Our Christmas Escape to Beaver's Bend.

This year we decided to "runaway" for Christmas. The holidays haven't been the same since my Dad passed away and taking into consideration all the drama still surrounding that situation we thought a nice quiet break with just the family would be a nice change of pace. Brandon decided Beaver's Bend would be the perfect place for a peaceful family getaway and handled all the planning...which was an added bonus for Momma!

Turns out I came down with a terrible sickness a few days before we were to leave and that along with another little surprise pushed our trip back a day. But, we did have an amazing time once we got there. We did some exploring at the state park and the boys took in a little fishing too. 

As I've always heard, the scenery was beautiful. Our cabin was perfect for our family and the kids could not get enough of the hot tub! The boys practiced with their new archery sets and Reese learned very quickly how to use his new sling shot...thanks Santa. We all had a great time and although our Christmas getaway wasn't popular with most of the extended family, we'll probably do this more often. It really allowed us to pull away from all the typical hustle and bustle of the holiday season, which is good on so many levels.

My sweet husband at the top of the mountain.

Macie Lynn and Momma on one of the trails.

Love this shot of Cati!

Braden practicing archery. He and Rylie got their first taste of archery at Royal Rangers camp this past year. They are both hooked and now each have their own bows so they can practice any time they wish. 

Cati freezing on one of our late afternoon walks. It was so chilly that evening.

Our little Menus! This picture absolutely reminds me of my brother in our earlier years. Reese acts just like him...Lord, help us all. 

My sweet boy! Growing so fast. 

My little beauty. She loves the outdoors. As predicted she is such the Tomboy! We all knew it was going to happen.

Our sweet kiddos. Or as I like to call them...The Fab Five. Reese was soaking wet in this picture...he had just fallen into the cold river water. The rubber boots were great for ankle wading, but didn't provide great traction. He was such a good sport to let Mom snap a group shot before heading back to the car.

All my loves at the end of our trip.