Travel & Vacation: Look Out the Car Window (Charleston, SC)
Through the leaves in the blue sky and you’ll see a plane coming into Charleston
Whether you are flying into Charleston, SC or driving there is always plenty to see. Our family always sees something new or different every time we go to Charleston. There are a lot of learning and teaching opportunities if you just look out your car window while going down the roads. Sometimes we take the little stuff for granted. When the kids see something they will often ask about it.
I did not grow up near the ocean or port so I learned about more of these things later in life. The first time I saw the ocean was when I got engaged to my sweetheart. Yes, that’s what happens when you grow up in Kansas (the middle of the 48 states) and about as far away from the ocean as you can get.
Some really nice private boats are docked in one of the inlets nearby
We usually see this factory when driving to and from Charleston. You can tell when they are doing certain things because there will be a faint “wet paper” odor in the air. Usually that smell will be coming from KapStone Kraft Paper Corporation in North Charleston. It’s not a bad smell just unique which peaks the curiosity of the kids riding in the car with you.
The kids are always on the lookout for the cargo containers being moved around. If you time it just right you can see the huge crane picking up cargo containers and loading (or unloading) them from the ships. They think it is neat to watch.
One of the cargo ships coming as we cross over the bridge.
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!
Flashback Friday: Happy July 4th
Happy Independence Day from Brina and Karlie!!!
Today we are flashing back to July 4, 2005. It was the girls first July 4th Independence Day celebration! My Aunt gave the girls these adorable dresses to wear for the celebration.
We spent the first part of the day as usual. Getting everybody up, fed, changed, and some play time. That evening we went over to a friends house to play games and celebrate. They were good sports and happy babies the whole evening.
Brina, Riley, and Karlie all coordinated for the July 4th Holiday!
So many reasons to celebrate this July 4th!
Organized Chaos: Kids Crafts & Activities
Kids crafts
Our kids love doing a variety of crafts and fun activities. Anything from artwork to bead work to pottery and so much more! A lot of times for their birthdays or Christmas they will get some neat crafts and activities gifts to do.
We wanted to find a convenient place to store them until they had time to do the craft. Originally, we had all the craft items stored together in one general location, but not in their room(s). As the girls got older we had to start putting names on the boxes or items so each one knew which ones were theirs when they went looking for a craft to do. Since they are twins it is important as parents to make sure that each child has some items that are specifically for them. We felt like this was something easy to do regarding their crafts and it has worked out well for our family.
Once the kids moved into their own rooms we decided to put their individual crafts on one of their higher shelves in their closets. Each kid has their own individual craft or activity shelf so they can pick out their specific item whenever they want to do a craft. Some of the crafts on their shelves are the same while some are completely different. They can easily get a chair or step stool when they want to pick out a craft to do, but with the crafts being on a higher shelf it isn’t as accessible so when we have younger kids visiting the crafts stay in place and don’t get all spread out.
Crafts lined up, visible, and ready to be used.
Flashback Friday: First Summer
Brina completely folded in half and sleeping
This flashback Friday bounces us back to June 2005. The girls first summer! They were continuing to grow. It was amazing to see them start to learn more and change. They still could go to sleep in the most unusual (and what looked like uncomfortable) positions. Their smiles and little giggles made our days so much brighter. They put up with our silliness as parents and we had a lot of fun learning together.
We were home for the majority of the month of June. At their regular Doctors appointment they were growing and looking healthy, however, on Brina’s apnea monitor her heart rate was showing unusually high numbers so we had to go into a specialists office to get her hooked up to an EKG. We also had to bring her home on a portable EKG for a couple days to see if there were any complications. Thankfully she was fine, she just has a faster heartbeat than other kids at her age.
Karlie was our thumb sucker. She is enjoying her thumb as she falls asleep.
Snuggle bugs
Looks like mischief!
Karlie giggling as she attacks Tigger!
Karlie fast asleep with a decorative gift bow on her forehead…..she has no idea!
Love seeing those pudgy cheeks!
Brina having the EKG test done. She is not very happy with us right now.
Back home with all the EKG wires attached to her. She was more content once we were back home and didn’t seem to mind the extra wires until we pulled them off 2 days later and she had a bunch of red spots all over her belly.
Hanging out!
Silly ducks….Brina – “What are you guys looking at?” while Karlie snoozes away completely unaware of the duck on her head.
Karlie tolerated our silliness. As long as she was fed, changed, and got to play she was a happy baby.
Look at that cute milk belly! Such a huge change since her surgery the month before when she couldn’t keep anything down. Thankful for the doctors and a healthy baby.
Brina is excited about picking out gifts in the Cheaper Than Dirt Catalog…..makes Daddy so proud!
Brina showing off her fancy “pant” hat. She is not very impressed.
Karlie is not overly excited by her hat either. She is ready for her nap!
Happy Brina Bee!
Flashback Friday: First Father’s Day Celebration
Brina and Karlie laying in their on a sheet in the shape of a heart. Happy Father’s Day Dad!
Today we are flashing back to about 10 years ago for Jake’s first Father’s Day with the girls. It was wonderful to celebrate this special day with Jake and the girls. He is an awesome Dad to the girls. They love their Daddy very much. He took great care of me throughout the rough pregnancy,12 weeks of bedrest, followed by NICU, and sleepless nights helping with the kids.
Thankful for this amazing man to live life and raise our kids with. He is loving, kind, patient, generous, and so much more. Jake has always taken good care of us. He knows how to keep life exciting. Jake is always ready to give a hug, encouragement, or smile.
Brina gift. She wasn’t sure about the blue tissue paper stuffed into her pjs.
Brina in a gift bag with tissue paper. One of Daddy’s greatest gifts!
Karlie is a little concerned about being in a bag with tissue paper. Another one of Daddy’s sweet gifts!
Jake playing and talking with Brina.
Happy Father’s Day Daddy! We LOVE YOU!!!
Such a fun day everyone needed a little nap! Jake and his sweet little girls!
Flashback Friday: 4 Months Old
Brina and Karlie at 4 months old
Today were are flashing back to when the girls were only 4 months old. They were starting to move a lot more and explore at this age. It was amazing how much they changed from month to month. Looking back it is neat to see that their individual personalities were starting to come through even at four months old! Although, they have changed a little since this stage!
School Field Day
Water relay races
Recently the girls had their year end School Field Day. I was able to go and watch them compete in the various activities during their event. Thankful for an opportunity to spend time with them during the school day. Glad they were able to have fun, spend some time outside in the fresh air, get some good exercise, and enjoy the sunny day with their classmates.
Brina running in a chicken relay
Karlie doing the chicken relay for her class
Wheelbarrow race
Soccer race
Brina in the water cup relay
Karlie on the run!
Giggling the whole time she is running
On her way back! Laughing because she just got her teacher wet with her bucket of water.
Travel & Vacation: Exploring the Fernbank Museum of Natural History (Atlanta, GA)
We’re having fun at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History!
We had a blast working our way through the various sections at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. They had one section that was very interactive, a lot of science, experiments, brain teasers, heritage, and more. We ended our visit at what I call the “fun zone”. It was like a giant indoor jungle gym with lots of things to do, see, and learn about. They did are really great job with this museum. Our kids really enjoyed it. We made it through the entire museum, we were there when they opened and left as they were closing. It was a full day of fun and learning.
Brina making a huge bubble
Jake made an hour glass shape bubble, neat!
Whoa Dad! That’s so cool! They loved this bubble activity!
Karlie giving it a whirl!
Brina stretching it out a long ways.
Opps that one popped before she got too far
Wow, Karlie!
Awesome bubble Brina!
Brina flipped the bubble ring over her head and she was standing inside the giant bubble
Karlie had to try being inside a bubble. Pretty neat.
Karlie having fun with the bubbles
Brina and Daddy trying out the next activity
Jake helping Brina do this one!
This one was pretty cool because I could stand on the other side and watch her do the whole activity. Karlie trying to figure it out.
Karlie doing the activity while Brina watches.
Brina doing the “Mirrorly A Window” activity
Karlie sitting across the room chatting with Brina – super cool!
Brina talking with Karlie from across the room. Even though it was noisy with others doing various activities and they were across the room from each other they could hear perfectly fine speaking in their normal voices because the acoustics were set up to carry the sound perfectly.
Weather station. Brina watching the tornado
Brina and Karlie checking things out
Brina wanted me to go up with her into the huge tree house so she could show me some of the neat stuff they had. It was really nice play area for the kids.
Brina jumping onto the swinging bridge just as I was about to cross….crazy girl! She makes me laugh. At least her dramatic jump give me a little bit of a warning.
Brina found this book in the tree house library, she thought it was so hilarious she had to show it to me.
As I was talking with Karlie and looking around for a few minutes I went to find Brina. This is where I found her back at the library reading another book. It makes my heart happy when I see my kids reading voluntarily. Love catching Brina enjoying a good book on her own.
Karlie and Brina exploring the ocean section of the play area.
Baby turtle coming over to say “Hi”
Karlie on the look out
Brina and Karlie had a great time at the museum. The time went by quickly, but we squeezed a lot of fun into the day together.
Karlie thought it was so cool she could sit in a dug-out canoe like the Native Americans used to do so many years ago.
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: Fernback Science Center (Atlanta, GA)
Karlie excited to be standing by the Apollo 6
We had the opportunity to spend some time in Atlanta, Georgia recently. Actually we have had 2 recent trips to Georgia in the past couple of months! Georgia is not too far away from where we live so it was nice to get away as a family for a little bit and hang out for a few days together.
On this particular trip to Atlanta we visited the Fernbank Science Center for the first time. It is part of the same association as the Roper Mountain Science Center. It was already free admission, but since we are part of the association we were able to get free tickets to the IMAX shows throughout the day (we could go to as many as we wanted). We were only there for a couple hours so we just went to one of the shows. It is smaller than our local Science Center, but the kids still enjoyed learning and exploring the different items they had on display. The Apollo 6 was Karlie’s favorite while the animals were Brina’s favorite.
The Fernback Science Center is located at 156 Heaton Park Drive, Atlanta, GA 30307. Phone number is 678-874-7102. They also have an observatory open some nights and a library where you can relax and read some books (which the kids enjoyed). For current events, programs, and shows please visit the Fernbank Science Center website.
Karlie trying to get the light bulb to glow.
Jake and Karlie checking out the Apollo 6
Apollo 6 Command Module
If you look under the capsule you will see a series of holes. The holes were drilled to investigate how the heat shield held up after this capsule re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere.
Apollo 6 was the last unmanned Apollo mission and was launched on April 4, 1968. The purpose of the mission was to test, for a second time, the Saturn V rocket. At the time of the launch (one second past 7 a.m. EST) all five engines operated normally, then a series of sharp vibrations shook the rocket. Minutes later two of the five rocket engines shut down. For the next 80 seconds the Saturn V behaved like a drunk driver lurching back and forth, as NASA flight controllers decided whether to abort the mission or not.
After two earth orbits it was time to re-light a smaller rocket. CS-IVB, to stimulate injecting the rocket into a path toward the moon, but this rocket failed. Using a series of smaller rockets on the Service Module NASA scientists completed most of the planned maneuvers. The spacecraft was returned safely to Earth.
A monkey on the inside!
Brina working on her balancing and building skills
Her buildings with stood the Earthquake
Karlie and Daddy working together to build a giant carbon nanotube.
It was almost as tall as she was!
Pretty bird
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!
Flashback Friday: Playing Around the House
Karlie talking to Daddy!
This Flashback Friday took place about 10 years ago. The girls loved having fun around the house (well at least we did). It was nice when we had time to relax as a family. Jake is always great with the kids. The girls were still little, but were starting to move around more on their own.
Hanging out on Tigger!
Karlie is unsure about this Tigger animal.
Karlie on the move while Brina rests peacefully on the floor.
