This winter, Pete, the kids, and I got passionate about hygge. What is hygge? I'm so glad that you asked! 

Hygge: 
/HEW-gə/
noun 

A Danish word for coziness, warmth, and comfort that inspires a feeling of contentment and well-being. 

"Hygge is the warm, contented feeling of gathering with loved ones around the wood stove. It is flickering candlelight, warm and wonderful scents, and community. It is finding delight in life's simple pleasures."

And it's that feeling that we've been cultivating all winter long. 

Since we didn't plan a winter trip to our favorite deserted beach this year, we decided the cabin was the very best place to get our hygge on. And so on a whim, we packed our bags, loaded up our skis, and headed north last weekend.

And it's been a delightful week.

Every day we've been outside, beneath the bluebird skies and on the icy snow. We've been snowshoeing, skiing, and racing up and down the river on a half-inflated inner tube. We have worked our way through much of a 1000 piece puzzle; repaired a broken ski boot miles from civilization; and eaten homemade chicken soup (and cake!) on the side of a deserted ski trail. There have been mugs of hot tea, piles of blankets and afghans, and endless audio books. (We're all hopelessly hooked on the audio version of this book. So good!) (afflink)

Lupine and I have been doing some serious knitting and Sage has both made homemade egg noodles and baked a cake containing some three full sticks of butter. For. Real. 

I did bring along their spelling lists, yes, but alas, none of us are feeling it at the moment. (Spelling lists, as it turns out, aren't very hyggely.)

As our week here winds to a close, I'm hopeful for another ski (or two), a late night peek at the stars, and a few more hands of rummy before we go. I don't take for granted the fact that our forgiving schedules, our self-directed lives, and their slow-paced childhoods afford us the freedom to slip away, and make time for this.

For rest, for laughter, for play, for quiet, for memories in the making.

Oh, yes. Our hygge game is strong this year.

 

P.S. Care to follow along? Lots more images here…