Whispering Pines, July 2011

We arrived home from our family cabin last night.  After doing laundry all day, literally, I finally find a moment to try to capture our trip.  Mostly captured in photos, of course.  I will admit I wasn't quite the photographer I had imagined as little Henley boy sure kept us all on our toes.  He likes to explore!  Here are some pictures of our week in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Whispering Pines, Cabin 26 on a winding and very bumpy dirt road.  A place we LOVE.  Full of the people we LOVE.  Can't wait for August 2012 when we introduce a new little guy to our very special place!

Henley takes a RARE moment to sit still and admire his hat.

Hazel loved playing beauty shop.  Makeup, hairstyles...oh my.  Aunt Cathy was a fantastic subject to style!

Jeep adventures were had by the guys.  Henley can't wait until he is big enough to go along.

Richie and Mick were great (most of the time) at helping to collect firewood.

Aunt Jill, AKA "Baby Whisperer."  Jack was fantastic at his first trip to the cabin.

What a handsome little nephew I have!

The cute family of three.

Henley loves time with his Uncle Patrick.

A fantastic mother and wonderful sister-in-law.  Love you Bonnie!

More beauty shop.  This time the subject was Nana.  Her fingers may come clean in a few more weeks?

Mick and Richie at play in the creek.  Bella stalking another rock to pluck up from the creek bed.

Hazel and Henley found a small patch of sand in which to play.  Next year I may remember shovels and buckets.

Bella sought out sunshine, and found this suitable chair.  Nothing but the best for this girl.

Bella LOVED a cuddle with Cathy.  She is really such a snuggle bug - Bella too!  :)

While the adults did "Chocolate Cake" shots - Hazel got in on the action and enjoyed a sugared lemon.

Lake Alpine was more beautiful than ever this year.  Most days, not a cloud in the sky.  Henley couldn't get enough of the water.  We had to tag-team Henley duty as the little boy (with chattering teeth) was impossible to pull from the cool water.

That water - so clear and beautiful.  A perfect reflection for my little guy.

Sister Hazel has always been more timid when it comes to large bodies of water.  Daddy is a great aid to make any girl feel more comfortable.  Bella is in the background doing what she LOVES most.

Jack all decked out in his gear.  SO much to love about that darling boy.

Jack's first dunk of the toes in Lake Alpine.  A success!

My goofy girl.

Cousin Kelsey is a patient and kind playmate!

A rare family photo moment.

Bonnie and Patrick - cuties in every way.

Three cute lumps on the rock.  A rare (for Henley) break from the cool water.  I do believe he was lured by LUNCH.

After a quick break for lunch, he is back at it.  Love how he seems to be waving goodbye as he sets off on a Henley adventure.

Richie's swimming skills improved immensely over the course of the week.

Awe, love that Kelsey girl.

After days full of fun, and a lot of dirt, a cabin kid must bathe.  This year, we opted to bathe the kids in the outdoor sink most of the time.  The lighting was better and freed up the kitchen for all sorts of delicious cooking.

Henley boy.  Those curls of yours are so cute, funny how they nearly disappeared under the layers of bug-spray and sunblock.  (Happy to report they have reappeared now that we are home and freshly scrubbed!)

Aunt Jill gives Hazel a bath - do you think this girl loves her Aunt Jill or what?!!

We MAY have taken advantage of the fact that Patrick and Bonnie had a hotel room at the Bear Valley Lodge.  The pool was almost too warm - well for me - not for the kids!

So hard to get any kind of emotion from this kid.

Grandpa Bruce and Henley enjoy a swing in the Sky Chair (thank you Femeke and Clemens).

The campfire crew one morning...or one evening...hard to tell.  LOVE sitting around with those I love most, watching the flickering flames and slapping mosquitoes!

Speaking of the ONE I love most, Beau took a break from manning the barbecue to pose for a picture.  All families take a night to host dinner.  This year Beau and I grilled chicken and veggies.  Yum!

Tyler is known for his assortment of hats - he was kind enough to share this one with Henley.

Note the stick in his hand.  He was all about playing with nature's toys.  Good thing I didn't pack any of the toys of the traditional variety as they wouldn't have come close to the entertainment that was abundant in the woods.

Grandma & Grandpa's camper was a HIT again this year.  I was grateful for the lodging and the kids enjoyed the time with their grandparents.  Such silly kids - do they take after their mother or father?

The camper was set up out back, where all the action happens.  It was fun falling asleep (between H & H) listening to the campfire conversations and stories.

Tim and Tyler enjoy their morning coffee and await the morning feast prepared each day by Jill.

Kelsey just wanted some conversation, but the silly girl plopped herself between these two.

We pump our cooking and drinking water from the outside pump.  The dogs were interested in the action, and so was someone else...

Henley was thirsty and tried to collect some water for himself.

Good job daddy and Tim.  Just about full.

While his sister took another bath, Henley took the time to clean the deck.  He takes his work seriously.

My bathing beauty takes a moment to check herself out.  Silly girl.

Sister, I think you missed a spot.

Looking clean, for a moment at least.

Cousin Ava (almost exactly a year older than Hazel) came to play on Thursday.

Three generations of Garner guys.

Henley surrounded by his beloved Papa and Grandpa, held by his daddy.  Doesn't get much better than this!

The girls at play!

Bonnie and Jack taking a sunshine break at Little Falls.  Hazel saw the photo op and popped on over.  She adores her Jack and Bonnie!

A guy and his beast...I mean dog.  They both LOVE cabin time and I am sure Bella dreams of the cabin just as does Beau.

Jack's first dip in the waters of Little Falls - not quite so little this year after the record snowfall in the Sierras.

Jack isn't camera shy - just sunshine shy.  That high mountain sunshine sure is intense!!

Heading back from the falls.  Beverage in one hand and Papa's finger in the other.  This is the life.

Another lake day.  Cousin Chris should be a lifeguard, he sure did a fantastic job of keeping my kiddos entertained and SAFE along the shore.

Have floaty will float.  (Does she need to know that the recommended age for this floaty is 9 -24 months?)

A pristine lake view blurred by the shocking orange of a Cheetoed Henley hand.

The Cheetoed face was so cute I almost wanted to lick it clean.  I do love Cheetos when I am pregnant!

Richie took a LEAP of the jumping rock.  He had a great cabin week, his second. 

The lounging lake crew.

My little explorer.

Henley loves his cousin Chris.  I think the ladies at Westmont will LOVE him too this fall!!

Gentle and kind, nothing better in a grown-up cousin.

Weeeeee!

Hazel blowing bubbles in the lake water.  Hmm.  Looks challenging to blow water bubbles in 1/2" of water!

She may have gotten a bubble or two up her nose!

Final night - the crew headed down the trail to Little Falls and just about everyone took a dunk.  Richie's first dunk was a huge success!

I thought Tim was going to chicken out - but even he couldn't resist the BRISK and refreshing waters!

This post-falls expression says it all!

Do you recognize Beau under that rushing water?  He and I took 5 showers at the falls over the course of the week.  Yeah, we are pretty cool.  Literally!  That water is sooo foot numbing cold.

Usually I am the one behind the camera, but I wanted proof that my 32 week pregnant self could brave Little Falls.  (Glad there isn't a photo of how "graceful" I exited the falls.)

Yesterday morning.  Daddy was packing the car for our 8:30 am departure.  Henley took this pose.  It captures a cabin morning.  Dirty pj's, toes poking through, and a breakfast of Honey Smacks and Capri Sun.  As we drove down the bumpy road, car loaded down...Henley could be heard saying, "Bye, bye cabin.  Bye, bye cabin."  We shall meet again next August.

The final picture - our traditional stop (for daddy) at Inn-N-Out in Carson City.  We arrived at 10:30, just as the doors were opening.  Like we planned it.  Well, maybe so.  Bellies full of burgers and fries, we drove the rest of the 12 hours home. 
Hazel rode with Nana and Papa on the return trip.  She rode with Grandma and Grandpa on the front-end of the trip.  A traveling girl.  She arrived home a few hours ago.  Nana and Papa took a day longer to leisurely drive home.  She was full of stories and hugs.  It is nice to know she is snug in her bed, at HOME.  Across the room sleeps her brother.  Richie is next door.  A vacation very well spent, but it doesn't make home any less SWEET.  Happy to be home and happy to share our week of adventures.  We do certainly look so forward to our next week at the cabin, August 2012.