The Veranda

One of the best parts of this vacation was the slow pace. Often vacations are anything but relaxing, especially for the parents of small children. But the purpose of this vacation was just to hang out with Bradley's sister Michelle, her husband John, and their five children. (Add my five, and there were ten children altogether in that house this last weekend. Fortunately, it's a big house, so it never felt too crazy, except occasionally at mealtimes.) We had nothing scheduled, only vague plans to walk by the river, visit Mesa Verde, or go to their gravel pit. As a result, I came back from this vacation feeling less stressed than before. What a miracle!

One of my favorite parts about Michelle's house (along with the trees, the pond, the strawberry patch, the loft...okay, I love Michelle's house) is the veranda. (Or is it a balcony? I don't know the difference.) I spent a lot of time out there, cuddling or feeding my baby, watching my kids play on the lawn below, or listening to conference. The weather was unseasonably warm, meaning it got up to 75 degrees in the daytime. Perfect!

The veranda is on the middle floor of the house, so it overlooks the backyard. There are comfortable chairs, a dining table and chairs, and--this is Hebs' favorite part--a bridge that crosses over to a built-up picnic area. Zee and Em loved climbing up the huge rocks from the backyard to the picnic area.

Of course, half the fun are the views: Watching my nephews' elaborate game of trampoline basketball, spying on Bradley and the kids on the pond, or just soaking in the view of the La Plata mountain range, watching the storms roll in.


Definitely a place for a little R&R.