• Kids in the Kitchen

    Karlie’s so proud of her “heart” shape plum

    The girls love hanging out with us in the kitchen.  They pack their own lunches for school (almost everyday) plus they like to pitch in with making dinner many nights too.  Learning to use a knife to cut fruit, vegetables, and other items was an interesting process, but they have done really well and are getting better.  While they are cutting produce and we are making dinner we enjoy a few minutes of chit-chat and catching up from that days events.

    Brina cutting up her peach

  • Roper Mountain Science Center

    Holding a snake

    The girls always love going to Roper Mountain Science Center.  They have second Saturday themed events that are fun for the whole family with a lot of educational information.  The animals are always a great hit with our kids.  For more information about Roper Mountain Science Center, the upcoming second Saturday events, or activities please check out Roper Mountain Science Center’s website.

    What do you think she is holding?  If you guessed baby mouse you are correct!

    So soft!  Chinchilla!

    Karlie trying to play one of the games

    Brina and Karlie having fun!

  • These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder

    I finished reading These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls recently.  They have really enjoyed reading this series together; These Happy Golden Years is the eighth book in the series.  The only thing they are disappointed about is that we only have one book left and it is a short one.

    In this book Laura Ingalls gets her first teaching job, at the age of fifteen, in a school twelve miles away from home.  Since it is winter time she will not be able to live at home while she is teaching.  She wants to work to help pay for her sister Mary’s tuition at the college for the blind, but the place she is boarding while teaching is unpleasant and she is very homesick.  The time spent in another family’s home makes Laura appreciate her Pa, Ma, and sisters even more.  Laura begins to look forward to hearing Almanzo Wilder’s sleigh bells ringing as he arrives to pick her up from school on Fridays and take her home so she can spend time with her family.  While Laura was not teaching she was spending time with family and friends, studying, taking singing lessons, and going for rides in Almanzo’s new buggy.  It is in this book Laura’s friendship with Almanzo blossoms into love.

    I am so excited that the girls have loved this series as much as I did as a kid.  It has been a lot of fun reading through these books (and others) with them.  They look forward everyday to reading the next chapter.  Thankful for some time to spend enjoying the simple things in life with my girls.

  • Greenville Drive Baseball Game & Fireworks

    Greenville Drive Baseball Game

    The other night as we were talking about summer the girls brought up the Greenville Drive and how much fun they had going to the games.  There is just something about watching a game in person that makes it extra fun.  It’s a great family summer activity too. Plus, if you time it right on certain nights they do fireworks (that is always a big highlight for our kids)! 🙂

    We try to go to at least once (maybe more) to a Greenville Drive Baseball game each summer.    Also, the past two summers the girls have earned rewards for doing the summer reading program through the local library which includes free tickets to a Greenville Drive game.  Way to go girls!

    As I was thinking about our conversation I came across some pictures of our last Greenville Drive Game and thought it was a good time to share.  If your starting to think about summer break and planning some fun activities for your kids you should check into your local sports teams!  For those of you who live near Greenville, SC you can check out the Greenville Drive’s 2013 Schedule online.

    Brina and Karlie pausing for a brief moment from watching the game so I could snap a picture.

    Fireworks after the Greenville Drive game are always a hit!

  • CONGRATULATIONS to Our Hobby Lobby Gift Card Winner!

    The name has been drawn for the giveaway!

    CONGRATULATIONS to

    Tracy

    for winning a

    Hobby Lobby Gift Card!

    Thanks for making a comment in honor of our Giveaway!

    An email has been sent to you with more information*

    Enjoy your next trip to Target!

    Don’t forget to enter our next Giveaway (the next giveaway will be announced later this morning)!

    *Giveaway must be claimed within 5 business days of the prize being announced.  Failure to claim the prize within the allotted time frame means you forfeit the prize.  The actual gift card may or may not be identical to the one pictured above.

  • The Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry

    Heading to the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry

    While we were in Charleston over Spring Break we made a trip to the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry.  We haven’t been there before so the girls were very excited.  We headed out first thing Wednesday morning to downtown Charleston so we could be there when it opened to go exploring. The girls had a blast playing in all the rooms from being creative in the art room to checking out all the nooks and crannies in the castle, splashing around in the water wise room, experimenting with golf balls using Newton’s Laws, steering the pirate ship, shopping for groceries, and all the neat games outside too.

    We had only been there for a little while and McCown Bridges came to welcome us as well as let us know about the upcoming events.   If you are in the Charleston area and want a fun place to take the kids you should check out the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry!  Here are some of the highlights of our trip to the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry.

    Karlie having fun exploring the castle room!

    Brina and Karlie having fun

    Brina and Karlie at the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry

    What things happen in Spring?

    Walking the plank

    Brina steering the pirate ship

    Our little Karlie pirate!

    One of Karlie’s paintings. Both girls loved hanging out and doing several crafts & paintings in the art room

    Brina really liked the art room and the colored rice

  • Travel & Vacation: Nighttime Fun at Walt Disney World

    Still going strong!

    The girls were still going strong after a full day at Disney!  We had just watched the Electrical Parade & Firework Show and the girls still wanted to do some more.  So we decided to keep on going and we ended up staying until midnight when the park closed!  They had a blast, but crashed immediately after they got into the van.  For more posts about our Disney adventure you can go to Walt Disney World or Rides & Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade or Walt Disney World (part 2) or Disney’s Electrical Parade & Firework Show posts.

    Karlie riding the train, it was a quieter ride after going on Space Mountain

    Brina going for another ride on the train

    Someone’s having fun!

    Pull harder!

    Hanging out in Eeyore’s house

    One more ride on the carousel, this time at night!

  • Travel & Vacation: Disney’s Electrical Parade & Firework Show

    Disney’s Electrical Parade

    Another one of the highlights at Disney was their electrical light parade and the firework show.  The girls LOVED it (so neat)!  I can see why so many people stay for this event!  Thankful for a chance to spend the day at Disney with family and friends.  For more posts about our Disney adventure you can go to Walt Disney World or Rides & Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade or Walt Disney World (part 2) posts.

    Watching the Disney’s Electrical Parade, super cool!

    Fireworks at Disney

    Amazing fireworks over the castle

    Beautiful fireworks

    The castle changed colors throughout the firework show

    Watching fireworks at Disney

    The firework show at Disney is awesome!

     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: Walt Disney World (Orlando, FL – Part 2)

    Enjoying a funny show at Disney

    We had a blast taking the girls to Walt Disney World for the first time.  Thankful for a great time with both family and friends.  There were a lot of fun rides and shows as well as a walk through the Swiss Family Robinson tree house which we finished reading to the girls awhile ago.  You can read more about our trip in the Walt Disney World or Rides & Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade posts.

    Getting a lift to the next activity

    Riding the big carousel

    Karlie checking everything out and loving it!

    Exploring the Swiss Family Robinson tree house

    All the kids checking out the cool items in the Swiss Family Robinson tree house.

    Daddy & Karlie in a Honeypot

    Awesome family behind us in their honeypot!

    Having fun at Disney

     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: Walt Disney World (Orlando, FL)

    We made it to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida

    A few months ago we had the opportunity to go visit friends in Winter Park, Florida.  While we were there we took a day and explored Walt Disney World – Where Dreams Come True.  The girls were so excited!  Jake and I still have passes leftover from our honeymoon (which was my first time to see Disney World) so we only had to get tickets for the girls.  It was so neat taking the kids and seeing their reactions to all the amazing rides and adventures at Disney World.  We arrived right about opening time and stayed until they closed the park at midnight.  It was a full day packed full of great activities and amazing memories!

    Three girls watching all the people in front of us get onto the Frontier log ride

    My seat buddy Karlie is loving the ride.  Smiling the whole time but not taking her eyes off all the stuff around her.

    Brina mesmerized by all the stuff to look at.  Was the wolf scary B?!  Good thing she has Daddy to protect her!

    Karlie found a small purple flower that had dropped off a tree and gave it to me.  Sweet girl!

    Our family at Disney World

    Ready for the next adventure, this time we need our 3D glasses!

    Daddy and the girls in front of the Disney Castle.  It was bright, hot, and crowded, but we managed to snap a quick picture!!