Christmas at the Cabin

We finally, finally made it to the week of Christmas and got ourselves slightly southeast along with most of Josh's family to the highly anticipated "cabin/cavvin" that my kids told everyone about for the past few weeks. :}



Noah got so sickish the day and night before we left, but after prayer and what can only be called a Christmas miracle, he was all better in the early morning by the time we packed the car.  From there on, it was a delightful getaway from start to finish.  In total we spent 6 days away.

 
Memorable moments included...

Getting to take a pic with my hubby.  This particular shot was at The Dillard House on Christmas Eve.

Later that night, we all gathered for a short devo before we headed out the door again for a Christmas Eve candlight and communion service. Both my babies got to hold candles themselves and we all lived to tell about it.

Back home again, we stoked the fire and settled down to Polar Express and cookies until we settled down for a long winter's nap.

Gingerbread houses were made and nibbled on for days.

iPhones were introduced to the littlest Browns and a gallery of silly pics were subsequently taken.

 

Uncle Johnmark and Aaron graciously accepted many an invitation to wrestle.

Thank you Beka and Aaron for humoring my two high-energy hooligans!  You are the type of cousins through whom all childhood memories of family visits are enriched.  So glad my two have you two to look forward (and up) to.

Noah learned to start a fire.

And the boy laughed

and laughed

and laughed the hours away.  I'll spare you the indiscreet details of what he laughed and laughed and laughed at all week long. :S Nothing a couple weeks of detox can't cure. Fingers crossed :}

Christmas tradition constitutes that we open one gift early on Christmas Eve night.  The kids opened this year's gift from Papa John ... head-fitting flashlights which were timed perfectly for some bear and Santa and reindeer hunting off the porch.

Our quaint and colorful Christmas tree.

Some cuddling.

Some chilling.

Some laughing again and again.

Some napping was in order from time to time as well. Truly, it was a relaxing retreat. :)

And then came the main event - Christmas morning! (well, technically this shot was the night before once Santa had taken care of business, but you know what I mean)

Anna, at the last minute, let me know she forgot to ask Santa for a Strawberry Shortcake set and that she would just settle for asking for NEXT Christmas.  As in 2013.  Bless her little heart.  Lucky for her, I happened to already have gotten her one.  She was stunned!  That Santa character is the best!

Noah made out like a bandit in the Wii department, bringing home 3 new Wii games even though Santa could hardly tell what he was saying when we saw him last month.  "We Ward of the da Wings" translates to Wii Lord of the Rings, for future reference. :}

It was a sweet and not-at-all-crazy morning opening gifts together ... as long as you don't count Carol slipping down the stairs first thing in the morning.  So thankful she wasn't hurt much worse than some unfriendly-looking bruises all over her foot.  Eek!   

 

While Christmas lunch got whipped up by my talented and gracious MIL,
(who also had whipped up a delicious breakfast only hours before)

 

the boys headed outside to indulge Noah's repeated request to go shooting.

Noah was a good listener and his uncle was a patient teacher.

I bet I know what Noah will ask for for his birthday now.  I see a BB gun in his future.

Weirdly, Noah sprouted a couple a blisters Christmas morning that have remained a mystery to us all. They have healed by now, but they certainly unnerved us at the time.

The table around which most of our time was spent at the cabin.

And also, there was a lot of this...

I

just

couldn't

help

myself.

Seriously,

I was

a sucker

for the view

every time

I stepped outside.

.. Which was often, since our room was on the bottom floor and could only be reached by an outdoor stairway. :}  We'll remember the leisurely window shopping in charming downtown Clayton, a wee bit of hiking for the guys, the white-knuckle trips up the steep, steep mountain pass to the cabin, Anna's big "fousand" ticket winnings at The Factory, seeing The Hobbit together, and the power going out one night when it had finally gotten cold.  We saw a little bit of snow and we sent rocks flying via sling shot into Lake Burton.  And I read three books all the while.  We did all this for only $200 a family for the rental.  Thank you, Amy, for finding the perfect spot for us all to crash and catch up!

Counting down already for the next destination Christmas trip with the Browns.  So very thankful for this family!