Travel & Vacation: Swiss Family Treehouse, Tom Sawyer Island, Hall of Presidents, and Tomorrowland Speedway at Disney’s Magic Kingdom (Orlando, FL)
Silly Karlie!
While at Magic Kingdom we had so much fun! It was great to get a chance to spend time having a grand time together as a family. We enjoyed our adventures and exploring the various places around Magic Kingdom. While we were in line we had opportunities to talk and catch up on the various activities that had been going on over the past few days.
Jake and Karlie exploring the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse
Hanging out with my girls at the Swiss Family Treehouse
Having fun
My handsome man
Hiking through the treehouse
Target practice… on Tom Sawyer’s Island
Look out! Did she hit the target?!
Fun times!
Checking to make sure we were coming
Exploring
The girls loved this moving bridge over the water.
This was my view across the river when I was crossing the bridge. Pretty, but at a funky angle.
Jake figured out that he could splash the water on the girls when he bounced a little on the bridge, they thought it was great.
Hanging out
Pausing for a moment on Tom Sawyer’s Island
Hall of Presidents Show, very educational
The girls enjoyed learning about all the different Presidents
My driver on the Tomorrowland Speedway
She was a good driver and all smiles!
Travel & Vacation: It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise at Disney’s Magic Kingdom (Orlando, FL)
Brina and Jake riding on the boat through It’s a Small World
The lines weren’t too long so we were able to get onto several rides, however, we had a couple hiccups with some as well. The kids liked It’s a Small World so much that we did it 2 times. The Pirates of the Caribbean was a little bit of a disappointment because we stood in line for an hour and were 10 people from the front of the line when it broke down so we didn’t get to go on it. It took us another 30 minutes to get back out because we had to wait for all the people behind us leave. The girls did well and had a great attitude despite the long wait time. The Jungle Cruise was a fun boat ride with lots of neat sights along the way. The kids really enjoyed it.
Smiling and soaking in all the sights at It’s a Small World
It’s a Small World banner as you go in
Fascinating!
Always something to look at on the boat ride
Still smiling while waiting in the long line for the Pirates of the Caribbean
Catching up and chatting while in line
Yay, found a place to sit while waiting
Going on the Jungle Cruise
All smiles on the Jungle Cruise
Beautiful waterfall
They loved looking at all the animals and sights on the Jungle Cruise
So much fun!
Travel & Vacation: Tomorrowland Transit, Monsters Laugh Floor, Prince Charming Carrousel at Disney’s Magic Kingdom (Orlando, FL)
Brina relaxing for a few minutes on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
The girls never stopped moving all day while at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. The only time we paused was standing in line, on the rides or at the shows. We did have a few bathroom breaks since the girls were drinking about 50 ounces plus throughout the day from their camel backs. The camel backpacks have been a life saver or should I say back saver.
Each person carries their own food and drink. The kids never have to ask for a drink or something to eat they can reach in and get their drink, sandwich, snacks, etc… Of course hand sanitizer is on every backpack to for all the germs we encounter while we are out and about. The had no problem carrying the backpacks and you’ll see them wearing them in almost every picture.
The kids have really enjoyed having the freedom to eat and drink whenever they need to. Usually when we are standing in line for a few minutes I would remind them that it was a good idea to grab a sip and something to drink. Although by mid-week I no longer needed to remind them; they did it on their own. Usually if someone had a snack out it would prompt the rest to get something as well. This helped a huge amount with preventing dehydration and hungry plus we never had to stop and get something to eat we just kept on going from sunup to sun down. We wanted to squeeze every last minute of fun out of our trip.
Karlie soaking in all the cool activities and figuring out where she wants to go next.
Karlie was not sure about the transit when it went into the pitch black, she ducked and said, “What’s going to happen now!?”
One last ride on the Transit after a very long, but super fun day at Magic Kingdom. We were there at opening and until closing. And yes, we are still smiling.
Having a good laugh at the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy
Club 
So funny!
The first time we went to the show it froze in the middle of the show so they had to let everyone out and gave us free fast passes for almost any ride at Magic Kingdom. The girls were disappointed, but the fast passes helped us get onto Peter Pan much quicker.
Smiling contently as they ride the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
They LOVE anything pertaining to horses and this ride was relaxing too with a short wait.
Karlie riding hands free
She cracks me up…it takes skill to ride hands free on a moving horse
That was fun!
Travel & Vacation: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Enchanted Tales with Belle, and Astro Orbiter at Disney’s Magic Kingdom (Orlando, FL)
Being silly in line for the Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little
Mermaid Ride Thankfully the lines were pretty mild most of the morning at Magic Kingdom. We got onto the Ariel’s Little Mermaid ride fairly quickly, however, we did stop to snap a few pictures. We had a great time at Magic Kingdom going from one activity to the next. The girls were troopers and did awesome not only in line, but walking everywhere. It is nice at their age they can do almost everything too!
Waterfall outside Little Mermaid
Entertainment while in line!
On the ride
On our way to see Belle
Karlie with Belle at the Enchanted Tales with Belle
Brina with Belle at the Enchanted Tales with Belle
Brina getting a bookmark from Belle!
It was a bright sunny day, somehow this is the only picture I got of the girls in front of the castle (a quick shot on our way to another ride).
My co-pilot on the Astro Orbiter
Karlie went by herself on the Astro Orbiter. She was very excited to fly!
Karlie giving me the thumbs up. Let’s just say this was not my favorite ride at Magic Kingdom. I get dizzy and nausea on a lot of spinning rides. This one was one of those rides. Thankfully it wasn’t as bad as some rides (like the spinning teacups…oh, boy).
Yes, that is Karlie way above Brina and I. I am not entirely sure we ever left the ground, but Karlie was having a grand time!
Travel & Vacation: Bippity Boppity Boutique Fairy Dust (Orlando, FL)
Brina getting her fairy dust!
At the Bippity Boppity Boutique downtown Disney you can stop by and get pixie fairy dust for free. We were at the store looking around and walking by the boutique so stopped to have the girls gets some fairy dust. They did a cute saying as the girls got the fairy dust sprinkled into their hair. The fairy dust is basically glitter. I don’t know if it was a special type of glitter or if the heat from running around in the hot sun all day, but that glitter stayed on for awhile.
Karlie getting her fairy dust!
Travel & Vacation: Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf (Orlando, FL)
Fun times playing miniature golf!
While in Orlando the girls and I got tickets to play miniature golf. The golf course was across the street from our resort so it was a short walk. We went to Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf. It was a lot of fun playing together even though we lost 3 balls. We quickly realized that we would not be playing any professional miniature golf soon with our crazy scores, but was a great time.
It was a warm day, but they had several courses with shooting water that seem to help cool it off. After playing 18 rounds of miniature golf we headed back to the hotel for lunch in the room then out to the pools to have some more fun. Thankful for some time with the kids.
Brina was the only one that didn’t loose a ball. I lost mine on the first hole in the bushes. Karlie managed to lose 2 balls throughout our adventures. The workers let us get more balls at the counter. The girls both got “hole in ones”, but I never got one (2 shots was my lowest par).
Hole 1 – each hole had a storybook with information and cute sayings on it.
It was bright and sunny that day!
Brina ready for her next hit.
This hole was in a cave. It was cool. Both girls got a hole in one on this one.
So close…. They were concerned a few times about me accidentally hitting their balls further away from the hole (a couple of times it was a valid concern).
The greenery around the course was beautiful!
Found a spot in the shade to rest for a minute.
They had some cute decorations. This elephant sprayed water when you shot the ball through the middle of the base.
Lining up for a good shot. This was harder than you think.
Travel & Vacation: Spiritline Cruises
Our ferryboat transportation from Patriots Point to Fort Sumter
In order to get to Fort Sumter you have to take a boat over to it. We met Spiritline Cruises Ferryboat at Patriots Point and took it over to Fort Sumter. It was relaxing and informational riding the boat over to Fort Sumter. They explained a little bit about the area around us and give us highlights on Fort Sumter as well. The girls brought their monoculars and it was pretty cool some the items they were able to see clearly with them. We even learned about a fort I hadn’t heard about before Castle Pinckney. It sprinkled a little on the way over and poured on the way back, but thankfully the big rains came while we were on the boat not during our actual tour. We did get to see several dolphins on our trip too which was exciting for the girls!
Karlie looking through her monocular at Castle Pinckney
Brina checking out the forts, harbor, and surrounding areas as we cruise on the ferryboat. The Orion 10×42 Waterproof Monoculars we got the girls for Christmas have been amazing (the Swagbucks we had earned came in handy when buying these on Amazon too)! If you travel with your kids this is a great way for them to see a lot of neat things and are they light, waterproof, easy to carry, and simple to use.
Brina loving the ferryboat ride! We even saw dolphins swimming alongside of the boat!
Checking out all the cool sights around the Charleston harbor!
The Castle Pinckney was one of the really neat sights we saw on the way to Fort Sumter. I had never heard of this fort before our trip and it was fascinating to learn a little piece of its history too. It was named after Charles Cotesworth Pinckney who was well known in Charleston area as well as a general in the American Revolution and a South Carolina delegate in the Constitutional Convention. The site where the castle was built was selected for military purposes by President George Washington.
The castle was originally a log fort in the early 1800’s until a hurricane hit and they had to rebuild with stronger fortification. It was considering unique when it was built because the men could fire on the attacking ships from multiple levels with it’s half circle architecture. Although, when the long range cannons were created Castle Pinckney’s usefulness decreased. The Pinckney Castle became the second line of defense once Fort Sumter was completed. You can see Castle Pinckney when going to and from Fort Sumter, however, there are no public tours of this fort at this time. You can learn more about the history of Castle Pinckney and other neat historical landmarks at Explore Southern History.
Karlie having a blast touring the Charleston area!
Our final stop was P.F. Chang’s in Mount Pleasant. I have eaten at the one in Greenville several times for work or with friends, but since Jake and the girls hadn’t eaten at P. F. Chang’s we decided to try it. The girls especially liked their giant horse outside the restaurant!
Karlie relaxing and sipping her drink while waiting for her dinner to arrive!
We were seated immediately, but due to a mix up with our order it took almost 2 hours to get our food and once we got it part of the order was wrong (even the 3 tables around us, with the same server, who were seated after us got their orders before we did). The girls were good sports despite the long wait and we passed the time talking and playing games. The food was good, but I am not sure the rest of the family is overly excited about going back due to the service we received at this particular restaurant. Thankfully, we still had a good time and there are a lot of other restaurant choices in the Charleston area.
Travel & Vacation: Rocky Mountains, Glen Haven General Store, & Baldpate Inn
Hanging out in Colorado for a few days!
The girls and I had the opportunity to travel out to Colorado recently to visit family. My parents drove out with us and my cousin graciously let the three of us crash at her house and my parents stayed with my Aunt and Uncle. Thankful for some time to catch up with family and explore the area! We had a blast in Colorado.
We drove up by Estes Park, it was completely changed since our trip in July 2012 due to the massive flooding they had back in September 2013. The river, rocks, and roads were totally different. It was quite sad to see some of the damage as well as many homes and businesses that were destroyed. We stopped at one point to get out and stretch our legs. The girls took an opportunity to check out some cool Colorado rocks near the river. They were still cleaning up the area, repairing the roads, homes, businesses, and bridges.
Showing Aunt Renelle some cool stones they found.
Looking at some stones they discovered with Grandma and Grandpa.
When we stopped at Glen Haven two years ago and there was a strip of stores next to the Glen Haven General Store (now it is the only one left on that side of the road). We ate their delicious and huge homemade cinnamon rolls! Thanks Renelle for sharing!
Renelle showing the Brina a cool goodie she got up for them!
Anyone want to eat a bag of rocks?! How about chocolate rocks? Funky, but yummy!
We made a stop at The Baldpate Inn for some coffee, hot chocolate, and tea. The girls relaxing on the Baldpate Inn’s cool porch swing!
Karlie checking out all the keys! Inside the Baldpate Inn they had a room full of keys hanging on the walls and ceiling from all over the world. They even had a key from Hilter’s house, one from a bank Jesse and Frank James robbed, and many other really neat ones!
We finally found the stash of South Carolina keys. They had so many keys you could look them up by name, location, or a number of other details.
Another favorite spot Karlie found…..they had a library, music, and game room at Baldpate Inn. She was content to sit and read!
Relaxing on the porch at the Baldpate Inn!
Enjoying the beautiful view as we sip our hot coffee and chocolate!
Brina mesmerized by the hummingbirds!
The girls and I shared a cup of hot chocolate at Baldpate Inn, delicious!
If you are near Estes Park the Baldpate Inn is a fun place to stop by for a treat, meal, or you can stay overnight too!
Back at Uncle Rick and Aunt Mary Ann’s sharing stories and laughs!
DIY: Magnet Souvenir Board
Souvenir Board for all our Travel Magnets!
Our family loves to travel and explore new places! If we could we would go on more adventures, but time and other priorities take first place for a good chunk of the year. We are thankful for all the neat trips we’ve been able to take and for opportunities to visit with family and friends. A few years ago we decided (the idea stimulated from my cool sister-in-law Becky who already had a fridge full of magnets) to start collecting magnets when we visited a new place. Before that we would random souvenirs such as a picture frame, cup, magnet, or something else.
We wanted to start consistently collecting something that was relatively small, easily transported, not too expensive, and could be found at the majority of places we visited. So we decided on the “magnet” because it was something we could find almost everywhere, they don’t take up that much extra space in our luggage, they are usually a good price, and didn’t cause too much clutter once we got home. As we continued to travel we noticed our fridge began filling up with the neat magnets we had accumulated. It was fun looking at the magnets and reminiscing about the adventures we had on the various trips.
A couple months ago our fridge died. After several weeks of research we finally decided on a new fridge and got it installed. The problem was I didn’t really want the magnets back on the fridge for several reasons – the magnets tend to scratch the fridge (which wasn’t a big deal for our really old fridge), the magnets tend to get bumped or fall off (causing them to break), and the fridge was starting to get a cluttered look. So after a few weeks of deliberation my husband made this amazing magnetic souvenir board for me.
I LOVE the magnetic souvenir board my husband made for our family! We got the picture frame at Hobby Lobby when it was on clearance, he picked up a sheet of steel at our local Lowe’s store, and it assembled in no time at all! Now it is hanging in our dining room with our travel souvenir magnets.
Magnet Souvenir Board Directions:
- Picture Frame 24 x 36 (or whatever size you want)
- Sheet of Steel 24 x 36
- Souvenir Magnets
We picked out a picture frame that specifically fit our sheet of steel so we didn’t have to do any cutting or trimming on the steel. Please be wear gloves and be careful when handling the steel as it has sharp edges. If there is any glass in your picture frame remove it (hint – it is usually less expensive to purchase the frame without glass plus you don’t have to figure out what to do with the extra sheet of glass once it’s removed). Place the sheet of steel into the picture frame. The metal will be a little heavier and when you add the magnets the frame can get pretty heavy so depending on your frame you may want to add a hook that will be able to hold the weight evenly. Add your magnets! Hang it up and ENJOY!
Every magnet tells a story and holds precious memories for our family.
You can make one for your family as well. This can be a reasonably priced project especially if you use coupons or shop a sale, it’s easy to put together, and looks great. You can get whatever frame will look the best for your home decor! Feel free to share a picture of your Magnet Souvenir Board with us! Happy traveling!
Travel & Vacation: Family Reunion at Lake Milford – Boating, Swimming, and Tube Bouncing!
Boating with family on Lake Milford!
We met family at Lake Milford for a fun weekend together. The weekend was full of boating, swimming, good food, and great memories. Thankful for time to catch up, play, and have fun! My parents, siblings, nephews, and more extended family were present that weekend!
Brandon springing off the tube!
Having fun playing on the tube!
Nathan pulling off a cool move!
Sierra showing off her gymnastics moves!
Brandon in mid flight!
Playing in the lake!
Zachie having fun!
Sierra has some spring!
Karlie jumping off the tube.
Taking turns jumping off the tube!
Fun times at the lake!
Brina flying through the air!
Brina enjoys being tossed in the air!
Love the expression on Karlie’s face!
The kids trying to hold onto tube while the adults flip it.
Who know that a tube just sitting in the water could provide so much entertainment!
Having fun on the tube!
Nicko floating around!
A boat full of fun!
Grandpa Veryln and Grandma Doris relaxing after dinner with the entire group at Lake Milford.
