FINALLY ALL TOGETHER PART 2

I love that my daughters-in-law all took pictures of our family at the cabin, and posted them to their family blogs. I just go in and swipe them. This picture to the left is a first. Here is the beautiful screened in porch that overlooks the Weber river in the backyard. Usually this porch is set up with a ping pong table and a few 100 year old chairs. I feel, although beautiful, it doesn't get the use it should and could be sealed in, creating two more bedrooms that are desperately needed with our growing families. So (and I think this is a first), we made full use of it with aerobeds for those that had no place to sleep. Kids were in the loft on air mattresses and sleeping bags, all three bedrooms were being used, so here is the ultimate "sleep over!" Ashleigh and Joshua brought the best aerobed I've ever seen. Instead of the usual uncomfortable version, they had borrowed a deluxe model that was as comfortable as a real bed. Love to purchase a few of those and store them somewhere (maybe my moms basement in Utah?) The only challenge? It does get very cold at night. There is still snow on those Wasatch mountains!

To the right is a view from one of the beds. There is nothing more beautiful on earth. With having been blessed to travel extensively with various Network Marketing company Trips-of-a-Lifetime, and Chris' basketball trips, I've seen gorgeous places.  My fav? Besides Sydney, Australia --- definitely Pines Ranch, Utah where my families 100 year old cabin sits. Above and to the left, baby girl Siri supports herself on one of the memories at the cabin - the chairs. I remember as a little girl when my grandmother Clayton painted this chair green to match the beautiful trees. This chair has been in the cabin, out on the lawn, in the backyard, and now stays in - out of the elements - in the screen-in patio. Forever a memory. Generations have sat on that little chair.

Grandpa Burgess teaching how it's done.

Nolan, age 9 using his Scouting skills.

Chopping and collecting wood is a
requirement, necessity, and also a memory of cabin living. Each family must leave the cabin clean, and fully stocked with wood for the next family. Here is Ken showing the grand kids how it's done to the left. Nolan is using those Scouting skills to chop wood like the big boys. Most of the morning was grandpa's helpers carrying the wood after being chopped from the chopping area to the cabin, and to the fire pit for the bonfire. I will ask my mom to send me a copy of a picture where I was doing the same thing with my grandpa Clayton. I was about their same age. Again - memories :-) xo

Jane, Oliver and Zoey helping grandpa Burgess with wood.

Speaking of cabin memories, my mom came everyday we were there. She would drive up first thing in the morning from Centerville, Utah (about 1 1/2 hours away). There was no room at the inn...since Ken and i had her bedroom occupied (best bed in the cabin). She just wanted to be a part of the historic moment when my family was all together. She sat outside and watched with tears and memories. She feels my dad there at the cabin. He died nearly ten years ago, but helped build various parts of the cabin. He loved to fly fish, and was very good at it. It relaxed him. He didn't care that it lacked brand new furniture, better flooring, better insulation or better access to the bathroom (have to go outside to the porch, then to the added indoor bathroom.) He loved it there. I can still picture him walking up the meadow with a couple of sticks and bag full of freshly caught trout. He always was whistling and smiled from ear to ear letting us know how many fish he had caught that day. He was such a quiet, loving man with an incredible sense of humor. His little jokes were softly spoken, but always made me laugh. He never once raised his voice to me. And only one time gave me a swat when I was sixteen and had been talking back to my mom (as teenagers tend to do.) And in the evening he would light a huge fire inside the cabin and sit a read and study the scriptures and books about the gospel. Such a sensitive, good man. He never said an unkind thing to anyone. I miss him. A picture of him in full fishing gear is framed above he and my moms bed in the cabin. I hope to get a copy of that to post for my children.

Well, as they say, that's a rap here. I've tried to document our experiences through words and pictures. Impossible to describe the feelings we all share about the trip, and the beauty of the cabin's surroundings. But, it is special to all of us. And I know my kids will remember this trip fondly, and stay in touch with each other. That is an easier task with texting, Skype, email, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Our lives are open books!