Renaissance: Vacation Days: Part 1

We just got back from a wonderful vacation at the St. Lawrence River. We drove up Wednesday and came home on Saturday- leaving our hilltop soaked in rain, taking the windy cold with us and returning home to find sunshine peeking through for a minute before the next bout of rain came through. I think we may have storm clouds over just our heads and we take them with us where ever we go. (I am trying not to think about the garden and the fact that it isn't fully planted yet. Or that I was off vacationing on days when I could have been planting. No sirree. Not gonna think about it.)

This vacation was one that included Grandma and Grandpa Newman, cousins, Aunts and Uncles. I am not very well versed in the ways of vacationing, it's true, but I had never had the extended family vacation experience before and wasn't sure how it would go. Truth be told, it probably wouldn't have happened otherwise. So it "going" at all was pretty great in my book. Much more than just "going", it was a wonderful time.

Each family had their own teensy little cabin-though our family had some spillage since we had too many bodies per cabin code. We brought all our own food; each family bringing one supper worth of food for all, lunches for their family and snacks to share. Four days' worth. Gary and Linda took over breakfasts though a few of us brought treats like pancakes or sausage gravy to round out the meal. That's a lot of food! And quite a bit of prep work, too. But I was so thankful for that because it meant not breaking the bank going out to eat for every meal. Ya'll know how that can go with large(ish) families.

Between food, baby paraphernalia, sheets, blankets, pillows and people- we were crammed in our van like sardines!! And that was after one child rode with the grandparents!

We definitely gaze longingly after big vans and buses whenever we pass one. And never more so than during this trip. Not covet...coveting is a sin.

OK. Maybe covet.

A sure sign Matt is getting tired...poofy lips.

The only thing I would have changed was the weather. While it never rained, the two full days we were there were SO cold and windy! I packed everyone cold weather options except for myself. I had only one long sleeve shirt- and shorts, dresses and sandals the rest of the time. The whole vacation I was dreaming of thick socks and sweatpants. And I don't even own sweatpants.

Chilled to the bone.

The day we arrived it was beautiful though and children, being children wanted to be near the water.

Which turned into being IN the water. Because children are crazy like that.

Which brought out the Uncles, egging one another on.

Here they are deliberating. "Should we do it? It looks awfully cold."

Will they do it?

They're doing it!

It doesn't look like they are loving it though.

John looks positively in pain.

I wonder if Matt is feeling sympathy pains? They say with twins and all....

The water temperature was 54 degrees, by the way.

my little shutterbug

and her picture:

all but Grandma :-(

Matt does some work for a large dairy farm up this way on occasion. On a day that was too dangerous to go out on the boat, he gave us a tour of the place.

Kickball after supper...which sometimes felt like tackle football.

In fact, Judah (the SIX YEAR OLD) plowed into me so hard that he knocked me practically head over heels. He is such a HOSS!

Me and my handsome Mister

Holly made the girls matching dresses. Sweetlings.

One of my favorite parts of the trip were the amazing sunsets.

Watching the sky first kindle then burst into flames never ceases to amaze me. Whether on our hill or in view of Canada, with windmills on the horizon.

The heavens declare the glory of the Lord.