I am

How heavenly does that look? Can you believe this is located in Arizona? This is my parents' house sitting in the beautiful Hualapai Mountains (pronounced wall-ah-pie) in Northwest Arizona and it is one of my favorite places to escape to. We call it Three Sisters Lodge.

 When my family moved back to Arizona from Virginia, my parents had a hard time deciding where they wanted to live. They didn't have anything tying them to a certain place and while all their children were in Phoenix, it wasn't really where they wanted to live. They decided they would build their own little home up in the mountains outside of the town we lived in before moving, on a patch of land they had purchased a long time ago. Little did we know that it would turn into not only a favorite place our immediate family, but one of the best get aways for aunts, uncles and cousins.

My mom designed the whole house with family get-togethers in mind. We each have our own bedrooms and since she raised three girls, the bathroom is Jack and Jill style with two showers and toilets in separate rooms sharing one double sink area. This is perfect because the three girls can all being getting ready by the sink and mirror and Todd can still take a shower.

I seriously love this house. You get up in the mountain air and something in your just relaxes. All you can think about is sitting on the deck looking at deer, laying by the fireplace reading a book or siting by the fire pit outside and laughing with family. There are many times we don't even head down into town. The wild life up there is ridiculous; deer and elk are regular visitors.

They have a tendency to come right up to you and see if you have any tasty morsels you would like share. They also have a tendency to eat my mother's garden leading to Mama McLarty chasing them off with a hose!

I guess this is time I let in you in on a McLarty family secret...we are by today's family standards major weirdos. Why? Because my family goes beyond loving each other and actually likes each other; like we actually enjoying spending time together and call each other friends. This includes having impromptu jams sessions in the loft.

Bet you didn't know I played a mean bongo set and Todd was a pro on the tambourine. But really, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love my family to death even if people think we are little bit on the strange side.

I was telling my mom the other day how much Three Sisters Lodge just feels like home. It is funny because even though I have never lived there, I still have it listed as "home" in my cell phone. I know I have my own house that is home, but I think it just goes to really show that home is where your family heart is.

I am off this afternoon to lovely Three Sisters Lodge to enjoy some Arizona snow and some relaxation.

Enjoy your weekend,

Mrs.J