Day 3 to the end: A cabin in the Mountains

We retired to the "Burton Vacation Residence," as we called in an invitation we sent out for Havalah and Brigg's baby shower, on Thursday night.  It was a cabin up the canyon from Sundance, but not quite to Aspen Grove.  I say it was a cabin, but only in the fact that it was in the mountains and that it was built with logs.  Other than that, it was the deluxe treatment. For family that had been raised on smaller fare, tents, and whatever extended family was in the area we were passing through, this was definitely an up-grade. 

In the shadow of Mt. Timpanogos, we had a stream just down the hill out the back door, caught deer wondering through the yard, and had plenty of space with multiple family rooms and six bedrooms (and a kitchen twice the size of our own front room at home).  And cell service was better than at home (more bars, if you know what i mean).

But I ramble.  Yes, the accomadations were good, but the company was better, the food plentiful, and the conversation interesting and almost unending.  Each night a different took the conch to make a meal, bringing variety, and Britt wowed everyone with a new flavor of home made ice cream each night (strawberry, vanilla, and peppermint). It was delicious, even if we did come home vowing that we would exercise extra hard to burn off the accrued calories.

Among the highlights of the week were hikes, walks to see horses, games, t-shirt dying (what reunion would be complete without t-shirts?), and conversation.  Our first hike was to Stewart Falls, a short hike up the canyon from Sundance.  As we started, Brigg kept telling everyone that the hike was perfect "because it is short, and has little elevation gain." Maybe...there certainly seemed to be a lot of ups and downs, though, and although Abby was a trooper, we ended up packing her on Daniel's shoulders because she kept stopping to play in the dirt. (She'd squat down, drag her finger through the dirt, then look up, displaying the finger, and stating matter-of-fact like: "Dirt!")  Coming back, we decided to try a different path, because a loop is so much more fun than back tracking, and before long, we had added an extra mile and a half to our four mile hike.  And Abby just kept trucking, despite the arrival--and departure--of naptime, the sun, a dearth of sufficient snacks, and dust.  She just kept walking (except when Daniel carried her).

A second hike was up to the caves, but since we didn't join the family on this one, we can't really comment except to say: "next time."

One of the highlights was the conversation.  Both Friday and Sunday night after the kids went down, we opted to talk instead of play games (though there certainly was a lot of game playing...especially Nerts, which I believe was eventually outlawed, though even Grandma Burton got into the act before they game was made anathema).  The conversation were enjoyable, stretching from topics diverse and controversial, and it was fun to have everyone participate in an educated and insightful way.  It was really the first time we'd all been together to talk since the last of Daniel's siblings (Sierra) got out of high school, and since David had come home from his mission.