The Details

Our skinny dipping weekend is an Invitation Only kind of affair.  As you can surely imagine, we don't want random strangers showing up for our exposed exploits.....

Like this.... but without the clothes.

Therefore, if you'd LIKE to be invited just shoot me an e-mail with your mailing address.  I'll be sending out paper invitations (remember those?) soon.  The invitation will contain all the pertinent info that needs to be kept on the down-low, however, here are a few details I don't mind sharing on the interwebs....

• Bedrooms in the main cabin will be reserved for gals with little lads and lasses.  Everyone else can camp out on the lawn, on the porch, or around the campfire.  Since there are only 5 bedrooms you'll need to let me know ASAP whether you'll be bringing a little 'un, as the rooms may or may not fill up fast.
• Bring hiking attire: We'll be plunging into a few mountain lakes and back woods waterfalls that will require a bit of a trek.  
• Kelsie and I will be putting together a menu for the weekend and will ask that everyone contribute something.  Be looking for more info on how to sign up for food in the coming weeks. 
• Come prepared for a night out.  We'll likely have dinner at the Mercantile on Saturday evening and then make our way to the Dirty Shame Saloon afterwards for dancing.  This is another reason I'll need to know if you're bringing kiddos, as I MAY be able to get a babysitter to stay at the house while we go out and act irresponsibly! 
• If you play an instrument, bring the sucker!

Please RSVP by July 1 so that we can plan accordingly!

The Inspiration

Some of the most important moments in my short life story can be earmarked with a skinny dip.  The day I realized I'd found a best friend: we skinny dipped in the river on a warm June afternoon.  The day my heart fluttered for my future husband: we swam under the stars on a warm summer night.  The day before I married the man: I jumped into the cool waters with at least a dozen cousins.  The evening I realized my mom was young at heart still: we dunked our bodies into cleansing cool waters and giggled like young girls when we came up for air.  The months before the birth of my son: I floated, light as a feather for the first time in months, in the salty waters of St. Lucia.  The months before the birth of my beautiful daughter:  I ran across the air strip and plunged in the cool Montana mountain waters, big belly gleaming in the sun.

And it is becoming a tradition:  on a yearly basis when all the family members migrate from across the country for our annual family reunion, we girls- knowing full well the importance of a dip with dear women- brave the cold waters and never regret it.  It stirs the blood inside of us and amplifies any joy that comes from sharing a beer around a campfire or stomping our feet across the dance floor at the Dirty Shame Saloon.

Gals need a dip from time to time.  They're cleansing in more ways than one.  

Yaak

The Beauty of the Dip