Blogs - Looking into what seems to be perfect lives

I have been wanting to write this post and today seems like a pretty good day. I have had to stop going to some blogs but they started to downright depress me but then a good friend told me this: " you know people do not blog about the bad things in their lives, usually only the good days." I got to thinking how true that is for blogs and also for facebook. When reading about someone else we have to remember we are only seeing what they want us to see. I have always tried to be a open book because I feel that my failures, troubles, trials, etc.. could maybe help someone else by seeing they are not alone but I am not always so open about my life either. So here goes, this is what my day consisted of today. Woke us extremely thankful to God for the new blessing we have on the way and saying many prayers that He will protect this little one. Did several loads of clothes, made my bed, and all the things you do in the morning(nursed a hungry baby boy,changed diapers,got everyone ready) Took kids to town because I really needed to get some things and before we made it home one threw up in the car. WE have had a stomach bug for a week now, I thought we were almost over it and that I was almost caught up on laundry and then last night one of the little boys threw up everywhere and got all the blankets. Anyway, back to my day so she was throwing up and so when we got home I put her in the bed. WE (my oldest daughter and I) got the kids that were well enough lunch made and then I heard crying. The same daughter had diarreha and it came out of her pull up and onto the floor(and no this was not my hard wood floor but the carpet in her room). So.... got that cleaned up FINALLY. Used plenty of Lysol and then washed my hands and finally sat down to eat. After i ate I noticed my little man was smelled rough and picked him up out of the highchair and noticed his diaper had leaked through,yuck!! As I was taking him to get changed I slipped in dog pee( we have a new lab puppy who we are working with, and almost who got thrown outside today) but thankfully the way I fell Jericho kinda of landed in my lap. So then I finally get to changing him and then change my skirt since it had dog pee on it(embarrasing, but hey I am being real). Then had to finish my day which consisted of doing business stuff and putting it all on the computer. So there ya go , a day at the Ballard's. Totally praying we are well soon because at this rate I think I will never get caught up on laundry. Oh the joys of a big family. I WOULD NOT TRADE IT THOUGH!

Announcement:::::::::::

Blessing #10 is on the way :) Please pray, I really hesitate to announce this since my thyroid has been off I have had a couple miscarriages. God is good and HIs will be done!

Going at it without God

Well.... haven't wrote much on my blog lately. Just have not had the focus to be able to write and I do not know how far I will get with this post. But I do want to share what the Lord has taught me lately. But I have learned going through life without God is a total failure. As long as I stay in the word, have a steady prayer life, and just stay close to the Lord things flow smoothly but as soon as I turn my focus away from God my whole life is chaos, things seem to just crumble around me. Thank God for his grace and in my weakness He is made strong! Sometimes in the business of life we get so caught up in things we forget what or WHO comes first but it does not take me long to see how much I need the Lord in my life. To be the mother, the wife, the daughter, sister, friend, etc. I need to be. Life will not always be pleasant , it will not always be joyful but always remember that JOY COMES IN THE MORNING. :) God is soooooooo good and if you maintain your focus on Him He will change your life.

Feeding a large family and not breaking the bank(recipes included)

I am having friends, family, and acquaintances, etc.. asking me all the time how we feed our family, about how we cut cost, what recipes we use and so on. So I am gonna try to cover the questions we get. Also we also welcome any suggetions or recipes you would like to share with our family. Ways we save is by growing a garden, raising our own hogs(this is mostly so we know what is in the meat we eat), also we raise our own chickens for eggs. My husband and sons hunt , so we have venison. I used to say I would never eat it but fixed right and it is awsome. We use coupons as much as we can and I shop sales although I could probably do better if I had more time to really go to different stores and shop. I have had some health issues lately so meals have been kind of crazy around here but I am getting back to being able to provide my family decent meals. I love meals I can throw in the crockpot or meals I can cook ahead of time and freeze. WE eat what most people eat we just have to cook more :) I recently find a wonderful recipe on pinterest( a awsome place to find ideas!!) for Chic Fil A chicken bites, This is something good for adults and children alike. WE all love Chic Fil A but it can get a bit expensive if we eat there much and also we have to drive a little to get to one. Here is the recipe for these if anyone is interested, since I want to give credit where credit is due I will just post the link to the site- http://iowagirleats.com/2012/03/01/chick-fil-a-bites-with-honey-mustard-dipping-sauce/comment-page-1/#comment-1045866 Also a great thing to make and freeze is our famous chicken casserole. We kind of make it different that we used to and use poppy seed. This freezes great and you can make extra ones to freeze so you can have some in the freezer for a go to meal or if you need to take a meal to someone. Here is the recipe for that- Boil chicken, shred it and mix with cream of chicken add salt and pepper. Spread the mixture in a casserole dish. Crush up Ritz crackers and sprinkle on top, add pieces of butter on top and sprinkle poppy seed on top. Then cook at 350 until done. If you are freezing do not cook, just pop in freezer and cook it when you are ready. I don't have specific measurements of each thing because it varies depending on how much you are making. Another thing that is great to freeze is breakfast casserole and hash brown casserole. These are things that are great for breakfast and also for a breakfast supper. Which is a great way to cut cost is have a breakfast for supper. If I can find roast for a good price(which I usually can at Ingles) that is something I like to make in the crock pot that everyone likes, you can also add carrots and potatoes to make it a hearty meal. I used to do ham alot because we could eat it for supper and the next day do sandwhiches but it has gotten so expensive in the store and we have already used up all we had from the hogs we killed last year, we will be slaughtering a few very soon. Breakfast Casserole ______________________ 6 slices of loaf bread(trim off the edges) 1/2 lb. grated sharp cheest( I just buy shredded cheese) 1 lb sausage (cooked and drained) 5 eggs 2 cups of milk Line bottom of 9X13 dish with bread and sprinkle cheese over bread. Crumble sausage over cheese. IN seperate bowl mix eggs and milk. Pour over cheese and bread. Refrigerate overnight or freeze if using at a later time. Cook at 350 for approx. 30-40 min. Since we homeschool we have to do 3 meals here a day. I kind of cook what goes along with the sales that week but sometimes I just sit and make a menu plan and get what I need. I also make stir fry (with the stir fry meat,green peppers, and onions)and put it in tortillas , it does not cost much and fills everyone up. Another way to cut cost is to go meatless but we do not do that much around here due to hubby has to have meat and I have growing boys :) Now that I am trying to stay away from bread as much as possible( which is super hard to do-try it and see!!) I am trying to think of other ideas but bread helps to fill in , we make our own yeast rolls and they are very inexpensive and would probably also freeze well. If you would like recipe let me know. Also just have started making our own mixes like all purpose mix to make bisquits and such and our own brownie mix as well as making our own granola. This post is getting quite long so I will finish it up but let me know what other questions you might want answered. Please leave me comments on ideas of how you cut cost or maybe your fave recipe.

FIVE ages 5 and under

Yes, that is right we have nine children but 5 that are 5 and under. While most people say to us every time we go to town I wouldn't want that many kids, I would die if I had that many , and on and on I feel VERY BLESSED. We just celebrated our youngest 2 daughters birthdays this afternoon with family. I am so thankful for these two little girls. See the Lord had different plans than we did and I am so glad He did. AFter having our 5th child my husband was going to (as society calls it) get fixed. We had decided 5 children was enough for us but boy did God sure work in us that year. That is the year things changed for us, especially how we view children. Children are a true gift from God! Plain and simple. If God had not changed our hearts and minds then we would not have our last 4 children and we would not have experienced knowing some of the sweetest,funniest, most wonderfulest little people. Yes , there are days that having so many little ones is trying and some days I am so exhausted I can hardly function but in those times is when I rely on God for strength. People misunderstand us when we say we are not done having children, we really just leave everything to the Lord in our lives. In doing that we have reaped so many rewards but also recently have faced the heartache of 2 miscarriages (due to my thyroid problems). While leaving it to the Lord for our children means we may have many children , it also means we may face many losses of children as well. But as christians we can find peace in knowing we will see those children in heaven and what a glorious day that will be. 2012 will be the first year in 5 years years we have not had a baby and while that is kind of sad it has also been a year that I have learned so much from the Lord. Where I have really been able to focus on what kind of mother and wife I want to be and what kind of wife and mother God wants me to be. Having 5 that are 5 and under is not what many may think it is- it is fun!! And that teach me something EVERYDAY!!!!!! I am so thankful for my husband who loves our children dearly. He sacrifices so much so his children can be healthy and happy. He has spent countless hours talking with our older sons and training them. We have recently in the last few years stepped into a season that is quite difficult and trying-have little ones AND teenagers. Sometimes trying to balance both is trying. Those are the times we have to really pray!!!!!! In short what I am trying to say is when you see a mother in the store with several little ones why don't you smile at her. Instead of negative comments try encouraging ones. And keep in mind what you say to her little ears hear.I hate for my lttle ones to hear people talking about how awful it must be to have them. I am very thankful for each of my children!!!!!!!!!!! God is so good and I am so glad he chose me to be the mother of the 9 blessings I have and for the ones that have gone to be with Him. NO matter how short I have had each of my children they ARE a blessing and a gift. I hope that maybe 2013 will hold a new blessing for our family but I am sure if it doesn't that the Lord has some blessing planned for our family. I am completely stressed somedays but completely blessed as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!