Have a JOYOUS Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and Happy Kwanza!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah and Happy Kwanza Holidays! I am sitting cozied up with my family, in our jammies and having enjoyed some popcorn and watching Horton Hears a Who!

The past 10 days of unexpected weather has had me reflect even more on how much my family and friends mean to me, in addition to how much I am truly grateful for. It reaffirmed the phrase “Why worry about what we can not control”. The snow gave us all a White Christmas. And while we may not have wanted this much snow at first, it created memories that we will never forget. From ...learning how to truly shovel snow, digging deep into our bag of tricks on ways to entertain our kids inside day in and out, calling our Moms for more Christmas Cookie recipes since we used up the first 5 in the first 2 days of snow, learning how to be creative when working out in our homes, truly meeting our neighbors when bonding over pushing cars out of driveways or learning how to put on chains, and using our able bodies to get from point A to B in the snow.

This past week I was worried about there being no Beaverton Classes, but realized it was nothing I could control since the facilities were closed. With knowing how many of you truly start your day with coming to class, I was worried about your exercise activity, but had such great faith you would feel empowered to do the home workouts we posted. I know some of you emailed for more ideas for ways to stay active with your kids in the snow, and feel grateful you feel comfortable to ask for help and ideas. It made me look within my bag of exercises and get even more creative.

The determination I felt to make it to class for those who could come, reenergized my love for what I do. I was running on Stanton Street each morning, the only one running in the snow amidst some cross-country skiers, and realized the magic of what was happening. The challenge to make it to the Lloyd Center, running each day in the snow when my own legs were getting fried, led me to say "thanks to you". I thank you for making exercise a priority in your lives. I thank you for your hard work and determination in becoming better Moms. I thank you for your openness to try new exercises and thank you for supporting one another in doing so too. Thank you for wanting more challenges, and letting the Baby Boot Camp Team help you go beyond what you felt was possible. I thank you for your miles logged each week, legs exhausted from squats and lunges, arms depleted from push ups and dips, and cores quivering from planks and bicycles.

I thank you for sharing your stories with one another, and being open to doing so. If you read through the posts on the Yahoo! Group and see the comfort level in asking questions, or hope that your own story may help the person asking for advice, it is overwhelming with support. The gratitude I have for you is endless. You have become part of a community that was the dream when starting my business in 2005. The community of active minded, supportive, intelligent, kind, generous and wonderful Moms (and Dads). You are it!

YOU make me even more determined to help you not only reach your health and fitness goals, but surpass them. I wish you a wonderful Holiday, and may you feel the love and gratitude for yourself that I feel for YOU each day.

Happy Holidays, Happy New Year and see you in 2009-

Erin Shirey