Summer with the Dunns
Our best friends built their home years ago which seemed designed for togetherness and family closeness. It’s a duplex with a shared entrance leading to their home on the left and Rob’s parent’s home on the right. They are such friendly and good-natured people, there’s always someone over to visit.
Their home overlooks a park, and is on a hill against the mountains so there are beautiful views from all sides. The yard has a chicken coop, a garden with fruit trees and berry bushes, a trampoline and toys for the kids, tools and equipment for Rob’s businesses, and a few fun things like kayaks and a fishing boat.
The basement also has a full bathroom, main area, closed bedroom, and a walkout entrance so it would make a perfect rental unit they could charge good money for. Instead, they have opened it to visiting family, and let their homeless friends (us!) stay over the summer until our house is finished being built. That was such a big and generous gift to us. We helped them put in a second kitchen in the basement over the summer, which was the least we could do since we also used it daily.
Mixing up two households can potentially be a disaster, but we’ve lived together and in close proximity through many phases in our lives. Jer and Rob were roommates in college. We lived across the lawn or next door through much of Lily’s baby years starting with when Rob and Tori got married. We’ve shared spaces before and regularly come together, so it’s been effortless and very comfortable with the living situation. Our goal was to be considerate house guests, reliable babysitters, and to leave their home in better condition than when we arrived!
It’s very nice that we had our own area to rest in, and were also able to visit our friends upstairs freely. Every day we would play, eat together, do laundry, and also went next door to play with their neighbors the Winchesters. We went on hikes or out swimming, shared at-home birthday celebrations, went on date nights, attended church, picked berries, did daily morning exercise programs with protein shakes, and stayed up laughing with games or talking.
Our kids had so much fun helping collect eggs, being outside, playing computer games, crafting, dancing, creating with Magnet Tiles, eating frozen treats or summer lunches, reading, and having Tea Parties. I think it was neat for all of us to spend more time with Rob’s and Victoria’s folks, too, who we grew up with. We also enjoyed loving on the Dunn’s sweet baby!
I look at these photos and feel so much gratitude, warmth, and joy. Despite the pandemic it feels like a Golden Age for us enjoying one of our most treasured friendships and making such positive memories. I think having that close connection while we were vulnerable helped us get through the toughest times of 2020.
We’ll be forever grateful to the Dunns for being there for us and welcoming us into their home. WE LOVE YOU!!!
Always, Kat
