Family
Exploring Roper Mountain Science Center
Getting ready to watch the show at the Roper Mountain Science Center
The first time I took a tour of Roper Mountain Science Center was with the girls class earlier this year. It was a blast watching a space presentation, going on a nature trail, seeing the wildlife, having a picnic and more. The girls had so much fun. I always knew that Roper Mountain Science Center had some activities for the kids but until I went with the girls I had no idea how much!
Karlie entertained by the show, anything to do with space is always a hit with her!
Brina having a fun time! I got to sit next to Brina for the show.
What are they looking at? Don’t fall in the water!
Red Eared Slider Turtles (of course)! The girls were super excited to see the turtles, these are the same kind as Shipwreck and Overboard!
Beautiful flower garden and butterflies near the butterfly crossing.
The girls had a lot of fun exploring Roper Mountain Science Center and learning a lot of great stuff. Roper Mountain has since become one of the girls favorite places to visit. We try to go every month or two. It is a great learning environment if you have kids.
Who Chewed on THAT?
Skipper’s birthday “pig” is now missing a tail!
We love our Puddle Skipper, Skipper, Skippy, Skipp-A-Doo along with a lot of other nicknames we call our Black Lab. However, Skipper has a “passion” for chewing. Occasionally she gives into temptation and chews into a flipflop, the garden house, newspaper, or some other random item she is not suppose to chew on. The majority of the time she is great but like us she has a bad day every once in awhile.
When we joke about her chewing passion we often get suggestions….one of the most common is to make sure she has plenty to chew on in the yard so she is not tempted to chew on the other items. Well, this dog has more chew toys then any other dog I have seen. It is pretty common for me to walk out and see a line of toys she has recently been throwing up into the air or chewing on. We have ropes, tennis balls, birthday pig, chew bones and sticks in every color of the rainbow (red, green, white, black, orange), antlers, and a variety of other fun dog toys.
Red Chew Bone
The chewing can be a little much on some days, like when she tried to flood our house earlier this year when she chew the garden hose off the outdoor faucet while the water was on full blast and rushing down the wall of the house into the garage, however, she has a lot of amazing positive traits that far outweigh the occasionally chewing.
- Plays well with our kids, the neighbor kids, and any other kid that happens to be over
- Protects the house and property (and is even more protective when Jake is traveling
- Less door-to-door salesman and random stops, not everyone is brave enough to walk up a sidewalk with they have to pass a big black dog in the front yard or on the porch (even though she would probably lick you before bite you).
- Protective of the other pets and livestock (aka goats) in our yard
- Helps control our squirrel population
- Great friend to have hanging out with you in the yard
- And Many Other Great Positive Traits!
Just this past week I was home for a little bit prepping for dinner when Skipper started barking. I looked out to see a man walking up and down our street, I am not sure what he was doing but Skipper did not make our yard an inviting place for a stranger to walk into especially with her sitting at the edge of the driveway watching his every move.
Yes even a corncob makes an excellent chew toy!
All the other traits far outweigh the chewing. We love our puppy and enjoy having her around. She loves running around the yard, hunting squirrels, swimming in the creek and playing with the kids. She even goes up in the jungle gym with them!
Brina hanging out with her buddy Skipper!
Yes, this sweet looking and innocent Black Lab named Skipper was the one who chewed on all the toys above. Even though we find the random flipflop or torn newspaper in the yard we are thankful to have her around. She is wonderful with the kids and does a great job protecting our home.
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!
Travel & Vacation: Notes on Display
Brina and Karlie hung all their notes from me on the wall outside their door.
Earlier this year I went on a trip and left the girls several notes to read while I was away. They had a note for about every other day that I was away from home. When I came back from my trip they had all their notes hanging next to their bedroom door so they could see and read them often. Writing the little notes to the girls has been a huge help as everyone transitions during our few days apart.
Brina line of notes
Karlie’s notes hanging up on the wall
One of Karlie’s sticky notes on the wall
Brina had a line of sticky notes that I had given her up on the wall too.
It was so cute to see that they treasured all the notes that I had written to them. The wall by their door was covered in cards and sticky notes. I was actually surprised at how many there were. Thankful for the sweet girls that I have been given and I pray that they know how much they mean to me.
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Our family is getting into the school routine schedule. Jake had a little bit of traveling last week so I had to manage the house, kids, and animals on my own but everyone did great. Thankfully he is back home for quite awhile now. I had half a day last week when my phone, internet, and email decided it wasn’t going to work (which was a mixed blessing) because I was able to get some cleaning and other items tackled around the house. I did well in some areas this week but not so hot in others. Hopefully this week will be a little better because I am falling behind with some of my goals.
Last week’s goals:
Family Goals
Read to the girls and have them read to me dailyLunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night beforeDaily School Activities & Homework CompletedAttend After School ActivitiesGo to the Upper South Carolina State FairWork on items around the house & yard together on Labor Day– got the yard mowed thanks to the help of my sweet brother and some of the garage cleaned outSpend quality time together on Labor Day since everyone is off work and school
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week – didn’t happen this week
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day – one day I had back to back appointments and forgot to bring a water bottle with me
- 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) – working on it
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – had to split it up into 2 days with the Holiday weekend and spending extra time with my family
Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the weekPrep for my Fall Organizational SchedulePay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attentionGet caught up on blog items
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- Payoff the Van – working on it
- 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
- Go on a Date Night with my Handsome Man
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 blog items
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- Write and Send Out Community Group Email
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.
Book: “The Grasshopper Trap” by Patrick McManus
The girls love it when we have a few extra minutes in the evening to read to them. This past year we started reading more “chapter” books to them, however, sometimes Jake reads to them and other nights I am the one reading to them. We each picked out the book that we are currently reading to the girls. I am reading a horse book but Jake picked out The Grasshopper Trap by Patrick McManus. The nice part about Patrick McManus’s books is each chapter is a short story and they are hilarious. Many times all four of us are laughing at the silliness. It is a great way to wind down, laugh a little, and relax together after a busy day.
This book is also perfect to read on camping trips. A few of the stories the girls really enjoyed were “The Skunk Ladder”, “The Grasshopper Trap”, “The Human Fuel Pump”, and “Mean Tents”. The book we have is the older version with the red cover but the contents are still the same. If you like outdoor adventures and funny short stories this is a great book to check out.
Recipe: Hamburger Pasta Bake
Now that school is going full throttle as well as all the after school activities it has been my mission to find quick, easy, and healthy meals that I can make for my family. I have been doing a lot in crockpot lately so I decided it was time change it up a little bit and try a casserole. The challenge was that it has to be ready in a limited amount of time. By the time we get home from activities we have about 1 to 2 hours to finish homework, give the kids a bath, eat supper, do devotions, and spend a few minutes together before the kids hit the bed. The schedule is tight therefore dinner needs to be ready on time.
Hamburger Pasta Bake
- 1 pound lean Ground Beef
- 16 oz Pasta (I used Bow Tie pasta, but any will work)
- 1 can Spaghetti Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar & Mozzarella Cheese (I used a mix blend of cheese, but you could use just mozzarella)
- 1/2 cup Pepperoni – optional
- 1/2 cup Mushrooms – optional
Preheat the oven to 350. Spray 9 x 13 a pyrex casserole dish. Boil the pasta in a large pot until pasta is tender. Brown hamburger in a skillet. Drain pasta and place into casserole dish. Add the spaghetti sauce, meat, pepperoni, mushrooms, and stir. Top with shredded cheese and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Our family loved this recipe. The only thing we added to it after trying it once was the pepperoni and mushrooms for extra flavor. It tastes awesome either way just add what your family likes to eat (or have on hand) and enjoy.
Tips to help make dinner prep more efficient when you have tight evening schedule:
Ground Hamburger – cook up your ground hamburger in advance and freeze it cooked in measured out portions. My favorite way to cook it is to get a large pack of hamburger (several pounds) put it in the crockpot and heat it on low stirring occasionally to break up the meat. Once it is cooked pour the hamburger into a strainer (over a bowl) drain, and blot with a paper towel. Allow it to cool them put into baggies or containers. I typically do between 2 to 4 cups per bag which is approximately 1 to 2 pounds of hamburger. This allows you to pull the meat out prior to dinner and make your meal. Cooking the hamburger in advance eliminates a lot of time, prep, and mess.
Cook the Noodles – if I will not have time to cook the noodles right before dinner I will cook them the night before or earlier in the day so they are done and ready to go.
Assemble in Advance – when it is going to be a busy evening schedule I will often put together the entire casserole in advance and store it in the fridge until it is ready to go into the oven. If I am really prepared when I make up a batch I put one in the fridge to bake that night and do another one to stick in the freezer for a later day when we are really tight on time.
When you have an section of the day that has a really tight schedule like ours the key is to utilize the parts of the day when you can prep for dinner. If you have a few extra minutes in the morning or after the kids are in bed for the evening prep for the next day. Lay out any items that you know you will need and do what you can to make sure those tight schedule times go as smoothly as possible.
