I thought it would be fun to show ya'll our summer camp cabin! But, let me warn you: If you get jealous about luxurious rooms and beautiful decor...well...let's just say you won't feel ONE OUNCE of jealousy here!
Don't get me wrong--we love our little summer cabin. Okay, "love" may be over-stating it a little. I would be more accurate to say we are grateful for our summer cabin. We've lived in this particular cabin for the past 11 summers. I make it my policy to add at 1 or 2 new things--or make 1 small improvement--to the cabin every year. That way, we're not spending a lot of money here, but we're also enjoying fixing it up a tiny bit every year.
Now, here is my other disclaimer before I show you pictures. Some of you are real fixer-uppers. You walk in a room and know exactly how you want to improve it. I do not have that gift. I can live in a room for years and years before it dawns on me that I should paint it a different color, or hang different curtains. When you see pictures of our little cabin, please feel free to give me suggestions for simple "fix-ups." I promise I will not be offended! I welcome the suggestions! However, if you do make suggestions, please keep in mind that the "fix-ups" need to be inexpensive and easy. Remember that I work full-time in the summer--so I have little time for extra projects.
Whew! Now that I have all of that off my chest, let me usher you into our summer camp cabin!
Come on in! It's nice and cool inside from our window unit A/C...with a remote control. Oh, yes ma'am, we are high tech!
Welcome to our master bedroom! If you look closely, you'll see that this room also serves as the front entry, office, kitchenette, and home gym. Multi-purpose, it is! This picture was snapped from the front door. So, you see, it's nice and cozy!
This picture was also snapped from the front door--looking straight into the cabin. See the straight shot to the potty? That means that one must always shut the door of the bathroom...lest be a bit surprised when someone walks into the front door! I mean, not that it has happened to me personally... I'll never tell! Doesn't that big blue La-Z-Boy chair just say "Welcome" to you?
I am sorry to say that the bathroom is too tiny to take a picture of the whole thing. No matter how funny I contorted my arms and body, I could not get a picture of the toilet, sink, and shower. If I'd been smarter, I would have captured my pretty white shower curtain in the mirror.
Walking though the master bedroom, you would walk straight into Sara Beth's room, and then Rebecca's. This is Sara Beth's. Her bed's cute pink quilt is in the washing machine...sorry! Oh, and Shhh!! Don't tell--but Sara Beth is getting a built-in loft bunk bed soon. She will get to sleep in the top bunk, and have a secret clubhouse down below. She is going to squeal when Mr. Russell starts building it! But, that's our little secret, okay?
This is one of my favorite parts of the cabin--all the shelves for toys in Sara Beth's room. Well...they're mostly toys... Don't worry--those Remington bullets and clay shots are her daddy's toys. Oh, and YES, those ARE VHS tapes you see on the bottom shelf! Doesn't everybody still have a VCR? Our summer cabin comes equipped with a TV/VCR combo. We're fancy.
This is Rebecca's room. This was the most recent addition to our cabin--right after Sara Beth was born. Thank goodness! We literally did not have room in the original extra bedroom for a twin bed and a crib. Rebecca's room is much larger, and is where the girls hang out and play...unless someone is mad at someone else, and a banishment occurs. Which, does happen about 3 times a day!
This is the play area and that fancy TV/VCR combo I mentioned! And, let's just state the obvious. I know the little loveseat is ugly. I know a slipcover would work wonders in this room. But, since I don't sew, and since I don't own a slipcover...ugly loveseat is what we have. But, it does match the snazzy navy blue carpet, doesn't it? Oh, and while we're stating the obvious...If you've ever worked at a summer camp, then you know that brown paneling is the builder's wall of choice in all director housing. (Please don't suggest for me to paint that paneling. I've done that before, and it is not fun, nor quick.)
This is the last picture. But, I just HAD to post this one. Doesn't this bright pink door just make you HAPPY?!! It does me! This door was the grey-ish color that steel doors come from the factory for about 4 years. Last year, when we walked into the cabin in May to move for the summer, we found a bright pink door! What a FUN surprise. A group of volunteers had done some sprucing up around camp that winter, and thought the bright pink would match the cute quilt on the bed. I hate to say it, but my lime green and turquoise-loving tween daughter was not nearly as thrilled about the pink door as her mother...
Well, there you have it! This is our humble home for the summer! I know it's not fancy, and parts of it aren't even cute. But, when you're spending your days serving inner-city kids who have never been out of their state--or even their city limits--and are experiencing activities and love like they've never experienced...well, a tiny little cabin is not so important. It's all about perspective, I guess.
Plus, our little summer cabin sure makes me appreciate our year-round house!
Have you ever had a summer cabin...or lived somewhere small and simple? How did you feel about it?
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