Travel & Vacation: Rainbow Row (Charleston, SC)
When we go into downtown Charleston, SC the kids always try to see who is the first one to spot Rainbow Row. Rainbow Row is a popular architectural landmark in Charleston, SC along East Bay Street. It is a row of brightly colored 18th century buildings in Charleston.
The buildings were given their name due to their beautiful Colonial Caribbean color scheme. Originally, the buildings were businesses that serviced the Charleston docks. The oldest one of the buildings was built in 1748. The buildings had stores on the bottom floors with the business owners and their families living on the second floor. Currently the buildings are private residences, however, they continue to resemble their historical style and colors. If you are on that side of Charleston go ahead and snap a photo of these colorful houses on Rainbow Row.
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: Daniel Island Historical Markers & Bike Path (Daniel Island, SC)
Beautiful paved Daniel Island bike and walking path
We love visiting Daniel Island! Over the past few years we have been several times and it seems like every time we find something new to explore on this island on the outskirts of Charleston, SC. On one of our trips we took our bikes with us and found a lot of neat places to ride around town. The kids favorite place to ride their bikes was around the cement and paved path in Smythe Lake Park around a little lake in near the Pirates Cove Playground. The last time we brought our bikes we would ride around the lake, play for a little bit at the playground, and ride around the lake again.
The scenery around the lake is beautiful. On our first pass around the bike and walking trail we noticed Daniel Island Historical Markers along the way. It was a lot of fun to stop at each one and read about the history of Daniel Island. We saw some wildlife on our adventures too from alligators to ducks and more! We got our exercise and learn more about Daniel Island throughout our excursions that day.
Biking around the lake
On of the historical signs along the biking and walking path – “A Proprietary Governor“
“Slave Life on Daniel Island”
We had a friend sunning himself along the biking trail. Needless to say we didn’t stop to see if he wanted to play. Always best to leave the wildlife alone!
“Making Bricks”
“Tenants & Truck Farmers”
“Harry Frank Guggenheim”
Friendly ducks swimming and finding little fish to eat.
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: Major General William Moultrie’s Statue in White Point Garden (Charleston, SC)
Major General William Moultrie Statue in White Point Garden
Our family enjoys going to Charleston, South Carolina. One of the places the girls always love to go is to Battery Park and White Point Garden. They love looking at all the cool cannons and other items at Battery Park. One of the people that they studied in Social Studies was Major General William Moultrie so it was neat seeing this statue in White Point Gardens.
If you enjoy history White Point Gardens and Battery Park is a great place to visit if you are in downtown Charleston. Major General William Moultrie is most well known for fighting off a British attack when they tried to take over Charles Town Harbor during the American Revolution. Moultrie and his men at Fort Sullivan, which was made out of Palmetto logs, held back the British attack. It was one of the first big victories for the United States during the American Revolution. Later they renamed Fort Sullivan to Fort Moultrie.
Later in the American Revolution Moultrie was captured by British soliders. He was released later during a prisoner exchange. Moultrie also served twice as a governor of South Carolina. While Moultrie was governor South Carolina’s state capital was moved from Charleston to it’s present day location of Columbia.
The statue has a 7 foot pedestal and the statue of Moultrie is 8 feet high. It portrays Moultrie in his uniform with his sword in his sheath, holding his hat at his side, and looking out over the Charleston Harbor.
Moultrie Statue
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!
School Projects: Southwest Region Native American Pueblo House
Southwestern Region Native American Pueblo House Project
Karlie recently did a Social Studies project for school. She was studying about the Native Americans and the different regions. Karlie picked the Southwest Region and the pueblo house for her project. She had to make a pueblo house and write a paragraph on how the lodging benefited them.
Even though the girls are both in the same grade and have similar projects they rarely chose do to the same thing with their projects! The great part about them being so different is we have more opportunities to learn while doing various school projects. For this particular Social Studies Project Brina did the Great Plains Region with Tepee housing and Karlie chose the Southwest Region with Pueblo housing.
Putting the final touches on the pueblo house!
Karlie‘s Southwest Region Pueblo Paragraph: Southwest Pueblo Native Americans used pueblo houses that were made of harden clay. They lived in a village and their houses resembled an apartment building on mesas. The pueblo housing was beneficial to their way of life because the mesas helped cool the houses and protect them from sand storms. You can fit a lot of families into a pueblo apartment building. It is easier to help each other out because they were all together during bad weather or other hard times. In their village they grew corn, beans, squash, and cotton to help feed their families. All the people in the village worked together hunting, farming, and raising their families.
Karlie putting her title and name on her project!
Jake and Karlie put together this neat Pueblo House with items we had in the garage!
Pueblo Construction:
- Flat Pieces of Scrap Wood
- Wood Glue
- Speckled Paint
- Wooden Dowels
- Cotton Balls
- Markers
They took flat pieces of scrap wood from various wood working projects and glued them together to create this Pueblo house. The house has three levels. Once all the pieces are glued together and the glue has dried they attached the house to a flat board with wood glue. After the structure was put together we sprayed the whole pueblo with speckled paint (you can get this at Home Depot or Lowe’s). It ended up taking two coats of spray paint in order to get it covered well. The ladders are made out of small wooden dowels. The top windows and doors are cut out, but the other ones are drawn on with marker. The cotton balls represent the cotton the Southwest Region Native Americans grew in their fields. Inside the house on the top level there is a fire and a mat for sleeping.
Pueblo house is finished and ready to go!
We didn’t paint the back of the Pueblo with two coats of paint, but this picture gives you a glimpse at the top inside which has the 3D fire and mat for sleeping. The little storage “cubby” (as Karlie called it) with the paper in it on the lower left is where Karlie stored her written paragraph and ladders during transport to and from school.
Karlie so proud of her project! It was a handful to carry into school!
School Projects: Great Plains Native American Tepee Home
Great Plains Tepee Project
Brina recently did a Social Studies project for school. She was studying about the Native Americans and the different regions. Brina picked the Great Plains Region and the tepee for her project. She had to make a tepee and write a paragraph on how the lodging benefited them. On this Social Studies project Brina did the Great Plains Region with Tepee housing and Karlie chose the Southwest Region with Pueblo housing.
Making her designs on the tepee!
She finished the Native American designs on her tepee! Looks good!
Tepee Construction:
- Cereal Box
- Old White T-Shirt
- Elmer’s Glue
- Wooden Dowels
- Hot Glue & Hot Glue Gun
- Markers
Cut a cereal box into a semi-circle. Use Elmer’s Glue and attach the T-Shirt to the non-print side of the cardboard from the cereal box. Once the glue dries use the markers to create your own special Native American designs on your tepee. Cut out the door to your tepee. Hot glue the wooden dowels to the inside of the tepee. Once the glue dries stand the tepee up and hot glue it to the poster board. To help your tepee maintain its shape you can use rubber bands around it as it dries in place.
Brina’s Great Plains Paragraph: The Great Plains Native Americans used tepees because they were very transportable. They used the tepees so they could follow the buffalo and other animals while hunting them. Their main source of food was buffalo meat. The tepees were light weight, transportable, could be folded up, and carried to the next spot. they also used the tepee poles to carry buffalo meat. The tepees were shelter during the nights for the families and transportable when they were trying to find food. The tepees were a valuable tool used to help feed their families.
Brina’s social studies project ready to go!
She was so excited to hot glue her horse and a folded up tepee on her poster board!
Her tepee turned out well!
Brina was super excited about the fire because Jake used his 3D printer to make it for her project!
Awesome learning lesson about the Great Plains Native Americans and their transportable home – the tepee! It was a great project!
Charleston: The Charleston Museum
Standing beside the replica of the H. L. Hunley outside of the Charleston Museum!
The girls have been wanting to go to the Charleston Museum ever since they saw the replica of the Hunley sitting outside in front of it. On one of our recent trips we got a chance to explore the Charleston Museum. The girls were very excited to check out the museum. The Charleston Museum was America’s First Museum founded in 1773 with the purpose of preserve the culture and history of Charleston and the Lowcountry.
Checking out the Hunley replica before heading into the Charleston Museum.
Oh yes, they found a cannon!
Look above the girls! That’s a huge whale skeleton hanging from the foyer of the Charleston Museum. That whale was one that came into the Charleston Harbor many years ago.
Checking out the display!
Soaking in all the history!
Brina enjoyed going through the animal displays.
Goofy Karlie….
Hanging out with two Southern Belle’s!
Dressing up in some fun clothes!
The dresses are not the most perfect fit, but we had fun!
Brina having a grand time!
Travel & Vacation: Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum – U.S.S. Laffey & U.S.S. Clamagore
After exploring the U.S.S. Yorktown we toured the U.S.S. Laffey and U.S.S. Clamagore (the submarine). We packed a lot of learning, exploring, and fun into one day while we were at Charleston. Thankful for the opportunity to learn little pieces of our country’s history and share the experience with our kids. It was a muggy and rainy day, but we had a great time. Although it poured when we were going between the Laffey and the Clamagore we just splashed through the puddles laughing the whole way (luckily there was no lightening since we were in between large hunks of metal conductors).
The U.S.S. Laffey was used back in the 1940’s. One of it’s biggest battles was off the shores of Okinawa when over 20 Japanese bombers and kamikazes attacked it. They have an actual place you can go into and “experience” what it was like for the men on that day. It was a rainy day so we only had to wait a couple minutes to get into the Mount 53 experience, it was really neat activity to do if you are ever on the U.S.S. Laffey!
Walking through the U.S.S. Laffey!
Neat model of the U.S.S. Laffey. It was hard getting a good picture with the on and off rain storms that day!
Brina’s in charge!
Both girls in the captain’s chair!
Brina hanging out with her Dad!
U.S.S. Clamagore Submarine!
All of us were completely soaked by the time we reached the Clamagore, Karlie was the first one to arrive safely!
A little wet and slightly cool, but ready to explore the Clamagore Submarine!
It was a fun day in Charleston despite getting a little wet!
After dinner we were going to go to Books A Million, but it was closed already so the girls found another way to stay entertained. Brina having fun!
Karlie’s flying now! Look out!
Travel & Vacation: Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum – U.S.S. Yorktown
Our family on the flight deck of the U.S.S. Yorktown!
Whenever we have an opportunity to go to Charleston we try to pick at least one historical adventure to go on as a family. One of our recent trips to Charleston we decided to spend a good chunk of the day at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum touring the U.S.S. Yorktown. When we got the tickets the day before they said to plan on being there at least 2 to 3 hours, we spent over 6 hours going through the U.S.S. Yorktown, U.S.S Laffey, and the U.S.S. Clamagore. The kids had a blast and it was a wonderful learning activity for all of us. Makes us appreciate the men and women who serve our country even more.
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum – U.S.S. Yorktown
Of course, they had to check out the cannon!
Ready to explore Patriots Point in Charleston
The day started off overcast and bright, but thankfully we were still able to do everything and were back inside the ship when it was pouring.
Brina in the cockpit!
Karlie ready to fly the plane!
Soaking it all in….
Big guns!
Anything relating to space captivates Karlie’s attention!
We all did the blast off to the Moon Simulation together, so much fun!
Learning more about D-Day
Pilots are ready for their orders and paying attention…..ha!
Karlie looking through the wing of the airplane!
Learning how to work the different pieces.
Karlie walking with Jake and asking him a bundle of questions about the various planes on the flight deck.
That blade is huge Brina!
Brina found a spot under the wing with a good breeze on the warm muggy day!
Checking out another plane!
Brina all smiles!
I think I recognize those two on the other side of the port hole!
Yes, they are sitting in the captains chair!
Look at that Handsome Man on the other side of the port hole!
Karlie giving out orders to the pilots. She looks like a tough commander!
Brina ringing the bell!
The Medal of Honor Museum was amazing! They had a cool interactive display as you walked in that lit up with a variety of shots from the wars (pictured above).
What the Army, Navy, and Air Force Medals of Honor look like. A Medal of Honor is given by the President, in the name of Congress, to a member of the military who distinguishes themselves by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of losing their own life. They go beyond the call of duty. The act must be one of bravery or self-sacrifice. The youngest person to ever receive a Medal of Honor was William Johnston, age 12. In 1862 during the Peninsula Campaign many men were taking off their equipment so they had less to carry and could retreat faster. William (also known as “Willie”) was the only drummer boy to bring his drum off the battlefield.
U.S.S. Yorktown
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 – Exploring Colonial Williamsburg
Our wild crew at Colonial Williamsburg in front of the Governor’s Palace!
We had a chance to explore Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia on our recent road trip up the East Coast! It was our first big stop an our road trip. After driving to the area the day before we spent the night at a local hotel and were up early the next morning with our picnic lunch packed and ready to explore the area.
Jake had to work on Friday so for the most part it was just the girls and I exploring Colonial Williamsburg. He did get to join us for a little bit over his lunch break though which was really nice. It was a lot of fun seeing so many neat historical places. The girls did the quest exploration and scavenger hunt. My phone didn’t work in all the areas so we didn’t finish all the quest activities, but we did get our prize for completing the scavenger hunt.
Last year in school the girls studied a lot of about the American Revolution, Civil War and more in Social Studies so this adventure really ties into some of the items they have been learning about in school. Colonial Williamsburg is like taking a step back into America’s past during the time of the American Revolution. There are hundreds of restored buildings, exhibits, homes, government offices, trade shops, museums and more to explore.
We’ve made it!
Hiking along the path to the next location to explore! This was a neat bridge with a stream and path running underneath it, nice and cool on a hot summer day!
Brina and Karlie outside the Governor’s Palace!
Beautiful display of pistols with the family crest in the entry way of the Governor’s Palace!
Standing in front of the fire palace with a small portion of the weapons on display in the palace. The Governor’s Palace had impressive displays of muskets, pistols, swords, curve-blade sabers and more! The hundreds of weapons visible once stepping into the house was meant to both wow and intimidate you.
More weapons displayed on the stairwell. Brina really thought they did a great job hanging the guns!
Touring the gardens at the Governor’s Palace!
Jake with his girls near the palace greens!
George Wythe House and gardens!
Exploring inside George Wythe’s house!
Wow, he was studying some really cool scientific items.
Playing the game of “Pick up Sticks”
Watching him hand-make cedar shingles for a building at Colonial Williamsburg! The fresh wood shavings smelled awesome!
Oh no! Brina and Karlie in the stocks, what did they do?!
Touring the print shop! Wow, there are some BIG books! Karlie loved it!
Brina all smiles!
Grinding up seeds of grain. This is going to take forever if we want to make some homemade bread!
Outside the capital building!
We had a blast exploring Colonial Williamsburg! The girls were ready to stay for a week and explore even more. We only had the one day at Colonial Williamsburg along our road trip, but we packed in a ton of activities into that one day. Thankfully, we started early and were able to get through a large portion of the items that the girls wanted to do. It was really neat learning what it would be like to live there during the time of the American Revolution. All the people were very friendly, helpful, and it was a great day with the kids. We were all exhausted by the time we got back into the car later that day and headed back onto the road towards our next destination.
