Merry Christmas to All

So far Eva has loved just about everything to do with Christmas- touching the ornaments on the tree and trying to pull them off, play with ribbon and tape while I wrap presents, and suck on candycanes given to her by her dad. But there is one thing she hates. When I use scissors to curl ribbon on a present she screams her head off. I don't really know why. Maybe it is the sound that bothers her... a mystery.

Even though she doesn't know what is going on, I am really excited for Eva's first Christmas. I thought she would be crawling by now, but she isn't (which I am a bit grateful for) so I pictured her getting into everything under and on the Christmas tree. But I think she will just sit and try to suck on as much wrapping paper as she can.

I'm also excited to go home to Salt Lake with Eva and Eric to be with all of our families.

We hope that everybody has a wonderful Christmas and a New Year filled with health, peace and joy!

Sleigh Ride & Play-Doh for Dr. Ballou

For Eric's office Christmas party we went on a sleigh ride at Bogus Basin ski resort. It was freezing, but fun! We bundled up and rode on an actual sleigh pulled by horses through the snow to a little cabin where we had a nice hot dinner and listened to a cowboy play his guitar and sing some country classics. I think the best part was coming into the cabin from the snow and having hot chocolate ready waiting for us. And then to top the night off, the staff gave Eric and Dr. Peterson each a Dr. Drill an Fill Play-Doh set that you can actually make teeth out of play-doh and stick it in some plastic gums. Then you can drill them and fill them with some gold play-doh. I think it's going to be his favorite gift this year. He played with it as soon as he got home that night. They also gave us a gift card to our favorite restarant which I'm way excited about. Eric has a great staff and we are grateful for all that they do!

Meanwhile, Eva was hanging out with her Nana and uncle Quinn. They were in town for a couple of days so Eric could take Quinn's wisdom teeth out. He was a great sport. Nana bought Eva a high-chair. Yay! Look how cute and tiny she looks in it!

Thanksgiving in Island Park

We had a cozy Thanksgiving weekend in Island Park, ID at Eric's mom's new cabin. Craig, her husband, is a builder and contractor and he just finished building a beautiful cabin there, where he is from. We had a great time helping decorate the place with old skis, snowshoes, artwork and we even put up Christmas tree and stockings. Most of the weekend was spent sitting by the fireplace and eating. I did try to follow my own advice from my workout tip, although it was extremely difficult to do when we had such a fine cook. My mother-in-law that I often refer to as Wonder Woman cooked a different meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner all weekend long. She is a great cook and it is something that she really enjoys. Eric and I were so excited to take Eva out for her first time in the snow. I think we had more fun than she did, but she sure looked cute in her bear suit!

It was so nice to be with family for Thanksgiving. Our last 4 years we have been in VA and every year we had Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant we loved in Washington, D.C. It was a fun tradition and great memory, but it sure is good to be home. Plus, it's about time I learn how to cook a turkey from the pros!

Workout Tip of the Week: Stuff the Turkey, not Yourself!

There is nothing worse on Thanksgiving night than feeling stuffed and lazy. Why not feel great and enjoy the time with family and friends? Here are a few tips to help:

1. Start the day by eating a small breakfast rather than skipping meals until turkey time. This will help you not to over-eat after being hungry all day long. Our bodies aren't meant to eat 2,000-3,000 calories at once and will store the excess calories as fat.

2. Workout! Go for a walk, jog or do a quick weights routine at home. It will feel great to burn some calories before the Thanksgiving meal.

3. Watch your portions. Eat a little bit of the foods that you really like. Sometimes if it is there, we eat it. Stop and ask yourself what you really want. Stuffing and cranberries aren't my fave so I like to save those calories for pumpkin pie, which I love!

4. Bring a healthy side dish. Sweet potatoes are full of nutrients and taste great by themselves. Bake some without adding all of the sweet and fatty stuff. A little cinnamon and sugar is all they need.

5. Do something active with your family after the meal, especially if you weren't able to workout in the morning. Play tag with the kids, start a basketball game, or go for a walk.

Eva's 1st Halloween

Have you seen a cuter tube of toothpaste? Kids make holidays so much more fun. I loved dressing Eva up for her first Halloween and taking her to the dental office. She was pretty happy until her cap would fall down over her eyes! Thanks for the help with the costume, Grandma Julia.

The next day...

And I thought I could trust the dentist.

What have the Ballou's been up to?

Oh, how time flies. I haven't updated in a while, sorry. We have been busy but life has been treating us well. We went to my first BSU game (Eric took some young men from our ward a couple months ago) last weekend and had a blast. It is great to see so many crazy fans and nothing but orange and blue. We have become quite the fans ourselves. Remind me to post a picture of Eva in her new BSU t-shirt.

Eric has been working hard, seeing lots of patients, which is great! I'm so glad that he loves what he does. I have been preparing talks and lessons for the past couple of weeks for church. Eric and I are just the opposite when we have to teach or give a talk. I get scared and sweaty just thinking about it and Eric gets excited and after jotting a few thoughts down he is prepared and does an awesome job. I had to give the dreaded dating lesson to the young women at church and prepared and prepared and probably overprepared, but it went well. I wanted to do it in a way they could remember so I used jelly-bellies and compared them to boys and I compared the selection of a favorite flavor to dating. I encouraged them to "taste all of the flavors" and date lots of boys. I don't think they will ever look at a jelly belly the same. After that lesson was over I was asked to speak on gratitude at enrichment night. I was so glad I did because it really made me aware of my many blessings and after recieving a cute little gratitude journal I have been trying to write down something every day about how the Lord has blessed my family and I.

If you look closely in the bottom picture you can see the last reason why I've been too busy to blog. Yes, I finally started Twilight. I'm probably the last of the mormon girls on earth to start reading it, but I haven't been much of a reader. After this I definitely will be. I love it! And my main reason for starting this is so that I can go to the movie with Emily, Meg and Nancy who have all read just about the whole series.

JUMP!

Eva has discovered a love for jumping. She is finally big enough for her Johnny Jumper where she now spends a lot of her time. It is pretty funny and cute to watch.

Fun Week in Salt Lake and Park City

Eva and I drove down to Salt Lake for a full week in anticipation of the Ballou-girl weekend in Park City. It is a fun tradition where all of the girls in the Ballou extended family stay in a hotel in Park City, have a big sleepover, eat lots of yummy food, and shop! It was a splendid time and I can't wait for the next one. Shopping with Nancy, Meg and Em was my favorite part I have to say....and well, eating too! I wish I had some pictures, but we're waiting for photographer Tonya to show us the cute ones she took. Missed you Ashley and Tara!

We also had a fun time with my family hiking and seeing the beautiful fall colors. Living away from SLC makes me appreciate the amazing mountains there even more. I loved walking through the leaves with my girl.

I love downtown Salt Lake so we met my Dad for lunch and went to the Nauvoo Cafe.
Eva is 7 months old and I still have not put bumper pads in her crib yet. Until now! Poor girl has been bumping her head. So my sweet mother in law helped me make some bumper pads, a quilt, and skirt. Actually, she did most of it because she is a talented seamstress, but I helped by occasionally threading the needle. She did an amazing job. Eva loves her new bedding!
It was a wonderful week, but we missed Eric and I think he missed us too. He's so sweet. When we got home, I walked into a spotless house with flowers, chocolates and a note on the counter.

Workout Tip of the Week: Interval Training Workout

Ready to spice up your workouts? Interval training is a time-efficient way to do strength training while also getting cardiovascular benefits. You can burn a lot of calories and so it is excellent for individuals who want to lose weight. It involves alternating short bursts of high-intensity exercise with rest. Here is a total- body interval training workout to try:

It takes about 45 minutes. You will need weights (8-12 lbs) and stairs or a chair.
Warm-up for 10 minutes.

Station 1: Lunges with weights/ Running: Do a set of 15-20 repetitions of lunges (walking or in place) holding weights. Then run as hard as you can outside or on a treadmill for 1 minute. Slow down to walking for 30-45 seconds Repeat twice so you do 3 sets at this station.

Station 2: Push-ups/ Jumping Jacks: Do as many push-ups as you can then do 20 jumping jacks. Rest for 30-45 seconds by walking in place and repeat all twice.

Station 3: Bicep Curls/ Jump Squats: Do 15-20 bicep curls. Then do 15-20 jump- squats, which is going into a low squat and then jumping. Rest for 30-45 seconds and then repeat all twice.

Station 4: Crunches & Bicycles/ Stairs or stepping up on a chair: Do 15 crunches and then 15 bicycles (for abs: elbow to opposite knee while legs are in cycling motion). Then climb up and down the stairs 3-4 times. Or you can step up and down from a chair or bench for 1 minute. Rest 30-45 seconds and then repeat all twice.

Cool down for 5-10 minutes. Stretch.

You may add more stations or create your own workout. Here are some more ideas for your intense cardio sprints. Just simply partner them with a strength exercise.

jumping jacks, running, jumprope, jump squats, stairs, lunges, stepping up on a chair or or an aerobics step, cycling, etc.

TURN UP THE MUSIC AND HAVE FUN!

Dad is teaching me early.

Workout Tip of the Week: LOWER ABS: From Flab to Fab!

While working at the gym I think the number one complaint I heard was along the lines of, "For as many crunches that I do, I just can't get rid of this lower ab flab." Especially for women who have had babies, it is not easy to flatten that area around the bellybutton, but there are some things that can really help and the first step is to learn what ab exercises work the different parts of the core. A common belief is that standard crunches work the whole abdominal area, including the lower part. But although they are good to do, they mostly work the top which is where you feel it.

In order to strengthen the lower abdominal region, you have to do exercises that involve lifting the lower body. Don't worry, you don't have to do the dreaded straight-leg lifts that are nearly impossible for post-pregnancy abs. There are many variations and different things you can do. If you are feeling really weak in that area, simple pelvic tilts work well: Lay on the ground or a ball with your feet on the floor and tilt your pelvis towards you. It is a rotational movement rather than lifting up and down. You can do these while doing crunches at the same time to work the whole abdominal muscle. A few others for the LOWER ABS are:

• Bicycles: These are my favorite because they work all of the abdominal muscle- upper and lower, as well as the obliques on the sides.
• Bent-Leg Lifts: Lay on the floor with knees bent and feet on the floor. Lift, bringing your knees in towards you and then tap your feet on the floor.
• Bent-Leg Lefts with Ball: Same as above with a stability ball between the knees. Also works inner thighs!
• L-Shaped Lifts: Similar to the bent leg lift, but when you lift your legs, straighten them out so your feet point toward the ceiling then bend the knees and straighten them about 6 inches from the floor then touch toes on floor. You are drawing an L with your feet.

Give some of these a try a few times a week and you'll feel your core getting stronger and maybe even see some definition! Keep up on your cardio- it will also help you to stay slim in your middle.

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

Who says there aren't beaches in Idaho?

Eric's Dad was in town visiting and we had a really fun day on friday. The two of them planned a day of golf in McCall (2 hours north of Boise) and I couldn't pass up an opportunity to go to my new favorite place. I keep seeing Richmond friends' blogs with their Virginia Beach pictures and they really make me miss it! But we have found our new beach- only with pine trees and mountains rather than salt water and waves! McCall has a beautiful pristine lake and the little town is full of cute shops and good restaurants. So Eva and I decided we were going to have some girl time while the boys golfed 18 holes.

We found a nice beach area so I changed into my suit and since I haven't found Eva a swimsuit yet, she just wore the good ol' fashioned kind.....a diaper. I know, not as cute as a teeny bikini but it served it's purpose for the day. She loved going out into the water and getting her toes buried in the sand. I had the funnest day and was so glad I had my little sidekick with me. She makes everything more fun.