Happy Birthday(s) Mom and Dad

Mom's birthday was November 3rd, and Dad's birthday was November 5th. Here they are on their wedding day,



And here they are a couple of years ago (I think this photo is from 2008).


Love you both. Mom I miss you so much. Dad, I love how wonderful you are with the kids, and I know Mom can see what a great Grandpa you are being to them.

XOXO

Allison

Pumpkin Picking with Grandpa in Maine

We visited with my Dad and my sister Amy in Maine last weekend. Dad had grown some pumpkins for the kids, and took them out in the garden to harvest them.


It was a sweet moment for me. I remember as a child Dad growing pumpkins for Amy and I; he would put a mason jar with water next to the pumpkins, cut a slit in the shell and run a piece of cheesecloth from the slit in the pumpkin to the water in the jar. Somehow this would make the pumpkins grow larger.

I love the look on James' face in this photo:


He gave Ella a smaller "pupin" as she calls them; she carried it around the yard all afternoon!


Here's a shot of Dad and Ella that I fooled around with in Photoshop--I think that the hazy quality really captures my nostalgic feelings while I look at it.


The foliage was amazing--Autumn is definitely my favorite time of year! Happy pumpkin picking!

A Joyful Sadness

Wow. I had a feeling that this Christmas was going to be really great AND really hard, but I don't think I was prepared for how it is making me feel so joyful and yet so sad at the same time.


Today while Ella napped, James and I trimmed the tree that he and his Dad cut down yesterday. It is a sweet little tree--not really fat or tall--just a little unusual in that it has a lot of long branches as well as short. Meaning, that there were a lot of really great little nesting places for special ornaments.

I knew it was going to be a fun season this year--James is old enough to understand who Santa is, and yet young enough not to question how he actually can get down the chimney. Watching him pick and choose ornaments and their placement was so great.


But--this being the first Christmas without my mother, I am so sad. Sad for myself, my Dad, my sister, my Grandfather, my children, and for Mom. I heard a Gene Autry tune, "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" yesterday and nearly fell to my knees choking with an abrupt stab in my heart. She LOVED that song--I am pretty sure that we had a tape of just Gene Autry Christmas Carols.

I just have to keep telling myself, and believing that she hasn't missed a beat of the holiday so far. I mean, how could she miss these moments? The little hands working so hard to hand the precious ornaments; the little hands clutching the snow globe that she and Dad put together for him with a picture of him and his Dad in it; the little hands cutting out trees and snowmen with the vintage cookie cutters that she gave us . . . those moments keep happening every minute. She is everywhere I turn, every box I open, every carol I hum.


And yet--there is so much joy counterbalancing all that sadness. I spent way too much time trying to snap that perfect photo of James and Ella for our Christmas cards. I was laughing, remembering the struggle that my sister Amy and I went through last year for the holiday card.

When Ella woke from her nap today, and James and I had finished the tree, I brought her downstairs and set her down in front of it and the look in her eyes was awesome in the true meaning of the word. I mean, she saw the tree, REALLY SAW IT. The light coming from the old bubble lights that Dad gave us lit up her face, made her eyes sparkle, and my heart was bursting wide open with love, love, love.


So joyful our hearts will be this Christmas--sharing, loving, remembering, smiling, living. Each little moment captured forever on the film of our minds. The image of my son, standing in front of the tree and filled with so much little boy pride. Another amazing sight to see.


It will be a difficult holiday, for sure. But there are so many blessings, all around us, everywhere we turn. So much to be grateful for. So much to smile about. So much to BELIEVE IN. The power of Christmas, the joy of Christmas, the love of Christmas.

Many Happy Returns of the Day

Dear Dad,

When I was a child
you always encouraged me to
use my imagination,
explore nature,
voice my opinion,
and be myself.

I watch you with my grandchildren and I see you
passing along the same lessons, and it makes me smile.

Happy Birthday.

XOXO, Allison

Friday Vintage Finds

Many of you know that my parents have had an antique store, Pollyanna's Antiques in Maine and an Ebay store since the mid 90's. My Dad was the major treasure hunter, my Mom took care of manning the store and running the Ebay auctions. Together they had more than 6,000 positive feedbacks on Ebay since their virtual shop opened.

A vintage paper doll with handmade outfits

Since my Mom passed away in February, my Dad has become the full-time proprietor of Pollyanna's. In February I don't think he would have even known how to turn on a computer, now he is running 50+ auctions a week on Ebay.

In late February my sister, my Uncle Ron and I all took a part in teaching Dad how to use the computer. At first he would take the item photos and write up the auction descriptions, my sister would e-mail them to me, and I would run the auctions. Now Dad has advanced so far that he has purchased a digital scale and is printing out postage at the house. He can navigate through Ebay better than I can. I am very, very proud of him.

A gorgeous vintage tied summer quilt

I have always admired my parent's love of vintage and turn of the century items--a visit to their house was never complete without a show-and-tell of their most recent and precious finds. Two years ago, my Dad sent me off to Antiques Roadshow with a veritable treasure trove of items. "You will DEFINITELY get on the show with any one of these antiques" I remember him telling me. He was right. Want to check me out on the show? Click here.

A Fourth of July parade hat from the turn of the century

I know that a number of you have a real appreciation for vintage items. I think I will try to post on Fridays things from Dad's shop that you may appreciate seeing. If you look on my sidebar, you can see a link for Pollyanna's, just click and it will take you straight to his current auctions. Or, you can click here.

A 1920s advertising sign

I am sure that if my Mom were still alive, things would be purring along as they always had. Dad would still be out "picking" as he called it, Mom would be called upon to get a first peek at estate sales in Bath, they would both be falling in love with little finds that they could not bear to sell, and instead would set aside to pass on to my sister and I. Every holiday would be and still is a surprise. I receive Victorian glass art pieces, Chris gets vintage license plates, and the kids get sweet vintage books and dolls.

Farmer's Almanac from 1958

I guess with Father's Day on my mind, I wanted to pay a little tribute to my Dad. Happy Father's Day, Dad. I hope you have enjoyed seeing some of his little treasures.

Needlecraft Magazine, 1929

I am headed to Maine tomorrow with my little family to see him, so I won't be back until Monday. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!