Teaching our Children
Vacation & Travel: Smithsonian Institution – National Air & Space Museum
Jake and his girls at the Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C.!
Our family was able to spend some time at the Smithsonian Institution of National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. this summer. The first time we drove by the building and Karlie saw the sign she was ready to go explore it! The Smithsonian Institution buildings that we went into were really nice, very educational, and the best part is that they are FREE! You cannot bring in any food or drinks, but there are water fountains and a McDonald’s at one end of the Museum if you get hungry.
So excited to explore this building that they had to get a picture by the sign!
Over-the-top excited to go into the Air and Space Museum
Both girls love science and learning, however, Karlie loves anything relating to space so this adventure was a big hit with her!
So many things to look at and explore in the Air & Space Museum. As you can see Jake is the only one actually looking at me, ha! Thanks Babe! The other two were mesmerized by all the displays!
Karlie all smiles as she touches a piece of moon rock. This particular piece was brought back from the moon on Apollo 17 in December 1972.
Brina touching the moon rock….how cool to think that it was once on the moon!
Jake is so good about showing the girls the various items and explaining it to them. They love soaking up all the cool information!
Having fun at the Smithsonian Institute National Air and Space Museum!
We thought the room with all the history about how planes and other flying items were created was pretty neat!
Brina all smiles waiting in line for the next activity and you can see Karlie in the reflection checking to make sure her Air & Space Museum pictures were turning out! Silly girls!
Brina flying the plane!
Karlie’s turn to drive! They’ve got their eyes on what’s in front of them! Whatever it is better look out!
Soaking it all in….
Wow, what a huge carrier. Even the display model was big! Love that they are so fascinated by the display they don’t even realize I am on the other side taking their picture.
Having fun at the Air & Space Museum!
Karlie wanted a picture by her favorite rocket – The Apollo! The space rooms were a hit with Karlie!
Karlie all smiles as she gets a picture in front of Buzz Aldrin’s astronaut suit. Earlier this year in March she had a chance to see and hear Buzz Aldrin speak at Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC!
Mommy and her girls!
It didn’t take Brina long to figure out all the computer activities!
Showing Daddy what she put together on the computer!
Fascinating, this was probably Brina’s favorite rooms with all the interactive science activities, experiments, and fun information.
Gravity, force, magnets…..all kinds of fun activities to check out!
This picture cracked me up – all three Karlie, Brina, and Jake have their heads down looking at the all pictures in the displays.
Someone really liked this room!
Having fun at the Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
Karlie and Brina loved all the neat activities and displays at the Smithsonian Institute National Air and Space Museum! I was shocked at how long we spent there since the time went by so quickly. They could have spent the entire day just in this museum. Karlie was really hoping we had “extra” time in Washington, D.C. so we could go back and go through the museum again, maybe next time sweet girl!
It was educational, fascinating, and a fun place to explore for the whole family. They did a great job with this museum. Washington, D.C. is a great place to visit the only hard part is fitting in all the amazing places to visit into one trip! We packed in as much as we could in the couple days we were there, but I am sure we’ll have to go back at some point to explore some more!
Vacation & Travel: Exploring Washington, D.C. – Union Station, Capital, Washington Monument, and Vietnam Memorial
Outside Union Station in Washington, D.C. The girls first comment was, “It looks like an airport with everyone carrying their luggage around to meet the trains.”
Our family had the opportunity this summer to explore Washington, D.C. The girls were VERY EXCITED! They have studied, read, and heard various things about our capital city of Washington, D.C. so they were thrilled to finally get to go and see some of it for themselves.
We stayed in a Reston which is on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. The girls were up early the first morning ready for an adventure. We parked the van in Union Station and caught the trolley to get around town.
Originally, it was our plan to walk from monument to monument in Washington, D.C. but we found a good deal on the Old Town Trolley and decided that would be a great option especially for traveling around town with the kids. I am glad we did because it was hot and we still had a lot of walking as it was with the trolley to ride between stops. If you have kids I highly recommend riding the trolley because it helps break of the walking a little bit, gives you and the kids a chance to cool down, get a drink or snack, and rest. The trolley drivers give you information about the various sights you are going by as well so you get a little bit of extra history information while going from one place to the next too. The trolley’s went very close to every stop we were hoping to visit as well which made traveling around the town much easier for us.
The Freedom Bell outside Union Station in Washington, D.C. it says on the side of it “Proclaim Liberty Throughout….”
Watching the trains come into Union Station
Capital building! The tent out front is for the July 4th concert!
Karlie chatting about all the cool places as we ride the trolley to the next stop!
You can see the Washington Monument from many directions all over town….now they know why….because it’s so tall!
They look so small standing in front of the Washington Monument!
Resting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for a moment while they take in the sight of the reflection pool and the Washington Monument.
Getting ready to go visit the Vietnam Memorial. They are standing in front of a bronze statue called “The Three Servicemen” which is part of the Washington, DC National Mall trail and commemorates the Vietnam War.
They were shocked at all the names on the Vietnam Memorial Wall.
Reading the names….so many people and families affected by this war.
Reading through the names with Daddy.
Copying a name onto a sheet of paper with a pencil.
Each girl picked out one name to copy onto their sheet of paper.
As we were walking by the Vietnam Memorial one of the sections had these boots and jacket folded up neatly next to it. It brought tears to my eyes thinking that someone’s family member gave their life to serve in this war. What a special way to honor them by putting their or another family members boots next to their memorial. It makes me thankful for those both in my family and others who have and are serving our country even though there are great risks involved.
Travel & Vacation – Exploring Colonial Williamsburg
Our wild crew at Colonial Williamsburg in front of the Governor’s Palace!
We had a chance to explore Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia on our recent road trip up the East Coast! It was our first big stop an our road trip. After driving to the area the day before we spent the night at a local hotel and were up early the next morning with our picnic lunch packed and ready to explore the area.
Jake had to work on Friday so for the most part it was just the girls and I exploring Colonial Williamsburg. He did get to join us for a little bit over his lunch break though which was really nice. It was a lot of fun seeing so many neat historical places. The girls did the quest exploration and scavenger hunt. My phone didn’t work in all the areas so we didn’t finish all the quest activities, but we did get our prize for completing the scavenger hunt.
Last year in school the girls studied a lot of about the American Revolution, Civil War and more in Social Studies so this adventure really ties into some of the items they have been learning about in school. Colonial Williamsburg is like taking a step back into America’s past during the time of the American Revolution. There are hundreds of restored buildings, exhibits, homes, government offices, trade shops, museums and more to explore.
We’ve made it!
Hiking along the path to the next location to explore! This was a neat bridge with a stream and path running underneath it, nice and cool on a hot summer day!
Brina and Karlie outside the Governor’s Palace!
Beautiful display of pistols with the family crest in the entry way of the Governor’s Palace!
Standing in front of the fire palace with a small portion of the weapons on display in the palace. The Governor’s Palace had impressive displays of muskets, pistols, swords, curve-blade sabers and more! The hundreds of weapons visible once stepping into the house was meant to both wow and intimidate you.
More weapons displayed on the stairwell. Brina really thought they did a great job hanging the guns!
Touring the gardens at the Governor’s Palace!
Jake with his girls near the palace greens!
George Wythe House and gardens!
Exploring inside George Wythe’s house!
Wow, he was studying some really cool scientific items.
Playing the game of “Pick up Sticks”
Watching him hand-make cedar shingles for a building at Colonial Williamsburg! The fresh wood shavings smelled awesome!
Oh no! Brina and Karlie in the stocks, what did they do?!
Touring the print shop! Wow, there are some BIG books! Karlie loved it!
Brina all smiles!
Grinding up seeds of grain. This is going to take forever if we want to make some homemade bread!
Outside the capital building!
We had a blast exploring Colonial Williamsburg! The girls were ready to stay for a week and explore even more. We only had the one day at Colonial Williamsburg along our road trip, but we packed in a ton of activities into that one day. Thankfully, we started early and were able to get through a large portion of the items that the girls wanted to do. It was really neat learning what it would be like to live there during the time of the American Revolution. All the people were very friendly, helpful, and it was a great day with the kids. We were all exhausted by the time we got back into the car later that day and headed back onto the road towards our next destination.
Welcome Ranch Horse Camp
What a great week of fun and learning at Welcome Ranch! Thanks Ms. Lisa!
The girls were able to do a week of Horse Camp this summer at Welcome Ranch! They always enjoyed getting there a few minutes early to say “hi” to all the farm animals on Ms. Lisa’s farm before camp started. Both girls love horses and animals so camp is always an activity they look forward to during the summer.
Brina on the move around the ring!
Ready to ride? Karlie all smiles while Brina holds one of the cats at the ranch!
Karlie all decked out waiting for her turn to ride. Ms. Lisa always has some special surprise or something different to do each day in addition to taking care of the horses and riding lessons.
Brina leading the horse back to the barn!
Finger painting their names and designs onto Reno, who was being a good sport standing still with all the kids around him!
I didn’t get a picture of all their finger painted drawings, but I did get a shot of their names!
Happy Cow Dairy Farm
Ewww…… What’s that SMELL?!
We were able to join some friends for some fun at the Happy Cow Farm. It was fun to explore the farm together! It was really quiet while we were there with no official tours being offered that afternoon, but the employees told us that we could watch them as they take the cows into milk.
We watched the cows on the farm, ate some delicious Happy Cow ice cream, and watched them milk the cows. As were watching them milk the cows the workers invited us to come into the barn while they were milking the cows AND gave the kids a taste of fresh milk straight from the cow’s udder! Karlie was the first one brave enough to try it. Her first words were – “That was HOT MILK!” They had a blast learning about dairy cows. The workers were truly amazing with the kids and very patient when answering their questions.
Brina and Karlie at the Happy Cow Dairy Farm!
Wow, that’s some FRESH MILK dribbling down Karlie’s chin!
Brina hanging out with the cows as they wait to be milked!
Karlie enjoyed hearing all the cows names and stories about them from the workers.
We wore someone out! Everyone had a lot of fun!
Lego Mania at Roper Mountain Science Center Robotics Camp
Lego Mania Event
The girls attended Advanced Lego Robotics Camp at Roper Mountain Science Center this summer! They always love the events at Roper Mountain. The camp was packed full of learning and fun. They got to make a variety of robotic items throughout the week. Halfway through the week the kids put on a Lego Mania activity for the parents. They created a carnival with moving rides, water parks, and more fun creations!
Karlie created the only dual robotic Ferris Wheels.
Pausing for a brief moment by Brina’s Ferris Wheel – hers went faster!
Karlie made an interactive Time Machine Restaurant! That would be neat!
Brina’s Water Fun adventure, complete with a seesaw on the water!
Karlie made an “Oh No!” Waterpark – complete with slides, tubes, and more fun!
Fun at the Lake in Connecticut!
Brina hoping to catch something in the lake!
Our family was able to stop for a few hours in Connecticut this summer. Jake’s Dad lives in CT and we wanted to catch up since we were driving through on our way back home. The girls were excited to spend some time with Grandpa Tim and the rest of the crew at the lake. It was a beautiful sunny day and the lake was gorgeous. The perfect day to hang out at the lake! We had a wonderful time visiting, playing at the lake, eating delicious food, shooting off the cannon, and more! It was great getting a chance to hang out for a few hours!
Karlie was determined to catch a fish with her net. They were really fast though!
Splashing around in the lake while Grandpa Tim cools off!
Jake and Karlie went for a ride in the canoe
They did a great job out on the lake, but they got a little wet when trying to dock. I didn’t get a picture of them flipping out of the canoe when they were getting out because I was trying to help, but it did provide some good laughs watching them!
Grandpa Tim sitting up the cannon! Oh boy! Super excited to watch the cannon fire.
Grandpa Tim wanted to try out these cool shots that he got at a garage sale. At first we thought they were duds…..however, a few seconds after the initial shot there was a huge explosion and water came spraying up from the lake. I would say they were really well! Better make sure the lake is clear before firing another one!
Grandpa Tim was standing right next the cannon when he reached back to pull it back up the hill by the string a little bit, but instead set the cannon off making another big and loud explosion in front of us on the lake. He was surprised, but thankfully not hurt (other than the ringing in his ears from being so close to it when it went off). Once everyone knew Grandpa was okay everyone was laughing hysterically. The expression on Grandpa Tim’s face was priceless when he unexpectedly set off the cannon. Thankfully, everyone was okay and it is something we can laugh about now!
Karlie’s turn to shoot off the cannon! The girls loved the cannon! They haven’t set one off before so it was a lot of fun for them!
My Little Pony goodies, the perfect gift for the long road trip home! Thankful for a wonderful day with family in CT.
Target Practicing
Daddy showing Brina how to shoot the black powder gun!
Brina taking a shot at the target
Daddy showing Karlie how to shoot with black powder
Karlie taking another shot!
Robotics Activities
Working on robotics!
The girls have been part of the STEM Club at their school. They have really enjoyed learning so much through the club, including more about robotics. Since they have been learning about robotics and are really interested in learning more so Jake has been doing fun robotics projects with them at home as well. Here are a few of the projects they have been working on recently.
Brina and Karlie checking out the robotic
Daddy helping the girls put together one of the robots
This is one that Jake had from college. He pulled it out and had the girls help him get it back up and running again.
Watching the robot spin around the kitchen!
Civil War Activity – Museum & Library of Confederate History
A picnic at the park with my girls before going to the museum!
Recently I took the girls to the Museum and Library of Confederate History in a nearby town. They have been studying in school various aspects of the Civil War and I thought it would be a good field trip to help them learn a little more regarding the history they are studying in school. They had a grand time looking at all the cool items in the museum. One of the workers took the time to go from room to room with the girls and explain in more detail many of the items on display.
Brina and Karlie at the Museum & Library of Confederate History
Touring the Museum & Library of Confederate History
Checking out the cool Civil War items
This toy cannon is similar to the one Thomas Jefferson’s son had as a child. It was said that he attacked his toy soldiers with the cannon and occasionally a stray chicken.
Enjoying the museum
Karlie soaking it all in…
Brina enjoying her time at the museum exploring.
Karlie and Brina had fun learning more about the Civil War!
