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Holden It Down With The Hackets, Holden, MA (2026)

07/07/2021

Happy summer! What are some things you’d like us to share? Family kayaking spots? Fun things to keep busy at home? I’ll be putting up a post soon- love to hear what you’d like to see!

02/01/2021

Anyone else only feel like eating baked goods on a snowy day? Enlisted some helpers to make rice crispy treats today! How do your kids help in the kitchen?

01/24/2021

Brrrr! Cold weather getting in the way of exploring with your littles? Without snow to play in winter can be pretty boring. Today we tried out an activity I had seen on Tinkergarden’s page. We looked around for supplies inside and out to make some nature ice art!
First we cleaned out some fruit form the fridge and tested out using some cookie cutters on the apple slicing. This also turned into a yummy snack!
Next, we bundled up and went out to the yard to look for interesting bits of nature we could collect. Tiny pine cones, leaves, acorns etc.
When we came inside we got to work arranging our found elements into art! It was fun to get creative as a whole family. This activity can be for a wide range of ages!
When we were satisfied with our designs we took them outside to pour the water carefully into the dishes.
The temps here are plenty cold for these to freeze up in a couple hours! Can’t wait to see how they will turn out!
Ice sun catchers made with nature! Let us know if your tired it!

12/18/2020

Snow!
We sure do have enough of it lately! Last week our family tested out our snowshoes in preperation of taking some longer family walks this witner with them.
The fresh snow we got this week will be perfect for snowshoes!
Over the summer we started to think about how we are going to keep everyone busy outside since we likely will not be skiing much if at all this winter. I started hunting around to get everyone a 2nd hand pair of snowshoes- and we rounded out the gear with Tommy's birthday gift of a pair of "monster feet" snow shoes. (affliate link) from Amazon https://amzn.to/3gYRoH0.
Everyone did great in the snowshoes- Tommy will take a bit more exposure.. we will probably end up carrying him in the backpack as he gets used to it!
We hope to take the kids out to some of our favorite hiking spots throughout the winter.
How do you plan on getting outside this winter?

11/22/2020

Take a hike!
No, really! Don't let the cooler temps stop you from enjoying the outdoors. Honestly, hiking in winter is my favorite! The biggest reason is that there are no bugs! Other benefits include quieter trails and a reason to get some fresh air! Heading out into nature lets us slow down, and ignore all the negative things happening for a little bit.
We have still been getting out into nature all the time- but I have lost track of posting about it!
Today we went back to Audobon's Cooks Canyon property in Barre, MA. Quiet, peaceful and just enough of a drive to keep us out of the house all morning. Success!
We had come here in the summer too, and the kids had their water shoes on and spent a couple hours catching crayfish, minnows, and frogs. Despite the cold today, we still managed to see a few hidden creatures!

08/31/2020

This summer we have tried to steer clear of popular hiking spots and explore some areas that were new to us. Today we went to a spot that Andy and Danny had explored before. I was in awe when I would see pictures of this place- so magical! Moss covered rocks, flowing brook- its as if you will see gnomes and fairies prancing about this wooded wonderland.

From the parking lot, you hike through some meadows that are alongside Connors Pond ( yes, you can fish there). There is a boat launch for the pond just before the parking for the Audbobon, taking the kayaks would be a nice addition to this adventure. Today we focused on the hike. Approaching the brook is like stepping into another world. I could imagine bringing a chair ( some snacks) or a hammock and just hanging out in the peaceful tranquility.
We had 3 kids with us, so that was not our reality. But, in the woods, there is a calm in our children and they hopped along the rocks and explored. Chased frogs and caught minnows in our handy nets.
We hiked up to Porcupine Hill- impressive rocks and what seems like ancient Hemlocks are quite a sight. We are inspired to learn more about the porcupines who inhabit this area- a nice rainy day research project! Overall the hike is not too challenging- uphill but doable. Or, just stick around the brook area as there is lots to explore.

Other things to do in the area include Swift River ( Trustees) or Cooks Canyon ( Audubon).

Of course, no outing is complete without a little bit of fishing- we stopped by the pond on our way out- not much luck but the kids were happy to try!

This is a must-visit!
https://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/rutland-brook/about/trails

08/30/2020

Went on a lovely hike today! Post coming soon! Any guesses?

08/27/2020

Feeling the summer slip away. Next week we start back to work- remotely for now. Followed by the children starting their remote learning in two weeks. We have been trying to soak up all the nature and outdoor time we can before we are stuck staring at computers all day.
This week we did some close to home adventures- one of those adventures was fishing and playing at Eagle Lake.
Eagle lake has been a destination for this crew long before we moved to Holden. Now, it's just closer! The lake is just past Jefferson School and has been in danger of being drained. Luckily, some beavers moved in and made a dam that has saved the lake- for now! There is a group ( page Friends of Eagle Lake) that is organized and keeps the beach area/ trails etc. cleaned up and keeps the community engaged with this resource.
The lake is great for kayaking ( better early in the season before lily pads), fishing, catching frogs, crayfish ( some of the biggest we have ever seen!) enjoying the sandy beach, or taking a hike on the trail. We enjoy this spot in all seasons!
There is so much to see and do if you’re up for exploring!

08/24/2020

The past couple of years I have been wanting to take the family on a hike up Mt. Watatic. We were waiting for the youngest of our crew to have the stamina and motivation to do it. We take lots of hikes around ( usually to fishing or frog catching spot) but up a mountain is a different level for little legs.
We planned this hike on a somewhat cool summer weekday morning. The drive to the mountain trailhead is about 45 minutes for us- so with the proper playlist pumping the drive went quickly. There is a small parking lot at the trailhead which was full when we arrived at about 9:00 in the morning. Luckily, some hikers were leaving so we were able to get a spot. If you arrive and the lot is full, there is another lot across the street. I read somewhere that cars parked on the main road will likely be ticketed.
We chose to hike up the most direct trail - Wapack Trail to the top. This trail was very interesting, full of large rocks for the children to climb and steep spots to challenge them. We took one snack break and only near the top did Tommy hop into the carrier we packed since he was running out of steam.
Once at the top, we refueled with lunch and the kids tried to catch some of the many grasshoppers that were hopping around! We checked out the other peak that afforded the most rewarding views. The big kids got a kick out of seeing Wachusett in the distance and we daydreamed about skiing this winter.
Tommy took a short snooze on Daddy's back as we headed back down the Midstate trail which was a much less steep ascent.
The total trip took our crew about 3 hours- with snacks and lunch breaks. A few skinned knees and many good memories of our adventure. We definitely recommend this hike for families looking for something fun and a bit challenging to do for a day adventure!

What should you bring?
Be prepared with good footwear- sneakers or hiking boots are a must.
Water and snacks! We knew we would be approaching lunch so we packed some sandwiches and fruit- plan to refuel lost calories!
Camera and binoculars for capturing the expansive views at the top
Your family dog on a leash if you wish- this hike is dog friendly
Baby/toddler carrier if you have a toddler in tow

Have fun! Let us know if you try a new hike!

08/19/2020

Gearing up and packing alllll the snacks to hike Mt. Watatic in the morning! Will report back about how it went! Have you ever been?

08/13/2020

As much as we love adventures we also spend a lot of time at home. This summer we have really been enjoying BUBBLES! It all started when we got a little bubble machine in May. The kids would happily make streams of bubbles and run through them. The best part - we were not being asked to blow all the bubbles! This was something they could head outside and all enjoy independently. Many many moments of fun!

A few weeks ago when playing with neighbors I was reminded of a happy memory from childhood- making GIANT bubbles when visiting family friends in Vermont. I had to try making this magic at our house!

I hopped online and ordered these sticks attached to a string- like these https://amzn.to/31MTYc2 and a container of this BIG Bubble powder ( this one https://amzn.to/2Y0tW42) to add to water and dish soap. There are also dozens of ways to recreate this yourself and various recipes on Pinterest if DIY is more your style. You can also use any other bubble wand you may have or have found at the dollar store. If you are feeling really crafty your kids can experiment with making their own bubble-making wands with string and straws ( again Pinterest to the rescue!), our kids even used their hands! There are SO many activities to do once you make really good bubble soap!

Making giant bubbles in the yard has been a great equalizer between the ages of our kids- and we enjoy it too! It is fun to make the bubbles and POP them!

Time for some good clean fun!

Recipe from Bubble Thing Big Bubble Mix- 16 cups of hot water into a clean bucket. Stir in 1 cup of Joy, Dawn or Fairy dish soap and 2 tablespoons BIG Bubble Mix.

This bubble machine is on my list for when our little wonder gives out- you can plug it in! See ya later batteries! https://amzn.to/3akIekQ

08/09/2020

If you have kids you are probably looking for places to go to get out of the house. If your kids are like our kids- they are looking for places in nature and with a high likelihood of seeing wildlife ( frogs, fish, turtles ..worms...you get the idea!).

Locally here in Central Mass there are LOTS of places to get out and explore. And, believe it or not - they are all extremely kid-friendly. We are going to start out telling you about one of our favorite spots.
A few times a week our family heads to Trout Brook in Holden*. We like this location for a few reasons. Most specifically it is close by, has ample approachable shoreline for the kids to explore, fish ( and social distance), and has beautiful trails, a pavilion for a picnic lunch ...and most likely some animals to encounter!

A little planning ahead always makes an outing more enjoyable for everyone.

How to make your adventure enjoyable:
Before you head out make sure everyone is ready to spend a couple hours outside. Make sure everyone has gone to the bathroom. There are port-a-potties available on the location, but even pre-COVID those were for emergencies only.

We prepare a backpack with some essentials- bug spray, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, hats, SNACKS, and water. Some ways we have simplified the packing up process over the years is to use reusable snack bags and one container for water and then reusable cups to pour into for the kids. MUCH easier than lugging 5 water bottles around! For longer trips, we will pack lunches and snacks ( even a secret stash of candy) to keep everyone happy.

For making the trip fun for our kids we also bring along our fishing gear ( this has become an increasingly popular family pastime this summer) a couple nets for scooping up frogs, tadpoles and salamanders, and an empty bucket so we can get an up-close look at some of our catches before releasing them back to the pond.

Get out and explore someplace new! Let us know if you go!

*Trout Brook is dog friendly! Feel free to bring your leashed best friend along!

Holden It Down With The Hackets