Family Cabin - The Ramaswami Family Vacation

Hi, my name is Naina Ramaswami. I live with my family in Pleasantview. First please pardon the poor quality of my pictures. Something is wrong with my camera but it's the only one I've got.

(I have a sneaky suspicion that my graphics card is trying to quit)

I just started 8th grade and I have to do this dumb paper on "What I did during summer vacation."

What?! Am I back in third grade or something?

I would have loved doing this kind of report back then!

For as long as I could remember Mom & Dad have been trying to plan a vacation for us.

First Dad got demoted and had to do research and work extra hours all summer to get his position back.

Then my twin brothers were born. Sahen and Sagar, they were way too little to go camping for a long time.

Mom refused to leave them with a Nanny just to go on vacation. The nanny was fine for a few hours a day, but that was IT! Dad and I didn't dare argue with Mom on that subject.

Dad & I would have pretend camp outs in the backyard.

We would set up a tent and roast marshmallows over a campfire.

Dad would tell me stories about magic lamps, wizards, and all sorts of tall tales.

I was supposed to sleep in the tent while Dad would wait for the fire to go out then go inside. It never failed that I would get scared and beg Dad to stay outside with me.

So for one reason or another, we have never managed to go on a real vacation. I am 13 years old now, almost 14.

The twins just turned 6 this summer and we finally got to go on a REAL vacation!

I was so excited that I was the first one out to the shuttle with my suitcase.

Now that Dad is a Partner in his Law firm, instead of going to a campground, he was able to timeshare a cabin. His partner owns it and said we can use it a couple times a year if we want.

It really is a great cabin, quite large and solid looking. There are window boxes with flowers that add just the right touch to keep it from looking too rough.

The boys were confused about what vacation really meant. They thought they would miss all the fun while they had to go to school. I had to tell them that there would be no school bus coming for us while we were here.

I started to explore and found the swimming pool first, we have a pool at home but this one was nice too.

Here is the living room area, nice fireplace!

Straight out from the entrance is the kitchen, it's pretty basic. I noticed right away the lack of microwave and dishwasher!

The boys were the first to find the tent in the back yard. There is a fire pit, picnic table, and barbecue too.

I tried out the hot tub first.

Dad and the boys tried out the fishing pond.

All Dad caught was an old boot!

Mom grilled up some hamburgers, boy did they smell good! I guess the mountain air increased our appetites.

Dad, the twins and I ate outside at the picnic table. Mom ate inside saying she would rather not fight all the bugs on the Mountain for her food. There were a few bugs but not too many really!

Dad and I started unpacking after dinner, but the boys were bounding all over the place! Mom decided to go for a walk with them. They ended up at some Plaza. The boys ran about while Mom visited with some of the locals.

Sahen told me later that I had missed out on the best flapjacks he had ever tasted. Sagar agreed with him.

When they came back to the cabin, the boys were ready to sleep. They decided to try the tent. At least they had each other; I never wanted to be alone in the tent back home.

They had a bedroom inside the cabin, but I guess the tent won out for the first night.

While Mom and Dad were relaxing in the hot tub I snuck into their room and snapped a quick picture. All the furniture is simple and sturdy. Makes sense for a cabin I guess.

Here is the room I get to use. I guess a little girl uses it when Dad's partner brings his family. I'm too old for the doll house, but its okay just sitting there.

Here is the bathroom connected to my room and my parents’ room on the other side. It's big but I like it.

There is a smaller bathroom behind the stairs and off the living room.

I had visited with a hiker who told me I could dig for treasure, so I sneaked out really early and gave it a try.

I actually DID find a treasure...I think...It was a tattered old map to a Hidden Burrow. I also found some interesting rocks and a bird statue.

The boys woke up early and started bounding around again. Mom and Dad had been up late in the hot tub so I made them quiet down and gave them some cereal for breakfast.

Later once we were all up I told Dad about the map I had dug up. He suggested we all go check it out and told me to lead since it was my map.

We came to this huge clearing with a low log building and...BIGFOOT!? Mom said it was probably just a man in a costume to entertain tourists. Dad wasn't so sure but said we should play along what could it hurt!?

So we joined him fishing and we all caught a few fish, unlike the pond at our cabin.

Then he taught us a slap dance, which was fun! The boys caught on the fastest.

We were hungry so we left Bigfoot’s place and went to Lumber Mill Range. They had all kinds of stuff to do there including a flapjack stand, perfect for a late breakfast!

Those really were the best flapjacks I had ever tasted!

The boys had some fun on the log roll; they took turns knocking each other off.

I knocked Mom off the log! It took her a few tries before she managed to knock me into the water!



Mom, Dad and I gave axe throwing a try. I dropped mine behind me on the first try, but I figured it out eventually.

That night Mom & Dad wanted to use the tent and told the boys to sleep inside.

They were tired enough that they didn't argue and went right to bed.

I took the chance for a bubble bath. I guess I'm not cut out for roughing it! I'm glad we got to use this cabin instead of going to some campground.

I slept like a log that night!

At least until the boys woke up and started playing again!

Mom & Dad were still sleeping in the tent, but the boys begged me to light the campfire. I told them I would only if they were quiet and didn't wake Mom or Dad.

We roasted some marshmallows, great breakfast huh?

Then we sat and I told them all the stories and tall tales that Dad had told to me years ago.

Once Mom & Dad were up we had cereal for a real breakfast.

Mom and I did some reading. Learning seemed so much easier there.

Dad and the boys went back to their fishing; they have started catching some small fish now. I think Bigfoot showed them some tricks.

Mom and I got tired of reading so we went to the Spa she had heard about from one of the tour guides.

That massage was great!


So was the hot spring, so relaxing!

After the Spa Mom and I just relaxed on the screened porch and played chess. Dad and the boys were STILL fishing!

Mom and Dad had some quiet time on the porch after dinner.

Sahen and Sagar tried catching fireflies.

They actually got a big jar full of them!

Dad set them free the next morning though.


It was our last morning at the cabin so we all agreed to just take it easy. I worked on a painting in the screened porch.

Mom relaxed on the deck hammock.

The boys slept late in the tent.

Dad relaxed in the hot tub.

Then it was time to pack up and leave. I'm not too worried though, Dad says we might come back and stay for a few days during Christmas vacation! It could be a totally different experience in the snow!

Just a simple Family Cabin, but it was a great place to stay! I hope we have lots of vacations here in the future!

The cabin is available for download so it can be a timeshare for your family too! There is an amount of custom content, but it's mostly recolors and no hacks!