June Mom of the Month

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!

June's featured Mom of the Month is our newest instructor Karen Peloquin! 

Congrats, Karen!

Karen recently celebrated her one-year anniversary as a Stroller Strides member, and what a way to celebrate-- she traveled to DC to train to become a Stroller Strides instructor last month!  Karen is an inspiration to all of us with her dedication, strides in fitness, and on-going smile, and we are glad to have this marathon-completing fit mama join our team, and to have she and Annie as part of our 'village' ;).  Karen also completed training for Stroller Barre, the newest Stroller Strides program incorporating ballet-inspired moves with the stroller, and she will help us launch Stroller Barre in the coming months.  Join us in congratulating Karen, and read on to get to know her better!

Hometown: Greensboro, NC 

Education: Double Major in Elementary Education and Sociology 

Current part of the Triangle that you live in: Apex

Stroller Strides Member since: May 2012 

Members of your Family: My husband Tom and our 13 month old daughter, Annie. 

Tell us about your children: Can't help but smile when writing about Annie!  Annie was born on April 1, 2012.  Annie can light up the room and makes a bad day turn great with her smile and laugh.  She is always a lady on the go and likes to get into everything.  She is a nice mix between being independent and dependent on her mommy and daddy.  She loves when people wave and smile at her and she loves to wave and smile back.  She loves the book, Pat the Bunny ,and could play Peek-a-Boo with the character Paul all day ;)

Current/previous Career: 1st grade teacher 

What was your childhood ambition? To be a teacher like my mom and be a great mother like my great mother! 

What does motherhood mean to you?  Motherhood is loving someone more than you could ever imagine.  I'm reminded of this quote I once saw that sums up what I want for my daughter and any other children I have, "I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright, I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye."

What is the furthest you have been from home? Honolulu, Hawaii...Beautiful!

What has Stroller Strides done for you? Originally, I joined Stroller Strides to drop the many extra pounds I gained from pregnancy.  Once I began working out, I was able to meet some really great friends and that has made motherhood so much more enjoyable!  I've always been a proponent of, "It takes a village to raise a child", and I think this group shows that quote to be true.  Only I used to think the village was just specifically for the child and now I have learned it's for the mother too ;)

What is your favorite exercise? Running

What is your proudest moment? Crossing the finish line for my full-marathon in 2010, so emotional and so rewarding!

What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)? Coffee - not necessarily for the caffeine, but for the taste and calmness that it brings first thing in the morning!  Other two, flowers and massages!   

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique. The picture that's attached to this questionnaire is of my husband, Tom, and I celebrating our one year anniversary ;) 

If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say? He said," devoted, passionate, determined and caring."

What advice would you give to moms looking to get back into shape?  Everyone starts somewhere!  Everyone has had that pair of pants that didn't fit.  Everyone has gasped for air from walking up and down one flight of stairs at one point!  Get out there and know that you are not alone and enjoy it along the way!

May Mom of the Month

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!

May's featured Mom of the Month is Ashley Jones! Congrats, Ashley!

Ashley has been a Stroller Strides member since last summer, and has made friendships everywhere she goes with her friendly smile, as has her adorable daughter Maggie Claire.  She has worked hard in fitness over the past months, as a frequent Stroller Strides attendee and just completed her FIRST 5k run after training with our Spring Raleigh Running Mamas program, and says she might be "hooked on running" now.... after some fabulous race times she is signing up for more running over the coming months!  Join us in congratulating Ashley and read on to get to know her a little better.

Hometown: Madison, MS

Current part of the Triangle that you live in: Apex out near Holly Springs

Education: BA Education of the Deaf

Stroller Strides Member since: August 2012

Members of your Family: My husband of almost 8 years Matthew, our almost 11 month old daughter Magnolia (Maggie) Claire, and 2 dogs Milo and Kida

Tell us about your child: Maggie Claire was born June 9, 2012. She is named Magnolia for our home state of Mississippi, the Magnolia state. She is a very happy baby and laid back and easy going. She is pretty reserved in general and likes to take her time doing things. I love watching her have her little thoughts and explore the world around her. She loves music and playing with empty soda bottles. Right now she is learning to wave and of course waves backwards, but she is so pleased with herself! Her bright cackly laugh is the best sound I have ever heard.

Current/previous Career: We moved to NC within a few months of my college graduation, so I never put my education degree to use as I originally intended. For most of the time since living here until Maggie Claire was born and I became a SAHM, I worked for the AICPA in their membership service center as a corporate trainer. It was great meeting all of the new employees, but at times it felt like teaching high school!

What was your childhood ambition? To be a mother and a vet. Mother, check. Vet, reconsidered after realizing how attached to all the animals I would be. Also, blood/shots/etc = icky.

What does motherhood mean to you? Motherhood means being completely in love with and in awe of this tiny person who is both a part of me and separate from me. It means doing my best to nurture her and letting go of selfishness. It is joy and fear and hard work and the best thing I've ever done.

What is the furthest you have been from home? Cozumel, Mexico for my honeymoon. Side note: I finally made it above the Mason-Dixon line for the first time last year when I went with a friend to Philadephia.
 
What has Stroller Strides meant to you? Stroller Strides is all about relationships for me. The relationships I've made with other moms, the relationships my daughter is making with new friends, and the relationship with myself and my health. Being in the best shape since early college isn't bad either!

What has your experience with Running Mamas been like so far? I love Running Mamas! I have tried a couch to 5k program on my own before but was not successful. Meeting all the other moms for the group runs has been great motivation and has given me accountability for myself to get those homework runs done during the week on my own. The coaches have great advice and are so supportive. I really feel like I'm a runner now and plan to continue running in the future. I have completed two 5ks so far, and I already have a couple more races lined up!

What is your favorite exercise? Planks! The March plank challenge really helped me to push my plank time further than I ever would have thought I could go on my own. I try to do a plank every night before bed... ok so not quite every night but a good goal to shoot for. ;)

What is your proudest moment? Holding my daughter for the first time and seeing my joy reflected back in my husbands eyes at this life that we created

What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)? Irish dancing, crafting, and dessert

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique. I have been Irish dancing for a little over 2 years now. It's so much fun! Also, I have an identical twin sister named Heather who lives in MS.

If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say? He said, “you are a dedicated mom, and you take care of us all as a family.”

What advice would you give to moms looking to get back into shape?   Just get out there! Getting started is the hardest part but so worth it. Finding something you love to do and having a good support system really help keep you going.

April Mom of the Month

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!

April's featured Mom of the Month is Deena Fahy! Congrats, Deena!

Deena joined Stroller Strides last fall, and has really focused on her fitness in recent months, as one of our most frequent Stroller Strides attendees, and recently added both Running Mamas and Body Back to her workouts. She recently built up to running the full 3 mile distance with Running Mamas, and she's set to cross that official 5k finish line 4/27 at the Run for our Heroes.  We are glad to have her and Jacob as part of our great group of moms and kids.  Join us in congratulating Deena, and read on to get to know her better!

Hometown: Southfield & Farmington Hills, Michigan

Current part of the Triangle that you live in: Cary, NC

Education: BS in Education Major: Special Education / Minor: Child Development & Psychology

Stroller Strides Member since: October 2012

Members of your Family: My husband Mike, Jacob 2 years old and our lil rat terrier Cricket almost 14 years old

Tell us about your children: Jacob is almost 2 and a half and he cracks me up every day! He is snuggly, loving, kind, strong willed and is not shy to share his opinions. Not only is he my work out buddy but he is quite a challenging coach. He wants to make sure I'm doing all my exercises correctly. He is energetic and loves to be outside in nature! We spend a good deal of time stomping through bushes and leaves.

Current/previous Career: Currently a SAHM I prefer the title Domestic Engineer :)  /  Previously I worked for over 10 years as a special education teacher working primarily with children affected by Autism. I've also worked for the Autism Society of North Carolina for several years. After having Jacob I did spend some time tutoring and consulting however, due to my hubby's work I've not had the opportunity to be able to do that recently.

What was your childhood ambition? I wanted to be a vet because I loved animals. However, I soon learned I don't do well with blood or seriously injured critters. So that never came to be.

What does motherhood mean to you? Motherhood has been such an amazing adventure so far. He helps me learn so much. We are enjoying the ride!

What is the furthest you have been from home? Costa Rica

What has Stroller Strides done for you? I came to Stroller Strides because Jacob was having a horrible time in the gym daycare. He would cry so hard he would make himself throw up. Then I'd get called out of my work out. I knew I had to find something better. That's when we started Stroller Strides! Since starting I have been able to loose my last 10 pesky pounds. But most importantly I've found a support network. I love, love, love being a stay at home mom but sometimes it can be hard. I love the having the support and friendship. Stroller Strides has given me the opportunity to work out and keep my lil boy entertained and happy. He is also learning healthy habits including his favorite exercises Burpees and ABC sprints. Additionally we both get to socialize. We love the play dates and we are both building great friendships.

What has your experience with Running Mamas been like so far? I've tried to get into running for several years on my own and I've always ended up injured and quitting! So far I have completely exceeded my expectations! I am looking forward to running a full 5k without stopping and I really feel I can do this. There's no way I'd have been able to do this on my own! The coaching is great and the group runs are great and keep me motivated to do my homework runs all week.

What is your favorite exercise? Squats and Lunges

What is your proudest moment? Looking in the eyes of my little one the moment after birth and realizing that we created a human! Amazing!

What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)? Love my Starbucks latte, live music and crafting

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique.  I have 199 undergraduate credit hours and I can hula hoop with fire.

If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say? I had to ask him, he said, "compassionate, attention to detail and organized".

What advice would you give to moms looking to get back into shape?  I think you just have to get started and I think it's easier with a buddy or group. That's one of the reasons I love Stroller Strides. Getting out of shape didn't happen overnight and getting back in shape won't either. One day at a time and you can do it! 

"Fit Mama Fest 2013" encourages local moms & kids to get active

Free Event, Thurs 4/18, Waverly Place, Cary, presented by Stroller Strides & Pure Body Fitness

Raleigh, NC (Grassroots Newswire) - Stroller Strides of Raleigh is hosting a celebration of fitness, family & fun to mark their 3^rd anniversary as a Raleigh fitness program for moms and to encourage local moms of young children to stay active with their little ones.  This free event will be held on Thursday, April 18^th, 9am-1pm, with an evening session 5:30-8pm for working moms, and is sponsored by Pure Body Fitness & Waverly Place.   Event details can be found at:  http://tinyurl.com/fitmamafest2013

Fit Mama Fest will offer a variety of free sessions that encourage moms and young children to stay active together.   Daytime sessions include:  Stroller Strides workout; Toddler Dance by APA; Creative Play & movement for moms and tots by studioVIBE; and tot class demo by My Gym of Cary, as well as a session on baby/child sleep challenges by Loving Lessons Pediatric Sleep Consultants.   There will also be arts and crafts, free massages for moms, balloons, a visit from the Chick Fil A cow and Menchie’s cone, a fire truck visit, and more.

Date: Thurs 4/18
Time:  9am-1pm & 5:30-8pm
Location: Waverly Place, Cary
Cost: free
RSVP: http://tinyurl.com/fitmamafest2013

“Moms of young children often struggle to fit in time for their own exercise and health, amidst all of the time and effort they put into taking care of their children and families,” says Jennifer Kedrowski, mother of 2 and owner of Stroller Strides of Raleigh.  “However in order to take the best care of our families, we, as moms, do need to take care of ourselves and make sure that we are healthy.  Getting exercise and leading a healthy lifestyle will ultimately make us better moms, physically, mentally & emotionally.  We want to remind local moms, especially during those tough early-years, that getting active is worth it, and we are proud to offer a way for moms to get exercise in AND spend time with their children (through Stroller Strides workouts), while they also meet other moms who they can lean on for support.”

The event is aimed at moms of stroller-aged children, 0-4, but all local moms are welcome to come, and the evening session will include a free Zumba workout and other classes put on by Pure Body Fitness as well as another Stroller Strides demo.

In addition to the free activities and sessions for moms and kids, local businesses and organizations will have tables and offer samples, coupons, goods & services in a ‘Fit Mama Fair’ during the daytime session.  

Participating organizations and sponsors include:  Stroller Strides of Raleigh; Pure Body Fitness; Whole Foods; Green Pea Baby; Academy for the Performing Arts; My Gym Cary; studioVIBE yoga & pilates; Loving Lessons Pediatric Sleep Consultants; Taziki's; Omega Sports; First Daze & Nightzz; Postpartum Education & Support; Menchies; Hand & Stone massage; Enrigo's; Cafe Fresca; Chick-Fil-A; BOB strollers; Plum Organics; Luna bars; My Kids Laundry; Raleigh Baby Planner; The Mouse Connection; Happy Baby; Celadon Road; Scentsy; Kindermusik; Origami Owl; A.E. Wiley Photography; Esteem ME Montessori & Creative Play; AriZoe Images; and more!

For more information on the event, or how to register for classes, or what classes are offered in the Raleigh area, contact Jennifer Kedrowski at jen.kedrowski@fit4mom.com, 888-389-0701.
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About Stroller Strides
Ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the Top New Franchises and Fastest Growing Franchises 2007 - 2011, Stroller Strides offers classes in more than 1,200 locations in the United States and Puerto Rico. The hour-long classes emphasize cardiovascular activities and muscle-strengthening exercises using resistance bands and strollers, allowing moms to interact with their babies throughout their workout. To further assist mothers in all aspects of their lives, Stroller Strides partners with Plum Organics™, LUNA®, lucy® and BOB®. For more information about Stroller Strides, including class locations, visit www.strollerstrides.com.

Stroller Strides of Raleigh offers programs in the Raleigh, Cary, Durham, and Apex areas, and in addition to Stroller Strides workouts, we offer the "Raleigh Running Mamas" training programs (5k, 10k, and Half Marathon), "Body Back" (bootcamp-style workouts and fitness regimen for moms of any age), and more.  For more information on our fitness programs, please visit www.raleigh.fit4mom.com.

March Mom of the Month

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!

March's featured Mom of the Month is Amanda Eckersberg! Congrats, Amanda!

Amanda joined Stroller Strides this past fall and has been working hard on her strength & fitness with a smile on an almost daily basis ever since!  This WV girl who 'never met a stranger' has since become one of our top Stroller Strides attendee (she was the winner of our 'Winter Workout Challenge' and attended over 50 workouts this winner, earning a free month of classes!), has kicked booty in our 8-week Body Back program focused on nutrition and fitness, and recently joined our Spring Raleigh Running Mamas 5k training as well, all of which have helped her get even more fit than she was pre-pregnancy (her words).  And she and her daughter Jolynn bring such smiles to all of our workouts that it's hard not to have fun working out with Amanda!  
 

Join us in congratulating Amanda and read on to get to know her a little bit better.

Hometown: Weirton, West Virginia (Go Mountaineers!)

Current part of the Triangle that you live in: Apex

Education: Master's degree in elementary education and special education (K-12)

Stroller Strides Member since: September 2012

Members of your Family: John (husband), Jolynn (daughter), and Winston (cat)

Tell us about your child: Jolynn is 15 months old and is a ray of sunshine! She's extremely happy, social, and such a little love bug.  She's the best thing to happen to me :)

Current/previous Career: I worked for five years as the Behavior Support Teacher at Davis Drive Middle School in Cary.  The students I worked with had behavioral or emotional disabilities.  It was an amazing job and I do look forward to hopefully returning to it one day.

What was your childhood ambition? I always knew I'd work with children, but for a while I thought I would go into the medical field.  That changed the first time I saw blood ;)

What does motherhood mean to you? Motherhood is unconditional love.  I once read that becoming a mother means living with your heart outside of your body -- and I agree 100%!

What is the furthest you have been from home? I'm not much of a traveler, but my husband and I did drive from North Carolina to Maine for my cousin's wedding. That was our last long car ride and now we fly to our destinations ;)

What has Stroller Strides done for you? Stroller Strides brought ME back! As much as I love spending time with my daughter, I definitely missed having social interactions each day while my husband was at work.  Stroller Strides allowed me to meet a great group of moms and Jolynn to meet a fantastic bunch of kids!  I also have Stroller Strides to thank for getting me back to working out each day!

What has your experience with Body Back been like? I'm loving Body Back! The workouts have definitely whipped me back into better shape and the nutrition portion has opened my eyes to a healthier lifestyle.  Thanks to Body Back, I'm below my pre-pregnancy weight.  :)

What is your favorite exercise? Anything with "flair" (i.e. a squat with a star jump, a partner plank with high fives, etc)

What is your proudest moment? Surviving 34 hours of labor to give birth to the sweetest baby girl

What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)? shopping, reading, and fresh air

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique.  I graduated from my high school class as valedictorian, and I married our class salutatorian!

If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say? He said that I'm caring, creative, and I've never met a stranger.

What advice would you give to moms looking to get back into shape? Find a support group so you don't feel alone in the journey!

What our Moms Love Most about Stroller Strides

Since February is a month where we take some time to focus on LOVE...  we wanted to share what our local moms have said they love MOST about Stroller Strides! 

What our moms love about Stroller Strides…

• “Making new friends- both for me and the kids. Demonstrating healthy choices to the kids.  A time I don't feel guilty doing something for myself because Bo's having fun too.”  –Jenn
•  “Mom friends that understand the day to day life.  Something to look forward to i.e activites, workouts, park time, MNO, playgroups.  And exercise (did I really just say that! )”  –Mary
• “Strong, inspiring and supportive moms I have met, the workout, and having my girls with me. They are making friends and seeing how important taking time to exercise is starting at an early age.”  –Melissa
• “Great workout, great friends, great meetups!”  –Erin
• “The exercise and how much better it makes me feel (and its results!!!).  The chance for Christopher to make friends and learn how to socialize.  The amazing friends I've made, who not only share all the experiences we go through as moms, but also share things like good books and movies, laughter, and understanding with me! “ –Marisa
• “The support system from other moms.   So many were there for me during the tough times in life.  The lifetime friends Arianna and I have; this is great since I am not from NC.  The inspiration of awesome moms who are exercising their butts off.”  –Candace
• “The exercise (obviously!), the friendships & the sunshine!” –Jenny
• “Awesome workout with my girls.  Great support system of Moms that have become great friends.  My "non-socialized" stay at home kiddos get to meet other kids and play after class.” –Janet
• “Having something to do every morning that gets us outdoors & running around.  Playdates.  The wonderful ladies & kiddos!”  –Jamie
• “Great friends for me and my child.  A scheduled workout (somewhere to be each day-a workout I don't have to think about).  Fun activities with the play groups.”  –Lindsey
• “Having people tell me I'm skinny.  Getting my daily dose of vitamin D.  Making mommy friends!” – Diana
• ”The exercise;  The schedule (and the scheduled fun) to organize our days;  The moms and kids... Probably that should be in reverse order : )”  –Beth
• “A great mommy support system...friends I've made and my girls have made as well.  Regular exercise with my girls in tow.  Playgroups and activities for us all to socialize.”  -Marcie

We hope you have 'fallen' for what Stroller Strides is all about, and if you haven't yet, come join us soon!  We love all of our moms and kids for giving us meaning in our lives and such a rewarding daily experience and supportive community!  We know that we offer so much more than fitness programs; we are a community of determined moms coming together to work out, learn, make friends and set the best example for our little ones.   

For more info on our programs, please visit www.strollerstrides.net/raleigh.  

February Mom of the Month

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!

February's featured Mom of the Month is Jennifer Breva! Congrats, Jen!

Jen was a Stroller Strides mom in Portland and joined our Raleigh group when she moved here in 2011.  She brings her adorable girls Natalie and Kira on a regular basis and the three of them brighten the classes and make us all laugh.  ;)  Jen has worked hard on her fitness and shows a fierce determination through not only weekly Stroller Strides workouts, but also our Running Mamas program and recently in our Body Back bootcamp-style program.  Join us in congratulating Jennifer and read on to get to know her a little better. 

Hometown: PA until I was 13, then FL
 

Current part of the Triangle that you live in: Morrisville
 

Education: Bachelors in Business
 

Stroller Strides Member since: 2009 (in OR), 2011 (in NC)
 

Members of your Family: Husband Luis, kids Natalie and Kira
 

Tell us about your children: Natalie is 4 1/2 and she is my spirited child.  She has never met a stranger.  Kira is my more mellow child.  She is very caring.
 

Current/previous Career: Was in the mortgage industry. 

What was your childhood ambition? To be a lawyer.
 

What does motherhood mean to you? A huge responsibility on how another human being will turn out.
 

What is the furthest you have been from home? Australia
 

What has Stroller Strides done for you? Helps me figure out a schedule to my day while keeping me fit and allowing me to socialize.

What is your favorite exercise? Planks
 

What is your proudest moment? Having my VBAC with Kira.
 

What are three of your favorite things (besides your family!)? Reading, decorating, sunshine
 

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or makes you unique.  Still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.  Open to suggestions.
 

If we asked your spouse what they think your best qualities are, what would they say? Have a kind heart and a good planner.

 

What advice would you give to moms looking to get back into shape? For me, having a supportive group is key.