Us unplugged...

For 6 days this last week, our little family went up to my parents' cabin in the Ochoco Mountains. They have about 13 acres that borders National Forest Land and a well-equipped retreat all set up. It's heavenly there - lots of space for the boys to run and get dirty, without too much they could get into trouble with. This combination makes a much more relaxing vacation for Dan and I - we have a lot of freedom to sit on the porch and watch them experience life outside of the city.

For the first few days we were joined by my parents - which made things even easier. If my mom or dad are around, the boys have no interest in their parents whatsoever. They shadow Mema as she waters the flowers and beg Papa for rides on the four-wheeler. I loved the time to just sit back and read, knit, and chat. Dan rode his motorcycle everyday, read, and played guitar. I also got to follow Papa a bit as he and I spent some much-needed daddy-daughter time riding horses and having him teach me how to drive the four-wheeler. What made it extra special was getting to celebrate Papa's 59th birthday before he headed out on a multiple day trail ride.

The last few days we were there on our own. I have to admit that I got a little "homesick" the first day alone. It's always so nice to spend time with my parents that I really felt their absence. But with some walks in the woods, soccer in the carport, and supervising Luke as he "drove" the tractor, we kept busy in our relaxation.

My favorite memories?
- Roasting marshmallows and making s'mores in the new fire pit
- Taking Luke for his first horseback ride
- The view from the top of Mount Pisgah and the ride to get there
- Watching the delight on Max's face during any of the many squirt gun fights
- Luke's constant wear of the ancient orange motorcycle helmet
- Great talks with my mom and dad
- Watching The Wire with Dan after the boys were asleep
- Reading in the hammock
- The beautiful forest land seen from horseback
- Time with my family without the interruptions of daily life

Now, here's a few (ok, more than a few) shots form the week:












We're already trying to plan our next trip back.