Abigail's 1st, & New Deck

We've enjoyed having family out here quite a bit recently. A couple weeks ago, Melis's folks came for a visit, and this past weekend my parents came. However, we made them earn their room & board here. We'd wanted to replace our old deck with a new composite one, so we jumped at the chance to use them as slave labor. The picture below doesn't do justice to the number of slivers, rotten boards, and holes that awaited the brave soul that ventured out on to it.

I obviously didn't quite do all my homework, because when we ripped out the stairs, there wasn't a frame at all. So the job got bigger. Jobs like this always have a way of doing that. But Dad provided the brains for framing the stairs, and now they're so solid you could launch a rocket from there without them budging!
Steve provided the braun of the demolition operation.
Mom provided the nourishment for the baby.
Abee provided. . .well she tried to provide some pictures. . .but had a bit of a hard time figuring out how to make this camera work.
Matty provided comic relief. . .and licks. . .and someone to throw the ball to. Just what a good pup is supposed to do.
On Sunday, Abigail turned one!!! Happy birthday daughter!!!
She actually decided it was time to take her first steps the day before her first b-day, and ventured out far enough once to take 11 steps in a row! But she really hasn't done many since.
We teased her about eating cake like a 'girl' - she was a little hesitant at first, but finally got the idea that the point of eating cake on your first birthday is to get more on your face than in your mouth.
Enjoying a new toy. She loves the sirens! Just like Grandpa's cop car!
The deck project took a solid three days to finish. We were hoping to get it done in two, but the stairs were more than we bargained for. On Sunday, after church & the birthday celebration, it started pouring right as we went outside to start working. But a little rain isn't going to stop this Northwest girl!
Good job team!Nothin' quite like a kiddo sleeping on your shoulder.
We actually don't have any pics of the completed deck. . .and there's actually a few loose ends to tie up before it's 100% done, but it sure will be nice for many years (decades?) to come! Thanks so much for all your back-breaking, knuckle-busting, shin-jacking, finger-smashing help!!! It was great to see you. Abee misses you already.