San Diego

One of the fantastic perks of our jobs is R&R. During our four years in the Philippines we are eligible for two paid trips basically anywhere, as long as it is not more expensive than a ticket to Sydney. In 2012 we went to San Diego and had such an amazing trip that we decided to go back. This time for 26 days in a rental house in Encinitas. It was a perfect home base, with Moonlight Beach and a playground just two blocks away.

After living in Manila for three years, the best part of San Diego was just being outside in the fresh cool air. In the words of this little one, "There's so much space!"

The entire family was able to spend a week together, and although it was crazy, it was really fun.

Towards the end of the trip we spent three days in Joshua Tree.

Other Highlights

Holiday Wonderland at Petco Park
Nutcracker at the Civic Theater
Garden of Lights at the San Diego Botanic Gardens
San Diego Zoo
Best fish tacos at Haggo's Organic Tacos
Siblings Brewery Tour
Sunsets at Moonlight Beach
The baby really learning how to walk
Playgrounds at Balboa Park

R&R in numbers

Mountains hiked: 5; 26 miles total
Breweries visited: 8
Miles ran: 27
Yoga classes: 3

Until next time San Diego!

Half Marathon on the Horizon

Fourteen months after Toto was born I ran a marathon in Bangkok.  As much as I would like to do the same after Moo Shu's birth, I know that's not going to happen.  Instead, The Shark and I signed up for a half marathon at the end of this year.  Training has been mediocre, but I am hoping to spice things up with some races for motivation.  I ran the Manila Bay Clean-Up run earlier this month, and the Life Run 10K in September and the Men's Health Urbanathalon in November sound fun. Here's a recap of running this year. Picture some yoga, elliptical, and moderate weight lifting sprinkled throughout.

January
Running: Moo Shu was born December 9 - cut me some slack

February
Running: 24.8 miles

March
Running: 24.8 miles

April
Running: 24.8 miles

May
Running: 18.6 miles

June
Running: 30.6 miles

July
Running: 46.6 miles

I was way more dedicated in 2012, getting out every weekend morning and doing long runs. With two kids, lots of work, continuous colds, hip pain, and doing our own cooking (right, like every other working mom in America, I know), early weekend mornings are spent funneling coffee down my throat.

Going Gluten-Free: Weeks 3 and 4

I finally finished my gluten-free month.  And while I have mostly kept gluten out of my diet, I've allowed a little in here and there. Honestly, I didn't notice anything dramatic, but overall I did feel pretty good.  But I think that was because I kept out most refined sugars and limited dairy as well.  Basically I plan to keep my diet as clean as possible, but not be super strict about it. 

March 3
B: protein shake
L: Nourish Bowl
D: Turkey, cranberry sauce, roasted sweet potato

Nourish bowls are our go-to for daily lunches.

March 4
B: protein shake
L: Nourish Bowl
D: Leftovers

March 5
B: protein shake
L: Nourish Bowl
D: Zuchini Lasagna from here

March 6
B: protein shake
L: Nourish Bowl
D: Oatmeal

March 7
B: protein shake
L: Nourish Bowl
D: Falafel burger with sweet potato fries from here

March 8
B: gluten-free banana bread
L: lentil patties, beet falafel, brown rice
D: tofu walnut burger with red rice

March 9
B: oatmeal
L: lentil patties, beet falafel, brown rice from here
D: Crock pot beef, sweet potato and mushroom stew

March 10
B: protein shake
L: Nourish Bowl
D: Leftovers

March 11
B: protein shake
L: Nourish Bowl
D: Oatmeal

March 12
B: protein shake
L: Nourish Bowl
D: Crock pot chicken curry

March 13
B: protein shake
L: Nourish Bowl
D: Falafel

March 14
B: protein shake
L: oatmeal
D: chicken cashew curry and pomelo salad from here

March 15
B: hard boiled egg and gf banana bread
L: oatmeal
D: vegan biryani

March 16
B: hard boiled egg with oatmeal cranberry bar
L: beef burger on tomato salad
D: Spaghetti: gluten free quinoa/corn pasta with turkey sauce and quinoa oat flat bread

Going Gluten Free: Week 2

2/24
B: protein shake
L: nuts and dried fruit
D: Beef tenderloin, potatoes, red cabbage slaw, Paleo brownie

2/25
B: protein shake
L: nuts and dried fruit
D: Nourish Bowl

2/26
B: protein shake
L: nuts and dried fruit
D: Nourish Bowl

2/27
B: protein shake
L: Greek salad
D: cauliflower crust pizza and caesar salad

2/28
B: protein shake
L: green smoothie (spinach, walnuts, coconut milk, banana)
D: Bibimbap

3/1
B: protein shake
L: beet falafel with marinated tofu (from Salcedo market!)
D: gluten-free spaghetti with turkey sauce

3/2
B: protein shake
L: nuts and dried fruit
D: spaghetti leftovers

Maternity Leave in Numbers

Days: 86

Miles Ran: 31

Yoga Classes: 20

Massages: 6

New Recipes: 19

Closets Organized: 3

Pounds Lost: 20

Baby and Toddler Kisses: Lost Count

Going Gluten Free: Week 1

Breastfeeding gives me lots of iPhone research time. Recently I have been reading about the Paleo diet. I used to puke in my mouth a little when I read about it because of words like bone marrow, but I have been considering giving it a try. As a little prep, I have decided to go gluten-free for 30 days to see if I notice any improvement in my health or energy levels. Granted, I have been getting up every four hours to nurse and change Baby Genki, but I also have random pains, frequent tiredness, and occasional anxiety. Probably all normal, but wouldn't hurt to cut out processed foods, refined sugar, and gluten to see how I feel.

Here's what I had this week:

Feb 17
B: Vegetarian omelette, hash browns, coffee (duh, assume that for every day)
L: Protein shake*
D: Tofu red curry with brown rice, raw chocolate nib brownie

Feb 18
B: Protein Shake
L: Oatmeal with banana
D: Roasted portobello, roasted butternut squash, spinach salad with goat cheese and carrots

Feb 19
B: Protein Shake
L: Leftovers from dinner
S: Frozen yogurt with granola, strawberries, and coconut
D: Vegetarian chili with quinoa corn bread

Feb 20
B: Protein Shake
L: Leftovers from dinner
D: Julienne vegetable stir fry
S: apple paleo cookies  

Feb 21
B: Protein Shake
L: Leftovers from dinner
D: Spaghetti and herb flatbread
S: Vegan PB cookies

Feb 22
B: Paleo burger (what?!)--thank you Down to Earth Farms
L: Protein Shake (can't go a day without my witch's brew)
D: Vegetarian chili and quinoa corn bread (still had leftovers!)

Feb 23
B: Oatmeal with dried fruit
L: Protein Shake
D: Corn chips, salsa, hummus, and veggies (that's because I hosted a baby shower and couldn't eat the cupcakes)

*Witch's Brew: almond milk, banana, spinach, berries, tumeric, peanut butter, honey, Amazing Green

Baby Genki's Birth Story

How is little Baby Genki already 60 days old?? Well, here's her birth story.

The decision to attempt a natural, unmedicated birth was easy for me.  For many years, I have been concerned with pesticides, additives, preservatives, and all other forms of chemical junk added to our bodies for convenience and profits of others. After spending two years in a rural African village, living closely to the level of the people, with no running water, no electricity, and no processed foods, I realized how important it was to take care of my body naturally. So, the decision to not have my body injected with chemicals to take away the normal pain of childbirth was obvious. I wanted to have the full experience, pain and all, and bring my children into the world the way women had for all of time, and the way women did in my rural African village everyday.

For Toto's birth, The Shark and I took a natural childbirth class to prepare us with ways to cope with pain, and to get a more realistic idea of what a natural childbirth entails. It was a great way to practice different laboring positions, talk about plans to cope with pain, and discuss ways The Shark could provide support. We also found a doula.  Probably the best decision we made was to have someone help us prepare for the birth, make a birth plan, and support us both during labor and delivery. I also kept my body in shape with yoga, walking, swimming, and hiking to keep up with the physical demands of labor.

Fast forward to 2013. After I found out I was pregnant in March, I immediately decided to fly back to the U.S. for the birth. But the logistics of taking a two-year old across the ocean, finding a place to stay, jet lag, bringing our nanny (??), and being without The Shark for a few weeks made me change my mind. I talked to several women who had great birth experiences right here in Manila, so we decided to stay. Just like Baby #1, I looked for a doula to assist us, and I found the only (or one of the few) in Manila--Betty. We had two sessions during my pregnancy to prepare for the birth. My favorite part was drawing a picture of what we hoped for the birth and included words like "calm" and "breathe." Toto even added some decor to the drawing.

Baby Genki's first ultrasound had a December 9 due date, but all sonograms after that showed December 2. As the days passed December 2, I became more anxious and discouraged.  I tried to stay positive, but the 16 weeks of morning sickness, months of chasing a toddler, and body aches had taken their toll and I was ready to deliver my little girl. I worked until December 5, then decided to stop with the hope that a more relaxed mind and body might trigger labor. That whole weekend I did everything to encourage labor - evening primrose oil, pineapple (lots and lots of pineapple), spicy food, lunges, walking, dancing, you name it. On December 8, I woke up to some bleeding and light cramping - the show was finally starting! I had mild contractions throughout the day, so back to the dancing and lunging. Sunday night was a little uncomfortable, but I managed to get some sleep.  My doula, Betty, spent the night and in the morning massaged my feet and back.

On Monday morning, we went to see Dr. Henson and I asked her to strip my membranes. I am all for letting things progress naturally, but I was so ready to get things moving. The strip was painful and within 45 minutes I was in active labor. We never even went home, just got wheeled to the birthing suite.  

The birthing suite was big with nice natural light from the windows and a couch that I glued myself on all fours to for a few hours. Contractions were coming less than 5 minutes apart, and it felt really good to moan "ohhhh," imagining my body opening. Betty and The Shark took turns applying counter pressure to my back, relieving lots of pain. I was still in good spirits and even able to joke with Dr. Henson. But then the pain started getting worse.  At seven centimeters, I moved to the hospital bed.

During Toto's birth, I tried lots of different positions, but Genki's birth was different. Everything was faster and more intense. Kneeling on all fours was the only comfortable position for me. Switching to my back to check for progress was almost unbearable. The Shark was amazing--encouraging me to keep going, to bring our little girl into the world, to breathe--I couldn't have done it without him.  

I was stuck at 8 centimeters for two hours and started to feel tired and a little desperate.  Moans weren't cutting it anymore, I started to scream, and there were times I thought I just might pass out.  Dr. Henson offered to break my bag of water, I agreed, and after one huge contraction I was fully dilated. Everyone was ecstatic, but no one more than me. Then I had to push. Honestly, there are no words for that burning and stretching pain.  I stayed on my knees and after a few good pushes her little head came out, but her shoulders were stuck.  Dr. Henson had to reach inside (she has tiny hands) and literally pull her out. Because I was on all fours, I had to turn around to see her. Luckily, Doula Betty caught that moment on film (will not be shared here) because the look of joy and love in The Shark and my faces is really beautiful. Dr. Henson placed her on my chest. We let the cord stop pulsating on its own, then The Shark cut it.

The relief, joy, euphoria, happiness, everything at once. Genki was so alert, looking around, and nursed right away.  Then a few more contractions for the GIANT placenta, a few stitches (small, natural tear), and I was left in peace to just be with my little girl--all 7 lbs 13 oz, 19 inches long of her.

The memory of the pain doesn't fade away, but is it supposed to? Everything that I felt during the labor and delivery were created by my own body. There was so much more than pain, there was trust, and love, and excitement, and hope, and strength, and the overriding belief that my body knew exactly what to do. Bringing my girls into the world without chemical intervention has easily been the most empowering experience of my life.

Easy Veggie Soup

It is never cold in Manila. Never. But when it rains I start getting that cozy soup feeling. I came across this recipe on my favorite food blog and it reminded me of all the times my best friend and I ate way too much unlimited soup and salad at Olive Garden. This can be made vegan with veggie stock, or chicken stock. It was simple to make and Toto loved it. Great way to get some veggies and protein (beans!) in her tummy. 

Beans, beans, they're good for your heart...

Hiking Philippines: Pico de Loro

As I have mentioned, we have been avid hikers in most places we have lived (or visited, like San Diego), but have only managed to hike Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines. February 18 was an American holiday so we set out with 3 colleagues to hike Pico de Loro in Ternate, Cavite. First, without GPS we may not have made it. The jump-off or trailhead is on the Ternate road. Basically take the Cavitex until it ends and then follow the major coastal roads until you get there. And by there, I mean a faded "DENR" sign, which according to other blogs says, "Magnetic Hill." Maybe it's in Tagalog because I did not see it. Luckily, The Shark recognized the DENR symbol and we pulled into a little dirt lot. A very old woman, who apparently has been working for DENR for decades, charged us about 50 cents per person and had us write our names on a sheet of paper. Presumably to alert someone if we never returned. Then we were off.

The trail is well-marked with random strings (or sometimes garbage) tied to trees. Seriously. We knew we were going the right way when we could see a red ribbon tied to a tree trunk in the distance. Many other blogs mentioned getting lost, but we managed to stay on the trail. And luckily we did because we got to see a dead cow on the trail. Yes, on public land managed by the government, there was a giant dead cow. The great thing was that before we looped back, someone chopped it into pieces and carried it out of the forest. Who needs ribbons when you can follow the trail of blood?

Also, interesting to note, was the tin structure along that was manned by god-knows-who, where we had to "register" (again) and pay 50 cents (again). According to the DENR woman, these people charge illegally but "there is no way to stop them." Like kick them off government-protected land? No, couldn't do that. 

It took about 3 hours to reach the summit and about 2 to get back down. Luckily it was a Monday wo we only saw a few people and had the peak to ourselves, as well as the base camp for lunch. The DENR lady keeps a stock of cold drinks. Sprite never tasted better.

Leave a comment or email me at paceyogawellness@gmail.com if you have questions!

January Runs

I have always been like this. Documenting everything. Every mile run. Every yoga class taken. Now I even wear the Nike Fuel band (thanks Shark!) to record my calories burnt, steps taken, mileage accomplished. But I was a bit surprised when The Shark wanted me to record his workouts too. He joined a gym in his office building and sneaks away most days for quick runs. And we have been running together early weekend mornings (while Toto is properly cared for, of course). We need something to train for, but after the marathon I have been too lazy to find and register for a race. Maybe soon.

Week 1
Moi: 13.1 miles (+yoga)
The Shark: 18.07 miles

Week 2
Moi: 20.1 miles (+yoga)
The Shark: 19 miles (+ tennis)

Week 3
Moi: 22 miles (+yoga)
The Shark: 20 miles

Week 4
Moi: 25.1 miles (+yoga)
The Shark: 22.46 miles

Week 5 (How many f-ing weeks are there in January?!?)
Moi: 11.1 miles
The Shark: 13.5 miles (+tennis)

January Total
Moi: 91.4 miles
The Shark: 93.03 miles

I Knew That Nutritional Yeast Would Come in Handy

Back in July, to make up for "The Worst Birthday Dinner That Never Happened" (long story for another time), The Shark booked us a weekend at The Farm. Vegan food, yoga classes, fresh air. It was love at first sight.

Sight of a slight altercation between a goose and the child. No one was harmed.

One of Toto's favorite spots.

In fact, we loved the food so much we bought the cookbook. Lots of recipes call for cashew cheese, and while I was ready to pay an exorbitant price for it at Healthy Options, they didn't carry it. So, we made it ourselves. Surprisingly easy and delicious. Even The Shark, who grew up on a dairy farm, couldn't stop dipping. Granted, he said it tasted more like hummus than cheese, but the nutritional yeast and apple cider vinergar definitely gave it a cheezy tang. I used this recipe because it didn't call for probiotics (need to google that) or long hours fermenting, but maybe in the future we'll try making a more complicated recipe. For now, I was happy to soak cashews, then plop them in the food processor with apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, and some water. (I normally use nutritional yeast as a yogurt mix-in and in smoothies - lots of folic acid and B vitamins!). And voila, a yummy vegan snack that we can use for tomorrow's vegan stuffed peppers.

Raw cashews from the Salcedo Market - P250 ($6)

Happy vegan snacking.

Keeping Up With the Playgroup Moms

For Toto's most recent nanny/toddler playgroup that we hosted at our place, we served the kids mangoes, bananas and goldfish crackers. Pretty standard toddler fare, right? Well, one day after work, when Yaya was giving me the rundown on Toto's day: what she did (played at the park, went to playgroup); how long she slept (2 hours, which she rarely does on the weekends); and what she ate (everything), she told me that Toto LOVED the quinoa blueberry muffins she had at her fiend J's playgroup. Uh, what?! Homemade organic muffins, packed full of protein and antioxidants? While I was filling up those innocent kids with salty leftovers from Toto's first birthday party (they weren't stale, I tried them). Clearly that needed to be remedied. I found this great recipe and Healthy Options carried Bob's Red Mill quinoa flour. They were awesome. Toto ate 3 (mini-muffins) and I had to put them away before The Shark devoured the whole plate. I tweaked this recipe from Lemons and Anchovies by halving the brown sugar, using canola oil, and only baking 10 minutes for mini-muffins. Happy baking.

Toto's seal of approval.

More Organic Produce

I bypassed my go-to stall, DGM Organics, at the Saturday Market this morning, and instead bought my weekend produce from Herbana Farms. The stall is less crowded, cleaner, and more organized. Probably because it is not on the main market path. The food also appears to be better quality. Their website indicates they hold demonstrations for those interested in organic farming, and even have an annual festival. This morning I picked up kamote (sweet potato) for a casserole, lettuce for a salad, and carrots, celery, and thyme for accompaniments to the whole chicken I am roasting up this afternoon for a casual dinner with friends. All the produce was less than $10. Take that Whole Foods. (But I still miss you. And Trader Joe's. And Target, but not for produce, for everything else.) 

That will be 40 cents.

Sunday Cooking

Good yogurt is hard to come by in Manila, but please correct me if I am wrong because I would love to send Toto to college, but can't because she loves yogurt and eats it everyday. We end up buying the 1kg Total Fage greek yogurt from S&R that costs $25. Yes, you read that right. I looked online and found it for about $7. As we try and budget in order to save for a down payment on a house in DC (more on that later), we are looking for ways to save money. And no, weekend Starbucks lattes are not on the table. 

On Friday, a colleague received a yogurt maker she had ordered and when she saw me staring longingly at it, let me borrow it during her 2-week vacation. All you need is a liter of boxed UHT milk (in Manila, but in America I would use fresh) and some yogurt or yogurt starter. After boiling and then cooling the milk, I mixed in some yogurt, then poured it in the 7 jars. The machine is currently plugged in and after 8 hours we should have delicious yogurt - for about $10.

Cheap-er yogurt.

New Year, new recipes. I am getting sick of all the old recipes we used last year, so The Shark suggested this one - warm quinoa salad with tarragon and edamame. Had to make some substitutions because you can never find everything you need for a recipe in Manila, even if you go to 10 different stores. So, in stead of roasted red peppers, I used sweet pickled bell peppers. And there was no edamame to be found (I thought we were in Asia?!), so I used green garbanzos. That I didn't even know existed. In the end it was delicious.

My sister whipped up a quick and easy veggie lasagna in San Diego, so we threw together our own version. Layer one was brocoli, garlic and Japanese spinach (there are so many green leafy vegetables at the market that I had no idea which one to pick. A friendly Japanese woman told me the Japanese spinach was the best. She's probably biased, but I went with it anyway), and layer 2 was yellow zucchini and roasted tomatoes. Instead of pricey ricotta and parmesan, I went with less pricey mozzarella and cottage cheese. Perfect for a Sunday night.

Guess I gave away that the sauce wasn't homemade.

A day's worth of veggies in one meal.

Starting Fresh

In March 2012 when Toto was only 6 months old, I still felt foggy and out of it--I still didn't feel "like myself." I was in that new mom phase, trying to find a balance between working, being with Toto, being a good wife to The Shark, and finding time for myself. Of course, I am still working on that everyday, but now that Toto is 16 months, I feel a little more balanced and a little more like my old type-A self. 

However, having a baby has forced me to take it down a notch or two on the old intensity scale--I did say only a notch or two, I still love planning, checking things off my list, getting more things done than I should. But if Toto dumps her toys everywhere, smears my clothes with avocado, or interrupts my list making, I can let it go. Moments with her are just too precious. And with amazing Yaya, I can find time to take care of myself and spend quality time with The Shark. 

Last year I decided to make a list of ongoing goals instead of one resolution. Tried to choose things that would help myself, my family, and others. I think I did pretty good.

1. Bake cupcakes and frosting from scratch each month. I managed to make cupcakes several times, but not every month. My two biggest undertakings were for  a friend's 2-year old's party and Toto's 1-year bash. My favorite and easiest cupcake to make is the vegan chocolate cupcake.

2. Run a marathon. While I had originally considered The Cam Sur or Singapore Marathon, I ended up running the Bangkok Marathon in November. Our trip to Bangkok turned out to be one of our best mini-vacations ever, and it didn't hurt that I checked off a major life goal while there. My time was 5hr 18 mins, not what I had hoped for, but not bad considering the training conditions in Manila, working full time, and having a 14-month old. You can read the details here.

3. Throw Toto a blow-out first birthday.  I initially intended to pay someone to orchestrate Toto's entire birthday, but I realized I wanted it to be personal and special, so I took care of most of the details myself. The child loves water, so I went with a beach theme.

4. Make some baby food from scratch.  Now that Toto is eating mainly solid food, it is becoming a little more challenging to keep up a varied and fresh diet for her. I mainly cook her turkey burgers (organic from Healthy Options), veggie noodles, squash, carrots, tofu, brocoli, fish, rice, quinoa, pancakes, and chicken. She also loves mango, avocado, cheese, and bananas, which are so easy. 

5. Read 1 book a month.  Crap! I only managed to read seven books. Steve Jobs, Bringing up Bebe, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Wild, The Sex Lives of Cannibals, Born to Run, and White Lilies in Autumn. Any recommendations for my reading list in 2013?

6. Spend quality time with The Shark and Toto - together and separate.  The Shark and I make it a point to go out to eat at least once a week. We keep a list of restaurants to try (recent winners: The Wine Depot, Pipino Vegetarian, and Caruso) so we don't go to Apartment 1B every time. The weekends are mainly Toto time, except for a couple hours each day to get a massage, go to yoga, or go for a run. On occasion we leave Toto for the day to try something new and exciting, but the guilt is almost too much. Because - that face!

7. Do/Say Something Nice Everyday. This continues to be a challenge for me. My job is tedious and by the end of the day my patience is worn thin (until I see Toto of course, then I can't even remember what I do for a living). In December we helped a women's group purchase several sewing machines - I am kinda hoping that made up for missing this goal on many occasions?

8. Practice Yoga at Least Once a Week.  I started doing yoga in 2002 when I moved home after college.  My dad and I did Bikram's every week and I got into awesome shape before my wedding.  Since then I have done yoga in every city I have lived--Albuquerque, Denver, DC, Kigali, and now Manila.  In March 2012 I got back into yoga after a 6 month hiatus.  I actually kept up my practice all throughout my pregnancy, but had trouble finding a studio (and time) once I arrived in Manila. Someone recommended Bliss Yoga - and it is awesome. I take a Jivamukti class every Sunday - helps calm me after a long week and get me ready for the one ahead.

Up next: 2013 goals.

Hiking San Diego

My sister's copy of Afoot and Afield in San Diego County was an awesome resource for hiking. We managed to do four hikes while on vacation. Toto's performance on the first hike meant she stayed home for the last three. She refuses to be carried in a carrier (or ride in a stroller), preferring to squat on the ground and play with rocks or hunt for flowers. Adorable, yes. Practical, no. And the only way to keep her quiet was to run while carrying her. At least it was a great workout.

The East Rim Trail of Black Mountain was about a 1.5 hour round trip hike. A lot of the trail was steep, and like the other hikes we did in SD the trail was pretty rocky with no tree cover.

Toto the Explorer

Mt. Woodson was a challenging hike of about 6 miles, with huge boulders along the way and the "potato chip rock" near the summit. While pretty to look at, the thin rock should actually be called the "dangerous rock shard." Of course The Shark and my sister's husband insisted on terrifying us by dangling their legs off the edge.

Viejas Mountain was a beautiful 3-mile hike, with great views enjoyed even more so with some Rubicon sandwiches.

Pack your sunscreen.

Unfortunately we did not get any pictures on Iron Mountain because we ran/hiked it. It took my sister and I about 1 hr 24 mins to finish 6 miles, and The Shark did it in about 1 hr.

We also took Toto to Torrey Pines State Reserve and did a short walk hoping to see some whales. No whales, but still beautiful.

San Diego reminded us of New Mexico - moutains, desert, dry climate, but it was surprising that there were so few trees on the trails. On most NM hikes, parts of the mountains were covered in gorgeous pines. But San Diego wins with the ocean.

Back in the olden days. In 2005.

A New Perspective

Oh, hi. We are in California. And it is awesome. Because you can do things like yoga on a paddleboard. And go to Target. Surprisingly, it is not as hard as it sounds to keep your balance on a paddleboard. Most poses kept you pretty steady, but I could not manage to do the headstand on open water - more fear than capability. The coolest part was staring at the sky during shavasana and the shore during down dog. 

BTW - Toto was amazing on the plane. We were nervous based on her previous flight from CA to Manila when she was 7 weeks old and literally cried for 10 hours straight. This time from MNL to NRT, she kept herself busy playing in the bulk head area with a series of new, small toys purchased to keep her quiet. Fortunately there was a children's play area in the Narita airport to keep her occupied for the 2-hour layover. Then came the big one - 10 hours from Narita to LAX. She kept her cool during the dinner service, and once they dimmed the lights we changed her into pj's and put her to sleep on a million airline pillows on the floor. Knowing that the friendly Delta stewardesses might have a problem with that, we made a blanket tent to hide her. That little girl slept for 6 hours. And when they came around in the morning with her breakfast, Yaya pretended the toddler meal was for her so they wouldn't get suspicious - which after 10 hours on the plane managed to slip by the stewardess. Oh, I didn't mention Yaya was with us? Well, we wanted a real vacation. And we are having one. 

Kid Recipe: Cheesy Broccoli

Adapted this one from here. I cut the pieces much smaller, and didn't add salt or garlic. Toto loves it, like she loves most food. I have trouble finding good green veggies for here, so end up supplementing with this combo of spinach/peas/brown rice/barley or mixing turkey into this spinach/pea/pear combo. Luckily, she will still eat these "baby" foods, because I have friends who toddlers have rejected anything pureed. These are so convenient for the park, airplane, hotel, etc. But she definitely prefers whole foods like pasta, bagels, rice, cheese, pancake...hmm, that's a long list of carbohydrates, but at least we stick to whole-wheat, organic options.

Any ideas for green veggies for toddlers that you can find in Manila?