A Little Break

Our vacation was just what we needed. Well, it would have been even better if we had not ran into all the problems that we did with the closing date and if it had been a little longer. But escaping town and hanging out with family was just what we needed.

Nearly every summer for as long as I can remember my family heads up north for a quick vacation before school starts up. However, as everybody gets older and cousins start having their own families, not as many people end up going. I admit, I have missed some of the past few summers because of work obligations too.

This year was one of the smallest crowds that we have had in a long time. There were only 6 of us up there and sometimes we have nearly 20! Usually, we all squeeze into the house with mattresses covering the floor. Traditionally, the ‘grownups’ get their own rooms, but us “kids” split up with the boys in one room and the girls in the other.

Don’t tell, but since there were only 6 of us this year, my husband and I shared a room!! [shhh!]


[view from the lake]

The house is close to a great lake that we go to for swimming, windsurfing, and canoeing. [I am not an ocean person, I would take a lake over salt water any day of the week!]. Two years ago I swam across this lake for the first time! It was exhausting! I think it is about a mile across [without all of the zigzagging that I did].

We are also close enough to take day trips over to the white mountains for some great hikes and this year [I am proud to say] I finally climbed Mt. Washington!


[Before the hike]

This is a hike that my cousins and brothers have done nearly every year since they could walk. I have always wimped out and spent the day at the lake or hanging out around the house. Two years ago I had my mind set that I was going to hike it, but because the weather on top of Mount Washington is so unpredictable and was calling for hail we decided not to! [smart move]


[Me up top and Sam down bottom; note the difference between the skies on the way up and the clouds at the top!]

But, this year I made it! We went up Huntington's Ravine, which has some pretty tough climbs and is said to be the most difficult trail in the White Mountains! Needless to say I was not thrilled about taking this route, but we took it because it was part of the tradition and I’m glad we did!


[Matt, me, Cousin-Jed, and “little” brother Sam]

We went down Lion’s head trail and it was incredibly boring, relatively speaking. Huntington’s was definitely harder, but at least you weren’t just hiking the whole time and we got to scale some rock too!

The hike was amazing! Although my knees were killing me after the hike back down, I’m so glad I did it! I am so excited that I can say I crossed that off my list!

My List:
24. Climb Mount Washington
Fun Fact: This is also where Matt and I celebrated our honeymoon 5 years ago :)