celebrating birthdays and the family cabin

I think when we’re back home and looking back on this trip, our overnight stay at the family cabin right on Puget Sound will be a highlight. The cabin, built in the 20s and in the family since the 50s, is owned now by Mark’s mom’s cousins. We’ve had quite a few memorable celebrations here including various family reunions and our Washington wedding reception after we got married in Hawaii in 2002. This past Thursday and Friday, we celebrated Mark’s sister and mom’s birthdays.

We knew the girls would love the cabin. Much of it is intact since it was bought in the 50s, including the original “Persian rug” linoleum floors and mid-century furniture. There’s a fig tree in the front yard and access to the water down a tiered landscaped hill. On clear days, you can see Mt Rainier directly across the water. The girls were less interested in exploring the beach when the tide was out (we saw clams squirting water!) as they were playing hide and seek inside the house and picking blackberries around the property.

In the evening, we had a bonfire, something that I was really eager to do on this trip. We can attest that our marshmallows make excellent campfire treats, toasted alone or in s’mores. The kids were entranced by the whole marshmallow toasting ritual and Mia became an instant expert at getting them toasted evenly without getting them burnt (I like them burnt, though).

I’ve had a bit of jet lag the first few days. Since I can’t seem to sleep more than 6 hours, I’ve been getting up around 5am. It’s been a drag most mornings, but sometimes, especially when you wake up to a view like this, it can be nice to get bundled up with a cup of coffee in hand, go down to the water at low tide and watch the sun rise above Mt. Rainier.

I’ve missed this view.