Events
Travel & Vacation: Orange County Kabini, India
We made it to Orange County Kabini, India!
While we were in India we had the opportunity to spend some time with Jake’s cousin and his family who are currently living in Bangalore, India. The week we came to visit them was during an Indian Holiday so Matt had a few days off work and the kids didn’t have to go to school the last half of the week so we decided to make a last minute “road trip”. One of our FAVORITE adventures while in India was when we went to Orange County Kabini. Thanks Matt & Jen for showing us around India!
We took a road trip through the countryside of India you can see pictures of that adventure in my posts Traveling through MySore, India (and a Couple Small Villages) and Traveling to Orange County Kabini, India. It was an awesome place to visit, such great memories. I can see why Trip Advisor has Orange County Kabini listed as Travelers’ Choice® 2012 Winner with a 5 star rating.
As we tumbled out of our Scooby Doo van and went to check into the resort we were serenaded with music. These two musicians were at the front door playing music we each received our bindi blessing. The bindi blessing consisted of a dot placed on our foreheads made out of a red paste (wikipedia definition). What a great welcome for visitors!
Fresh flower design on the floor in the entry way. Every day they had a different floral design. It was always bright, colorful and beautiful.
Michael checking out the map of resort…….what should we do first Mikey?!
The plaque hanging next to the check-in desk. “WE WANT TO GIVE YOU AN EXPERIENCE WHICH MONEY CANNOT BUY” It was an amazing experience. If you are ever in India and have a chance to visit this place it is beautiful, the staff is awesome, the “huts” are wonderful and the food is delicious. It is a great place to relax or go on various adventures (stay tuned for a glimpse at some of the adventures in upcoming posts).
The fun crew we went to Orange County Kabini with Jen, Matt, Rachel, Michael, David, and Erica! This is right after we had our refreshing sugar cane drink brought to us by the staff. Now its time to plan our activities while at the resort.
Jake & I at Kabini!
Our hut for the next few days, it was AMAZING!
The kitchen & eating area in our hut. The ceiling was handmade out of a neat weave material.
A cute porch complete with cushy chairs to relax in after a busy day of sightseeing!
Very comfy bed…..we slept so well at Kabini!
Even our own private jacuzzi for our hut! This view is from our bedroom. The kids loved the private “pool” and were able to squeeze in a few more minutes of swim time each day! Rachel and Erica stayed in our cabin, it was fun spending some extra time hanging out with girls swapping stories and giggles.
Fresh tray of fruit on the table everyday. They also restocked our cookie bowl, drinks, chocolates and other snacks every day!
Aw……what a life it was for those days. We had a blast staying at the Orange County Kabini resort! THANKS Matt & Jen for showing us another awesome part of India. We were super excited to spend the extra time with family and create a lot of great memories along the way. Next time maybe I will remember my passport before making a 7 hour road trip! If you want to check out some more amazing adventures and get a glimpse into the culture in India check out Jen’s blog at Jenny from the Bangalore Block.
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
Last week we packed in a lot of regular as well as fun activities. As I look over my goals for last week there were a lot of items that didn’t get done or weren’t done on time. We had a family member get sick the first half of last week and that set me back a couple of days on top of all the other little things that pop up from day to day. Hopefully next week I will be able to tackle more items on my list!
Last week’s goals:
Family Goals
- Read to the girls and have them read to me daily – the girls read to me every day last week but after school, activities, homework, dinner, baths, etc…..there wasn’t enough time left for me to read to them every night last week.
Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night beforeDaily School Activities & Homework CompletedAttend After School ActivitiesPlan one special Activity with the Family– we did a bonfire at the house and went to the fairGo on a Date Night with my Handsome Man –YAY! We were able to go out and celebrate our 12th anniversary together (a little delayed since it was in July, ha). We had a blast together and the girls had fun too! 🙂
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week – had a few extra items put on my plate so didn’t get it done this week
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day – almost did it
- Finish reading Our Boys by Joe Drape – I started this one a couple years ago and never finished so starting over. It’s about the Smith Center, Kansas football team (it has been interesting reading the book so far because I know some of the people in it since my parents live near Smith Center) – only a couple chapters remaining
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – I washed & folded in one day but put it away the following day
Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week- Start tackling my Fall Organizational Schedule – getting closer
Pay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attention- Get caught up on blog items – not sure if I will ever get completely caught up
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchWrite and Send Out Community Group Email
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4 – went over this week
- Payoff the Van – working on it, sold our 200 bushels of wheat so that will help pay down the van
- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses (we are trying to build this back up because we had to take some out for unexpected expenses recently.) – working on it
My goals for the upcoming week:
Family Goals
- Read to the girls and have them read to me daily
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
- Attend After School Activities
- Plan one special Activity with the Family
- Attend Back to School Night Event
- Schedule a Meet & Greet with 1 of the girls teachers
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Finish reading Our Boys by Joe Drape – I started this one a couple years ago and never finished so starting over. It’s about the Smith Center, Kansas football team (it has been interesting reading the book so far because I know some of the people in it since my parents live near Smith Center)
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Start tackling my Fall Organizational Schedule
- Pay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Get caught up on 5 blog items
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- Write and Send Out Community Group Email
- Work out the details of our Community Group Camping Adventure
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
- Payoff the Van
- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses (we are trying to build this back up because we had to take some out for unexpected expenses recently.)
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.
Left Center Right Dice Game
Our family loves to play games! The problem now that school, homework, and all the extra activities have started we do not have a lot of free time to squeeze in long games. One great game that doesn’t take a lot of time but is still fun for the whole family to play is Left Center Right Dice Game by Koplow Games. Left Center Right is fast-paced dice game with 3 cubes, the player rolls the dice and distributes their chips based on what the dice are showing (left, right, center, or keep). The last player with chips is the winner. The game is designed for 3 or more players.
Another positive is it helps teach younger kids the difference between right and left. It is easy to play even for younger kids and is a relatively short so we can play it after dinner. Since the game is small we have taken it with us to road trips to play as well. Sometimes just taking a few minutes to play together helps everyone relax after a busy day. What quick and easy games does your family like to play?
Travel & Vacation: Traveling through MySore, India (and a Couple Small Villages)
Sometimes the only home and shelter people had was under a tarp with several other family members.
Earlier this year Jake was in India working for a few weeks and I had the opportunity of traveling over there to meet him. After his final week of work we went to spend some time with his cousin and took a road trip with them. Over the next few weeks I will sharing more snapshots of our time in India. India left a special mark on my heart. It was an amazing experience!
Sign in MySore, India showing the way to the local places – MySore Palace, Zoo, Chamundi Hills, Airport, and MySore City Corporation
Houses in a small village that we passed through, even those these are a step up from a tent shelter it still breaks my heart seeing these homes. Our driver stopped briefly to ask for directions. It was during this brief stop I realized that India has many different dialects even from town to town and even though we were only a short distance from where we were going it took awhile to find someone who knew which direction to point us.
I was really surprised at the amount of trash that littered the sides of the roads in India. Some times you would see piles of trash that with people and animals digging through it to find food, supplies, or items they could use or sell.
Fresh Pineapple anyone….only 5 rupees (approximately 9 cents in US currency). Some of the pineapples I saw were a little smaller then the ones we see in our grocery store but for 9 cents you could get quite a few for the price of one pineapple in the United States.
Can you see the bicycle underneath all the fresh coconuts?! Pretty sure he is going to push that bike because it would be impossible to ride with all the coconuts. Behind the bike you can see coconuts that he has cracked open and the shells laying on the ground. It is very fascinating to watch them break open a coconut, they basically take a huge mashedy knife and chop open the coconut. It’s hard to see with the window glare but the ground all around that area is covered with dry coconut pieces…wonder how expensive it would be to buy “coconut mulch” in the United States?
Guy carrying a mattress on his head. It amazes me the amount of stuff they carry on their heads. You would think their necks would be so stiff.
Cows walking along the side of the road. These are not your typical Kansas grass and corn fed beef cattle. In India there are not always large grassy areas for the cows to graze so it is common to see their ribs. You will often find cattle looking for small patches of grass and occasionally you will see them rummaging through the trash on the side of the road looking for food.
Families from the local village washing their laundry in the river.
After washing all the clothes in the river they lay them out to dry on the rocks.
It was fascinating to see a lot of the countryside of India. We passed through towns and small villages. There was always something interesting to see as we drove through the area. Their fresh fruit looked delicious but I am not sure how much I would like washing my clothes in the river and drying them on the rocks, the wash machine is more efficient. These pictures bring back a lot of memories. I am thankful for the opportunity to see India and already looking forward to the next visit.
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 – “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.
Recipe: Indoor S’mores
During the summer months we spend as much time as possible outside playing, mowing, picking up fallen tree branches and of course one of the favorites building a bonfire and making S’mores. Since it has been so wet and we have been traveling a lot over the last couple of months we haven’t had an opportunity to build any bonfires. The girls are determined to have one this fall. A couple weeks ago we were hanging out together as a family inside because it was raining and one of the girls mentioned eating S’mores around the fire. Instead of going out in the rain we made indoor S’mores and ate them while watching a movie together.
I have done these a variety of different ways with the S’mores maker, in the oven or toaster oven. Since we were only making a couple at a time I choose to use the toaster oven to make our indoor S’mores on this particular night. The girls love watching the marshmallows “grow” and turn dark!
Indoor S’mores:
- 1 box Grahams Crackers
- 1 bag large Marshmallows
- 1 package Hershey Chocolates
Take a whole graham cracker and break it in half. Put one half in the toaster oven (or on cookie sheet) and set aside the remaining half of graham cracker. Stack a piece of Hershey’s chocolate and a marshmallow on top of the graham cracker. Turn the oven or toaster oven on broil for 3 to 5 minutes or until the marshmallow has started to melt and turn dark. The chocolate will start to melt as well. Carefully remove the graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow out of the oven and transfer them to a platter or individual plates. Put the remaining half of the graham cracker on top and press down lightly.
Put on the top graham cracker and you’re ready to ENJOY your delicious Indoor S’mores!
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:
- I Love You Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt
- I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas
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!
First Day of School “Love Notes” for the Kids
Brina and Karlie’s first day of school love notes
Every year on the first day of school we write a “love note” to the girls. They always look forward to receiving and reading their notes. It is something simple to do on the first day of school but it helps remind them of how much we love them especially on a busy day every year.
Love notes for the girls on their breakfast bar stools
In our family we try to do as much prep work (make lunches, lay out clothes, set out plates / bowls for breakfast, vitamins) the night before. The girls know exactly where to find any breakfast notes or surprises. I have found that by having items laid out the night before the mornings go much more smoothly. The kids get a great start to each school day and it is less stressful for me.
The girls always like to read their notes on the first day of school
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
This past week the girls started school again and yes Mommy shed a few tears. I had a blast with the girls this summer, it went by too fast (my babies are growing up). They both were excited about starting school and had a great first week. I was able to go on a “big” girls weekend away trip to hear Beth Moore speak in Charleston. Thankful for the opportunity to get away with friends and be refreshed spiritually. Thank you Jake for watching the girls while I was away this weekend, your the best.
Last week’s goals:
Family Goals
Read regularly to the girls and have them read to meParticipate in at least 2 fun Summer Activities with the Kids– we squeezed in a couple more before school beganGirls Packed and Ready to Start School on TuesdayGet into the School Routine– its started but not sure if we are completely adjusted yet, ha
Personal Goals
Exercise at least 5 days this weekAttend a Beth Moore Conference with friends– great weekend trip!
Home Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one dayWeekly Dinner Menu & Schedule planned out for the week– got it planned out but had a make a couple alterations during the week- Prep for my Fall Organizational Schedule – it was a crazy busy week didn’t get it done
Pay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attention
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchPrep for upcoming Alms & Legs Meeting
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4 – went over budget as I stocked up on school lunch food
- Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses – on hold
- Car Fund – save money for another vehicle to replace the one that was totaled – we found a car! WooHoo!!!!
- College Fund – put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes – on hold temporarily
My goals for the upcoming week:
Family Goals
- Read regularly to the girls and have them read to me
- Greenville Drive Baseball Game with Family
- Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Doctor Appointments
- After School Activities
- ENT Surgery & Recovery
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week
- Finish reading Our Boys by Joe Drape – I started this one a couple years ago and never finished so starting over. It’s about the Smith Center, Kansas football team (it has been interesting reading the book so far because I know some of the people in it since my parents live near Smith Center)
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Prep for my Fall Organizational Schedule
- Pay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Get caught up on blog items
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- Write and Send Out Alms & Legs Team Meeting Notes
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
- Payoff the Van
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.
Fresh & Healthy: First Day of School Lunch Box Meals
Karlie and Brina’s lunch for the first day of school
Another school year has started…..we had a blast this summer. Their school lunch boxes are metal with a chalkboard on the inside so I can write them a message. For the first day I wrote “Happy First Day of School Brina & Karlie. We love you!” The girls pack a lunch Monday through Thursday on Friday they eat their lunch at school as a special treat. Most days the girls pack their own lunches but with the first week being so busy I got them started until they adjust to the new schedule. Each day they get a protein, fruit, vegetable, dairy, drink, and snack (sometimes I will through in an extra snack or treat if I know we have activities after school).
Karlie’s lunch box has a shiny red race car with her name on the car and tracks
Brina’s lunch box is covered in hearts and her favorite colors (orange and pink)!
Each lunch box has their design and names on both the font and back as well as the sides (see picture at bottom for the side view). The lunch boxes were a “surprise” for the girls. They were thrilled to get these to use for school. I was pleased with how they turned out too.
Ready to be packed
Lunch Goodies:
- Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza
- Berry Blast Fruit Mashups
- Peach Yogurt
- Fresh Carrots
- Cherry Fruit Twist
- Peanut Butter Crackers
- Cinnamon Teddy Grahams
- CapriSun Sunrise Juice
- Million Dollar Mint
Lunches all packed, in the fridge, and ready to go for tomorrow’s big day!
