Thursday, March 18, 2010
Well, to be fair,
it was more of a park hour.
But still, they loved it.
I had mom guilt for leaving the kids
with sitters for two full days in a row
{wedding/wedding}
and decided to indulge them all in a little
rambunctious fun.
Selfishly,
I wanted them to exert some energy outside
so that maybe,
just maybe,
they would be less crazy at home.
And we all know how that ususally turns out.
{not at all how we'd planned}
So off to the new park we went.
Pros:
the ground is a bouncy foam,
the toys are age appropriate,
it is super clean,
and the entire thing is fenced in.
Cons:
two words: sand box,
seating is at a minimum,
and by minimum, I mean one bench.
We'll be back, though.
Wanna come next time?
Sunday, March 14, 2010
I've said it before
and I'll say it again;
I am Not Above Bribing My Children.
And this weekend brought with it a doozie.
Now let me start off by telling you
that I am not the luckiest of people.
I don't win prizes, contests,
or anything else based on chance.
I'm what you'd call a run-of-the mill non-winner.
{notice I didn't say loser...totally on purpose}
But I do get a lot of junk mail in my inbox,
that, I am awesome at acquiring without effort.
For whatever reason, I read one a few weeks ago
from a local radio station's weekly email.
"Visit this site and enter your email..." the message said.
So I typed, I submitted, I won.
Not only tickets for free,
but the best bribe the mother
of two little girls could dream of.
They had no idea what they were working towards,
but a daily reminder of a very special surprise
kept them squarely on their toes.
So, after a very well-behaved day at church,
they found new outfits waiting at home.
And that my friends, is how I became mother of the year.
At least for today.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
{disclaimer}
I don't literally feel like a failure.
I know there are many, many important
and useful things I accomplish in a day
and I'd like to think that, whether I'm aware of it or not,
I contribute positively to the world around me in some way.
But today
as I sit in my messy house
with my needs-to-be-washed hair
in my comfy clothes
listening to my children play a little
and fight a lot
wondering what I'll make for dinner
and staring at a to-do list a mile long,
I feel overwhelmed.
Sometimes I catch myself saying,
when asked what I 'do',
that I'm just a mom.
Just a mom.
Like it's something unimportant and disposable.
Like it's without value or is a casual responsibility.
But I don't really feel that way at all.
And I highly doubt that any of the people
that I choose to associate with or
dedicate my valuable time to
feel that way either.
My job is hard.
It's demanding and rewarding
and sometimes unappreciated.
And yes, overwhelming at times.
Times like today.
When all I feel is guilt for updating my blog
when I could be cleaning my house
or attempting to look like a put-together mom.
When included in my to-do list are several
should have's and need to's
that could be tackled in the time it takes to type this.
But then I remember
that my kids are happy.
They love each other enough to fight a little
and still feel connected at the end of the day.
That they have a mom who, feeling guilty or not,
sometimes avoids the chores so that we can watch
Enchanted for the 30th time together.
{like today}
That they have enough toys to play with
that they can actually make a mess.
That, no matter how long or tough the day may seem,
there's always nap time for at least one of them.
Two at the same time, if I'm lucky.
And that I have the best little helper in town
even if I have to bribe her with quarters sometimes.
{I mean, look at that mug above...
she's sunshine in black leggings}
I've been told that though I can't see it now,
I will achingly miss these days soon.
So today is a messy, neglected and wonderful day
for the Ballard mama and her chickens.
And that, my friends, is
success.
{photos taken by the lovely and talented Mrs. Diana Palmer of Yan Photography.
Many more pictures to come...with the whole family}
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Between being sick
and then playing catch up
after being sick,
there has been little time to blog.
But my intentions are good
and I will be updating
with some long overdue posts
very soon.
In the meantime,
enjoy this baby.
Cute beyone description.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
So, today when I picked Tatum
up from preschool I did the usual...
Went through her backpack for notes, etc.
Luckilly, because I found a note about
the classroom Valentine's Day party tomorrow.
I already knew about it and was prepared
with crayon bag gifts for all 22 kids.
But
Something new was posted on this note.
22 kids, 12 teachers
{she has preschool at the high school...
thus lots of student teachers}
thus lots of student teachers}
Crap!
I had only really planned on sending something
for her individual teacher.
You know, a good lotion or something.
So forced into creativity,
and armed with a 12 pack of soda
and some heart-shaped straws
and some heart-shaped straws
I came up with what you see above.
The good news?
It only cost me about 75 cents a teacher.
Less than I would have spend on a bottle of lotion.
Good under pressure.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
happy valentine's day
{in a few days}
love, tatum
p.s.
Want to know how to make them?
It's easy.
Find lots of old crayons
Separate them by colors
Peel paper off
Break into small pieces
Place {colors seperated} in washed out soup can
Place soup can in small pot of boiling water
Cook until all crayon pieces are melted
Carefully pour into heart molds
being careful not to drip any water into the molds;
this will make the crayons funky
{heart molds found at Ikea - ice cube trays}
Allow to set {quicker in the freezer}
Remove
Give
Monday, February 08, 2010
The Ballard Family has been stricken
by Strep Throat, officially.
I now have {besides me}
a miserable Little Miss Tate
diagnosed on Saturday
and
a sweet, tiny man
who I will be {somehow} taking in today
with all the same symptoms.
Hayden, so far, seems to be spared.
So {fingers crossed}
Health-only hopes for Hayden and Beau.
That guy never gets sick.
{How does he do it?}
So our days are now filled
with me having a little more energy,
and {surprisingly}, the kids losing little.
{How do they do it?}
Lots of hand sanitizer.
Fluids, fluids, fluids.
A desperate need for baby wipes
{running really low}
Winging it for dinner
{some serious creativity may have to come into play soon}
One more night I can call into work
without being penalized with another attendance point.
Keeping the house picked up just enough,
but not nearly enough.
And hours selfishly spent
wishing I had a husband
with the kind of job
that he could work from home.
Because if he could, he would.
And I would totally take him up on it.
And for the record,
having no health insurance bites.
$100+ each time I have to take one of the kids in.
Praying they are prescribed the medication that costs
$6.99 vs $149 {amoxicillian vs augmenten/true story}
Or $500+ dollars a month {that we don't have}
to pay for a crappy individual family plan
that probably wouldn't pay for much anyways.
Good thing we're totally rich.
Not.
p.s. Why doesn't blogger have
a spell checker in 'compose' mode anymore.
I hate it!
p.p.s. Something funny I noticed today.
All of my kids {individually} have decided
to call the following picture
in one of their favorite picture books
a baby cow and not a bull.
Why?
'Duh! The binky, mom!'
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
I have so many things to post about.
And very little energy to do it.
Seems the nasty bug that my kids
have all had for a couple of weeks
is rearing it's ugly head in my direction.
And I feel like poo.
My throat feels swollen shut.
It's itchy, scratchy, phlegmy (sp?).
And I can't stop coughing.
Really, that seems to be the only thing I can do.
Cough.
So bear with me and I promise
as soon as I'm feeling better there will be
pictures from my family's visit (so fun!)
and lots more.
Until then, I will remain quarantined until further notice.
But you'll be the first to know when I'm released from exile.
In the mean time, I will try my best to be an adequate
(because really, that might be as good as it gets this week)
mom and wife and hope that I get the occational
spurt of energy enough to change a diaper and make meals.
To Beau and the kids,
Sorry in advance.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Obviously, today's picture wasn't taken by me.
But, oh my, it makes me sad.
You see, I have been blessed with children.
And even more, I've been lucky enough
to not have to struggle to bear them.
Beau and I can provide for them,
protect them, feed them and love them.
Our kids have it pretty easy,
but we are the lucky ones.
And there are others who struggle.
Who want a child so bad it hurts.
Who would pay any kind of money and
make any kind of sacrafice to be a parent.
And who are, despite their own trials,
very VERY generous and giving.
People like my friend Megan.
She wants a baby. Bad.
And has been trying to adopt for some time.
She's been in contact with an orphanage in Haiti.
Trying to find her own little one.
Following every lead in the direction of parenthood.
And then the earth shook.
And said orphanage was destroyed.
Children were lost and even more were found.
Parentless. Homeless. Even hopeless.
And so now Megan fights for their cause, not her own.
To help rebuild, rejuvenate, relieve.
I know we have all given in our own ways.
Financial, emotional, prayerful.
But if you have the means and the
desire to donate to this orphanage directly,
please check out her blog for more details.
And if you don't have money to give,
prayers will do just fine.
{because}
Every Little Bit Counts.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
On tonight's menu:
Mom's Enchilada Casserole
{totally from my head, so bear with me}
Ingredients
2 cups cooked rice
2 cans refried beans {refried black beans are so good}
1 xl can enchilada sauce {red, mild - unless you like it spicy}
grated cheese {to taste}
tortillas {corn or flour will work}
garlic and onion {to taste}
Directions
Sautee garlic and chopped onions in a pan
with a little oil until soft, set aside
Pan fry tortillas in a small amount of oil,
blot dry with paper towel, set aside
Spray 9x12 baking dish with non-stick spray
Spread rice and refried beans at the bottom of the dish
Layer tortillas, 1/3 enchilada sauce, 1/3 cheese
{repeat 2 more times}
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes
{I cook it longer - I like the cheese kind of crispy on top}
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving
Top with sour cream, salsa, guacamole - whatever you like!
{this recipe is also good with
shredded chicken or browned ground beef}
Yummy!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
They say the best way to a man's
heart is through his stomach.
And today, my husband was very much in love.
Ebelskeivers for breakfast and guilt-free football for lunch.
An almost perfect day in Beau's world.
Except for one minor detail...the Boys lost.
Better luck next year.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
I always have such a hard time deciding
because each have their own charm.
I love both.
Friday, January 15, 2010
I admit...I was mad a first.
When I found the scattered remains of the printer paper in my craft room.
But, when you find a little girl practicing her alphabet
and pretty much mastering it on her own at the age of 4,
you kind of feel proud.
But she owes me a ream of paper.
p.s. I know. I missed a day.
Apparently, my resolutions are all works in progress.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
After my craft-surge of yesterday, I received this link from my friend Tiffany.
And I love it.
And if you're as cool as I already think you are, you will, too.
Craftastic.
Next project?
Homemade Gold Pants
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Today, I've got a surge of energy.
Beds made before breakfast.
Laundry is a-washing.
And I, my friends, am feeling some creative juicing coming on.
Here are the fruits of my 10 minute labors.
Made while the kids ate lunch.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Someday, he'll be one.
But for now, I'll just enjoy the little, crazy boy that sneaks food {and makes subsequent messes, see below}, loves to snuggle, tells me I'm cute, begs for tickles and gives me kisses on demand.
Love me some Layners.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
All happen every four years.
This is a picture of Tatum's first {and only, thus far}
visit to the beach in 2006, posing with her Uncle Steve.
It was the last time that all of my mom's kids were
in the same place at the same time.
And in a few weeks, it'll happen again in Utah.
Four years later.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Pictures were taken of my family...
at a very cool location by a very cool girl.
at a very cool location by a very cool girl.
Lunch was eaten with the girls...at the OG, baby.
Photo session with this gorgeous family...froze my buns off.
Today was hectic.
Friday, January 08, 2010
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Ingredients
- 16 ounces lean beef or turkey
- Various pizza toppings {family preference} - veggies, pepperoni, Canadian bacon; the sky’s the limit!
- 1 (26 ounce) can tomato sauce {Hunt’s is inexpensive and works well with this recipe}
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 (7 1/2 ounce) cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
- 2/3 cup low-fat cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 2/3 cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray large baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a non stick large skillet brown meat with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic {if you like}. Once cooked and drained, add any other toppings you’d like and mix well.
- Stir in tomato sauce, ½ the cheese and remove skillet from heat.
- Separate biscuits, cut each into 4 pieces and gently stir pieces into meat/topping mixture.
- Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and bake 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top and continue baking until cheese melts, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to slightly cool {biscuits will be hot}. Makes 12 servings.
Serve with a fresh garden salad and your family will be happily stuffing their faces...promise.
p.s. This is a great dish to freeze - holds up really well!
A family favorite, Weight Watchers friendly, super yummy, inexpensive and easy.
Right up this mom's alley.
Right up this mom's alley.
Thank You, McDonalds...most annoying toy ever.
Especially when it's {x3}
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
I'll be honest, I debated.
I really did.
Not sure if I was up for another season of Bachelor updates. This girl, afterall, has a lot on her plate these days. I had planned on relaxing mornings of DVR supported Bachelor viewing, fast forwarding through the commercials and enjoying the ridiculousness of most of the girls. I had hoped that I would like Jake as much as I had in his debut season; that he could somehow escape the cheesiness that comes with being the star of the show.
And so I began to watch.
I made it about 10 minutes.
I must blog.
What the ?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Seriously, are we really going with the whole 'On the Wings of Love' theme?
Do we have to hear the muzak {elevator}, instrumental version during every shirtless montage?
And don't even get me started on the Maverik-ness of it all.
I know it happened, because I rewinded about 3 times to make sure.
They did just show Jake on his motorcycle in a bomber jacket at the beach at sunset, looking to be either struggling with an important decision or dreaming of Kelly McGillis.
And hopefully not the latter, I hear she swings the other way these days.
Could make for the most dramatic season in Bachelor history, though hot stuff.
I have yet to watch the rest of the show. Haven't me the girls, seen first impressions, how many talk about being his 'co-pilot' and who cries. But you better believe, I'll be back with some thoughts tomorrow.
Hi, My name is Evonne and The Bachelor is my drug of choice.
If this ends in a proposal, televised marriage and I hear this song for the first dance...
So help me.
Good thing it was Martenelli's,
'Cause I totally caved.
Monday, January 04, 2010
I’m a Monday girl. Meaning, anything worth starting should always begin on a Monday. Maybe it's the OCD in me creeping out, but I know I’m not the only one out there. And, being as dedicated as I am to my obsessive compulsions, even New Year’s resolutions fall under this rule.
So, starting today {Monday, January 4th}, my blogging resolution begins.
A picture a day.
Sometimes it’ll be current. Sometimes {like today} it’ll be just plain appropriate for the post. Either way, you’ll get a picture…like it or not.
Other resolutions made; some private {personal}, some cliché {weight/health}, some as a family {fhe, time together}, some financial {debts, making more money, being able to cut back on work hours}.
Hopefully I’ll be successful, that history won’t repeat itself {as it often does} and that I’m not making the same resolutions next year. Either way, I won’t bore you with all of those details.
Unless I get really skinny.
And then, you’ll see lots of pictures of me and my hot bod.
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