Recommended Reading for Children-2 Heartwarming Stories about the Titanic

I want to tell you all about 2 wonderful childrens books that have recently been in the press and have really complimented what the Titanic Museum Attraction aims to accomplish for all children through the museums.


Titanicat is a wonderful childrens book that was written by Marty Crisp and published by Sleeping Bear Press, June 5, 2008. Titanicat is based on the true story of the ship's cat of the doomed Titanic. There was a young sailor named Jim Mulholland who befriended a cat that was traveling on the Titanic with her litter of kittens. He ends up being saved by the cat as it gets off of the ship with all but one of its kittens and then Jim decides to bring the last kitten to its mother. The young sailor learns later that because he rescued the last kitten of the litter off of the Titanic, he actually escaped his own demise.  The illustrations in this book are magnificent and perfect for any child in grades 1-4.

This book has been selected by the state of Missouri and the state of Tennessee as recommended reading for all schools. This selection is a very high honor to any book, and we are proud that it features the Titanic story in such an engaging way. You can purchase your copy today by visiting the Titanic Museum Attraction's online store at http://www.titanicbranson.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=125. 

The other book that I have to mention was written by a 4th grade student at Northview Primary School in Kodak, Tennessee. Nine year old Luke Copas visited the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tn earlier this summer with his Mom and Dad. See...Luke is an avid reader and loves reading about history; one of his favorite subjects is the Titanic. Luke knows so much information about the Titanic that he decided to write a book about it. When he visited the museum, he presented the book to Mary Kellogg-Joslyn, co-owner of the museum. She was so impressed with his writing and enthusiasm that she decided to help Luke get his book published.

Last week on September 16, 2010, in the library at  Northview Primary School, Mary Kellogg-Joslyn and 1st Class Maid Jaynee presented Luke with his very first copy of Facts For Kids About the Titanic by Luke Copas. The WBIR news story can be found at http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=134540&catid=8 ! Luke spent all day on Saturday at the museum signing copies of his new book and he has now been inspired to write a second book involving facts for adults. The Titanic Museum Attraction will have the book for sale in their store at the museum in Pigeon Forge, Tn and I hope that we can also include his book in our website store.

If you have any questions about how to get your hands on these two publications, send me a message or call our museum at 1-800-381-7670. Enjoy! I would love to hear your reviews!

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2nd Annual Titanic Woodcarving Event

Last year, I went to the 2nd Annual Woodcarving Event in Titanic's parking lot. I was amazed that someone could take a log and a chainsaw and actually make beautiful pieces of art. I took lots of pictures and wanted to share them with you. By the way, the boys loved seeing these MANLY men carving wood. It was definitely a hit with everyone in my family.

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Titanic's 3rd Annual Woodcarving Event

3rd Annual Woodcarving Event to Honor Titanic’s German Passengers and Crew (in association with LogHoggers Chainsaw Sculpting)
Friday, October 8 thru Sunday, October 10
Free Event. 

 

Professional wood carvers from across the nation will send chips flying and spirits soaring when they return to compete in this year’s three-day woodcarving competition. Events will take place in Titanic’s parking area: from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

A special 75-minute chainsaw speed-carving contest delivers one of the event’s many nail-biting moments. This special annual family event honors the memory of the German passengers and crew who were aboard Titanic. 

It’s free and held in association with LogHoggers Chainsaw Sculpting.

For Reservations call 800-381-7670.

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1st Annual Titanic Firehouse Chili Cookoff

http://titanicbranson.com/titanic_news.php#chiliFirst Annual Titanic Firehouse Chili Cookoff
Saturday, October 2nd from 10am-4pm
 

Branson, MO, 2010 - Titanic Branson Museum Attraction’s first regional Firemen’s Chili Championship Cookoff is scheduled to fire-up on Saturday, October 2nd from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the museum attraction’s outdoor arena, announces Titanic Branson owner, John Joslyn.

“Firemen chefs will light their fires in honor of the brave firemen and stokers who stood their ground when the great Titanic went down. They’ll be competing against fire fighting challengers for thousands of dollars of prize money and the chance to bring home the Great Firehouse Chili Cookoff Championship title,” says Joslyn. “First place winner will receive $3,000; Second Place winner, $2,000; and Third Place Winner, $1,000,” Joslyn adds.

Chili cookers will be up early slicing, dicing, chopping and stirring gallons of chili in a spirited, five-hour cook-a-thon that begins at 10 a.m. Hot and spicy, mild and mellow, secret ingredients and guarded recipes all come together at the Great Firehouse Chili Cookoff. The public is invited to come early, watch the prep, sample the many different firehouse chili concoctions and pass judgment as they see fit.

A select panel of judges will declare the cookoff winners at 4 p.m. “At this time, a special “People’s Choice Award” donation will be made to the Missouri Humane Society,” Joslyn declares.

For Reservations Call 800-381-7670.

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Kindergarten

It was quiet in the house last Thursday when my 5 year old son went off to Kindergarten for the first time. For the past several weeks, Hunter and I have been talking about what it will be like at school. We enjoyed a "Meet and Greet" time where we got to meet his teacher and see his classroom for the first time. I have NEVER seen my son act so shy and quiet in his life. He literally hid behind me and did not speak, which is highly unusual for him. However, first impressions regarding his teacher were perfect. She is laid back, patient, and very sweet! Hunter enjoyed meeting her.

School Supplies- were a breeze this year. The Branson Primary teachers asked us to provide $20 per student and the teachers did the school supply shopping. This not only saved us money, but I think it worked out better for the teachers too because all kids in the class will have the same stuff. Also, as I mentioned in a previous blog, the Back to School Bash, hosted by the First Baptist Church in Branson, gave FREE school supplies to ALL attendees.

The Backpack-Here is the deal with the back pack. Hunter has an older brother who is in 3rd grade. The "cool" backpack style this year is one of those "sling" strap style bags. Well, Hunter got a traditional backpack that fit him, so his brother told him that he can only use one strap when carrying his backpack. Believe me when I say, Hunter has followed this rule every time he has picked up the bag!

The FIRST drop off- Our entire family took Hunter in to his classroom on the first day. We found his name at a table and got him situated in his "new home away from home". He said, "Mom, will you come eat lunch with me today?" I said yes and proceeded to ask his teacher what time I should be there to eat lunch. She said that parents can't eat lunch with their kids the entire first month of school. I understand the rule because they are trying to acclimate these Kindergarten students with the procedures. However, I was a little bit anxious about that...We left the school and proceeded on to take our 3rd grader to his building and then we came back to the Primary building and spied on Hunter to see what he was doing in his new classroom. I didn't cry.

Lunch-We have been getting Hunter prepared for eating lunch on his own. See, Hunter likes to sing and laugh and talk during meal time. He is a "snacker", if you will? What we have been warning him about is that he will need to EAT HIS LUNCH because he will be hungry and he will not be able to eat snacks every hour and half. Usually dinner goes like this - We tell Hunter to eat and then end up having to feed him because he won't do it himself. We have said that he will have to feed himself at school because the cafeteria workers will not be cutting up his food and spoon feeding him. So far, he tells us that he loves the chocolate milk and the ice cream. He hasn't had time to eat any of the other stuff on his tray. :)

Meeting new Friends-Hunter has been exposed to pre-school, Sunday School, and Vacation Bible school, so therefore meeting new friends shouldn't be too difficult. He is pretty social. I did get a bit anxious about this because of how quiet he was when we went to meet his teacher. YIKES! When I went to pick him up after the first day (I got in line to wait for him an hour before he actually got out!!!), the first thing that he said was, "I met a new friend today. His name is Joshua. " I asked, "how did you meet him?." Hunter said, "I went up to him and said, will you be my friend? And, he said sure." This makes MOMMA so proud.

Nap time-there seems to be a debate on whether or not Hunter should bring a towel to lay on at nap time. The teacher said that we couldn't use a mat because they were too big and there wasn't enough room in the classroom to store 20 mats. So...she suggested that we send a towel for Hunter to lay on. Well, on the first day, I forgot the towel. The teacher said that she would just have him lay on the carpet. Now, Hunter can't decide if the carpet or the towel will be more comfortable. He has practiced on both at home trying to decide and still this morning tells me that he will continue to lay on the carpet. I'm not sure how long the teacher will allow this?

Bathroom Breaks-Now this is funny. Hunter did not "go" the entire first day. He said that the potties are TOO low to the ground and he was afraid that he would make mess. Needless to say, when I picked him up we had to go back in so he could "go".

End of the day-I was fine ALL day, but after Hunter got home from school, I hugged him and just starting balling my eyes out. That is typical for me. I am a ROCK in a pinch and during a trial. After all is said and completely done, I fall apart. I just can't believe that my baby is in school. Time has gone by so quickly. I am so proud of him and I love him and his brother dearly.

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JEERK - The Swedish Sensation in Branson, Mo!

Last Friday, we took the kids to see a new show in Branson called JEERK. Funny name, I know. They are a group of extremely talented guys from Sweden who rock the stage with their tap dancing and rhythm. They perform at the Hughes Brothers Theatre on the strip.

If I had to sum up the experience in one word, it would be "unbelievable". If you get a chance to read their brochure, each of these young men has been highly successful. They are dancers, musicians, actors and singers. The show is not only a tribute to the famous tap dancers like Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, and Gregory Hines, but also something new and fresh in America. They use hardware items that you might find in your local hardware store to make incredible rhythms all while tapping in their high tops. They look and dress like rock stars and their music is very much Rock and Roll.

Non-stop action and entertainment. These guys never stopped tapping! And they were creative and innovative with their stage props. Did I mention that they were funny? We gave them a standing ovation twice because the audience wanted more! During the show, I peeked at my 8 year old to see if he was enjoying it. I could see his wheels turning. This show made a huge impression on him. He saw "cool", "hip" guys with punk rock hair playing instruments, dancing, and performing. This show inspired him.

After the show, all five performers came out so that we could meet them. I would like to mention that a lady, who was in her 70's, came up already dressed in her JEERK t-shirt, and hugged each and every one of them. She loved it! My kids couldn't wait to get autographs. They too wanted t-shirts, necklaces, posters, bumper stickers, etc. Truly, a show for all ages.

To me, this show represents the NEW Branson. The Branson that will attract young families like ours to vacation and live and yet will still impress our senior crowd that we love and cherish. If you haven't seen this "Rhythm Artist Group" yet, you must make plans. They are only performing through the end of October, so make it part of your Fall Fun in the Ozarks!

FLUFFY SHEEP!

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Our Lady of the Lake

Yesterday evening, my family enjoyed a dinner cruise onboard the Showboat Branson Belle. Our Lady of the Lake has been entertaining passengers for 16+ years. When we first arrived, we walked a path through the most beautiful grounds that I have seen in this area. The landscaping is pristine and there were many photo opportunities along the way. The path lead us to the White River Landing where there was shopping, restrooms, and a box office. And in the background was the Lady herself docked on the most beautiful lake I have ever known, Table Rock Lake.

As we boarded the Belle, our boys stopped to feed some giant Carp that had been patiently waiting for our arrival. Then we were off to get our souvenir picture taken. At this point we were hot and ready to go inside for reprieve. We entered the ship and were directed to our seats, but in typical Wicker fashion, we went to the restrooms instead. When we finally found our seats in the dining hall, we were amazed at the size. We learned that the Belle can accomodate 700 guests and I believe that it was about 95% full.

There was no idle time when we sat down. The Emcee, a seasoned comedian, began telling us about the paddle boat. The boat was constructed at its port at White River Landing and was launched into Table Rock Lake on August 12, 1994. What we found to be facinating was the fact that in order to get the boat into the water after construction, they used "Launching Rails" that were covered in bananas to "Slip" the huge paddleboat into the water. I thought that slipping on banana peels was something of a cartoon myth, but no. It actually worked and the boat slipped at 14 miles per hour into Table Rock Lake, which the Emcee mentioned was the fastest the boat has ever traveled.

During the introduction, one of the audience members asked the Emcee if Nickel City was a fun place to go in Branson. She meant, Silver Dollar City, but the Emcee was relentless in teasing her throughout the show. It was pretty funny. While the Emcee gave us a history lesson, the first course of our meal was being served. The Dinner consisted of salad and bread, Beef and Chicken with Vegetables, a yummy ice cream pie dessert, iced tea, water, and coffee. The kids devoured chicken strips, veggies, and macaroni and cheese. Their dessert was ice cream and gummy bears. Perfect.

The Show was entertaining and high energy, but my favorite part was going up on the decks of the boat and peering out on the landscape of the Ozarks. I never pass up the opportunity to go to the lake. I love seeing the sun sparkle off of the gentle waves and I am one of those people that believe that the lake gives off positive ions that make you feel relaxed! We saw a few tubers going by so we waved. The boys were asking a lot of questions - How does a paddle boat work? How much does this boat weigh? When are we going tubing? Why are we on the lake and not in the water? That is why we took a picture of the "PLANK"....wink, wink.

The boys enjoyed Todd Oliver and his talking dogs. When they performed, every member of the audience was laughing. Mr. Oliver is a famous ventriloquist and he controlled masks that were attached to the dogs' muzzles to make them appear to be talking. He made the dogs have personalities which made it funny. The Bull Dog, Irving, was very sarcastic and lazy and his nemisis, Lucy was shy and matter of fact. This was a huge hit with the kids especially.

When the show was over, we left the ship and walked ashore. The boys thanked us for taking them and told us that they had a great time! Our final thoughts were that the Showboat Branson Belle is a must see in Branson and definitely is entertaining for all ages. The show was high energy, the staff was friendly, and the scenery was breathtaking. I encourage Branson visitors to check out the deals on their website http://www.showboatbransonbelle.com/. They have a first time ever combo offer with the Titanic and when the 2 attractions are purchased together, adults save up to $13.83 per ticket.

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