by Sarah | Nov 14, 2013 | All About Indiana, All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Indiana State Museum, Indy Geek Girls, NaBloPoMo, The Reluctant Hoosier
Did you know that Mammoths and Mastodons probably walked the very ground you’re walking on? That it’s possible when you’re walking through a park or driving past a field of corn, underneath those layers of soil could be the bones of Ice Age giants?
I had NO idea of this myself – or I was just blissfully ignorant of the fact.
Either way, I was totally privileged to get a sneak peek of a new IMAX movie and the ensuing exhibit at the Indiana State Museum yesterday.
The IMAX movie is in 3D and let me just tell you – the last 3D movie I went to was the Muppets show at Disney World in 1994…and holy shnikies, 3D today is NOT your Momma’s 3D! The imagery and cinematography was amazing. The CGI – incredible! I was in awe and wonder throughout the whole movie, even though I think Erik got a little vertigo at the sweeping landscape shots, he was impressed too.
Then we were able to step into the exhibit itself which is both big in scope and detail, and easily geared toward kids – including a dig site and a bone they can touch!!
Throughout the exhibit you get to see how Mammoth and Mastodon skulls could well have been the inspiration behind the Cyclops of legend and myth, how the animals had growth plates just like humans and animals today, and see teeth as big as your head.
I mean, how awesome is that? I could have spent hours in there, and I know my kids will spend hours in there this weekend.
At the very end you get to see two full size skeletons and just awe over how there were tons of flesh and fur over them.
It’s an exhibit totally worth seeing (even if it did replace the Star Wars exhibit ~pout~)…and I can’t wait to let my girls “dig” in!
This exhibit opens to the public on Saturday, November 16th at 11AM. Get more information at the Indiana State Museum’s website!
Now…onto what I know you’re waiting for – the pictures!!..
The Mammoth’s greatest threat – Man:
Porous bones look like ancient caverns:
The Inspiration for Cyclops”
Growth plates:
TEETH:
I loved this one. You set your hands down, and not just hear the sound, but FEEL the vibrations:
Tiny Bones:
Dig:
by Sarah | Nov 13, 2013 | All About Denver, All About Learning, All of Us
We all remember those reading lists from school. I always enjoyed getting it – except the year The Iliad was on it.
This year the teen has a list. I wasn’t given the list, he just comes home and asks if we can pick up a book for him…because the school issues the books on their iPads. Denver doesn’t like reading on electronic devices. He wants paper and pages.
The last book was To Kill a Mockingbird. A great classic novel I read in school myself. I was happy to run up to Half Price books and pick him up a copy.
Then last night he came to me again and asked if I could pick him up another book at Half Price. He said it was from his reading list…and that it had replaced another.
I said, of course I would and what book did he need.
“A Painted House.”
I wracked my brain attempting to remember this great, classic novel.
Nothing. I asked him to repeat himself.
“A Painted House by John Graham or something like that.”
Erik and I both said, “John Grisham?” At Denver’s agreement I stared at him flabbergasted.
“The school is having you read a Grisham novel? Seriously?”
It was at this point that he informed me that the original story was Huckleberry Finn…”But a bunch of kids complained so they changed it.”
I’m sorry, but WHAT? What has this world come to that a school will change a reading list because kids are complaining? What happened to the set reading list and you either read or you failed (You should see my grade for the test on The Iliad…eesh)?
I’m beyond disgusted by this turn of events. I can’t imagine replacing a long-standing, time-tested classic novel like Huckleberry Finn. Certainly not because KIDS were complaining.
I have a feeling my kid will be reading Huckleberry Finn too…because I don’t want him robbed of that opportunity because a school backed down to children.
Why do we give our kids this much power? Aren’t we the ones that are supposed to be in charge?
by Sarah | Nov 12, 2013 | All About Denver, Cystic Fibrosis, Hospital, Special Needs
The teen was in the hospital recently.
A brief (in our book) stay at the hospital kept him out of school for approximately a week.
That was, unbelievably in some ways, almost 2 months ago.
Since then his struggle to get back into his previous stellar grades has been immense.
Whether a genuine struggled to get “Back on the horse”
or just general rebellion
the grades have remained low,
assignments unfinished,
and general malaise has centered around school.
I’m sort of ashamed to admit I broke out the story.
The age-old old-farts beginning sentence of “When I was your age”.
Because I once had an 8 week bout of mono.
Out of school for 8 weeks and my grades were BETTER than they’d ever been with me in school.
So I broke out that story.
And ended it with the general rule of thumb in this house.
We don’t let our labels define us.
We don’t let them lead our lives.
No.
Illness isn’t an excuse.
It never will be.
So buck up.
Suck it up.
Do your homework.
And don’t let CF or hospital stays win.
by Sarah | Nov 11, 2013 | All About Me, Crap, Random
* My brain is still a pile of mush, and sometimes I can barely focus.
* In the span of four months I’ve gone from not working outside the home, to a part time job, to a full time job I started today.
* I’m still not sure how I feel about that (pretty sure I don’t like it).
* We’ve been having kleptomania issues again.
* I have a book coming out in just a couple weeks and I’m totally unplanned for it.
* My series “completed” back in September and I haven’t had time to crow about it.
* I’ve got a to-do list a mile long and absolutely no time to do any of it.
* The game obsession in my house has reached critical mass. Uno is the big winner, but the kids have been going bonkers.
* It started snowing – and sticking…today. I’m both elated and a little upset by the end of the fall.
* I have a ton of posts planned and just haven’t been able to write them.
* I’m barely hanging on by my nails on this NaBloPoMo thing. This was supposed to help me better my blogging activity…but I’m failing.
by Sarah | Nov 10, 2013 | All About Denver, All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All of Us
by Sarah | Nov 9, 2013 | All About Me, Story of Me
My mom taught me to cook and bake as I grew up. I would help her tear bread for the stuffing at holidays. Cut apples for applesauce or pie. I’d stir the batter for the most delicious brownies.
All along the way I’d glean tips and tricks to what makes my Mom’s meals delicious. Little nuggets of information that have stuck with me into my marriage.
One of my favorite secrets happens to tie in with my favorite fall treat.
Apple Crisp.
My Mom’s secret lay in the citrus that you add. Instead of a tart lemon, she used orange. Now, before you go crying that the citrus isn’t necessary because you expect the apples to brown in this delicious dessert…of course you do. But, if you add a touch of orange as your citrus – it’s a sweet little kick that punches up the flavor. The way you put in that citrus is up to you. I favor orange juice concentrate (a couple of tablespoons), you could use orange juice – heck, my mom has been known to use Tang. Yes, TANG.
Try it – along with my other secret (vary the apples, I use up to 4-5 different kinds). I bet you won’t regret it.
Recipe: Apple Crisp
Summary: Recipe is for one pie sized dessert. Increase as needed for larger desserts (as I did in my example pictures)
Ingredients
- Filling:
- 6 apples – at least 1 granny smith
- 2Tbs White Sugar
- 2Tbs Brown Sugar
- 2Tbs Flour
- 1Tbs Orange Juice concentrate
- Topping:
- 1/2 Stick Butter
- 1/8 C Brown Sugar
- 1/4 C Flour
Instructions
- Peel & Core apples
- Slice – granny’s hold up better so slice them thinner, the other varieties slice thicker
- Mix with rest of filling ingredients and put into pie plate
- Using pastry cutter or fork, cut together topping ingredients
- Sprinkle topping over pie
- Bake 50-60 minutes at 350*
- Turn on broiler for 3-5 minutes until topping is crisp to your liking.
Preparation time: 20 minute(s)
Cooking time: 1 hour(s)
Number of servings (yield): 6
Did you know that Mammoths and Mastodons probably walked the very ground you’re walking on? That it’s possible when you’re walking through a park or driving past a field of corn, underneath those layers of soil could be the bones of Ice Age giants?
