Our
mom of the month program honors moms for their efforts to lead
healthy lifestyles, and gives us a chance to get to know them better
at the same time!
January's featured Mom of the Month is Sara Hawkins! Congrats, Sara!
Sara has been a Stroller Strides member for over a year and a half; she joined us when darling Alex, almost 2, was just a few months old.... and now is excited to announce the upcoming arrival of baby girl # 2 in May!! She is a hard working mom in fitness, at Stroller Strides, and at full-time her job as an engineer at Caterpillar, and has participated in our Raleigh Running Mamas program in the past as well. She brings determination, a great attitude, lots of smiles and great friendship to our Stroller Strides workouts and to her fellow moms ;) Join us in congratulating Sara (on Mom of the Month and more importantly on her expanding family!) and read on to get to know her a little better!
Hometown: Peoria, IL
Current part of the Triangle that you live in: Fuquay Varina
Education: BS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) and MBA from University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
Stroller Strides Member since: May 2011
Members of your Family: 3 (with baby girl #2 on the way in May 2013)
Tell us about your children: Alex is the joy of my life. All through my 20s, I honestly thought I didn't want to have kids. I was very focused on my career. We got pregnant with Alex, and I realized I had no idea what I was missing in life! I love doing things with Alex, showing her the world, and watching her learn new things. Alex's loves are Minnie Mouse, shoes, and anything outside....especially with Daddy.
Current/previous Career: I've worked as an engineer in supply chain, manufacturing, and marketing at Caterpillar, Inc for 10 years. My current position is a Supply Chain Manager. I'm following in the footsteps of my parents, as my dad worked as a Cat engineering manager for 40 years and my mom as a quality and reliability engineer for 35 years, who was also one of the first female engineers at Cat. Also my husband and 2 younger brothers are engineers at Cat, runs in the family. :)
What was your childhood ambition? To be successful.....as what I have no idea. :)
What does motherhood mean to you? Gives me purpose in life, gives me something more important than myself to focus on.
What is the furthest you have been from home? The furthest I've been from home is Tahiti / Bora Bora in French Polynesia for our Honeymoon.
What has Stroller Strides done for you ? SS helped me lose the last 15 excess baby pounds. It's the skinniest, and best I've felt in a long time. The friendships moms/kids, activities, and routine excesize helped me become more confident as a mom and a better mother for it.
What is your favorite exercise? Running, which I'm really missing right now.
What is your proudest moment? The moment when Alex was born.
What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)? Traveling, reading, and shopping.
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique. My husband and I are restoring an 1840's farm house, as we live in it with a 1 year old!
If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say? Positive personality and outlook and looks for the best in people
What advice would you give to moms looking to get back into shape? Find something fun and doesn't feel like work
What advice would you give to working moms trying to find balance in motherhood and life and also fit in fitness for their health? You can't do it all, and it's ok. Don't beat yourself up about it.....it's a waste of precious time. Determine what your priorities in life are, make sure you schedule those priorities, and the other things in life will fit in or not, but at the end of the day your priorities will be clear.
Current part of the Triangle that you live in: Fuquay Varina
Education: BS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) and MBA from University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
Stroller Strides Member since: May 2011
Members of your Family: 3 (with baby girl #2 on the way in May 2013)
Tell us about your children: Alex is the joy of my life. All through my 20s, I honestly thought I didn't want to have kids. I was very focused on my career. We got pregnant with Alex, and I realized I had no idea what I was missing in life! I love doing things with Alex, showing her the world, and watching her learn new things. Alex's loves are Minnie Mouse, shoes, and anything outside....especially with Daddy.
Current/previous Career: I've worked as an engineer in supply chain, manufacturing, and marketing at Caterpillar, Inc for 10 years. My current position is a Supply Chain Manager. I'm following in the footsteps of my parents, as my dad worked as a Cat engineering manager for 40 years and my mom as a quality and reliability engineer for 35 years, who was also one of the first female engineers at Cat. Also my husband and 2 younger brothers are engineers at Cat, runs in the family. :)
What was your childhood ambition? To be successful.....as what I have no idea. :)
What does motherhood mean to you? Gives me purpose in life, gives me something more important than myself to focus on.
What is the furthest you have been from home? The furthest I've been from home is Tahiti / Bora Bora in French Polynesia for our Honeymoon.
What has Stroller Strides done for you ? SS helped me lose the last 15 excess baby pounds. It's the skinniest, and best I've felt in a long time. The friendships moms/kids, activities, and routine excesize helped me become more confident as a mom and a better mother for it.
What is your favorite exercise? Running, which I'm really missing right now.
What is your proudest moment? The moment when Alex was born.
What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)? Traveling, reading, and shopping.
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique. My husband and I are restoring an 1840's farm house, as we live in it with a 1 year old!
If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say? Positive personality and outlook and looks for the best in people
What advice would you give to moms looking to get back into shape? Find something fun and doesn't feel like work
What advice would you give to working moms trying to find balance in motherhood and life and also fit in fitness for their health? You can't do it all, and it's ok. Don't beat yourself up about it.....it's a waste of precious time. Determine what your priorities in life are, make sure you schedule those priorities, and the other things in life will fit in or not, but at the end of the day your priorities will be clear.
