A Day In My Life

Christmas... (HEAVY on pictures)

 It is no secret that I have not felt well this season...and I gotta tell you I just didn't enjoy things as much as I usually do...and I might have had a melt down or two, or three...but all in all it was a nice holiday and I am looking forward to a New Year and a new slate.  This blog, tonight will be heavy on pictures...low on talk, so sit back and enjoy the Field's family Christmas.

First was the Field's Family get together...this is Scott's family and it is HUGE...Nate has been playing Santa for many years (since before he could read) and since none of the other cousins have been begging to do it Nate still gets to:

We had Christmas Eve Lasagna here at the house and had ten people join us in all... I tried out a new cake recipe Peppermint Candy Cake...this is the "inside of the cake" before it was frosted...it was pretty before frosting so I had to take a picture:)

and then after the frosting:

and the "party"

Every year on Christmas Eve the kids open open PJs from Mammie AND we always get a picture under the tree of them:)  It takes several shots to get a 'good" one...but here it is:

and ofcourse the "stockings were hung by the chimney with care": 

we wrote notes to Santa...and left cookies and cucumbers???? 

and then...well every year I read Twas The Night Before Chrsitmas  BUT since I have been coughing constantly and it is hard to talk the kids agreed to share the reading:

Christmas morning was spent opening gifts, and then the rest of the day?  Well, I slept in the recliner for most of it...watched a movie and slept some more;)  I received several great gifts but my two favorites were from the kids... Lauren got she and I tickets to go see the Moscow Ballet's Swan lake and THAT my dear friends is a dream come true!  Nate got me a sign that says "So,there's this boy, he stole my heart, he calls me MOM"...now THAT says it all.

Goodnight all...I am headed to relax, tomorrow we have Lauren's birthday party...

Dancingly, Denise 
 
  
   

Merry Christmas To All

and to all a Goodnight...

 we miss you Dad/Buppie...

Love to All Denise

A wish for PEACE...

John Lennon... Happy Christmas

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
Ans so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
Ans so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over over
If you want it
War is over
Now...

See you in a day or two, hold your loved ones CLOSE

Dancingly, Denise

Sometimes a Girl just needs her MOM...

Mom to the rescue.  I am still sick...I went back to the Drs today and my airways are just not opening like they should after all that medication.  Basically, I can't breathe...more medicine today and rest.  I have been curled up in my Dad's recliner all afternoon, dozing.  Like  most people I have way too much to do this time of year, to be curled up resting...but nonetheless it is time to take this seriously.  Mom has been laid off and she has given some of her free time to come out and help me...it's been great having her around...and sometimes that is just what a girl needs...is her mom...  By the way, one can seldom get a picture of my mom when she isn't sticking her tongue out...her mother was the same way and my brother Keith is the same...ODD

Last night was Nate's Christmas concert...he plays the trumpet in the band.  What a great holiday concert it was, all I had to do was sit there and relax:)  His Grammie and Mammie and Dad all came so he had quite an audience

and the other night we had just us four and Joe celebrate Lauren's birthday.  She requested tacos and coffee cake...and that is what she got! 

So, the Field's house is quite hectic with one more  weekend of the Nutcracker this weekend...Christmas...birthdays...etc.  I have bronchitis, Lauren has a cold, the cat is still peeing wherever she feels like it, Nate's track schedule and Pep band schedule are crazy...Oh and by the way, Lauren was sent home yesterday with LICE.  Yup...40 loads of laundry, hair washing, more laundry...UGH.  She works in the daycare at the school and one of the babies had it...UGH (Makes YOUR head itch just thinking about it doesn't it?).

Well, I am headed back to my dad's recliner, all is quiet here for now...

Dancingly, Denise  

Crazy Busy...and SICK...

I know I have been missing in action...I would like to think I will do better as this year comes to an end...but no promises!  I have bronchitis...feel generally lousy and am way to busy (like most people)...

I want to forewarn you this entry is heavy on pictures...so hang on and enjoy!

First, two weekends ago Mom joined Lauren and i for lauren's Nutcracker performance in Berlin, NH.  Mom and I had a relaxing ride down (Lauren was on the bus)...BUT the ride back was horrid!  First real storm of the year and boy were we caught in it.  Did I ever mention I don't drive in snow?  Mom suggested we get a room and spend the night, but I thought we should at least try it.  I was soooo glad when we arrived home 5.5 hours later and so was Lauren and Mom.  We took a couple of pictures after the show, Lauren came out in her Chinese costume:

She loves me:)

Nate's school pictures arrived...WE KNOW he needs a haircut, but he likes it that way and i TRY to pick my battles:)

This past Friday night I had my annual swap with my scrapbooking buddies...we did a CANDY swap this year...yummy!:

We always create some type of a book to put our recipes in each year.  This year Karen did it and absolutely outdid herself...it is using the Winter Woodland cricut cartridge and is shaped like a house...but alas, you will have to wait awhile for a picture of it:)  But here we are at the end of the party...belly's full...having had a chance to be creative...and we had candy to take home with us:

This past weekend brought us another whirlwind FIVE performances of the Nutcracker...AND Lauren's 18th birthday.  Though we are waiting to celebrate after the holidays...we did squeeze in a little celebrating on her day:)

Joey and his grandparents joined us, after the afternoon show, to have dinner and some birthday cake:

And after every weekend of Nutcracker i give Lauren a little something that is Nutcracker/dance related.  This is instead of flowers cuz our cats EAT the flowers:)  I made her a Fairy Jar...it is a picture of her when she is little and it is called "Maine's Sugar plum Fairy":

And then Sunday Grammie, Nate and Scott all came to Lauren's performance: (sorry about the red eyes...I will have to fix them later:)

And after the Nutcracker Scott and Nate scooted back for Nate's football banquet while Ruth and I stayed behind, waited for Lauren and went and had some dinner.  See what i mean about BUSY?  No pictures of the banquet as the camera battery went dead as Scott started to take some:(

BUT here is a nice picture of Nate...Dad and Bonnie gave him this Ukalele from Hawaii (over a year ago now) and he has been playing it non stop lately...sounds good too!

And in between all this I did get all fifteen special order fairy jars done!  i can't show most of them though as they are gifts for people that might read my blog...so after the holidays!
So folks...I need to go bake a cake and clean up around here as we celebrate tonight...

Take Care

Live, Love and Laugh

Denise 

Happy Birthday to my MUNCHKIN!

Close To You (Carpenters)

Why do birds suddenly appear
Every time you are near?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you

Why do stars fall down from the sky
Every time you walk by?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you

On the day that you were born
The angels got together
And decided to create a dream come true
So they sprinkled moon-dust
In your hair of gold
And starlight in your eyes of blue

That is why all the boys in town
Follow you all around
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you

Yes, it is unbelievable...18 years!  18 years ago yesterday I had the following conversation with Scott...I called him at work at the mill:

Me:  Scott, my water broke!

Scott: That damn car what's it gonna be next?

Me:  Uhm, no, SCOTT...MY water broke.

Scott:  oooooooo!  Geez...what do we do...should I come home? Are you ready to have the baby? (we didn't know she was a she yet)

Me:  Well, no...I need to wash the floor and do a bit of grocery shopping first.  (I was serious)  

 

Now I ask my self..."For WHOM were you going to wash the floors and buy groceries for...YOU were having a baby!!!  AS you can see we were definitly NEW at all this baby stuff!  After some difficult times and and emregancy C-section Lauren was born almost 48 hours later at 11:20 PM on THURSDAY the 12- NOT FRIDAY the 13! 

She is and always will be my first true love (sorry Scott:)  I have sand the song Close To You to her since she was born.  Up until a few years ago she would say "Mom what is that song you used to sing me" and I would break out in my best Carpenter voice...NOW?  Hmmmm she doesn't seem to ask me, strange huh?

Happy 18th Birthday my little Lauren!

Love Sumo Wrestler MOM

And so it begins...

We decorated the Christmas tree tonight...and now to find the money to buy gifts to put underneathe it...sigh...

This little ladder with the elf and Santa I have had forever...  the ladder was broken so Nate taped it up tonight...

And the ole toilet paper roll reindeer on the top...it's funny how tradition is so important.  Tonight Scott wanted Nate to put the tree topper up BEFORE we finished decorating so that in the pictures it was on the tree.  Nate almost had a "freak out" (fake one...but still)...there was no way that topper was going up till everything was done, including the Christmas stuffies UNDER the tree:)

This was also the first year that Nate or Lauren didn't either have to be hoisted up by their dad or stand on a chair to put up the topper:)

The "Oh My Word MOM you are NOT going to make us put those hats on and act like we like each other"  picture:)  Tormenting Teenagers...it's all in a mother's job description:)

Just took banana bread out of the oven and pumpkin choc. chip bars coming out soon!

Goodnight all

Dancingly, Denise

Special Order Fairy Jars

In order to be able to spend my holiday season enjoying life, I will only be accepting Special Order fairy Jar orders until this coming Monday December 7 at midnight (EST).  I will continue to accept special orders but they will not be guaranteed for Christmas.  So, seriously folks, if you were planning on having any of these for Christmas with a special picture in it now is the time:)  Right now I have 14 to finish up this week...THAT is exciting!

here are the guidelines again:As you can see I still have the sale price on them...that will stand until Monday at midnight also.

Now, special order can mean two things:

1.  You want me to pick a fairy out of all the ones I have, and place him/her in a "home" of your choosing...for instance; fall, beach, snow, etc.  You pick the jar size and style (if I have it) and we find a fairy that fits your needs.

2.  THIS IS THE MOST POPULAR "special order"...YOU share a photo with me of someone you know and I create the fairy jar.  You can still decide what type of setting, jar, price range...etc.  Now, the photo is what is tricky...

A. I need it in Jpeg form if you are emailing it. 

B. Regardless of email or hard copy it needs to be clear...I do use old pictures, but if they are fuzzy...you will have a fuzzy fairy:)

C.  THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT...the picture can not be just a headshot of the person.  Imagine a fairy in a jar with no body...CREEPY  LOL  At least a portion of the legs need to be in the picture...and preferably two arms:)  If the picture is not a full body shot I can generally make it look like they are sitting or kneeling...or deep in grass...BUT there des have to be some lower body.

D.  I can generally crop someone out of a picture if you only want the one person.

E.  I can usually put up to three little fairies in one jar (large size jar)

F.  Special orders are priced $10.00 over the amount of a regular jar price...HOWEVER for the month of November they will be priced ONLY $5.00 over the original price.  After that, we will be too close to Christmas (only 46 days right now till Christmas!)

G.  They all come with the Maine Forgotten fairy story on the jar...they are named (you choose the names) and they are numbered.

So pricing is as follows for NOVEMBER ONLY...and ONLY through me...not through the stores the fairies are in:

Extra Large  25.00 + 5.00

Large    20.00 + 5.00

Medium     16.00 + 5.00

Small     14.00 + 5.00

extra small 12.00 + 5.00

Lamps    30.00 + 5.00

Lanterns (2 in stock)  30.00 + 5.00

These prices do not reflect shipping, but I just sent out 8 fairies to a customers and shipping was 12.00...so shipping is not a huge amount.

These prices are only good until the end of the month...and also after the end of the month they may not be guaranteed for Christmas.  If you have questions or want to order  Fairies you can email me at MePURSEnalities@aol.com or contact me through the blog.  I will give out my phone number through email if you want to chat about the order:)

Thanks for all your support!

On BLOG writing...

Every time I pick up a new issue of Artful Blogging

I take time out to think about WHY I write a blog.  AND what I can do differently.  Right now I feel like I am on the waves of something new and exciting...I feel more creative than I have in years...and I am more excited about it than I can express.  But with that comes questions, concerns, thoughts...and THAT my folks is why I write a blog.  My feeling is that if I am going THROUGH or AROUND something than others out there are too.  In my blog writing I have found so many new people...and so many people who I have known forever.  They don't always comment, they don't always read...but they are there.  Some people are too shy to comment on my blog so they email me privately to say they understand...OR they DO NOT understand:)  I don't share the negative in my life very often...YUP folks...the Field's Family house is not always a happy one...we come with our share of problems...some are BIG and painful and frustrating...some are small and generally work themselves out.  I do tend to share the smaller ones...and of course one of the big ones MY addiction to food.  I do nOT share the ones that directly affect others in my house...that is for them to share with who they need to share with.

So, I TRY to keep my blogging upbeat and positive.  I like to share with you what my kids are doing.  In the past I have shown you my before and after ways out of clutter and folks, let me tell you THAT is an uphill battle.  My friend Judy said at the beginning of this year NO MORE PICTURES OF YOUR MESSY DINING ROOM TABLE!  She will have to close her eyes, because it is truly time to cycle through the decluttering again!

Recently I have share a great deal of my art work and what is going on creatively with me...I believe that will continue, but in the meantime my blog is to document the ups and downs of that.

AND that brings me to a great point about blogging...it is a record of what I hold dear to me...MY LIFE:)  I can look back and see what I was doing this time last year...and the year before.  I LOVE that.

And then there are days I don't blog.  On those days, life seems to mundane to share with everyone OR life is so crazy I dare not share.

So, why do I blog?  For so many reasons...the biggest is the connection with the outside world(cyber space and beyond) and the connection with my inside world (family and friends).  You will see some changes coming in my blog...nothing HUGE, mostly design changes.  AND many of you have discovered I have a second blog at 

Maine PURSEnalities(and more) ...there I will be sharing my art and work that is for sale.

So with that...here are some pictures of the weekend... Some skates i worked on and are up for sale:

and some primitive dresses that are in both SILKWEEDS (Searsport) and Re-Imagined (Houlton)  and on my other blog for sale:

and of course a couple of shots from the NUTCRACKER...we were in Caribou this weekend:

I love this next picture I believe Lauren is thinking of Nate not getting up and going in the morning (he makes her late) as she is playing this role:

Well folks...I am off to start another adventure...actually that sound exciting...what I am off to do is clean the tornado hit dining room so we can decorate the tree tomorrow:)

Have a great day...

Dancingly, Denise  

 

Our Thanksgiving Portrait:

Naw...just kidding:)  I couldn't resist though.  Have I told you we are planning a trip to Disney this May, 2010?  It is my most favorite place on earth, and we have decided that if we are going as a family, we better go...with Lauren graduating in June, things will be different!

So here is the real family dinner...we go to Scott's brother Ralph's for Thanksgiving each year...sometimes there are close to 30 people there, other times not so many.  Today there were 15 of us and only two small children.  Sometimes there are a TON of little guys running around:

So, before they could eat...I am putting together another Gratitude album.  I did one several years ago, with just the Fields family and gave it to Ruth (MIL)...but this time I am going to catch all the family and friends I can...and make one for us!  Everyone was good natured about writing what they were thankful for BEFORE they could eat:

 
And ofcourse Uncle Ralph and Nate had to show who was strongest (Uncle Ralph won AGAIN;)

Have a Happy Thanksgiving...and may we live with an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE everyday of the year 

Happily,

Denise