Field Trippin’ - Gatorama

So we have finished off our Unit Study with Alligators.  The best place to finish it is at a gator farm, so thankfully we have Gatorama in Palmdale, FL about an hour away.  Can we say, INCREDIBLE!  We actually bought annual passes, because we plan to go back.

www.gatorama.com

There were tons of these big boys that you could throw bread to.

So mommy also learning a thing or two, gators look like they do, to conceal themselves to look like a tree.  The good Floridian mommy, thinking tree, really, I would have never thought a tree.  Well, do you see the gator in the next picture?  

Gatorama is small and the day we went, blazingly HOT!  Twice while we were there they took a baby gator out for the kids to hold, amazing pictures of that!  Then at almost noon, they got the chicken out and got those bad boys to jump out of the water!  AMAZING!

We left with a bag of frozen gator meat too. You know, had to finish the study right with gator in the tummy.  Great Place!  Worth the drive.  So if you are anywhere South of Orlando and Tampa, take a drive.  It is smack dab in the middle of the state.  And if you pass the intersection SR70 and US27 and there are peaches for sale on the side of the road, you better get some.  We already ate half a box in less than 5 days. (think 40 or more peaches and we are going back for more).

 

Of Course, you can’t field trip with out a lunch, so this is what we packed!

It was too hot at the farm to eat there, so we went a mile north to Fisheating Creek FWC Outpost and spent a little money to eat under the shade of some old oaks at the edge of a dug lake.  It was great and since it was the areas official swimming hole, the kids got to cool off a bit, unfortunately for their mother! (No change of clothes.)

http://fisheatingcreekoutpost.com/

We did this trip with Katy-bunz, so head over to get a more personal view of our trip!

http://craftymomma2.blogspot.com/2011/07/gatorama-adventure.html

~trish

Shell Factory – Nature Park

Our current unit study is crocodilians.  We have read and watched all about them and we were ready to see them in person.  I found out about a little gem that was within an hour from us, so our of first adventures (aka field trippin’) was at the Shell Factory’s Nature Park.  I had never been to the Nature Park before, but we gave it a try, because we heard that you can feed the alligators there.

The alligators were amazing. I must admit this is the best up-close encounter that I have ever had. Then to be able to throw these little pellets to feed them, even better.

There was somewhere between 6-10 gators in the little slough, but it was perfect to have a great discussion about everything we have read about them.

I must say, if you live in the area of Charlotte, Lee, or Collier County, the Shell Factory has a lot to offer.  It is a small, low budget nature park, but their collection of animals was beyond my expectations.

They had a snake room with lizards and toads.  Of course, not my most favorite spot, but I put up a great front for the kids.  Well until my special little man snuck up behind me  and poked me with a feather.  I shot straight up to the ceiling screaming.  So much for keeping up appearances for my kids.

If you are studying dinosaours, there is a little walk that has several of the dinos.  With the little walk being over grown, it kind of gave me the he-bee gee-bees.  well, the sounds in the background of dinos roaring help the feel.

the place also was kickin’ it for some hands on oppurtunities.

The bird atriums have led to a lot of request to daddy to build one at home.  I have had pictures drawn of this experience.  In fact, the experience gave me a the opportunity to see a new side of my daughter and her love of birds.  I am not sure if she is even aware of it.

This is a great price for the 2 days.  We did make 2 trips to the park and had even more fun on the second day.  You can buy a year pass for a total of 6 people for $100.  We will make the investment on our next visit.

if you do make it down there, keep in mind they have events each day, so time your visit right.  And if it get too hot, there is the shell factory gift shop that is huge.  In the gift, shop there is a large exhibit of animals from Africa.

      

~trish

Lunch boxin’

You say, WHAT!  Why would I need to lunch box it?  Because we field trippin’, baby!  Well, anytime we are out of the house, I consider it field trippin’.  Wait until you see the shirts I am working on.  So here is our lunch box.

More like the community lunch box, we end up feeding any kid that is in eye shot of it.  Because, our lunch box is filled with all this goodness.

Now I used to do bentos when my kid went to school for so many reasons, beyond the fact that it makes me look like a cool mom.  So let me tell you why!

1. I am SO COMPLETE lazy and there is no way I want to make sandwiches, shove them in bags.  Have spoons to clean and all that jazz.  If I can boil it or cut it, that is about all I am up for.
2. HEALTHY!  My belief is the meal should be half veggie or fruit, quarter protein and quarter starch.  When you make sandwiches, keeping that ratio is out the window.
3. I got no idea what to pack or how much, so I rummage through the kitchen to fill up all the spots.  So I start with the first thing I could find, apples.  In fact on this day, eggs and peppers were an after thought.  I enjoyed the peppers with cheese the best, while the eggs were gone before I got one for myself.
4. I am snacker and subsequently, I am raising snackers.  If you can eat it with a toothpick, it’s lunch.
5. We love to share. We have the perfect set up to share.
6. Visually appealing.  Sorry for the plastic bag, but it makes good food look boring.  The best way to eat is with all of your senses.  So it should please the eyes, nose, and tongue. And bentos do.
7. I look so cool, especially in my own mind, when I come strollin’ up with this thing.  Then I open it, and the crowds go wild.
8. Most of all, it keeps me just a bit more different from the rest.  That in itself is enough reason for me.

SO shamefully, being a cool bento packin’ momma, is more for my limited culture, but wishin’ I was more alter ego.  Pretty good job fakin’ it, huh? 
And for those of you that happen to have your kids, too close to my bento, I so got your kid to have a veggie!  Try that for pushing my beliefs on your kid!
~trish