Illinois Trip

The kids and I arrived in IL on Saturday.  We stayed busy while I was there.  Sunday we went to Val's to celebrate summer birthdays.  We had a water balloon fight, swam, and had yummy food and cake.

Kyla photo bombed the picture

 

 

Gift Time!  The Cleveland Cavaliers are Tyler's favorite basketball team

Molly with a handful of water balloons

We also had a water balloon toss.  The kids each picked an adult to be their partner.  The winning team got to pick another team to pie.  Zac and Jason won and Zac picked his mom to pie.  She was partners with Molly.

Monday we met up with Kim, Val, and Britt to go to Krape Park.  There are several playgounds there, a merry go round, and paddle boats.  After our picnic lunch, the kid played and just had fun together. That evening we went back to Kim's for dinner.  She outdid herself with tacos, shrimp taquitos, and delicious guacamole.

 

In Charlotte two parks had this fire pole and Molly was too scared to go down.  Here she did it!

 

 

 

 I paddle boated with Kyla, Molly, and Bailey

Val had it rough with Gabby and Noah

Brittney was with Kaleb, Tyler, and Zac.  Kaleb was done paddling after 5 min, Zac's legs were too short, so Brittney ended up paddling with Tyler

Tuesday, we met up with Val to go ice skating.  She had Kim's kids since Kim was having nose surgery that day.  The kids loved it.  Afterwards we went to lunch, we went to see Great Grandma, then back to Val's so swim.  My mom took my two and Kyle and Kaleb home, while I went to dinner with my friend, Elisa. 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday I flew home and the kids enjoyed their week there.  They had a blast with cousins and my mom outdid herself for Tyler's birthday.  Tom and Britt took them mini putting, out for ice cream, and to laser tag while my mom worked on Tuesday.  They  were spoiled.  My mom brought them back this past Wednesday and she just left today.  We had a nice visit with her. 

Charlotte, NC and Greenville, SC

We arrived in Charlotte Wednesday evening.  Thursday we drove around several areas and neighborhoods.  We made this trip because we'd like to move to this area sometime in the next couple of years.  We really liked it.  We still made the morning fun for the kids.  We stopped at a fun park and had BBQ for lunch and then got ice cream. 

Molly and I at Squirrel Creek Park.  They had a playground and a few trails even a lake to fish in too.

We went back to the hotel because the kids wanted to swim.  That evening we went mini putting and had more ice cream!

 

 

Friday, we went into Charlotte to Freedom Park.  It was beautiful and not too hot since we got there earlier.  

 

 

 

The kids found a few trails and a way to get to the water

 

 

Freedom Park also had several play gounds and fields

After the park, we headed to Bad Daddy's Burger Bar.  Scott and I ate here last year and it was delicious!  We had to come back.  

 

After lunch, we headed to Greenville, SC.  On the way, we stopped at Crowders Mountain State Park.  It was definately hot, but we still did a short mile hike around a lake.  85% of the way was shaded, so it wasn't too bad.  We all enjoyed it. 

 

Then we headed on to Greenville, SC.  We were just staying there for night before we left the next day.  We drove into downtown, which was really cute.  Falls Park on the Reedy is right there.  We crossed the Liberty Bridge and then went into the park.  Again, there were rocks to climb on which the kids loved.  Molly asked to pet every dog she met.

 

 

 

Saturday we drove to Atlanta and the kids and I flew up to IL while Scott flew home to San Antonio.  I'll have a post about our IL trip soon.

Augusta, GA and Columbia, SC

A few weeks ago, July 11th, we flew up to Atlanta and then drove to my friend, Rachel's.  She and her family moved at the end of May last year.  I was very excited to see her and we had a great time.  They live in Augusta, GA.  It was really pretty; everything was nice and green.  On Tuesday, we went to the park and pool, the kids had fun playing, that evening us adults played games after the kids went to bed.  It was fun catching up.

Molly and Felicity

Molly and Peyton

Me and Rachel

Her kids had these little scooter car things and my kids loved them.  They rode them all over the house

Wednesday we all drove over to Columbia, SC.  We went to lunch, to the South Carolina Military Museum, and then to a park.  After that, they drove back home and we continued onto Charlotte.

 

 

 

 

The museum was interesting and the kids had fun.  Plus it was free, which is always nice.  Our visit with Rachel and her family was too short, but better than nothing.  I'll have pictures from Charlotte and Greenville another day.