Teaching our Children
Book: Dr. Seuss Beginner Book Collection
Our girls love the Dr. Seuss books! Dr. Seuss’s Beginner Book Collection is a wonderful collection of Dr. Seuss books, some of the girls favorites.
If you are looking to start or build up your Dr. Suess books this is a great collection to get you started. This collection makes a great gift as well.
Fresh & Healthy: Sharing the Garden Goodies
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
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 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!
She thought it was hilarious going through the random tunnels and would giggle when she “caught” me watching at her! So sneaky!
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!
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.
This was shortly before a wave of bubbles came my way. Brina thought it was awesome blowing dragonfly bubbles my direction!
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.
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.
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 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.
The girls thought it was very cool having the boat in the park.
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!
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.
They named each turtle and every time we go back they catch on their friends.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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!
Book: “If You Take a Mouse to School” by Laura Numeroff
In celebration of the girls being in school for a few weeks now I decided to highlight a book that is about school. The girls really enjoy Laura Numeroff’s book and one of their favorites is If You Take a Mouse to School. It is a fun and engaging book about a mouse going to school. The girls think it would be so neat to take a mouse (or any pet for that matter) to school with them. We have read this book and several other ones by Laura Numeroff many times. It is a great book for beginning readers.
Here are a few of Laura Numeroff’s popular “If You Give…” books that are a hit in our family:
Fresh & Healthy: Pears from our Neighbor
A few days ago the girls and I were walking back from the bus stop when a neighbor stopped to talk with us. She generously offered us some of her pears. A couple of the other neighbors had picked some pears and she wanted to make sure we came over and got a few as well. Her tree was producing a lot of pears this year and she didn’t want them to go to waste.
The girls begged me to pick some pears so the next day after school we went over and picked a few pears. It has been wonderful eating fresh pears for breakfast, lunches at school and snacks. We even made an awesome Strawberry Pear Smoothie for an after school treat and Pearsauce. I am thankful for our neighbors and their generosity. It is the little things in life that can make a really big difference.
Vacation & Travel: Vermont Fun & Celebrations
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!
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.
Brina all smiles after her ride on the four wheeler with Daddy. So much fun!
Karlie is pleased with herself for “helping” Daddy drive the four wheeler!
The tractor was out so the girls enjoyed riding for a few minutes with PopPop!
It’s the little stuff that make them smile. Thankful for opportunity to spend time with Nana and PopPop.
We were able to celebrate Nana’s birthday during our visit. The girls helped make and decorate the cake for the party.
It was a blessing to share Nana’s birthday with her!
Brina admiring the butterfly plates while PopPop and Karlie watch Nana cut the birthday cake.
Nana is a beautiful lady both inside and out. We love you Nana! Thanks for sharing your birthday with us.
Fun times with PopPop.
Karlie did pretty well hitting the target.
Brina thought is was a lot of fun to sh0ot and find all the empty casings.
Brina and Karlie loved picking the beautiful flowers from PopPop’s garden and along the trails.
Standing on the rocks spelling out their names with sparklers!
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!
SkyTop Orchard: $1.00 off a Bushel of Apples Coupon
If you are looking for a great fall family activity you might want to try Apple Picking!
SkyTop Orchard is now open for apple picking and is offering a coupon for $1.00 a bushel of Apples.
You can pick your own apples or buy apples they have picked in their store
What is at SkyTop Orchard:
- Pick Your Own Apples, Peaches, Pears, and Grapes (check to see what is currently in season)
- “Made While You Watch” Apple Cake Doughnuts
- Hayrides
- Pick Pumpkins, Gourds, and Fall Decorations
- Picnic Areas
- Barnyard Goats, Sheep, Chickens, Turkeys, Peacocks, Ducks and Geese
- Free Apple Cider
- Nature Trail through a Bamboo Forest
- Orchard Pond
- Bees working in their Beehive
- Apple Goods, Hot Apple Cider, Caramel Apples, Fudge Apples and More
- Honey, Jams, and Gifts
- Kids Playground
- Wooden cut-outs for pictures
- And More!
Where is SkyTop Orchard:
- Sky Top Orchard is located above Flat Rock, NC on Pinnacle Mountain Road
- When using GPS enter the address of 3403 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock, NC 28731
Book: “Space – The Ultimate Guide To The Universe”
One of our girls loves planets, space and astronauts. A family member gave her the “Space: The Ultimate Guide To The Universe” book a few years ago and it has been a huge hit! It has been carried all over the house and gone on several road trips with us. The book has pictures and information about space travel, astronomy, universe, solar system, stars and galaxies as well as posters of the universe and glow in the dark stars. It has a lot of information packed in the variety of descriptions and colorful pictures. The recommended age for the book is for 8 and up but if you have a child that loves space, astronauts, and planets then I would recommend it for them even at a younger age. You’ll have to read it to a younger child but if they enjoy space as much as Karlie does then it will be a hit, not to mention educational!
Recipe: Crockpot Pearsauce
Our neighbors were generous and gave us a bunch of delicious pears from their tree. The girls were thrilled to have pears to eat. It is amazing the variety of yummy treats you can make out of pears from sliced pears to smoothies and more.
The girls LOVE applesauce so I decided to try my hand at making Pearsauce (much like Applesauce but with pears). You can do this with fresh picked pears or ones that you buy on clearance at your local grocery store. I was thrilled at how well the recipe turn out which is perfect for lunches and as a side for meals.
Crockpot Pearsauce:
- 4 Pears
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice (or 1 fresh squeezed Lemon)
- 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Water
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks (or 1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon)
1. Wash the pears. Peel, core and cut your pears into cubes.
2. Put the pears in the crockpot. Mix the lemon juice and water together then pour over the pears. Sprinkle the top of the pears with Brown Sugar. Place the cinnamon sticks on top (or sprinkle ground cinnamon)
3. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. When the pears are soft, drain any extra liquid, mash them with a potato masher, fork, or blender.
4. Store in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator or freeze to enjoy at a later date.
I tripled the recipe to fill up the crockpot since we had quite a few pears. You can add more or less of the cinnamon based on your family’s preference. It is a pretty easy recipe. Love being able to leave it in the crockpot and come home to a wonderful smelling house.
Wash the pears
I used a potato peeler to peel the skins off the pears. It was really easy to get them off.
Quarter the pears then cut them into cube like shapes.
I filled up the crockpot with sliced fresh pears. Squeeze out the lemon juice and mix it with water then pour it over the pears in the crockpot.
Sprinkle the brown sugar over the pears and add the two sticks of cinnamon (or sprinkle ground cinnamon over pears)
Cook in a crockpot on low for 4 to 6 hours until tender then mash, blend, or mix to make into a pearsauce (or applesauce) like consistency.
You can make it smoother or chunkier based on your family’s preference. The house smelled amazing when the pearsauce was cooking. The girls had their first helping the next morning for breakfast and asked if there would be enough to eat for lunch and dinner! I am very excited it turned out so well! I divided this batch up – some to eat this weekend, froze a container full for later and filled up several small containers to stick in the girls and Jake’s lunches. A big thanks to our sweet neighbors for sharing their pears with us!
Deal Chicken: $20 worth of Educational Supplies for $10 at School Spot
Deal Chicken has a great deal in Greenville, South Carolina!
$20 worth of Educational Supplies for $10 at School Spot!
School Spot Deal Details:
- Login and purchase $20 worth of School Supplies for $10
- Redeemable in store at School Spot – 1042-A Woodruff Rd, Greenville, SC 29607, (864) 284-9305
- Store Hours: Monday-Thursday from 10 AM. to 6 PM and Friday-Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM
- Must be used in one visit.
- Not valid on tax or gratuity.
- Certificate cannot be combined or used in conjunction with any other offer, coupon or promotion, teacher discount or clearance item.
- One certificate per person per day.
- Only valid on regular-priced items.
- Expires 12/31/11
Great deal for teachers, parents of little ones, homeschool families, preschools, daycares, churches, teacher gifts, or anyone else wanting educational material in the Greenville area.