Big Bear

 Let's not dwell on the fact that this cabin experience was nothing like the last one.  Think the movie, "The Great Outdoors,"  and that was pretty much this cabin misadventure.  BUT there is always a bright side.  Our friends coming up and visiting was the positive.  Always so nice to have the kids together, to see how much they are growing and to spend time with our framily.

The Trip That Wasn't. . .

A cabin was their idea.  The 22-year-olds asked for a weekend away together.  Having never been up to Big Bear in the snow, we decided to go for it.  It would be a nice family vacation.  Something we all could experience together.  So we booked it the weekend the kids said they'd be available.

And then they were no longer available.  Disappointment followed, but excitement too.  Our oldest was headed out of state for an interview that he's been waiting a long time for.  So we prayed and he traveled one way, and we the other.  

The drive up the mountain was slow.  It was raining when we left, which meant as we drove into town, it had begun to snow!  None of us have ever been out when it was actually falling from the sky before, so it was quite the sight to behold!

Snow was everywhere!  It was so beautiful!  This was our front yard.

This was the view from the second floor, panoramic windows.

The game room was awesome in the loft.

Ernie supervised the kids while they sledded down our driveway bright and early Saturday morning, right before we were told out weekend was cut short due to an overbooking.We were angry, disappointed, and sad but there was nothing they could do for us at that point.  So we headed home, but not before we got some more sledding in.

Lesson:  Sometimes in life, things don't go as planned.  Make the best of it and keep going.

They ended giving us a full refund and a weekend getaway take two.  We will take it.  Another mini vacay for memories to be made!

Big Bear Retreat

A week in Big Bear happened too soon after our return from the lake.  In the blink of an eye we were packing up for a week long retreat up in the mountains to enjoy the great outdoors from a cabin.  We happened to be up there the same time as some friends we used to work with at the high school, so we were able to go out and be more like the locals with them by our side.  We enjoyed a night out sponsored by the Hospital Auxiliary as well as a Taco Tuesday with the best .99 cent tacos I've ever eaten!  They also took us out on the lake on their sea doos as well as hosted a barbecue at their place where we were blown away by our friend Todd's amazing woodworking skills.  Wow!  I haven't spent a week there since I was a thirteen-year-old.  We stayed at the Golden Squirrel and I remember my Nana so clearly on that trip.  I also remember my yucky, teenage attitude.  Big Bear?  How boring!  Luckily that was not the case for us this trip.  Our ten year old was so cooperative and appreciative for another vacation.

There was a trip to the Discovery Center.  Nessa was pretty concerned about the bear eating her daddy.

 Outside the center, she wowed us with her wonderful musical ability. Also known as, noise.

I loved the rain we ran into.  It allowed for some movie time and snuggles with a crackling fire.  In the summer!  Craziness!  I loved watching RV with the kids.  Their laughter and cries out in disgust had Ernie and I laughing up a storm.  We had been wanting to watch that with the kids for awhile since we travel in our big girl on camping trips.  The only thing that would have made the movie any better was if we had actually been in our RV.

 Games were also played in our down time at the cabin.  Along with eating snacks and cereal right out of the box.  Vacation, remember?

 A trip to Big Bear's Museum ended up with the best Sarsaparilla we had ever tasted.

Actually it was the only we had ever tasted.  But still. . .

The kids mined their own gold while visiting and also had the thrill of watching a real blacksmith at work.  He even made them miniature swords (looked like butter knives) to take home with them.  

This place tied in really nicely with Anjalene's history lessons this year.  She was making connections right and left and so excited to share what she already knew and absorb the new information.  Ernie had a moment where he asked to speak to the curator because there was an item that was labeled wrong in the museum.  

For the record, this is NOT a tree trimmer belt.  It is a line belt.  He made sure to tell anyone who would listen.  Next time we go back we will have to remember to check whether or not they corrected the problem.

 I love Lene's scaredy cat face in this picture.  Sometimes she is just like her mama.  And sometimes I swear she is my polar opposite.

Nessa's face makes me smile.  This summer she has truly proved to be my little adventurer.  She is fearless and since that was my word for the year--I really need to keep taking lessons from her.  The Alpine slides were a hit.  They went a couple times and enjoyed the ride. . .and I happily passed over my ticket so they could go again: )

Our day at the lake was made even better with friends and grandma and grandpa too!  The cooperative weather made it pretty great too.

 The zoo was small but mighty. We learned that more people die from deer injuries than from bear attacks each year.

 This might be the bear that was moved here because he ate like $50,000 in honey.  They call him Winnie.

 Don't mind the happy men in the picture.  Not sure what happened but it definitely looks like the girls were having more fun!

We came home two days early because we simply ran out of things to do--and truth be told: we missed our own beds.Hikes would have been a feasible option if Janessa was little older. . .our visit to the Catholic Church was neat because we walked the Stations of the Cross and read a little devotional with my iphone.  It was even more special because Ernie worked with the man that carved all the stations once upon a time ago.  This might have been my favorite part of our entire trip.  Yes, I think it most certainly was.  Vacation #2 for the memory books.  Big Bear was beautiful and I'm so glad we took the trip!