June 2020 Lincoln's Birthday and Lake Powell

 

Zach and Ned out on the paddleboards

At the end of June, we joined the Shamo Family at Lake Powell for a week.  We rented two houseboats and found a very secluded cove to camp out.  We were very entertained with Paddleboards, kayaks, and a number of fun water toys.  We enjoyed a few boat rides and a visit from Jodi and Chris who took us to see some great sights. We visited Rainbow Bridge, a very cool sandy mountain, and Glen Canyon Dam.  I don't think I saw much of Lincoln at all.  He was usually out on one of his Uncle's boats wakeboarding or knee boarding.  The cove we stayed in has some excellent cliffs to jump from and a peaceful little narrow canyon at the end of the cove which was perfect to explore on the paddle boards.  It was a great time and Lincoln declared it to be his favorite place on earth.  

Zach trying to stand up on the tube.  

At Glen Canyon Dam

The Sandy Mountain, the locals have a name for it, but I can't remember it.  

At the top of the Sandy Mountain

Zach and Christian chatting

This platform was a lot of fun.  It was super slippery and inflated so not too hard.  The kids loved playing King of the Hill on it. 

We all worked together to create this huge water slide. 

Since Lincoln had been recently developing his talents in auto mechanics, it made sense that his birthday gift would be a tool set. 

Gwen gave Lincoln her customary avocado pit. 

All the kids have gotten into giving something to each other on their birthdays.  It is always so sweet how they sacrifice some of their carefully-saved candy or spend time making some other gift.  

What we love about 13-year-old Lincoln

• He continues to work hard in school and pave the way for all of his siblings.  He performs so well in school that he has created and is creating a good name for all the Hills kids to follow.
• He has become quite the mechanic. He has restored a few projects and made a pretty good amount of money in the process.  
• With Covid closing schools down, it has been so fun to see him open up to us a little more again.  Since his siblings have been his only friends, he has been playing more with them. 
• He has started running to get ready for basketball season.  He usually comes running with me in the morning.  It's tough, but he does pretty well!
• He's always coming with different catch phrases.  The most recent one "Didje know somesing" (translation: Did you know something?). He says them over and over with little relevance.  His siblings think it is hilarious!