We work out!

My colleague, the middle school science teacher, Kate leads a dance aerobics class every Tuesday and Thursday evening for anyone who wants to come. Mostly it's just moms of our students (Japanese, Filipino, Chinese, Chilean, Spanish, American), but sometimes kids, ranging from ages pre-K to high school, jump in and get their bodies grooving as well. For the last 10 weeks, I have only missed a couple classes (one due to making a meal for Matt and Julie right after they had the babies, and another due to an important, impromptu meeting).

We bust moves and get good cardio workouts, to the tunes of hits throughout the decades--from disco to 80s rock to 90s Madonna to 2000s hits to present day JBiebs and Glee hits. It's so fun, and really a good way to get the blood pumping. Clara even participated while she was here visiting!

So as an end-of-the-year thank you to Kate for her voluntary services (though she insists she really has the class as a way to hold herself accountable to get some hearty exercise), the moms suggested having a potluck! Contrary to the whole endeavor of getting together to BURN calories, we sure consumed a lot of international yummy dishes (sushi, pasta, rice, potato salad, breads, and yes, even some desserts!). Haha. Good times.

Here are a couple of photos from that potluck night on Wednesday. Needless to say, Kate really made us feel the burn in class the following day! (Cue song Disco Inferno... "burn, baby, burn!") my shoulders are so sore (my abs will probably feel more of the burn tomorrow, as a result of that extra long ab workout we had too!).

Some of the Moms, daughters, Kate, and me!

After we adopted Jett, we started bringing him to class, having him tied up in the back of the class, laying on his bed with a bone or a chew toy. At first, there were vocal protests and yelps and whining, and even the occasional howl, as if comoletely forlorn and neglected as we danced a few meters away, right in front of him and in plain sight. He soooo wanted to join in the fun! But over time, with training, he has come to know the routine and just resigns himself to laying patiently and waiting for water breaks, when we come to fawn our affections upon him.

When we have smaller sessions, Kate, Kari, and I let him roam around and "participate" in the workout fun. It's so cute. I wish I had video of it. He'll just sit himself down in front of one of us, as if to say, "I'm holding you accountable! Work harder!" Sometimes he will try to play with us while we are doing ab workouts or stretching on the floor. And sometimes he just plops himself down on his bed in the back of the class and literally tracks us as we traipse across the floor like silly ninnies.

This week, Kari was sick on Thursday, so she was at home with Jett during class. One of the moms asked me where Jett was, commenting that the energy level in the class just wasn't the same. (I didn't say anything then, but I think it was just the after effects of the potluck making us drag...) But they all truly look forward to fuzzling our pup and letting him give them kisses during our water breaks!

Here's to many more dance aerobics sessions!

Cue music...
...we're sexy and we know it!

Blurry... but you get the idea