Gators to Jesus

Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures...

Oh ....this trip was with nature!

On top of Trent's list of TO-DO while in Florida, was to ride an airboat on the marsh. After reading many reviews we came to locate Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures about 20min outside of Orlando. This was a first for all of us and I do have to say it was pretty cool.

(a real stuffed gator. Alligator hunting is a legal sport just like deer hunting is for us up North. However the rules are a bit different when you hunt gators... The hunting takes place at night (crazy) and with a permit you are allowed 2 gators for bragging rights. The people we met living down this way, are sure passionate about their gators)

(this is the real deal... This airboat had 500 horse power and sailed over water, swamp & land. Wild machines. The cost of a boat like this is $30,000 )

(here in the picture you can see bright pink clumps. These are "apple snails" these clusters could have anywhere between 100-1000 eggs. For protection from predators in the water, the female snail climbs up the tree trunk usually during night to lay her eggs. If you are wanting more information the website www.applesnail.net is full of a wealth of info)

(now here is a picture of the "apple snail" after maturity. They go from bright pink to this)






Out to look for creatures...

(here we are on the boat and as you can see Emma has headphones on. You had to have them, the noise from the huge fan was so loud. Our driver was great, he had amazing eyes spotting alligators, Great Blue Herons (beautiful), Bald Eagles, wild turkeys. The list went on, this place was full of wildlife)



At one point we were driving through thick grass and our driver stopped and pointed. To my left on top of the grass in the water was a Florida Cottonmouth Water Moccasin Snake... I was on pins and needles. This snake easily could have leaped into the boat and bit one of us. Trent was thrilled to see it but I never had a chance to get my camera on it because I was to concerned about holding the kids back. My heart was definitely in my throat. With in a minute the snake disappeared into the marshlands and we now had a great excuse to tell the kids about this venomous snake.

(Ev happy as a pig in mud. As you can see behind him the grass is TALL, it was a rush not knowing exactly what lay with in it)

(we passed through a clearing ... and this is what we came upon... An Alligator. The weather was chilly so the gator was not moving very fast but he gave us a good look'n over)

(this reminded me of what Shrek's swamp would be like)

(from afar these trees look diseased but up close they shimmer with beauty of Spanish Moss. All the trees were covered with it)




(a trip on an airboat going 50 mph or 80 km with no seat belts and no rails. My family loved it. This machine could turn on a dime and skipped on top of the water... pretty cool)

(I love this picture... Ev & Trent xoxoox)

This was an interesting day!!

Prior to our trip to Florida we had never heard of Holy Land until Trent's dad mentioned it. Did a bit of research and found out that Holy Land has been open in Orlando for 7 yrs but you would never know it because Orlando belongs to "a big mouse with ears."

From the moment you pass through the gates of the walled city, your immersed in ancient Jerusalem, intricately detailed, both inside and out.

The property is very well maintained and really gave the feel of an ancient world. Just recently a kids section was added with Noah's Ark which was a much needed addition to keep kids interest throughout the day. The theatrical shows were great, very informative and very well done. For the big show "the re-enactments of the crucifixion of Jesus. " This was pretty intense and powerful at the same time", we had to keep reminding our kids that it was actors and no one was getting hurt. It was extremely visual with the right amount of shock.

(Here is a picture of the Temple Plaza, were we walked under a massive archway beholding the stone plaza surrounded with Roman columns crowned with gold capitals. All this framed the Great Temple, the place held in highest reverence among the Jewish people. It is a representation of the Temple that once stood on hallowed Mount Moriah in 1st century Jerusalem)

(a theatrical presentation about the Centurion solider . It was very good the kids really enjoyed listening to the signing and learning something new)

(in case you're lost)

(this statue caught my eye. I thought it was a really nice subtle piece)

(see what I have to deal with... these kids are now learning how to work together to ask for something. How can I resist!)

(they got their treat and now they are happy, happy, happy)

(Emma was chosen to come up to play Goliath in Noah's Arc. It was pretty funny as David was a grown man. The performers made it very entertaining for the kids as they helped the audience members recount the famous story.... David & Goliath)

A powerful story told ... here are a few pictures.

(this last presentation of the day was all about the crucifixion of Jesus and the brutal beating he took when the soldiers led him to the cross. There was fake blood flying everywhere...)


Trent and I were torn about if the kids should see this performance. We talked to the kids and they said they wanted to and with constant reminding that is was all acting and they could see the actors were ok. It did spark some good conversations and what it mean to sacrifice and how ruthless humanity can be.

(the gentleman who played Jesus did an amazing job. I felt like we were witnessing this historic event ourselves)

(this cross was standing high into the sky, the presentation was very visual)

(this statement was by the water fountain show)

Holy Land was definitely an experience!

Well it looks like spring is on the way for everyone up north. I think most kids are off for spring break so have fun driving your parents crazy..haha..

All our love and have a great weekend.
I keep forgetting to put our email address in case you want to email directly schmulandj@gmail.com

Love always Jody. Trent. Em. East. Ev

NASA Kennedy Space Centre...

This was an intense two days of learning, exploring and answering questions about all the amazing strides Man has made.

I was a little concerned that the kids were to young for this endeavor, my fears were put to rest when they wanted to go back to make sure we saw everything. It was exhausting but worth it all.

Day 1...

When we arrived the parking lot was quite empty so we had the place to ourselves. To my ignorance we arrived on the sad Anniversary of the Challenger Space Shutter Disaster that happened Jan 28. 1986. Also in memory The Columbia Space Shuttle Disaster where all crew members died during re-entry on Feb 1. 2003.

Each of us were presented with a flower to place at the large Memorial Site in honor of all the men and woman who gave their life for the exploration of Man. It is amazing the intense curiosity we are naturally born with and how there is no limits to achieve this.

(We are here at NASA... pretty cool)

The Space Mirror Memorial, designated as a national memorial by Congress and President George Bush, was dedicated in 1991. The Astronaut Memorial honors the 24 U.S. astronauts who gave their lives for space exploration. The names of the fallen astronauts from the Space Shuttle Columbia, the Space Shuttle Challenger and Apollo 1, as well as the astronauts from training and commercial airplane accidents are emblazoned on the monument’s 42-1/2-foot-high-by-50-foot-wide black granite surface as if to be projected into the heavens.
It was pretty magnificent!

(It was an amazing site to see a Space shuttle. We were able to walk inside a little bit to get a feel for structure)

We met a REAL Astronaut!

Jerry Carr was a fabulous speaker and he lived 84 days in space. Wow! He captivated the audience with recounts of how he floated around the Space Shuttle and made the kids laugh explaining how they go to the washroom with very little gravity.

Many experiments were conducted and the scientist finally concluded that for an astronaut to maintain their muscle mass while in space they needed to exercise 1 and a half hours per day. If they did any less than that the muscle loss was significant. It was a great interview.

(Mr. Carr looks fantastic and has the honor of saying his is one of the select few who has ventured into Space... how cool is that!)

(The astronauts act as craftsmen, mechanics, spacewalkers. An interesting job description)





Mad Madness...

(here is Trent who reluctantly volunteered to come up and help these mad scientist with an experiment. The Mad Madness show was a hilarious comedy geared towards kids with the intent of teaching all about the solar system. The show did a fantastic job making learning fun and funny while helping the kids retain so much amazing information. I am not sure why but Trent always seems to stand out in a crowd and get picked to volunteer. :- ))

NASA Rocket Garden

(us crazies at the NASA Rocket Garden where we experienced the very same Redstone, Atlas and Titan rockets that first put NASA astronauts in space, & climbed aboard Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules – WOW those are very cramped quarters America's astronaut pioneers endured. Some capsules they could not even stretch their legs our for weeks)

One of my favorite presentations was called "“Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3-D” IMAX. It was narrated by Tom Hanks, featuring rarely seen NASA footage with live-action renditions of the lunar landscape. It was an amazing account of what is nearly a quarter-million miles above the Earth's surface. I found it so moving that it brought tears to my eyes. Truly out of this world stuff.

Day 2...

Day 2 consisted of a tour to the launch tower or Observation Gantry, the International Space station as well as the Apollo/Saturn V Center. A very full day and the kids did fantastic. I am such a proud Mommy to have these remarkable kids who have a thirst for adventure and who love to explore together.

(If you look closely you can see the orange tip sticking out. This is the Space Shuttle and it was to be launched during our stay in Florida. Unfortunately for us the launch was pushed back and we were unable to see lift off. One day we will be back to watch, Emma really is interested in it all. Here I stood on the observation tower and was able to get a nice clear picture. It was pretty amazing to be so close to history)

When a launch happens there is a 3 1/2 mile safety zone. That is the closest anyone is to the shuttle in the final count down except of course the astronauts who are shooting up to what most of us read in comic books.




Apollo/Saturn V Center

(the NASA Kennedy Space Centre has perfected how to maximize your learning experience to get the most of your visit. Here Trent and the kids are standing underneath the Fire Engines of Apollo Explorer. All the Apollo missions were sent to the Moon. To actually see the size of this enormous structure makes you see how amazing the dream of John F. Kennedy was.... to send a man to the moon. Looking at this gives a restored sense of how "Nothing is Impossible"

(oh look at the tourists... :- )

(here is a great visual of the extent of these machines. Remember you can click on the pictures to enlarge them)

(Some interesting facts... Click on the picture and you will be able to read what is on the sign)

(my cute space walkers. There is just something about Trent having such a short little body, it looks funny)

(hello my monkeys. You guys were troopers listening so well and asking alot of questions)




Next to the Space Shuttle Explorer is the Launch Status Center, where we heard live briefings of a NASA launch and space flight activity. Puts everything into perspective and gave me goosebumps thinking how nervous and excited everyone must be during that last minute of count down.

The Kennedy Space Centre is a great place to remind yourself that we all live on Planet Earth. It is so big yet so small and how very important it is to respect and take care of it for future generations. It is exciting to see what will occur in the next 50yrs to see where Man will land and what will be discovered.

A trip to Mars is on the books and it will take a team of Astronauts 2 1/2 years to complete the mission. Over 2yrs. from earth to mars back to earth... Wow those will be exciting times.


The Favorites...

-Everett ... loved the IMAX
-Easton... The launch simulator, the raw feeling of the last two minutes of count down... pretty cool.
-Emma... Mad Madness show, it really was excellent for kids. That is how all learning should be, fun and imformative.
-Jody- The IMAX show and Jerry Carr's interview about his 84 days in Space.
-Trent-Again the amazing interview with Mr. Carr.

I hope again you were able to learn something you didn't know 10 minutes ago. Have a great week and for all my Alberta loved ones I am glad that the sub-freezing weather looks like it is moving out.

Remember NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!

(our trip to the Kennedy Space Center left us flying high!)

Until next time.
All our love
Trent. Jody. Em. East & Ev

Fun around Orlando

Out to explore the Sunshine State...

On Jan 24th (sooo long ago, that is how Latin life makes me fall behind) we disembarked the Disney cruise with no set place to go. Work for Trent is a bit easier in Florida so he and I made a decision that we were going to explore somewhere new but really made no plans for it (not like us at all.) The craziness of Christmas then staying really busy back in Alberta left us with not a lot of time to make to many plans, so when we walked off the ship all we knew is we needed to rent a car.

Picked up a mini van (ahhh the horror a mini van) but our luggage would not fit in anything else and we were to late to secure a suburban (again the horror) kidding.

I am laughing : ) : ) : -) because we are not mini van people, but the kids love it. I can now admit Trent & I have been mini van snobs. However I must eat my words now, a mini van really is very easy with kids. (lol)

In Port Canaveral we headed north towards Orlando and drove until we found a hotel.

Trent went into check to see if a room was available. He came out to the van and said we have a room and you won't believe the price. He said " I think she said $45.00." I said no way nothing is under a hundred dollars anymore but regardless we need a room.

Located our room and it was a 2 bedroom suite at the Marriott for $45.00/night. We stayed for 3 nights while we scoured the Internet for a place to call home for a month. An Angel gave us a treat.

Our initial intent was to stay in Clearwater & area but we picked the same time as the 2009 Superbowl that was held in Tampa. A house that would normally rent for $ 1,400/week was going for over $10,000 for the week. The prices were insane so we stitched gears. Orlando was going to be our area of choice.

Found a great six bedroom house with pool in Kissimmee for the month we rented off a couple from England. Houses are much less expensive when you rent for a month or longer. The complex we stayed at was Windsor Hills and it is wall to wall vacation homes. A very nice little community, very quiet and great location.

Out & About!

In Florida there is so many great things to explore. You can never say there is nothing to do.

We were driving down International Drive and saw this building. It was way to interesting to pass by so we went in. It is called WonderWorks and it is a Science Centre with some amazing displays inside.

The kids had an opportunity to feel the power of a HURRICANE by hanging on tight in the Hurricane simulator that blew us 65mph or 104 km/hour. At that speed we felt a moderate hurricane and wow is was powerful. If you ever go to Orlando I highly recommend checking this place out if you get off the beaten track.

Some fun facts we learned at Wonderworks.

-The human population is increasing by 80 million people each year.

-A baseball has exactly 108 stitches.

-The one place where a flag flies all day, never goes up or comes down, and does not get saluted, is the MOON.

-A cat purr at 26 cycles per second, the same as an idling disiel engine.

-The first CD pressed in the United States for commercial release was Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" - Wow that seems decades ago.

-A cricket's ears are on its knees.

-Ergophobia is the fear of work.

-The only birds that can fly backwards are hummingbirds.

-Although the abbreviation for the word "pound" is "LB" there is no "L" or "B" in pound. I never thought of that!

(like I mentioned an interesting building we could not just ignore)

(you can see my silhouette holding my camera and Trent on the right flailing his arms)

(me on the left with Emma looking like an angel. This was a very cool room)








(a quick video of Em dancing away. I would love one of these at home, it was fun seeing if our shadows could keep up)

(my little spaceman)





GATORLAND!

This was a very educational day... it was COOL as Easton said. I was 15yrs. old the last time I was at Gatorland (a long time ago not alot has changed). There are still hundreds of alligators and crocodiles scattered everywhere and a few shows to see. It was a day filled with learning about these creatures that God created but I am happy to see them from a far... reptiles are not my thing but that does not detour my children. ( I am glad about that)

This field trip we learned all about the differences of Alligators vs. Crocodiles. The kids are pros at spotting the differences. It was very educational to visually see some of the most deadliest snakes in the Florida area as well. I am happy to report we never saw any of them during our stay in the Sunshine State.

(once you enter you may never come back out)

(here is a baby gator. He is about 6-8 months the staff said. Just a itty bitty thing... still not cute though) lol

(these Gators are clearly fed well or this guy would be a tasty treat for them gators and crocs.)

(this seems a bit .... well lets say.... stupid by my estimation. Hand feeding a gator a whole chicken but then again this is their job daily. This particular day the gators were not moving very much because the weather had been a bit cold and since these guys are cold blooded they were very sluggish. This job obviously is intriguing since these guys like the thrill they get each day.)






(here is a quick video of what some people do for the thrill. This is not my video it is off of youtube and I hope this guy recovered)





Now these guys were cool!

These very cool creatures are 90yrs. old from an island off of Africa. We spend 15-20min with them feeding them carrots off a stick. They were huge weighing in at a whooping 600lbs. Gentle tortoise giants really.

( this is Bert. We had to watch our toes around him)

(Em's turn to feed this vegetarian)

(here turtle turtle turtle come get your orange candy)

(Ev spend some tender moments with this guy. Everett loves animals he wants to keep everyone he sees)

(hi cutie... a quick hug )

(I ask myself all the time. What was God's intent in creating so many different animals. They are all so unique)

(here Trent was picked to come assist with this 15foot python. Trent said he was pretty heavy. The last time Trent held a python was in Thailand)

(a pet skunk... who would of guested. This poor little skunk was someones pet at one time and they dropped her off at Gatorland because they could not care for her. We have never seen a skunk so close by our choice..haha... This little Gal was a cuddlier and had very wiry hair, I had to remind my kids to never bring Peppy le pew home)




Gatorland has in someways has became an animal refuge where unwanted animals are dropped off. The staff told us that some mornings they come to work to find a box at the front door containing a displaced animal. It is amazing what kind of animals people think they can care for and later realize it is way to much.

(Easton is being swarmed by Lorikeets. Very beautiful colored birds who are not very shy)

(Emma loved the look of this crane's hair. She loved how white this bird was)

(these crazy guys are called Gator Wranglers, they like to wrestle the reptiles for fun... LOCO - that is crazy in Spanish

I just can't keep the kids out of the water!
Gatorland did a very nice job with this little water park. Our kids could not resist it at the end of the day... they had to play. Ohhh to be a kid again, I love their free spirits.

(a fun old fashioned wagon that sprayed water everywhere)

(my man Ev is telling me HE DOES NOT WANT TO GO! He blocked me in, I had to either try to go through him or go run through the water... I showed him who was the boss... I sent his Dad after him... lol)




We ventured out alot more in Florida but the Kennedy Space Centre deserves a blog of its own and I am not quite organized from being back home in Panama.

Thank you again for all the wonderful comments and I hope along the journey you are picking up some tidbits and learning something new.



All our love
Trent. Jody. Em. East & Ev
xoxooxxo