COOKIES!

Chocolate chocolate chip

so good, you need a swig of milk with each bite!

Orange cookies....

a Ballard family favorite

I lead a team at my church.
The CARE ministry makes meals for
new mommies,
folks just out of the hospital,
new adoptive or foster families,
folks getting sucker punched.

However, not many members know that we offer this service.
It used to be that the church was the first place
you went for announcements, help and information.
Everyone jumped right in to make a meal,
send a card or offer services
like sitting with a member before surgery,
visiting a shut in,
inviting someone who was far from home
to share a holiday dinner with your family.

I remember very well,
when I lived in Alabama and the girls were small,
James Tilley, one of our elders at church
would bring us a watermelon, or offer to fix plumbing
basically help with anything I needed.
I suppose, because my husband worked in New York,
I was considered a widow with orphans....!
Whatever the motivation,
I will always be so thankful to James and Doris Tilley.

This old timey custom is what the CARE ministry is trying to uphold.
I have an AWESOME team, and many ladies I can call upon
in a moment's notice for a meal delivered, or card sent.

This Sunday...the day after tomorrow,
my team will be stuffing 500 bags with 1000 cookies
to give to our members at the end of every service.
We will include a card stating the purpose
and explaining our ministry.
I expect to get a bit busier...not that folks need to
get busier on the baby front...
and we don't want anyone in the hospital!
Just a little more aware, and to again, know that
the church family is the first place to go!

So today I am baking and making
taco soup and fruit salad for my team.
I am so very blessed.

Girly Girl Batchelorette Party

Julie is getting married!

I have known these and a few who couldn't be here

for over ten years.

The Bestest friends anyone could ever have!

Celebrating Julie and Dale's engagement at Hana Yori

Dave the Chef Extraordinaire

He put up with a lot that night!

Julie - bride to be

Karen a few umbrellas in!

Kimberly...who knew?

Ingrid...the next party is for her

Betty - she may be quiet on the outside...

Dave's tribute, thump thump

After dinner, before the party!

What happened at the batchelorette party

stays at the batchelorette party!

October 8?

Cheers with ice wine and champagne

Dale is one lucky fella!

Love you Julie!

Good luck!

Just keep spinning, spinning, spinning!

Chilly, but very sunny day today.

Had way too much fun yesterday:

Celebration lunch with K....hooo boy!

Way too much good food,

Way too much laughter,

a nap in between,

Closed down Aladdins with the church ladies,

with more laughter and growing friendships!

So today I am spinning.

Miles and miles of Polworth wool roving

auto wrapped with shiny multicolored thread.

First time trying this and so far, I love it.

Maybe a pair of socks

or a lightweight sweater for Spring.

Earlier in the week I spun some singles with trash batts

made from left overs off of the carder,

and singles of the same above mentioned Polworth.

Then auto wrapped with thread

while plying the two together.

I like the barber shop ply.

Looking forward to knitting that up too!

and Chuck keeping an eye on the garden and squirrels!

frilly farms

http://www.thefancyfarmgirl.com/heres-the-coop/
http://www.thefancyfarmgirl.com/silly-boys-trucks-are-for-girls-2/

Just some frilly, pastel, cotton candy kind of dreaming today.
Found this site while looking for fancy chicken coop designs.
Then surfed her site a bit more.
Really very girly, but some of you may like her.

Somedays seem too far away today,
but dreaming always picks me up!
Not that I'm down,
just really dreaming of a small farm,
some Maya Angelo chickens,
and a few sheep and angora goats to keep me in fiber!

Spinning spinning spinning today!  Trying some thread hurricanes today!
Then out with the church girls!

Thanks God.
I am blessed.....
even without a chandelier in the chicken house!

In the mood for.....spring changes!

Went to BN yesterday for quite a long while,
as V studied, I looked through landscaping
gardening ideas.
Here are a few.....
Best get busy!

Terry.....starting with the next three,

and possibly incorporating to deck and

front porch??!!

:)

Skiing/snow boarding

Skiing in Pagosa Springs Colorado,

and V and Jamie took on snowboarding.

Terry and I played camera crew, errand runners,

spirit lifters and hand warmers.

The first day, we chose equipment,

and later that day tired out our skills.

Wolf Creek Ski Resort was the next day!

Crazy hat on Brittany

Happy snowboarders...now

What a TALL skier!

facebook photo from the deck

Not so happy student

especially when I yelled out to her,

if she ripped her pants again....

bad mommy.

Wolf pups waiting for lessons

Sure doesn't look like they are having fun.,

waiting for lessons....still

Ski lessons for Joe

Apparently, as we heard the story later,

he needed rescue lessons more.

As Hil and Andrew passed overhead on the lift,

they noticed Joe in the snowbank below them.

He had been there for 15 minute, trying to escape.

His retelling had us all laughing so hard that night,

we had sore abs the next day!

A visual act not to be missed!

Andrew landed in the same bank later,

and described how difficult it truly was to get the skis free,

in only the way Andrew can describe!

Hil getting it!

The faster the better was her plan

Andrew having a great time in the snow!

He got the instructor's award for Best Fall of the Day

when he flipped forward head over heels  into the snow

when Joe cut in front of him!

Sweet Bridgette

Who because of bad knees, after a few trips down the hill,

decided to take an emergency sled

pulled by a real cutie, for her last trip down.

She got great videos of all out group as she flew past!

Girl after my own heart!

She and Papa Terry held court in the lodge

for the rest of the afternoon!

Jamie, the snowboarder

V lessons going sideways.....not forward :(

Brittany, the one who out skied everyone!

After lunch, she wanted to go with the big people,

and did she ever!

She was so relaxed, and confident!

It was impossible for Andrew to keep up with her!

At the bottom of the hill,

she just jumped on the next chair lift to go again!

At lunch break, V had a melt down.

Not only were there way too many people in the lodge,

but she was not getting the whole boarding experience.

Her confidence had been up the day before, while moving forward,

but the instructor today had them going sideways,

which she just could not get.

Folks in her class were, in a nice word,

Selfish idiots.....

And the way down the first hill was made on her butt.

She was in tears and was in no mood to tackle the afternoon.

She, Beau who also hated skiing, and I

went home, had ice cream, and had a fun afternoon at the cabin.

V did homework, which was on heavy on her mind,

Beau and I played dominoes, read stories and watched cartoons.

We made homemade pizza and salad for the crew when they got home!

Over all...a great time and most of the skiers will be tackling the hills next year!

queaks and smoke

I didn't want to
but crawled out of my warm bed,
addressed birthday and get well cards,
headed to the pet tore for dog and bird food,
got a latte and headed to the library,
then tried to get to the gym.

Before I arrived at the library,
I noticed brown smoke and funny squealing sounds from my ol van.
When I got to said library, there was so much moke,
that I headed straight for home.
Better to be there than tranded omewhere.
Think maybe a belt or something leaking onto omething.
I'll take it to the garage when HIl has a break, but am comfy at home
preparing for whatever nasty weather.
Also.....my S is ticking on my puter!
ARGGGGGHHHHH!

haring a photo that makes me mile of my wonderful
daughter in law for a bit of usnshine
DUMB S!