The Successful Failure

Today is the 40th anniversary of Apollo 13.  This mission became known as "The Successful Failure".  If you don't know why it called that - or even if you do - I would HIGHLY recommend watching the movie, Apollo 13, with Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton (you can buy it from Wal-Mart for a measly $7.50).  It is AWE INSPIRING!  I am completely amazed at how NASA brought those 3 astronauts home safely.  I've watched it more times that I can count and I cry EVERY time.

Anyone who knows our family knows how much we LOVE the Apollo Space Program.  It all started with Dylan watching Apollo 13 over and over and over and over....you get the idea.  He began reading about it in books and on the internet.  It didn't take long for the rest of us to jump on his wagon and fall in love with the majesty and mystery of space!  It REALLY is a big deal around here. 

It has inspired:

 Dylan and Landon's halloween costumes last year.  I took them to the Clarke Planetarium to take this picture.

The decor of the boys' new room in the basement (More to come REALLY soon, I promise) 

And now, Chris' newest project.......an in-house planetarium that he is building himself!  Instead of a home theater, our home will boast a PLANE-freakin'-TARIUM!!!!!  I don't know how elaborate it will be, but knowing Chris, it's going to be good!  The finished project will be 8 feet high, with a 12 foot diameter.  It's not going in a room.  It IS a room!  You can see a scaled down model that he made from poster board in this picture.  Is this COOL or what???  (Who ever said that geometry would never come in handy?  Oh, wait, that was me!!!)