Tonight, after a full day of holiday celebration, take just a moment while you’re gazing at the stars, to turn your gaze to the moon. This will be the FIRST FULL MOON CHRISTMAS since 1977! Where were you? Do you see a man on it? A lunar rover? A hooked golf ball. An American flag?
A few weeks ago I wrote about my childhood fascination with space and our recent field trip to the Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral. Well, guess what? I had the great fortune to meet one of my childhood space heroes~Buzz (Aldrin NOT Lightyear). That’s right, I caught Buzz Aldrin, the SECOND man on the moon, signing this book during our SECOND visit to the Space Center just last weekend.

Buzz
I felt like a six-year-old kid again, dreaming, nervous, a bit *star struck* as I approached this man who back in 1969 was THE MAN on the moon.

Woody and Buzz
I introduced myself as Woody from Portland and this small talk led to what he knew about Oregon- The annual UFO Festival in McMinnville, just outside the bright lights of downtown Portland. That’s about as far out as the conversation went before the book promoters pushed the next book buyer Buzz’s way. Dang, I was at least hoping to shake the hand of the man who planted an American flag on the moon- My hero Buzz.
Since 1972 it’s been Goodnight Moon and lights out to the lunar program when the last man walked on the moon. Seems like light years away but today there is talk about landing the first man on Mars, perhaps by 2030. In space time that 15 years is just a split second away. And who better to learn about Mars than from Buzz Aldrin. One of only a dozen men to walk ON THE MOON!
This is the complete edition of the science behind putting a man AND his boots on martian soil to plant another American flag for all mankind. Written by Buzz for middle-school minds, like mine, and endorsed by National Geographic Kids. I just had to have a copy. A mind is never too young. Neither is mine.
Buzz: Wow! That’s poetic Woody.

My Space Hero Buzz
Reminds me of when Carli was six-years-old and I’d read Goodnight Moon to her before bed. She would nod off to sleep as I said my final Goodnight…
Goodnight stars,
Goodnight air, Goodnight noises
Everywhere.
Goodnight Woody, Goodnight Buzz
I’ll catch ya’ later
When man’s on Marzz.
Woody: Wow! I’m on a roll!
Carli: Goodnight Dad. Pleasant dreams…

Carli And HER Spaced Hero
Destination Mars