Well, we've been blanketed with white stuff since Sunday now. I got to Sean's late Saturday night and we'd planned to meet Gramma and Dad to go get trees on Sunday morning. Instead we woke up to a phone call from my dad telling us that we needed to look outside. Winter had officially arrived. So after watching the news, and talking to dad, we decided that coming into Gramma's wasn't the best idea. Instead we went to the store and picked up some food for later in the day and spent the whole day just layin around watching tv, cooking and baking. When we found out that Sean didn't have to work the next day we decided that we could sleep in. We got up late monday and decided to go into Portland. Though I'm not quite sure if we are sane. It was
very cold down there. Though I'm pretty sure we both had a good time.
This morning I got up and went with my dad to get trees for Gramma, Papa & Brandon. We went into Newburg and met up with uncle Mickey to get them. It was kinda nice to be able to spend some time just dad and me. On our way home we had to stop by his house to pick up some stuff and while we were there we took a break to play with the boys and build this amazing snowman. I know the picture's kinda blurry, but we had a blast. I was just going to make a mini one, really thinking that Wyatt would just start playing the the snowball thinking it was a ball he could heard. Then dad came out and started making the base. Once we got it all put together dad found some wood for the arms and I got out the spray paint to give him some eyes, buttons, a scarf and a mouth. We called it a day after that and headed on to grammas.
It's really nice to be back home and spending some quality time with gramma. It started Tuesday when I finally made it down from Sean's in Vancouver. We spent some time shopping and getting all of the "last minute" things we needed to get. Most of which wouldn't feel so last minute if it weren't for the peculiar weather we've been having. We've braved the weather a couple of times now.
Tomorrow we're gonna get the tree set up, and decorated. Hopefully I'll get some stuff wrapped and maybe even get a package ready to be mailed east to mom's.
Though I just left Vancouver on Tuesday morning I can't wait to get back up there. It's nice being able to spend more than just one day at a time with Sean. Especially since I know that winter term is just around the corner and will lead to very busy schedules for both of us.
With all that's happened in the last year there was never a doubt that we'd be pulling double duty at the cemetery this year. Dad and I picked up the two extra trees when we went into Newburg. He got both of them put up in the horrible weather and even got the decorations and lights on Brandon's. Yes, lights. Every year my 
dad goes up and puts the three up and brings along one small strand of lights and a heavy duty extension cord. He plugs it in to the box on the pole right at the bottom of the hill. We're not the only family who does this either. There's always at least one other, sometimes two that plug in lights for a loved one. Brandon's tree has a hodgepodge of ornaments gathered over the years. Even one that his little sister donated who knows how many years ago, though my ornament really doesn't look the same as it once did.
The new tradition really falls with Papa's tree. It's been exactly one year and we're doing ok. I'll honestly say that more tears have been shed today, and in the past few weeks. We went up to the cemetery as soon as we saw that the sun was out. While Gramma was putting some garland up I decided to draw in the snow. It's not as easy as it looks and my hands were frozen from holding myself up. It was worth it though. This of course was after I was throwing snowballs at his headstone. (He would have found it amusing, though I would have had snow all down my back as a result.)
After we got all of the ornaments on the tree I went back to my car (which had Christmas music blaring) to get my camera. I snapped this shot as I was closing the door. (She doesn't know I took it) While she's unaware of the picture, I think it's beautiful. She'd stepped back to get a better look at the tree. It was important to us that there be a tree up there this year, even though I feel that he'll be here in the house with us during Christmas. 
The last picture is a closeup of the finished tree. It turned out really nice and even has his favorite ornaments from the tree in the house. It's still strange to think that he's not here with us, and I still reach for the phone to call him. I even still get angry when I need a question answered and the one person who seemed to have all the answers in the world is the one person who can no longer answer me. I miss him, we miss him, but we're strong and we're making it. 
