My 500th Milestone!

Helloooooo, peeps, from my 500th Pure Barre class milestone celebration day!

I gotta tell ya, I never expected to attend my celebratory class with the one and only Richard Simmons, but holy goodness, my hubby pulled out all the stops in my honor, today, and it was a RIOT.



Now, for a bit of context…

Three and a half years ago, when I began Pure Barre, I spent months and months complaining about my sore muscles, marveling over my growing strength and endurance, and boldly declaring there was no way the hubby could ever survive a class.

It became a running joke between us for him to downplay the difficulty of my class—to the point that he’d often refer to it as Jazzersize.

Well, no dogging on Jazzersize, as I’m sure it’s crazy as all get-out, too, but, I eventually decided I needed to: 1) defend my Pure Barre honor, and 2) destroy my hubby’s cardio/conditioning self esteem by making him suffer through class and admit how hard it is.

(Insert evil laugh.)

Of course, this was before his obsessive pickleball era (that’s ongoing), so he wasn’t quite as active at the time, but he was still game to accept the challenge—on the condition that I purchase a Richard Simmons costume for added flair.

I think we planned his attendance as a “gift” for my birthday that first year I was a member. But then, somehow, we never managed to get him to class and the whole idea sort of lost steam.

Now…fast forward a couple of years and my 500th milestone finally arrived. I was so grateful to have nearly all of my Barre Besties in attendance today, and just happy-go-lucky to be celebrating the day.

But, lo and behold, class began, and the instructor (who also happens to be the owner of the studio) announced there was a special guest for my milestone class, then went to open the back door to the studio…for my hubby to burst in, fully geared up, jazzersizing his way into class.

I mean…priceless.

All my ladies were DYING.

One of them had been his partner in crime to book him in the class and give the manager a heads up he was coming. And they jointly smuggled him in the parking lot out back, then cued him up when the time was right.

It was flawless.

And my dear, ridiculous, game-for-anything hubby suffered through the entire class with us ladies—groaning and complaining at all the parts that made us feel like the strong-a** baddies we are. :) 

It was fantastic. And the fulfillment of a long-awaited dream to have him walk in my shoes (and crunch and lung and tuck). And my ladies were so tickled by his participation—which made the celebratory class all the livelier.



Better still, my amazing hubby scurried around before class, in order to bring a whole slew of my favorite s’mores pastries from the bakery we love—plus a whole vat of my favorite latte (quarter winter moon with oat milk) from my ride-or-die coffee shop, to share with all my friends.

I truly felt so celebrated. Talk about my love language on such a special day of personal accomplishment.

I’m not the type of gal to be the center of attention. I’m far more prone to celebrate others and root them on, than to be the one on the receiving end. In fact, I’m the type of classic supporting act that can often go overlooked—and I’m mostly A-okay with that!

In addition to that, I just so happen to attend class with a whole hoard of amazing, dedicated ladies, who’ve managed to achieve this milestone quicker than me. 

So I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a bit of a struggle to avoid comparison surrounding my milestone, and to just cherish my own personal joy and journey.

All that to say that I didn’t have high expectations for this Barre milestones of mine. Of course, I went into the day so proud of myself, but I was also very aware that many had come before me, many achieved 500 classes faster, and many were bold enough to demand a big hoopla related to their big day.

But, today, I somehow managed to feel like the belle of the ball. I felt so loved and celebrated in a way I’d not at all expected, and it was all the sweeter for my hubby’s participation. :) In fact, I know for a fact that it was a primary driver of his to be so bold and ridiculous about it all, so I would feel celebrated.

Mission. Accomplished.

It’s a good day, peeps. To be able to track something so  visceral that can’t be achieved overnight. Just one class, one day at a time, but look how beauuutiful they are when they all add up.

Grateful for the special day.

And the time to manage to post about it!

Happy Monday, peeps!

Over and out.