Not trying to be an alarmist- Just an FYI:

NAU has ‘probable’ case of swine flu

The Arizona Department of Health Services has said that a 19-year-old Northern Arizona University student has a “probable” case of swine influenza A, H1N1, also known as swine flu.

NAU and the Coconino County Health Department are awaiting confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control.

The university has not seen a widespread outbreak of any flu, but continues to monitor the situation with the county and is following health guidelines from the CDC.

NAU is operating under normal business conditions with the consent of the county health department. The schedule for classes, final exams, convocations and commencement remains unchanged.

A 24-hour phone bank has been set up to address any questions from students or parents: 928-523-0007.

As your April Newsletter described, May brings us the Healthy Momma Challenge (previously known as the Healthy Mama Challenge).

What is the Healthy Momma Challenge?
The HMC is a program that all Stroller Strides locations across the country are holding during the month of May to celebrate us- moms! Don't know about you, but I love a celebration- especially when it is centered around me.. :)

Using the Stroller Strides motto that "Healthy Moms Make Happy Families" we will begin a month- long self improvement mission on Wednesday, May 6th. For one full month you will take care of yourself FIRST (think of the what they tell you on an airplane- it's YOUR oxygen mask before you assist others) and for each positive thing you do for your mind, body & spirit you will get points. You will be in teams of 3 moms (they do not have to be other Stroller Strides moms or even moms here in Flagstaff) and the team with the most points on June 6th will WIN!

What do you win?
Besides a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyles you will win prizes! They include:
- haircut & color
- massage
- mani/pedi
- Stroller Strides gift certificates
- other misc. weekly prizes

Click here for more Health Momma Challenge info and here for the registration forms.

Get your teams together ladies! Its time to put yourself first, without losing cabin pressure.. :)

A HUGE THANK YOU!!!! To all the moms & dads that raised money for the March of Dimes and came out to walk on what I hear was a cold, blustery Saturday morning. You are all AMAZING and as a team we raised $1,030. Almost $150 OVER our team goal. CONGRATS!!!!! All of your hard work will help babies & their families all over the country. You ladies are amazing!

And Stroller Strides mamas- you guys RULE for giving a fantastic warm up for the crowd- and I hear the husbands did a pretty good job of helping to get the crowd involved.... :)

Folic acid helps to prevent birth defects and promote normal cell growth. Sources include, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, beans, fortified orange juice or grains. Recommended allowance: 500-600 mcg.

Fiber fights constipation and helps to control blood sugar level, which reduces the risk of gestational diabetes. You can increase your fiber intake by eating more legumes, carrots, apples, whole wheat and brown rice. Recommended allowance: 25 grams.

Thanks to an idea planted by Tracy & I we are having a organic gardening workshop!!! Read below for more details. This is a GREAT way to learn everything you've ever wanted to know about gardening & composting and get all your questions answered. I am SO SO SO excited to attend this one! Everyone is welcome- so grab a friend & come learn how to make your families garden the best it can be this summer. As I've mentioned before- planting your own garden is a cheap way to get all the organic veggies you can eat & it is tons of fun for the kiddos!

Workshop: Organinc Gardening in Flagstaff

May 3^rd

11:15-12:30

2923 E. Lewis Dr. (Julie Lancaster’s yard) 1 block northeast of Steve’s Blvd & E Rt 66. Green metal roof.

Bring $5 to cover the cost of supplies & 3 reused containers to plant seeds in (Individual yogurt cups work well – bring extra to share if you have them!)

Instigated by the Hip Mama Group and the Luna Mom’s Club, we’ve got a gardening workshop! All are welcome.

Want to garden in Flagstaff? Come to learn about gardening in Flagstaff, gain support from other new and seasoned gardeners, get an introduction to composting, and get a few seeds started for you to transplant at home. This will be an adult focussed workshop (perhaps we could do one that is ‘Gardening with Kids’ in the future), but bring your child if you could not otherwise attend. Please RSVP to Moranrh@gmail.com by May 1 so we have adequate supplies.

Meet tomorrow for a walk.

Just a walk.

When: 9:15

Where: along the Urban Trail on the corner of Lone Tree and Brannen Circle

How: From Butler turn south (towards campus), Brannen circle is a few blocks down (past Sawmill)

Calcium is necessary for formation of baby's bones, and also to strengthen your bones and teeth. Calcium is found in dairy, tofu, dark green leafy vegetables and beans. Recommended allowance: 1000-1200 mg.

Just a reminder- we have class TOMORROW Thurs 4/23, 9:15 at Buffalo Park and DO NOT have class on Friday.

March or Babies is Saturday 4/25- even if you're not walking- come & support the cause (and visit Tom at our water station).

Yay to Isabel for taking on this awesome challenge! Lets be the amazing group of moms we are & support her (and get some yummy smelling candles at the same time!)

As some of you might know, my sisters and I are doing the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk again this fall in Tampa, Florida. Don't worry I am not asking you to write a big donation check (you can though if you want :) just click on the breast cancer 3-day link on my profile to make a tax-deductible donation).

Instead consider buying some Scentsy in the month of April. Our team is having a huge Scentsy fundraiser this month. 30% of your order will be donated to our team.

Never heard of Scentsy? Scentsy is a safer alternative to flame candles. The beautiful Scentsy Warmers use a 25 watt light bulb to melt a highly fragrant wickless candle bar. There are over 50 designs and 80 fragrances to choose from. Scentsy makes a great Mother’s Day gift. You can get more information, view the online catalog and order online at www.scentsy.com/seabrook.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I appreciate your support on this amazing journey to help fight breast cancer.

The Flagstaff Birth Network's monthly Birth Circle meeting is tonight. Read below for more info. A few of us met Dr. Van der Veer at the mall playground back in December- remember the few weeks we had Stroller Strides at the mall? :)

"Naturopathic Prenatal Care: Supporting New Life, Naturally."

when: April 20th, 7pm

where: Flagstaff Healing Arts, 119 S. Paseo Del Flag

More information: We are very lucky to have Dr Van der Veer share with us her immense knowledge about naturopathic medicine. Even if you are not pregnant I would GREATLY recommend Dr Van der Veer's talk since she also treats children and women in different stages of life and I am sure she will be happy to answer all kinds of related questions. You can also visit her website at : www.mynaturallywellbaby.com

As always nursing babies are welcome but note that this is NOT a playgroup meetup.

Feel free to spread the word around and invite your friends...

In the car today I heard this story on NPR. Click to read or listen to the story.
A general summary-
Doctors see a rise in birth defects in babies conceived during Spring planting season. Why? Most conventional farms in the U.S use chemicals once their crops start to grow- some of which are banned in Europe, but still allowed here. These chemical pesticides eventually run-off into our surface waters and the USGS has found that between April & July there tends to be higher pesticides in our water. Fetal exposure to these pesticides is linked to male genital problems and may be linked to things like Spine Abifida, Cleft palate & Down Syndrome.

Now, I'm not mentioning this to scare anyone.. Well, maybe I am a little bit. As mothers we have POWER, we don't use it a lot of the time- but think about it. If all the mothers in the U.S got angry & told someone about it- how quickly do you think things could change? While we are working on that- think about what you put into your body & your child's body. Take control on the local level first.
And until we can change things... Help raise money for the March of Dimes, who helps families effected by some of these issues. Join us at the March for Babies this Sat 4/25 @ Buffalo Park. Can't be at the race? Sponsor one of our walkers!

NO CLASS TODAY. Lily is sick. So sorry. I will make it up to everyone @ Buffalo Park on Mon!

Class is at the NAU Skydome tomorrow. Meet at 9:15 in the Dome. See you there!!

Don't forget! Join us tonight for a night of chick flicks, mani/pedis, homemade pizza & margaritas/pregaritas!
This is a no cost Moms Night Out- come & have some fun!!!! If you can't find a sitter- kids are OK, Lily will be around until bedtime.
Call or email me for directions!!

What:Moms Night Out
Where: Beth's House
When: 6:30pm

There is a 50% chance of snow tomorrow- so lets plan on having class at the NAU Skydome- if it is clear & not freezing tomorrow-double check the weather hotline: 800 971 2648 & press option #2.

See you in the Dome at 9:15!

I try to run with Lily & our dog every Tues & Thurs morning, since we aren't at Stroller Strides. We are lucky enough to live within spitting distance of the urban trail and about 1 mile away from Ft. Tuthill. Right when you get on the trail from our house there is this really steep, short hill. I don't like it. I really don't like it when pushing a stroller. Every time I run up it, I want to walk- every single time. But each time I think to myself- "come on Beth, just do it- you need the extra push, don't give up"- and I end up running up it and for a few seconds, I feel really good about myself.

I also feel good that I accomplished another personal goal of doing something I don't like every day. Now, that doesn't mean going out of my way to do something horrible, but it does mean sucking it up & getting that thing that I hate doing done. Sometimes it's sitting down & paying bills, or cleaning the toilet or emptying the compost- we all have our things big or small. By just forcing ourselves to do it- instead of avoiding it for days, weeks or years we will accomplish bigger, better things.

So try this- for one week do 1 thing a day that you don't like- write down how you feel at the end of the week. I bet you'll feel better- more accomplished & with the big or little 'bad' things done you will have the way cleared for the good stuff.

Plus, doesn't it just feel good to have a clean bathroom?
I just noticed that today's official Stroller Strides Blog is on the same topic... weird.. Read what our chief founding mom has to say about this here.

I am always on the lookout for things we can do as a family that are active, outside, cheap & fun. Here are a few 'different' options for this summer that I have heard about this week.

Ultimate Frisbee (Tom & I will be playing, Lily will be watching)

What is FUEL? Flagstaff Ultimate Experience League is a six-week Ultimate Frisbee league played in Flagstaff.

Who can play? Anyone who likes ultimate in northern Arizona, regardless of age, experience or skill level.

When do we play? Every Wednesday from May 27 to July 1. The dates are May 27, June 3, June 10, June 17, June 24 and July 1. There will be two rounds of games each Wednesday. Games start at 4:30 p.m. or 6 p.m.

Where do we play? The baseball field by Flagstaff Middle School, at the corner of North Thorpe Road and North Aztec Street

How do I sign up? Registration will open on this Web site on Wednesday, April 8.

How much will it cost? $25 for six weeks.

What do I get? Everyone will get a T-shirt and an Ultimate Frisbee disc. We’re also working on getting discounted food and drinks at Flagstaff restaurants.

What if I’ve never played before? No problem. Players with all skill levels, experience levels and fitness levels are invited.

How many players and teams will there be? There will be four teams, and each team will have at least 12 players.

What if I can’t make it every week? No problem. Let us know when you register which dates you can make.

How will teams be decided? Once everyone register, we’ll divide players up into four teams. Each team should have a mix of experienced and new players.

What if I want to play with a friend? You can request to be on the same team as a friend on the Registration form.

Women's Soccer (ok, not much of a family event- but fun & they can come watch!)

- open to beginners- never played? Doesn't matter- just TRY it!
- weekly games etc.
- if you're interested email: bdonahoe@msn.com
- check out their facebook page

I don't know about you guys, but I don't pay nearly enough attention to politics- it just seems so overwhelming sometimes, there is SO much going on. Instead, I set up google alerts for issues I care about & when they are mentioned in the media- I get an email with a link to the story. Totally great for busy, multitasking moms who still want to be informed.
One of my google alerts if for Post Partum Depression, something I feel passionate about- and I think sometimes gets pretty much ignored.

Hopefully, you all got your April newsletter, in that newsletter there was some information on how we are hiring!!! In an effort to add more classes, more locations and more class times to our schedule, we are looking for fitness instructors.
What do you need to be to become a Stroller Strides instructor?

- A nationally-certified group fitness instructor
- A Stroller Strides certified instructor
- A desire to help the moms of our community in their goals to become fit!

Stroller Strides offers monthly training sessions across the country- most occur at a beautiful hotel in San Diego (great reason to head to the beach!).

Thanks to her practice at class yesterday, Lily went & cleaned up at the Warners egg hunt! Happy Easter/Passover/Spring/Snow- whatever it is you celebrate.

your way to sexy, strong calves! (sing it to row, row, row your boat) :)

We are having an Easter-themed class today at the NAU Skydome with an awesome easter egg hunt after.

See you there!!

A friend recently sent this picture of Lily from the 1st day of Stroller Strides. Seeing it made me think about babies.... and strollers... and babies in strollers. We have an amazingly strong group of moms that have been with Stroller Strides since Day 1- literally since Aug. 20th 2008 and their babies are usually amazingly good in the stroller during class.

And believe me, it's not because they are perfect children- it's because they've gotten used to it.

Their moms came to class loaded with snacks, toys, pacifiers, bottles etc. and when their kids got unhappy, the tempted them with these treats. Sometimes- it worked like a charm- sometimes the screaming continued & got worse. But the moms stayed tough, kept 'em strapped in & the rest of us- just dealed. We are all moms, we are not on an airplane- we don't care if your kid cries. We will even do our best to distract them.
You may think you can't come to class because your child 'isn't good in a stroller', but trust me, trust all of us- they'll get it. We will convince them- either with bubbles, tickles or my amazingly excellent singing voice. :)

Our theme this quarter is prenatal & new mom nutrition and our fundraising beneficiary is the March of Dimes- we will all be walking in the March for Babies on 4/25 at Buffalo Park. Sign up to be on our team here.

Week #2

Do you double your portions because you’re now “eating for two”?

Not so fast. The recommended weight gain for the average pregnant woman is 25-35 pounds. It only takes approximately 300 extra calories a day to meet this recommended weight goal. Great, extra calories, you say? A snack equivalent to 300 calories is an 6-ounce container of yogurt and a 1/4-cup of raisins. So you can see while you are eating for two, you are not eating for two adults. You are eating for one adult and a fetus that starts off the size of a grain of rice!

For those of you that don't know, yesterday was closing day at Snowbowl. In keeping with tradition, I dressed up in a silly costume with 2 of my girlfriends. Until the pictures are uploaded, I'll just decribe my outfit as a skin-tight yellow ski-racing suit. I mean SKIN tight. While we were waiting in line for the chairlift we were discussing how the suits were great because they forced us to keep our stomachs sucked in. We also noticed that by keeping our bellies in we were skiing better AND it forced us to have better posture.


As you've been told in class, keeping your tummy in, not only works your abs, but also protects your lower back. It is also really hard to keep your belly in tight all day- try it. If you can't handle all day, keep those abs in when you're lifting things (like a 20+lbs toddler) or getting out of bed or off the couch and you will absolutely see a difference in how your back feels at the end of the day.

Recently, in Stroller Strides class we were doing a 'get to know you' cardio burst and when asked who was under 30, a few moms had to stop and think about it. I will absolutely own up to being in that boat, for some reason in my mind I am still stuck at 28. Maybe because thats how old I was when I got married...But no, as many of you know I turned 30 last year and I really thought I'd be a bit of a freak about it- but I wasn't. I'm happy to be 30+, I'm proud of my marriage, my child, my masters degree, my new business...but the thing that messes with my mind the most is my new body. Isn't it amazing how now the 'bad' things we do are so quickly noticeable now? And the 'good' things do take a really long time to have an impact?


Our real biological age is, of course, more than a number and things like what you eat, how often you laugh, if you exercise etc. all come together to tell us how old we physically are.

A few of you facebooking mamas may have already taken a 'What's Your Real Age" quiz on facebook. I haven't taken one yet, but was a little shocked when an over 30 friend ended up having a 'real age' of 15. Yikes.
There is actually a real place online to take this quiz www.realage.com so take it, see what it tells you. You may end up feeling better about yourself, you may see some easy things you could do to become 'younger'. Try it.. If you tell me yours, I'll tell you mine.

And yes, that's a picture of me, at 16, being a supermodel for Halloween...