Beddy Blog: Spring Break in Houston/Galveston

Kendall, Judson, Avery and I on the Khema boardwalk

Scott went on a mission trip to Honduras over Spring Break this year, so the kids and I went with my parents on a little trip to Houston and Galveston. We traveled down there on a Sunday and arrived with just enough time to realx and swim for awhile before going out to dinner. Monday morning we went to the NASA Space Center there in Houston. We rode in the shuttle simulator, explored the inside of a shuttle, and checked out several exhibits before our hunger and poor night of sleep caught up with us. But after naps/relaxing everyone was refreshed and ready to go back and check out Rocket Park with the Saturn V rocket on display. It's size was very impressive and there were quite a few displays detailing each of the Apollo missions. After that we headed out to the bay (Khema) for dinner at Landry's and some fun on the boardwalk. Since my Dad takes lots of business clients there to Landry's, he was able to get the manager to reserve a table for us right by the full length windows overlooking the water. The food and the view were wonderful. My mom and the kids and I rode the carousel and the ferris wheel there at the boardwalk, then we finished off the night with some ice cream at Marble Slab. After sleeping in and a late breakfast at Cracker Barrel Tuesday morning, we drove out to Galveston to go to the beach. The forecast had been showing rain, but it ended up sunny and clear. A little chilly for swimming (I think it was in the mid-high 60's), but nice enough to build sand castles, collect seashells, and fly kites on the beach. It's always fun to watch the kids play in the sand and water. Since all the seafood restaurants were super-crowded, we ended up eating dinner at a pizza place, and then we went and bought some t-shirts and souvenirs for the kids at a neat little store. We spent Tuesday night there in Galveston with an ocean view from our hotel rooms and then headed back home Wednesday morning. It was a wonderful little getaway and truly a nice break from our everyday routine.

swimming at the hotel

checking out some freeze dried astronaut food inside a shuttle at NASA

Wish I remembered exactly what this thing was, but it looked cool!

Judson pretending to fly the space shuttle

They had some rover robots downstairs in the kids' area that you controlled upstairs from this room.

Judson the astronaut!

Kendall the astronaut!

And Avery the astronaut!

This was a simulator for the kids where they laid down flat on their backs and watched a video showing a shuttle launching.

Avery was really interested in all the exhibits. I wish we could have spent more time letting her explore and watch some of the movie presentations.

This screen showed an ariel view of the Earth from outer space.

The Saturn V at Rocket Park. It is 32 stories tall!

posing with some of the Apollo astronauts

and silly posing with astronauts

The kids and I at Rocket park

yet another picture with astronauts

Dinner at Landry's over looking the water. We ate at this same restaurant when I was about Avery's age and we had gone to Houston for a gymnastics meet. There was a big storm that evening and the waves were crashing up against the glass and we saw lots of boats coming in.

Silly Judson!

The guys

Kendall and I riding the carousel

Mimi and Jud on the carousel. He wanted to ride on the dragon that Avery got on, but he settled for a zebra.

Avery on her colorful dragon.

Kendall kept talking about how pretty this horse was.

Giddyup!

Jud and I on the ferris wheel.

Judson showing off and being silly at the beach

There's nothing quite like the majesty of the ocean.

Judson mostly just played in the sand, but he did get his feet wet a few times. He loves the water and swimming, but he has a healthy fear of the ocean waves.