Space Camp

 On Josh's birthday, he and I drove 7 hours north through Alabama to the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL, for 3 days of parent-child space camp.  About 40 5th graders from his school were there.

 Only in the south can we drive past billboards like this:  "Go to church or the Devil will get you."  We also drove past Montgomery (where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus), and the turn offs for Helen Keller's childhood home and Jesse Owens' birthplace.

 Josh loved all the stations and activities.  He made a paper rocket, then launched it (above)

 Looking at a re-creation of the moon landing site

 Too much spinning around for me....    but Josh loved it

 I like this quote about the Saturn V

 Climbing the red rocks of Mars (?)

 Two monkeys flew to space in this space capsule (above) are returned alive.  The grave for one of the monkeys is on-site, and children placed banana peels on the tombstone.

 This was a terrifying ride.  Josh rode it over and over, but I couldn't tolerate more than one ride a day.  The seats shot upward at the speed of a rocket/shuttle, and at the top we just flew up in our seats and our stomachs were feeling odd.  I rode every ride because Lyrad wasn't able to come with Josh, so I told myself, "If Lyrad were here, he'd try everything.  So I'll ride it for Lyrad."  (Then Lyrad later told me he wouldn't have tried some of these crazy, nausea-inducing rides anyway.  Oh well.)

We had a great 3 days together, and things were fine at home with Isaac in charge (and Rachel staying at the cousins' house)...