Top Ten of 2011

I can’t believe that we’ve come to the end of 2011 already. What a year it’s been! I thought I’d take a minute to share my most popular posts from 2011. You never know, they may just inspire you to plan something fun for 2012 and hopefully give you a few tips to save a bit of money along the way! 

1. Tips for a Smoother Traveling with Kids Experience

We’ve always traveled, from the time our kids were tiny. This post shares some of the tips I’ve implemented over the years to train my children to be good travelers.

2. Fun and Inexpensive Staycation Ideas for Mansfield, Ohio

At first glance, Mansfield may look like there isn’t much to offer but if you know where to look you’ve discover it’s the perfect spot for an inexpensive staycation.

3. Harmony Park Safari; a Hidden Gem in Huntsville, Alabama

We had spent two years traveling back and forth to Huntsville and lived there for a year before we found this amazing gem.   

4. Get More Bang for your Buck: Hotel Savings

Let’s fact it, it can be super expensive to travel so why would you want to blow your travel budget on lodging? This post gives you plenty of tips to save money on hotel costs.   

5. Ten Ways to Save on Prom Expenses

Last year was the first time we dealt with the expense of prom and we didn’t have one child attending- we had three! I wrote this post to show others some of the ways that we saved money and made prom a very affordable event.

6. Getting Started with Twitter

I love Twitter but have to admit that it was incredibly confusing when I first logged on. This post is my attempt to explain and simplify Twitter.     

7.  Ten Reasons You’ll Love Callaway Gardens

When my family was invited to Callaway Gardens, I had no idea what we were in for. I still imagine returning for a week long, family friendly adventure. Callaway Gardens is really some place special!

8. Samuel Boardman State Scenic Corridor

This may be my Top Ten list, but I didn’t write this post. Nope. This post was written by Barb from the ever-popular, if- you- haven’t- seen- it, you- must- visit- site, The Handbook of Nature Study. I have to say that after reading her guest post I certainly can’t wait to plan a trip to Oregon.   

9. Fort Wilderness Campground: Is It Really an Affordable and Enjoyable Alternative to Disney Resort Hotels? 

Our stay at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground certainly was memorable, but not in a good way. Thankfully, Disney stepped up and saved the night and it turned out not so bad after all.

10. Hiking Trails Near Huntsville, Alabama: Devil’s Racetrack near Wade Mountain  

One of the reasons we loved living in Alabama was that we were able to hike nearly anytime of the year. That allowed us to visit quite a few hiking trails. This is written from our experience to Devil’s Racetrack.

Thanks for reading The Traveling Praters! I hope you all have a very Happy New Year and can’t wait to see what 2012 has in store!

Homeschool Aviation Focused Classes at the Aviation Challenge Facility at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama

IMPORTANT UPDATE: The classes on Thursday have been filled so Wednesday Classes have been added. If you’re interested in these classes SIGN UP NOW!

I’ve mentioned before how much I LOVE the US Space and Rocket Center. When we found out we would be traveling to Huntsville with my husbands’ job several years ago, it was the first place we visited. Anyone who has watched Space Camp will certainly understand, right?

Well, I’m really excited to tell you that the US Space and Rocket Center is now offering a series of 6 fall homeschool classes that focus specifically on aviation and held at their Aviation Challenge facility!

Here are the details:   

Cost: $99 for the 6-week session
Ages: 9 through 14
When: Thursdays from 1pm - 3pm
To register, contact Thelma Stephens @ 256.721.7200
or send questions to thelmas@spacecamp.com

Only 40 spaces available so reserve today! See the note at the top of the post- Thursday classes are FILLED but Wednesday classes have been added due to the popularity of this 6 week course!

Week One: Aviation Orientation
October 13th, 2011
Aircraft Tour:  Tour the aircraft of Aviation Challenge and see how the aircraft design helps in military combat and strategy.                                                                           Air Crew Equipment: Students will have hands-on experience in an aircraft cockpit  & learn about the gear and equipment needed to function in a high performance jet.                                                                                                                                                      Introduction to Flight:  Students will be briefed on the elementary principles of flight.

Week Two: Strategic Communication & Teamwork
October 20th, 2011
Patrolling: Students will be introduced to concepts and strategies that will help communication and movement in a tactical situation.                                                   Search & Rescue Mission: Students will conduct a search & rescue mission to retrieve a down pilot and secure Top Secret documents.

Week Three: Leadership Development
October 27th, 2011
Students will focus on teamwork, leadership and communication while working to complete various low rope challenges.

Week Four: Survival Challenge
November 3rd, 2011
Intro to Land Survival: Students will learn the importance of mental toughness when in a survival situation with S.U.R.V.I.V.A.L. acronym and other helpful lessons.
Fire Craft: Students will learn six different types of fire lays to build in the wilderness.
Shelter Building: Students will learn four different types of shelters to build in the wilderness.
Food & Water Procurement: Students will learn what types of foods can be found in the wilderness and how to purify water from unknown sources.

Week Five: Aerodynamics & Aeronautics
November 10th, 2011
Aviation Lab: Students will be instructed by Commander Dennis "Hoot" Turner (USN, Ret.) on the fundamentals of aerodynamics, aeronautics, and propulsion.

Week Six: Flight Physiology
November 17th, 2011
Flight Physiology: Students will learn what the human body must endure to be a high performance jet pilot. Students will be educated on various visual and vestibular illusions, anatomy of the eye and inner ear.
Barney Chair Simulation:Students will experience a sample of the vestibular illusions a pilot might experience.
G-Force at Museum: Students will experience 4 Gs on their bodies while riding the Rocket Park version of a centrifuge.

Don’t these classes sound amazing? I only wish we were still living in Alabama so my daughter could enjoy them!

Make sure you visit their webpage announcing their homeschool classes.

Harmony Park Safari; A Hidden Gem in Huntsville, AL

My family recently discovered what could possibly be the best kept secret in Huntsville; The Harmony Park Safari. 

I have to admit, my teenagers were not excited to be pulled away from their electronic devices when my husband and I announced a family outing, but by the time we’d arrived at Harmony Park Safari, they finally quit whining and surprisingly for them, all enjoyed our excursion.

Not far from Ditto Landing Marina, the Harmony Park Safari is tucked away in a rural area of Southeast Huntsville.

The safari costs $7 per person, under two is free and for five or more paying guests you receive a large bucket of food that normally costs $5. If you’re thinking about saving the five bucks and skipping the food, I urge you to reconsider. The animals are all too eager to scurry over to your car if you present an offering.

 

We saw many animals at the safari. Most of the animals are roaming around unrestrained while a few like the monkey, pot bellied pig and iguana are housed in cages.

 

There were ponies, goats and deer...

  

and a zebra. This is the first time I can remember getting a picture of a zebra’s head and not its rear.

 

The camel was fenced, but he was still able and eager to reach his neck over the fence and into our bucket of food.

I was surprised to see the peacock wandering about.  He did fan his feathers but by then we were too far away to get a good shot.

 

The Texas Longhorn was busy eating the hay.  

The Bison was cooling off in the water.

There are even a few giant exotic Brazilian birds. 

The tortoises were surprisingly active  IF you visit before bedtime. By six o’clock they’re ready for bed so make sure you don’t visit in the evening if you want to see them.  

  

There is also a reptile house which is included with your admission. We saw lots of snakes, crocodiles, and alligators.

There is a small picnic area for guests who’d like to get out and stretch and savor the day.  Allow 30 minutes minimum to one hour (a bit longer if you really take your time or are really interested in the animals) to drive the two-mile path through the park-like setting, to walk through the reptile house and to see the tortoises.  Fun for the whole family- Harmony Park Safari gets a thumbs- up from my family!

Ready to plan a visit of your own? You’ll find Harmony Park Safari at 431 Clouds Cove Road Southeast Huntsville, AL 35803, or you can call (256) 723-3880 for more information.

Sue T. Rex: Be the Dinosaur

Update: I saw Sue at the USSRC in Huntsville, Alabama but Sue is a traveling exhibit and has moved on. She'll be visiting the Science and History Museum in Jacksonville, Florida in May 2012.

Be the Dinosaur^™ is an exhibit compiled by the famed Field Museum in Chicago and designed with assistance from world-renowned paleontologists to become the world’s first dinosaur simulation. The exhibit is full of interactive displays and computerized animations that allow you to travel back in time to the Cretaceous Period. *

You’ll learn what the world could have been like in the time of dinosaurs through a series placards, hands-on activities and displays.

You can view the world through the eyes of a Tyrannosaurus Rex or a Triceratops.

You can ride through the dinosaur lands in an adventure jeep and uncover dinosaur bones in the dig pits. Young paleontologists are even permitted to keep a fossil as a souvenir of their day.

As fun as the simulators and digging for dinosaur bones can be, the highlight of the exhibit is clearly A T.Rex Named Sue. At 90% complete, Sue is the most intact T-Rex skeleton that has ever been uncovered. She also happens to be the largest ever found at 42 feet long and 13 feet high at the hip.

Pretty fierce, isn’t she?

The massive dinosaur was discovered on land that was part of a Sioux Indian Reservation, but the land belonged to a private rancher, which created quite a controversy. You’d think the skeleton would belong to the rancher right? Well, it turns out that the land was held in a trust by the US Government. Who owned Sue? The rancher or the government?

After five years a judge ruled that the fossil did belong to the rancher, who offered Sue at a public auction to the highest bidder. After only eight minutes of bidding, Sotheby’s had sold Sue to The Field Museum in 1997 for a whooping $8.4 million~ the most money ever paid for a dinosaur fossil.

Workers at the Field Museum spent over 30,000 hours preparing the skeleton that consists of over 250 bones and teeth. To share Sue with those that are unable to travel to Chicago, they completed fully cast replicas to become part of the traveling exhibits.

For a brief time you can experience the Be the Dinosaur^™ exhibit and see Sue at The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama before the exhibit moves on to Denver. You can view the exhibit schedule at the Field Museum’s website.

U.S. Space & Rocket Center One Tranquility Base Huntsville, AL 35805 1-800-SPACE

You’ll find hours of operation and admission prices here.

Personally, I believe in a Young Earth, not that we’ve evolved over millions of years. I’m not looking to stir up debate here, I just feel like I should comment for those of you that share the same worldview as myself. As you could imagine, this exhibit is steeped in evolution and it’s kind of hard to get around it. After all, you are stepping back into the Cretaceous Period, that should be a tip off. :) That being said, Sue is really cool to see.

I experienced the Be the Dinosaur^™ exhibit as part of the #SCTweetup at the US Space and Rocket Center.

My Experience at the #SCTweetup at the US Space and Rocket Center

I was 15 when Space Camp, the movie aired. I wasn’t the least bit interested in math or science and my knowledge of all things ‘space’ was minimal, yet there was something so appealing about that movie that afterwards, I dreamed of going to Space Camp for months.  I’m sure that didn’t have anything to do with the fact that I thought Tate Donovan was hot, right?

Last Thursday and Friday, part of my dream came true when I had the unbelievable opportunity to attend the very first tweet-up sponsored by the US Space and Rocket Center, in Huntsville,  home of none other than the official Space Camp with 13 other participants!

 Group Photo at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in front of a Test Stand

I have to admit that I was a bit nervous. After all, I’m still not the most ‘space minded’ individual. My kids even reminded me on the way out the door that Pluto is no longer a planet. Yep. They had confidence in me. 

No worries, I wasn’t quizzed on the names or order of the planets. Nor was I asked to recall the past 134 Space Shuttle missions. My job was simply to experience all that the US Space and Rocket Center have to offer and tweet about it with the other participants. I think we covered that.

Aren’t you just a bit curious about my experience? 

I have to tell you that I really enjoyed every minute! Some I enjoyed more than others. For instance, take a look at the MAT or multi axis simulator. It spins you up, down and all around basically giving you a sense of disorientation.  

    In the MAT

If I’m honest, I’ll say that I didn’t necessarily LOVE it, but I was glad that I gave it a try.  If I’d found myself strapped in this seat 25 years ago, I probably would have loved it and you wouldn’t have been able to get me out of it. 

We also had the opportunity to “walk on the moon” in the 1/6 chair. I opted out of that one but other tweeters really enjoyed it and even thought it was fun.

                                                      @buellesbach in the 1/6 Chair

We got a brief behind the scenes look at the Space Camp simulators on our way to eat dinner with former astronaut Richard “Hoot” Gibson, one of the highlights of the #SCTweetup. 

 

After dinner with Richard “Hoot” Gibson

After dinner we practiced our space mission. I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive about this endeavor. Though the names of our position were on the back of our ID badges, I had no idea what my position meant, I knew that I’d requested something behind the scenes. Maybe it would have helped if I’d re-watched Space Camp before the big tweet-up arrived.

Turns out I was CAPCOM. As part of Mission Control, it was my job to communicate with the Space Shuttle and relay information back to my teammates. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Well, let me tell you that I learned something during the practice run. I am a bit of a perfectionist and maybe just the tiniest bit of a control freak. I like to know what I’m doing and I like to be able to do my job well. I don’t like surprises. I also don’t like feeling unprepared.  Probably not the best character traits to have for the job.

      My station during our Space Mission

I left feeling totally unprepared for our mission the following day and little did  I know, I would not sleep much that night.

The following morning we met for a tour of Marshall Space Flight Center. I learned so much about our local history as well as NASA’s. I really could have spent all day there just soaking everything up. I’ll share more about this aspect of the tweet-up in another post but in the meantime, you may enjoy reading what Marshall actually had to say about the “Twitters” as they printed on our name badges.

 Inside the ISS Payloads Operation Center

After our tour we rushed back to the US Space and Rocket Center to have lunch with Tim Pickens, part inventor and part scientist with a passion for rockets. He is currently working on the official team, Rocket City Pioneers, to win the Google Lunar X Prize.  I think we’ll really see some exciting developments come out of this contest, so be sure to tune in from time to time to see what’s going on.

After our lunch it was time for the moment I was dreading, our space mission. I have to tell you that our mission did have a few glitches, but it wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever participated in. When it was over I really did feel as though I were a part of something. I can certainly see why the missions are so beneficial to team building during Space Camp.

 The space shuttle simulators at Space Camp

After our mission it was time to head over to Aviation Challenge.

 On the grounds of Aviation Challenge

I enjoyed the outdoor exhibits, or aircraft, while many of my fellow tweeters enjoyed trying the simulators indoors.

Finally, I wrapped up the day by visiting A T.Rex Named Sue, the current traveling exhibit at the US Space and Rocket Center. 

 A peek at A T.Rex Named Sue

I returned home exhausted, and grateful to have had such an incredible experience with such a wonderful group of people. Thank you US Space and Rocket Center! You may enjoy reading our  Twitter stream  as well as this post from the Sprocketeers, #SCTweetup an #EPICSUCCESS.   

You may be interested in following:

@SpaceCampUSA, @Check_Six (Aviation Challenge), @NASA_Marshall, @RocketCitySpacePioneers

Have you ever wanted to be part of a Tweet-up? What are you waiting for?

A Zebra Story

Last week I was reading Two Kids and a Map and had to chuckle at the post The Behind of the Zebra. I can relate. Of all our trips to the zoo, or the Wilds or safari type adventures, I don’t think I’ve ever captured anything other than a rear end shot of a zebra.  EVER.

Until now.

Yesterday, I accompanied my family to the Harmony Park Safari in Huntsville, Alabama (I’ll share more about that trip later) and guess what I saw?

A zebra! But not only that, check out out the pictures I was able to snap.

Here is the zebra approaching…

   

…getting closer…

and right beside the van! But wait…

How’s this for a close-up?

I guess the secret to getting a good picture of a zebra is to offer him food (provided by the safari, of course).

Who’d have guessed? 

Field Trip Friday: Alabama Constitution Village

When we lived in Ohio, a good part of our field trips were focused around Ohio History. We visited the Ohio State Building, many Ohio Historical sites and local attractions that focused on educating the public regarding local history. What better way to learn than by actually experiencing places of historical significance and hearing about people that had made Ohio great?

When we moved to Alabama, it was only natural that I would decide to enhance our state study with field trips. When we learned about the early inhabitants of the state we visited Oakville Indian Mounds and Russell Cave National Monument. We’ve learned about the early settlers in Alabama, visited some historic towns and buildings, learned about some famous Alabamians, like Helen Keller, and even saw a few quirky sites along the way.

One of our favorite field trips so far has been our visit to the Alabama Constitution Village in Downtown Huntsville, where we were transported back in time by costumed interpreters to the year 1819. Forty-four delegates had gathered from all over the state to draw up a constitution, making Alabama the 22nd state.

We learned many interesting facts and tidbits. Did you know that traveler’s at that time wouldn’t rent an entire room to rest, but rather rented bed space? Just imagine how much sleep you’d get sharing a bed with three other adults on a hot July evening in the South!

The convention met not only to draw up the Constitution, but also to determine if women or slaves could vote and where the state capital would be. Many had hoped that Huntsville would be chosen as capital. People also questioned if voting should be a privilege of the educated. Could you be permitted to vote if you were unable to read the ballot? Who would help you make your selections and how could you be sure that the person helping you was a trustworthy person and not out to further their own agenda?

We visited the Federal Land Surveyor’s office and learned how the State was divided into counties, saw some of the tools that were used at that time to measure the land and learned that the Huntsville Meridian is in Maple Hill Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in Huntsville. The meridian is the point by which all of North Alabama is surveyed. Of course it’s on our list of places to discover one of these days.

We also toured the printer’s where we learned how the printing press was operated and we met the sheriff’s wife in his place of residence.

In the post office we discovered that at that time, postage was not paid by those sending letters, but by the recipients, who actually paid for their mail when they picked it up. They were charged per piece of paper so in order to be as frugal as possible, the sender would write across the page normally then turn the page and write on top of the words they’d just written. It was easy enough to decipher if the recipient would lay a piece of plain paper under each line as they were reading.

Throughout our visit we were encouraged to join in the presentation by pretending to be one of the residents or signing the constitution with a quill pen.

Our interest in The Alabama Constitution Village program, Up for Debate, led to an invitation to attend Earlyworks Children’s Museum for the President’s and Patriots program the next day. You can see a list of field trips that are currently offered at Earlyworks, the Alabama Constitution Village and Earlyworks here.

Our experience to The Alabama Constitution Village living history museum was very pleasant and I look forward to more visits in the future. This living history museum is appropriate for a large number of ages but is probably best for mid-elementary age and up if attending as a field trip. Though the walkways are paved, some of the buildings require that you climb stairs (some of which are steep) so this isn’t the best outing for wheelchairs or strollers.

You’ll find more information on their website or by calling 256-564-8100. You’ll find the village at 109 Gates Avenue Huntsville, AL. It is open Tues.-Sat., March through October.

If you want to make a day of it, you may enjoy visiting the Harrison Brothers Hardware Store, which is located right around the corner, or nearby Weeden House.

Have you been on a field trip lately that you really enjoyed? Why not link up to Field Trip Friday and share what you learned? If you’re new here you may want to read the guidelines, otherwise, feel free to jump right in.

Things To Do
Huntsville

Horseback Riding in Alabama at Star HB Farms

When my son was three he wanted to learn how to ride a horse. I didn’t think much about it because he was so little he often had grand ideas. When he was four, he talked about horses all the time and I began to think that his interest wasn’t simply a passing phase. When he was five I called all the stables in our area and tried to find someone that would give him lessons. By the time he was six and he could begin those lessons we couldn’t afford the $25 plus dollars a lesson that it was going to cost.   Eventually he quit asking and never rode a horse until last week.

Who knew that he’d actually get a chance to go horseback riding in Alabama and get a glimpse of one of his dreams?  

Star HB Farms, located atop Drake Mountain offers horseback riding and lessons for children ages 3 and up. At the request of a friend, the kids and I decided to visit and give horseback riding a try. All I can think of is what took us so long? 

As we entered the gate we saw this cute little expecting mama who announces everyone coming and going- you really can’t sneak past her.

 

You’ll find more than just donkeys and horses here though. We also discovered a sacrificial goat. If you get too close, she’ll fall over. We learned that sacrificial goats actually have a birth defect that was bred into them. Shepherds would keep one or two in their flock and if they were attacked by wolves or coyotes, the sacrificial goats would fall over and become prey for the hungry predators while the rest of the flock was able to scurry away to safety.    

Star HB Farms has  a herd of 22 very gentle horses that are available for riding. Here are three of them in the pasture.

It appears that these horses want inside the barn or are just really nosy.

Here’s a look at one of the pastures where you’ll find some of the horses.

Star HB Farms not only offers horseback riding in Alabama, but there is also limited broading for horses as well.

Since our friends broad horses at Star HB Farms we were able to get really hands-on. The kids began their lesson by brushing the horses.

Next, they received a lesson on horse anatomy, tack and the proper way to saddle a horse.

It was all very interesting and they listened intently.

We also learned that you can tell a horses age by their teeth.

There are different types of saddles and bridles that work best with different riding styles and preferences.

We learned that when you mount  and dismount the horse you need to do so in one fluid motion. This is often the most dangerous part of horseback riding.  

Once the kids were each on a horse, they practiced riding in the pen.

   Just look at that smile- his dream finally comes true!

                       

After they’d practiced and were comfortable on the horses, they headed out on the trail. I wish I could have taken pictures of the trail because the kids said it was really beautiful.

If you’re looking for a place to go horseback riding in Alabama, you may want to give Star HB Farms a call. Prices range from $20 an hour per rider, to $100 for the entire day. You are also welcome to ride their trails for only $10 if you bring your own horse. In addition to horseback riding Star HB Farms also gives lessons, pony rides and offers birthday parties.

You’ll find  Star HB Farms at 4483 Juniper Drive Huntsville, AL 35810 and can reach them at 256-527- 5399.  They are open Saturday and Sundays from 8am-4pm and weekday evenings by appointment. You can visit their website for more information. 

Huntsville