Travel & Vacation
Travel & Vacation: Sledding in Vermont
Brina got some air on that ride down!
The girls were excited to make up a trip North to Vermont this winter. They have been waiting to go sledding all winter and with us being in South Carolina we haven’t had any good sledding weather. The girls spent hours outside over the long weekend playing in the snow and sledding. We found some great places to go sledding!
Karlie kicking up some extra snow on her trip down the hill
Brina is ready for sledding
Karlie had some interesting stops on the sled
Going for a sled ride, the girls are really excited! Oh my, I think Karlie is getting ready to throw a snow ball right at me.
Here comes Brina! Look Out!
Here comes Karlie!
Travel & Vacation: Heading Up North
Brina hanging out at the airport
Our family had the opportunity to fly up to Vermont recently to visit Jake’s Mom and grandparents. The girls were very excited to spend some time with family and to have some fun time in the snow. They did great at the airport despite the delays. Thankful for kids who travel really well (and who can sleep pretty much anywhere, even in a busy airport).
Karlie and Brina watching the planes coming and going. Our first flight was on time, we actually arrived at Washington Dulles early.
Delays at the airport so the kids are starting to crash, at least they are getting some rest
Karlie snoozing in the airport
Brina crashed in the airport
Waiting in the Burlington airport for Daddy to get the rental car
Driving in a snow storm
Road trip…
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!
Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry (Two for One Admission Coupon)
Our family loves Charleston, South Carolina and we especially enjoy all the amazing family activities in the area. Whether you live in the Charleston area or love to visit it one neat place explore with the kids is the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry.
Nine interactive exhibits, including a two-story Medieval Castle, a pirate ship and a dedicated Art Room, allow your children to explore the arts, sciences and humanities through their own hands-on experiences. Weekly classes expose children to the arts, movement and foreign languages.
Regular admission: $10 per person over 12 months old, $8 for SC Residents, free for children under 12 months old. The Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry and US Family Guide are giving my Readers Receive Two For One Admission to the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry with this exclusive coupon!
A special thanks to U.S. Family Guide and Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry for offering a special discount to my readers. Any specific product information was provided by Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry and U.S. Family Guide, however, the opinions expressed in this post are our own.
Travel & Vacation: Leaving on a Jet Plane
Leaving on a Jet Plane! Jake took this picture of an airplane flying over the ship earlier that day
We spent most of Saturday morning on the boat enjoying breakfast, walking around, and reminiscing before heading to the Fort Lauderdale airport. Our flights didn’t leave until later that afternoon so we had plenty of time to get to the airport, relax, and have some fun before parting ways and getting onto the planes. Half of us were heading back to South Carolina and the other half were going to Kansas. We ate snacks, read books, played games, slept, and were entertained by the wildlife that came to eat the crumbs the kids dropped on the floor. Probably the most entertaining game we played was Bean Boozled, we had some good laughs with that one (a couple times we even had the couple sitting next to us laughing).
Nicko enjoying his candy bracelet from Brina Bee!
Nicko enjoying his candy bracelet from Brina Bee!
Zach could sleep anywhere….here he is sleeping soundly on Grandma Penny’s lap at the airport
Reading books in the airport
Another form of airport entertainment in Fort Lauderdale, watching the pigeons come in and pick up the crumbs that the kids dropped on the floor. This one was right next to my foot! The birds came several times within inches from us. The kids would eventually get so excited watching them that they would scare the birds away but in a few minutes they would come back again. Although it was kind of gross the kids were entertained and fascinated by the birds (they kept wanting to feed the birds more).
This guy was right next to Amber’s boot and backpack. He wasn’t very scared of us, he was more interested in getting the crumbs off the floor.
Travel & Vacation: One Last Trip Around the Ship (Part 2)
One last walk on the track around the ship – Daddy and Brina
Since we had a little extra time after breakfast we decided to go for a walk around the ship one more time to soak in all the memories and the girls wanted to take a few extra pictures. We were one of the last few people off the boat (we weren’t in a rush anyway because our flights didn’t leave until the afternoon) so we didn’t see a lot of people mostly just workers cleaning and prepping for the next crowd to come aboard later that day.
Another view of the kids pool area. This one has a better picture of the “circle” pool that the kids enjoyed. It looks like its currently being cleaned.
Brina walking on the track of the open deck
Brina soaking it all in one last time!
Karlie loved cruising!
Travel & Vacation: One Last Trip Around the Ship
Karlie and Brina hanging out by the dolphin
On the last day after eating breakfast our family took one more trip around the ship to soak in all the memories before getting off the boat and heading to the airport. We had a great time on our cruise with the kids. It was hard to believe Saturday was here and it was time to start heading home again. So many memories were made during this fun week. Thankful for a great time with our family.
Last stop by the Adventure Ocean club before heading to the airport. Karlie’s giggling at Brina displaying the sign for the picture.
Karlie snapping a picture
Karlie is mesmerized by the view
Brina shivering while Karlie takes another picture
Travel & Vacation: Last Day at Sea
The entrance of Windjammer always had cool food carvings. Usually there were too many people or we were trying to meet up with people so I didn’t stop to take many pictures. The girls insisted that I take one of the motorcycle!
It was nice to have the last full day on the cruise at sea. Since we had to have all our suitcases packed and out in the hall after dinner we just squeezed in some packing time around all the fun activities that we wanted to do for the day. We got to do some of the activities we hadn’t been able to do earlier in the cruise like rock climbing and ice skating.
Nicko wanted to go to the Fisher Price Little People movie so Lee, Nicko, Grandpa Russell, Grandma Penny, Jake, Brina, Karlie and I went to the movie. You can’t see the girls because they sat near the front and I was in the back row behind Nicko. It was cute and the kids really liked it.
Looking out over the Royal Promenade through the glass elevator during the day
Curtain at the evening show on Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas
The musicians on stage
Comedian riding a unicycle with a 6 year old kid (from the crowd) on his shoulders
Singers and dancers at the Farewell Show. How do they dance so well in 3 plus inch heels?!
Farewell Song from a group of staff members. They had servers, room attendents, musicians, and more!
Brina and Karlie swinging for the last time. At the end of the Farewell Show Karlie burst into tears, she was so sad the fun week had ended. She said it went by too fast and she had such a great time she wanted to keep on cruising. She decided she wasn’t ready to go back to school or chores. Poor kiddos, it’s always hard when a fun vacation comes to a close. Thankful for the opportunity and all the fun memories we created throughout the week.
Looking down on the Royal Promenade at night through the glass elevator one last time. The girls love all the lights on Main Street at night!
Karlie holding back tears while Brina is ready to get moving again as they walk over the glass bridge and down the Royal Promenade one last time!
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: Rock Climbing on Independence of the Seas
Lee made it to the top and rang the bell! WooHoo! He made it look so easy and went up several times that morning!
The final full day on the boat we spent at sea. We had a lot of fun climbing the rock wall, going to a movie with Nicko, ice skating, swimming, going to the show, and so much more. The only thing that we did that wasn’t exciting was pack our luggage because we were heading home the next day. I didn’t get any ice skating pictures because we were not allowed to take the cameras on the ice.
Nathan made it to the top! Yay Nathan!
The girls were proud of Grandpa Russell for ringing the bell too. Way to Go Grandpa!
Karlie ready to go rock climbing wall
Brina was content watching all the family members climb the rock wall.
Brandon, Amber, and Nathan ready to go rock climbing
Brandon heading up the rock wall
Amber heading up the rock climbing wall
Lee and Amber both climbing up the rock wall
Grandpa Russell watching the rock climbers. Brina giggling at Mommy, I had just spilled one of the drinks because the cap wasn’t screwed on all the way (Brina thought it was pretty funny)!
Karlie listening to the instructions from the worker before doing the climbing wall
Karlie heading up the rock climbing wall
Brina all smiles peeking out at me from the basketball court. Is it windy B?
Karlie going up the rock climbing wall. She didn’t make it to the very top but she did get a good ways up and tried it twice.
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: Cruising with the Family
Snapping a picture of Jake from across the table
After a fun full day at Labadee, Haiti swimming in the Aqua Park, zipping down the giant water slide, and time at the beach while some people went parasailing. We enjoyed some evening activities on the boat after our great day at Haiti. That night the girls ate lobster, tiger shrimp and steak for dinner. They had a grand time hanging out with the entire family.
Karlie was so happy! She got her own lobster tail (and she eat it all)! 🙂
One kiddo down during dinner….it’s been a busy day!
Singing “Happy Birthday” to Amber! Happy Birthday Amber!
Singing “Happy Birthday” to Josh! Happy Birthday Josh! Amber and Josh got an awesome piece of cheesecake in celebration of their birthday.
Family at evening dinner
Zach and Nicko hanging out at the table
Leo all smiles
Karlie Kool Kat
Hanging out with my sweet nephew!
Do you see the girls in this picture? They are on up a floor higher than us.
Travel & Vacation: Spending Time with Our Family
Someone’s looking pretty chipper first thing in the morning. Karlie loved that her bunk bed was above ours so she would lean over when she woke up to see if we were awake yet. Most days she was up at 6 am and ready to go!
We most of the day in Jamaica but later that afternoon and evening we had fun on the boat. It was a more relaxing day, we played cards by the pool while the kids swam, talked, walked around, did activities, and went to the Love & Marriage show after the kids were in bed for the night.
Relaxing and playing cards with Josh, Dad, Mom, Lee, and Jake on the pool deck while the kids were swimming. The girls realized we were by the “Sprinkles” ice cream machine playing cards and stopped swimming long enough to have an ice cream cone.
Karlie on a mission!
Brina pushing Nicko in the stroller down the hallway
A guy from the table next to us brought over glow sticks for the kids. Nicko loved his!
Sweet Karlie girl
Brina enjoying her dessert
Eeek! There’s a bat in our room! The girls reassured me that it was okay because the bat was really just a folded towel. They thought it was pretty cool!
The Royal Promenade was all lit up at night. It looked beautiful. This is one end of it. It had stores and restaurants on the main level and room balconies overlooking too. They head a couple different dances, parades, and various activities at night in this area too.
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!
