July 19, 2009
I know lots of young parents like my daughter aren’t old enough to remember July 20, 1969, the day Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon for the first time. But I am! And I remember what I was doing on that day! My guess is that a lot of people do! I was in Tirol, Austria on a summer German language program for high school students. The newspaper headline on the street shouted “Der Mond ist jetzt ein Ami!” which translated means “The moon is now American!” We were proud but puzzled because we saw it as “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” just as Neil Armstrong had said – for the whole world, not just the United States. It was my first “grown-up” lesson on different points of view – how one action could be understood so differently, depending on your own experiences and family/cultural teachings. Of course, how many different ways can you interpret the planting of the US flag on the surface of the moon??
Also see National Air and Space Museum Apollo 11
website for more info on the moon landing. Here is a 3 minute video from there on Apollo 11. Of course, there are lots of other interesting things to see at the National Air and Space Museum both in person and on-line.
Relive the Apollo 11 timeline by following the Twitter until July 24. It started on July 16th, when the mission launched. Follow @ReliveApollo11 or use #Apollo11
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Indoor Activities, Places to Explore | Tagged: Apollo 11, Apollo Moon Landing, child, children, family, fun, grandchild, grandchildren, grandma, grandpa, grandparent, museum, National Air and Space Museum, Places to Go, Wash DC | 
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Posted by mygrandmasue
July 18, 2009
Once again the Orange County Register ScienceDude, Gary Robbins, has some interesting blogs posted. The first one is about all the giant squid that have been off the coast of Huntington Beach. The second one is about the Dolphins playing and slapping their tails off Bolsa Chica State Beach. The third one is about a C-17 body that will be moving from Long Beach through Seal Beach on its way to become a static training vehicle on the East Coast. Neat stuff!
Leave a Comment » | Places to Explore | Tagged: Bolsa Chica, Bolsa Chica State Beach, C-17, child, children, dolphin tail slapping, dolphins, family, fun, Gary Robbins, giant squid, Humbolt Squid, Huntington Beach, jumbo squid, kids, Long Beach, Places to Go, ScienceDude, Seal Beach | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 17, 2009
In Cypress, CA, at the Los Alamitos Race Course the 14th Annual Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals will be held on Saturday, July 18th at the race course at 4961 Katella Avenue. Almost 100 dachshunds from Southern California will be racing to win the title “fastest wiener in the west!” Check out this article in the Orange County Register. Here are various slide shows of past races.
Tickets are $3 for adults. Children under 17 are free. General parking is free. The first race is set to start at 6:15 pm.
Leave a Comment » | Places to Explore, Uncategorized | Tagged: child, children, Cypress, dachshund, family, fun, grandchild, grandchildren, grandma, grandpa, grandparent, Los Alamitos, Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals, Wienerschnitzel Wiener Race | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 17, 2009
Bolsa Chica Land Trust offers free tours for the public at the Bolsa Chica State Ecological Reserve on the third Sunday of the month from 10 till noon. Meet at the parking lot on Pacific Coast Highway across from the entrance to the Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach, CA. Call 74-846-1001 for more info or click the link here.
Leave a Comment » | Nature Activities, Places to Explore, Uncategorized | Tagged: Bolsa Chica, Bolsa Chica Land Trust, child, children, family, fun, grandchild, grandchildren, grandma, grandpa, grandparent, Green Hour, hiking, hiking trails, Huntington Beach, kids, nature, Places to Go, Wetlands, Wetlands Tour | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 11, 2009
In today’s Reno Gazette-Journal there is a great article by Maggie O’Neill called A Hike With A View. In it she relates her experience with meeting the author (Mike White) of the guide book she was using (Afoot & Afield: Reno-Tahoe). The one take-away I get from the article is how ordinary people need to follow the “Leave No Trace” mantra when enjoying the outdoors. With the cutbacks in staffing at the U.S. Forest Service, the limited maintenance on the Jones Creek-White’s Creek Loop is even less. The Nevada All-State Trail Riders have done on-going trail maintenance for years. Kudos to them! But the public needs to stay aware and pick-up after themselves (leave no trace that you’ve been there!) so that we all can enjoy the parks and outdoors for many more generations.
Leave a Comment » | Nature Activities, Places to Explore | Tagged: child, children, family, fun, Galena Creek Regional Park, grandchild, grandchildren, grandma, grandpa, grandparent, Green Hour, hiking, hiking trails, horseback riding, horseback riding trails, Jones Creek-White's Creek Loop, kids, Leave No Trace, Mount Rose Highway, Mt Rose, nature, Places to Go, Reno, Reno-Tahoe | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 10, 2009
The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA, still has spaces available in their day camp program. Grandpa Ron and I are members of this wonderful aquarium.
We received this email:
“Treat your child to day camp at the Aquarium of the Pacific this Summer! They will experience the wonder of marine life through hands-on activities, games, crafts, experiments, behind-the-scenes tours, animal interactions, and more. Whether your child just turned three-years-old or is entering the ninth grade, the Aquarium’s day camps will make their summer a splash. Spaces are still available but limited so make your child’s reservation for this unique opportunity today by calling (562)951-1630 or clicking here.”
There are programs for:
•Ages 3-4, with an adult partner
•Ages 5-6
•Grades 2-4 (must be at least 7)
•Grades 5-7
•Grades 7-9
Check it out!
Leave a Comment » | Places to Explore | Tagged: aquarium, Aquarium of the Pacific, child, children, day camp, family, fun, grandchild, grandchildren, kids, Long Beach, Places to Go, summer camp | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 6, 2009
I haven’t had a non-western blog in a while. A very long time ago we visited the awesome Mammoth Cave National Park in Cave City, Kentucky. It is a totally fun spot for the family to explore.
There are the cave tours. There are more than 70 miles of backcountry trails through forested hills for hikers and bicyclists. There is canoeing, kayaking, swimming and fishing on the Green River. There is horseback riding on 60 miles of trails. Also possible is camping and backcountry camping. Special family and children’s activities are available, as well – like Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park! These pages from the Mammoth Cave National Park website provide everything you need to plan an expedition in and around the world’s longest known cave.
Then there is a lot more commercialized stuff, too.
Hey, you corvette lovers! The National Corvette Museum is in nearby Bowling Green. Of course, you knew that already…it’s for the rest of us to find!
Leave a Comment » | Nature Activities, Places to Explore, Sport Activity | Tagged: backcountry hikes, Backcountry Hiking, biking, biking trails, Bowling Green, camping, caving, child, children, Corvette Museum, family, fishing, fun, grandchild, grandchildren, grandma, grandpa, grandparent, Green Hour, Green River, hiking, hiking trails, horse, horseback riding, Jellystone Park, kayaking, Kentucky, kids, Mammoth Cave, Mammoth Cave National Park, National Corvette Museum, Places to Go, swimming, world's longest cave, Yogi Bear | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 5, 2009
I have identified a few interesting and different museums along the way of the blog, but I also found this article: 10 Quirky Museums Grandkids Will Love at grandparents.com. Enjoy! Some of them are already on my blog! 🙂
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Posted by mygrandmasue
July 4, 2009
The Washington DC fireworks were AWESOME!! PBS TV is running it again for those who missed it! http://www.pbs.org/capitolfourth/
1 Comment | Wonderments | Tagged: child, children, family, fireworks, fun, grandchild, grandchildren, grandma, grandpa, grandparent, kids, Places to Go, Washington DC Fireworks | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 3, 2009
From today’s Long Beach Presss-Telegram: Take the family to the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra Instrument Petting Zoo! You can try out various musical instruments like violin, trumpets and tubas. All ages are welcome. 4 pm. Wednesday at Long Beach Main Library, 101 Pacific Ave 562-570-7500 and 2 pm Thursday at Brewitt Library, 4036 E Anaheim St., Long Beach, 562-570-1040. Free. There were no dates, so call first to make sure it is an on-going thing! I tried but they are closed for July 3&4th.
OK. So I googled “Long Beach Symphony Petting Zoo” and discovered it’s for last Wednesday and yesterday! Rats! Sounded fun!!
However, all is not lost! Some fun still can be had with the storytimes I found listed in the calendars as well as other fun activities. Here is the calendar. Just click on the activity that catches your eye!
Leave a Comment » | Places to Explore | Tagged: child, children, fun, grandchild, grandchildren, kids, library, Long Beach, Places to Go, storytelling, storytime | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
MyGrandmaSue 