Have you ever had a time or event in life that you want to bottle up and hold onto so that you can visit it all over again whenever you want to? That's what these weekends are like.
We start planning early in the year so that we can get the cabin size we need and then as it gets closer, the emails begin with what each of us are bringing... ok, they're really about what food we're planning to have :-) We usually have a baby shower (I think there's been one year that at least one person hasn't been expecting!), play Dirty Santa (I vote we change the name... suggestions??), cook/grill a big dinner for Saturday night, play Nertz, and have lunch at the Applebarn on Sunday before we head home. And in the midst of all of it, we laugh, we have fun, and just soak up the time we have together.
This year, it was Megan's turn for the baby shower! Little Quinn will be joining us in the next few months!
Jill went easy on the baby shower games this year :-)
One of Jill's "games" was for us to write on diapers so that Megan would see our messages as she's
changing little Quinn during the first several weeks. Loved this idea!
changing little Quinn during the first several weeks. Loved this idea!
Blindfolded, Megan had to pull baby items out of a bag and guess what they were.
While Ben was not actually involved in the shower, he still hung out...
He was at the cabin last year, but this year we were MARRIED! I'm not sure who was more thankful
that he didn't have to sleep on the couch again... him or me!
that he didn't have to sleep on the couch again... him or me!
Isn't he SO handsome???
Allison made the amazingly delicious cupcakes.
And there's Allie, with her red hair and all... such a sweetheart!
This year, I thought it would be fun to get some portraits of the girls and the couples because well, we've just never done it and I thought it would be fun! So, we went out in the cold and with the mountains and cloud covered sun (woohoo!) and had a blast!
Brooke had warned me that she has a fake smile... it doesn't look fake to me at all!
She claimed that she was looking over at Tim Tebow in this "serious" one.
A little Titanic in the mountains...
Megan and Travis... and little Quinn!
I think y'all know by now that Natalie and I shared a room in college. And our friendship has taken us through so many different stages of life... which is why these next few pictures are so great!
You'll understand after you see the next picture why this one is posted...
When I asked her to, Natalie couldn't look at Josh for more than a second without laughing!
And here's Allie again... this is my favorite picture from the weekend. SO adorable.
Philip and Leslie... y'all are just wonderful.
Don't tell Emory's older brother Cooper, but we were hoping the extra time at the cabin
without his big brother around would give him time to woo Allie a bit!
without his big brother around would give him time to woo Allie a bit!
She's thinking about which brother she likes more :-)
And while these blue eyes are to die for (this is my second favorite image from the weekend!), his big brother has the same baby blues!
Not too many times that the youngest of three gets time alone with mom and dad!
This is Kristen and Jason... trust me, they will make you laugh.
Plus, they're just adorable!
Allison and Wes brought their little Ian with them last year,
but he stayed with grandma this time around.
We just need to figure out what magazine this one needs to go into :-)
Y'all are gorgeous!
Brooke and K sustained the cold and stayed out for most of the pictures.
Hence the Sabrina sandwich to warm me up...?
Jill and Michael had gone to do some shopping so when they got back, the sun was peaking out.
If you know Jill, then you have seen this look.
But, you've also seen this laugh!
Thanks to Brooke for snapping a couple of pictures of Ben and me. He braved the cold for ALL of the pictures...
without his jacket! He must love me a lot :-)
without his jacket! He must love me a lot :-)
Michael, aka Grill Master, sliced and diced some veggies to go along with our filets and salmon.
Megan made her hashbrown casserole, which is awesome!
Megan made her hashbrown casserole, which is awesome!
I just love these girls... Jennifer, we missed you this year!!
The presents...!
PJs were a must for the gift exchange.
Many thanks to Lindsey (who couldn't make it) for sending the marshmallow gun to me in the mail!
It's the gift that has made it's rounds since year one at the cabin :-)
It's the gift that has made it's rounds since year one at the cabin :-)
And the game of Nertz* begins...
We've never managed to get a group picture at the Applebarn on Sunday... possibly due to the fact that we're freezing as we wait outside or that after we eat, we're too full to think about a photo. Photo or not, it's still one of my favorite meals of the year!
I love all of you so much and am thankful for this time we have together each year. Merry Christmas to each of you and your families!
*please note that Nertz may be hazerdous, both physically and to your marriage**
**this game could be a good exercise in communication and forgiveness :-)
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