Cabin Getaway

For us to get away for Fall Break is a NEW idea to us....but thanks to my aunt it was able to happen.

We rented a cabin for 3 nights. The only requirements were 1) river and 2) hot tub.

Maybe I should've included a larger couch, but still this place was perfect for us.

The first day the boys grabbed their fishing poles to go catch some fish. I don't think anyone was more excited about it then Brooks though.

Bronson caught two pretty fast.

(why does he look like he's 15 here?!??!)

Camden caught three (no he did NOT jump in to get them, he's wet from the hot tub)

Then there was Brooks. Who kept trying and trying.

This is the smile he gave when I told him Camden had caught his third and he still had zero (and it was also dinner time)

Yes, fishing all day for the older ones and basically getting out and in and out and in the hut tub for all the littles.

I was on the porch reading (Everly never left my side)

Or I could lay down on the couch the watch everything out the big window. It was just so peaceful. I loved that there was no wifi, and no way for anyone to get a hold of us!

And I KNOW this happened in the middle of October, but quite honestly, I have had a hard time looking at the pictures of fish to even post them. How ridiculous is that? Anyway, here are the LESS gutsy/mutilated fish pictures

Brooks be-heading the fish with Everly watching VERY closely.

I can't tell if she liked it or not but she just couldn't look away and she kept grunting and pointing.

All this time poor Emerson was curled up in his cave upstairs with a fever.

It was actually a rather comfty "cave" so don't feel too sorry for him.

That night it was tinfoil dinners and s'mores around the fire pit.

And juuuuuuuuust when it was about to get dark, ol' Brooksie caught himself TWO fish.

Phew, because I don't think he would've slept well had his boys kept out-catching him.

At nights there were ping pong games, pool table tournaments, board games to play and World Series games to watch (since we don't have cable or anything at our house, this was a treat)

The river itself was actually freezing. Like SO cold that watching someone swing into it on the rope swing and then them not being able to breathe made you laugh for a long time. And if you were tubing then you really didn't want ANY part of you body touching the water. 

YET, it still didn't deter the kids.

(if only I had gotten Brooks' reaction on video when he hit the water.....bwhahaha)

Emerson started feeling better and still hadn't caught a fish. Bronson threw the line in, hooked a fish and then let Emerson pull it in. So Emerson SAYS he "caught" this one. :)

Then Brooks made him gut the fish. Emerson's commentary and disgust was so funny. He kept saying, "I'm going to regret this"

Everly, as always, is so helpful during card games. Poor Iris tried to have so much patience.

(Mom and Dad, Iris beat me at "Golf" fair and square. Wow. I've really lost it)

Another night we dutch-oven-ed it like real mountain people. I guess we are legit now, right?

Getting the charcoals ready.....

Dutch oven Shrimp Jumbalaya, grilled freshly-caught fish and dutch oven peach cobbler. 

Kids said it was their BEST dinner ever.

(while I had myself a Cup-o-Noodle. How did I get such a seafood loving family?!?!)

Like I said, I deleted the fish pictures but there ended up being 9 caught to grill up. Brooks thought of doing it in the kitchen....hahaha, silly boy. There was NO way that fish smell was coming inside. So there he was outside cooking them on the grill.

I looked over at my family, eating along this peaceful river with waterfall sounds, barefeet and clothing-less children abounding and I thought......

This. is. Perfect.

It really did feel like a little bit of heaven to me. Through all of October and November there have been 4 days I have not been puking quite a bit. Three of those days were while we were there. 

Like I said, a little bit of heaven.