A week away

A couple weeks ago we spent almost 7 full days off the grid at the family cabin up in the Uintas.  The kids are the 5th generation to be able to spend time there and it’s just fantastic.  It was perfect timing as the last hurrah before school started for everyone.  We had some friends and family with us for a couple of nights and then it was just us and grandma for the rest of the time.  We took a ton of pictures and so I’m going to let them speak for themselves.

It’s become one of Magpie and Deeds favorite places in the world.  Magpie gets to really let loose and act like the crazy lab she is and Deeds gets to throw rocks in water and watch VHS video’s to his heart’s content.  I think we played Hercules at least 4 times a day while we were there.  He got so obsessed with it that guess who is going to be our favorite hero for Halloween.  We seriously lucked out and even found the costume on ebay already.  Here is the run down for everyone’s costumes according to JD:

• Deeds: Hercules
• Gwen: Meg
• Dad: Hades
• Mom: the “middle” Muse
• Magpie: Pegasus

We have everyone’s costumes ready now with the exception of daddy and magpie.  I just need to convince Deeds to let me make Magpie a black Pegasus and not the white one with blue hair like in the movie.

Back to the cabin…  We went on a lot of walks and little hikes with the kids.  Little sister was much more interested in the outings than Deeds was but it helped when we took a half an egg carton with us.  We put pieces of tape in the bottom of each spot and colored them each with a different color.  During the walks the kids would try to find stuff from nature to put in the spots with the corresponding color.

It was an amazing week and we made a lot of cherished family memories.  After a rough summer it was the perfect ending and way to kick off the fall.

Throwing rocks after swimming in the creek.

Magpie in the creek with an amazing view behind her.

Very wet Magpie watching Deeds play after she was done swimming.

Deeds balancing on his favorite log. We had at least one picture a day on the log, it was his favorite spot at the creek.

The doggies resting after a extra long walk.

The kids decided this fort about 10 minutes up a trail was the perfect spot for a snack and drink break.

Deeds jumping over a log on the trail.

Magpie waiting for Deeds and I while we headed out for one of our many outings.

Bundled up watching for moose during one of our night walks. Deeds is actually wearing his great great grandfather’s coat, it was pretty cute. We would take glow sticks with us, I think it was the kids favorite.

Yet another shot on our favorite log.

Deeds watching his “favorite cabin movie”. The kids would play titans and heros while together. To the best of what we could determine it was a bit like their version of cops and robbers.

Deeds and Magpie splashing around.

Deeds sitting in the creek and trying to convince little sister to try it too.

Drying off in the sun after all the splashing around in the cold water.

Deeds swinging, we found it on our first night walk and then went back every other night we were there.

Pushing dad and Gwen on the swing.

Deeds counting his 24 glow in the dark bracelets from our walk the night before.

Side note: I love that last picture for a few reasons, one is that you can clearly see the side of his face that was burned so badly on his third birthday.  It still amazes me that it healed so well and that the hair grew back in almost the entire area.  You really have to look close to see the scars on his forehead.  Such a miracle and blessing for our little guy.