A Cozy Valentine's Day

We spent this past weekend at a friend's "cabin" (in quotes because she says it's not technically a cabin) up near Mount St. Helens. Amy couldn't have made it any easier on us to travel with our three kids than she did. I think we packed less for two days than we sometimes do for a day trip! No cribs to pack, no boosters, no stroller, little food to bring. It was fabulous. Looking at the trunk of the car before heading out made me think all the way up there "What are we forgetting?!"

It was really cold up there, cold enough that there was snow mixed in with the rain. Andy and Ailey played outside with Amy's husband and 2-year-old son and came in with red noses and fingers to be warmed by the wood stove. Ah, I love a good, cozy fire! Their dog had a cozy bed of his own close to the fire. He was such a good dog. Very tolerant, as Amy put it. And poor Basil had to deal with two babies who acted like they had never seen a dog before. (Well, ok, they probably haven't seen a dog up close.)

The best way I can come up with to describe it is that Marin and Silje were two little moths drawn to the flame. They couldn't get enough of him, but they were still wary and even scared of him. Inch toward him, step back a little, inch forward, side-step away.... It was quite entertaining to watch the battle going on in their little heads. They would smile and walk toward him, then yell and cry, then laugh, but with a worried look on their faces. I think Marin even started howling at him. Silje couldn't take her eyes off his tail. "It would be so fun to shake! But it's attached to this big dog. But it would be so fun to grab and pull! But then he might look at me! What do I do?!" It's a good thing Ailey pet him nicely without yelling at him! There are some pictures below of the dance Marin and Silje did when ever Basil was in the room.

It was an over-all cozy weekend with good food, good company and good entertainment. It turns out I did forget to pack something though. Something kind of important. Nevermind that we remembered all the kids' comforts, I forgot my contact solution and glasses. After an unsuccessful trip to the all-night gas station, my contacts sat in make-shift solution all night and burned my eyes when I tried to put them back in the next day. So I walked around all day Sunday, and literally around the neighborhood pushing a stroller, and rode home that night in near blindness. On the plus side, with nothing to look at, I slept for about an hour on the way home. It's a good thing Andy is good at staying awake while driving at night, because he had 4 sleepers to keep him company on the way home!

On our walk:Marin howling at Basil:

"Oooh, I'm so brave!"

"It's WAGGING!"

"Must ... touch ... it...."

"Good dog, Basil."