It is too cold to be out with the babies today.
No Class!
Skydome starts next week!

Did you know that in the U.S., 40% of all urban travel happens within 2 miles of where people live, and yet 90% of that is by car?

Take the Clif Bar Challenge: Once a week, replace a trip under 2 miles with a bike instead of a car, or better yet walk or run with your stroller!

For your frame of reference- 1 full lap of Buffalo Park is 2 miles- and you can all walk that!!!

For more information visit www.2milechallenge.com.

At today's brisk Buffalo Park Stroller Strides class there were a few questions about how we would know if class was canceled or re-located due to weather. The cut-off for it being too cold for class outside is around 42 degrees that being said, we live in Flagstaff, we deal with wind...I'm not good at calculating wind chill on the fly so I will use my best judgment in deciding when to cancel.
Ok, but how will you know??

1. Call 1-800-971-2648 and press #2 for the most up-to-date weather info
2. Check the blog
3. Check your email
4. Email me!
5. Go to class- I will be there to let you know its canceled OR give you a one-on-one training session...in the cold.. :)
   

We are officially moving to the NAU Skydome on 11/1 BUT if the storm this week pans out, we will move there earlier.



Note: the picture used in this post was from that snowstorm on May 23rd last year!

Most of you know Jessica either from Stroller Strides or Fit4Baby and you have probably met both Aspen & Elden. If not, Elden is the newest baby- he is 3 months old!
Last month, the family learned that Elden is suffering from craniosynostosis, basically his skull closed before it was supposed to. The family has decided to travel to San Antonio, TX for surgery in Nov.
For more information on Elden's condition etc. please visit the blog Jessica set up www.eldenscutehead.blogspot.com

If you are interested in donating money to help with their travel expenses etc, making meals when they return or anything else to help them out- please contact me!

Here are some ideas for an Earth-friendly Halloween from the Luna Moms Club:

With Halloween around the corner, here are a few tricks to save money and reduce waste.

~Use reusable bags or other containers that you don't have to toss away after using.

~Reduce emissions of toxins by taking public transportation, using a bicycle or staying close to
your neighborhood.

~Teach children to throw their trash away in proper containers, keep in the treat bag until getting
back home and then help them seperate trash from treats.

~For a truly creative costume, reuse clothing you already have or swap costumes from last year
with friends.

Consider this: If you're in a drive through restaurant/ business line or waiting for someone in your car, turn your engine off!

Idling is linked to increases in asthma, allergies, heart and lung disease and cancer.

Idling gets ZERO miles per gallon.

Idling for 1 hour burns nearly 1 gallon of gasoline.

Stroller Strides keeps your body fit, so please join us for some "financial fitness" WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14TH @ 6PM. Melissa Cripps State Farm Insurance Agency is hosting a FREE Women's Financial Seminar: "Go From Choas To Clarity"

We would love for you all to attend! There will be free gifts to help you get organized! Please RSVP by calling 928-526-1006. If you are unable to attend, call and schedule an appointment for a time that is more convenient for you and your family. Our office is located at 2677 E. 7th Ave - the red brick building.

You may also find the following website helpful: sfredportfolio.com
It is an interactive planning tool created exclusively for women. Please call or visit our office with any questions or concerns. Feel free to email me, as well. We are always happy to help!

Katie Schurr, Licensed Team Member
Katie.Schurr.m8ax@StateFarm.com
Melissa Cripps State Farm Ins Agcy

LUNAFEST 2010- Coming Soon!




LUNAFEST, a film festival by, for and about women is coming back to Flagstaff!
Stroller Strides & the Luna Moms Club will host this amazing night to benefit the Breast Cancer Fund & Girls on the Run of Coconino County.
Last year we raised over $3,000!

If you would like to volunteer to help plan this event, please contact Beth ASAP.

- If you know a business that may be interested in sponsoring or participating in this event please let us know!

See you there!

If you missed the link I posted on facebook here is a cool story in the New York Times about the popularity of running, actually, really, running with a jogging stroller.

It is a pretty cool article that makes me feel proud to be running down the trails with Lily in my BOB.

And make sure you check out what Farel Hruska, Stroller Strides' National Fitness Director has to say about running one handed... Just like I've been telling you all along..

Not a runner, but wanna try?! Our Stroller Strides training program is back starting in Nov. Now is your chance to train for the Sedona Marathon 5k or (new this Fall) 1/2 Marathon! Come out & see what you're made of in a fun, safe, non-threatening & supportive environment. Become a Mother Runner!

Who are the members of your family? Myself, my Husband Jesse,my 13 yr. old German Shepherd Ramsey and lil Dahlia Marie

What was/is your previous and/or current career? I was a Landscape Designer and Horticulturist and ran a small design and maintenance company in Payson before moving to Flagstaff.
Describe yourself in 4 words or less. eco-conscious, supermom in training

When/Where/How did you & your partner meet? After college in MI I moved to CO. When Jesse moved to Ft. Collins, CO in '98 I had already been there a year and we had mutual friends. He and his dog needed a place to stay for a couple of days and ended up on our couch while my housemates and I were out of town. I came down for work Monday morning and there he was. (with long, luxurious hair to his belt!) We played hard together (rock climbed, snowboarded, camped and danced), fell in love and the rest is history!

How long have you been a Stroller Strides Member and what has Stroller Strides done for you? We started stroller strides in April (I think) Stroller strides has been wonderful for Dahlia and I. I have to stay active to be happy and being with other mamas has been so wonderful. I feel so much stronger and I love that Dahlia is with me enjoying every minute of it. She already recognizes the ABC song!!!

What are some of your favorite thing (besides your husband and kids!)? the outdoors, children's gardens, funk, dk. chocolate, the smell of coffee in the morning, creative people, live music, sittin' trees, dancing, people who make me laugh, quiet walks on the beach..hahaha

Tell us something about you that would surprise us. All my friends actually call me Max (nickname since high school) Professionally, I am Maricel and I prefer it (if it is pronounced correctly) but Max has always been easier for people

If we asked your husband what he thought your best qualities are, what would he say for personality? physically? He would say I am passionate, loyal and funny and if you were to ask him about my physical qualities he'd probably say "..that sounds like a trap and i refuse to answer it.." no, really, that's what he'd say! (smart man!)

Just a friendly reminder that we will not be having Stroller Strides class on Monday 10/5 or Friday 10/9.

I recommend meeting at the park at 9:15am for a nice friendly walk or jog! Do something active with your kids for that hour!

Dara WILL be holding class on Tues (Bushmaster), Wed (Buffalo Park) and Thurs (Bushmaster).

Last weekend, since my football teams weren't on network TV and my Sunday plans of watching football were scrapped, I decided to find some Fall in N. Arizona.

A quick google search for 'pumpkin patch northern AZ' left me with one option: Freeman Farms.

I drove down to Chino Valley (I-40 to Ash Fork & turn left on 89) and visited Freeman Farms. We enjoyed a corn maze, unlimited train rides & visits to the petting zoo, time with a baby horse and some grown up horses and donkeys, ducks, goats etc all for $9. As this is a real, working farm; There is also a big pick your own pumpkin patch and organic produce & fresh baked goods for sale. We had the best cheeseburgers for lunch thanks to AZ Legacy Beef and Lily was asleep before we left he parking lot..all in all a fabulous day!

For a little Fall fun, closer to home head on out to the Nordic Center this weekend & next for the 4th Annual "Autumn in the Aspens". 10 am- 4pm, free admission, but $5 parking- so carpool! If you wear a costume, the will give you a discount on passes to the Nordic Center this winter!

Free Activities:

• Scavenger hike
• Nature hikes
• Back country trick-or-treating (Geocache-style! Don't know what geocaching is? Find out here. Bring your own GPS. If you don't have a GPS, you can rent one at the Lodge for $5/hr)
• Straw bale maze
• Crafts
• Relay Races

Additional Festivities:** Bring Cash as there is not ATM & only cash is accepted**

• Bounce houses
• Games
• Hay rides
• Ducky Pond
• Pumpkin Patch
• Delicious hot food
  
• Tasty seasonal treats
• Beer garden

Live Music Schedule - 12:00 to 3:00 Daily!

• Saturday, October 3rd: Bryan Carpenter
• Sunday, October 4th: Bryan Carpenter
• Saturday, October 10th: TBA
• Sunday, October 11th: TBA

I had possibly the best chair massage of my life, you MUST check out Simpatico, right across the street from Melissa Collins Cripps' office on 7th Ave- the massage I got was out-of-this-world. AND they have a prenatal table so moms can lie down on their bellies and get a great massage!

We were also showered in yummy food, drinks and tons of great freebies- I literally have a whole bag of cool State Farm gear, that I'll actually use. Ice scraper anyone? And I haven't even looked at my Mary Kay bag yet. But I did buy a super cute pair of earrings and some lip gloss that is basically tinted chapstick, so I can't mess it up!

And of course, it was awesome to get to talk to the other moms, laugh at the similarities in our babies & husbands and just take a little break.

Thank You SO Much!

Don't forget- Melissa Collins Cripps State Farm is hosting a Women's Financial Seminar, for FREE, telling us ladies how we can better run our families finances, our small businesses and prepare for the future. Make sure you have October 14th on your calendar!

The Winner of the Absolute Bikes Attendance Challenge attended Stroller Strides almost every single day we had class during the month of September and did double-sessions (2 classes/day) twice- for a total of 22 classes! Woo hoo!

She was actually tied with the runner up who attended 21 classes, 5 of which were double-sessions and had 1 friend come to class for an extra point!

Both of these ladies did an AMAZING job and really committed themselves to getting fit. Hopefully this pattern will stay with them, even after the thrill of competition is done.

Way to go Moms!!!

The winner was decided by a raffle, drawn by Lily.

Who is also 7 months pregnant! You are truly an inspiration all of us Shauna- even walking to class one day when her car was out of commission- truly amazing!

Arcelia- you are also inspiring, we are all so proud of you for really kicking yourself into gear & becoming the fit mom we all knew you were- you get through classes easily now & your running is awesome! You will get a $25 gift card to Stride Rite for all of your hard work!

A HUGE thanks to Absolute Bikes for donating a BOB stroller to our contest. Please show them how much you appreciate their support of local businesses and programs, by supporting them!