Natural Science Musuem

Dan took the boys to the Museum one afternoon last week while Cherokee was visiting us. They had a fun time. Chase is narrating the story to me while I type. I am putting his words down and not adding any of my own. If Dan chooses, he can go back and add some other information later. When Chase was finished narrating, I asked Zach if he wanted to add anything else...he said NO.
This is a Geode. It is half of a rock filled with crystals of some sort...normally quartz.
This is the Canibal God of the Aztecs.
This picture frightened Zach because it was supposed to especially like to eat children. Numerous nightmares evolved from this one face!!

Crystal formation.
Amethyst Quartz.
Maybe the same as above.
Glowing Rock....for each different color in the rock, there is a different type of mineral which is responsible for the glowing on the rock.
Gigantic Geode.
Zach, Cherokee, and Chase before going into the IMAX Theatre to see The Grand Canyon. It was pretty awesome. But, it was not about the Grand Canyon. It was about the Colorado River mostly. They lied.

Employee of the Month

Extra Extra......Dan is the best employee at NASA!!!! Read all about it below!!!

Please join me in congratulating DX42/Dan Nelson, the branch June Employee of the Month. Dan is being recognized for his role in the STS-124/1J mission. Dan did a tremendous amount of work training and preparing the 1J crew to perform CBM operations on STS-124. This included the first/only use of the CCS CBM, SRMS installation of a module, and the relocation of the JLP. Dan supported procedure validation activities in the months leading up to the mission. As the1J RAM Training Lead, Dan participated as a member of the OSO 1J Team 4 and worked closely with the OSO team in developing updated CBM procedures during the mission and validating them in the SSTF.

One Night With the Wii

The following pictures are as "action packed" as we could get them to be. Let it be said there was FAR more action going on this night with the Wii!! I had promised the boys that I would learn to play bowling on the Wii. They love playing games with me so much that they pestered me with my promise for a few days until I finally gave in. I first made them promise to not be upset when I won....beginners luck and all ya know!!

Cherokee....to him bowling is more of a strategy game. . So serious to be so young! (Sidenote...he is visiting us for a week so the boys can have some time together)

Zach is very good at bowling even if he is just sitting down.

However, when you are playing with your excellent mother, the stakes are higher and you must stand to do well. Zach is really good at the " Curvature of Death".

Chase likes to be CLOSE to the action. He is quietly VERY good!

You can check out his form here.

Chase is trying to bully the ball by making sure it knows he is just on the other side of the tv screen and will do what he needs in order to be sure he has a strike...or at least a spare. Or maybe this was the time he was singing love songs to the ball and using his Wii wand as a microphone to encourage it along its path.

It is much more fun if you don't think about a thing...just throw that ball! Even if sometimes the ball does not release.....not that I can say I have any experience with that problem. It seems to have something to do with pressing and holding down the B button. I do remember hearing that over and over again! Not directed to me, of course

I feel it is helpful to the bowling ball if you lean in the direction you want it to go.

Such form....such grace! This is the ideal way to release the ball....you still must remember to let go of the B button. If you don't ... your ball simply goes no where and you must try again. Which is very good for practicing as well.


Oh, and I was the fourth person in first place. That makes me the winner. The boys were not too upset and really want to play me again to see if they can beat my record.

That will have to be another night with the Wii.