Playin'

Friday we played around Houston. The kids had friends go with us and Tony took the day off. We hit the Johnson Space Center, which is something we have always wanted to do. I think Tony and I enjoyed NASA much more than the kids did. We took a tram to the Mission Control Center and that was so interesting. We learned that (as hard as it was for the kids to grasp) the 1st 'space computer' was actually a slide rule. They showed us how they put people on the moon with only that, no computers!
We went to Rocket Park where they house a real rocket that did not get sent into space because of the Vietnam war. We went to a grove of trees that have been planted in honor of all the NASA space travelers that have dies while on the job. It was very sad. They have trees for all the crew of Challenger and Colombia. I had the opportunity to go to NASA in FLorida at Kennedy Space Center the summer after the Challenger blew up. That was an incredible feeling and now to see the memorial trees for all the astronauts was so touching.

This the wall that has photos off all the crews that have gone into space.Brooklyn and Angela trying on fire uniforms...they are always good for a pose or 2!
The control panel of a shuttle...how confusing are those switches, and buttons?
This is a suit that an astronaut wore to climb Mt. Everest last year. He is the only astronaut to have been in space and to the top of Mt. Everest. The American flag patch on his climbing suit is from his mission to space. I though that was so cool. Rocket engine...it was huge.Sections of the rocket that fit together...the engineering behind all of this is something my brain can NOT get around All of the kids...we had a great time



Then we went to Galveston to play on the beach and eat dinner. It was a little chilly, but that doesn't stop kids from getting in the ocean



We went to Rainforest Cafe to eat and since Brooke turns 15 on the 26th the kids all thought it would be great to celebrate her birthday with a chocolate lava cake! The waiters sang to her and made her wear a beak on her face, she acted like she didn't like it but she played the part very well!