Weekend Recap: Rustman & Jobwa Stick Dance

Kwaj had all sorts of fun activities going on this past weekend, and we thoroughly enjoyed them! 

Saturday evening a group of Marshallese men, women, and children performed a Marshallese war dance called a Jobwa Stick Dance at the outdoor Rich Theater. The dance can only be performed with permission from the King, and it has only been performed a handful of times over the last several hundred years! So needless to say it was a really big deal! We saw them setting up for the show days in advance and the stage looked great for the performance!
 

I was also really proud of how many Kwaj folks showed up to watch such a cool piece of Marshallese culture!

LOOK AT ALL THOSE BIKES!!

Everyone getting ready to watch the show!

We got there a little early, so Hadley killed some time by playing with all the palm fronds...

And she made a new friend :)

...and checking out some of the dancers back stage...

Totally stole the first two pics from Jill Beguhn! Thanks Jill!

The show finally started and I was so into all the dancers!

Unfortunately, Hadley had other plans that involved her running full speed in the opposite direction of the stage...

We didn't get to stay for all the show, but one of my friends who was there got some cool video of the stick dance:

The next day we went to church, then spent the rest of the day doing some much needed spring cleaning and organizing around the house. Monday was the annual Kwajalein Rustman Triathlon, and several of our friends compete in it every year! We always like to go down to the beach to watch the swimming portion, and to get some pictures of our friends coming out of the water! It's always lots of fun going down there and cheering everyone on, and I'm always so impressed with everyone who competes! Here are some photos from the event:

The first swimmer coming into the beach! She was so fast!

swimmers coming in to Emon Beach

Shelbi finishing her swim portion...can we just talk about that girl's legs for a second?! Amazing!

Go, Wes, Go!

Johnathon was having a lot of fun wrangling Hadley while I took pictures ;)

Jane rocking it as usual!

Angela finishing strong...

with her assistant Owen to help towel her off!

It was a really fun weekend with so many uniquely Kwaj activities! I love our little island! 

Tasty Tuesday: Spiced Nuts and Millet

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope y'all had a great weekend! We spent our weekend watching a Marshallese Stick Dance, organizing our house, and cheering on our friends who swam, biked, and ran in the annual Rustman Triathlon! Every year I am super impressed with all the athletes who compete in the Rustman, and every year I leave having absolutely no desire to do a triathlon myself. Instead I prefer to cheer them on, and burn calories vicariously through them. That's a thing right?!

Since triathlon's aren't my thing, I will channel my energy into sticking with my diet and healthy eating regimen! Thankfully, Deanna has come through again with another healthy, protein packed recipe...you know...for when I decide to do a triathlon after all...or elliptical for 30 min...it's pretty much the same...

Okay here is Deanna!

Hi, I'm Deanna! I'm a wife to an amazing husband and mommy to our adventurous 2 year old son, Matthew. I live for family, nutrition & fitness, and of course a good book- especially the kind that help me make delicious food! I have a BS in Health Science, I became a Beachbody coach in June 2015, and am currently working on my Holistic Nutrition degree!

This recipe is so dang good! You can make and roast the nuts as a snack or serve them over millet or quinoa for a full meal! In case you are like my husband who didn't know what millet was and kept calling it "mullet," millet is a gluten free cereal grain that is very similar to quinoa! It is high in fiber and B vitamins, and is easy on the stomach to digest! This recipe is gluten free, and vegan so eat it as a snack or a full meal and it's a win, win! Enjoy!

SPICED NUTS & MILLET

Ingredients

1 cup  raw walnuts, halves or pieces

1 cup  raw pumpkin seeds

½ cup raw sunflower seeds

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

½ Tbsp. chili powder

½ Tbsp. cumin powder

1 Tbsp. hot pepper sauce (like Cholula or Frank’s original)

Dash of sea salt and black pepper

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 275F.  Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.      Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and stir until all ingredients are well coated.

3.      Spread nut mixture evenly on the baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway.

4.      If desired, add on top of quinoa or millet for a full meal.

MILLET 

1 cup millet

2 cups water

1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning

Dash of salt

1.  Rinse millet in a grain strainer. (Metal mesh strainer)

2.  Place all ingredients in a pot with a tight fitting lid.

3.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.

4.  Simmer 30 minutes. No need to stir.

 Happy eating everyone!

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday everyone! Hope y'all had an awesome week! As always I am linking up with Erika, Narci, and Andrea for some Friday Favorites!

 ONE

Now that Hadley Kate is walking, she is on the move CONSTANTLY! Not only is it tiring for this mama, but it also makes picture taking wildly more challenging! Fortunately, Hadley was feeling super stylish in her overalls and flower crown, and agreed to strike a pose for me! I also may have been pretending to eat her Teddy Graham's, and this was the face she gave me right before she knocked them out of my hands.... #toddlerproblems

How this sweet face can be so full of sass, I'll never know...

TWO

Speaking of #toddlerproblems, my champion eater has all of a sudden decided that she has firm food preferences, specifically that she prefers not to eat. Awesome. It started with scrambled eggs. She loved scrambled eggs. It was a breakfast staple. Now...the eggs get pushed straight off her high chair and into our happy dog's waiting mouth. This is Hadley's M.O. for lots of her previously favorite meals. She will inhale tortellini one day, then flat out reject it the next. Same with mashed potatoes, chicken breast, and waffles. At this point we are mostly running off of sausage links, blueberries, zucchini, and cheese. Apparently in addition to looking nothing like me, Hadley also skipped out on my love of carbohydrates. (I mean...who doesn't like corndogs?!??! Hadley...that's who!)

 THREE

Johnathon and I have a pretty standard evening routine that works really well for us. We watch t.v. or read in the evenings, and it serves as our quality time together after Hadley goes to bed. However, one night this week we decided to shake up our normal routine and do something different together...something fun. We were brainstorming what we wanted this to be, when a light bulb went off in Johnathon's head, and he told me he "had the best idea ever!!!" I'm waiting around to see what this idea is when I see him come back down the stairs with two huge ziploc bags of Legos that read "Star Destroyer" on them. Ladies, if this is not even close to what you were imagining my husband to have up his sleeve, you are not alone. But bless him he seemed so excited to have me assemble the Star Wars Legos that he had bought two years ago "for our future kids" that I couldn't say no. 

So we assembled a Star Destroyer together while watching The Thomas Crown Affair (that would be my contribution to the evening). I'll be honest...there is something mildly therapeutic about mindlessly assembling Legos while listening to Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo have sexy conversations about stolen art. Slightly less therapeutic when I look at my dining room table and see this....

FOUR

I've been in a book slump this month. I've read several devotional books, but nothing in the "for fun, fiction" column. My friend Alex recommended The Night Sister, and it looks really spooky and intense. I love a good mystery so I think I'm going to give it a try. Any other good books I need to read?! Maybe something light or historical to balance out the mystery novel?!

FIVE

It's been awhile since I've updated Hadster's bow inventory, so I decided to see what Etsy had available! I've been a devoted Jameson Monroe shopper since Hadley was born, but I decided to shake up Hadley's signature bow style with this adorable Shelby Floral bow from ShelbyChic Boutique.  I'm just really hoping the super cute baby in the picture comes with it! :)

Hope everyone has a great weekend! 

Birthday Weekend/Life Lately

My birthday weekend has come and gone, and I have to say...I have felt the love from everyone near and far! Thank you all for making my birthday so special! We celebrated my birthday poolside this weekend in what is looking to become an annual joint birthday celebration with my girlfriends Chamee and Amy. We all have birthday's within a week of each other so it just makes sense to combine them all and triple the fun!

None of us were actually turning 29 (that's next year for me!), but it was the number's we had so we're going with it!

 

 

 

We had the party on Monday afternoon/evening (that's Sunday afternoon for all you stateside), and I headed out early to help Amy and Chamee set up while Johnathon stayed home with Hadley! It was crazy windy and kind of cloudy...not exactly the weather you hope for when a pool party is concerned, but we managed to get the balloons tied down, and the table cloths set up! We hurried home to get ready, then our usual babysitter came to stay with Hadley so Johnathon and I could enjoy a baby free birthday!

Some of the ladies enjoying the pool before we got there!

Most of us ladies are participating in a "April Challenge" diet and fitness program, but we threw that out the window for the party because...queso. And wine. And cupcakes. And Shelbi's dragon dip! Essentially...it was a massive cheat day for all of us, but I did opt out of eating my dips with chips, and used a spoon or veggies instead so I'm sure that counts for something, right?! The gentlemen on the other hand are not dieting, and could be found poolside doing this...

Sorry about the picture quality...these are i-phone pics, but you get the idea...cupcakes and beer...rub it in boys, rub it in

We stuffed ourselves on Mexican food, drank, swam, and had a wonderful time with friends! There was only one bike related injury on the way home, so I guess you could count that as a win! :) It was the perfect, chill birthday that I was hoping for, and I'm so thankful for our amazing Kwaj family who celebrated with us! 

That water was way too cold, so I chatted from dry land! ;)

Jane, Shelbi, Cher, and Amy! Love you girls!

The boys giving us a happy birthday song and cheers!

Good wine and good friends!

 Thank you everyone for helping me kick off year 28 right! xoxo

Tasty Tuesday: Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili

Happy Tuesday everyone! Hope y'all had a great weekend! We had so much fun at our joint birthday, pool party this past weekend, and let's just say...it was a cheat day for the 'ole diet. I've been doing really well with my Isagenix 30 day cleanse, but when your birthday party has chocolate sprinkle cupcakes and Mexican themed dips, you say "Screw the diet, bring on the queso!" And queso I did.

Sadly, today marks day one of my two day "deep cleanse" which involves me crying into my detox tea while I watch Johnathon eat Burger King. True story. In honor of all the yummy food that I'm not eating, I thought I would share with y'all one of my favorite weeknight meals that is a healthy, crowd-pleaser in our house!

 
I use the Skinnytaste website a lot when I am looking for some healthy dinner options that Johnathon will actually eat! I came across this Slow Cooker Paleo Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili, and besides thinking that it was a mouthful to say, I thought it also looked delicious! I made some slight adjustments to the recipe due to what was available at the Kwaj grocery store/ personal preference, and I really loved the end result! I hope y'all love it too!

Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili

 

Servings: 8 • Size: 1 generous cup, 1 oz avocado • Points+: 7 pt • Smart Points: 7

Calories: 285 • Fat: 12 g • Carb: 20 g • Fiber: 5 g • Protein: 25 g • Sugar: 1 g

Sodium: 350 mg  • Cholest: 83 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 medium purple onion, diced
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 jalapeños, seeds removed
• 1 large sweet potato, 14 oz
• 1 lb 93% lean ground chicken
• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 (14 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• chopped scallions, for garnish
• 8 oz diced avocado
• 4 oz cheddar cheese (optional)
• Cilantro, (optional)
• Greek Yogurt/Light Sour Cream (optional)

Directions:

Place all the ingredients except the scallion, avocado, and cheese in the slow cooker and cook on low 8 hours. When done, break up the ground meat with a wooden spoon. Serve garnished with scallions, cheese, cilantro and avocado on top.

 

 

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday everyone! I have had a lovely birthday week over here, and I feel so blessed to have so many wonderful people both here on Kwaj and back home to celebrate my birthday with! Y'all sure know how to make a girl feel loved!!

As always I am linking up with Erika, Narci, and Andrea for some Friday Favorites! 

ONE

J Crew Flutter Sleeve Top

I'll be honest...I was spoiled rotten this year for my birthday! I got lots of new clothes, like the shirt above (on sale now at J Crew Factory!), this button down which is also from J Crew factory but is sold out...

some shorts from...you guessed it...J Crew, a new bible cover, and what is promising to be my new favorite cookbook...

If I could skip summer and go straight to Fall I totally would! Who's with me?!

I loved all my birthday gifts, and I can't wait to wear all my new stuff! Yay!

TWO

Since I am on my new healthy eating/diet kick, poor Johnathon has no choice but to healthy eat right along with me! He has actually been very encouraging, and has eaten things I would never have thought he would eat this past week (I'm looking at you zoodles!). There has been an MVP recipe that I was first introduced to back when people on island were bringing us meals after Hadley was born. My friend Kristin brought us this amazing Hominy and White Bean Chili that was delicious, and no matter how much I ate of it...I ALWAYS LOST WEIGHT! It's amazing! Johnathon really enjoys it to, so I knew I had to share it with y'all! I couldn't find the source online, so here is my friend Kristin's White Bean and Hominy Chili Recipe:

White Bean & Hominy Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder, or more to taste
1 jalapeno chile (optional), seeded and chopped
One 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 cups slow-cooked or two 15.5-ounce cans navy or other white beans, drained and rinsed
One 16-ounce can hominy, drained and rinsed
1½ cups water
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

**I switched the recipe up a bit and did 1 can of northern beans & 1 can of chickpeas instead of 2 cans of navy/white beans and loved it! You can really throw in whatever bean you prefer and I'm sure it would taste delicious!***

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cook about 30 seconds longer.
2. Transfer the mixture to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add the jalapeño, tomatoes, beans, hominy, water, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper; cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.
3. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro and taste to adjust the seasonings.

THREE

I saw a headline on some news site about Sadie Robertson posting a video about breakups on YouTube. I always liked her on Duck Dynasty and Dancing With The Stars, so I clicked it so see what she had to say. Y'all...I have to tell ya...I wish I was that put together at 17! I was listening to her talk about going through a painful breakup, and I couldn't believe how poised, mature, and positive she was! As a new mom, I get so excited when I see someone who is providing a great example for my child, and I just kept thinking that I hope Hadley has that much confidence and faith in herself and God when she gets to be that age! Good for you Sadie Robertson...keep being an awesome role model!

 FOUR

It wouldn't be a Friday Favorites without including some of my favorite things Hadley's been up to this week! We hit up story time at the library this week for Drop Everything and Read Day, and Hadley was super pumped to discover that they were reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. I usually spend most of story time chasing her around the library, but she sat in my lap the whole time and listened really well to the story! I was impressed! They always have a craft after story time, but Hadley isn't quite old enough to do them yet, so we hung out on the beanbags with the usual suspects...

Hadley was so excited to see her friends...especially Maya who is just back from vacation! Welcome back Maya!

 

...and Hadster had some in depth conversations with Ms. Paula about the elephant on her dress...

 

 

...and we finished story time strong by stacking the foam cushions, and jumping on them...as you do...

 

 

...and then Hadley came home and took a three hour nap! We LOVE story time! 

 

FIVE

 

 

Sorry to post another YouTube video, but...I'm not sorry! I love Francis Chan! I love him most because he takes on uncomfortable topics that Christians like to skim over, and addresses them head on in such a great way. I stumbled across this sermon this week and I wrote down so many things from it that I loved, that I just had to share it with you! I know it's long, but if you feel like you are needing to hear a message to re-energize and reinvigorate your calling as a Christian, then I think you will get a lot out of hearing what Francis has to say!

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend ahead! We will be continuing the birthday shenanigans this weekend with a pool side cookout with friends! I'm excited!