WAY up high! It was over 108 degrees that day and no one else was brave enough to play on the jungle gym (or maybe they were smart enough to stay inside). This park had really nice restaurants but the water fountain was broken.
Brina bringing their flip-flops over This is the Mt. Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park. It has a wide area with the rubber padding. The girls loved playing at this park. You could also rent paddle boats, go to a Water Park or go on a hike.
Caught Karlie sneaking down the long slide. The girls loved being “big” enough to climb up to the top of the tallest jungle gym and go down the long slide. It took them several tries to work up enough courage to get up the climbing wall or pole but it was well worth it!
Spinning in the yellow tire swing. The girls liked spinning and spinning in the yellow tire swing. It made me sick just spinning and watching them after a few minutes. They thought it was hilarious to jump off and run across the playground after spinning for several minutes!
Karlie riding on another one of the spinning items at the park. She could spin herself but her preference was to have me stand beside her and spin until she said that was good.
They literally wore out their flip-flops on this Charleston trip. Since we were staying in a different location we were able to visit several parks and they girls played hard. We tried to meet Daddy over lunch most days to take him on a picnic to one of the cool parks the girls have discovered, if we didn’t get a chance to go with him over lunch they would insist he check out the parks after dinner in the evening. The girls were very good despite the heat during our visit to Charleston that week! Although they would crash by the time we got back to the hotel at night, they were ready to head back out at the break of dawn! What amazing memories we made during our park explorations in Charleston! We are already looking forward to our next trip together!
Vacation & Travel: Vermont Fun & Celebrations
Karlie, Daddy, and Brina putting together their lego creations! Thankful for a husband who invests time in the lives of the children. The girls adore their Daddy! I love all three of you so very much!
Writing and drawing on tree bark. It is amazing the cool stuff you find in Vermont. As Daddy and PopPop were splitting wood these pieces of paper fell off of the tree and the girls thought they were the neatest “craft” paper.
Daddy taking Brina for a short ride on the four wheeler. Brina all smiles after her ride on the four wheeler with Daddy. So much fun!
Karlie's turn on the 4-wheeler Karlie is pleased with herself for “helping” Daddy drive the four wheeler!
Karlie and Brina riding with PopPop on the tractor. The tractor was out so the girls enjoyed riding for a few minutes with PopPop!
Fun times in Vermont It’s the little stuff that make them smile. Thankful for opportunity to spend time with Nana and PopPop.
Celebrating Nana's Birthday! We were able to celebrate Nana’s birthday during our visit. The girls helped make and decorate the cake for the party.
Blowing out the candles! It was a blessing to share Nana’s birthday with her!
PopPop and the girls! Brina admiring the butterfly plates while PopPop and Karlie watch Nana cut the birthday cake.
Nana enjoying her birthday! Nana is a beautiful lady both inside and out. We love you Nana! Thanks for sharing your birthday with us.
PopPop getting into the festivities! Fun times with PopPop.
Karlie target practicing with Daddy. Karlie did pretty well hitting the target.
Brina had a blast practicing. Brina thought is was a lot of fun to sh0ot and find all the empty casings.
Boutique of fresh and wild flowers from Vermont! Brina and Karlie loved picking the beautiful flowers from PopPop’s garden and along the trails.
Enjoying some sparkler time! Standing on the rocks spelling out their names with sparklers!
Brina and Karlie saying goodbyes to PopPop and Nana. Time to head home. Saying goodbye and ready for the final leg of our long road trip! We are thankful for our time with PopPop and Nana in Vermont.
A Vacation To Remember series is a reflection on our recent trip and ways we relaxed. 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!
Fresh & Healthy: Deep Freezer Goodies – Purple Grapes, Blueberries, Bananas, Green Grapes, & Strawberries
Freezing Seasonal Fruit - Blueberries, Bananas, Strawberries, Purple & Green Grapes This summer we were able to stock up on some fresh produce, including fruit. Thanks to friends sharing their goodies, time picking produce as a family, and clearance items at our local grocery store we have been able to fill up a section of our freezer with delicious fruit. The girls have been enjoying Smoothies the last couple of months and were super excited to stock up on some of these great items. They are already planning on having smoothies after school because they will not be able to share them with me over lunch.
Here is a great Smoothie Recipe:
There are many variations to smoothies, may be sharing a couple more favorites over the next few weeks. Add a handful of fruit you have on hand, a little cream (milk or yogurt), blend, and you have a smoothie. If you want a little extra sweetness you can add a touch of honey. Usually after adding the fruit that is plenty sweet for us but we have tried a variety of different ones.
Another great use for strawberries is as a healthy sauce! When we have pancakes or waffles we blend up a cup or two of fresh strawberries to use as a dipping sauce in place of the traditional syrup. It is healthier and fresher plus the whole family enjoys it.
Yard Sale Deals: Clothes & Shoes
Some of the coordinating items we picked up at a local yard sale! I was thrilled at the neat people I met during some of my yard sale adventures. One yard sale I went to this summer had twin girls that were a year older then my girls. The best part about shopping at their yard sale is I was able to stock up on some coordinating clothes for the girls from sweaters to jeans, shirts, skirts, boots, and even clogs!
I purchase 63 pieces (including shoes) for $12.00 making them approximately 19 cents each. The red clogs are super cute too, we’ll see how well the girls like them! These items are perfect for the upcoming school year and are in good condition.
The day I went to this yard sale was overcast and raining until after 7 am that morning. Half of the places I went to never even brought out their items so it was a slower day. The yard sale where these items were discovered was just starting and it was after 10:30 am on Saturday. They were just pulling out their items and setting up. I am glad that we took a few moments to check this one out, it really was a great way for me to stock up on clothing for the girls.
