JJ's Journal

Hello!

Hi Everybody! I hope your holidays were great and you had a fun time with your family! I'm not sure what you have planned to bring in the New Year, but I hope you have fun! Also, if you know of anyone that shouldn't be driving, make sure they know that Citifare has free buses running from 9pm to 2am. There's no reason to drink and drive so keep an eye out for each other! Be Safe and I cant wait to see you in the New Year!

Fun Holiday Quiz

Heres a fun Christmas Quiz that came across. Please take it and see how you do!

1. What American state was the first to make Christmas an official holiday?

    a.) Connecticut     b.) Alabama     c.) Alaska     d.) North Carolina

2. What is the shape of the candy of the candy cane modeled after?

    a.) A fish hook   b.) A consolation of stars   c.) The cane of St. Nicolas used   d.) A Shepard's hook

3. What was the name of the dog that belonged to the Grinch in Dr. Seuss' book "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"?

    a.) Rudolph     b.) Toto     c.) Max     d.)Ceberus

4. What star led the Three Kings to Jesus?

    a.) Star of David     b.) North Star     c.) Star of Bethlehem     d.) Angel Star

5. What was the name of Scrooge's dead business partner in "A Christmas Carol"?

    a.) Jacob Marley     b.) Bob Cratchit     c.) Tiny Tim     d.) Bill Sykes

6. Where did the real St. Nicolas live?

    a.) In Holland     b.) At the North Pole     c.) In Turkey     d.) In Germany

7. What brought Frosty the Snowman to life?

    a.) Pixie Dust     b.) An old silk hat     c.) A kiss     d.) A fresh snowfall

8. When you go Wassailing, what is it that you are doing?

    a.) Giving out gifts to your friends and neighbors     b.) Going out in the woods to cut down your Christmas tree     c.) Challenging as many of your neighbors as you can to a snowball fight     d.) Going to visit neighbors and receiving goodies!

9. In the movie "Its a Wonderful Life" how do you know that an angel has received his wings?

    a.) A light flashes     b.) It starts raining     c.) A trumpet sounds     d.) A bell rings

10. Who was the author of "A Christmas Carol"?

    a.) Hans Christian Anderson     b.) Charles Dickens     c.) Thomas M. Sawyer    d.) Mark Twain

11. What was pictured on the first stamp printed for the Christmas season?

    a.) Santa Claus    b.) An Angel    c.) A Star    d.) A Rose

12. The poem commonly known as "The Night Before Christmas" was originally titled:

    a.) The Night Before Christmas  b.) Santa Claus is Coming to Town  c.) A Visit From Saint Nicolas

So, How'd you do? Beneath are the answers incase you'd like to check! I hope you have a great Christmas!

                                                    Your Friend,

                                                      JJ Ballard

answers: 1 (b) 2 (d) 3 (c) 4 (c) 5 (a) 6 (c) 7 (b) 8 (d) 9 (d) 10 (b) 11 (d) 12 (c)

Etiquette

"Holiday cheer comes once a year, but good impressions can last a lifetime."

This time of year offers some great opportunities to celebrate with colleagues, show your appreciation to clients with holiday cards and gifts! Here are some questions brought by Realtor.org that will help us to not make mistakes when it comes to business etiquette.

Sending Cards: Is E-mail Acceptable?

Everyone in the Real Estate business is connected to their computers. Its convenient, and also affordable to send electronic holiday cards to your clients and colleagues. "Email cards are being done a lot. There are people who would think thats the easy way out, so it depends on your audience. I wouldn't send e-cards to everyone. Though, something is better than nothing, and sooner is better than later." A broker from Coldwell Banker says, "Handwritten notes are like gold, its one of the best things you can do. You need to stay in contact with people at every opportunity, and the holidays are a season where you can market yourself with cards and gifts."

Gift-Giving Dilemmas: What to Buy?

Edible gifts are always a good idea. " Food or wine, if the client drinks, make appropriate gifts during the holidays because there is alot of entertaining going on. Any thoughtful present will do."

Going to the Party: What to Wear, Bring?

Once you've received that invitation you are faced with the decision of what to wear. If the invitation doesn't state what the attire is, its always okay to call and ask. The most important thing when showing up the party is bringing a gift to the host. Recommendations include: a small box of chocolates, or something homemade like muffins or an ornament. One thing to try and avoid bringing: fresh flowers. Unlike the rest of the year when thats a great gift, try and stay away from them this Christmas season. This is the reason: Even though they smell great, the host will have to leave the rest of the party to go put them in water.

Making a Toast: What should I Say?

Keep a few things in mind. The host or hostess offers the first toast at a formal occasion such as a diner party. Around a dinner table of friends, a guest can propose the first toast and often does so to thank the host for bringing everyone together.

Keep it short and to the point, focus your remarks on the event being celebrated. A joke or short story is OK as long as its clean.

Hope this helps and you have a great time at those Holiday parties! Be safe!

                                                          Your Friend,

                                                           JJ Ballard

A Holiday Idea

The holidays are getting closer, and its coming down to the wire to shop for those last minute gifts! Rather than standing in line at the stores for one, two, or three items that you might have forgotten to grab earlier. Maybe this happens to be one of those forgotten items.

All presents need tags/labels. They are important so you know who's gift belongs to who. If you are on a budget or just want to make your gifts more personable than heres an idea. Begin by using card- stock paper and the decorative edge scissors, to make the edges softer and more fun. Stamp all of the paper or just a portion depending on what you'd like. Its usually a good idea to use colored ink because of the festive occasion. Heres a tip, if you use embossed ink, it raises the lettering so it gives the card a better feel. Once it dries, draw your design whether it is a snowman, snowflake, ornament, etc. If you use a little bit of glue its a perfect time to apply glitter. On the other side of the card make sure you write your "To" and "From", or "Made with love". You can always add more things such as bells, stickers, charms. Using a small hole punch, add string to the middle and tie a knot.

I know your friends and family will enjoy these! They are fun to do with the kids, and a great way to save some cash! Only 5 more days till the Holiday!

                                                                Best Wishes,

                                                                 JJ Ballard

tahoe market.

I was reading the Reno Gazette-Journal yesterday and came across an article that was talking about the Real Estate market in Lake Tahoe/Northern Nevada. The journalist spoke to Vince Malta, outgoing president of the California Association of Realtors. Vince says, "For those who started (selling Real Estate) in the last 5 years, I hate to tell you this but this is a normal market. The big story in 2006 was that this is the end of the market. Obviously this is not true." Along the Tahoe Basin its all about the resale market.

The South Tahoe Association of Realtors figures show that from Dec. 1, 2005 to Dec. 1, 2006, 426 houses sold, with a median price of $471,500, on the market of 126 days. "In 2005, sellers didn't know what you can do because you just had to put a sign out."said Vince.  "2007 will be a fantastic year because it will be a year when you have the ability to show what you can do."

Here's the update on the Northern California/Nevada market according to the RGJ. Hope its helpful

Home made ornaments

One of the best things you can give someone as a gift is something thats personal to you. Home- made ornaments are a fun and inexpensive gift for the holidays. Its a gift that people can hold onto for the rest of their lives. One of the girls in my office told me that she's always enjoyed making these with her mom. She usually uses either pears or apples. She would like to share how to make these ornaments with you, because she thinks its something you would enjoy.

Supplies: Artificial fruits, Craft glue, Glass glitter, Ribbon, and a paintbrush.

Cost: About $5-10.

Instructions: Using a small bowl, dilute the craft glue using water until its thin and runny. Brush each fruit with the glue mixture, then using a small amount, sprinkle the fruit with glitter. Let it sit until completely dry. Once its dry tie a ribbon at the top end of it so it can hang on the tree.

From what she's said it's a gift that everyone enjoys. Its a great way to spend extra time with your kids, and it will last a lifetime!

                                                                       See ya soon!

                                                                         JJ Ballard

behind

Welcome Back! Ive been a little behind on my posts due to a busy weekend. We had our company Christmas party that turned out to be wonderful! The food was excellent and we had a great turn out! I can tell that everyone enjoyed themselves. The weather this week is a little colder than it has been. It may be time to put on the warmer coats, and start those fire places!

Time to bring in the plants!

    Hello! Welcome back! As you know the weathers been getting colder! There's ice on the windshields, and a chill in the air! Time to bring out those winter coats! When its this time of year I worry about how my garden will do. As you know I want to expand my greenhouse, but for you, if you do not have a green house of your own then this is a good way of how you can build your own greenhouse indoors. You'll begin to notice I refer to Martha Stewart pretty frequently, because she has a way of explaining things that I find helpful. So, again, here is how she explains it and I think makes a lot of sense on how to build one.

    Transform a window into a mini-greenhouse where herbs, houseplants, and even little pots of grass will thrive. For best results, choose a large inset window that receives lots of light.

1. To determine the dimensions of the shelves, measure the depth and width of the window frame, and subtract 1/2 inch from the width.

2. Have a glazier cut a 1/2-inch-thick piece of glass to size for each shelf; for a more finished look, have the edges sanded. Using a level and a ruler for precision, make pencil marks where each shelf support should go, starting from the top of the window frame.

3. Make supports out of molding, available at hardware stores: Using a hand saw, cut two lengths of molding for each shelf (the molding length should equal the depth of the frame). Sand the ends smooth. 4. Drill three evenly spaced holes (just bigger than the head of a wood screw) in each support. Hold a support against the appropriate mark on the window frame, insert the bit of an electric drill through one of the holes, and drill a starter spot into the frame. Repeat for the other holes, then countersink screws so the heads don’t show. Repeat for remaining supports. Fill holes with wood putty, sand smooth, and paint supports. Once paint dries, attach a felt dot or plastic glide to each support end, and set glass shelves in place.

    I hope your greenhouse window turns out to be wonderful and your plants will keep growing and growing! Have a great afternoon!

                                                                    Your Friend,

                                                                       JJ Ballard

Source: www.marthastewart.com

Treehouses

When you were a kid remember how fun it was to go into your or your friends treehouse? I was just thinking about how much fun it was to put the table in, some snacks, and have all my friends over. I was driving home the other night and I saw a really cool treehouse. It was a big castle, and I'm sure some child thought that he/she was the prince/princess.

Recently I was looking around the Internet and came across an article that said people are making treehouses into places for adults. They are putting plumming, electrical wiring, and even making it a guest room for out of towner's.  According to Business Week.com there are two brothers known as the Danielses that are selling custom treehouses anywhere from $7,000 to $1 Million dollars. 

I thought it was interesting how valuable and expensive some of these are getting. Hope you're having a great day. I hope to hear from you soon.

                                                               Your Friend,

                                                                 JJ Ballard

Cleaning your garden!

Welcome! Since gardening is one of my favorite hobbies I wanted to give you a quick lesson. This lesson is on how to clean your houseplants and why its important. With some help from Martha Stewart, I am able to better describe the different ways to clean them. I know since its becoming winter you may want to start bringing your plants indoors. I will give you another lesson on how to keep them healthy as they become indoor plants instead of outdoor plants.

Why its important to clean them: It makes it easier for them to breathe, be healthy, soak up the sunlight, and grow.

Shiny-leaved plants are easy to clean. Simply moisten a soft cloth with warm water and wipe both sides of each leaf, or wash leaves by misting with water. To clean several plants at once, set them in the shower under a fine, tepid spray. After washing, use a paper towel to blot the excess moisture, which may cause rot.

Fuzzy-leaved succulants are sensitive to touch. Washing the fuzzy hairs that protect the plant in arid conditions can be hazardous to the leaves. Instead, use a soft paintbrush and gently dust each leaf.

Cacti, with their sharp spikes, can be tricky to clean. Many also have a waxy coating that helps conserve moisture. If water remains on the coating, it can act as a magnifier and scorch the leaf. To avoid damaging the waxy coat, spray short bursts of canned compressed air ( used to clean cameras) to blow away dust and dirt, or use long tweezers to pick off stray particles.

I hope this helps! If you have any questions please feel free to contact me and I will try to better explain. Hope all is well!

                                                  Your Friend,

                                                   JJ Ballard

Source: www.marthastewart.com