One of the last weekends in August we took a trip to Shipshewana, Indiana to pick up our built-in dresser and to have a little bit of rest and relaxation. We have been to Shipshewana several times before and usually average about one trip a year. You could say that Will and I have a weakness for solid, quarter-sawn oak furniture and this town has wood craftsmen at every turn. Here Will is below, loading up a nightstand and our built-in dresser.
We usually stay at a locally owned hotel in Shipshewana that has a homemade Amish breakfast each morning, a pool, and the best Amish restaurant in town for dinner. This year however, since we had furniture sitting in the back of an open trailer we decided to look for different accommodations that could house the furniture so that we could stay longer. We found a great camp ground that had mini cabins available complete with two full-sized beds, a bathroom and all of the linens we would need. They agreed to house our trailer in one of their over sized sheds until we left on Sunday. Here are the girls below taking a giant drink after our long car ride while Will and I set up "camp".
Will and I have been dreaming for a while now about buying a pop-up camper, however have been held back by not only our budget, but the fact that our car really can't pull one and where would we store it. After our little cabin trip in August, we have revised our dreams. In a matter of minutes we were set up for the weekend and could start relaxing. Since Will and I aren't the best at relaxing to begin with, this type of vacation was perfect for us - we were still close to nature but without all of the packing, unpacking, setting up and taking down. We sat on our porch swing on the cabin's covered porch and watched with great interest as the campers nearby painstakingly set up their giant jet stream and another family spent several hours setting up their tent.
One unfilled item on our summer bucket list was in fact to go camping. Our last minute decision to try out a cabin at a campground was the perfect solution. My toe was still not completely healed at this point, so I was nervous about public restrooms and couldn't even think about lakes and swimming pools. I was able to bring all of my wound care products and soaked my foot twice a day in the comfort of our cozy and clean cabin with indoor plumbing.
The girls were so excited about the cabin that they were literally bouncing off the walls. The first night Will and I had intended for the girls to sleep in one bed with us in the other. At about 10:30 that first night, Will and I threw in the towel on having a nice evening on the porch while the kids slept. We literally bear hugged each kid into separate beds and held them until they finally fell asleep. I'm not going to lie - this was NOT our idea of a vacation. I tossed and turned all night next to Emma, the great sleeping somersaulter. The following night I had an idea. I had wanted to watch a foreign film for quite some time but hadn't been able to convince Will of it since he isn't a fan of subtitles. Given no other options, he decided that subtitles weren't so bad, and downloaded it onto our laptop. Once the girls were in bed - still awake mind you - Will and I snuggled up to watch the movie. Since neither girls understand French or could read the subtitles they were asleep in no time and Will and I were able to enjoy a nice and relaxing evening together. I slept much better that night and so did everyone else.
It was nice waking up each morning (early, thanks to the kids!) and stepping outside to the cool quietness of the farming community. We enjoyed the peaceful setting and even found a giant turtle by our cabin.
Shipshewana also boasts some yummy Amish food. It really is quite ridiculous that we write notes to ourselves for future visits that state things like, "Do not waste a single calorie on pointless food. Make every bite count." There is a certain bakery with amazing cinnamon rolls, a food wagon with fried pocket (a.k.a. greasy goodness) pies, a hot pretzel stand, popcorn, and of course an all you can eat Amish buffet complete with chicken, potatoes, gravy, buttered noodles and all the fixin's. The good news is we have learned how to sample all of that rich, tasty food without getting too sick and bloated. First off, never let Will order the food. He has a complex where he is afraid there won't be enough and as a result always orders way too much. I order, and only one of each item we are craving. Then we split it four ways and move on to the next treat. We do not waste stomach space on any food we do not like just because the other person likes it. Also, we throw balanced eating out the window - with no guilt. Shipshewana businesses have limited hours, so we insanely plan out each snack and meal based on which day and what time each is available. To say that we have become food connoisseurs of Amish food would be snobby, but to say that we have been there a time or two and know good food when we see it would be accurate.
To give you an idea as to how focused I was on not wasting calories - the ice cream shop on the campgrounds that we stayed at didn't even tempt me - the kids had ice cream both days we were there but for once in my life, all the amazing Amish food I was saving my stomach for trumped ice cream. I think it was the first time Will had ever seen me say no to ice cream.
We had a wonderful time on our mini-vacation and it was a nice end to an otherwise busy and stressful summer. It was just what we needed. Good food, good furniture, and good family times.
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