Cabin Fever

We marked the first official day of summer this past weekend and I couldn’t be more excited.  I have cabin fever!  That phrase “cabin fever” usually refers to the cooped up feeling when you’ve been indoors too long, but for me, right now, it represents my excitement to spend time at our family cabin this summer.  I’ve got the fever!

We’ve owned our cabin in northern Minnesota for the past seven years and for some reason, I’m more excited than ever to spend time there this summer.  For our family, owning a cabin has been a great investment, but not necessarily in the financial sense.  It’s been a great investment in our family.  Our cabin has been a built-in getaway destination for us, familiar, yet so different from the hustle and bustle of our regular home life.  There are no errands to run, play dates to coordinate or sporting activities to attend.  Once we’re there, we’re there…committed to high quality family time.

Sure, it’s a lot of work to own and maintain two households, but it’s totally worth it.  Yardwork, laundry and other chores are more fun at the cabin and the accomplishment that comes from finishing a major landscaping or remodeling project feels different than at home.  I’m not sure why, but maybe it has something to do with the vacation mindset that takes over on our 2 ½ hour drive north.

When we’re at our cabin, we work a little and play a lot.  While it’s hard to eliminate electronics completely, we all naturally limit our screen time in lieu of fun time outside and on the water.  Our boat is great for fishing and pulling the kids on a tube, but my favorite activity is our nightly sunset cruise.  I love how peaceful it is on the lake, and the conversations and laughter that occur on the boat at sunset are magical.

We also love to kayak, paddleboard and, of course, swim, but no one is more excited to play in the water than our dog, Hurley.  He loves jumping off the dock, running along the shore, fishing and swimming in the lake to fetch his toy.  I think he senses the release of tension and the desire for fun, too.

The memories we’ve created with our immediate family are priceless, but I’ll forever be grateful for the time we’re able to spend with our extended family at the cabin.  Most weekends, some combination of grandparents, sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews are with us.  Before we owned the cabin, we’d spend a few hours together for birthdays or holidays, but with meals to make, dishes to be done and kids to chase around, quality time was minimal.  When we’re together at the cabin, the additional quantity of time, plus the more relaxed atmosphere creates a totally different experience for us all.  Our kids get to wake up and have breakfast with their grandparents, cousins paddleboat together and fireside stories and s’mores enable family bonding time across generations.

I love cabin life, but you don’t actually need to own a cabin to experience the lifestyle.   A camping trip, a resort stay or even a stay-cation at home can yield the same results.  The key to success, I think, is focus…focus on the family experience, a commitment to being present in the moment and being intentional about your time together.  What’s your favorite way to create family memories in the summer?