Today is veterans day! Tom took off work today so we could enjoy it together as a family. First on our agenda was to look at our house site. They put the tar on the walls, along with some foam covering.
We weren't sure what that was, so we asked about it. It is used to protect the tar when they back-fill around it. Good to know, right?
Kyle and some other guys were working, so we tried to keep out of their way.
We weren't sure what the orange markings were for, so we took a picture, hoping we'd find out when we got home later in the day.
Here's our french drain hose popping out to say hello.
Next on our agenda, was the reason Tom took off work today. We went to Point Park in Chattanooga, since they were offering a get-in-for-free day.
First stop was the gift shop/visitor's center. The kids each found a hat - Tommy wore the Union blue, Becky - a ranger hat, and Nikki got the Confederate grey. I also picked up a Jr. Ranger booklet for Tommy to complete on our walk.
Next stop was the visitor's center - a back room off the gift shop. The kids enjoyed watching a movie while Tom and I read the boards explaining certain events of the civil war. We learned that a few days after the battle of Chickamauga, the Army of Tennessee retook Lookout Mountain and used it as an observation post and to fire on Chattanooga, calling it Point Lookout (now Point Park). Confederate artillery from Point Lookout was largely ineffective. After the Union Army successfully completed the "cracker line" - a shorter supply route that gave food (hardtack called crackers) and supplies - the position became a target. On November 24, 1863 General Joseph Hooker launched an attack that would become known as the "Battle Above The Clouds." Although no fighting actually took place in Point Park a Confederate artillery battery did fire on Union soldiers, who were sweeping the mountainside. Point Park was completed in 1905 to commemorate the "Battle Above the Clouds" as part of the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park.
Once we were finished, we headed into Point Park itself.
The view of Chattanooga was amazing!
These cannons are 20 pounder Parrot cannons and could fire their 20-pound projectiles 2,100 yards (about 1.2 miles!).
We also got to see a hawk up close. Guess he wanted to enjoy the view of Chattanooga too!
The kids started getting restless and began wrestling with each other. I guess it made the civil war a little more realistic for them, although I'm not sure which side they were fighting on.
After they tired of wrestling, Becky was very excited to discover that some of the trees had names so she could gather leaves for her leaf book. I don't think she ended up taking any leaves home, but getting her picture with the leaf and the tree name was enough for her I guess!
One final picture before we left - and then we turned in Tommy's Junior Ranger booklet where they gave him a badge in return for completing 2 of the 5 pages (we did extra credit and did 4 of the 5!). The ranger told Tommy that if he completed the Jr. Ranger program at two other parks, he could earn a badge called the Jr. Ranger Historian - so now Tommy is begging to go to more parks!
We went home and checked out what had been done.
They filled in the basement with gravel.
The orange circles we had puzzled over this morning were for the pump.
We're definitely making progress! Next week they are planning to pour the concrete slab and start building the walls. Can't wait!
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