Fall Get Away

We decided that for the kids' fall break we would take a trip up to the cabin.  Unfortunately, not everyone could go.   But, we were able to convince Grandma and Grandpa Whipple, Emily and Bailey to come party with us.

On the way up, we had the awesome opportunity of attending the Boise Temple open house with my grandma.  I have an awesome story about how that experience came about.  So, if you are my great great grandchildren and are reading this in 2100, refer to my tender mercies journal for the complete story :)

The temple was so beautiful.  We've always had the tradition of pointing the temple out on our way up to my grandma's or on the way to our cabin.  So, it's kind of special to us that way.  I've never thought it's been the prettiest temple from the outside.  However, after the Salt Lake Temple,  the inside of the Boise temple is now my very favorite!!!  It is so so beautiful and unique.

 After the open house, we went back to my grandma's for pizza.  We didn't get up to the cabin until very late on Wednesday night.

On Thursday morning, we woke up to a big herd of Elk passing through the meadow.  You can kind of see a few of them in this picture.  There was a baby elk that couldn't make it over the fence.  The other elk waited for a little while but eventually gave up on it and kept moving.  However, the mother elk stayed right there encouraging the baby elk on.  It was so sweet to watch.  

 The kids had a blast raking pine needles.  Work is always fun at the cabin!!!

 This is Ashlyn as what she refers to as "The Statue of Rake."  Yes, the facial expression is part of the look.  She had me wait to take the picture until her face was ready.  Every time I see this picture it makes me smile.

 Of course, the ATV's are always a favorite.  We had to wear our stylin' orange vests because of hunting season.

 Every morning the kids would have a little "tablet time" as they were waiting for breakfast.

Bailey and Ashlyn had lots of fun playing together.  Here is Bailey waiting while Ashlyn hid the frog for the hot/cold game.

There was a beautiful bird that kept us company while we were there.  Hopefully he saved some of the food that we left out for him.  Because if so, he would be set for winter.

Bailey and Hailey on what is now called "Mermaid Rock."

 We had so much fun up there.  The weather was pretty cool.  But the thing about the cabin is that it's fun no matter what the weather is!  I decided that the neat thing about going to the cabin in the fall is that it's more of a "sit by the fireplace and relax" kind of vacation.

 Here's a picture that Baylen's been playing with on Photoshop.  I thought that it turned out kind of cool.  It's actually part of several pictures that he's making into a panorama of High Valley.