Everything I need to know about life, I learned at the cabin

It's a pretty miraculous place, this family cabin of ours. I pined for it for months...counting down days and hours...and then, finally we got to indulge on all the goodness that the cabin is for about 12 glorious days.
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I have come to realize that all I really need to know about life is learned at the cabin. Here are a few examples:

Rest and relaxation is no joke.
We are often big talkers… "oh I just need some R&R and everything will be okay” and we never really do it. Well, at the cabin Rest includes sleeping in, naps and general gazing at the lake. Relaxation means reading all day, swimming in the lake, putting your feet up and having a few beers. This sort of R&R is good for the soul.


The stillness of the lake can sometimes be rare...(the wind is wicked at times!) Sipping on good beer and the occasional Coors Light is blissful. And the fishing? Well, we were pretty lucky this year. :)

Soak up what’s around you.
We had pretty chilly summer weather while at the cabin, but the lesson of making the most of what’s in front of you is truly possible. Yes, it sucked to not be able to take the canoe to Turtle Island or swim to the point, but I was fully enjoying just looking at the lake and relaxing. I realized there was no reason to complain about the weather. I was at the cabin and I wanted to soak up every minute of where I was, no matter what.

During the rainy day(S) we read, watched movies, played games and snuggled. We also took advantage of the jet ski whenever we could.(Ok, Brian did...)

Slow down…children present…
The road sign right at the cabin's driveway speaks truth. Slow down... The power of truly slowing down soothed my soul.The days were long and luxurious.

And the kids? Oh the kids made the cabin alive and purposeful. The kids allow the cabin to be what it's supposed to be. It's like a magical story where an inanimate object comes to life and does what it's meant to do because of something magical...in this case, the cabin's magic is kids.

We got to have my college roommate and her family up at the cabin. It was perfect. The kids jumped off the dock at least a million times and we played some pretty intense games of Tripoley...

Simplicity
We fill our lives with too much. The cabin brings us the perspective that simple is better and we don't need all the "stuff" to be truly happy.

"The Point" is a family institution. The view from the deck is priceless...and endless games of "take two" is hard to beat.

And finally, valuing family is the greatest lesson of all.
My grandfather had a dream to own a cabin. He bought this cabin in Ortonville, MN in 1967 and created a place for his family to bring their families to and create memories that truly last a lifetime. I know that I am extremely sentimental about this little piece of heaven, but why shouldn't I be? Everything I need to know  about life, I learned here.
. My family means everything to me...Brian, (of course!!!) Baxter (and his very own rock at the cabin) and my parents who have been a part of having the cabin remain in our family. The peony represents my grandparents. The peony bushes they planted 45 years ago still remain... (and what wonderful luck to have them in full bloom while we were there!)

Yes, yes it is.