Pre-Christmas

I finally began Christmas shopping over the weekend. I've never waited this long, but I've also never felt so Scrooge-like either. Springfield was nuts, but the boys were good as gold for Tammy and I as we navigated the mall for hours. I should have taken a photo of the 2 of us, each pushing a little boy in a rented mall racecar stroller. It's so much easier than bringing our own. 

 
 As I was wrapping presents last night, I thought it might be a good idea to do a little catching up before all the madness of the Christmas gatherings happens.

The boys saw Santa. 

Cooper had the typical 1 year old response. Absolute fear. He doesn't know who Santa is yet and can't communicate well enough to be convinced that he is a nice guy. 

Griffin handled it like a champ. He told Santa he wanted a "big bed". We have known this is what he wanted. He thinks his toddler bed is too small, and that is the reason he needs to fall asleep with us at night now. By "big bed", he is upgrading to the full size that his original crib will transform into. The problem is, it's hard for Santa to drop off a big bed on Christmas morning. We can't decide whether we are going to give it to him somehow on Christmas Eve from us, then something else from Santa in the morning........or, make up some elaborate story about how Santa gave us the mattress and we need just a couple hours to get it all put together. 

He really melted my heart yesterday. Grandpa Bill and I were sitting with him talking about the big bed that he asked Santa for. Needing some ideas, I asked him what other gifts he would like from Santa. He shrugged his shoulders and said "Whatever he brings me". 

We have our first celebration this evening with Drew's parents. The end of the week will be very busy. I'm looking forward to a solid weekend with Shasta and family! Hopefully, the weather will stay nice and we can really do some fun things with our children that are growing up too fast. 
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The city Christmas parade was last Saturday. Griffin was thrilled to get to ride in the fire truck again alongside his best buddy Chase. We waited with the Hensleys on Main St for the longest parade in history. 

there are our brothers!

 

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Finally, this year's Christmas card was quite a project. What do you do when you no longer have Duke around to be in the family photo and "sign" the inside of the card? Especially, when you still haven't had a non-crying day since his passing. The past 9 years of cards have had the exact same theme. I couldn't move on without some kind of closure, in hopes that next year I can turn a new leaf. So I created a sad, but fulfulling card to send out. It was fairly easy to gather all of the photos. Especially, since he provided me the perfect one for the back of the card the night BEFORE we said goodbye. Griffin and I were on the swing set and he came to sit in front of us and survey the land as he always did.

We drive by Duke's grave often, to talk to him and make ourselves feel better by thinking he can hear us. One night Griffin rolled his window down and yelled "Hi Bubba" followed by a long pause, then he turned back into the vehicle and said in the smallest voice, "I really miss Duke"........... we all do so much. 

Progress

The house is really taking shape. 

For as much research as I've done, it's crazy to think there is always a list of decisions that need made. 

Thank the Lord, winter hasn't really hit quite yet. It was almost 70 degrees this week. I hope they can get a roof on and everything closed up before the weather turns nasty.

As of December 12th: 

• all concrete completed except the front porch and back patio
• basement walls framed
• main level sub-floor down

I don't have as many progress photos as I'd like. We spend evenings looking at it in headlights and get our pics on the weekend. 

Back in late October, the beginnings of the basement:

November 8th - basement walls going up

Drew's special part of the basement

this is the storm shelter/Drew's bow range (that's the culvert that goes under the garage

November 29th

electricity built in - check 

view to the west

looking at the front of the house

looking to the south east

December 5th

garage pre-pour

walls in the basement

December 12th

front porch, shelter beneath

main level sub-floor with the stair well in the middle

freshly poured garage floor, view to the west

looking east

view to the south

garage sink in the floor

I have been trying so hard to get the kids' hand prints in the concrete of this house somewhere. It hasn't happened because the concrete is already too solid when we get home. How strange that there would be some extra concrete poured and smoothed out AND Duke would have wandered up to the new house AND just happened find that spot to leave paw prints in it during this process, then with what happened.......it is definitely one of those God things. I am so thankful for this.