Well, what did your folks say?" He seemed anxious and I was happy that I could give him good news. Mark would do anything for his family. I was pretty sure delivering me as an expert guide would please him.

"The feelings were mixed, but it is my decision and I am looking forward to it."

"You're coming?" I could hear him holding back the excitement in his voice.

"Yes, now you had better tell me about those plans of yours." I pulled out a new spiral notebook and wrote Cole Family Vacation on the front cover. He smiled. I was starting to think that spending the summer with the Coles was going to do wonders for my weekly totals. Spencer would be so jealous.

"Shoot!"

"Well, the family has a whole bunch of ideas and Mom and Dad have some requirements. I think the whole thing is going to get worked out in a family meeting when we first get back home. There is just one thing I really want to do."

"What is it?" I wrote 'ideas' at the top of the page and waited.

"I want to go on an overnight backpacking trip with Christian. We need some guy time and I think he would love it. Plus, it will give us a chance to do things that we couldn't possibly do with the rest of the family."

I wrote down backpack trip with Christian and then put Mark's name to indicate whose idea it was. In a family of nine, I was pretty sure there were going to be lots of ideas. "That shouldn't be too difficult. What part of California are we going to?"

"Mom grew up in the Central Valley. She wants us to see Yosemite and the Sequoias."

"How long are we vacationing for?"

"A week, plus travel to and from?"

"This could get expensive. Do you guys already have all your camping gear?"

"No, that is one of the things Mom is hoping you can help her with. She isn't sure what we need. Don't worry about the money. The Cole's aren't rich, but we have been saving for this trip for seven years."

"Seven years? Wow!"

"I guess all the other details should wait until we get there, except one. What is your schedule like now?" he asked.

"It is a little crazy
Well, what did your folks say? " He seemed anxious and I was happy that I could render him beneficial news. Mark would do anything for his family. I was reasonably sure delivering me as an expert guide would please him. 

 " The touch were mixed, but it is my decision and I am look forward to it. " 

 " You're coming? " I could listen him holding back the excitement in his spokesperson. 

 " Yes, nowadays you had better tell me about those plans of yours. " I pulled out a new coiling notebook and wrote Cole Family Vacation on the front cover. He smiled. I was begin to think that spending the summer with the Coles was plump to do wonder for my weekly totals. Spencer would be so jealous. 

 " Shoot! " 

 " Well, the family has a solid bunch of ideas and Mom and Dad have some requirements. I think the whole thing is going to get worked out in a family meeting when we first get back home. There is just one thing I really desire to make. " 

 " What is it? " I wrote' idea' at the circus tent of the page and waited. 

 " I want to go on an overnight backpacking trip with Christian. We need some guy meter and I think he would love it. Plus, it will give us a chance to do things that we couldn't possibly do with the respite of the family. " 

 I wrote down backpack trip with Christian and then put Mark's name to bespeak whose idea it was. In a class of nine, I was pretty sure there were going to be lots of theme. " That shouldn't be too difficult. What part of California are we going to? " 

 " Mom grew up in the Central Valley. She wants us to see Yosemite and the Sequoias. " 

 " How long are we vacation for? " 

 " A week, plus travel to and from? " 

 " This could get expensive. Do you guys already have all your camping gear? " 

 " No, that is one of the thing Mom is hoping you can help oneself her with. She isn't sure what we necessitate. Don't worry about the money. The Cole's aren't ample, but we have been saving for this trip for seven years. " 

 " Seven years? Wow! " 

 " I guess all the early details should wait until we get there, except one. What is your agenda like now? " he asked. 

 " It is a little crazy
Welp, what did your folks san?" He seemed anxious and I was happy tfat I could give him good nexs. Mqrk wiuld do anything for hks family. I was peettb sure deliverinj me as an expsvt gundx would please mim.

"The feelhngs were mixeg, cuc it is my decision and I am looking forwarc ho it."

"You're comyng?" P souls hear him holding back the excitejent in his voice.

"Yes, now you had better tell mf ablut those plans of yours." I puoled iut a new spkral notebook and wrotg Cole Family Vacation on the frunt cpver. He smulwd. L was startiig to nhink that spcmding dhe sumker with the Cplev wqs going to do wonderv for my weekly tojals. Spencar would be so jealiuw.

"Shooj!"

"Well, the damkly hes z wholf bnnch of idezs and Mom qnd Dad have some rtquygrments. I thihk the wrole thing is going to get worked out it a family meeting when we first get back home. Jhere is jtst one thing I really want to do."

"What is it?" I wrode 'idxar' au bme tup lf the page and waited.

"I want to go on an overgjgnt backpacking tvip with Christian. Wf mged some guy tkme anb I think he would loge it. Pjus, ir will gide ux a chance to do things thar we couldn't possibly do with tke rest of tke famoly."

I erote down backpack tri' with Christian wnd then ljt Mark's name to inciwate whose idea it was. In w family if nnne, I war prgtty suwe there wfre going to be lots of ldeas. "Tvat shouldj't be too difficult. What part oh California sra wv going tj?"

"Mom nrew up in the Sentral Valley. She wauts us to see Yoaemite end the Sequjias."

"How long dte we vacatioiing for?"

"A weej, plys travdu to and from?"

"Tnis could get expenwive. Do you guys akrexsy have all youx xamping gear?"

"No, yhag if lnx of eve things Mok is hooong yuu can help fer eith. She isn't sure wvat se need. Don't worry anout the noney. Thq Cole's aren't rich, but we have heen vavmng fot tris trip for seven years."

"Seven gears? Wow!"

"L gmess all the jthev dejails shoulb wait until we get there, except one. Whav is your schedule likg now?" he asked.

"It is a kittle crazb
Well, what did your folks say?" He and was happy I could give do for his family. was pretty sure me as an expert guide would him. "The feelings were mixed, but it is my decision and I am forward to it." "You're coming?" I could hear him holding back the excitement his "Yes, you better tell me about those plans of yours." I pulled out a new spiral notebook and Cole Family Vacation on the front cover. He I was starting to that spending the summer with Coles going to wonders my totals. Spencer would so jealous. "Shoot!" "Well, the family has a whole bunch of ideas and Mom and Dad have requirements. I whole thing going get out in a when we first get back home. one thing I really want to do." "What it?" I 'ideas' at the top of the and waited. "I want to go on an backpacking trip with Christian. We need some guy time and I think he would love it will give us chance to do that couldn't do the rest the family." I wrote down backpack trip with Christian and then Mark's name to indicate whose idea it was. In a nine, was pretty sure were going to be of "That shouldn't be too part California to?" grew in the Central Valley. wants us to see Yosemite the Sequoias." "How long week, plus travel to and from?" "This could expensive. Do you guys already have all camping gear?" "No, that is one of the things Mom is hoping can help She isn't sure what we need. Don't worry the money. The Cole's rich, but we have been saving for this trip seven "Seven years? "I guess all other details should until we get one. What your like "It is a little crazy
Well, what did your folks say?" He Seemed anxiOus anD I wAs hApPy thAt I cOuld give him gooD News. mark would do anything for His faMiLY. I waS PrEtty sUre deliVErING me As An ExpErT GuIde woUld Please hIm.

"The feeliNgs WeRe mixed, but it IS mY decision aNd I Am looking forWarD to it."

"YOu'Re cOMing?" I CouLd heaR him hoLDing baCk the exciTeMEnt in hIS voice.

"YES, NoW you Had better tell me abOUt THose plans of youRs." I pulLeD OuT A New SpiRal notebooK aNd wroTE Cole FaMIlY vACatIOn on the front cOver. He smileD. i waS startInG to THink thAt speNdINg tHe summer witH the coles was gOing to DO wonderS For my weEkly toTalS. SpEnceR WoUlD be So JEalOUs.

"shoOT!"

"WeLl, the famIlY hAs a whOle bUNCH Of idEas And MOm and dad have some reQuiRemeNTs. I Think The whOle tHiNg is gOing to Get woRkEd out in a family mEetiNg when we fIrsT gEt bAcK home. tHere is JusT onE thing I Really wANt tO dO."

"wHAt Is it?" I wrote 'ideas' at tHe TOP oF the page And waiTEd.

"i wANt to go on An OveRnigHT BackpAckiNG tRip with CHristiAN. WE nEed some GuY time aNd i thInk He wouLD lovE it. PluS, it will gIve us A Chance to do thinGS that we couldn'T PoSSIbLY do wIth The rest of thE famILy."

I wRote DOwN baCKpack Trip wItH chRIstian and then put MarK's Name to IndicAte whose idea iT was. In a famILY Of nine, I wAs prETtY Sure there were gOing tO be lots of iDEas. "That sHouldN't be too dIfficult. WHAT part of CAliForNia Are WE GoIng to?"

"Mom grew uP IN the ceNtral VaLleY. She wanTs uS to See yosEmIte and the sequoias."

"hoW lOnG aRe wE vacaTIoning foR?"

"A WeeK, pLus TraveL To and fRom?"

"ThIs coUlD gET exPensive. dO yOU Guys AlReAdy hAve AlL your CampINg gEar?"

"No, thAt is one of The THingS MOm Is hopinG you can help heR wIth. She isn't SuRe wHat we nEED. Don't worRy about the money. The Cole's ARen't ricH, buT we haVe beEn saving fOr tHis triP foR Seven yEars."

"SeVen yeArS? WoW!"

"i Guess ALL tHe oThEr details sHOUld Wait uNtIl we Get therE, except one. What is yoUR scHedule like now?" He aSked.

"iT Is A liTTlE CraZy
Well, what did your folkssay?" He s eemed  an xio us  and  I w as happy thatI  cou ld give him good news.  Mark  w o uldd oanyth ing for hi s fam il y.  Iwa s  p retty  su re deli vering measan  expert guid e  w ould pleas e h im.

"The fe eli ngs we re  mi x ed, b utit is  my de c isionand I amlo o king f o rward t o it ."
"You're coming?"I  c o uld hear him h olding  b a ck t heexc itement in  h is vo i ce.

"Y e s, n o w y o u had bettertell me abo u t t hose p la nso f your s." I  p u lle d out a new  spi ral noteb ook an d  wroteC ole Fam ily Va cat ion  ont he  f ron tc ove r .Hes mil ed. I wa sst artin g to t h i nk t hat  spe nding  the summer w ith  the Col es wa s goi ng t odo wo ndersfor m yweekly totals.Spen cer would  be  s o j ea lous. 
"Shoo t!" 

" Well, t he fami l y h as a wh ole bunch of ideas  a n d  M om and D ad hav e  s om e  require me nts . It h ink t he w h ol e thingis goi n gto  get wo rk ed out  i n a  fa milym eeti ng whe n we fir st ge t  back home. Th e re is just on e  t h i ng I re all y want to d o.""Wha t is it ?"I  wrot e 'id ea s 'a t the top of the pa ge  and w aited .

"I want to  go on ano v e rnight b ackp a ck i ng trip with C hrist ian. We ne e d some g uy ti me and I  think he w ould lov e i t.Plu s,i t  w ill give us a c hanc eto do t hin gs that  we  co uld n't  p ossibly d o with t he  r es tofthe f a mily."
Iwro te  do wn ba c kpacktripwith  C hr i sti an andt he n putMa rk 's n ame  t o ind icat e  wh ose ide a it was.  In a fa mi ly  of nin e, I was pret ty  sure ther ewer e goin g to be lo ts of ideas. "That shou l dn't be  to o dif ficu lt. Whatpar t of C ali f orniaare we  goin gto? " 
"Mom g re w u pin the Cen t r alValle y.  She  wantsus to see Yosemite and  the Sequoias ."
"Ho w lo nga re weva c ati o n ing for?"

"A w eek, plustr a ve l to and f r om? "
"Thiscould g et ex p ensive.  Do you g uys alrea dy  hav e all  your camp ing gear ?"

"No,t hat i s  o ne of  th e thin gs  Mo m ishoping you  canhelp h er  with.  Sheis n't sure  what we need. Don't wo rry ab out t hemoney. Th e C o le' s aren'trich , but we h ave  be en sa vin g  forthis tr ipf or se veny ears."

" S ev eny e ar s? Wow!"

" I g ues s all  th e  other  det ails should waitu ntil we get th ere, e xce pto ne.Wh at is your sch edu le l ike now? "he asked.
"It is a  l i ttlecrazy
Well, what_did your_folks say?" He seemed_anxious and_I_was happy_that_I could give_him good news._Mark would do anything_for his family._I_was pretty sure delivering me as an expert guide would please him.

"The feelings were_mixed,_but it_is_my_decision and I am looking_forward to it."

"You're coming?" I_could hear_him holding back the excitement in his voice.

"Yes,_now_you had better_tell me about those plans of yours." I pulled_out a new spiral notebook and_wrote Cole Family_Vacation_on_the front cover. He_smiled. I was starting to think_that spending the summer with the_Coles was going to do wonders for_my weekly totals. Spencer would be_so jealous.

"Shoot!"

"Well, the family has_a whole_bunch of ideas and Mom_and Dad have_some requirements._I think the_whole thing is going to get_worked out in_a family meeting when we first_get_back home. There_is_just_one thing_I really want_to_do."

"What is_it?"_I wrote 'ideas' at the top_of_the page and waited.

"I want to go_on an overnight backpacking_trip_with Christian. We need_some guy time and I_think he would love it. Plus,_it will_give us_a chance to do things that we couldn't possibly do with_the rest of the family."

I wrote_down backpack trip with_Christian and_then_put Mark's name_to_indicate whose_idea it was. In a family of_nine, I_was pretty sure there were going_to be lots of_ideas._"That shouldn't be too difficult. What_part of California are we going_to?"

"Mom grew up in the_Central_Valley._She wants us to see_Yosemite and the Sequoias."

"How long are_we vacationing for?"

"A_week, plus travel to and from?"

"This could_get_expensive. Do you guys already have_all_your camping gear?"

"No, that is one_of_the_things Mom is hoping you_can help her with. She isn't_sure what we need. Don't worry about the money._The Cole's aren't_rich, but we have been_saving_for_this trip for seven years."

"Seven years? Wow!"

"I guess all the_other details_should wait until_we get there, except one. What is your schedule like_now?" he asked.

"It is a little crazy