Back From a Blogging Break

It was bound to happen. I've been posting consistently for almost seven years. 

Like so many of the bloggers I follow, I want to keep a record of all the amazing places we see, the wonderful friends and family we visit, the inspiring experiences we share. I've kept a journal since I was in elementary school, and this blog has taken the place of those journals. 

But I really needed a break. Not in a I-just-can't-make-myself-write-another-word way, but more of a step-away-and-take-it-off-my-things-to-do-list way. 

I'm glad I did it, but it's crazy how guilty I was feeling! Lots of wonderful and exciting things were happening and I was failing to post them. Failing! 

I had to get over myself :-))

Thanksgiving was fun in SoCal with the kids and grands - and our brand new grand-daughter! Reese Lynn Gravel. She's teeny tiny and so very sweet.

Ezra and parents were at his other grandparents, and Richie got snowed in (seriously the biggest storm in years hit on Thanksgiving morning), but the rest of us gathered at Nick and Jillian's for a delightful family holiday meal. Fun to spend time with Maximus and Mason who are getting so big so fast!

Mason and Maximus

Maximus loves taking Tessa for a walk. She thinks it's pretty great too!

Aunt Christie dancing with the boys - lots of giggles :-))

Ezra spends a lot of time with us when we're in town, with this trip's highlights being a hike on a cold afternoon and seeing Frozen II.  

It's a stunning movie, go see it if you haven't already.

Singing me Christmas songs.

Explaining that what we're hearing is definitely a woodpecker. I'm sure he's right.

With a base house now, it's time to gather our few items from storage and from our friend Michelle. It will be fun to unpack the two antique trunks and see what we saved!

Tessa getting lots of love from Michelle and Sarah.

With the large trunk in the Jeep, everything else squeezes in the dinette.

A couple last visits with our grands and we're off to Tombstone again. It's an easier leaving knowing we'll see some of them for Christmas and then be back here the first week of January.

New daddy Travis with baby Reese.

Jillian and Mason

Maximus hooking his dad, Nick.

Getting back to the house means jumping in to the kitchen remodeling. Walls come down and a new one goes up. Dry wall, electrical upgrades, appliances, paint, new shelves - it's very busy every day!

Sorting through the treasures we saved. The last pic with the groovy swag lamp overhead.

Old photos like this one of three-year-old me with my mom.

Josh taking down paneling and trim.

No more pantry and coat closet. 

We immediately love having the open space!

The new floor in place of the carpet in both the dining room and kitchen (will never understand that) makes a huge difference!

With the refrigerator moved where the coat closet was, the stove can now move into this corner, and new shelves and counter can be installed. We also move the island closer to the sink.

I take one day to make a Tucson trip for some Christmas shopping and the inevitable standing in lines. But I also get a massage so it's a good day!

Moving the stove meant having to build a shelf to support the new microwave (it looks huge but is no bigger on the inside).

In the middle of all the planned work our tub faucet started dripping - vigorously! Our crew got it fixed in a couple days, having to open up the wall in the second bedroom to install valves, and cut a large hole in the shower wall to replace the very old faucet. It now works great and looks so much better. I'll have to get a pic!

Definitely feels more like Christmas! 

During all the demo and construction we're also preparing to have Ezra and his parents and uncle here for Christmas! We're fortunate our crew gets Phase One done on time, and on December 20 we're ready to pick them up in Phoenix for a family holiday.

It's a very cold and very wonderful time, something to share in the next post.

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2020!