Well, hello...

It's been a while.  Life got busy and I just didn't have the time to sit down and write on this blog.  Lame excuse, I know, but there it is. 

So much has changed here.  Two of our kids are out and on their own, Anne is living in Austin and working as a hairstylist, David is in the Navy and in submariner school.  Sara attends a day program that she loves and Hunter, the baby, started college at 16 after homeschooling for six years.  I've worked, stayed home, worked and am now home again.   Travis and I started our fitness journey a year and a half ago and together have lost over one hundred pounds.  We are in the gym daily and at 50 years old have never felt better. 

We are still in our tiny Tudor and just celebrated our five year house anniversary.  This is probably the longest we have stayed in one place, and with the housing market in our area the way it is, we will probably stay put for a very long time! 

I don't know why I felt the need to pop in and update here.  I guess I just miss the format of blogging and the friends I had here.  I'm still over on IG @thetinytudor for anyone who wants to follow my daily adventures. 

Tricia

Insta-blogger...

These days you are more likely to find me over on Instagram as the tiny tudor rather than here on the blog.   You can follow along on IG as I decorate, homeschool and cook for my little family and occasionally post pictures of our two spoiled doxies.

This & that...

Hello.  This little blog has been so ignored lately.  These days it's so much easier for me to quick click on IG and go about my day.  Time to sit and blog regularly is not fitting into my very busy schedule of working part time, homeschooling full time and taking care of our home.

Last month we visited NJ and NYC and had so much fun.  The weather was unseasonably warm- so light jackets were all we needed.  Spending time with family and friends was the perfect way to kick off the holidays.

Millie...

Hunter and Millie...

At my neice's house...

My sister's dog, Millie...

Subway...

St.Patricks Cathedral...

Central Park...

at the 9/11 museum...

We found great Aunt Clara's stone in the pauper's section...

I'd never been to see my grandfather's headstone...

he rests in a beautiful Jewish cemetery...

We toured the Eldridge St. Shul...

At my sister and brother in law's garden center...

Best book I've read in such a long time!

Vintage sale find...

at the 9/11 memorial...

Another vintage sale find...

My best friend's mom always makes pizelles when I come up to visit...

We came home and put the tree up...

It's nice to finally getting to do the traveling we planned on when making our move to downsize...

Everything old...

My love of vintage things came from my dad.  As a kid I loved to listen to my dad tell me stories about New York City in the 1930's and 40's, the places he and his brothers used to explore and the crazy things they used to do that we would never let our children do today.  Things like riding the subways and jumping on to the back of trolly cars, stealing pies from the pie shops and selling fake raffle tickets to earn a little cash.  My dad was a scrappy little hooligan, but with a heart of gold.  

Dad loves to hold on to things, so I was surprised when he called me up saying that he wanted to sell some of his fishing reels.  These reels were still in the original boxes, most never used, and were made in the 1940's.  The biggest of the reels was a Penn 16/0 Senator reel.  It was the same sized one that was used in the movie Jaws.  I've never seen a reel that size!

To sell it I had to take all of the line off the spool.  One and a half miles worth of string- not even exaggerating...

My boss is renovating her mother's townhome and this lovely piece was sitting on the back porch.  It is a hard wood and from Oklahoma vintage 1890's.  When she asked if I'd like to have it I jumped at the chance.  It now sits on our little back atrium patio and holds all of my gardening supplies.  I adore this little piece...

As I get older I think more about the things I am thankful that my parents passed on to me.  I love that I have such a deep appreciaton for the beauty of old things and that these pieces are used to create this little home that means so much to us. 

Parrot Uncle Lighting...

A while back I was contacted by a lighting company, Parrot Uncle, to try out one of their lights.  I visited their website and found a wall light that I loved the look of.  A bit retro- and kind of Steampunk-ish...

Our little atrium area had a wall light since it was outside what was originally the back door of the townhouse.  I had put a light up just as a "placeholder" of sorts until I found one I really liked.   We bought an Edison bulb to use in it and I love the soft glow it puts off in the room...

Parrot Uncle also carries lovely awesome wooden pendants as well as Parrot Uncle modern floor lamps.  I love the wood pendant lights and if I'd had a need for one I would have chosen this....

Travis was great about putting our new light up and we love how it looks in our little atrium area...

If you are looking for affordable decorative lighting, Parrot Uncle has so many beautiful lights to chose from.

*this post was sponsored and I received the light as reimbursement for my time, however- all opinions of the product are my own.