Our new Luna Mom's Club topic for this quarter is Prenatal Health & Fitness (good timing for all the pregnant ladies popping up at class lately). To celebrate this topic we are walking in the March for Babies on 4/25 & helping to raise money for the March of Dimes & all the amazing work they do.

Healthier eating starts now

When women become pregnant, they are more likely to make improvements in their nutrition than at almost any other time in their lives. One change to make right from the start is to switch over and eat organic foods as much as possible. Organic foods are grown without most of the pesticides that are used in conventionally grown foods.

If you are finding it difficult to switch over to organic foods at once, start with milk and meat products (beef, chicken, pork), and the “dirty dozen”, which are the fruits and vegetables that you want to buy organically from the get-go because they are the most contaminated with pesticides. Studies show that eating these fruits and vegetables will expose a person to nearly 20 pesticides per day, on average.

• Apples

• Bell Peppers

• Celery

• Cherries

• Imported Grapes

• Nectarines

• Peaches

• Pears

• Potatoes

• Red Raspberries

• Spinach

• Strawberries

So if you’re starting out with baby steps, make the switch to organic with these fruits and vegetables first.

is over.. Double Yay!! As much as I LOVE planning & putting on events, especially when they are fundraisers for amazing groups, man, it's nice when they are over.

LUNAFEST was a smash hit & a HUGE thank you to all the mom's who helped out:
Heather, Isabel, Shauna, Tracy & Sarah. You ladies are amazing & this would not have happened without each one of you!

We raised over 3,000 for Girls on the Run of Coconino County & the Breast Cancer Fund- that means 20+ girls will be able to do GOTR's amazing program because of YOU!
Thanks to all of you that came, saw the films & bid on the silent auction item & congrats to Karl for his big win. :)

Here is an email I got from a friend after she attended LUNAFEST
Hi Beth!
I just wanted to let you know how awesome LunaFest was. The whole event was so nicely organized, everyone was friendly, the desserts were delicious, the movies were thought provoking, the information packets were bountiful, the Luna bars yummy and the silent auction was full of great stuff! It really made me feel great about being a part of something positive for women. Thank you so much for making it happen! I hope to see LunaFest in Flagstaff again next year.

For those of you that missed us this AM- so sorry! Please remember to check the website, blog & phone line (800 971 2648 press option 2) & your email any day the weather may be iffy. Although today was beautiful the forecast said it wouldn't be over 30 degrees until about 11!

If you would like to get a text message with any weather updates please email me with your wireless provider & phone number. I will only text you when there is a class update!

So we will be at the NAU Skydome today- enter by Louie the Lumberjack and meet on the concourse to the right of the gift shop!

See you there!!!

So, I'm no elite runner and I have only won my age group in a race twice...in my whole life. Both times in high school, and yes, I still remember the races the Harry the Hat 10k and the Boston Race for the Cure 5k.
Despite my less than stellar racing history, I still love to run in races and part of my pre-race routine has always included coffee. Ah coffee, I love coffee..... Now, like I said I'm no running champ, but I do notice a difference in my races with and without coffee.

And guess what! I was right- check out this article in the New York Times about the scientifically proven positive effect caffeine can have on the performance of elite athletes. Caffeine's effect on the performance of athletes has been known for awhile, but what recent research has shown is that it doesn't take as much caffeine as previously thought, for most people- just a cup of coffee or can of soda will do the trick.

So go ahead, have your cup a day- especially race day.

As promised.
My mom sent me this from an article about eating on the cheap that she found in the Boston Globe. The 'recipe' isn't too firm- but here are the ingredients & what directions I have.
Mine didn't look like this-
it was more of a tostada b/c it was baked & crispy!



We had it tonight and it was really good & filling (seriously- my husband can eat 1/2 a lasagna in one sitting- easily- and he only had one burrito & some salad). Quick & easy to make!!! Try it!

In between our awesome day sponsorship spots on KNAU today I heard this story about a new study released on the relationship between eating a lot of red meat and an increase in the likelihood in dying of heart disease and cancer. Yikes! Now being the scientist that I was trained to be I found a few thing important in the study

- the use of AARP members (generally healthier than the 'average' population)
- the subjects were asked to remember what they ate the last year

Even with those two 'quirks', the findings are still significant- especially in people who eat a lot of red meat (like every night)- by finding a red meat replacement once or twice a week (chicken, fish, beans are good alternatives) you can not only save some $$ but also decrease your chances of dying from cancer or heart disease.

Look at this stat from the study:

I watch too much tv- there I said it. I actually didn't even own a tv for about 6 years..and then I met Tom. And he watches a lot of tv- sports mostly (until we discovered reality tv). I never ever had cable until he moved in....Judge me if you must- but there it is.

My pregnancy was a bit of a surprise back in 2007 and somehow miraculously there was this entertaining show that premiered right around the time I found out I was expecting. Notes from the Underbelly, did anyone watch it? For me, it seemed to say everything I was feeling in a much funnier & more sarcastic way than I could. Kind of like what Blossom did for me as a pre-teen (I guess we call them tweens now). Anyways, one day, the show was just gone.. And it never came back....

But now, there is this new show on abc called In the Motherhood based on a bunch of webisodes sponsored by Suave and created by real moms a few years back. I think the ads on tv make this show look pretty funny & it has a few of my fave tv actress- Larry David's wife on Curb Your Enthusiasm and Grace's friend from Will & Grace.

The show premieres Thurs night on abc at 7pm AZ time.

I cannot wait to start this training program- it will be so amazing! I don't promise many things in my life, but I promise all participants you will have FUN in this program and at the end of it you WILL be able to run a 5k. What a cool goal to get us into summer!!! Meet at Buffalo Park tomorrow, Tues 3/24 at 5:15pm.
Can't wait to see you!!!

Its chilly out but we are outside at Buffalo Park! Use your best judgement, but a nicely bundled up baby will do fine outside for an hour. I'll bring some extra blankets! See you there...

This week, in anticipation of LUNAFEST on Sat 3/28, is a FREE Preview Week.

Classes are FREE all week (MWF 9:15AM at Buffalo Park) so come & try us out- you've got nothing to lose.. besides boredom or your belly or feeling alone or........
We will be at Buffalo Park unless the weather is terrible. Call 800.971.2648 & press option 2 for weather updates or check the website or blog.

On Sat April 25th Stroller Strides Flagstaff will sponsor a team at the March for Babies @ Buffalo Park. The "march" is a fun! 4-mile walk, strollers welcome. There is NO entry fee for the event- just the money you can raise through fundraising. You even get a free breakfast!
Please click here to join Team Stroller Strides Flagstaff and click here if you would like to donate to our team.

What does the March of Dimes do?
The March of Dimes provides research funding and support to families that are facing the birth of a premature baby, a baby with birth defects and infant mortality. This year, as a result of budget cuts and decreased fundraising the March of Dimes had to cut $3 million in research grants.

Recently, we made the difficult decision to cut $3 million in research grants — funding that was urgently needed to develop new treatments for babies born too soon or with birth defects. We planned to bring NICU Family Support® to 20 new hospitals in 2009. Now, I fear we won't meet this goal. This program, which provides much-needed information and comfort to parents with a baby in newborn intensive care, is now in jeopardy.

Please help support this amazing cause and prevent any more cuts. I know that money is tight for almost all of us right now, but we need to remember there are always people worse off than us and almost everyone can donate something small. And as we know lots of small things can add up to something big! Lets go save some babies!!! :)

Lily with last summer's 1st tomato

So, if any of you are like me you want to try & feed your family the best quality food available- of course we all have our junk food moments- I mean seriously, could you imagine a toddler deprived of their goldfish? :)

In a perfect, money grows on trees kind of world our family would be all organic, all locally grown, all the time- unfortunately in our 1ish income, Flagstaff mortgage kind of world- "that ain't happenin'" (to quote my husband). Organic food and local food does cost more- for reasons I think are absurd. That being said, I do the best I can by picking & choosing the organic food I buy and looking around town for the best deals- a lot of our larger chain stores are stocking more & more organic food- Walmart even sells organic milk (although it's not very cheap). For me the most important things are:

- Milk
- Thin-skinned fruit
- Anything Lily eats

According to The Daily Green the "Dirty Dozen" (12 foods you should always buy organic) are:
- Meat
- Milk
- Coffee
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Kale
- Leafy Greens
- Grapes
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Pears

In general, the thicker the skin on the fruit/veggie, the less pesticide can get to the part that we eat. Also, many foods have a lower risk of pests, therefore less spraying etc. is needed to protect them.

Can't afford any organics? Check out this website which gives you alternatives to the 'dirtiest' foods. Also- cleaning or peeling your fruit/veggies does work to get some of the 'yuck' off- tests have shown that a vineager/water mixture is more effective than the fruit/veggie washes you can buy. Have a some spare time & extra space? Explore planting a garden this summer- it's a great family bonding experience, learning tool, thing to do and you will get the most amazing food!

Happy St. Patty's Day- the day everyone is Irish! Are you wearing green? I hope so- don't want to have to pinch you... Celebrating like the Irish doesn't mean drinking- true there seems to be an affinity towards booze, but the Irish are also very family-oriented. So grab yours & head to Heather's house tonight at 6pm for games, crafts, green beverages etc.....Can't wait to see you in your St. Patrick's Day finest!!

Hey you Huggies-brand families! Want to get $0.75 back (in your pocket) on every package of diapers & wipes that you buy? Check out this website sent to me by a Stroller Strides Mama!

Also- did you know that you can sign up to get all Safeway coupons loaded directly onto your Safeway Club card? I didn't... I can't wait to find my card & then it will be no more forgetting the coupon at home (my favorite trick!).

We are meeting at Buffalo Park- starting TODAY. See you there to enjoy the nice, fresh, spring air!! 9:15- Buffalo Park at the Ramada!!

There is a fundraiser tonight at Flagstaff Brewing Co. for a local couple who lost their infant son in February. They incurred very high medical bills during their son's short life. Even if you don't know them, stop by tonight from 5-8pm and buy a raffle ticket for $10- in addition to supporting this couple it's a great excuse to get a beer & a burger on a Friday night (like you really need an excuse!).

Hope to see you there!

I was at Goodwill today looking for a table & chairs for Lily and saw an awesome, new looking Bell bike trailer for $19.99!!!!

It was a very pretty red & looked to be in perfect condition.

Get there QUICK if you need one- then you can ride bikes with Lily & I this summer. Now, I wish I bought it so I could guarantee one of you got it!

It looked JUST like the one in the picture (picture I stole from ebay)!

Teeny little pearls, like the ones you would find in a mussel.....

- Going to bake a lot of bread? pizza dough? anything that would rise? Buy your yeast at Sams Club- $5 for about 10+x more yeast than you'd get at the grocery store- and probably pay twice as much

- Use applesauce instead of vegetable oil when baking. I found this one thanks to google when I was in the middle of making brownies & realized I was out of veggie oil. It worked fantastic- and without all that oil, brownies aren't even that bad for you.. :)

- Can't find 30 min- an hour in your day to workout? Can you find 3 chunks of 10 minutes? 6 chunks? 30 1 minute slices? If you can- get those feet moving & heart rate up & you will get your allotted cardio time in.. TV commercial breaks are great for this!

Have you ever seen that sticker around downtown? Support Locally Owned Businesses
I have always supported and loved this idea- our amazing small businesses are what help keep Flagstaff unique. Remember when you were younger & you went to a different state or even a town far away & everything was different? Different restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, department stores etc. etc. etc. Now you can go across the country & still get the same exact latte (which, I must say can be nice sometimes).

What keeps people from shopping here in town? It seems to come down to just one thing- PRICE. Why buy something in town for $5-$50 more than the 'deal' you find on the internet? I recently floated this idea to Absolute Bikes- a local supporter of Stroller Strides Flagstaff. They are the only place in town you can go, try, buy and walk out with your fabulous new BOB stroller- but I know some people still buy them on the internet for what they see as a 'good deal'. Here is what you miss out on when you buy your stroller online:

- The freedom to 'try before you buy'- maybe you go in thinking you want the BOB Sport Utility, but then try & fall in love with the BOB Revolution- its hard to mail back a jogging stroller (and definitely not cheap)

- SERVICE- have you ever been to Absolute Bikes? Everyone in there legitimately loves what they do and love helping people find the right product for them. Get a flat in your stroller? They'll fix it for you? Have a mechanical issue? They'll fix it for you.. Do you even remember what good customer service is? :)

- Community support- ever heard of Safe Kids, Bike to Work Week, the Flagstaff Loop Trail, Stroller Strides Flagstaff? All of these groups get monetary and volunteer support from Absolute Bikes.

- Sales Tax?- Ok, OK...one of the perks of buying online is avoiding local sales tax- but as most of us know, the city uses that money to do things for our community- do you ever use the Urban Trail? City Parks? Side walks? The Aqauaplex etc. etc. etc. All of these need to be provided by someone and you paying sales tax, although it kinda stinks, is what supports these things.

And to clear up some price misconceptions (I was actually totally shocked on this one)

Absolute Bikes Current Prices / Internet Prices: joggermom.com, joggingstroller.com, amazon.com, happymothers.com
Sport Utility Single $299.99 $299

Sport Util. Dual is $429.99 (currently out of stock) $429

Revolution single is $389.99 $389

Revolution Dual is $569.99-589.99 $569-$589
Kind of interesting huh? You think you're saving a ton online- but really- the prices on a new BOB are the same.. So go check out the folks at Absolute Bikes, tell 'em Stroller Strides sent you & maybe you'll get to walk out- today with your fabulous new stroller...and maybe a few cute stroller accessories too. We are moving outside next week, so you reall do 'need' a sun shade.. :)

Its only 3 weeks away! There are 2 chances to see the 10 amazing films (all made by women)

You love the program so show the world- please vote for Stroller Strides at Startup Nation

http://www.startupnation.com/leading-moms-2009/contestant/5098/index.php

You can vote everyday so please do!!!

Free single serving brownies at Safeway today when you buy a gallon of milk- I was buying the Safeway organic brand so I'm not sure if you have to do that or not. Imagine my surprise going through the self checkout when a nice lady asked me "do you want a free brownie?"... Ummmm, of course? I was happy I just busted my butt at Fit4Baby as that brownie will be tasty later today!! True, the microwave single serving brownies don't taste the best its a nice (free) treat!

sometimes you just can't spend $16 on a medium pizza. Although, their white chicken pesto and margherita pizzas are GOOD (ok, all their pizzas are good and it is a pretty cheap way for the whole family to eat out).

One of my favorite things to buy at Trader Joes is their whole wheat pizza dough. You can use it right away or freeze it & use it months later. Since the Trader Joes off I-17 closed we haven't been stopping there as much so I had to come up with a new way to make pizza at home. Which is where my Breadman bread machine comes into the story. I just realized a few months ago that it has a 'dough' setting. So I grabbed my trusty Joy of Cooking & found a recipe for pizza dough- in a breadmaker (I love that book!).

At least once a week we have been enjoying homemade, whole wheat, custom ordered pizzas- for about $5 (cheese can be pretty expensive). Everyone loves it- it is so easy, healthy and fun to make. Here is my (Ok, Joy of Cooking's) breadmaker whole wheat pizza dough recipe-
Try it- make this recipe is for 2 14in pizzas- only want one? Freeze the other & have dough to save for those nights you're dreading the question "whats for dinner?".

Process on the dough cycle. Use dough as you would any pizza dough. - add toppings & cook!
Don't have a bread machine (get one!) click here for the traditional recipe & directions- you can use a mixer for most of it!

Last week we used spaghetti sauce from a jar, a mix of mozzerella & parmesan cheese, pepperoni, eggplant, mushrooms & green pepper. YUM! So EASY & so yummy!!!
On a side note, I think breadmakers are a fantastic investment- we haven't bought bread from the store in over a year- and as we all know if you want the whole grain bread, it is expensive!- They are a fantastically easy way to make your own bread at home. I use the dough setting & then just bake it in our oven.

Need a good scare this morning? Check out this story by the Chicago Tribune.

Some serious issues with the testing of car seats have finally been uncovered. It seems that US car seat testers use a 'sled test' that doesn't properly duplicate a real car crash & some government tests have found some serious flaws in the designs of a lot of car seats- and cars for that matter. The curious thing? These federal regulators, never published the test results or contacted the car seat manufacturers. It seems these tests were being used to rate car safety and not child seat safety. Sled tests (imagine a car seat strapped to a metal bench, sped up to 30mph & then suddenly stopped) do not have obstacles in front of the baby seat (like the drivers or passenger seat) and some infant seats when dislodged from their bases became missiles that slamed into the seat in front of them adding injury reading to the adult dummies in front. Sled tests also do not monitor side impact results.

Here is a quote from the article that sums up one of the major issues:
"Of the 66 infant seats tested in frontal crashes, nearly half of the seats either separated from their bases or exceeded injury limits."

Ummm...yikes?!

Think you're safe b/c you shelled out the $200+ for the fancy/Euro car seat or because you have a big or 'nice' car? Think again.. The Tribune found that 2 of the more expensive seats failed the safety test and that some smaller cars protect the seat & infant better than larger cars.

Something to think about.. The article has videos of the actual testing as well. It is SO SO SO important to research car seats. I was definitely kind of lazy about it and will use this as a huge kick in the pants to really look around at test results & figure out which seat is right for my family and my car.

All you need to do is check out this blog & answer the question she asks! 6 months free- thats awesome!!!