December Renovations

What do most people do in the month of December? Loads of baking? Shopping for presents? Visiting with friends? Bundling the kids up to go out to play in the snow?

We've been so blessed to do all these things. It's been busy and amazing and the crowning treat? THE SNOW! We live on the west coast so there isn't much snow here usually, so when we get it....YAY! We are thrilled in a way that only people who know it will barely last a couple of weeks can be.

So for those of you following along, we have one dog, two kittens, four kids and snow. What more could we possibly do? Well this....

Yes, more renovations! I admit it does seem kind of crazy because, well it's Christmas and we have company coming and it's snowing but in our defence it looked like this when the guys started:

....not exactly the middle of a heat wave but you will notice the lack of snow.
It's really been an unexpected gift because my brother-in-law offered his guys who are currently between jobs and this was the week they were available. Can you imagine how long this would have taken Kev?!
The guys have been out there for a week in the freezing cold and the outside is pretty much finished. This addition is to replace a deck that used to come off the girls room and was beyond repair. I'm pretty excited because it means that both kid's rooms both up and down will increase in size, AND the new bathroom for the girls is even framed in. The biggest concern was getting the roof up and tied into the old roof while a wind/rain storm went on around us and then...the snow. Kev worked outside until his thumbs were purple because he kept hammering them in the dark and got it done, just in time!
Here's a shot of what the side of the house looked like before the addition (look behind the girl in the loader. It was the only shot I could find)

But most of all I'm thankful to be living here despite the ongoing house and yard renovations. How can I put into words how I feel about my kids growing up with their cousins? This was/is my dream for them. When my mom and dad get here on Monday the picture will be complete. We'll all be together for the holidays. God is so good! I'm reminded every day in small ways that His blessings are all around us!