Our week at Grandma's cabin was such a success last year for spring break that we decided to recreate it this year. We went to the cabin Monday, March 22 and came home Saturday, March 27; Seth joined us Thursday afternoon.
MONDAY
We left home a little after 11, stopped in Rigby for Subway, then drove the rest of the way up. It had snowed a bunch on Saturday and Sunday, so when we got to the driveway, I shifted into four-wheel drive and gunned it. We made it in; we wouldn't have made it out without me shoveling/blowing snow. Thankfully the cabin has both a shovel and a snow blower. We took it easy Monday, set up our space at the cabin and ate delicious baked mac and cheese that night, then watched Avengers 2.
Bekah took a little snooze on the way up. She woke up for Cadbury mini eggs, though.
TUESDAY
We had made a quick run to Aunt Rachel's cabin to borrow cross-country ski boots for Winnie the day before. On Tuesday morning, we had to run back to their cabin to borrow skis with the correct bindings for the boots. (D'oh!) Then we went to Harriman and learned that they had quit grooming the trails a week prior.
Family selfie at the ranch. I was cold at first, but I warmed up toward the end. Some of these yahoos ended up in their shirt sleeves.
Winnie heading out on the meadow loop in old tracks. Miriam busted a lot of the trail for us. Some of it was hard to see due to drifting.
Ana stopping for a Clif bar.
Grover girl picture at Hi-C Bridge.
Bekah doing the ol' arrow-through-the-head trick with an icicle.
Then we relaxed in the afternoon/evening with board games, video games and several episodes of "The Office."
We had received "The Office: Downsizing" game for Christmas, but we hadn't played it yet. We tried it out for the first time Tuesday afternoon. Everyone assumes the role of a character. Miriam made an excellent Dwight.
WEDNESDAY
We dropped some serious dough at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. None of us had been before.
Grizzly girls in the museum.
Winnie checking out the trout.
Close encounter with the wolves.
We stopped at a tourist shop in West for a few fun items (Ana now owns a lucky rabbit's foot), then went back to the cabin for more games, more reading and another movie (Guardians of the Galaxy). I brought my computer with me so I could work on yearbook spreads for the elementary school.
Winnie nailing the Kevin smile.
Ana, Bekah and Miriam playing Screen Cheat.
THURSDAY
We had all the best intentions of sledding down the hill northwest of the cabin. Since it had snowed nearly all day Wednesday, the ground cover was soft and slow. Bekah used a sled to carve out a track. We took advantage of it, but most of the time we halfheartedly threw chunks of snow at each other and generally had a low-key good time.
Miriam sledding.
Winnie attempting the hill while her sisters chat.
Bekah throwing snow at Ana who is using the saucer as a shield.
Winnie hiding behind a sled while Miriam throws snow.
Bekah after a "let's see how long you can stick your face in the snow" contest.
We went back for hot chocolate, then played, read, rested and worked more with Seth when he arrived. Because we were on a streak, we watched Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 that night.
FRIDAY
Back to Harriman for more cross-country skiing, this time with Seth and even more time passing since the trails had been groomed. Seth did most of the trail busting this time. The river had morning fog on it, and we saw a couple of trumpeter swans swimming on the river.
Family selfie.
Bekah, Winnie and Seth skiing past the ranch buildings. We attempted the ranch and river trail loops, but with no clearly defined trail, we didn't end up at the lake when we should have.
More games, Office and fun times.
Bekah, Seth and Ana playing Hexes with the family. There were two extra mattresses upstairs, so we hauled one downstairs for Seth to sleep on. (The other mattresses hurt his back.) The mattress became our game table/movie watching locale.
Winnie covering her eyes and sitting on her right hand during Hexes. She wasn't allowed to look the person in the eye she had passed the hex to, and she wasn't allowed to touch her cards with her right hand.
Winnie, Bekah and Ana lying on the mattress and watching "The Office."
SATURDAY
We took it easy in the morning, playing more games and getting ready to leave in the afternoon. After lunch, we packed up the vehicles and headed home.
