October 10, 2016 - Tanya's Trip to Florida and Bahamas Cruise - Day 16 - Kennedy Space Center Exploration

Elisa's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS: NOT SURE YET

Kennedy Space Center Facts

I cannot believe how much it feels like Sunday and how yesterday felt like Saturday all day.

​But, folks, it's Monday and it also happens to be Columbus Day.  I know many people have grown angry through recent years that we celebrate a discovery of land that was already occupied. 

However, I prefer to think about the journey, the voyage and the exploration that led Columbus to find the Americas.  To me, that is where his greatest accomplishment lies.   Not many people are brave enough to take voyages to the unknown and that is what I like to celebrate about Columbus today.

Last night, my girlies had a sleepover.  Two of their barn friends stayed the night since they all had off from school today.

I made them a hearty tomato sauce with pasta and then they all headed upstairs to watch movies on Netflix.  

I got to hang with my "favorite" girl - Punkin for the rest of the evening and watch a few movies myself.

It really makes me so happy to see my girls hanging out and so happy with other girls. What's really so cool about their sleepover friends is that they are also sisters -- the same ages as Gianna and Kelsey!

Yesterday, still on her Florida trip, Tanya and her gang went to visit the Kennedy Space Center.

I was there years and years and years ago and I am very interested to hear about my cousin's first-hand account of her visit in 2016.

The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), opened on August 1, 1967,  is one of ten National Aeronautics and Space Administration field centers, and is NASA's Center of Excellence for launch and payload processing systems.

Located on Florida's east coast, KSC is adjacent to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). These two entities work very closely together, share resources, and even own facilities on each other's property.

What I would like to share with you today is an overview of information about this Florida destination...

16 HISTORIC FACTS ABOUT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

1. Opened in December 1968, The John F. Kennedy Space Center is primarily a functioning NASA base of operations, where rockets are both launched and monitored.

2. On Feb. 6, 1958, the United States Congress formed the Committee on Space and Astronautics to frame legislation for a national space program.

3. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act into lawn July 29, 1958 and NASA began operating two months later.

4. The NASA Launch Operations Center in east Florida was opened in 1962. 

5. This facility was later renamed in honor of President Kennedy, who set America on the path to land on the moon.

​6. Located on Merritt Island, Florida, the center is north-northwest of Cape Canaveral on the Atlantic Ocean, midway between Miami and Jacksonville on Florida's Space Coast.

7. KSC is a major central Florida tourist destination for more than 1.5 million visitors per year and is approximately one hour's drive from the Orlando area.

8. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers public tours of the center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

9. Since 1995, when Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Inc. began managing the Visitor Complex, every aspect of this 70-acre facility has been entirely redeveloped and enhanced.

10. KSC is both an important hub for NASA activity,and a tourist destination with everything from rides and movies to a rocket garden and Astronaut Hall of Fame.

11. One of KSC's missions is to serve as a public education facility, with exhibits and displays about the history of space flight and travel.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit (kennedyspacecenter.com)

12. The United States successfully launched its first Earth satellite on Jan. 31, 1958, with Explorer 1. 

13. From 1981 to 2011, NASA’s Space Shuttle Program enabled a wealth of scientific achievements, most notably, the construction of the International Space Station (ISS) and the launch and repair of the Hubble Space Telescope.

14. Countless advances in biology and biotechnology; Earth and space science; human research; physical science; and technology development, including numerous consumer product spinoffs were made possible by NASA technology. 

15. Today, NASA continues to support the ISS through its Commercial Crew Program and is focused on deep space exploration with the development of the Space Launch System, or SLS, which will one day carry astronauts to deep space, including Mars, asteroids and beyond.

16. NASA currently maintains 10 field centers and seven test and research facilities across the country, as well as headquarters in Washington, D.C. and the agency employs more than 18,000 people as well as thousands of government contractors.

I think this is definitely going to be on my itinerary for the next time I'm in Orlando!!

Catch up on Tanya's blog for all the in-person fun had by her gang yesterday!

Today, me and my little foursome will be headed for a yummy brunch! Not exactly sure yet where, since I told the girls I'd take them all wherever they wanted to go.

Gonna get going on my morning walk before the troops get up.

Have a fabulous day!!

-E
xoxo

Tanya's Daily Scoop
CURRENTLY TRAVELING IN: FLORIDA

Off to go have more FUN

Good Day everyone! It's Monday, the beginning of a new week and it also happens to be Columbus Day.

After dealing with 2 Hurricanes in the Bahamas (Sandy in 2012, and Matthew - last week - 2016) it really made me wonder how many Hurricanes Columbus may have incurred on his voyage???

Hurricane Cruisin' & Key West Kraziness
Dealing with a Hurricane in a massive cruise ship is rough enough. I couldn't not even imagine what it would be like on the Niña, Pinta, or Santa Maria!
YIKES!!!

Anyhow, after a wonderful shared trip our friends left us early this morning and started back home. 

We had a great time together, shared in many experiences, had so many laughs and made some  wonderful memories that will certainly last a life time. 

Added to the collection of fantastic memories was the time we spent together at Kennedy Space Center just yesterday:

While Dave C, the kids, and I visit NASA and the Kennedy Space Center during each and every visit, this time the Atlantis Space Shuttle and experience was fully open and we felt like we were once again first timers. I was in absolute AWE! I couldn't believe my eyes. I know that back when I was a kid that I had interest in going to Space Camp and all, but that had long gone away and I never thought that I would be so so so very fascinated with seeing this exhibit.
​Seriously, I was so freakin' taken by the sight of the Space Shuttle Atlantis!

Now to back track just a bit, before arriving at the Kennedy Space Center we had gone for yummy vegan donuts at Valhalla Bakery and Brunch at Dixie Dharma - which they are both located at Market on South (just in case you are heading over there right now!)

Yesterday was also a day full of animal sightings...

• We saw a Bald Eagle right outside of our hotel!
• We saw turtles and ripples from alligators in the lake right behind our room (I'm so glad that we are 5 stories up!!!)
• We saw a pod of adorable dolphins playing around!
• We saw all sorts of other birds (lots)
• We saw several lizards and a frog - that both Cosette and Jayson touched!

And after stopping to see the dolphins, a bee had apparently wanted to hitch a ride with us...
As I again began driving to KSC, I happened to glance at my leg and spotted a bee just hanging out on me!!!
THIS WAS NOT GOOD! I had to remain as calm as possible for several reasons. But saying so, and thinking it was easier than actually executing it.
I was hyperventilating and needed to pull over ASAP. I wasn't wanting to hurt the bee, I didn't want to get stung, but mostly I just wanted it off of my leg! 
Once it was safe, I jumped out of the car and called for one of my gang to get out there and help me!
Lord knows that I couldn't shoo the bee or any insect off of my own body (or anyone else's for that matter). I'm just NOT that type of person.
Thank GOD it wasn't an insect that I'm afraid of - I don't know what I would've done...SCARY STUFF

I was rather wound up for a while after this incident, and felt kinda ill. It really sucked. 
Luckily it passed by the time we got to the Atlantis exhibit.

Lastly, I took the kids to the pool and water playground at our resort - to which they had a blast! 

Oh and then we went for dinner at Ethos in Winter Park. It was a great time and a great day!

Time for us to head on out to Universal Studios Orlando - this will be our first visit ever (with the exception of Diagon Alley). Then it'll be time for Dave B. to leave and head back to SoCal.

I'll be back tomorrow to share all of today's SCOOP with ya.

Until then,
​-T