Monday, December 17, 2012

Tradition

First off, here is AAWFAA all finished.

And All Was For an Appil by the Scarlet Letter
40ct R&R linen (can't remember what)
DMC fibers


As anyone will tell you who has stitched this piece, those letters were a right pain.

There is so much sadness in my heart for what happened in Newtown.  It made it all the more special when we were given an unexpected gift Sunday of a chance to revel in the company of one of our kids and to enjoy one of our time honored Christmas traditions together.  The girl child unexpectedly came home for the day so that we could go get our Christmas tree.  And here we had thought the two empty nesters would have to fend for themselves, and settle for a pre-cut tree at the local charity tree stand.  But no, our girl child came home!  And off we went!


Here's the tree we picked.  That's the father type on the ground there.  lol!  


The girl child was trying to take pictures of the little "flowers" or beginnings of pine cones on the tree.



We all took turns carrying the tree, but the girl child took the lion's share.  Treating the old folks right.  :D


At the baling shed.  Competing iPhones.  


Father type cutting off the stump.  Want to see our collection of stumps through the years?


Another tradition in our family.  (The girl child laid all the stumps out for display.) It became the tradition for the kids to decorate the stump from the bottom of the tree each year.  The girl child usually did the honors, until she wasn't home for the tree getting when the boy child took over.  When they were tiny, I just wrote the date.  lol!  They usually live on the mantel piece in a big pile.

The first one on the top left is from 1984.  It was the first tree stump from our first tree in the first home we owned.  The tree was taken from the top of the bushes of our house, the house we live in now.  We were (and are) friends with the lovely family who lived in our house back then.

And here is the tree all decorated.



The girl child is a perfectionist -- she made sure each ornament was in its right place to make a beautiful tree.

It was a wonderful day, ending with a  late take out dinner and then the girl child leaving for the train late in the evening.  The boy child was kept informed via text message and pictures.  

Thanks as always for stopping by and saying hi.  Have a wonderful week.

Make sure to give your kids extra hugs and tell them how much you love them.


66 comments:

Annie said...

The Sampler is perfect. Congrats on a beautiful finish.

Love the family tradition photos. Getting the tree, decorating it, the stump display and just the fact that you are one happy bunch is something we are all glad to see after the sadness.

Erica said...

Appel is beautiful! Congrats on a perfect finish!

Wonderful that your daughter came home!
Absolutely love the idea of decorating the stumps!

Miss Pants said...

Don't you just love a decorated tree! I love to sit in the dim room with the tree all lighted and sip coffee and enjoy!

I love your idea with the tree stumps! I may try that!!!

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

What a beautiful family tradition you have with getting the tree and the stump collection. FABULOUS! What happened is horrendous and it worries me a lot, as my Ellie is the age that he went after. Horrible. I pray for those little souls and their families left behind trying to pick up the pieces.

AIWAFAA is stunning Margaret, utterly and completely perfect! Congratulations!

Vickie said...

AIWAFAA is just wonderful Margaret.
I too have a heavy heart these days. We are praying.
What a fabulous tradition the stumps are.
I am so glad you had a fun time picking out the tree.♥

Jackie's Stitches said...

I love seeing your stumps! It's a wonderfully special family tradition.

Congrats on your big finish!

Katrina said...

What a fun tradition and I love the stumps!!!!!!! AAWFAA is just gorgeous, congrats on the finish.

Keeper of the Crowes said...

Oh, I'm so happy that your daughter came home. What lovely tradititons! The tree stump art is remarkable. Happy holidays, Margaret.
Linda

Leneslines said...

Congratulations on a very beautiful finish. It is fun to see how different samplers are. Your work gives me a wonderful insight into a new world. And I love the idea of collecting the stumps! Tree is gorgeous. Hope Mia isn't playing too much with the lower decorations:)

BrendaS said...

Congratulations on your finish Margaret! It looks beautiful.

Thanks for sharing pics of your family tradition -- nice pics and a gorgeous tree.

Have a good week.

Brenda in WI said...

You are all such a creative family. The stump collection is great. I would never have thought that. Also your pics are wonderful. Good pictures of daughter and father. Loving relationship - love seeing that.

Oh yes, beautiful sampler.

Brenda in WI

Rita said...

I love the sampler!

I'm so glad your DD spent some time with you...and love your tradition with the tree stumps.

Barb said...

Very sweet post Margaret. I love the tradition of keeping the stumps. I never thought of doing that and we've been cutting trees for years! And oh yes... beautiful finish!

Charlene ♥ NC said...

Your Appil is lovely!

The tree is big and beautiful, too! I love your tradition of the stump collection.

Merry Christmas!

Laurie in Iowa said...

Awww... thanks for sharing the wonderful photos of getting the perfect tree. Love the decorated tree... it's very festive at your home. What a wonderful tradition of keeping all the stumps of the trees from prior years.

AAWFAA is gorgeous. Congrats on your finish.

Cari said...

I love, love, love the pics of your sweet daughter with her Dad. Beautiful and heartwarming Margaret. Just what I needed to see and feel today.

I will agree with you 100% on those satin stitched letters. I wasn't happy with them at all. I think it's one thing to satin stitch evenly, or on embroidery, but to satin stitch on the linen was a huge pain. Nonetheless, it's a beautiful piece and I'm glad I was able to encourage you to finish it. You have encouraged and enabled me so many times !!

Hugs dear friend, Cari

Nicola said...

Dear Margaret

What a heart warming post. Your family's love for each other shines brightly through.

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.

HollyXSing said...

What a lovely family tradition!

I hope you have a wonderful blessed Christmas Season,

-Holly in VA

Patti-Rocky Mtn Stitcher said...

Applause applause I am so inspired to get mine going. Yours is just wonderful!And as you I grieve also. Hope you all have a great Christmas!

Myriam said...

Quelle belle journée pour vous trois!!! Et combien nous les aimons nos enfants!!!Bravo pour le sampler!!!
Bonne semaine et caresses à Mia!

Poussy Stitches My Love said...

Oh very beautiful your stitching Happy Christmas my friend !

bisous from FRANCE

Deborah said...

Your sampler is beautiful! I love the tree stump tradition. I never thought to do it. The picture of the Father type and his girl is a wonderful picture.

The Inspired Stitcher said...

Congrats on a great sampler finish! I love the idea of the stump tradition too. You are lucky to have such wonderful high ceilings too. I'm glad we weren't the only ones to just get the tree last weekend. LOL!

cucki said...

the sampler is so cute..i love it so much..it is so wonderful that your daughter came home..
i love the idea of decorating the stump.
hugs x

Marie Le Gouis said...

what a wonderfuk idea this collection of stumps ! I link to your blog on mine, hoping that my french readers use the opportunity to admire all your beautiful samplers.
Christmas time and family time is to cherish... Especially when sadness is around. And certainly the recent tragedy is impossible to forget

P.J. said...

What a special tradition! So glad you had a wonderful day with your daughter. Merry Christmas to you and yours. Life is terribly short cherish each moment.

Anne said...

Wow! Lovely post Margaret! Loove the Sampler and your satin stitching, although painful, is perfect! Really makes the letters pop!! How exciting to have your girl-child come home and help pick out the tree. I adore your tradition of keeping the stumps! That's truly wonderful!
Yes I am so sad about those children. I couldn't stop crying for them and their families. Hug all of our loved ones and keep them close.

Big hugs to you!!

woolwoman said...

Margaret this is such a sweet and special post. I love how you keep the wood cuts - how special each and every one of them must be - how sad when a long term tradition comes to an end. I'm glad you had a BIG surprise with your DD coming home. Your AAWFAA is wonderful ! That is a great SL sampler - I always think I am going to get it out and start it but I just never get around to it. Yes that school shooting was so horrific - just don't understand why people have to kill so many innocent children. I'm sure anguish was felt around the world. Hugs Mel

Jean said...

I have All for an Apil, in my pile to do.. I love the colors in it. Lovely tradition with the tree stubs. We have just a little small tree, went to it when the little ones came into our lives. Have blessed Holiday season with your family.

Mugwump Woolies said...

Great post, Margaret. Your sampler is beautiful...your family...even more so! Love the stump tradition...so fun!
My girl is full of tears and questions...such a sad, sad time for so many. I keep getting questions I have no answers for...
Have a good week, my friend,
Robyn

Roberta said...

OK just love the collection of tree stumps - oh so special!!! The tree is lovely, just love fresh live trees - we however have fake - due to 6 cats that like to climb the real!!! they do leave the fake alone - go figure.

Glad that your daughter came home to help with the tradition and yes, children need lots of hugs no matter what age!!

Mary said...

Margaret, you amaze me! AAWFAA is making its way to the top of my list, all because of the great piece you finished.

Thanks so much for sharing some of your fun family time too!! Love the stump tradition - wish we'd thought of that one years ago

Mindi said...

Congratulations on finishing AIWAFAA! Its always been a favorite of mine, and someday I'll get it stitched up.

Love the tree and the idea of saving the stump ends.

Dot said...

AAWFAA is beautiful but not nearly as beautiful as your daughter's surprise visit to keep up the family tradition. Even more so at this time. Priceless.

Gabi said...

Oh how wonderful that your beautiful daughter dropped in. And what a fun day you all had. Love all your pics. They show so much love. Such a nice tradition to keep the tree stumps and decorate them.

Love love love aawfaa. So gorgeous

Evelyne said...

The Sampler is perfect, so beautiful,
Margaret!
I love the idea of stumps!
I'm so happy that your daughter came home.
Happy holidays, for your family.

Kim said...

So sweet your daughter coming home for the tree tradition and I love the stumps!!! Oh yeah! The Sampler is wonderful, like all your handwork! HAPPY Holidays!!!

Melody said...

Margaret, Your tree is beautiful! I sometimes miss having a fresh cut tree, they smell so wonderful.

The stump tradition is cool. Also, your sampler finish is beautiful as always.

Merry Christmas, friend.

Cathy B said...

What a great tradition. I love your tree stump collection. Those are special memories!

Annie Beez said...

You have the cutest family and I love the stumps!

Liz said...

It was a sad, sad day, my eldest girl child and her little family leave on a big jet plane tonight bound for NYC..sigh, wish I was with them..! Fingers crossed for some snow over Christmas for these 'hot' christmas Aussies.. ;o)
Lizzie
xxx

Annette-California said...

Love your family tradition of saving all the tree stumps - Fantastic. Best gift was getting to see your daughter! Your family tree is beautiful Margaret!
Happy and Blessed Christmas - love Annette

Siobhán said...

I'm sitting here trying not to cry. What a nice post--I'm so glad that you got to hug your girl and enjoy the time with her, especially over this last weekend. Love the tree--and your big angel figure! I can't think of the name for that off the top of my head, but I love them.

Congratulations on another stunning finish!

Chris said...

That is just about the most perfect tree ever! Your daughter did a great job!
What a beautiful finish Margaret! I love it!
What's next??

Giovanna said...

Congrats on the great finish! I like the stump tradition, very neat :-)

Anonymous said...

This is how we've also reacted to the tragedy - holding our kids a little closer, saying 'I love you' more often ....

Your tree is wonderful and I am so glad that your delightful daughter surprised you. Your tradition of saving the stump and decorating it is so fun!

Dawn said...

Congrats on another stunning finish - WOW!
Yes, hugging the kids - as important as ever and good to have them around isn't it?
The tree is a beauty - both in the getting and in the admiring ;-)
Happy Holidays

Linda said...

Congrats on finishing the sampler Margaret. What a beautiful piece. I love your tree stump collection. What a great idea. How exciting that your daughter came home to cut down the tree.

Merry Christmas, Linda

Carol said...

What a lovely finish, Margaret--you "colored inside the lines" perfectly :) And your tree is incredible! I so wish we could get a real tree, but my middle son is very allergic to them so we have to settle for an artificial one. Really enjoyed seeing your stump collection, too--lots of special memories for sure!!

Deb said...

You made such fast work out of AAWFAA! I can't believe how quickly you stitched that. You made me pull it out and maybe sometime this year I'll get back to mine. I liked your idea of doing all the outlining first.

Great family tradition with the tree stumps and what you put on them! It's good that May May was able to make it home!

Melanie said...

Wonderful pics and a great tradition. You can see the happy-happy-happiness coming through those photos.

Can't believe you finished that so fast!! It's soooo much work. Love it!

Donna said...

I love that you saved cuttings from your tree stumps. That's enough to make me stop with the fake trees. Almost.

Natalia said...

What a great tradition, Margaret !!!! Awesome way to keep a memory of all those years. AAWFAA is beautiful !!! Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Catherine said...

Wonderful post, Margaret!! Congrats on your finish! What fun that your daughter made it home to help with the tree. I love the stump tradition you have!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

valerie said...

Congratulations on your sampler finish! It looks like such a fun stitch. Wonderful that the girl child could come visit to continue the christmas tree tradition. It looks beautiful! You all did a good job decorating it. And how cool to keep the trimmed stumps as a reminder of the tree/year! Merry Christmas Margaret!

ginnyt said...

lovely tree; Merry Christmas!!!

Loretta a/k/a Mrs. Pom said...

So lovely to have a peek inside your house! I see some of your cross stitch ornaments that we were both making in the 80's. I keep mine on a little feather tree. And oh! Your angel quilt over the opening into the living room. You inspired me with that pattern to make the same one for the raffle quilt in Fresno when I moved in 92. Just wonderful!

Krista said...

What a beautiful tree! It looks like such a fun day from all the pics. I love your idea of keeping a piece of the tree, what a great family memory!

marly said...

Lovely post Margaret. The stump collection is such a neat idea! I can't imagine doing the letters in that sampler ~ I had a hard time imagining all the outlining too! Amazing piece. Merry Christmas!

Brenda said...

Such beautiful stitching on your sampler!!!!

mdgtjulie said...

Grats on the finish Margaret. Do you even have room on your A & E wall to hang that baby??? And I'm so glad the girl child made it home for the holiday tradition of picking out the tree. It looks like a wonderful time was had by all! (It looks great decorated, btw. Fabulous job to the family.) Sorry I haven't been around in a while. I just went back to school, and I haven't had much time. I've missed all my blogger friends though!!! Have a happy Christmas. I'm sending love and hugs from Ohio!!

Patty C. said...

Merry Christmas

Hazel said...

Wow wow wow! Your sampler is perfect. It amazes me to see you get such big projects completed in so little time. Love your tree. What a great job your daughter did. I'm very impressed with husband too in going getting it!! My husband is Mr Misery at Christmas so I have to do most stuff on my own. He's been a bit better this year though. Merry Christmas to you. Xx

Karoline said...

AAWFAA is stunning, congratulations

Great photo's of your tree, glad to hear your DD couldn't miss it.

I hope that you & your family have a lovely Christmas

Brigitte said...

Congratulations! It's a wonderful finish.

Unknown said...

wonderfull tree!! and the sampler is very beautiful
happy new year
Pat