by Teanna Gentry

Who runs the world? Moms! Didn't Beyonce say something about that in a song?! She actually said "girls" run the world, but let's be honest, where would be without our Moms? If you look around, you can see our local community is filled to the brim with many young families who are transplants to Westside Seattle, and many families that have been born and raised here too.

My family has been in the Gregory Heights area for almost 2 years and in my time I have seen that our neighborhood is bustling with Moms and their little ones. Mothers have a lot to manage! How do we handle it all? Some workout, some eat, some sleep, some cry, others seem to balance work, life, family, and friends flawlessly. Truth be told, we all have our outlets or vices for dealing with the ups & downs of motherhood whether they be good or bad for us.

Recently, I connected with two local Moms who are doing it all. They own and operate their small businesses, manage their homes, take time for themselves, and chase after their little ones all while wearing a smile. It's an amazing feat being a working Mom! What I love about both of their businesses is that they are in the business of helping Moms. How cool is that?

Meet Jennifer. She is the face behind Fit4Mom Stroller Strides Burien/Des Moines. I have taken a couple of the classes they have to offer and loved the sisterhood of working out with fellow Mama's, still spending time with my kiddo, and still getting a great sweat going for my health. I sat down with Jennifer, who has been the owner for almost two years, as she shared some exciting updates about her business. She said they recently able to hire on a new teacher named Stephanie, who will help lead prenatal fitness classes called Fit4Baby, and help with their bread and butter Stroller Strides cardio classes. I like that they offer classes at all times of the time for the Moms who can get up and at em' early, or those of us that prefer a night class after the kids are in bed.

Do you want to come check out a class? Jennifer mentioned they will have a Free Body Back Preview class on April 22nd at 8:30AM. Stroller Strides/Stroller Barre classes will move to Normandy Park City Hall park on April 17th, and their next session of Body Back begins on May 8th. Fit4Baby will be outside starting May 1st.
I asked Jennifer what she is most excited about this spring and she said, "Heading outside for the spring and summer is always an exciting time! Everyone is ready to get outside and into the fresh air. Our workouts will have more movement and the kids will be happier outside as well. We have a great supportive group of Moms that are ready to welcome you and your children with open arms. You are not only going to get a great workout but we have fun and so do your kids! Working Mamas, Mamas of older kids, or those with no kids, join us for Body Back! We have 8-week sessions that will help to reconnect with YOU, mind, body, and soul! We look forward to meeting you soon." For more information, class locations, and to sign up check out:
https://www.facebook.com/FIT4MOMBurienDesMoines/
http://burien-desmoines.fit4mom.com/#/today

After meeting with Jennifer, she reminded me of how important balance is with being a Mom. Part of the balance and being able to manage several things at once requires a thing I like to call sleep. Enter in Nicole Elizondo, owner and founder of Belly to Bean. She's in the business of getting your baby to sleep (thank goodness!), and in turn gift you with sleep for yourself. Her business is focused on sleep consulting and she is trained and certified to work with infants all the way up to age 5. She told me, "Every sleep situation is so unique so I customize every sleep plan for the family. I am not running a one size fits all business because we all know that won't work for babies. Many people ask me what is it that I do? I am a cheerleader and support system for mothers while they're making changes to their baby or toddlers sleep habits. Since I have a background in the science of sleep I am able to guide parents in the right direction when they're going through difficult times. Something many people do not know about me is that I work with families all over the US and Canada. You do not need to be local to work with me."

All of this sounds amazing doesn't it?! Nicole told me she recently added text support as Moms seem to really appreciate instant messages when working through sleep struggles. She has also partnered up with Candice Beach from Colorado to become a baby product expert so she will be able to help clients choose the best and safest items for their babies. Once her boutique is up and running she will pair it up on her website. Want to find out more? Nicole provides free sleep tips on her Facebook page and she is working towards posting weekly videos with tips on different subjects that Moms have asked her about.
www.facebook.com/bellytobeansleepconsulting
www.bellytobean.com

Let's all raise a glass to Jennifer and Nicole. They are keeping us fit, keeping our bodies & babies rested, and creating community for Burien Mama's so we can connect & survive. Cheers to you!

Teanna Gentry is a health and wellness guru from the Pacific Northwest who has a passion for helping people find freedom in movement. She was an all conference Track and Field athlete at Eastern Washington University from 2003-2007 and has since coached and trained athletes and clients of all ages in the greater Puget Sound area in running, yoga, speed/agility/quickness, and total wellness. Teanna is a certified yoga and barre instructor, as well as an avid lover of the outdoors. She is most often seen around Hot Feet Fitness or running around town with her husband and toddler.