Still tiny, but healthy, happy and adorable.

At 6 months old Eva is now 13 lbs 5 oz which I think is pretty good considering she was 4 lbs 12 oz at birth. But she is definitely still on the tiny side. Last night was the first experience with rice cereal and boy was that fun to watch Eric spoon it in her mouth, half of it dripping down her chin. What a fun age! She has been cracking us up left and right as she growls, laughs, and grabs everything in sight. Here are some fun recent pictures.

We have been taking monthly pictures of Eva on her "Eva blanket" so that we can compare her size.

Just a few days old:

6 months old:

McCall Weekend

We had a nice relaxing weekend in McCall with the Williams and the Dames who were so kind as to invite us to stay in their condo on the lake. We enjoyed playing on the beach with the kids and Guapo the dog, stuffing ourselves at the Pancake House, eating Cristi's Cafe Rio salads and watching The Office episodes. We even braved the chilly lake and went for a swim- Eric and I in our wetsuits ofcourse! The cold water didn't even phase Eva when we dunked her tiny toes. She loves the water!

Workout Tip of the Week: SQUAT-PUSH-PULL

I know these words sound a little silly, but I use them every time I plan a strength training workout. They are key in a workout because with just those three exercises alone you can work all major leg muscles (quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves), all major arm muscles (biceps, triceps, shoulders) as well as chest and back. Then you can add whatever core exercises you like that work abs and lower back. What do I mean by squat, push, pull?

SQUAT: A squat is any exercise using both the knee joint and the hip joint such as traditional squats, lunges, and back kicks.

PUSH: A push is any exercise using both the shoulder and elbow joint such as push-ups, bench press, chest press, and shoulder press.

PULL: A pull is any exercise using both the shoulder and elbow joint such as a lat pull-down, row, pull-ups, and chin-ups.

Pick one or two of each to do twice a week. Start with 2 sets of 15-25 repetitions. You should struggle to get through the last set. Make appointments for yourself just like you did with your cardio. It should only take you about 30 minutes and you'll feel awesome afterwards!

10 good reasons to do strength training:

• You will be able to carry your kid in a car seat without tipping over.
• You will stop wishing you had Cameron Diaz's arms.
• You will have more energy.
• It burns calories.
• It helps prevent osteoporosis by strengthening bone.
• You will have a better chance at being an American Gladiator.
• You will be better and stronger at doing the activities you enjoy.
• It boosts your metabolism as muscle requires more energy to maintain that fat.
• It makes aging easier both physically and mentally.
• It helps prevent injuries such as breaking your arms.

Mikes New Smile

Eric, or should I say Dr. Ballou, did a smile makeover on my brother Mike this weekend. Mike flew in Friday morning from Nevada (where he is living) and I took him straight to the dental office so Eric could get started prepping for two veneers. While Mike hung out with Eva and I on Saturday morning, Eric did a wax-up of the new veneers or crowns, made the model in the lab, and Monday morning, using the Cerec computer program, designed Mike's new crowns. The Cerec milled the veneers out of a solid block of porcelain and then Eric customized the shape and used a paintbrush to add a little color and highlights before he glazed the crowns in an oven. He delivered the crowns and they look beautiful. What a difference just changing two teeth can make in your appearance and in your confidence to show your smile.

Eva Meets Mike

It has been a year since I have seen my brother Mike so it was a lot of fun to have him stay with us this past weekend and have him meet Eva for the first time! He was a little scared to hold her at first but by the end of the weekend he couldn't stop playing with her. It was pretty cute to watch them make each other laugh. I think he really likes this uncle business. Eva and Mike actually share the same birthday!

Workout Tip of the Week: Keep Moving!

Now that swimsuit season is about over, it's not as easy for most of us to stay on top of our workouts. So my first tip includes just a little motivation to keep you going (or to get you going!)

Make a little list of the activities/sports that you like to do such as walking, running, tennis, dance, aerobics, biking, chasing kids outside, etc. Then, look at your planner to see what days and times you can workout the following week. Pick at least 2-3 workouts of at least 30 minutes and actually write down the activity and time you will do it as if you are making an appointment for yourself. You will be surprised at how efficient you will be at getting all of the other things done on your list after you have had some fun and done your body some good! Kids make it difficult? Bring them along in the stroller or do a workout video or tell your hubby you want to start doing better with your workouts. He will most likely encourage you and help you out with the kids. Eric has been awesome and watches Eva thursday mornings before work while I go running with friends. I also decided I was going to go jogging (with Eva) in a different place every week. I did this last week and went to a new cool part of town I had never been to called Hyde Park. I was in a better mood the rest of the day and Eric encouraged me to do it again the following week suggesting a few cool places in Boise.

Remember: The best form of exercise is the one that you will do! Have fun!

Warm River

I am sad to see summer go, but what a wonderful weekend to end it with! We went to Warm River which is in Ashton, ID near Island Park where Eric's family has a cabin. It is awesome because the cabin is right where the Snake and the Warm River meet and there is tons to do. My family went for the first time and some of Eric's family was there too. We did a lot of sitting around the campfire roasting mallows for s'mores (my favorite part), playing a bit in the water and hiking. Eric's crazy new favorite water sport is river boarding, which involves riding the current on the river with a rope tied to a bridge or tree. He made his own board and he and Travis were actually able to surf on the river. Check it out!

Meanwhile, Liss and I sat and ate slices of watermelon bigger than our heads.

Mesa FallsHike