The babies flew

The kids think one of the four birds flew away yesterday. We were gone most of the day.

This morning around 8 a.m., they all came running into our room to tell us 2 more flew out of the nest. I’m so glad they got to see them because they have been watching a lot the last few days because we knew it had to happen soon since the birds were almost too big for the nest now.

They didn’t even want to eat breakfast because they couldn’t leave in case the last bird decided to fly away.

Here is the last one in the nest.


A little over an hour after the other 2 left, the last one finally decided to give it a try. He seemed to have more trouble than the others. He flew out of the nest and landed on some rock on the other side of the porch. Then he landed on the porch.


He got into some trouble and needed a little help. Since Chad had him, the girls just had to pet him. After that, he seemed to be getting the flying thing down a little better.

Baby Birds

The kids have spent much of their time this week watching the baby birds on our porch.


The mom and dad birds stay in this tree in front of the porch a lot of the time.


Here they are at the nest though.


Babies being fed.


Some big black birds have been hanging around trying to get to the babies. The kids decided it was their job to protect the babies. They wouldn’t leave the porch for a long time. Once I made them come in, they sat at the window watching in case they needed to run out and chase the birds away.

The babies have grown so much over the last week. I’m sure the time is coming when they’ll fly away. The kids are excited about that and sad at the same time.

Bird Nest

When we came to pick up the keys to our new house last week, we noticed a bird nest on the front porch. We didn't hear or see anything so we weren't sure if it was being used. Yesterday, when we got back here to move in, we could hear the baby birds.

Isle of Palms Beach

A day at the beach is so much nicer for me when they have these tide pools. The kids spend all their time playing there. The water is shallow enough that I don't have to be right with them.

Last week, they spent the whole time pestering me to take them to the water. This time I actually got to sit and read some.

A bad thing about it is that they dig in the mud and get filthy.

Then they have to go into the ocean to rinse off before they can change into dry clothes.

Colin didn't like that part because he said the water was freezing.

Another trip to the aquarium

 

 I had been wanting to take the kids to the aquarium on a day when they bring out a penguin. 

Colin wanted to see the new albino alligator.

Wilmington

We were in Wilmington for a few days while Chad was working.

New Hanover County Arboretum

 

Hugh MacRae Park

 

Wrightsville Beach

 

Downtown

 

On the way home, we just had to stop at this place called South of the Border. We have driven by it twice before in the last few weeks.  

 

Easter Pictures

I had wanted to find somewhere to take pictures of the kids in their Easter clothes. We had to go to Wilmington, NC the day after Easter so I took the clothes with us. We went to the New Hanover County Arboretum.





We went to a playground after the arboretum. As we were driving there, we saw this beautiful spot at the park so we had to get out and take some more pictures.

Our Charleston Adventure

I found that there is a tour offered in Charleston for kids based on this book, Joseph's Charleston Adventure. I was able to find the book at the library. We decided to just do it ourselves so that we could take our time. In the back of the book, there is a description of each of the places.

The book is about a little boy who helps a lost dog find his way back home. Along the way, they pass by many famous places in Charleston, SC. Some of them were places we had wanted to see, but hadn't gotten to yet. We took the same path as the boy in the book.

Kids with the book and ready to start their adventure.



 White Point Gardens (most people call it the Battery): overlooks Charleston Harbor; cannons from the Civil War



cannonballs stacked like pyramids



 High Battery Seawall



 The house behind the kids has a piazza, which is a porch located on the side of the house to avoid the sun.



 Rainbow Row: most of these colorful houses on East Bay St. are connected; they were built in the early 1700s for merchants, with stores on the first floor and living quarters on the top.



Old Exchange Building: has a dungeon; George Washington danced in the Great Hall



In the book, there is a man standing about where the kids are that is dressed in clothing that was worn during the American Revolution. The guy was there as we went down the street on our way to the Battery, but he was gone when we came back to take the pictures. We had to go inside to find him.



 St. Michael's Episcopal Church: oldest surviving church building in Charleston. It's located at an intersection called the Four Corners of Law, referring to the four types of law on each corner: city, state, federal, and God's law. 



 Washington Park: located next to City Hall

It's hard to see, but on the left side of the picture, the kids are standing next to a fountain that the boy in the book drank from.



Of course, they all had to have a drink too.



This monument in the park was designed by the same person who designed the Washington Monument.



Behind the kids is Chalmers St., which is paved with cobblestones. Cobblestones were brought from Europe in ships to weight down the bottoms when they were not carrying cargo.



 The PInk House: one of the oldest buildings in Charleston; painted pink since the early 1600s



 Dock Street Theatre: located on the site of one of the first playhouses in America



 St. Philip's Episcopal Church: oldest church congregation in the Southeast

Colin was disappointed that he couldn't go up into the steeple like the boy in the book, but we did get to go inside the church and look around.



 Old City Market: open-air market where things have been sold for over 200 years



 If you look to the right side of the above picture closely, you can see a lady making a sweetgrass basket. These were first made by slaves who came from Africa and are woven from bulrush, palmetto fronds, pine needles, and sweetgrass. You find these being sold in several places in Charleston and Mount Pleasant.

In Mount Pleasant, there are many places just like this set up alongside the road to sell the baskets.





It wasn't in the book, but we went to Waterfront Park. It was cold last time we were there so this was the first time they got to get into the fountain.