Last weekend, the four of us escaped to a little cabin in the woods to rest well and be together. It's our second year doing this and it's become something I look forward to about as much as our bigger family vacations in the summer. I've learned that fall is beautiFULL. Full of new school routines and commitments, work schedules and kids' activities, and a structure that's necessary but also much different than the laid-back summer life we'd grown accustomed to. Having this little fall getaway planned, this time the week right after finishing up flag football, soccer, Cruz's birthday and my first half of the semester, was such a good way to push pause, reconnect as a family, and soak in some of the beauty of the leaves and the changing of seasons in an area of our state that especially stands out this time of year.
When I was a kid, our family always took a day trip up to Prairie du Chien to see the leaves. We had a similar routine every year - take back roads and pass through sweet little towns like Fayette, Elkader, and McGregor, sometimes stopping for Amish horse and buggies to cross the road on their way to church or to stop and cross a bridge under a bright yellow Maple that Mom thought was pretty. We'd pass the big blue bridge that crossed the Mississippi, taking us across state lines to Prairie for some browsing at The Cannery and some cheap Black Velvet to last through a cold winter at Starks. Then it was back to Marquette to spot the big pink elephant, and McGregor for a picnic in the leaves at Pikes Peak. Mom would make the "fancy" sandwiches, the ones with lettuce on hoagie buns with little containers of oil and vinegar, and if we were lucky, potato salad, and then we'd walk just to the end of the wooden walkway, where we'd always notice the bright red Sumac and the big barges making their way down the Mississippi. It was the same routine every single year, but I loved it all the same. And as I've gotten older, and sometimes laughed about it all, I also think I've grown softer and more in love with that little tradition more than ever before. It wasn't about what we did or didn't do, or how far we hiked at Pikes Peak, or how long of a drive it was for not a whole lot of action, it was simply about the fact that we were together. And I see it in my kids all the same. It's the anticipation of packing just the right "treasures" in their little overnight bag, a blanket and pillow in the car as we pull out of our driveway, the wide eyed grins as we cross the bridge and attempt to spell Mississippi, and that feeling of being so small in such a big beautiful world as we crunch leaves with our feet under a canopy of golden trees. Being back up in this place to recall all those simple traditions and the simple ways my parents invested in that experience was such a full circle moment for me. And although our weekend looked a little different, I'm confident the being together part is what will stand the test of time.
We pulled the kids out of school on Friday and started our weekend in Viroqua, Wisconsin, a cute little town about a half hour past our cabin. It reminded me of Decorah - small, quaint, hip - and we hit up all the must-dos while we where there, starting with a farm-to-table lunch at the popular Driftless Cafe.
Then it was Kickapoo Coffee, a recommendation from our cabin-owner friend, Kelsie, and friends, Aram and Katy, who love this area like we do.
We weren't able to check in to our cabin until 3:00 Friday, so it was Beau's idea to find us a little park to hike while we waited. He found us Sidie Park right outside Viroqua and it was just what we had in mind. Booking a late fall getaway is a gamble when it comes to weather. The good news is that I would have been perfectly okay curling up with a blanket and a stack of books in that pretty cabin for a weekend, BUT, we had near perfect weather AND a late peak. Friday afternoon warm sunshine on our cheeks, crisp leaves under our feet, the prettiest palette of fall colors, and two wild kids laughing at their own quest to hide behind trees twenty feet ahead of us and then pretend they were signs with arm arrows pointing the wrong direction. We played along and acted surprised every time.
Just before 3, we headed back down the prettiest drive to little Ferryville, Wisconsin, a town of, wait for it, 175, and home Walnut Creek Cabin. Knowing the cabin owners and their incredible talent and eye for design, I knew this place would be beautiful, but every square inch of the cabin and the land around it exceeded every expectation I had conjured up in my head.
While the kids spent no time crossing the creek to swing on the tree swing, I took a little tour before unpacking a single thing. And I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. This place was the epitome of cozy.
My absolute favorite part was the upstairs loft. Tyler and Kelsie had made the bold decision to paint all that log cabin paneling white and its result was modern, fresh, and full of so. much. light. I smiled as I noticed all the details - from the plush West Elm bedding to the fresh plants and USB chargers - the place was simple, modern, and designed to serve its guests well.
A reading room with the biggest window that overlooked the creek. My favorite view to wake up to.
The outside of the property was equally as beautiful. An expansive creek borders three sides of the property and there are acres of wildlife and driftless to explore. We loved exploring the creek, but the big yard directly behind the cabin provided opportunities for afternoon football and a fall bonfire that kept us warm all day long.
The kids' favorite part was the screened in porch and jacuzzi that overlooked the creek. I poured them a glass of apple cider and they declared this place was even better than our hotel in Florida! I'm pretty sure they were in their idea of paradise right there. Life doesn't get much better than that. :)
We ended the day with pajamas before dinner, books in the loft at dusk, a big charcuterie board with Viroqua co-op's meat and cheese, and all the board games. Then it was popcorn and quilts and We Bought a Zoo, one of my favorite movies and one the kids hadn't seen yet. I'm pretty sure if you looked up the word cozy in the dictionary that night, you would have found our Friday night in the definition.
And we still had one more day to play house!
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