Steve finished the mailbox today and planted the 3 posts that will make handrail next to the steps in the yard. Tomorrow they are installing the actual handrails.

If you look farther back in the photo you can see Chris and Jeff putting in the decking boards. 

Those 4×4 posts at the front of the porch will be cut shorter and handrails will be added there as well.

We bought the recycled plastic decking boards for the porch. They will never warp or split or peel or require stain or painting. The main part of the porch is level with the threshold which makes going into or out of the door a lot easier. When you are 79 and use a walker this is important – but it’s also nice for able-bodied persons.

Honestly I don’t like the idea of mom going in and out of her front door because of all the stairs. But the new porch and the handrails will at least make it safer for her to go get the mail if she takes a notion to do that herself.

Today was also picture day at our house. Jeff hired a photographer (postponed from my 55 1/2-birthday party last July) to come and take family pictures. I cannot wait to see the photos! Between shots, while the kids were in picture-taking-mode, I pulled out my own camera and took some pictures…

They didn’t pose but it was fun to take some photos.

When the photo-taking was over Jeff helped me take down the tree and put up a lot of the Christmas stuff. I sort of miss it, but I my space seems bigger and I like that too. And Christmas will be here next year! Now our big kids are going out to dinner and we are babysitting the grandkids. Dinner, popcorn and a movie… sounds good to me!