Welcome to Balance!

Thanks for taking the time to sign up for our monthly newsletter, we appreciate your support and interest!  To find the latest in news and information to help you create a better life of balance, check out our website at www.balanceaustin.com. 

In December, the website is turning its attention to the Holiday season.  Yes, it can be a stressful time, given how much money we spend, dealing with extended family, and making resolutions we so desperately want to keep.  Do yourself a favor and log on to www.balanceaustin.com for tips on all these topics and more! 

How Do You Create Balance?
In November, Stacey Wood shared how she creates Balance… "My husband and I both work and we have two precious little girls where we try and make time wherever and whenever possible.  We also serve on multiple non-profit boards and are workout fanatics, so finding the right balance is often very, very difficult.  That’s why every weekend we try and discover a new outdoor adventure with the girls.  It brings us together as a family, and helps re-charge the batteries for the coming weeks.  If we can make it something that involves exercise, all the better. ”  Thanks Stacey, and for sharing, we’re sending you AND your husband a gift certificate to Lake Austin Spa!

Want to be a part of Balance? Visit www.balanceaustin.com and click on “Your Balance.”  If you feel like you have tips to share with other women, don’t be shy!  If your "How I Create Balance" entry is featured, we’ll send you a gift like Stacey above.

Sunday Morning Balance Breakfast Hour
Have you heard our commercial free hour of Sunday morning Balance Breakfast Music on Mix 94.7 and Majic 95.5?  With all of the responses we’ve received, we’re sure that more and more people are waking up on Sunday mornings to hear what their fellow Balance subscribers are suggesting.   Special thanks to Jane Hoffman of Round Rock and Julie Brooks of Austin for programming the November 25th edition.  For your efforts, ladies, we're going to send you a Balance gift bag!

If you have a playlist that sets your tone every Sunday morning, click here and submit five songs.  Go ahead, this is your chance to program a radio station!  The next Sunday Morning Balance Breakfast Hour will be at 8am on December 16th, featuring Christmas music exclusively on Majic 95.5 (Mix will be regular Balance music).

Balance Favorites
Every month in this newsletter, we’ll showcase a new “favorite.”  It could be a place to shop, somewhere to eat, or even a daily activity.  In keeping with the holiday theme, we offer you the concept of a personal shopper. 

For some, the thought of holiday gift shopping brings frustration and anxiety.  It can be daunting fighting through large crowds of aggressive bargain hunters, dealing with chaotic stores, or worse, clueless employees.  Create balance during the holidays by having a personal shopper find that perfect outfit for your holiday parties or even the perfect gift for your hard to shop for mother-in-law.  Call and schedule your appointment, they will do the rest for you.  Here are some to consider…

Saks Fifth Avenue 9722 Great Hills Trail Austin, TX 78759 (512) 231-3700

Scarbroughs 38th & N. Lamar Austin, TX 78756 (512) 452-4220

Nordstrom - Personal Touch Dept 2901 Capital of Texas Hwy South Austin, TX (512) 691-3500

Holiday Cookies, Fudge and More!
With the holiday's come a lot of food, drink and fun. So if you are looking for great recipes this holiday season, you have to visit The North Pole Kitchen. Mrs. Claus has been generous enough to share some of her time tested recipe's, from Ambrosia to Yuletide Soup… be sure and check out the cookie, fudge and candy section, too – yum, yum!

Featured Health Tip
You probably remember getting checkups as a kid.  But did you know they’re important for adults, too?  Here’s why:

• The health benefits.  An annual physical can help you keep your health in check and detect signs of disease sooner.
• Peace of mind.  Even if you’re healthy, an annual physical gives you and your doctor the opportunity to get to know one another.  If you ever become seriously ill, you’ll feel more comfortable making medical decisions with a physician you know and trust.
• Education.  At your yearly examination, your doctor is given the chance to counsel you.  But it works both ways.  Ask about topics like preventive care and any new medical information that might apply to you or your loved ones.

Pantene Beautiful Lengths
Pantene Beautiful Lengths was created to bring people together to share their strengths and donate their beautiful, healthy hair to create free wigs for women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment. Real-hair wigs can cost as much as $1,200 and are often only partially covered by health insurance. Statistically, one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in her lifetime and nearly 60% of women regard hair loss as the single worst side effect of cancer treatment. Now you can make a difference. Donating your hair is a heartfelt and life-changing act of women’s cancer and breast cancer support.

For more information and details for participation, Click here.

This Month’s Featured Podcast
This month, we sat down with Kay Freed, a professional realtor with Keller Williams Realty whose focus is on her client’s needs. She has lived abroad during much of her life and embraces all cultures and the diversity that surrounds them. Her love of Austin and the great state of Texas, her energetic personality, and her general love of life create the nucleus that achieves Balance in her everyday life. Click here to listen in…

Balance Event's This Month
In December, the Balance street team will have holiday themed goodies, including Balance t-shirts, courtesy of Mrs. Claus, as well as great coffee/cocoa mugs! Check out when and where the Balance team will be, near you, at www.balanceaustin.com/events.html.

December Highlights…

• December 8th  – Give and Get, Lakeline Mall, 2-4pm
• December 8th  – Designer Floors of Texas, 10am-12n, 3841 620 South
• December 14th – Louis Shanks, 6-10am, 2930 West Anderson
• December 20th – Ladies Night, Cool River Café, 6:30-8:30pm, 4001 Parmer Lane
• December 21st – Direct Buy, 6am-10am, 9160D Research Blvd

Feedback
From everyone at balanceaustin.com, thank you for your support and Happy Holidays!  Help us grow this community by providing feedback on how to improve the website content or if you have stories or tips to share.