Day three in the Cabin
Well, there is really no getting worse in our cabin adventure. After yesterday and last night of everyone throwing up and spreading the stomach flu in our one bathroom tiny living quarters, there is only up from here!
Yesterday was awful with how sick everyone was. Even the lucky few who did not catch the demon was sore from snow boarding (and if you have ever experienced that level of sore, you know how horrible it can be the next day).
So we all woke up late and tried to rest for as long as possible that morning. However, as Michael can attest, Beka’s family is never good at resting. Within a couple of hours they (Beka included) all wanted to go outside and do something. We were not even feeling 100%, but we had to get going!
We were about to get Emery all bundled up when his Uncle Zach and Aunt Robin asked to take him upstairs for a surprise. When he came down, he had a whole new cool man outfit on! Truly some San Diego style.
Once all of us were dressed (none as awesome as Emery), we loaded into the four cars it took all of us to get around and headed into town. We only went a little bit away from the cabin and did not tempt Beka’s still sensitive stomach with the winding roads for too long. And no pukes! Progress!
We went to a local restaurant for some breakfast/lunch. It took a while to make a table big enough for all of us, but we got there eventually.
Usually when Michael and Beka go to dinner, one of us eats while the other holds Emery, then we switch. But when we are with our San Diego family, there is no need. We just hand Emery off to one of the 20 open and eager arms of family, and he gets passed around. Everybody happily takes a turn with the snuggle bug, then passes him along. Everybody gets to eat, and everybody gets to cuddle. Wins all around.
After we ate (and Beka kept her food down!) we went to a grocery store to get some items for the rest of our cabin stay (including peppermint tea and pepto bismol for all the upset tummies). Emery was sporting his cool sun glasses in the store and impressing everyone with his good looks.
After the grocery store, we looked at some other shops, then made our way back to the cabin. Once there, we were itching to do something active (now that the majority of us got some food in our system after the 24 hours of dread).
We took advantage of the cabin’s many games that they offered. There was a giant checker board, swings, ping-pong, horse shoes, and volleyball.
Here are Beka's two little sisters trying their hand (or, I guess, their feet) at checkers.
Rosy won, but only by a little :)
Beka and Michael wrestled. Beka won, and made Mike cry (not really, he hides his tears of defeat well :)
Roxanne and Rosy tapped into their inner young girl flying free on the swings.
Micah and Robin also turned into little girls on the swings.
There were lots of ping-pong games. They were all very competitive and blood thirsty, and Michael Oakley won all of them.
If you see Michael Oakley, you can just refer to him as 'Sir ping pong master' from here on out.
Emery wanted to up-stage the ping pong star, so he just stood on the table and looked adorable.
Some of us were more loving than others. Here is Zach and Robin getting some snuggles in.
And here is Becca and J.J., being fierce.
Beka also tried horseshoes for the first time! Don't be jealous of these sweet action shots of her tossing the shoes.
Her team won! Thanks in large part to her horse shoes sensei, teammate, and older brother, Zach.
Roxanne (4 foot 10 inches) challenged Robin (much taller than 4 foot 10 inches) to a tetherball match. I will let you guess how that ended up.
Then all of crazy family members banded together to play a boys against girls game of volley ball!
Emery and Auntie Rosy were the referees.
Emery was not a fan of making tough decisions.
Mid game Beka’s Dad and Momma Gail arrived to stay the night. Gail joined in the volleyball game and Dad wasted no time in playing with Emery. It was fun to see him and Beka’s mom together and so proud of their first Grandchild.
Michael and Beka are so very thankful that, though Beka’s parents are divorced and re-married to Gail and Steve, all the parents and step-parents get along so well. There are never issues of inviting one parent but not the other, or having to have two parties for each side of the family. Beka’s parents have done a superior job of keeping the peace and remaining friends so that their kids do not suffer the main repercussions that come with divorce; a split family. We like to call it functionally dysfunctional. I mean, not every family can have their divorced parents and their new spouses share a three bedroom cabin and consider it normal, but we are so thankful that we can!
After the volleyball game (boys won), Beka’s crazy family (her included) still had not exhausted that little voice inside of them that says “let’s keep going!”, so we all got our walking shoes on and went on a hike. Beka strapped Emery into his snugli, and off we went!
This is looking down at Emery in the Snugli. I sweat he was having a good time.
We came across a lodge nearby that was so beautiful! The deck was fantastic and there was a pond and swing. No one was staying in the lodge, so we got to play pretend and take lots of photos.
Rosy performed a sacred marriage ritual for Becca and Roxanne.
Some of us took a turn on the swing.
It was very beautiful! Rochelle and Timmy are getting married soon, and it was fun for them to imagine what their dream wedding will be like! It's only three months away!
On the way back from the hike we stopped at the sweethearts cabin and took more pictures in the wooden heart.
After the hike we all settled in for the night and Momma Gail made dinner (Beka’s family are very efficient planners. When the whole family goes camping or out of town like this, each couple takes a night and does dinner for everyone). We had yummy lasagna and salad. She even brought a vegetarian lasagna for Beka!
After dinner it was presents time! Because there are so many people in Beka’s family, the siblings and siblings in law to a secret Santa (secret siblings) and draw a name out of the hat and get one gift for one person rater than a gift for all 11 involved. So we handed out the gifts and one by one opened our secret siblings presents. Then we gave gifts to the parents, and they gave gifts to all the kiddos.
Emery got a moose from Uncle Zach and Aunt Robin. It is his favorite toy! He wasted no time in chewing it's ear off.
We do secret pal's in Beka's family. There are so many of them it is the only way to not go broke. Michael had Timmy, and he got him a 'popener'. It was a bottle opener with the pope's face on it.
After all the gifts were had, it was time for Emery to go to bed. He got kissed by EVERYONE, then put down. He had no trouble falling asleep. Being surrounded my so much love was exhausting!
Michael cuddled with him for a bit to help him to sleep.
After all that, we started the fun! GAMES GAMES GAMES! We played wits and wagers for three rounds, then everyone split off and some played dance central and the black eyed peas dance experience on the wii, and some prayed the game of things in the dining room. Everyone was having fun and laughing. It was a great, great night.
Eventually, after much fun and excitement, we all, one by one, got too tired to play anymore games, and we went to bed. It was a wonderful night. It was full of love and laughter, and light. Beka does not get to spend much time with her family, and it is nights like these that fill up her love meter to sustain her in TN without them.
Happy times, and happy memories.
Thanks for sharing them with us!
Love,
Team Oakley
