My 25th Birthday!

So my birthday was a week ago from today and boy was I spoiled! A few weeks before my birthday I had mentioned I wanted to do something big for my 25th birthday...that's half way to 50 and should be celebrated with something grand, right?! Since we are in Mexico I thought it would be fun to have a party at our house with a Pinata and invite all our friends we have made here. As time got closer I hadn't planned anything and both my husband and I were swamped with work so we hadn't really thought about it. But now that my birthday has come and gone I'm so grateful the way I was able to celebrate turning 25. This year is definitely going to be an amazing year for me!

So you might ask...what did you end up doing on your birthday?

Our pancakes didn't look exactly like this
but they tasted just as delicious!

Well, let me tell you! First off, my husband made me a delicious breakfast of cinnamon roll pancakes (thanks pinterest for the idea!). They were absolutely delicious, not the healthiest option but hey it was my birthday so calories don't count. 
I then opened my gifts. And wow did my husband spoil me! He had given me 25 gifts to open, one for each year of my life. One of which he had stayed up all night, 4:00am that morning, making it for me. I can't believe he spent so much time on it but I'm so grateful for that gift. It was a book that he made with pictures and quotes and then 25 things he loves about me. Also, included in there were some of my other gifts (like coupons for breakfast in bed, etc.). He also included areas that were blank which I need to add written text into. For example, one section in the book says 25 things I have accomplished so far in my life, and I have to fill in those twenty-five things. Basically my husband is amazing and I love that little book. I will cherish it forever! It also got me thinking about where I am right now in my life and how grateful I am for all the things I have been able to do. Never would I have thought that on my 25th birthday I would be living in Mexico and teaching English to Spanish speakers. Life is such a beautiful thing and full of all sorts of adventures that help us grow and discover who we are.

As you can see most of the stuff is candy...Devin and I never
 really splurge on buying sweets so he decided that's what
I needed for my birthday. But he also gave me some other things
 I love, like candles, a nutrition book on my kindle, and 25 songs!

Some of the other gifts were just things I have craved since being here in Mexico. Like a Twix bar. We have only found one store that sells them and I have not splurged yet to buy one so he gave it to me for my birthday. He also spent a lot of time trying to find chocolate covered almonds for me because I feel like those are the perfect little snack when you want something sweet and I have been craving them. I couldn't believe he actually found them! Again, I'm so lucky to have such a loving husband and for all he did for my birthday! He spent a lot of time making sure my birthday was not just another day of the week, but actually special.

One of my favorite things to do here in San Cristobal is to walk around the markets. That is definitely something I am going to miss once we leave. It's so fun seeing all the bright colors and the fresh produce. Well, there is a newer market pretty close by our house that we have never been to and since it was a gorgeous day we decided to walk out there and enjoy the market and the sunshine. I absolutely love walking around here, especially with my hubster by my side. Anyways, the market was a lot of fun to go to. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time to spend there because I had to teach an English class that afternoon, but it was still an enjoyable outing.

Trying out one of my birthday gifts...a
confetti popper (I was terrified)

Later that night I skyped my family while Devin was teaching his night classes. I'm so grateful for skype! It was fun to catch up with family. Once Devin got home we had cake. And lucky for me Devin made a very special cake...not on purpose but it ended up tasting amazing! The night before my birthday he was making my cake and instead of putting 1/4 cup of cocoa he accidentally put 1/4 cup of cinnamon. We didn't want to waste the batter he had made so we just added in the amount of cocoa needed and hoped that it would still turn out. So I ended up having a chocolate cinnamon birthday cake with cream cheese frosting. Let me just say...it was amazing!

I'm officially 25! Crazy!

Me with some of the kids I was
working with this Saturday

THEN....on Saturdays Devin and I always volunteer at Yo'onik Learning Center in Zinacantan. I had made 2 cakes to share with them to celebrate my birthday and give them a little treat. When I walked in the door I was shocked to see that 20 kids had shown up and a group of them ran up to me and gave me a huge hug and told me Feliz Cumpleanos! Somehow they had found out that it was my birthday. And I thought all along me bringing cake would be a little surprise for them. 

Throughout the afternoon volunteering at Yo'onik, kids would come up to me with a drawing or a card and wish me happy birthday. There was a group of girls who even ran across the street to a little store and bought me some peso candies. I absolutely love volunteering at this school. This was the best way that I could spend my 25th birthday! They truly bring me so much happiness! I love each one of them as I would my own child. I wish I could adopt them all!

What I did for my birthday might not sound grand to some people, but when you are living in humble circumstances like we are now it was pretty grand to me. Service always makes me happy and I couldn't have been happier this birthday. I wouldn't have wanted to celebrate my birthday any other way. 

Some of the kids hiding from the camera because they were
making their cards for me and wanted it to be a surprise.

I absolutely love this girl! I have been working closely with her
the past couple of Saturdays on Math and just love this picture of her.
(usually Mexicans don't smile for the camera and sometimes
don't even look at the camera  so this was a rare shot we got)

This is one of Devin's favorite girls at the school.

Me helping some kids with Math

Oatmeal = The Perfect Breakfast Food

Lately, I have been eating a lot of oatmeal for breakfast and I have really noticed a difference with the energy I have during the day and how my body feels. Usually, my husband and I would just grab cereal and milk and have that for breakfast, but with cereal being a little more expensive here in Mexico we have decided to change our eating habits a little and try oatmeal instead since it was more conducive to our budget. And, wow am I glad we did! After eating oatmeal almost everyday for about 3 weeks now I have noticed a really big difference in how I feel. So today I wanted to share some of the benefits of eating oatmeal for breakfast instead of grabbing that box of cereal or other sugary type substance for breakfast; or the alternative, not eating breakfast at all.

6 Reasons why you should eat Oatmeal for Breakfast:

1. Oatmeal is very inexpensive
It is a lot cheaper than other breakfast foods, such as cereal, granola bars, Eggo waffles, etc. You can save a lot more money by buying a huge bag of oatmeal because it will last you for weeks versus a box of cereal that may only last a week (if you love it as much as we did).

2. It fills you up!
A bowl of oatmeal is full of soluble fiber, about 4 grams per cup. Soluble fiber absorbs a lot of water, which slows down the digestive process making you feel full longer. Why is this good? Well, since it makes you feel full longer you will be less likely to over eat or inhale "junkie" food at lunchtime because you are not starving from breakfast. 

I notice that when I eat cereal for breakfast I am usually hungry way before it is time for lunch causing me to eat more food to fulfill my hunger cravings . Now that I am eating oatmeal in the morning I am able to teach all my morning ESL classes (from 9am-2pm) without getting hungry. It is the perfect thing for me so I have enough energy to teach all morning long!

3. Fights bad "LDL" Cholesterol 
Oatmeal contains heart-healthy compounds and fiber that could also result in lower cholesterol, specifically the bad "LDL" cholesterol. In fact, there are several studies that show that boosting your intake of soluble fiber by 5-10 grams each day could result in a 5% drop in bad cholesterol, which can lower your risk of heart attacks and stroke.

3. Helps you lose weight
Oatmeal's proclaimed weight lost benefits are not a hoax! First, as mentioned, the fiber in a bowl of oatmeal makes you feel fuller longer, thereby curbing calorie intake and weight gain. Secondly, oatmeal contains "slow releasing" carbohydrates, which may help you burn more fat if eaten a few hours before exercise. 

Eating oatmeal combined with regular daily exercise has proven to be the perfect weight loss formula. Like I mentioned above, I started eating oatmeal for breakfast almost every morning for the past 3 weeks, along with that I have been on a regular exercise routine and I have notice such a difference in the way my body feels, and it has only been 3 weeks! If you are wanting to make healthier food choice I encourage you to start your day off with a bowl of oatmeal, it not only a great way to start you day off but it will help you eat the right foods during the rest of day and give you more energy to accomplish those things you need to!

4. Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes
The soluble fiber in oats helps to control blood glucose levels, which may reduce your risk of Type 2 Diabetes. The American Diabetes Association even recommends people with diabetes fill up on oats.

5. It's quick!
Sure, grabbing a breakfast bar is the quickest route to fueling your body, but quick-cooking (instant) oatmeal can be made in less than 5 minutes; old-fashioned oats can be prepped on the stove top in 10-15 minutes. It's one of the quickest yet healthiest breakfasts you can eat! The benefits of Oatmeal definitely out weigh the quicker breakfast foods that you can grab on the go.

So, now the question is: Instant or Steel -Cut Oats? What is better?
While any type of oatmeal is a healthy choice, steel-cut oats contain more fiber than the instant varieties. When buying the instant oatmeal, try and avoid the flavored varieties, they are chock-full of sugar. Now, I know what you are thinking, plain oatmeal has no flavor and it is hard to get down. Well, instead of buying the flavored oatmeal, buy the plain oatmeal and add your own flavors...this is a much healthier options. Here are some healthy options for you to add to your oatmeal:

• Cinnamon or brown sugar
• Sliced apples, bananas, or blueberries
• Maple syrup or honey
• Toasted almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts
• Dried and unsweetened apricots, cherries, or cranberries
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Coconut flakes
• Soy yogurt
• Applesauce
• Peanut butter
• Ground flaxseed

Have fun with your oatmeal...try a different flavor everyday to keep the variety! I challenge you to start eating oatmeal for breakfast today! You will notice a huge difference in how you feel!

How do you define yourself?

How do you define yourself? Really, ask yourself this question and write down what makes you you? How did you get that way and who is defining you to be the way you are? Then, continue by watching this amazing clip by Lizzie Velasquez! 

With a start of a new year and as you are setting your goals a question you might ask yourself is "How will I define myself this year through the goals I am making?" 

Lizzie Velasquez gives some amazing advice that we all should live by each and everyday. She is one of only 3 people in the world born with an unusual genetic ailment that prevents her from gaining any weight. She has never weighed over 62 pounds in her entire life. She discovered a video of herself on YouTube labeled "The World's Ugliest Woman" just prior to her junior year of high school. Watch this segment to see how she has taken those horrible comments people gave her all growing up and all the bullying she received to really shape who she is today. She decided that she would define who she is, and let others influence her definition of herself. 

A Brand New Year and a Fresh Start to 2014!

It's a brand new year! 2014! What have you done so far to make it the best year?                                                                        The beginning of a new year usually starts with goal setting, well for most people. My husband and I always enjoy the fresh start of a new year. We get to evaluate the goals we set the last year and see how we have improved, and reflect upon how our lives have changed for the better or worse. This past year for us we have had many experiences that, we feel, have made us better and stronger personally and as a couple. About every 3 months we decided to set little goals to help us reach our bigger goals that we have set. So, throughout the year we were constantly evaluating ourselves so we would not put off our goals and be disappointed at the end of the year because we did not accomplish them. For us, in order to keep our focus on those goals we have made charts with the list of goals that we want to accomplish every day and the date on them. Then at the end of every day we mark off the things we accomplished. If we weren't able to accomplish one of those small goals that day we knew we needed to focus more on that one the next day. These goals may consist of: exercise goals, spiritual goals, educational goals, etc. Whatever will help you to achieve your overall goal.

Lately, my husband and I have made it a goal to wake up everyday and start our morning off with exercising. Some days it is very difficult to get out of a nice warm bed, but I just think of this quote "If you wait for perfect conditions, you'll never get anything done." A lot of times I convince myself that I can sleep longer and just workout in the afternoon when it has warmed up a bit. But, who am I kidding but myself. I know that does not work because I have other things I need to get done in the afternoon. I believe this also applies to all our goals, not just exercise. If we are waiting for the perfect moment to start our goals, it may never come. You will waste away a perfectly good day or month or year just waiting, waiting for something that when it does come you may not recognize it. Let's not procrastinate this year!

If you have not already set your goals for 2014, do it today! Then set smaller goals that will help you reach those larger ones. Don't wait for the perfect conditions to start your goals because you may never achieve them and waste away a perfectly good year! Start today and continue for the rest of 2014, you will be amazed at how much you really do get done and how you feel about yourself afterwards!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

So I have neglected to post on my blog for the past couple of weeks as I have been very busy with teaching/planning English classes, having my parents come into town, Christmas choir performances, and other work and church related activities. You can read about all those fun activities that my husband and I have been up to here on my husband's blog.

With Christmas only 7 days away I wanted to share with you what my husband and I are doing this year for Christmas. First, I should tell you that I gave a talk on Sunday in my church and that really got me thinking this season about why we celebrate Christmas. I focused my talk on how we can have a Christ centered Christmas this year. Most of my words came from a talk given by President Dieter F. Uchdorft's talk "Seeing Christmas through New Eyes" If you have not read this talk, I encourage you to do so today! President Uchdorft is the second counselor to our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His words are very powerful!

It is so easy this time of year to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of things. So many things are commercialized, sales are going on, parties are being planned, and presents need to be wrapped. Material things can really get in the way of focusing on the true meaning of Christmas. How can we still enjoy those fun material traditions while focusing our thoughts on the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ?

This year my husband and I decided that each night we would read out of the scriptures (The Book of Mormon and Bible) passages related to the event of Christ's birth. And then on Christmas day we will read the entire Christmas story out of the Bible. This simple activity has really got me thinking about Christ this year and how powerful and important his birth into this world was. I am so grateful for the sacrifice He made for each one of us, let's show our gratitude to Him this year by pondering and focusing on Him this Christmas season!

We started reading the passages 12 days before Christmas to get us ready for the big day! Here is the outline of our readings if you would like to join us (there is definitely still time to catch up :) ):

Day 1: Luke 1: 26-38

Day 2: 3Nephi 1:4-9

Day 3: Luke 1:39-45

Day 4: 2Nephi 9:19-22

Day 5: Matthew 1:18-25

Day 6: 3Nephi 1:12-21

Day 7: Matthew 2:1-12

Day 8: Helaman 14:2-6

Day 9: Luke 2:1-7

Day 10: Isaiah 9:6-7

Day 11: Luke 2:8-20

Day 12: Isaiah 7:14

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas season and can spend some time during the busy holidays to focus your attention on Christ and what He has done for each one of us! 

It is worth pondering this questions: Why do you celebrate Christmas?

"When a mother survives, a lot survives with her"

In December 2011, almost 2 years ago, I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Public Health at Brigham Young University Idaho. I am crazy interested about health, nutrition, and exercise! But I also have a secret interest in Women's Health and more specifically Maternal Health.

"In the 20th Century, pregnancy and childbirth killed more than tuberculosis, suicide, traffic accidents, and AIDS, combined." -Safe the Mothers Organization

I often feel like maternal health is overlooked by other, 'bigger' diseases or accidents that are happening throughout the world. There is an organization in Uganda, Africa that I have been following for several years now, Save the Mothers. There mission is "to train local leaders in the developing world to reduce maternal mortality within their own countries. Such infrastructures will lead to changes in attitudes and result in women having better access to basic maternal services and medicine. When attitudes change and women are valued more, then lasting change will occur from the inside." They believe "that universal access to quality maternal care in pregnancy and childbirth is a basic human right." It is one of my dreams in life to become trained in this area of study (maternal health) and be able to help those in the developing world, because it truly is their basic human right to have adequate care.

There is a clinic that my husband and I live fairly close to right now in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico. I pass by it almost every day as I walk to work and I have been in there several times for Yoga classes. In Chiapas, Maternal health is a huge issue as well. Many women get pregnant before they are ready, but since it is a cultural thing they don't really have much of a say as to whether they will get pregnant or not. In this culture men are not looked at as being real men until they have children, so as you can imagine young girls get pregnant at a very early age here and continue having kids for most of their life. This clinic has provided the necessary education to young teenagers and it has been very successful so far and will continue to help this community.

Today I came across a video that was posted by Save the Mothers Organization and I hope it will open your eyes to a little to what I see and hope will change in the developing countries. You can watch that video here. So many lives can be saved by such simple measures!

"I don't believe that we will make the progress on HIV/Aids without addressing maternal mortality. We will not make the progress we want on malaria without addressing maternal mortality. We will not make progress on getting more children to school without reducing maternal mortality. When a mother survives, a lot survives with her." - Sarah Brown, Safe Motherhood Advocate

Some Global Statistics:

• Of all pregnancies anywhere, 15 percent will have a potentially fatal complication. In the developing world, having a baby will be the riskiest thing a woman will do. Yet in most cases, mothers there deliver without any skilled attendant. 
• 1 in 4 women who die during childbirth simply bleed to death. This can often be prevented by a medication that costs less than 99 cents.
• The death of one mother often leaves a family of orphans. These children are more vulnerable to sickness and death. In addition, for every woman who dies in childbirth, about 20 women suffer injury, infection or disease-approximately 10 million women each year.
• Every year, some 287,000 women die from pregnancy-related causes. 99% of these deaths occur in the developing world.

*All statistics from the “Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 – 2010” report, UNFPA, UNICEF,WHO, World Bank.

Super Easy Applesauce!

Last year picking apples!

This time last year I was picking apples at the Green Mountain Orchard in Putney, Vermont with my handsome husband. We picked so many apples I felt like they were growing out my ears! I was looking up every recipe ever made that contained apples in them. I baked apple crisp, apple muffins, caramel apples, etc. Then I came up with a brilliant idea of making applesauce and it was absolutely delicious! The nice thing about applesauce is it is the perfect healthy snack, you can use it as a substitute in many baking recipes, and you can warm it up and put it on ice cream. Get the picture? Applesauce is just amazing! As I was reminiscing about that applesauce I made I thought...why don't I make applesauce this year? Yes, we may not be able to go to an orchard this year but I can still pick out some apples at the market. Lately I have been trying to figure out some healthy snacks to have in our house. With making your own applesauce you don't have to add any sugar, apples are sweet enough on their own! Homemade applesauce is the way to go compared to the store bought high fructose corn syrup kind. So here it is...my super easy, super delicious, and super healthy applesauce recipe! As a friend of mine would always say, "it's good and good for you!"

Ingredients: 

• 6 apples, peeled and chopped (your choice of apple, but the sweeter ones are better)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (or more if you really like cinnamon, I also added some clove to mine)
• About 1/2 cup of water to cover the bottom of pot

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a pot on the stove top and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover with lid. 

2. Simmer apples for about 20 minutes or until soft. The smaller the pieces of chopped apple the faster cook time.  

3. Remove from heat and mash with a potato masher for chunkier applesauce, or put in the food processor or blender for smoother texture. 

4. Enjoy!

Side notes: you can add any other fruit you would like to create a different twist on your applesauce, such as: strawberries, peaches, mangos, etc. Also, I added clove to mine along with cinnamon and it gave it a great flavor! Go ahead and experiment with it!