Houston Trip -- April 2006
We take, at least, one family vacation a year. So, when we finally decided to get organized CW and I sat down and made a list of all the places in the United States that we would like our kids (and ourselves) to see. We came up with 10 places and first on the list was Houston, TX because NASA is there, OF COURSE. Based upon all the good advice we were given from those who have weathered Texas heat we decided to go during Spring Break in April. At the time of our planning we didn't take into account the fact that Spring Break 2006 fell on Joy & Jacob's Birthday and Easter. We had extra fun creating inventive ways to celebrate those occasions.
We really wanted to experience all that Texas had to offer. We'd heard that "Everythings Bigger in Texas" and not to miss out on the BBQ. So we took advantage of everything we could with our limited resources and young children. NASA was the first stop and it fell on Joy & Jacob's 6th birthday. With our ASTC pass we had procured at the Santa Ana Science Museum 2 years earlier we were able to take in the JP McGovern Medical Museum and acctually walk through a huge replica of the human body (sterile and without the blood, of course). Also, the Children's Museum of Houston (rated #1 in the nation) was so overwhelmingly hands on there was no way to touch and do everything in the 2-3 hours we had alotted. All the locals told us to take in Galveston and we wanted to dip our toes in the Gulf of Mexico, collect shells & do all things beachy. Jacob stayed far away from the water, because the moment we arrived he scraped his leg and did not go anywhere near salt water. I don't blame him. On Easter we had an Easter egg hunt in our hotel room -- a first for us and we were able to go and visit to Houston Temple and enjoy the same peaceful spirit we enjoy at every temple in the world. We rounded out our trip with the educational -- The Lone Star Flight Museum (which CW loved), San Jacinto Monument (where General Sam Houston won the west from Mexican Santa Ana and his troops) & Battleship Texas (where we could really turn those huge guns and feel what is might have been like to be on the flag ship of the American Navy during WWI).
It wouldn't be a trip to Texas without sampling the fine BBQ. The locals pointed us to Goode's BBQ and Papa's BBQ. We ate so much food we truely do believe that everything is BIGGER in Texas. Now, that includes us. We loved our Texas experience and to see more "larger than life" photos click here.