A Packing We Will Go

In addition to my usual three-page, front and back, Master Packing List, I added a fourth sheet dedicated exclusively to cabin weekend packing. For this cabin, we have to bring all the blankets, pillows, dish towels, hot pads, pillowcases, bathroom towels, dish cloths, etc. etc. We also have to bring any food, saran-wrap, crock pots, coolers, and so on that might be necessary--even the coffee filters and grounds, whew! Comprehensive. Not to mention all of the hunting gear AND we were going to need some clothes. As you'll see in the following pictures, just the kids' clothes covered most of the living room!

Eventually everything was all neatly packed and ready to load into TWO vans (yup, this trip required two cruisers :) Because, in addition to all the aforementioned, we also took two guinea pigs and their food, a tent, a gas can, and a motorcycle! The last fit very nicely on the luggage rack we have so often used for family travel in the past. I drove behind Buck for most of the way to make sure our new wheels didn't fall off our old wheels. He secured the bike very well and it barely moved.

Part of our drive to the countryside included our permitted driver gaining some highway miles. She's not practiced for quite awhile because it has been so HOT and the van (as I'm sure you remember) has no a/c. Well, our journey day proved quite pleasant, and Miss C got to exceed her former top speed of 50. She did pretty well for having a dad in her ear and a mom/sister on a cell phone texting instructions to the dad :) After about an hour, she was over it. Those big semis seem to shake the whole van on the two-lane highways! But most of all she wanted lunch, ha!

We arrived at the cabin and found it just as we remembered--only with a bit more dust on the high-ceiling fans (my tall brother subsequently took care that :) It still had that lovely piney smell, and other than a few settling warps in the floor, still felt fairly new. The park staff added headboards to the beds--a great improvement, as the beds are mostly on wheels and slide into the roof slants of the upper level. Not anymore! Our pillows stayed in place, just as we like them.

While I was busy setting up the kitchen and unpacking our seemingly massive quantity of food, Buck and the boys started building our tent. We were given funds for this tent two years ago at Christmas. I ordered it off of the Costco website, and we have never set it up . . . not even once! However, we remembered from last year, a dozen or so kiddos running around needed some extra contained space outside of the cabin. This seemed like the perfect solution! It did work fairly well. Our hiccup was the strong winds wanting to blow it away during setup! No one could sleep in it because of the mountain lion prowling the area, but it did serve as a "hunting blind," a baseball backdrop, a hideout, a game room, and a place to play guitar. Unfortunately, we didn't get it packed up before a big ol' rain storm hit the last night we were there (hardly any internet, so we couldn't check the weather). We brought home a fairly soggy, but not too bad, tent. Buck and the boys let it sun dry on our back deck and amazingly it fit back into the original storage space!

Isn't it funny how Buck and Brennen are standing almost identically in this picture??!



All the while, I was keeping an eye on the nearby gravel road for a telltale cloud of dust. FINALLY, my brother and sister-in-law arrived and I got to meet my sweet nephew for the first time! He was surprisingly comfortable with the wind and seemed to be intrigued with the great outdoors. But I needed to hold him, so it didn't matter if we were indoors or out, snuggle time had arrived!

Caelan decided to give baby time a try too--little guy was kind of wanting his mama after his longest drive ever. I don't blame him. I get a cranky after long car rides too, and I don't usually get to nap like he did!

Like all newborns, he had his sweet times and his fussy times, but it is good to hear a baby's healthy cry--and a lot less stressful when it's not your own :) My sister-in-law seems to be a natural at motherhood and handled her little boy with an amazing amount of grace and patience. He loves her and is so comforted by her presence! And I was impressed with my brother stepping up to his role as dad and supporting his bride in all things baby--even refilling her water glass and keeping an eye on the nursing momma's plate. He was king of diaper duty, sang several rounds of a calming How Great Thou Art, and took baby for a long "let mom rest after a rough night" drive. Good teamwork!



Why yes, that is Mr. G$ on motorbike! With the wide open spaces and flatlands available to him, Graysen had no trouble figuring out the motorcycle this time. It wasn't long until I was having heart palpitations as he came flying around corners and gunned it down the long stretches! He rode for what seemed like hours--only taking a break when his brother wanted a turn.

"Dad, I turned the handle, but it wouldn't twist any more." Yup, he discovered top speed--aye-yi-yi. The girls spent a little time riding, as did my brothers, my dad, my husband, and my cousin A. From what I heard, the bike flipped once (my oldest, younger brother), ran into an electric pole (my eldest son), lost a fender screw, flooded, got a bend in the frame?, and became completely filthy driving the wet grass after the rains. More than once I'd hear someone say, "Is that Piglet, I hear?" and out the door they'd go to get in line for the helmet and goggles :)

Later on the first evening, we were glad to welcome my twin cousins and their brother with two of his kiddos. The kids played so nicely together--having all sorts of *wilderness* adventures. And when we insisted they stay close to the cabin lights for fear of big kitties prowling about, they happily squished bugs and played with rocks in the driveway.

We didn't anticipate keeping them up so late, knowing the hunters would be up and att'em early the next morning, but it took a couple hours longer than expected for our final inhabitants of the evening to arrive with -- surprise -- extra kiddos in tow!