Good Times

Last week Eric went on a high adventure trip to Warm River with the young men. It was a success and no one got hurt, they just got their bums bit off by mosquitos. All in all, they had a great time backpacking, fishing and floating the river.

Eva and I spent the week in Salt Lake with the families. It was a fun-packed week with many outings including the splash park, aquarium, the zoo, playing outside and shopping. Eva nailed walking just trying to keep up with Brenner. We also saw a bit of mischief come out when she was around her little cousin Clark. She likes to poke, tap and push him and we keep telling her, "Soon he is going to be bigger than you, so watch out!"

Besides the little kiddie fun- I got a new do by my sis that I love and had a blast at the Nordstrom sale with Meg, Nancy and Em trying on a bunch of clothes in this huge dressing room. I mostly tried on shoes- that's what Nordstrom is known for in my book. So I walked out with fun pair of boots. My Dad took me on a lovely hike up Little Cottonwood and it was nice to have some one-on-one time with him while my mom and Eva played at home.

Highlights of the week:Splash Park

The Zoo Saying hi to the big "kitty." Or...lynx. Checking out the lizards with Brenner and Nana

Special High 5

On thursday while Eva and I were in Salt Lake we were able to go to my cousin Brooke's bridal shower at Little America. After we had lunch my mom was playing with Eva out in the hallway. She pops her head around the corner and motions for me to come quick. Guess who Eva got a high-5 from?? President Monson! He came up to her and said, "What a cutie." Then held his hand up and she kept giving him the high-5. Other people were gathering around and Eva started to talk and play with some little kids. President Monson then said, "She has a good personality." Wow! That sure makes a mother's heart smile. I would have to agree with him, she is quite a friendly little girl.

4th of July at the River

It was a splendid 4th of July weekend at Warm River! The highlight of the trip was being in the Ashton, ID parade. I was honored to ride on the spectacular Connect-A-Dock float made by bro in law Travis who is a contractor and also builds docks. And, he was the only genious that thought to give out full-sized candy bars. We had a ton of fun that morning then we went back and floated the river. Eva loved playing in the water, with her cousins and the "doggy." It was great to see all of you Ballous.

DOGGY!

tinies

Workout Tip: Take care of those knees please!

One of the most common complaints heard among exercisers is knee pain. There is no wonder why there are so many knee problems these days with all of the constant smacking against concrete and other hard surfaces. Our bodies weren't really made to do some of the things we do, but there are things we can do that can help prevent knee problems that will in turn allow us to be active throughout our lives.

1. Run on a softer surface. If you can, find a dirt road or track to run on. If you run in a neighborhood, run on the asphalt on the left side of the street rather than the concrete sidewalk. It is a little softer.

2. Do squats and lunges correctly. Stand to the side in front of a mirror and as you go down for a squat or lunge, your knee should not extend past the toe. While squatting, push your hips back. While lunging, go straight up and down with a wide stance in a 90 degree angle.

3. Wear proper shoes. When you notice knee pain, take a look at the tread of your shoes. If they are pretty worn, invest in a new pair. If you go to a running store, the clerk will watch the way you walk/run and make suggestions on different shoes depending on your gait.

4. Stretch after a warm-up or after your workout. While the muscles are warm, stretch the hamstrings, quadriceps, and calf muscles. As we age, we become less and less flexible which makes it more difficult to move. Maintaining flexibility may help prevent injury.

5. Crosstrain. If you are a runner and a runner only, try and do a different workout once or twice a week to change it up. It will decrease the wear on the knees and help strengthen the muscles around them. Try cycling or swimming. If you are into races, try a sprint triathalon.

6. Weight Loss. If you are carrying around excess weight, the knees can be affected.

7. RICE. If you are experiencing knee pain, use this formula: rest, ice, compression, elevation. If the pain doesn't go away, see a doctor. There are a number of things that could be causing the pain. They may give you certain exercises to help strengthen an area around the knee.

Summertime

We love the things that Summer brings! One of our favorites is this cool park that not only has a big playground, but a water-play area with fountains. This is her little friend Annie that introduced us to the place.

It was so nice to have some visitors come this month. My high school friend Annilee came to visit with her husband Jeremy and little boy Cannon. We had a great time reminiscing and laughing. Oh how old friendships never change. We also had some friends from Virginia drive across and stop by before they got to their hometown in Eugene, OR. They have the cutest tiny baby girl, Penelope. It makes me so happy when people come stay, even if they are just passing through. It is wonderful to have people that I love in my house!

Our good friends Jess and Damariz came to town with their little boy Sam. Eric has been friends with Jess since high school and it is so fun to see them because Sam was born one day before Eva. He is much taller than her, which is not hard to do, and it is fun to compare the things they are doing and learning. They do share a favorite food: strawberries.

Here they are playing in the fountains: