Since I last posted, we did finally make it to the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, and the kids LOVED it. We had a few issues when we first got there that soured me a bit on the experience, but I love that it has rekindled in K her desire to be an astronaut and to do the things it takes to work for it. I think that if we do end up back in public school, we really need to get her into a school that focuses on the sciences, and I know there is a Science Magnet school in our old district, so perhaps she'll have to leave the language programs and hit those science books a little harder. She is committed again to the concept and I certainly want to nurture that. H and C loved the robotics lab and could have spent the entire day there if I let them, but then we would have missed the rides out back. Who knew they had rides? I certainly didn't. Just three, but it was enough to cap off our afternoon, before we rode on down the road again.
Welcome to Huntsville!
See? They did send monkeys to space
The robotic platypus
K was the clear winner on this, hanging well over 90 seconds
C flying a jet pack
Astro-B
Don't distract me, mom, I'm landing the shuttle
Running through the missle and rocket park (to get to rides)
This has always been one of C's favorite rides
On the back of the lunar rover
Hanging with B as the other kids experienced G-force (she was too short)
Checking out a helicopter
B wanted to take a ride, but alas, it wasn't an active helo
The exhibits were impressive
No, seriously, this is all about monkeys in space
We left Alabama and headed west again, staying on base at Millington, TN (in the outskirts of Memphis) along the way. West, you say? Well, on the way east, we had considered going to the Crater of Diamonds in Arkansas, but as we debated the issue, minor tornados had begun in the state and we had no desire to be a part of the evening news, standing in front of where our RV used to be, talking about how quickly the storm swept our home away, so we continued on east at the time. But, K was persistent that she really wanted to mine for diamonds, so we eventually turned back and camped out in Little Rock for a few days, during which we did eventually go mine for diamonds. For those who haven't been mining at Crater of Diamonds, it is a whole lot less Snow White's dwarves, and a great deal more Field of Dreams. You don't mine in caves, rather you mine a big empty field, basically an excuse to play in the dirt for the most part. Of course we hit the beginning of a heat wave in Arkansas, and the bank thermometer read 91 degrees at 10:00, so going out in a hot field for more than about two hours was not in the cards. It was hot, sticky and a little muddy, and we didn't find the diamond of our dreams, but it was long enough. Plus, we had big plans to check out Hot Springs National Monument the next day, so it was enough.
While in Memphis, don't miss the Bass Pro Shop Pyramid
There is an elevator to an observation deck that allows a pretty amazing view
Downtown Memphis and the Mississippi River
It is a pretty long way down!
And, of course, there are the fishies inside
Holy Moly, were we all the way up there?
Also not to be missed, The Peabody Hotel
The duck house at The Peabody Hotel, a penthouse suite
Where the ducks spend their days
They line up on the fountain when not swimming
B loved seeing the ducks up close
The Duck Master
Waiting for the duck walk
Hot, sweaty work mining for diamonds
maybe if I lift this up, one will fall at my feet
A rare shot of the five of us
Hot Springs was pretty cool, with a chance to look at the bath houses of the 1920's. A few of them have been restored for tours, and one is still active. I would have about traded away the kids for the chance to partake of one of the baths they offer, but for some reason I'm kind of attached to them, so I didn't. We also took the curvy road up to the top of the mountain and took the elevator to the top. to enjoy the view.
One of the few remaining exposed springs
The grand staircase to the Grand Promenade
An open pool of HOT water
C tried to tell the girls that it was hot, but they didn't want to believe him
Yep, even the fountains are naturally hot
Inside the museum at Fordyce Bath house - mens bathing area
Gratuitous shot of the stained glass above the kids
Mandatory sign picture
I guess they didn't realize how slimy things get, and then we drink it? Eww!
View from the top of the observation tower at Hot Springs
The final sightseeing adventure was a trip to Little Rock Central High School to learn about the end of segregation, and I was amazed to see how young the children who fought to enter that school were. The youngest was only fourteen, and we talked a bit about how amazing they must have been and how determined they were not to let anything stop them from attaining their dream. I know I wouldn't have been able to walk up that sidewalk at fourteen.
Working on Junior Ranger badge #19 at Little Rock Central
Answering questions about why LRCHS is so important to our history
Little Rock Central High School - five floors of importance
The highlight of our time in Arkansas, was definitely meeting up with a friend I've known for over ten years, after we met in a due date club online when we were both pregnant with our first born kiddos. Her daughter and my H are both June bugs, who are turning ten this month. Not sure why ten is such a magical number, but we were blessed to be able to join my friend and her daughters for some little celebrations of this big milestone. Our kids really clicked, and we felt so blessed to spend so much time with them, and share such a great time, The kids loved playing on the trampoline in the back yard, ziplining (also in the back yard) and swimming at the birthday celebration pool party our last night in Arkansas.
H heading down the zipline
C takes a turn - he must have gone 15x if he went once
Wheeeeeee
Crazy man
Mini Birthday celebration with homemade ice cream
Even H gets a candle in his ice cream
H bouncing B on the trampoline
My good friend lighting the crazy candle on her daughter's cake
Blowing out the candles, including the candle of death
We are now back in Millington (Memphis area), and the kids were excited to go back to the cool splash pad here on base, which is free and open whenever anyone wants to go. They always connect with at least one new friend when we go to the base facilities and this was no exception, which always warms my heart. Even B is getting better about not being shy, and opening up to talk to new people which is HUGE for her.
Splash pad!
Tomorrow we head east again, to the big birthday celebration that the five of us have planned for his tenth birthday. The kids are so excited and I think it will be my first trip to Kentucky, if I'm not mistaken. I think it is the only state that I have not been to, or at least the only state I cannot definitively remember going to. Therefore the five of us spend H's tenth birthday in my fiftieth state and the kids will likely get their twentieth Junior Ranger badge of this adventure. The numbers just add up.
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