The Active Habitat

10 Things To Do Before the Baby Comes

Lifestyle

Probably by the time, this is published, my baby will have been born. But as I sit here waiting for her to make her appearance, I thought I would share the 10 things I’m doing to prepare for her arrival.

Making Space for the Baby. For others, that’s preparing a nursery, but for myself and my husband that is making space in our one-bedroom apartment. I didn’t want to look like an explosion of baby stuff so I tried to incorporate her stuff into ours and having only necessities. This meant minimizing our stuff to make drawer/cabinet space for her and buying more compact gear, like a travel stroller and bouncer.
Washing All The Baby Stuff. From new to used baby clothing, blankets, swaddles, etc. I washed everything with baby detergent. However, I only washed some of the new stuff. This way what I don’t use, I’ll gift or resell later.

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State and Federal Disability and Family Leave Time Paperwork. While this is the least fun to do, it’s probably one of the most important as many like I need the money. I made sure to read and get in all the paperwork to HR and the state/federal departments.
Clean and Organize Apartment. I have been told by every mom, that once the baby is here I will no longer have time. Therefore everything that I had postponed to do in my apartment, I got done. Such as clean the couch and curtains.
Download Baby Apps Beforehand. I have downloaded apps to track the baby growth (as a new mom) and apps so that I may log poop and feeding. As with the little sleep, you can lose track.
Pack the Hospital Bag. So to be ready when she decides to make her appearance, I made the hospital bag after 35 weeks. There are many lists I saw on Pinterest to guide new moms.
Install the Car Seat. The hospital staff will check to see if the car seat has been installed, so I must get that done. But I would have wanted to do it anyways. We have ensured the car seat has been installed correctly and is ready for her when she comes home.
Stock up Fridge and Pantry. I don’t plan to eat take-out every day with her arrival, but I know I won’t have time to meal prep. Therefore I made dishes to freeze, like broccoli and cheddar pasta and lentil chili. I even froze lactation muffins and stuff to make veggie smoothies. Also, I bought lots of healthy snacks so that I can grab easily when I’m sleep deprived.
Pamper Yourself Now. I won’t know the next time I will have a chance to get my eyebrows threaded, hair cut, and nails done. So I wanted to get those done beforehand so I won’t feel like a complete mess.
Date Nights and Time with Friends. Probably the number one tip I get from mom’s are sleep as much as possible and make time for your husband. While sleep is getting harder to do these days, making date night plans with my man has been enjoyable. Especially as we may have to skip our anniversary this year, as the baby is due 2 days before. I also think this applies to friends and family. I made time for some one-one time before I become MIA.

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Easy Guide to Pickling Veggies

Recipes

I know I can not be the only person who buys veggies and forgets to cook them before they go bad. I personally hate being wasteful, especially with food. I am trying to get better at cooking on a daily basis, but there are times when this still happens. Then I came across the idea of pickling veggies. I love the taste of pickled food, so this is a great option for me. Also, it is easy to do and takes no effort. So now when I see I have veggies near expiration, I just pickle them and save them for later. Problem solved!

Here is an easy guild to pickle most veggies in your fridge:

What you need:

Mason Jars
Water
White distilled vinegar
Water
Kosher salt
Aromatic spices of your choice

Instructions:

Making pickle juice is easy. All you need to do is put equal part cups of vinegar and water in a pot and 2/3 of a tablespoon of salt per cup. You can either add your choice of spices to the pot now or wait until after you have poured the liquid into the jar. I personally added black peppercorns and thyme into my pot. Once you have created the pickle juice, heat up the liquid until it starts to boil. During the time, cut up the veggies and place them into the mason jar. Once the liquid is boiling then turn off the stove and pour the liquid into the jar. Make sure not to burn yourself. I added more thyme into the jar to capture more of the taste. Then let it sit in the fridge for 2-3 days for the veggies to take in the juice. The pickle veggie should last in the fridge for a few months.

Tips:

For pickle spice mix you can mix anything you like or research a combination, which is what I did.
Use veggies that can within stand hot water, like carrots, pickled cucumbers, red onions, green beans, etc.

The Key To Career Success

Career Lifestyle

How can I have greater success in my career and how can I speed things up? Like many graduates, I thought that as soon as I graduate, I will land a high paying job and move up from there. As many of us know that isn’t always true. By now I have worked at top companies, start-ups, and medium-sized business, and I have noticed the career mobility of many individuals. There are those who move up quickly, others who gradually progress and some stay in the same position for many years. And it does not come down to how smart, hardworking, passionate or charming one is, but something more.

So I have thought about it a lot, which determines the rate of progression in one’s career. Hard work obviously plays a key part. It is important to put in the work to build soft and hard skills. And of course, passion and determination motivate individuals to work harder. Yet with all these three components, one’s career can always hit a glass ceiling. Why?

Because one doesn’t allow themselves to be exposed to new opportunities. I have seen smart, hard workers stay in the same position for a long time. They don’t realize that finding ways to explore new opportunities that can lead to greater success. A new environment can lead to promotions or a position that can better utilize their skill set. Or new opportunities allow one to diversify their skill set to become better at their career.

And this does not only apply to those who have employers, but the same also goes for business owners. While hard work is important for the business to succeed, exposure for opportunities to market or network can bring new growth to the business.

They are many ways to expose one’s self to new opportunities. Such as switching companies, departments or positions. This change of environment allows for new opportunities. Networking is a great way to be presented with new opportunities. Join the company social or group gathering, attend alumni or career networking events, or just starting a conversation with other co-workers and executives

This is not a one-time thing, this has to be a constant goal for oneself. To find new opportunities and work hard is the key to a successful career.

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The New Tijuana Travel Guide

Lifestyle Travel Uncategorized

When I was telling people I was planning a day trip to Tijuana, Mexico people were complex on why I would even want to go. To them, and most of the United States, Tijuana is a dangerous city, which you should avoid. But what people don’t know is that reputation is all in the past. Tijuana has gotten on board with the rest of Mexico and started cleaning up their streets and putting money on rebuilding their image. In the past few years, they have been opening modern restaurants, breweries, cafes, food courts, etc. There are so some many great places that a one day visit was not enough. The best part is the Mexico pesos is lower than the US dollar, so you are spending two-thirds of the cost of what you would spending in San Diego.

If you are visiting for just a day, I recommend walking across the border from San Diego. Uber is inexpensive and it is faster to come back, rather than wait 2-4 hours in the car line.

CAFES

Let’s start with the most important, coffee shops. Here is a list of modern coffee shops in TJ, that have perfected the art of coffee brewing.

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Nativo Coffee Community – José María Larroque 271, Empleados Federales, 22010 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
Paramo Café – Col. Madero (Cacho), 22040 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
Container Coffee Roaster – Av. Revolución 1348, Zona Centro, 22000 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
Malvia Coffee – Carrillo Puerto y o Tercera 8217-8277, Zona Centro, 22000 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico

Food Courts

If you love Mexican food or can’t decide what to eat, then check out one of these great food courts or try them all!

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Telefonica Gastro Park – Blvd. Agua Caliente 8924, Zonaeste, 22000 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
Foodgarden Sánchez Taboada – Blvd Gral Rodolfo Sánchez Taboada 10650, Zona Urbana Rio Tijuana, 22010 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
Foodgarden Otay -La Pechuga, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

Bars

Tijuana has always been know for its party scene, but these places are more for taste than drunken nights.

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Estacion Central Tijuana – Av. Revolución 1241, Zona Centro, 22000 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
Teorema/Lúdica Co-tasting Room – Av. Revolución 1332, Zona Centro, 22000 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
Cereus Bar – 22010, José María Larroque 271, Empleados Federales, 22010 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

Making an Authentic Salsa Verde

Low Carb Recipes

As someone who lives with someone who food believes the spicer the food the better, I needed to know how to make a good salsa. Plus the fact that I’m Mexican, I have trying to learn how to make the food I grew up with. I want my daughter to feel connected with her roots. Although my mother-in-law will help take of that but still want to pass down the recipes. And what better place to start then perfecting the one condiment that goes with all Mexican meals.
This salsa verde recipe is a combination of how my mother made her salsa with added touches from the southern Mexico area. So if you looking for that extra spice, try out the salsa verde recipe

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Ingredients

3 cloves of garlic
1 batch of green onions
3 tomatillos
1-2 jalapeno (depending on the spice)
1 habanero
2 limes
1 orange
2 tablespoon of rice vinegar
1 tablespoon of any oil
salt and pepper

Instructions

Slice and prepare veggies. Keep the seed on the chilies if you are looking for more spice
Brush or use hands to oil the green onion, tomatillos, habanero, and jalapeño. Place the veggies on a hot grill or stove top grill. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper while grilling.
Once the vegetables are toasted, place them in a blender with the remaining ingredients and pulse till all the large chunks are diced.

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Making New Candles Out Of Leftover Wax

Lifestyle

I recently wrote a post on how to make homemade candles. Making my own candles saves me money, especially since my fiancé and I typically have a candle lit in our apartment. This also means we go through our candles pretty quickly.

While I don’t mind making or buying new candles, I hate it when the wick gives out towards the end of the candle life. Rather than having tons of almost finished candles laying around, I find it easy to re-use leftover wax to make a new candle. I do this by transferring leftover wax from old candles into a new container. You can even transfer wax from several used candles into one container (best to make sure the scents go together.) This honestly is the easiest thing to do and it saves you money from buying another candle.

What you’ll need:

Any container that can withstand heat (this mainly works with glass containers)
Candle Wick
Hot glue or tape
Baking pan
Oven mitts

Directions:

Heat up an oven to 180-190 Fahrenheit degrees.
Place the used candle on a baking pan and stick it in the oven.
Wait for the candle wax to melt. Depending on how much wax you have left in the container this can take from 30 minutes to an 1 hour.
Once the wax is melted, take it out of the oven.
If you see clumps of wax in the liquified wax, then use a pencil or any utensil (not your hand) and mix the wax around until it is all liquified.
With the container you plan to use as your candle, adhere the wick to the bottom of the container with either tape or hot glue. Make sure the top of the wick is wrapped around a pencil so it stays put.
With the liquify wax, pour it into a new container.
Then just let it dry for 1-2 days.

My Favorite 3 Step Berry Chia Pudding Recipe

Breakfast Dessert Paleo Recipes

I love a good sweet snack at night, and while I like to say it’s always healthy… it is usually not. But if I can find the great recipe that both tasty and healthy then it’s a win. Like this easy to make berry chia pudding recipe. I’m a big fan of chia seeds and flax seeds as there so many great benefits.

Both chia seed and flax seed:

High in fiber
High in protein
Contain good fiber
Great source of calcium

Both are also can be a food replacement for eggs in case you wanted to go vegan. So now that you know the benefits, this berry chia pudding recipe shouldn’t be just eaten as a snack but can be a meal replacement. To top it off, berries and honey being a great source antioxidant. So next time you are having the craving for something sweet, try out this berry chia pudding recipe.

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Ingredients:

1/4 cup of chia seeds
2 cups of almond milk or milk of choice
2 tablespoon of honey
1 cup of frozen berries

Instructions:

First Step: Pour chia seeds to almond milk and stir. Let it sit for 2 minutes and stir again. Repeat until the mixture is evenly mix and no clumps. And then add in the honey and stir.
Second Step: Cover and set in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hours or longer until it has a gel consistency. While the chia pudding setting, Pull out berries to begin thawing. That remaining juice of defrosted fruit is a great touch to the chia seed pudding
Third Step: Once the chia seed pudding is ready. In four bowls, add the fruit first layer with chia seed. Also, the great topping is granola or just seeds, shredded coconut and nuts.

Orange County Travel Guide

California Lifestyle Travel United States

Things to do in Orange County on a budget this summer.

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After living in Los Angeles my entire life, I decided to move to Orange County area, better known as the OC. This isn’t a dramatic move since these counties border each other, but it gave me a change of scenery. I felt a need to switch things up without uprooting my life.

Although the OC isn’t entirely new to me, there are areas I never knew existed. With the weather finally warming up, I’m hoping to enjoy the summer by exploring the area. But I am currently saving for a wedding, so my budget is limited. Here is a list of places I’ll be checking out this summer.

Orange Country Food courts

If your foodie, then OC has tons of food courts to offer. There is the Anaheim Packing District, which is popular based on its proximity to Disneyland, which I’ve mentioned in this post “The Foodie Guide in Orange County”. There is also Santa Ana 4th Street Market and Tustin Union Market at the District. Both seem to have amazing food stall options, that it might take my an hour to decide what to eat.

Knots Berry Farm

Knots Berry Farm is the lot less popular amusement park in the OC, but equally as fun. This place holds a soft spot in my heart because I use to come here a lot as a child. While Knott’s does not have the Disney magic, they do have actual fast speed roller coasters. My favorite being Ghost Rider, the longest wooden roller coaster. Here is a list of reasons to go: well-priced entrance fee, rides, shows, family-friendly events, great food options, and the park is like a museum of the wild west.

Santa Ana Zoo

This community zoo in Santa Ana, CA, is a hidden jewel for families. It’s a magnificent place to spend a few hours with the entire family or in my case my friends with their kids. As a kid, I wanted to work at a zoo, so if there is wild life, I’m there! This zoo has a variety of monkeys, a ferris wheel, and soon an otter exhibit. This beats a boring Saturday at home.

Laguna Beach

When I think of Laguna Beach I think of the MTV reality show, that helped defined my generation. Sad but true. The one good thing is that it put Laguna Beach on the map. Laguna Beach is a scenic beach town. It is known for the art community, showcasing the Pageant of the Master, annual festival, which recreates famous artwork using real people. This wealthy city can be expensive to dine at, but lunch at the beach is always better. There is also the Laguna Beach tower. It looks like something out of a movie set.

5 Surprises About Pregnancy

Lifestyle

As a soon to be a mom and being my first pregnancy, I had very little knowledge of what it was to be pregnant. I have had a lot of “aha” moments these last months and found myself asking many questions to moms. Here are five surprises about pregnancy I never knew about.

ONE: You have to learn how to push the baby out. I thought it would come naturally, but no. Apparently, there are techniques ways to help to push the baby out. Which is why Lamaze classes are so important. The goal of Lamaze is to help pregnant women understand how to cope with pain, facilitate labor and promote comfort by relaxation techniques, movement, and massage. Also because you want to push when only during the active labor stage that you don’t cause any tears.

TWO: Every women pregnancy is so different, so it’s sometimes hard to relate to others. I didn’t have much morning sickness, besides feeling slightly nauseous in the morning. And I had no loss of appetite. Contrary I ate everything in sight! However, I did lose my craving for coffee!! Which if you know me, coffee was like life fuel. Hoping it comes back later. For other women, they had totally other symptoms. Some can’t eat meat, dairy or sauteed vegetables.

THREE: Morning sickness isn’t the only struggle that one bears during pregnancy. There were so many odd things happening to one’s body that every week it’s something new. The first trimester is typically morning sickness, tiredness, heightened smell and changing taste buds. And by the second trimester, when you think you’re in the clear, other symptoms creep in. As the blood flow is being redirected to make a new life, I had random bloody noses, varicose veins, shortness of breath, face spots and dizziness. Also tiny pains around my ribs from organs readjusting.

FOUR: It is easy to distinguish those who have had a baby. Those who have been pregnant will hardly ask, “how many months are you?” Since of course, we track our pregnancy in weeks and stop thinking as months. Also, something I did before was touch a women belly on top, when that’s just the squished organs. The baby lowers down.

FIVE: It’s important to have a workout regimen before getting pregnant as it’s hard to start a new workout routine when pregnant. This is because it is important to know your body and it’s a limitation. For instance, I lift heavy weight, which can be dangerous for other women who have never tried. Since I have done it for many years, I knew when it was time to reduce weight. As my core no longer felt stable. Also as pregnant women, it’s important to not overdo our workouts. We want to prevent problems, like a weakening pelvic floor and diastasis recti.

Summer Mood board

Lifestyle

Last summer in LA, it was so hot and humid I couldn’t wait for it to end (I’m sure I can blame global warming for this). Even scorching temperatures summer is still my favorite time of year. I feel a new sense of hope and inspiration. Summer feels like a reset button went off and I’m motivated to try new things and create new goals. Since I’m looking forward to summer, I created a mood board to help me get inspired. This may not be my exact summer, but this is what I wish it to would look like.

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Looking forward to summer vacations, trying new spots, wearing white summer dresses, going to the beach, camping, and everything else that comes with warm weather.

To give you inside to my summer plans. So far I have planned going to Tijuana, Mexico (I know what you’re thinking, but TJ has been exploding with breweries and great restaurants), camping in Sequoia National Park, and Danni’s Baby Shower. Woohoo to SUMMER!

Holiday Tradition Mood Board

Neighborhood Guide to Hillcrest by…

A Year Full Of Blessings

10 Things To Do Before the Baby Comes

Probably by the time, this is published, my baby will have been born. But as I sit here waiting for her to make her appearance, I thought I would share the 10 things I’m doing to prepare for her arrival.

Easy Guide to Pickling Veggies

The Key To Career Success

The New Tijuana Travel Guide