Weekend Getaway in McCall Idaho 2015
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My husband and son love the outdoors. They come alive trekking through the forest, biking off the beaten path and having their lungs filled with clean air the way God created it to be inhaled.
I love the peacefulness of the outdoors – it’s easy to get lost in the rush of wind pushing through mile high trees and being surrounded by green. The stillness of the night and evening rain pattering over the cabin’s roof brought it’s own peaceful calm which I was so desperate for. You see I have trouble sitting still. If I’m not flying 100mph, I feel guilty about being unproductive.
I love that my boys are spontaneous and always eager for adventure because they provide that tiny little kick in the pants that I need to push me out of my busy routine.
Here’s a peek at our short but sweet little weekend getaway in McCall (a beautiful and quaint resort town on Payette Lake in Idaho, just 2 hours from our home). We went with my sister Alla and her family. Here’s a thought –God rested on the 7th day, so it’s probably even more important that we do the same. You see, God created vacation in the beginning 😉 #GodisGood.
Here’s the cozy cabin we rented. My brother in law found it via Vacation Rental By Owner (VRBO)- a great travel resource! There was an awesome third story loft on the other side of the house surrounded by windows which was our room. I wish I had taken a picture of it; pretty cool stuff!
That upstairs deck was huge and amazing. It’s where I found my peaceful calm :).
And it’s where baby D got her first pony tail! can you see it?
The forest is the BEST playground. He was pretending to be Sampson from the Bible in the center picture 🙂
The first night, we made a big pot of Mom’s meatball soup served with fresh buttered country bread. There’s nothing like homemade soup on vacation. This one is easy to prepare and kid friendly.
We ate breakfast in which included Greek yogurt pancakes with raspberries and maple syrup. I also packed some crepe breakfast pockets that I will share on my blog soon as everyone loved them and wished there were more!
We got ice cream at Ice Cream Alley (you have to try that place if you’re ever in McCall!) then strolled along the shores of Payette lake. That chocolate ice cream was G-O-O-D.
We also drove through Ponderosa State Park, discovered a breathtaking view and saw wildlife.
P.S. Many of you asked about the baby carrier when I shared pictures on Facebook and Instagram. We’re really liking this ergo 360 baby carrier. We bought it on Amazon just before our trip. When our darling isn’t tired, she enjoys being in there and it was easy on my back. She feels so light when in the carrier.
My sister and her cute family 🙂 Our babies are 6 days apart.
What’s YOUR favorite way to rest and unwind?
Full disclosure (because it’s the law) 😉 this post contains an affiliate link which means we make a small % when you buy something through our links.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Sorry, but I really think your husband is so hot!
Anna, lol. I’ll let him know. ha ha. I think so too!
Lovely pictures and family! Your kids are gorgeous!
Thank you Anu, I can’t get enough of them :).
We are in MD and we have mountains to our west that my family heads to for skiing in the winter, but it rains a little too much there during the summer for us. So we usually head east for the beaches during the summer to fish and swim.
That does sound nice. More great reasons to love the U.S. 🙂
MUCHAS FELICIDADES !!!!!
ME ENCANTA TU PAGINA.
PRECIOSA TU FAMILIA.
DIOS LES BENDIGA.
Thank you so much! I always love reading your comments (even though I have to do a little google translate ;)).
What an awesome trip! Thanks for sharing. I love spending time in the great outdoors. It has the most calming effect on me. We had a cabin getaway with my siblings last year and we loved it so much. I would love to go again. Maybe someday my husband and I can have our own cabin in the mountains:). I love all the family pictures. Your baby Diana is growing so fast and is absolutely precious. David has really grown up too.
It’s always fun to vacation with family! I think being outdoors somehow brings us closer to God – maybe it’s less distractions? Thank you Olga for your sweet comment 🙂
Looks like such a nice time! We (parents, 7 kids and their spouses and kids) had a huge reunion in Scotland recently due to our ancestors being from there. Obviously a pretty complicated trip, but it was a beautiful setting. I’m always wary of front-facing baby carriers, but it looks like the new Ergo does a good job of spreading the legs out? I hadn’t seen that one before.
That does sound like a complicated trip – planning it for that many people, but I’m sure it was an incredible adventure! 🙂 I think the Ergo 360 is new-ish and they recommend not using it for longer than 10-15 minutes front facing, but she is comfy in there 🙂
I fell in love with your YouTube channel and blogpost right after I came across your videos online last year. I visited McCall during the winter festival early this year and it was such a serendipity for me and my husband to walk on a completely frozen lake. Never thought about a summer visit, after seeing your pics we shall definitely plan a visit. Thanks for sharing your life for us. Loads of love from an indian Neighbour 😄
It’s wonderful there in summer – so pretty and there is a lot of outdoorsy stuff to do! Their lake is very nice in summer 🙂
Natasha ,may I email to you personally?
sure, my email is: natashaskitchen @ yahoo.com (no spaces)
Natasha, this looks like a dream. I can just envision sitting on that porch 😉
It was so nice 🙂 I want to go back!
What a wonderful post! Looks like you guys had a wonderful time. What a beautiful family. God bless you. xoxoox
Thank you so much 🙂 Your comments are always so nice 🙂
My family loves camping here in MN. So relaxing as we pretty much stay at the campsite and enjoy God’s beautiful creation. It’s a nice to unwind 🙂
Happy for you!!!
I know it, it’s such a blessing to have the opportunity to rest 🙂
This looked like such an amazing get away. We are going to Okinawa for the weekend and I hope we have just as much fun as you guys did! Thanks for sharing this little bit of life with us today.
Trisha, it sounds like you have an awesome weekend planned! I hope you have an awesome and restful trip!
Looks like a lot of fun! You guys are so cute – the cabin looks pretty darn amazing
Happy Medley GIVEAWAY
Thank you Anna! 🙂
Hi Natasha! My name is Yelena . You have a beautiful family. I`m making a lot of your recipes. They are all delicious . I want to subscribe but I don`t get an email from you.
Thank you so much 🙂 Enter your email in the email subscribe box at the bottom of this post or in the top right column of my blog. Once you enter it, you have to confirm it in your email. Did you get a confirmation email?
Forgot to mention, this year I started strolling in the evenings in my neighbourhood because I felt like my house job and life were creeping on me. I do it even in winter, just staying on well-lit streets. Nothing clears my mind and brain like a fresh air!
I agree; we try to do that in the morning right now before it gets hot. It’s the perfect time for long conversations with my husband. We always dream together about a future house, vacations, on and on 🙂
Beautiful place and family! Glad you paused. I needed that past week toad I need it again.I had a crazy summer. Kids out of school, garden, rents, a lot of work. I’m going 200 mph, just like you. But that is why we have what we have. 😉 We recently went for 4 days to Whistler, BC and it was mind-blowing experience. I posted about it on my blog if you wanna take a peak.;) We are very sporty and outdoorsy family. All my boys LOVE outdoors and sports. We bike and hike a lot now since little one is 4. Thankfully, in Vancouver and PNW we have no shortage of places to do that, right in our own backyard. And we LOVE ocean!!! Going to Deception Pass camping or biking to Whistler this weekend. I’m on a fence about camping since it is cooler and it rained. Ugh, me and camping are not friends.:)
That sounds like an amazing 4 days! I bet it was awesome!! I agree about camping; particularly with my baby being so small. It’s just not that appealing right now 🙂
Looks like such a peaceful and gorgeous getaway! We just got back from a week in rural Yorkshire, that was quite a change from our normal life and we loved it! There is nothing like clean air and a bit of wildlife around us! My kids were thrilled every time my hubby drove through huge puddles, which made me realise they are such city kids, we need to get away into the country more! Your little ones are adorable, Natasha!
Thank you so much Julia. Yorkshire – sounds like something out of a story book! It must be awesome living in your part of the world!