Photo of the Week 15

I'm not sure how I ever lived in a land locked state for so long.

I am so in love with the ocean!

Wrestlin' Gators at Gatorland

 

On our last day in Orlando we decided to save the best for last...Gatorland!

Our flights didn't leave until 4:30pm so we had a good portion of the day set aside to wrestle us some gators.  We were able to see a couple in the wild during our trip, but wanted to get the up close and personal experience all the locals were telling us about.

Gatorland consisted of several different man-made ponds/lakes, each sectioned off and holding gators of all sizes.  We thought it was pretty amazing that turtles and birds were everywhere, none of which were fearful of the gators, probably due to the fact that the gators are very well fed.

 

 

After exploring some of the surrounding ponds, we made our way down to the Gator Wrestlin' Show.  The trainers were pretty funny and use different gators for each show to ensure the safety for both the audience and animals.  He showed us some pretty crazy moves, while sharing facts about the gators.  After the show we were able to wrestle our own gator (a.k.a. get our picture while sitting on the back of an Alligator.)  I'm not sure how he knew I'd be so jumpy, but right as I grabbed the gator's jaws the trainer grabbed my leg making me squeal like a little girl...he thought it was pretty funny!

There were a few different shows that we were able to watch, one being a Gator Jumping Show where gators would jump out of the water for food.  There were signs posted everywhere warning parents that it was a feeding area and that children were not to be near the railing...reassuring huh??

Gatorland has become a bird sanctuary of sorts.  At the back of the park is a large breeding lake with 100 female gators and 30 male gators.  Along the outskirts of the lake were lined with hundreds of nests from birds of all kinds.  It was such a gorgeous walk.  I loved how the wooden path was elevated off the water just high enough to allow gators to use the shade underneath.  It was crazy to be soaking up the sun, watching birds feed their babies and then look down to see a gator next to your feet.

Basically, Gatorland was a perfect way to end our QUICK trip to Florida.

Tracy and I had so much fun and are already thinking of our next girls' trip for next year!  I sure do love her and can't wait til our next adventure!

 

Epcot Center: Journey Around the World

Tracy and I had an incredible spring break in Orlando a couple weeks ago. 

One of our favorite places we were able to visit was Epcot Center.  We had heard amazing things and were very excited about spending the day there.  Epcot is basically a Disneyland for adults.  There are a few rides, but the main attractions are the different villages designed after countries around the world.  There are shops and restaurants in each village with all the workers being native to that country.  A couple villages (Mexico and Norway) had rides similar to Pirates of the Caribbean and Small World, while China and Canada showed films in 360 degree theaters.  It was amazing to literally feel like we were traveling around the world in just a few hours.  After exploring the park, we ended our day by watching an incredible fireworks show.

I hope you enjoy the journey as much as we did!

MEXICO

NORWAY

CHINA

GERMANY

ITALY

ENGLAND

FRANCE

MOROCCO

 

JAPAN

Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival

I'm in love with color.

Color in clothes, food, people, my classroom; basically color makes everything more magical.

While Tracy and I were in Orlando we spent a day at Epcot center.  We had no clue that we would be going at the perfect time...during the International Flower and Garden Festival.  To say that Epcot was covered in flowers would be an understatement.  The horticultural department spent countless hours creating hundreds of arrangements, sculptures, and exhibits made entirely out of living plants.  I have never seen so much color in my life...it was perfect!  Tracy and I literally spent the day searching for all the different sculptures around the park and since both of us are obsessed with photography, we were able to capture some pretty beautiful images.  I'm sure you'll recognize my favorite princess at the end.  You gotta love Disney and their creativity!

I realize that I am posting a ton of pictures, but I couldn't simply choose a few, it would not have done it justice.  So enjoy all the color and Make sure to click on the images to enlarge them.

 

 

 

 

NASA

Tracy and I had the incredible opportunity to tour NASA while we were visiting her aunt and uncle in Florida last week.  Her uncle works at NASA and was kind enough to get us tickets for the afternoon; just another reason why I love them so much!

NASA is located about 10 miles away from where we were staying in Titusville.  In fact the launch pad is visible across the river where hundreds of locals line the banks to watch the space launches.  We arrived at the Space Center just in time to meet Wendy Lawrence, an astronaut sharing her experiences from different missions in space.  We then toured the Rocket Garden and had some fun climbing into the pods placed throughout the grounds.  In the early stages of space exploration, two men orbited space in this pod for 14 days with absolutely no leg room.  I'm pretty sure I'd go crazy with claustrophobia!

(MAKE SURE TO CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

After the Rocket Garden we watched a 3-d IMAX film narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio about the Hubble Telescope.  I have to admit the movie was quite soothing and I may have drifted off a bit for a minute or two.  After the movie we walked along the grounds to the Astronaut Memorial and then toured the Explorer, a retired space ship.

My favorite part of the afternoon was the Shuttle Launch Simulator.  It's a ride that simulates what an actual launch would feel like.  It was an incredible feeling being smashed to the back of your seat and feeling the skin on your face being forced back by rising gravity and pressure.  I may have shed a tear or two in the process.  After the simulation, we caught a tour bus out to one of the original launch pads where we were able to tour some amazing exhibits from the past missions to space.

Overall it turned out to be an amazing experience.  I am continually baffled by the concept of space and other planets, so I am amazed at the knowledge these scientists share.  If you have the opportunity to spend sometime at NASA it is well worth it!

Photo of the Week 14

This is one of my absolute favorite images I've ever captured of little Ellis.

It doesn't get much cuter than her!

Blue Springs State Park

Last Saturday, our second full day in Florida, Tracy and I were able to go to Blue Springs State Park.  We stayed with her aunt and uncle in Titusville for the week and they were kind enough to take us around during the weekend.  They are such kind people, so easy to talk to, and so generous and hospitable.  They even had cute welcome gift bags for us when we arrived! 

Blue Springs is about an hour drive Northwest of Titusville.  It is known for being a preserve for manatees and other Florida native animals.  (According to floridastateparks.org) "Blue Spring State Park covers more than 2,600 acres, including the largest spring on the St. Johns River.  Blue Spring is a designated Manatee Refuge and the winter home to a growing population of West Indian Manatees. The spring and spring run are closed during Manatee season, mid-November through March.  For centuries, the spring area was home to Native Americans.  In 1766 it was visited by Colonial American botanist John Bartram, but it was not until 1856 that it was settled by Louis Thursby and his family. The Thursby house, built in 1872, remains standing. The spring´s crystal clear, 73 degree water can be enjoyed by swimmers, snorkelers, and certified scuba divers with a partner. The river is popular for fishing, canoeing, and boating."

We had the opportunity to explore the trails of Blue Spring and then cool off by tubing down the river.  It was incredibly beautiful and I couldn't get enough of the draping vegetation and wildlife...we even saw our first Florida Gator!