Fall Activities

  • On the Farm: Recipe for Acorn Cookies

    Fresh Acorn Cookies

    Now I am going to share with you a couple of recipes that you can make using fresh acorns.  To learn more about acorns check out On the Farm: Acorns Are For Squirrels and how process fresh acorns so you can use it in recipes here is a post On the Farm: How to Prep Acorns for Cooking.

    Once you are ready to use your fresh acorn meal or flour here is one of the recipes you can try:

    Acorn Cookies:

    • 2 cups All Purpose Flour
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
    • 1 cup Brown Sugar
    • 1/2 cup Shortening
    • 1 large Egg
    • 1 cup Acorn Flour
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a larger bowl cream the shortening, egg, and sugar together.  Gradually add the flour mixture to the cream mixture.  Blend in the acorn flour.  Add the vanilla extract until blended well.  Take a medium size ice cream scoop and place onto a greased cookie sheet.   Use a fork to slightly flatten the balls.   Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

    Freshly scooped cookie dough.

    Cookie sheet full of cookies ready to go into the oven!

    The cookies are not as moist as a Chocolate Chip Cookie but not as dry as Shortbread Cookies.  They are a little dryer then I expected but they turned out pretty well.  We shared this recipe with our Community Group and people at Jake’s work.  It was a fun recipe do make and share with others.  I would make sure that those eating do not have a nut allergy.  It provides an interesting conversation started and you are sure to be the only one at the event with Acorn Cookies!  Now if I can just find an acorn cookie cutter.  Stay tuned for some more of our acorn recipes in upcoming posts!

    Recipe adapted from Grandpappy

  • On the Farm: How to Prep Acorns for Cooking

    Fun Fall Experiment - Processing our acorns so we can cook with them.

    I recently decided to experiment with cooking acorns and the adventure turned out pretty well.  There are some things I will do differently the next time around but overall the whole experience was educational and enjoyable for the whole family. To learn how I decided to go on this unique venture you can read about what got me started in my post  “On the Farm: Acorns Are For Squirrels”.

    I am always looking for ways to teach my children and since the Fall season is here after a few comments, questions, and some researching about acorns it was decided that our next activity was to go through the complete process of gathering, sorting, opening, processing and cooking with acorns (now that we know that acorns are not just of squirrels).  Here are the Five Steps to gather, sort, crack, and process the acorns in a day instead of doing it the traditional way of putting them in a stream or burying them in mud and waiting weeks before you can eat them.

    Bucket full of acorns

    Step 1 – Gathering Acorns:

    • Each family member took a bucket or bag and headed outside to start collecting acorns.  We found a couple trees that had acorns under them and started filling our buckets. Please see “On the Farm: Acorns Are For Squirrels” to find out which trees to collect acorns from.
    • Inspect each acorn as you pick it up for holes or cracks.  Some good ones will have the caps on others will no longer have the caps attached.  (I discovered later that we were not good at detecting microscopic cracks or holes in the acorns, so later we just gathered the acorns and used the sorting step to eliminate the bad acorns, see below).
    • Fill up your bucket or bag and pour all the acorns into a large sink
    Filling up the sink with acorns and water.
    • Tips to help with gathering (I discovered some ways to make this process easier for the future acorn gatherings):
    • You don’t need to look at each individual acorn, the sorting process is much better at isolating the bad acorns and making sure only the good ones remain.
    • Observe what the wildlife is doing prior to picking up acorns.  For example if the squirrels prefer certain trees then head for those trees first because the acorns will most likely contain less tannins and have less of a problem with bugs.  Trust the animals instinct, they go for the good ones first.

     

    Filling up the sink with water to see which ones will float.

    Step 2 – Sorting Acorns:

    • Put all the acorns in a large sink, plug the sink and run cool water over the acorns.
    • The water level should be several inches above the acorns on the bottom to help with the sorting process.
    • The acorns that are crack, have holes, or that are bad will float to the top of the water.
    • The good acorns will sink and remain on the bottom.
    • Remove all the acorns that are floating and leave the good ones on the bottom.
    • Stir the acorns with your hands (or a paint mixer) to shuffle around the acorns, if any more float to the top of the water remove them.
    Stirring them with the paint mixer to see if there are any more floaters.

    Tips to help with sorting:

    • We used a large utility sink to sort the acorns.
    • Don’t worry about inspecting every acorn (see the Gathering Acorns step above) before putting it into the sink.
    • This sorting step will eliminates 99% or more of the bad acorns in your batch so you can speed up the gathering step by not looking at each individual acorn.
    • You may be surprised at how many acorns are floating
    • You may need to go back out in the yard and pick up some more acorns.
    • In some batches we had as many as half of the acorns floating to the top.
    • Throw away any floating ones because they are not good so you don’t want to waste your time cracking them if you cannot use them.
    • We used the paint mixer to stir up the acorns which help make sure if any bad ones were trapped under the good ones they came to the top so we could remove them.

     

    Rinse the acorns for a few minutes to get any remaining dirt off of them. We used this stick to help disperse the water over the batch of acorns. Then let them soak to soften the shells so you can crack them open easier.

    Step 3 – Cracking Open the Acorns:

    • Once you have sorted the acorns and only have the good acorns remaining (the ones that did not float) drain all the water out of the sink.
    • After all the water is drained, rinse the acorns with the drain open for several minutes.  You do this by running the water through the acorns and stirring occasionally.  This step helps get out any of the extra dirt and cleans the acorns.
    • Plug the drain, refill the sink with water and let the acorns soak under water for approximately hour to soften the shell.
    • Once the acorns shells have softened take out an acorn, tap it lightly with a hammer until it cracks slightly, peel back the shell and remove the nutmeat.
    • Put the nutmeat in a pot that you can cook it in and put the shell in another bowl that will be taken back outside to compost or throw away.
    Cracking open the acorn with a hammer.
    • Tips to help cracking open acorns:
    • You can use a flat screwdriver to help pry open the shells.  Usually your fingers will work but sometimes having a screw driver helps.
    • You can start cracking open the acorns right away instead of soaking for an hour, however, you will notice that the longer a acorn has been soaking the easier the shell is to remove.  I just took out a handful at a time so the remaining ones could continue soaking.

     

    What a whole acorn nutmeat looks like.

    Step 4 – Processing the Acorns (AKA “Leaching” the tannins out of the acorns):

    • This step is very important with acorns.  You will need to leach the acorns to remove any tannins that are in them.
    • Bring two large pots to a boil.
    • Pour the acorns into one pot and let it boil for 15 minutes.  The water will turn a dark brown / black color which is the tannins coming out of the acorns.
    • After 15 minutes strain the water off the nuts and transfer them to the second pot of boiling water.  Boil them for another 15 minutes.
    • While the second pot of water is boiling with the acorns refill the first pot and bring it back to a boil.
    • Continue transferring back and forth from one pot of boiling water to the next for 15 minutes at a time until the water stays clear.
    • The nutmeat will not have a bitter taste to it once the tannins have been removed through leaching.
    Our full pot of acorn nutmeats in the boiling water as we start the leaching process.
    • Tips to help with processing / leaching:
    • If you can use a large pot with a strainer inside it for transferring the nutmeats between the boiling pots of water it will be much easier.
    • Make sure to never rinse the nutmeats in cool water during the leaching (boiling) phase of the processing because it could actually cause the tannins to seal in the nutmeats making it impossible to remove enough of it so you can safely eat them.
    • It usually takes several boiling times before the water comes back clear.
    Tannins coming out of our acorns. (See how the water is a dark brown color)

     

    A dehydrator full of dried acorns! They will dry to a dark brown color.

    Step 5 – Drying the Acorns:

    • Once the water is clear after boiling the acorn nutmeat you can drain them completely and transfer them to a jelly roll pan, spread out into a single layer and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.  OR you could put the acorn nutmeat into a food dehydrator until the nutmeats is completely dry (approximately 8 to 12 hours).
    • The nutmeats will turn a dark brown color when they are completely dry.  You are now ready to try out your acorn recipes!
    • Tips to help with drying:
    • The dehydrator works really well for drying out the nutmeats.  It works a lot like drying fruit or beef jerky.  Plus it can run through the night and uses less power than your oven.
    • You can dry the acorns for several days in the sun but you take the risk of bugs and squirrels taking the acorns or they could go moldy.  It is pretty easy drying them in the oven or dehydrator so I think that would be the best option.
    • You can store the dried acorns for several months in the refrigerator or freezer, they will last several week at room temperature.

    Information regarding processing Acorns was found at Wikipedia, Grandpappy, and LiveStrong

    I will be sharing soon a couple acorn recipes that we have tried with the acorns we have processed from our yard.

     

  • On the Farm: Acorns Are For Squirrels

    Rinsed acorn with its cap still on.

    “Acorns are for squirrels to gather and eat during the cool winter months” was my response when the kids asked me about the purpose of acorns.  It has been a pretty mild Fall in our area but our yard has been full of acorns, squirrels, birds, rabbits, turkeys, and all kinds of animals gathering for the cooler months.  Our family has been blessed to have property with a lot of trees, a small creek, and plenty of wildlife.  Even though we live in the “suburbs” on our little 4 plus acres it feels like we are out in the country.  One of the Fall activities we have as a family is raking leaves and acorns.  Now that the acorns and leaves are steadily dropping the discussion regarding Fall, leaves, acorns, and activities around the season have been in full swing on the farm.

    There are several oak trees on our property but the one in our front yard has produced an abundance of acorns this year (the ground was covered and continues to be covered with acorns even after raking and collecting).  After thinking about it for a little bit we concluded that the reason that tree was so full of acorns had to do with the extra “water” that is has enjoyed from our garden.  Jake and I were talking about the tree and the amount of acorns and jokingly mentioned that we could live off the acorns if we wanted to this winter.  The girls were already collecting acorns for their “acorn pies” they were making in the sandbox and asked us a couple times why we couldn’t eat acorns.  I honestly didn’t have a great answer other than my normal because “Acorns are for squirrels.”

    After a couple weeks of thinking about our conversation and talking with the girls about how people in the past lived off the land through gardens, nuts, animals, and crops I decided to research acorns a little more.   I figured that if the squirrels are eating the acorns there has to be some benefits to them, right!?  They are a nut.   I read what articles I could find about how to cook acorns and decided it may be fun experiment for the family to try making something with the acorns.  There is not a huge amount of acorn recipes out there but I was able to get enough to feel confident to try it.  I figured it would be an interesting educational activity for the kids as well.

    Here’s some fun facts about acorns that you may or may not know about:

    • The first people that we can find in history who have ate acorns were the Greeks over 2,000 years ago
    • The acorn has been a source of nutrition for many people during past food famines.
    • Native American Indian tribes use acorns.  The Cherokee, Pima, and Apache Indians considered the acorn a staple food that they used in a variety of recipes.
    • The majority of acorns cannot be eaten raw from the trees or ground.  They have a bitter taste which is the tannin that is used to make leather.  If you taste a raw acorn and it is very bitter it is best not to eat it until it has been processed.
    • There are a variety of ways people have used to remove the tannins from the acorns.  Some records show that they have buried the acorns in mud for weeks then will dig them up and use the sun to dry them naturally.  Others place the acorns in a basket or cloth (the basket or cloth needs to be strong enough to hold the nuts but allow water to run through it) with heavy stones, place the basket in a quick flowing stream for several days or weeks then they would sun dry them.  Now with stove tops the process of removing the tannins is quicker by boiling the tannins out of the acorns (I will go through the entire leaching of the tannins process in a later post).
    • It is said that a fully grown Oak Tree can produce as much as 1,000 pounds of acorns in one season.
    • Acorns are low in sugar and have a sweet nutty taste.
    • Acorn flour or meal can be used in bread, cookies, grits, pancakes, brownies, stews, cakes, tortillas, muffins, and many other recipes.  You can eat an acorn plain or with a glaze once it’s been processed.
    • Acorns have carbohydrates, protein and fats, 6 vitamins, 8 minerals (including calcium, phosphorus, potassium), and 18 amino acids.  They have a lower fat content than the majority of other nuts and compare very well with other wild foods you find in nature.
    • Eating 1 handful of acorns is like eating a pound of fresh hamburger (nutritionally equivalent)
    • Much like the squirrels storing acorns for later we can store acorns for a long time as well.  Acorns do not spoil quickly so they can be eaten and/or processed at a later time.

    There are two main types of trees acorns come from:

    • The White Oak Trees can live over 650 years, be more than 4 feet in diameter and up to 100 feet tall.  The White Oak is the most common and has a dark green glossy leaf with light green on the bottom and the leaf edges are rounded.  White Trees have a smooth shell and the nutmeat is a shade of white.  The White Oak Trees are the best for acorns that you want to eat and use in recipes because they have a low tannic acid, but are still sweet and can be eaten after a little processing.
    • The Red Oak Trees are not as common and their leaves have a glossy green top side (much like the white oak) but there bottom side is fuzzy and the leaf edges are pointed.  The Red Oak acorns can take up to two years to mature and the nutmeat is more of a yellow color.  Red Oaks require processing before to eating and generally are not harvested for human consumption unless there is a famine.   Red Oak Trees have a higher tanic acid level which is why they need more processing and are typically eaten when necessary such as starvation or famine because if you eat too much tannin it can be bad for your kidneys.

    Why do Acorns need to be processed before eating them?

    • Acorns contain tanic acid (if you try a raw acorn and it is bitter that is the tannin you are tasting) which is used to make leather and has several other great qualities, however, if you eat an excessive amount of tannin it could lead to kidney failure.  If you want to try processing and using acorns for recipes try to pick the acorns from a White Oak Tree since they are much lower in tannins; if you decide to consume ones from a Red Oak make sure to process them very well.  I will walk you through the steps to remove the tannic acid (tannins) from the acorns, the process is called leaching.

    Information regarding Acorns was found at Wikipedia, Absolute Astronomy, Grandpappy, and Nutrition Data

    I will be sharing soon how to pick the perfect acorn, sort them, prep the acorns for cooking, how to process the acorns to remove all the tannins, and a couple acorn recipes that we have tried.

  • 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!

  • Book: “Ouch” by Ragnhild Scamell

    We rented this book Ouch! by Ragnhild Scamell from the library several years ago and it has been a favorite of the girls since then.  The book is about a Hedgehog who is preparing her nest for the winter months when an apple falls from the tree and sticks onto her back.  She tries to get help from her friends but ends up getting more and more items stuck to her until she finally finds a friend that can help her get them off her back.  The book has bright colors and is enjoyable to read to the kids.  If you are looking for a fun Fall book to read to your children you should check this one out at your local library.

  • 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!

  • CVS: Spent $14 and Got $5 ECB’s Back (Saved Over 90%)

    CVS Clearance Deals

    I made a quick trip to CVS late last week on the way home from a couple meetings.  The trip was primary to use up a couple ECB’s that were about to expire and see if they had anything on clearance that we could use.  I was able to get the items for $14.20 including tax and received $5.00 ECB’s to use on my next CVS purchase.   The CVS I went to had items marked down to 75% to 90% on clearance so I was able to get the girls new sunglasses, gifts, chew toys for Skipper, and several items for Operation Christmas Child boxes.  Here is what I purchased this week.

    • 4 – Lint Rollers (50 count) on clearance for $0.25 each (total of $1.00)
    • 4 – Foam Puzzles on clearance (ABC’s, 123’s and Measurements) for $0.25 each (total of $1.00)
    • 2 – Sets of Laundry Dryer Balls (2 per set) on clearance $0.75 each (total of $1.50)
    • 2 – Dog Tennis Ball Toys (set of 2) on clearance for $0.25 each (total of $0.50)
    • 18 – Sunglasses on clearance (90% clearance) for $0.59 to $0.89 each
    • 2 – Dog Rope Toys on clearance for $0.25 each (total of $0.50)
    • 2 – Model Magic Presto Balls on clearance for $1.49 each (total of $2.98)
    • 2 – Ice Cream Stamps with Bubble Gum on clearance for $0.25 each (total of $0.50)
    • 2 – Necco Candy Dot Strips on clearance for $0.25 each (total of $0.50)
    • 1 – Revlon Top Speed Fingernail Polish $4.99 with $3.00 ECB’s back

    Here are the coupons I used on the items.

    • Used $2.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon
    • Used $5.00 CVS ECB’s

    I received $5.00 ECB’s back today:

    • $2.00 ECB’s for Summer Spending
    • $3.00 ECB’s for Revlon Products

    Today I was able to save $162.59 at CVS by purchasing these items and using coupons (over 90% savings).

    When you shop the CVS sales regularly and have ECB’s that you can roll over toward future purchases the bonus ECB’s start adding up (Green Bag Tags and Beauty Club).  As you can see from my shopping trip today you don’t have to purchase a lot to save money when shopping at CVS.  Plus you can use the additional ECB’s you receive towards your next purchase.  You can pick and chose what is best for your family.

    I would love to hear your CVS shopping story for this week!  For those of you who shop regularly at CVS please share how you were able to save this week!  Although the weekly ad sales are similar every family and situation is different so you may have found items better suited to your household.  In your comment please feel free to share a link to your blog article showing us how you were able to save shopping at CVS.

  • Fresh & Healthy: Fall Harvest – Community Supported Agriculture (Week 1)

    We started the first week of our Fall Harvest with our Local Farm with Community Supported Agriculture program.  The Fall harvest is 10 weeks long through our farm.  We were thrilled to get the vegetables again this week.  Our family is doing another half share for this harvest.

    Fall Harvest Week 1 of Fresh Goodies from our CSA!

    Fresh goodies from our Local Farm!

    Items in our Basket this Week:

    • 1 bundle White Radishes (the greens were HUGE and TALL, they didn’t even fit in the sink!)
    • 1 bag Green Beans
    • 1 Acorn Squash
    • 3 Sweet Potatoes
    • 1 Half Dozen Fresh Eggs

    I am looking forward to eating these goodies this week!  Anyone have a great recipes for Radishes?  Thanks everyone for the delicious Recipes!  To find out how you can be a part of a local CSA check out this post – Fresh & Healthy:  Community Supported Farms

  • Blockbuster Express: Coupon Codes for FREE DVD Rentals

    Are you looking for a fun way to relax with your family this week or over the weekend?  Blockbuster Express has FREE rental codes available right now:

    • Code –  7650BW8
    • Code –  65DWTM7
    • Code – 73MAYB6
    • Code –  74ABDP3
    • Code – 97KRFT5
    • Code – 63SLRH5
    • Code – 49WHZS3
    • Code – 24NCCC7

    The above Coupon Codes are good through midnight Thursday, October 13, 2011.

    The coupon codes can be used to get DVDs from your nearest Blockbuster Express kiosk.  Some codes may only work online so make sure to reserve your rental before picking it up.  A credit card required to rent.  The codes are valid on $1 movies not on Blu-rays or new releases.  Make sure to return you DVD on time to avoid paying any late fees.

  • 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!