I think I may be crafty afterall...

Okay so after the lampshade my confidence was boosted, and I have begun to venture out of my box. I wanted something for my front door but didn't want the normal wreath. So last night I went to Hobby Lobby and began pooling all of my creativity and here is what I came up with. I was sitting in the floor putting it all together and Tim just kept looking at me trying to figure out what had gotten into me. Anyway, here is my front door...

The next project I decided to tackle was my Christmas cards that I have sent out over the years. My sister has the pictures from each year framed and always displays them at Christmas. I thought that was a really neat idea and wanted to copy. I have been sending (as most of you know) the cards you get from Sam's, Walmart or anywhere which are a really odd size. I looked several places and determined that there were no frames that size, and I would have to come up with something else. Here is what I ended up with. I found two $5 11x14 frames at Walmart then got a yard of Christmas fabric for $2.50. I wrapped the cardboard in the fabric and glued it down. I then arranged the pictures onto the fabric. I think that they look really neat and they were cheap and easy. What more could you want!

Anyway, that is what I have been up to lately. I am rather excited to find this side of myself!

As for the whole Razorback situation, here is my opinion. I feel like I have just witnessed a large group of four year olds throwing a major fit in the floor only to get their way. (The fact that Wally Hall isn't much taller that a four year old may be swaying my thought process. Not that I can really comment on someones shortness, but I will.) Anyway, I am glad Houston got a great new job and wish him and his family well. I will not be surprised in the least when he brings his team and repeatedly kicks our tails and smiles while doing it. I think he deserves that after all he and his family have endured this past year. In the off chance that the classy person or people who have been vandalizing his elderly mothers house should be reading this I just want to say "ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?" I hope that you are happy with your efforts to terrorize an elderly woman over COLLEGE FOOTBALL. You are so cool. I wish being a Razorback fan was a club that the rest of us were allowed to kick other people out of. It is people like that who give Arkansans the reputation that we have. Nice. I hope the Head Hogs up on the hill are able to pull in a great coach and we win a lot, but I am curious about how long it will be until the same group of four year old fit throwers will be dissatisfied and they start pitching a fit all over again. Any guesses?

Decorating for Christmas

This year decorating was so much fun. I finally had partners who enjoyed it as much as I do. The kids were great and loved putting ornaments (or marbles to Brock) on the tree. It was a special time for me making more holiday memories with our family. I have posted some of the pictures that I took during the decorating bonanza!

This was Brock's corner where he put all of his "Marbles"

I think that I am finished!

We moved into our house three years ago on December 23rd (yes we moved in 3 days before Christmas). It has taken me this long to finish decorating. I have had all but two rooms finished for awhile now, but the dining room and what is now a sun room are now 90% complete (minus a few pictures). I am thrilled to have it finished, and just in time for us to put the house on the market in March (assuming that the market picks up). Anyway, I have to have a show and tell moment. I feel the need to start out with this statement, I AM NOT CRAFTY! I have never been the crafty type, but this past week the crafty bug bit me. In getting together finishing touches for the sun room, I felt that the room needed a lamp. I looked at several stores, but the lamps that appealed to me were way out of my meager budget. I love to wander through the Goodwill store because occasionally you can stumble across something really cool, and guess what, I found a lamp. It wasn't very attractive, but it was $6.50. That is when the craft bug bit. I bought the lamp and headed to Hancock Fabric where I found the perfect fabric and trim to match my rug (TJ Maxx and more). Then I went to the Hardware store and bought some spray paint. I couldn't wait to get started, but I wouldn't let myself until I had the house clean. Anyway, tonight while I watched the HOGS BEAT LSU!!!!!!!!!!! I worked on the lampshade, and I am thrilled to show you my before and after pictures!

I know it isn't anything to make Martha Stewart jealous, but for a non-crafty person it isn't too bad. My fingers are burned to a crisp from the hot glue gun, but hey look at my lamp. If your ever over please don't look at it too closely or you will see how inexperienced at lampshade recovering I am.

I hope that you have all had a great Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful lunch at my Mom's with all of her brothers and sisters and most of their children & grandchildren. It was the first time in a very long time that all six of the siblings had been in the same place so that was really neat. Then tonight, well what can I say but GO HOGS! That was really the most amazing win in Razorback history. My brother was on the sidelines and watched it up close and in person. I am going to try and hold back my jealousy. Tomorrow I will spend all day decorating the house for Christmas. The kids are so excited about getting the tree up so that should be a fun time. I will post pictures of that later. I better get to bed so I will have the energy to get it all done. Seasons Greetings!

Who Does Brock Look Like?

Claire Looks Like...

About Emergencies...

Well apparently my precious daughter has been learning about 911 at school. The reason I know this is because this morning at 6:45 AM I received a call from the 911 call center. It seems as if my daughter was hungry and needed some help. Since I had not woken up just yet she remembered what she had been taught and called 911! Here is how I woke up this morning. I am in bed still fighting off the alarm clock by hitting snooze when the phone rang. Now I don't know about your house, but my phone does not ring at 6:45 AM unless someone really needs to tell me something important. I see the Caller ID said "City of LR" which I thought was strange, I thought about not answering it but did anyway. The voice of a lady I didn't know spoke the following words to me: "Mam, your child just called and told us that she was HUNGRY." I was still in a fog of course but I was immediately wide awake! My reply was something like "She did WHAT?" She said "Well Mam, she called and told us that you were not awake yet, and that she was hungry." I looked at my precious daughter and said "Claire, did you call 911????" She said "Yes I was hungry and I needed help." I apologized to the Lady profusely and guaranteed her that we would discuss what emergencies were and why we should call 911." She laughed and said "We just wanted you to know that she was up and moving around in the house, it happens more than you would think." Thank heavens Claire talked to someone with a sense of humor! So if any of you have to testify in my behalf that I do in fact feed my children you will understand why they call you. This is just another day in the life of the Ballards.

Anyway, yesterday I took the kids out and did a quick photography session in someone's yard that I have never met. They have the most beautiful tree right now and so I borrowed their yard for a few minutes. Brock was in a cooperative mood, but Claire not so much. I may try again with her tomorrow. Here are the pics that I got of them.

Talking with Claire

Claire in a nutshell!

Favorite food: Chicken Stir Fry

Favorite drink: Root Beer

Favorite color: Red

Favorite song: Days of Elijah

Favorite Bible story: David and Goliath

Favorite animal: Dog

Favorite toy: Lamb Claire (which she has had since birth)

Favorite season: Fall

Favorite sport: Soccer

Favorite book: How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight

Favorite dessert: Ice Cream

Favorite tv show: Hannah Montana

Favorite movie: Stuart Little

Favorite Princess: Princess Fieona

Favorite race car driver: Tony Stewart (That's More Like IT!)

What is your favorite place to visit: Heidi and Pops

What do you want to be when you grow up: Babysitter

Favorite restaurant: Wendy's

Who do you think you'll marry: Luke Allen

What do you like to do with your mom: everything, I love her! (what an ANGEL!)

What do you like to do with your dad: Play because he likes to play with me.

What is your favorite thing about being Claire? I love having my friends and my dog Reesie

A Interview with My favorite Four Year Old

Favorite food: Hot dogs and PBJ sandwhiches
Favorite drink: all the drinks
Favorite color: blue & yellow
Favorite song: I may never march in the infantry & the Wise Man
Favorite Bible story: David and Goliath
Favorite animal: lion
Favorite toy: all of my toys
Favorite season: Winter because it is snowy that day
Favorite sport: baseball and football because they are short(?)
Favorite book: I like all of them (catching the theme?)
Favorite dessert: Chocolate Chip Cookies
Favorite tv show: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse & SuperWhy
Favorite movie: Toy Story and Toy Story 2
Favorite superhero: Larryboy
Favorite race car driver: Jeff Gordon (much to my dismay)
What is your favorite place to visit: Heidi and Pops lakehouse
What do you want to be when you grow up: Woody
Favorite restaurant: Buffalo Bills (The Buffalo Grill to you and me) and the Donut shop
Who do you think you'll marry: nobody
What do you like to do with your mom: everything
What do you like to do with your dad: wrestle and play football

Recipe of the Week

This recipe is one of the first things that I really remember "cooking" on my own. It was one that I picked up at Harding while living in the apartments. It is fantastic and always a favorite. It is very filling and great if you are having company because it looks great on their plates and they can also be prepared beforehand. They freeze really well too if you are one to cook ahead of time and put away for later. Here goes, let me know what you think!

Chicken Bundles

4 chicken breast boiled and shredded
1 8oz bar of cream cheese (use low fat if you are on a diet)
1 onion diced
salt and pepper to taste
dash of milk to make the mix creamy

additional optional items:
green pepper, mushroom and most anything you might like

Mix all these things together (make sure that you have the cream cheese mixed very evenly).

Get a can of 8 Pillsbury Crescent Rolls and unroll leaving 2 together to make a rectangle. Divide the mixture up into 4 even parts. (These will be very full. You can either have 4 very full bundles or get a can of 4 and make 6 smaller bundles). Place the mixture into the center of the rectangle and pull up the four sides and twist at the top. Spray the top of each bundle with butter flavored Pam (less fattening than actual butter with the same taste) and sprinkle with seasoned salt and parsley. Place on a cookie sheets (use one with sides and not a flat one because they do sometimes leak if you have too much milk) and bake for 20 minutes at 350.

I usually serve with corn and salad. You don't need bread because the bread is already there!

Happy Halloween!

I can't remember a more fun Halloween. The kids were at the perfect ages to really be "into" the Halloween experience. They ran to the first few houses and couldn't believe the amount of candy already in their bags. The 5th house we went to our neighbor thought that it would be really funny to wear a Jason mask and jump out of his door at the kids. Well I guess that is fine and good except with a 4 and 7 year old? It just about ruined Claire's night. She wouldn't go to another door until Brock had rung the doorbell and they had opened the door. Once she saw they were not "scary people" she would run up and say "trick or treat". Tim threatened to go roll the man later that night, but the exhaustion of walking around our extremely hilly neighborhood got the best of him. Here are a few pictures from Halloween night. enjoy.