Soldier Hollow

Thanks Kyle and Mindy for inviting us again to your annual Soldier Hollow outing. We LOVE coming, and we love even more seeing our great friends. You guys are great!

Jacey and Max started asking me right after Christmas if we were going tubing again this year. We have made this an annual activity for the past 4 years. We always have so much fun and the best part of all is that we get to see our old neighbors that moved when Jacey was one.

This year was no different. Jacey, Max & Gregg put together the shopping list and went shopping for lunch stuff on Saturday.

Then we woke up early on President's Day to get to Soldier Hollow by 9:30 a.m. The drive wasn't bad this year, and we got there is good time. We weren't the first in line when it opened, but close. Max did better this year then in years previous. He doesn't like to do the hard part of tubing, which includes lugging the tube up the hill. Okay, any of you that have been to Soldier Hollow knows that the lugging part is pretty minimal, but Max doesn't like that part at all. This year his mom and dad refused to help him. He lasted longer than his mom thought he would, but he still was done before Jacey and Gregg. Jacey loves to go, and go, and go. (Kyle and Mindy let us know when you need some help you with your "milk cow").

Afterwards, we went to the lodge for lunch and visiting with the Snow Family. Sorry Connor if I embarrassed you.

Whenever we travel in the car, I read to my kids. This trip was no different. We read the seventh 39 Clues book that Max and Jacey got for Valentine's day the day before. We got so into it that when we got home we had to finish. Are Amy and Dan really Madrigals? We now are looking forward to the next book that comes out in April. It is a good thing that the last Fablehaven book comes out in March. Until then, I guess we will have to read biographies for school.

Jacey is in the process of doing a book cube (report) on John Quincy Adams. I didn't know much about him until this assignment, but I read her book so that I could help her. He was an amazing man. Although he was not one of the more well loved presidents, I was impressed with his passions, and what he fought for. I very much felt that the hand of God was indeed in the founding and sculpting of our country. You can't put that in the book report, but it is nice to have moments of inspiration like that about secular things.

Max is also working on reading different genres. He is doing a literature circle this term in school. He has to read a mystery book, a chapter book (his mom has been making him read those for a long time), a science book, a biography, and a travel book. He also had to do a diorama on the fennec fox. You did a great job Max I am proud of you!