Little Cabin In The Woods

This weekend something amazing happened. Katie didn't have to work (this only happens every 3rd week), I didn't have to work, and we didn't have anything we had to do! I don't think this has happened since...April?

I suggested to Kate that we rent a cabin for a teeny tiny getaway.

Check in was at 4:00, so we had plenty of time to get things packed. And pack we did. The cabin had a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and 2 bedrooms. Dishes, sheets, and other basic essentials were provided, but we still had plenty to bring.

My mom has become an expert at packing for trips to a cabin, and I've picked up some good tips along the way. Here are some essentials that I brought from home:

• paper towels
• Clorox wipes
• scissors
• gallon-sized Ziplock bags
• a flashlight/lantern (check the batteries/fuel)
• a lighter
• plastic bags/trash bag
• extra pillows & blankets
• lotion (bar soap is the only toiletry provided)

If you are planning to cook, you need to think about all the tools you need. Basic pots and pans are provided, but other seemingly basic items may be overlooked:

• cutting board
• sharp knife
• cork screw
• colander
• oil/cooking spray
• salt & pepper (turns out these were provided)

And of course, any food that you'll need. Naturally, I raided Trader Joe's before we headed out.

I think I have a fear of starving to death. Actually, I'm a strong believer in eating what you're craving. As in if you're craving something sweet, a salty snack won't do. And my cravings come in these sort of categories:

• crunchy vs soft
• savory vs sweet
• warm vs cold
• healthy vs junky (I'm not kidding, sometimes I just want to eat something that will make my body feel good, and sometimes I seek out a 2-gallon tub of cheese balls.)

Here's what I brought for our (less-than-20-hour) getaway (Nerd Alert!):

I didn't really plan it out this way, but I'm not surprised it's how it ended up. Donut holes are kind of a stretch as crunchy and warm, but otherwise I think I did pretty well hitting all of my categories!

Being at the cabin was great. There was no TV, no internet, and we even turned off our phones. We just enjoyed the wilderness (mostly from inside because it was COLD) and snuggled.

We ended up having mac n cheese and salads for dinner.

And cocoa for dessert.

Breakfast was egg sandwiches on English muffins, donut holes, coffee, and (un-pictured) OJ.

We saw lots of deer while we were driving in, and woke up to find these hoof prints outside of our door!

It was just a quick little escape, but we really enjoyed it!