Retreat

After a rough start to school I was in no way disappointed to cut the week short and take a drive to see my Grandparents and Mom.

The cabin has long been a place of rest, fun, laughter, solitude and family for as far back in my memory as I can go. I wish I had before and after pictures to show you how much the place has changed (inside) over the years. It is truly a special place and as my grandparents get older the reality has set in that there will come a day when I can no longer retreat there. This post might be a little nostalgic and so you’ll just have to bear with me!

This time around our trip, as apposed to the one taken in the Spring, was not based around the lake. The weather was simply too cold to allow for water time. Instead there were many walks in the woods collecting things and having good conversations as well as games to be played.

Kiersten picked up a ton of acorns. The baby ones were the cutest. She also grabbed a few red leaves that had fallen here and there. The tops of the trees were just starting to change so we didn’t get to enjoy the fullness of God showing off his magnificent artist’s hand. We weren’t hugely disappointed as we have plenty of trees here that will soon grow most beautiful in color.

Back to the trip- taking walks in the woods. Here is Isaiah out on a gander. The older two took several walks with Grandma (my mom), Kiersten more so than Isaiah.

I tried to get a picture of Mom with the kids’ on one of their walks. Katie was throwing a fit and had sat down on the hillside (mostly in protest) so I had the others join her there. No one really looked at the camera save my mom and usually she avoids it! That alone made the picture a keeper. What is memorable about it is that when Katie stood up we found she had sat on an ants nest. And not just any ants, red ants! Her pants were covered with them and she grabbed a few bites on her ankles. She needed a distraction (or was it me who needed the distraction?) to allow me an excuse to send the others on ahead and have her and I turn back. No nap = no mood for a decent walk to be had by others.

She did enjoy the boat ride though, all the kids did. Isaiah and Kiersten both got a chance to be captain and drive us around. Does it scare you that Isaiah is driving here and is looking down and not out? It certainly did explain a few things on our trip, I’ll say that much! : ) Kiersten isn’t really all that much better. They’re young yet. (My Beloved says that a crazy driver is synonymous with a woman driver. And yet I am the one with no tickets to her name. Hmmm…whose the crazy driver? : ) )

Kiersten and Isaiah both got a taste of some different games while we were there. When I was younger we always seemed to play cribbage. Both are still a bit young to play…the rules a bit more than they can handle. So instead of cribbage what did they play? Isaiah played “Whacky Blaster” (a game that has been there since I was a kid) and “Battleship”. I have to say I was most impressed by him. We have played this game, or rather attempted to, a time or two at a local coffee shop. He just couldn’t get the gist of the upper and lower boards and how each recorded different things and what to do with the different colored pegs. Things were too complicated for him. This time around however he just got it. I have to give a little help the first 5 minutes or so and then it was all him. He did fabulous and even sunk all my ships! (Ok, he peaked around my board for the last ship’s location. The game was getting long and Zeke needing nursing soon. Excuses, excuses.)

Kiersten on the other hand played some dominos with my Grandma. Here they are with my mom. My sweet Grandpa is in the background on the left. I didn’t manage to get any good pictures of him. He is so near and dear to me. Quite the teaser. It is funny to watch him pull Kiersten’s leg and hear her giggle at his antics. She tells her Dad he is a teaser just like Grandpa is all with a big grin on her face. I just love that my kids love my Grandparents too.
I haven’t said much about Zeke because he was loved on and held by his Grandma, Great Grandma and two Great Aunts. Grandpa gave him plenty of lovin’ too. I really only saw/held him when it came time to nurse him. Would you believe that little bugger let out TWO laughs there? And that neither of them was in my presence? Honestly, where is the love? : ) Ah well, I won’t begrudge my other family members when I know I bound to hear it too and more often then they will.

And Katie? She didn’t play any of the games the other two did (with an adult) nor did she get held by all my relatives. She rode on the chicken swing, walked up and down to the dock naming all the bird statues my Grandma has placed along the steps, took laps up the big hill and attempted a walk or two. It definitely took her a day or so to get used to everybody. She hung out a lot with Daddy there at the start and would have no one else. Then she gave a little sugar to my uncle and took a big shine to my Grandpa. Once she gets going she is a ham and a half!

A good summation of our trip is that everyone had a wondeful time despite the fact that it was cooler this time around and as result no one got to play in the water. : )

The Cabin

Last weekend we made a trip 'up North' to see my Grandparents. They have this wonderful cabin with a little lake front beach. We didn't make it up there last year but vowed to do so this year...and hopefully twice. Once before the baby comes and then once again in early Fall.

I have to say there is something special about sharing a bit of my childhood with my own kids'. When I was younger we went nearly every year for almost as long as I can remember to The Cabin. If my mom had 2 weeks vacation we drove up there and spent the entire 2 weeks. It is just a wonderful and special place with a lot of good memories and laughter. (Back in the day there was no T.V. or phone and all you had for night time entertainment were games. Cribbage is a family favorite and was played often.)

My kids' seem to love being at The Cabin just as much as I did, and still do. They were eager to don their swimsuits and get wet. Let me tell you that lake is cold in August so it is more than a little chilly at the end of May...but kids' just don't seem to know any better. : )

Katie was particularly funny to watch because we were temporarily putting this life jacket on her until we retrieved the one from the car. (She doesn't look happy in this picture, but that is because she wanted to get up and was saying, "Lease!" to my asking if she would like some help.) Well once this baby was on she was not taking it off even though it looked completely uncomfortable. She couldn't tilt her head down at all because the jacket was right there and not moving. She couldn't get up from a sitting position or from her knees because the jacket impeded her motion. I was thankful she was in the jacket...but man oh mister it was a trial of sorts.

The other two did really well with their life jackets. My aunt and her family was there as well and her twin boys fall between Kiersten and Isaiah. They have a rule about being down at the dock and having their life jackets on at all times which helped us out in a huge way. It just became common to put the jacket on before even heading down to the water and there was absolutely no complaining about doing so! : )

The best part about being at The Cabin besides the quiet, slow pace of things, spending time with some wonderful grandparents and being away from it all is that you have to make no effort what-so-ever to entertain your kids. They will spend hours down by the water 'doing things' and playing. If you keep a cool drink nearby, sun yourself on the sand while playing life guard all will go smoothly and splendidly! : )

P.S. You know the trip was a good one when you are home less than an hour and your son wants to know when you are going back!