Thursday, December 30, 2010

Christmas house #3.



We all spent Christmas eve at my sister Spring's house.  I don't know if anyone reads the blog CJane Enjoy It,  but she always refers to her home as "Retro House."  Well, Spring lives in the same neighborhood as CJane, so their house is our own family's Retro House. 

My parents (who have been in the business of remodeling houses for over 40 years) were even a little bit worried when Spring and her husband Nate first purchased the house.  It was definitely a major fixer-upper and my parents were nervous for  them to take on the monumental task of getting it family friendly, with six young children at home. But Spring and Nate are both hard workers and had a vision ... and they saw it through. Their style is kind of funky/cool and we all loved seeing it at Christmastime.

Spring made one of those fabulous mercury ornament wreaths too:




Nate and at least some of the kids always go and chop down a real tree:





Spring has lots of Christmas vintage items in her front entryway:




I LOVE this garland in her kitchen:






She has a tree in every child's bedroom: 






Her little daughter, Anna, even got her gnome's tree house ready for the season!





We are one of those family's who decided early on that we would have an ON year, and then an OFF year for the holidays instead of spliting the day up - so whenever it is an ON year for our family and we are all together for Christmas, we always go caroling on Christmas eve and we always sing The First Noel.  We've gotten pretty good at it too.  We are a REALLY large group so we have lots of voices singing all four parts.  The best part about it is when the door first opens up ... it is always quite a surprise for the recipients.  You don't see too many carolers out and about in the neighborhood anymore.











One of the cutest things I saw that night was Finn spotting his friend through the window:




It was absolutely adorable.



11 comments:

  1. love love love! i never saw baby t's tree. so cutie! and i hadn't noticed the santa's in the window seal above the live tree when i went but, i saw them in your picture. so fun! i miss christmas already!

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  2. K, just got a little teary eyed! What a sweet post! I'm with buggy, I'm already missing Christmas (even though I'm sitting in the midst of a wintery candy wonderland as I type this). Springs house looks fantastic! Your photography really does make us look good P Dove. And youre so nice to blog about us! Looking at these pictures makes me happy...which is what your blog is all about huh :)

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  3. Hello,
    This is what it's all about. Making sweet memories!
    Happy New Year!

    Claudia

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  4. SOO cutie peeps. gosh, i love these houses!!

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  5. I have been looking and looking over these last three posts..WOW..this all ought to be in a magazine! Everything in each one is so very beautiful..I want to come and see it all. I miss some of your post and I don't mean to, you need a follower thing on your side bar so I can keep better track of you! Have a very happy new year ;D

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  6. the best pic is of my finn boy...love it.
    thanks peeps!

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  7. SO ADORABLE...ONE AND ALL!!!!!!
    LOVE THAT THE FAM GOT IN SOME, TOO!
    I HAVE TO COME THERE ONE CHRISTMAS TO SEE ALL THESE CUTE HOUSES IN PERSON! YOU GIRLS ARE ALL TOO DARLING AND TALENTED!!!! WISH YOU ALL SHOWED UP CAROLING AT MY DOOR! I WOULD HAVE MADE YOU SOME HOT CHOCOLATE TO WARM YOUR FREEZING FINGERS! SO NEXT YEAR...YOU ALL COME HERE TO SING! DEAL? =0)

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  8. Thanks, Polly, for the FABULOUS blog!
    Love your "happy little things"!
    Great photography!
    Love to see ALL the fancy houses!
    Can't wait to see what makes you happy in 2011!
    Julie

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  9. how fun!! what a cute house she has :) and i love that you guys go caroling all together! i haven't done that for a long time. i'm sure it made all those neighbors very happy :)

    so i have been a horrible blog reader in general...but i am getting back into it! :) haha. and i've realized how much i've missed reading all your posts! so expect more comments from me again.

    and thank you so much for always leaving cute comments on mine :)

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  10. happy new year dear polly. i am loving all the christmas beauty i have found here but i will tell you although they are all lovely your home was my very favorite. so beautiful- i love the branch hanging, i wanted to do that this year but ran out of time!!!!! thanks for the goodness that you share- you are darling!

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  11. Happy new Year!!!
    There are so many thing that I want to say about this post-
    First of all- you have a great family!
    Secondly- Gorgeous Home! Your sister has A LOT of energy!
    Third- I love the Delight on the faces of the people you are caroling for. Priceless.
    Fourth- please tell your parents that I LOVE the names that they picked out for their girls!
    Fifth- Finn-Cute!
    Sixth, and last- I wanted to tell you how much I have enjoyed and appreciated our blog friendship. You are a Delight!!!

    I hope that your new years is full of Fun and Goodness!!!
    Love & Prayers,
    Joyce

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