The Little Cabin in the Woods: Part 1

We just got back from our trip into the woods with my family. As a kid, every year we would go up to a lovely rustic cabin in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Tahoe, the first few years Brian and I were married we joined them, but due to well life, we hadnt made it up in 3 years. This was the first time I had been as a parent instead of as a kid... let's just say the experience is totally different. 

We flew into San Diego and drove up with my parents and brother. We decided that a 12 hour drive plus grocery shopping and a Costco run was a bit too much to do in one day with a one year old so we stopped for the night at a hotel... good idea, no really this was a fabulous idea. 

Michael was so thrilled to be free when we got to the hotel, poor guy does not like to be strapped into his car seat for hours on end. 

After we made it up to the cabin we ran into one major hiccup... Michael decided to go on a hunger strike- no milk, no people food, no baby food, not even candy (yes we tried it). His appetite did not improve until we got back to my parents house, but really not until we got home to Texas. So let's just say given his attitude towards food mealtime was a bit of a struggle.

Muggle was my only sibling that made the journey with us. We are so glad to have him back from his mission! Muggle and Michael adored each other, more photos to come on that, but I think Michael's favorite person was Muggle.

We walked around the lake twice each day, but didnt go on any other hikes... cause we are smart. I am not a hiker, and I am really not into those baby hiking backpacks, mostly cause I'm a wimp and Michael is HEAVY. We tried the wraps and baby carriers... let's just say the screams of protest because he is trapped are not worth a hike to the top of the world where to be honest his screaming would just echo off the granite slopes. So we just walked around the lake... and the jogging stroller did awesome.

Brian and Muggle went fishing, this was their most successful year yet! They caught 8 or was it 10 the first night and more each night after that. We only ate the fish the first two times cause we arent big trout eaters, but hey they threw them back for other fishermen (or them) to catch again.

Michael was a big fan of being outside or "ou ide" as he calls it. Lucky for him someone was almost always willing to bend to his every whim. He loved the feed the ducks and learned to say "duck". He was confused at first by the ducks and called them "kitty" but dont worry he learned quickly that ducks are different than cats.

This was his favorite mode of transport... that and being carried... lovely.

He liked to put his hat on and take it off, each time saying "hat", this kid is going to have a huge vocabulary!

Michael cleaned the fish they caught and got them ready to eat.

We trekked to the "phonebooth" each evening to call earmby who sadly wasnt able to make it due to her work schedule. This is the first time I have been to the lake since Emily was born and not had her there as well. It was eerily quiet without her, especially when the "pee club" was needed. The pee club requires a bit of additional information. The bathroom at the cabin is an outhouse... great I know, but the outhouse is located a bit away from the cabin, not too far but far enough that you have to walk through the dark cold woods by yourself in the night, the pee club meant that you could wake someone up so at least when nature called you didnt have to go alone, no earmby means that the walk/sprint to the bathroom in the dark was lonely and well frightening.

Mikey learned to love the stroller.

Beautiful view (that you cant see in the photo) on a walk around the lake

another totally washed out view.

Brian caught the largest fish of the trip up the inlet on the second night. way to go Bri!

Most mornings Michael and Brian would feed the ducks, usually that meant that Bri would feed the ducks while Michael ate either the bread or crackers they were using.

the view from the porch around 9am, so serene...

We spent a lot of our time hanging out on the porch...eating.

One day Michael decided he wanted to eat a hardboiled egg... we had to record his "eggy" mouth.

loving the first bite, and who wouldnt if you had refused to eat for the past few days.

he decided the egg was tasty, only after watching me salt it for him.

This one is for auntie em, this makes you want to vomit huh earmb.

ooohh, that is what he was saying.

true poppy style eggy mouth

He looks so innocent, by the look of this photo you would think he had been an awesome eater the whole trip... wrong.

so we tried to give him another egg (later in the trip) and it was a failure... on the floor in pieces...

Michael's first boat ride! It went ok for a bit... but then things got... bad enough that we turned back. we tried it again a few days later and he hated it,but that is another story.

see we could have hiked up these mountains... but we didnt, instead we were lazy and just viewed them from either the rickety rowboat or the porch.

One of my favorite photos of the trip, so pretty at sunset. Love the sky reflected in the water. Oh Wright's Lake if only you had indoor plumbing and a shower you might be my favorite place.