We the Google Globe Trotters ;)

Trot the Globe (Traveling Homeschoolers with Google Earth!)

This past winter we visited the Pyramids of Giza, Buckingham Palace, the Eiffel Tower, Venice, Stone Henge and Niagara Falls!

How did we do it?

Google Maps/ Google Earth...the next best thing to being there (well, maybe not...but you must admit it is a good idea!)

Whenever we learn about any new place in our lessons, we visit there with Google! It is really neat when you can drag down the little yellow man and "virtually" see the actual place. It is fascinating to realize how far out in dessert the pyramids really are! And I was shocked when I realized that there was a road so close to the Niagara Falls viewing area. Strangely, I really feel as if I've almost been to these places now!

Another great thing we do with Google maps is let our children drive "virtually" around town, to friends houses, to favorite restaurants and grandma's house. It helps them develop that bird's eye view that will help them learn their way around.

Laguna Madre Birding

There is a body of water here called the "Laguna Madre". It provides lots of opportunities for bird watching. Here are some of my attempts at bird photography. I'm borrowing my BIL's long lense - not too bad for a novice.




Spoonbills - very unique birds and very camera shy! Notice them moving away from me.

















Graceful Egret

Corpus Museum of Science and History

We all love museums and spent two afternoons at the Corpus Museum of Science and History Thought I'd share some pics!

From Corpus Photos

My sister Kathy (far right) treated us to this trip to the museum - Thanks Aunt Kathy!

From Corpus Photos

Toured a replica of one of the Columbus Ships - for more history check out the museum link.

From Corpus Photos

My daughter who wants to be a gemologist greatly enjoyed the museum's collection of minerals. I think this was our favorite section.

From Corpus Photos

We also enjoyed their shell collection - especially fitting since we've been picking so many up on the beach!

From Corpus Photos

Call me crazy, but I loved this exhibit which shows the whelk's life cycle. It starts at the egg case on the bottom right and shows how it's shell grows as it matures. "Two Thumbs Up" for this one!

From Corpus Photos

From Corpus Photos

Right outside the museum doors is a beautiful fountain called the Corpus Christi Water Gardens - we had a fun here too!

From Corpus Photos

They also have a Xeriscape Exhibit. Here we learned a little about the native plants to the Coastal Bend Area.