Monday, December 28, 2009
Be Warned: Major Picture Overload to Follow
We all had such a wonderful Christmas! The kids were spoiled rotten {not only by Santa, but also many of you...thanks!!!}, we spent some good quality time with family, and mom even got some time off of work to enjoy it all!
So, here's a recap in pictures.
First up, the Fullmer Christmas Party. Please excuse the picture quality - totally forgot to use a flash that day so everything is grainy. But you get the idea. Also, notice...Mrs. Claus has the most awesome red lipstick on her teeth and Layne has no picture posed with the jolly couple. He was having none of it this year.
Christmas Eve. We spent most of the day just hanging out, getting the house picked up, making room for the loot that was sure to come in the morning. In the afternoon {as is tradition} we got ready and headed up to Grandma and Grandpa Ballard's house for our family party. It was an off year, so besides my kids, Greydie was the only little one there. Didn't matter to the kids, though - they all had a great time. And the girls got just what they wanted from Grandma and Grandpa {Princess and the Frog}. The adults played a rousing game of White Elephant and we were able to visit with Uncle Gary and Grandpa, both of whom were able to return home from the hospital in time to spend it with family. We are all so thankful - they both look great!
The big day started with Beau and I waking the kids up. Someday, I know I'll wish they didn't come jumping on our bed at 7am, but for now I'll take this. It was nice to get up at our own pace! After coaxing Hayden {the grumpiest morning person alive} out of bed, the kids got to see what Santa brought for them. The girls got new bikes, Barbies, a Tag Reading System, and some other small toys; Layne got a train table, Toy Story toys, new blocks, race cars, and a blow up Little Einstein chair. The hit of the day was the doll house from Grandma Leigh - they haven't stopped playing with it since Christmas morning. And, the biggest surprise was a family gift from Uncle Jeff and Aunt Cassie {my brother and is fiance}...a Wii! We were beyond grateful and have had fun playing. Tatum kills us all in bowling. Seriously.
After spending time at home enjoying our gifts, we all got ready and went over to Grandma and Grandpa Fullmer's house. No pictures? If you would have seen how my kids were behaving, you'd know why. But, despite all of the kid drama, we all had a great time. I walked away with a gift card for a pedicure from our White Elephant game, so that made all of the stress worth it for mom. :)
Last stop was Shanna's house to celebrate with our immediate family {Beau's parents, kids, spouses and grandkids}. The kids, again, were showered with fun gifts and Beau and I got dinner gift cards and a new roasting oven from his mom and dad. I'm so excited for a few free date nights!
We hope you all had a Merry Christmas and that you {and your home} are recovering quickly from the whirlwind of the day.
xoxo,
The Ballards
Friday, December 18, 2009
A new adventure for yours truly.
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I am officially a Community Leader for the fabulous Miss Courtney Kendrick (c jane)'s Blog Frog Community. I am loving a forum to meet women from all over who struggle with, rejoyce in, laugh at and avoid doing some of the same things as me.
So, if you've got some time stop by for a visit and enjoy insightful, interesting, honest, thought-provoking, humourous and even controversial discussions with women from all walks of life. You won't regret it, promise.
You know you wanna.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thanks to Karen {for the little metal stars} and to Robert's {for the modge podge and paper}, I was able to whip up a few little additions to our Christmas tree today.
Easy peasy.
Today I am greatful for:
Tatum. My first-born, my most stubborn. She's sweet and saucy, cranky and delightful, tender and tough, smart and sassy. She'll charm you with her dimples and smile and shoot you a crusty to beat all. I'm having so much fun watching her grow up into a young girl with ideas and plans and humour and generosity. Plus, she's pretty stinkin' cute.
Traditions. Maybe it's the time of year, maybe it's just me getting older. I love the routine that this time of year brings. I can always count on a holiday party or a family get together every weekend. And, as hectic as it can seem sometimes, I love it. That is, unless tradition continues and my husband has to plow on Christmas Day. That tradition, I could do without.
Television. I've admitted it before, I'll own up again. I love it, my kids watch more than they probably should and I'm okay with that. It gets us through some tough days home. Case in point? I can blog {right now} because they are watching Dora's Christmas Adventure for the millionth time.
Thanksgiving. Another tradition I love. There is nothing yummier than the smell of a turkey cooking all day long.
Thoughtfulness. It really does go a long way. And it is what counts. Like when my girls clean their room because it'll make me happy. Oh wait, that hasn't happened yet. But, when it does, I'll totally appreciate the thoughtfulness.
Temples. I'll stick with my 'tradition' and not get too cheesy Mormon-girl on you here. But anything that lets me be with my family forever is a good thing. If you want to know more, just ask.
Tolerance. I think this is something that's been a part of who I am from day one, thanks mostly to my mama. We can all agree to disagree, but it's not okay to treat each other badly because of said opinions or because that's just 'how you are'. People are all people and our job here is to uplift and help one another. Seems simple enough, right?
Be good to each other.
Be merry.
Friday, December 11, 2009
The kids have been begging me to make a gingerbread house ever since we saw some feature on the news about the huge ones they have on display at the Grand America downtown.
So, a compulsive Costco purchase later, we ended up with this.
For the record, I really have no patience for prjoects that involve any kind of building construction using edible goods.
Deciding that I really want to get as many things out of the way that I can before Christmas is actually here (two weeks, people!), I bundled the girls up and we headed out for neighbor gift distribution. I drove to the houses, they ran items to the door.
Basically, it's a cake baked in a mason jar with the recipe for my butter cream frosting on the back. If you enlarge the picture, you can read my cheesy little poem.
Honestly, it took a full hour to deliver 25 items. My daughters moved at the pace of slugs...and complained the whole time. Aparantely it was cold outside.
At work last night, Shanna and I finished up our teacher gifts {and visitng teachers...}.
Again, with the mason jars. I love them, can you tell?
A jar decorated and filled with gumballs {you can't see, but the lid is covered in paper and oh-so-cute}. Just a little thanks for 'chewsing' to teach. Again, you can enlarge to read the poem.
Anyway, I think that'll be it on the project front for the week. Now, we face a weekend of cleaning {ugh}, Christmas parties {three tomorrow} and photoshoots {yay for the Hendricks family!}.
Stay tuned...I might have more surprises next week. You have to see a picture of my Christmas countdown. It's one of my new favorite decorations.
Stay warm!
Monday, November 30, 2009
I will post a proper blog update within the next few days. Life's been busy & exhausting & wonderful & sad & full of thanks & non-stop. And by all of that I mean no time to blog.
In the meantime, here is one of my most favorite photos to-date.
Rock On.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
I know it sounds weird, but some of my favorite pictures of Hayden involve her crying. Not that I like to see her cry, but that kid can make a face!
This is one of my favorites. Karen, Shanna and I had taken the kids to Copperton Park to try our hand at some fall photos. Most of the kids cooperated, but Hayden was having none of it.
Today, two years ago she was a camera-shy, brown eyed, snuggly, mama's girl with a head full of hair and ambitions to do everything her big sister could.
Today, right now she is the silliest, kindest, sassiest, funnest, prettiest little 3-year-old I know. And for the record, she still has a head full of fabulous hair {and the worlds most amazing bed-head} and ambitions to do everything her big sister can. She's just a little better at it now.
She grew up way too fast.
{we love you Haydes!}
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
So, here's my own {hopeful} solution to the before-mentioned poo issue.
Every time it's on the potty, one bean {clever, I know} in the party jar.
Every time it's in the panties, two beans go back to the poop jar.
Fill the party jar up and maintain it, it's birthday party time in March.
Meanest.
Mom.
Ever.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
It could be worse.
I could have SIX four year-olds pooping in their panties.
Seriously.
{help}
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Thanks again, Lindsay - you are awesome!
{thanks also, for letting me play with all the photos in PS. I'm having way too much fun!}
Time to get Christmas cards started...
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Thanks to Lindsay for taking our family pictures today!
I can't wait to see how they turned out!
Here are just a few that I was able to snap with my camera today.
You can tell by the pictures who was most cooperative and who wasn't.
But cooperative or not, I think they're pretty gorgeous kids.
Of course, I might be just a tad biased.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
I love November and December. Simply put, we start out being thankful and end the year giving to others. Emotions run high, families grow closer, differences put aside. Whatever our motivation is, most of us find ourselves being a little more selfless at year’s end.
I‘ve thought about this a lot over the last week. How can I best teach my children to give? What could we, as a family, do to evoke some holiday cheer for others? We’re certainly not wealthy. And then {my ah-ha moment} I simplified. I remembered the one thing that we all have to share, even though each of us has something different. We have our talents! I love taking pictures. I love capturing the bond of a family in photo form. I can give people memories. After all, it’s the reason I started doing this in the first place.
is giving away
Two Free Family Photo Sessions
All I need from you is nominations!
Do you know a family that, because of tough times financially, can’t afford family pictures this year?
Do you have a neighbor that’s had a tough time?
Someone with unforeseen medical hardships?
A friend who just needs a lift?
Send an email to evonneballard@yahoo.com and tell me why you think the family is deserving, what they mean to you, how you’ve been inspired, why you want to help. Please keep in mind that the winning families will need to either live in the Salt Lake/Utah County area or be visiting during the holiday season. Nominations should be submitted no later than November 8th. Pictures of the winning families will be posted on Christmas Day.
Thank you all in advance for your generosity.
I am so blessed to know such giving and selfless people.
I am inspired by you all daily!
Let the nominating begin!
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