Cabin Trip - June 2025

We've been looking forward to going to the cabin all summer long! We almost went Memorial Day, but decided to wait and the time finally came over the Juneteenth weekend. We had a shorter trip than we wanted, but it was still so nice and beautiful in the mountains! We left early Thursday, June 19th and came home the following Monday. Thursday we had bad traffic through the mountains. We took several reroutes and eventually made it to the cabin. Unfortunately, Katey and Jason and Jack and Lindsay were behind us by about an hour and their drives took even longer. We had to make one quick potty stop on our drive, but other than that it was smooth sailing. The boys loved the big tunnels and enjoyed putting their hands up in the sky and hollering the whole way through. Katey and Jason were the last to arrive and they had all the food in their car, so we had a late lunch. Everyone was eating around the tables when Oma and Papa arrived. A few weeks before our trip, I mentioned to Papa we were going to the cabin and they should just extend their trip to Idaho and come by the cabin. I was very surprised when they said yes! I could get used to Papa being retired, it gives him no excuses to not join the fun! Papa hurt his back along their journey, so it was sad to see him mostly resting while at the cabin instead of enjoying everything like he normally would have. Back to the story, Matthew and I were the only ones who knew they were coming. Needless to say, everyone was so surprised! There were squeals from the grandkids and hugs all around! We had 18 people at the cabin, and it was basically Bryce Reunion 1.0. 

This was the tunnel on the return trip, but it was the same on the way there!

Meals is when we really felt squishy, you can't see our second table that was set up just to the right of this one.

Everyday we went down to the lake for several hours. Jay and Hugh loved getting life jackets on and hopping onto whatever boat was available. I most often went out on the paddle board, but loved the time I got in the canoe and a couple kayak rides. The cousins all loved the lake, too! They all mastered their own boats and got proficient at docking and un-docking themselves. One morning, Roxy and Tia decided they were going to jump into the lake. They got their life jackets on, and hopped in! It was COLD, but they acted like it was just a bit chilly. Jay watched them, and with curiosity kept touching the water. He then told me he wanted to get in. I helped him take his clothes off and returned his lifejacket. I didn't think he'd actually get in once he touched the water, but I was wrong! That brave little boy walked right up to the edge of the big rock and jumped! You could tell the cold water was shocking for him and he immediately wanted out. He thought about jumping in again the next day, but ultimately decided not to. Jack's kids are set on the tradition that he jumps in, so it was exciting when he finally did. After he was wet, we went up to Morton Lake and he and Roxy jumped in there too. The waded across to a big rock in that lake a few years ago and wanted to check it out again. It was much deeper this time! I think Allen and Kylee also jumped into the lake, and everyone who did it thought it was a big win. 

We got the lake to ourselves for a couple hours before the rest of the family arrived. See the action shot of Hugh throwing in his sock?

First trip out on the boat!

Everyone visiting the lake for the first time and checking it out

Jay LOVED his extra time with Dad this trip

3 men in a boat! Hugh, Matthew, and Jay

Hugh loved playing with the oars, and really wanted his own whenever we went out on the boats

Hugh and I on the kayak

Patiently waiting for a turn!

Matthew, Me, Jay, and Hugh on the bank

Jack and Roxy on the rock at Morton Lake

Proud little lake swimmers, Roxy and Jack

Friday night when everyone was there, we played Buzzword and Catchphrase. We also adjusted Catchphrase to being able to only describe clues in one syllable words, which made us all laugh even more. We had one movie night and enjoyed lots of visiting and catching up. 

We have so many fun toys at the cabin, we made the most of them! Jack rigged the fishing poles with twigs so all the kids pretended to fish whenever they could. Hugh especially loved carrying his fishing pole around. We played with tons of bubbles and spent the majority of the day outside. We played horseshoes and tried out a new archery game Grandpa purchased recently. We did a little bit of archery, and the boys fixed the tire on the trailer. We threw countless rocks into the lakes and enjoyed our evening walks after dinner. Time on the patio during the afternoons was also a major highlight.

Roxy and Tia learning about the Easy Bake 

Abby and Hope working on their archery skills, Jay and Matthew spying from the fort

Jay mostly liked to stick them in, instead of throwing. 100% success rate, can you blame him?

Hugh with his absolute favorite bubble gun!

Kade, Jay, and Hugh with Matthew fishing on the bridge during one of our evening walks. 

Jack and Papa enjoying a relaxing afternoon!

Saturday we increased Jay's dosage on his medicine for ADHD and it went south quickly. He was almost lethargic for most of the day and was constantly requesting to go to bed. We tried it over a couple days and he continued to whine, complain, and emotionally lose it throughout the day. It was so sad to see how it impacted him! We're on the hunt for the right medicine and this first round taught us that it will take more seeking, praying, and trials to find the right one. I was hoping we'd be successful the first time, but not quite. 

Oma and Papa were the only ones who stayed with us through Sunday and Monday. We enjoyed church in Frisco and the drive through the canyon is so beautiful during the summer! And, it was much less stressful than our winter journey to church. Our Sunday afternoon was quiet. I went onto the porch while the boys were sleeping and just sat there in the peaceful, fresh mountain air. Peaceful moments are rare in life right now, so it was a gift to have a little bit in the afternoon. We enjoyed a delicious dinner together and time to catch up with Oma and Papa. Oma and I went on a walk after dinner and when Hugh and Jay were going to bed. We walked to a part of the club I'd never been to. We should have taken the map, as it was close to sunset, but we did make it back okay. We made a big loop into new territory and it was so fun to see more cabins and lakes. 

Hugh fishing!

Hugh and Oma casting out their lines on our Sunday walk

Hugh, Jay, and Oma playing games in the morning

Monday came too quickly, but we cleaned up and headed out late morning. Jay was more than happy to help with all the loading of luggage as well as vacuuming and anything else that needed to be done. We were grateful for Oma and Papa's help getting all the last minute clean up items taken care of as well. We got stopped on the 70 in construction on the way home and had to sit for about 20 minutes or more. In that time, Hugh had to go potty, so we did what we could only do and got him out of the car and let him go on the road right there. He was a champ and did it! Thankfully we made it through and stopped in Arvada at Costco. We got what we needed, plus some fun samples, and enjoyed our lunch at the café. The boys loved watching the food be made and we were also grateful to get back in the car and head home. It's always nice to come home after vacation! We immediately started laundry and unpacked all we could while the boys were napping. I almost cried when I say several plants in my garden had died while we were gone, but have come to realize it just sometimes happens and it's okay. We'll still have a lot to harvest and it will be wonderful.  

This was my little sprouting garden before we left

We loved having a weekend with everyone at the cabin! Jack and Katey and their families have never been together so it was fun to see all the cousins get to enjoy it together! There's something healing about being in the mountains and without cell service. The break was much needed, although sometimes vacationing with kids doesn't feel like much of a break. Matthew did wake up with Jay every morning which allowed me to get so much more sleep than usual! It was amazing! We're so glad we got to go and feel blessed Grandma and Grandpa let us use the cabin. 

We spotted a moose! This one happened to be sent from Arizona, so it traveled a long way to see the cabin, thanks to Hank.