The $2,000 Gate and Fence

Our gate finally was installed! We hemmed and hawed over this baby, but finally dropped a ton (literally!) of money to put a new gate on the side of the house. This gate is out further than the former gate, and we changed the fenceline on the southwest corner there. The trailer will be secure behind it! Now for the last west side of the property and the brown fence that is on its last leg...

And just to keep it real, what the transition into Christmas REALLY looks like at our house:

 

January Wind, Woodworking Projects, and School Excellence

Long Nessa fur...and Jeff's closet project for Grace's room!

We found a Beef Barley soup recipe that we really loved.   And I still couldn't take down the tree...

I love switching out the kids' school pictures each year...aren't these sweet progressions?

Kaitlyn and Luis and Matthias got their ornament and Grace got some sweet school work recognition.

The WIND blew...this tree fell across the road, making my work commute a little longer...and Nessa's fur in the wind CRACKED US UP.

Phil Adventures and Grace into her NEW ROOM!

Grace made a Christmas Movie goal this year and she is taking it very seriously.  Mom came up for her first-monday-in-December appointment/shopping day, and SHE BROUGHT ME THE WILLOW TREE NATIVITY!!!  A high school friend gave this to her recently, as a thank you for her friendship, and she already had one, so she gave it to me! I LOVE IT!!!
 

Mid-November Highlights

Katie and I snuck down to the farm on a Monday in November to help Mom and Dad put the deck furniture away.  It was nice to sneak down there...

We had more snow on Nov 10...and when I went to help Maisy in the middle of the day I found the moose toy DESTROYED in her crate.  I got to use the Morrows' CENTRAL VAC!  Super sweet.

Veteran's Day was on a Wednesday this year, and we thanked our favorite veteran, Randy!  We stayed and visited a bit on the porch...it meant a lot to him and Jeff and I were happy to have our kids experience this.

Grace made some pumpkin cake!  And Micah got an early birthday present from G'ma Colleen--she recovered the desk chair for his room!

The pillow was an extra bonus.  "I bet she ordered extra fabric on purpose," Micah thought.  Because that seemed just like something G'ma Colleen would do for him.  :)

Still adding little touches...there was an ugly mirror closet door here, and Colleen hemmed this curtain for me to use instead. LOVE IT.

Haha.  The memes going around these days...

More on the basement--flooring, appliances, painted walls!

We really like the gray!  Grace wasn't sure she'd like it, as she was thinking she'd move into this room, but she ended up loving it!

The tidy birthday table is set...but everything was moved to the island bar, so...meh.

 And this year I decided that it made me happy to have my Good Earth Tea bags out as decoration in the kitchen.  Yep.  Happiness is...