Vacation

  • Travel & Vacation: Little Notes of Love

    Hidden I love you notes on the DVD shelf

    I love my girls to pieces…..and then a little more.  It is important to me that they know how much they are loved and treasured.  One of the ways I spread the love is by writing surprise notes for them.  When I go on a trip or at random times throughout the week I put a note someplace that they will be sure to see.  It is worth investing a little extra time each week to show my family that I am thinking about them.  Several of these notes were from a trip I took earlier this year.  Here are a few other little notes of love I have shared with my kids.  Although most of the notes are simple they have a huge positive ripple effect on my kids making it worth every second I spend doing it.

    Love note to my girls.

    This particular note is posted on the hallway wall outside their bedroom door.

    Little Love Note to Karlie on the inside of her new notebook

    Brina’s Little Love Note on her new notebook

    Just in case she forgot this was on the wall next to her bed!

    Note to Brina posted right next to her bed!

    Little Love Note written on the inside of a white box and sat on the ping pong table (with a little treat for each kid.)

    There are those days when we all could use a bear hug!  When “Mom’s” not there to give a hug a sister is a great substitute!  This sign was posted on their bedroom door.

  • FREE Hot or Cold Beverage at Pilot & Flying J Travel Centers

    Pilot Travel Centers has a coupon you can print on their Facebook Page for a Free 16 oz Hot Beverage or Free 32 oz Cold Beverage at Pilot and Flying J Centers .

    If you are traveling soon or have a Pilot or Flying J Travel Center nearby this is a great deal.  We used a couple of their coupons last month when we were traveling and plan to use some in on our upcoming trips this summer!

  • Book – “Charleston, SC: Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know” by Kate Boehm Jerome

     

    On our last trip to Charleston, South Carolina we picked up a fun book to read with the kids during our stay called  Charleston, SC: Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know by Kate Boehm Jerome.  The book is short, sweet, and entertaining.  The first section of the book is on Charleston, but the rest of the book talks about the state of South Carolina.  We enjoyed it because it highlighted one of our favorite places to visit Charleston and it gave even more details about our state.  The only drawback is if you are looking for a book only on Charleston this has parts that cover other areas of South Carolina as well.  The book is only 30 pages long but it does have some neat tidbits about Charleston and South Carolina with colorful pictures.

    Another awesome book that I highly recommend on Charleston is the Very Charleston: A Celebration of History, Culture, and Lowcountry Charm by Diana Hollingsworth Gessler.

  • Travel & Vacation: Little Gifts of Love (part 2)

    A package of candy buttons for each girl hanging up on the towel rack

    Two Cabbage Patch Kids Books

    I left two Cabbage Patch books standing up on our dresser for the kids to find.  The note says:

    Be good! 

    Have Fun!

    Obey Grandma!

    I love you so very much!

    Love,

    Mom

    Writing books for the kids

    On the computer desk I left two writing books so the girls could take the time to practice writing their letters neater.  The note read:

    Brina (or Karlie) – Work on your letters! Love you, Mommy

    Two surprise books waiting for the girls in the storage room

    In the storage room I left two books for the girls to read:

    Note reads:   Brina and Karlie, These books are to remind you that your Dad & I love you very much.  We look forward to seeing you soon. Love, Mom

    Heart and flower shaped marshmallows

    I left the girls a package of pink and white hearts and flower marshmallows.  They loved eating these delicious treats.

    A couple new books for the kids

    Note reads:  Brina Bee!  have fun and enjoy your time with Grandma! Look out for Karlie, Skipper, Shipwreck and OverBoard! – Mom  (Karlie had one as well but it fell off the book.)

    I Wonder Why Books little gifts for the girls

    Note reads:  Karlie & Brina, I saw these books and thought of you.  Hope you learn lots and do well in school!  Hugs and Kisses coming your way.  – Mom

    Left these books for the girls.  They love them and enjoy learning about various facts.  Books are one of the girls favorite goodies!

     

  • Book: “Very Charleston” by Diana Hollingsworth Gessler

    Our family loves traveling together and whenever Jake goes to Charleston for work we try to tag along (works better when schools out).  We have a lot of great memories in Charleston, South Carolina.  Over a year ago we got the book Very Charleston: A Celebration of History, Culture, and Lowcountry Charm by Diana Hollingsworth Gessler.   This book has been a huge hit especially with the kids.  It is packed full of great information about Charleston.  The illustrations are detailed in beautiful watercolors.

    • Historical facts – Civil War, Citadel, Slavery, Crafts and more
    • Places of Interest – Forts, Beaches, Churches, Museums, Plantations, Shopping and more
    • Popular Local Festivals
    • Interesting People from Charleston
    • Famous Places to Eat & Traditional Charleston Recipes
    • PACKED full of great tidbits of information about the Charleston area

    This is an excellent book if you are planning on traveling (or moving) to Charleston.  It’s enjoyable to read and you’ll learn pieces of history too.  Every time we go to Charleston we bring this book along to read together.   Our kids LOVE it!

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    Last week we went with Jake to Charleston.  It was great spending time together!  The girls had a blast in Charleston….it was their last week before school starts again.  Thankful for a great summer with our girls.

    Last week’s goals:

    Family Goals

    1. Read regularly to the girls and have them read to me
    2. Participate in at least 2 fun Summer Activities with the Kids
    3. Spend time with family before the kids go back to school – went to Charleston with the family
    4. Get the girls items packed for school
    5. Go to the pool / beach – went to the pool, park, and beach
    6. Doctor Appointments complete before school starts – had a lot of appointments (teeth, eyes, ears, etc…)

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week – went to the pool, park and beach this week!

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu & Schedule planned out for the week – didn’t get it done with all the traveling this week
    3. Prep for my Fall Organizational Schedule – wasn’t able to get it done
    4. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses – temporary on hold
    3. Car Fund – save money for another vehicle to replace the one that was totaled – working on it
    4. College Fund – put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes – on hold momentarily

     

    My goals for the upcoming week:

    Family Goals

    1. Read regularly to the girls and have them read to me
    2. Participate in at least 2 fun Summer Activities with the Kids
    3. Girls Packed and Ready to Start School on Tuesday
    4. Get into the School Routine

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week
    2. Attend a Beth Moore Conference with friends

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu & Schedule planned out for the week
    3. Prep for my Fall Organizational Schedule
    4. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Prep for upcoming Alms & Legs Meeting

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses
    3. Car Fund – save money for another vehicle to replace the one that was totaled
    4. College Fund – put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

    Why Share My Goals?

    • To keep me accountable
    • To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
    • To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
    • Create healthy habits in my life
    • To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn

    How did you do this week on your goals?  Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.

    The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    We were blessed with the opportunity to spend a long weekend away with the St Clair side of the family.  All my extended family was able to make it out this year and it had been awhile since all of us were together for a weekend.  It was great catching up with everyone.  Thankful for the amazing blessing of having a family that gets together to relax and enjoy each others company.

    Last week’s goals:

    Family Goals

    1. Attend Family Reunion
    2. Read regularly to the girls and have them read to me
    3. Participate in at least 2 fun Summer Activities with the Kids
    4. Plan out the Girls “Swim Into Reading” Summer Reading Goal (total 2,000 Reading minutes) Grand Prize for Completion – have a plan that I need to execute once we get settled back in at home from our travels
    5. Spend time with extended family
    6. Narrow down what type of vehicle we want to get

    Personal Goals

    1. Spend extra time helping and making memories with my extended family

    Home Management Goals

    1. Put mail on hold for when we are away
    2. Line up someone to come by and check on the house / pets while we are away

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work on projects with the family business

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses – temporarily on hold
    3. Car Fund – save money for another vehicle to replace the one that was totaled – currently looking at cars and praying the perfect one comes along
    4. College Fund – put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes – temporarily on hold

     

    My goals for the upcoming week:

    Family Goals

    1. Read regularly to the girls and have them read to me
    2. Participate in at least 2 fun Summer Activities with the Kids
    3. Plan out the Girls “Swim Into Reading” Summer Reading Goal (total 2,000 Reading minutes) Grand Prize for Completion
    4. Spend time with extended family

    Personal Goals

    1. Spend extra time helping and making memories with my extended family

    Home Management Goals

    1. Check in with the person coming by and check on the house / pets while we are away

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work on projects with the family business

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses
    3. Car Fund – save money for another vehicle to replace the one that was totaled
    4. College Fund – put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

    Why Share My Goals?

    • To keep me accountable
    • To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
    • To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
    • Create healthy habits in my life
    • To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn

    How did you do this week on your goals?  Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.

    The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.

  • Travel & Vacation: Road Trip Snack Bins

    Brina and Karlie’s Road Trip Snack Bins loaded and ready to go!

    Our family loves traveling and going on  road trips together.  Road trips have always been one of the exciting adventures our girls look forward to every summer.  It is pretty common for us to pack up the suitcases, snacks, and hit the road with the entire family.  We have done several 40 plus hour road trips with the kids and they still look forward to them. We try to make the road trips a fun adventure for them.  No we don’t take them to fancy restaurants, hotels, or amusement parks along the way…..we do this without adding a bunch of extra costs to our family.  We pack picnic lunch / dinner so we can eat on the road.  We bring along snacks, books, games, audio books, little goodies and more.  We used to pack a basket full of snack items for the girls but it never failed that the basket was always out of reach for someone so that’s when we came up with the road trip travel bins for the girls.

    Delicious treats ready to be eaten on our upcoming eighteen hour road trip.

    The kids have LOVED having their individual containers of snacks that they can eat as we drive.  The containers are smaller and snap shut so they can be stored right beside the girls seats in the car so they can always reach them.  Each kid gets their own snacks and they can choose what to eat first, second, and so forth.  The girls enjoy having the nuts with the shells to peel off and the majority of the time those are the first items they munch on.  It is hilarious hearing them in the backseat cracking open a peanut!   We try to give them a mix of sweet and salty items, nothing in the bins need refrigeration.  Our kids don’t eat all of these items on a daily basis but when you are doing a 5, 10, 20 or 40 hour road trip it’s important to keep everyone in good spirits and this is an easy way to help.

    Items that we packed for this road trip:

    • Homemade Apple Chips
    • Snoopy Fruit Gummies
    • Chocolate Covered Cherries
    • Foot Long Fruit
    • Pack of Oreos
    • Mixed Berry Granola Bar
    • Cheese & Dipping Sticks
    • Twizzler Stick
    • Fruit Punch Powdered Drink Mix Package
    • Mint Chocolate Swirl Marshmallows
    • Pink Frosted Animal Crackers
    • Pink & White Heart Shaped Marshmallows
    • Chocolate Covered Raisins
    • Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
    • Multiple Flavored and Colored Miniature Marshmallows
    • Sweetarts
    • Box of Nerds
    • Rice Crisps with Chocolate Drizzled
    • Dried Fruit
    • Raspberry Chocolate Covered Pretzels
    • Whole Shelled Peanuts
    • Dried Cranberries
    • White & Pink Flowered Marshmallows
    • Pecans

    It is a lot of fun finding a variety of items to fill the Road Trip Snack Bins.  We fill it after the girls are in bed and stick them on their car seats to find when they get into the van and buckle in for the trip.  It is a special treat and gives us a positive start to the road trip too.

    Brina and Karlie’s snack containers ready to be put into the car!

    When we travel we typically stop only for gas and potty breaks.  We have most of the food, drinks, and snacks we need to eat in the car.  Occasionally, we’ll use a coupon to get a free drink when we fill up with gas but otherwise we try to keep the costs to a minimum which make road trips more affordable and doable.  The girls get to watch DVD’s, listen to audio books and we play games as a special treat.  The trip must be longer than 5 hours for us to get out the DVDs!  Here’s a little more information about the Road Trip Snack Bins and what to pack.

    We picked up the containers at Walmart for a couple of dollars.  The stickers were at Hobby Lobby in the scrapbook section and we used a 40% coupon.  We have used these Road Trip Snack Bins for several road trips with our girls and they have held up well.  Once the trip is over and they have finished eating the items in the bins all you have to do is wash them and store until the next family adventure.  It is a blessing to be able to travel with our family.  We have created many amazing family memories on the road together.

  • Travel & Vacation: We Made it to Bangalore! (part 2)

    A little critter on their porch…..thankfully the little lizard is on the outside of the house!  One of them did make it into our room but thankfully Jake and the kids were able to catch it quickly.

    A little critter on their porch…..thankfully the little lizard is on the outside of the house (at the moment)!

    Fresh watermelon stand, you can buy a whole watermelon or a slice from the box.

    Burning the fields and underbrush, you see this often in India!  You will often see a pile trash burning on the side of the road or paths.

    A village near Bangalore

    Monkeys on the side of the road!

    A lady walking on the side of the road carrying a pile of sticks on her head.  A common sight in India!

    Two ladies carrying potted flowers on their head.

    PVP Indus Day 2011 – 2012…..Respect, Love, Discipline, Empathy.  The kids school put together an amazing presentation.  It was really neat to watch all the performances that the kids had worked so hard on over the past couple of months.

    Rachel dressed as the wind!

    Erica all pretty in her beautiful costume!

    David up on stage

    Mike up on stage as a panda bear….his class did Noah’s ark!

    Rachel on stage as the wind!

    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!

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    The girls are excited about getting to go to Grandpa and Grandma’s VBS program.  We are all looking forward to spending some time with family this week at the family reunion.

    Last week’s goals:

    Family Goals

    1. Read regularly to the girls and have them read to me
    2. Participate in at least 2 fun Summer Activities with the Kids
    3. Get to the Final Goal Mark (2000 minutes) on the Girls “Swim Into Reading” Summer Reading Goal (total 2,000 Reading minutes)
    4. Spend time with extended family
    5. Narrow down what type of vehicle we want to get – still working on it

    Personal Goals

    1. Spend extra time helping and making memories with my extended family

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Work on My Summer Organizational Schedule – didn’t get much done with all the travel last week
    3. Pack for upcoming family reunion
    4. Pay all upcoming bills
    5. Clean house prior to traveling

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work on projects with the family business

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses – will work on it more once the car is purchased
    3. Car Fund – save money for another vehicle to replace the one that was totaled – still saving for a new vehicle
    4. College Fund – put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes – on hold temporarily until we purchase a new car

     

    My goals for the upcoming week:

    Family Goals

    1. Attend Family Reunion
    2. Read regularly to the girls and have them read to me
    3. Participate in at least 2 fun Summer Activities with the Kids
    4. Plan out the Girls “Swim Into Reading” Summer Reading Goal (total 2,000 Reading minutes) Grand Prize for Completion
    5. Spend time with extended family
    6. Narrow down what type of vehicle we want to get

    Personal Goals

    1. Spend extra time helping and making memories with my extended family

    Home Management Goals

    1. Put mail on hold for when we are away
    2. Line up someone to come by and check on the house / pets while we are away

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work on projects with the family business

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses
    3. Car Fund – save money for another vehicle to replace the one that was totaled
    4. College Fund – put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

    Why Share My Goals?

    • To keep me accountable
    • To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
    • To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
    • Create healthy habits in my life
    • To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn

    How did you do this week on your goals?  Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.

    The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.