Adventures at Big Land

This past weekend Kyle's cousin Joel organized a family trip up to Hansen family cabin up in the foothills of Ellensburg (Big Land is the name they have affectionately given to this plot of land). Big Land consists of two cabins: the main cabin, and Joel's cabin (and I guess you can count Nathan's unfinished fort as a potential cabin some day). None of the cabins have electricity or running water - so often times people camp on the land outside the cabin, which is what we did this weekend. The cabin can get really hot inside in the summer, so it's actually nicer to be outside (not that it was "summer" there this past weekend, but one can pretend).

Big Land is located about 20 minutes outside of Ellensburg, literally out past where the road ends. The paved road ends about 10 minutes outside of Ellensburg, and the rest of the way is just a dirt road that's been created. The turn-off to the actual plot of land was just a mountainous "path" until this past weekend; Joel hired a bulldozer to come and pave the path to the plot of land, as well as make some individual camp sites.

Clearly not summer yet!

Where the paved road runs out...

Road to Big Land!

New development: individual camp sites!

Kyle snug as a bug in a rug in our tent!

Nothing quite like living out of your car :)

The main goal of the weekend was to build some bunk beds for the main cabin. The upstairs of the main cabin is intended for sleeping, but just really needed fresh start given that a whole new generation of kids will be coming up to Big Land in the coming years.

The main cabin.

Jere and Joel laying the foundation.

My pretty husband.

Jere had a misfire with the nail gun; it shot a nail right
into his knee!

But it wasn't anything that couldn't be healed with some love from his wife :)

Finished product, many hours later!

Kyle demonstrating how the new bunks work.

Ashley and I even took up a little project of our own - cleaning the top nook!

Good finds from the top nook...

Everyone got to help do something!
Micah "helping" Kyle fix the stairs.

While the guys were busy building, the ladies spent time chatting and watching after all the kids. If know me at all, spending time with all the kids is a major draw for me!

Nature Walk with the J Hansen kids!

Grace enjoying the great outdoors (as cute as ever!)

The beautiful Alice and Hailey

Me and baby Jake

Taking a break from the rain squal - everyone inside!

The sun came out after the rain...

Tiff and Grace staying dry during the rain!

The guys even managed to get in some family time in between work projects:

Kyle discussing avatars

The Gwins!

Jere and Ashley with two of their fab five

Dinner was of course, none other than TFDs (Tin Foil Dinners). The rain held out for dinner and after dinner treats:

TFD Fixings: basically potatoes, meat, and any veggies
you want wrapped in a tin foil burrito.

On "the grill"

Delicious!

Micah got smores going after dinner.

Camping hair!

So. yummy.

Kyle and I had commitments at church on Sunday morning, so we had to take off late Saturday night. The drive back down to Ellensburg was so pretty!

Group shot before we headed out!

Giving it grace: after spending time with three of Kyle's gal cousins for the weekend, I couldn't help but think of the Titus 2 woman. Titus 2: 3-10 reads "Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." I've read these versus before and always wondered what a real life Titus 2 woman might look like. Of course, I always come up with an image in my mind that no human woman could ever achieve, which is discouraging to say the least. This past weekend, however, I was surrounded by women who all strive to be like the woman in Titus 2 - and it was really encouraging to watch. Do they get it right all the time? I'm sure all of them would tell you "NO!", without hesitation. But that's not the point, the point is they continue to strive to be that woman, which is awesome. And what is even more awesome is getting to spend 24 hours with them as the "younger woman" of whom the Titus 2 women are called to teach and train. That's not to say that I'm not consistently blessed with older woman who serve as role models for me, but God definitely used this weekend in particular to provide me with a really heartwarming reminder of what I get to look forward to as a new wife, and hopefully a mother some day!