MegaFood Kid's Nutrient Booster Powders - A Review

MegaFood Nutrient Boosters

          Since I am trying to turn this little blog into a real hobby, I am working on ways to be noticed LOL So a couple of months ago I signed up as a Mom Ambassador on MomsMeet.com where I would be able to review products.  So I got my first product to review.  They are MegaFood Kid's Nutrient Booster Powders.  I was very excited to give them a try since I am always trying to get Staci to eat healthy.  A little bit about the company first.  It started way back in 1973 in New Hampshire. The company uses fresh, local foods to make whole food supplements.  Their mission is to nourish your body so that you will have the energy to tackle the day.  The Kid’s Daily Multi powder is designed to support healthy growth and development for kids 5 years old and up.  The Kid’s Daily Immune powder are to promote a healthy immune response, and the Kid’s Daily B-Centered are to help mental focus and a calmed attitude.  All of these info tidbits were taken from the MegaFood website.

It's so tiny :)

  For the sampling we got sent some of each powder.  The jars they sent were super cute, I liked the picture of the fruits and vegetables on the label.  Inside of each jar was an adorable little scoop to measure the powder with, in order to get the correct serving.  For the Daily Multi powder we decided to be a bit creative.  Since this time of year I love making pumpkin yummies we took a box of spice cake, mixed in a can of pureed pumpkin, and a few of the tiny scoops of the powder, to make pumpkin bars.  They smelled delicious baking, tasted yummy, and made me feel better knowing that they had a boost of extra nutrition.

love pumpkin anything

  For the Daily Immune powder, we added it to plain applesauce, and the Daily B-Centered went into vanilla yogurt.  Staci enjoyed the scooping and mixing, but was skeptical about tasting.  The B-Centered turned the yogurt a light sage green, and the Immune powder made the applesauce a rusty red color. Once Staci got past the color she declared she could taste no difference in the yogurt, but in the applesauce she could (I tried it and I couldn’t tell difference).

little skeptical

  So the yogurt was the winner in the hiding the taste category LOL.  In the future, if want to mix in applesauce, I would use cinnamon applesauce to hide the color. I did not notice any calming effect or greater focus, but good grief she had energy LOL

my model & guinea pig 

disclaimer: I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com), May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my honest opinion on my blog. The opinions posted are my own.

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

          The day after my son’s birthday always marks the start of the Fall season for me.  I put off decorating so he can have his special day, but then day after BAMN its Fall J  That is when I celebrate all things pumpkin, spooky, cutesy scary, comfy, and cozy.  So today was that day.  It started off first though with homeschool.  Today was Staci’s first call from her teacher to evaluate how she is doing.  We were both so nervous, me more so than her LOL she had to read at least 52 words in one minute, and then be able to tell the teacher what she read.  After that was math where she would do questions along with the teacher.  I am thrilled to say that Staci nailed it!!!  She read three selections, averaging 100 words each time, and was able to recall lots of details.  She also got most of the math problems correct, which was impressive.  Shoot some of them even I couldn’t figure out.  I was happy to hear that she hadn’t covered that yet.  I guess I best learn along with her.  That is hardest part about new math, the formulas are not how I learned math in school.  I was so proud at how good Staci did on the phone call.  The teacher also said she did fantastic J After the tests were done we decided to make a couple of Halloween crafts.  She made lollipop ghosts and I made a felt one.  I thought both types came out so adorable.

Then off we went to Cardio Kids at MyGym, followed by Target where OMG PUMPKIN SPICE EVRYTHING LOL I tried to stick with the healthier options.  So for breakfasts we get two options of cold cereal, or one hot LOL we have Fiber One or Belvita for a quick pick me up, and for a fruity option we have pumpkin spice applesauce LOL all of course to be accompanied by pumpkin spice coffee and creamer. Welcome to Fall Ya’ll

It was all worth it :)

         

It was January 29th, 1995 in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was Superbowl XXIX Sunday.  The San Diego Chargers were playing against the San Francisco 49ers.  My brother is a long time fan of the 49ers so I was going to root for the opposing team to win LOL I had made Digorno's Supreme Pizza for dinner, and had settled onto the fluffy couch to watch the game.  The 49ers beat the Chargers 49-26.  I did not see any of the game because after one bite of the pizza I was making a mad dash to the bathroom.  Oh my goodness I now hate that pizza.  I will never forget that day ever.  That day scared the bejeebers out of me, but it also lit a small spark of awe inside me.  My mind was racing, my pulse was pounding, my stomach was heaving, oh Lord could it be...
          Guess what I went and bought the next day?  Yep, you guess it, a home pregnancy test.  Know what it said?  I'll give you a hint. I sat on the side of the bathtub for an hour alternating between saying "Oh sh*t" and "Oh my God" I had never been so terrified in my twenty-six years. shhhhhhh I was also secretly excited!!!  I had always dreamed of being a mom since I was a wee little girl.  I had no idea what was going to happen, but I had to deal with it because I WAS GOING TO BE A MOM!!!!   LOL before I could just kind of do what I wanted, no real responsibilities, I just had me to consider.  Now I had this precious little life inside of me to consider.   I had to make good choices.  OK so all of that was going on in my mind the first five minutes LOL after that the nausea kicked in and NEVER LET UP!!!  I hated being pregnant.  I was miserable.  I lost 20 lbs the first month from being so sick.  I could smell everything, and everything made me throw up. Pregnancy was supposed to be a wonderful thing, that was BS.  It was awful.  I was not a happy pregnant person.  Lord help the people who aimed to touch my bump LOL
          OK there were a few fun times in the second trimester.  I was not so sick, so I could go baby gear hunting.  I loved baby stuff.  I collected so many baby magazines, learning how to be the best mommy possible.  I bought lots of baby books so I could see just what was going on inside of me.  See this was all back before the internet LOL  I had to physically go to bookstores and Toys R Us to get information and gear. Pinterest and online shopping  were not even a flicker in somebody's mind yet. I even had to park far away from the stores because there was no such awesomeness as stork parking LOL
          Why am I writing this post?  Here comes the reason LOL  On Tuesday, September 19th, I was sitting in my microbiology class when I got a back ache.  Did not think much of it.  Finished finding out what would be on the test Thursday, and then gave my friend a ride home.  Still had that nagging backache though.  Finally got home about 10pm, took five steps towards the house, and BAMM done to the ground I went in pain!. OMG it hurt.  I tried to stand up, but only managed a few crawls towards the house, yelling for my hubby.  He came out, looked at me, and started to panic in a composed manner.  He grabbed my suitcase, and helped me into the car, and then drove like a madman to Baptist Hospital.  A small part of me was disappointed I had not gotten to use the fancy beeper they had given us for this moment LOL  pagers were a new thing back then.  So we get to the hospital, I'm waddling in, and an orderly just looks at us.  He snapped to when my hubs yelled for a wheelchair.  Did I mention IT HURT!!! So off we go to labor and delivery for a horrible night.
            Looking back as a nurse I can see so many things they did not do correctly.  It is a wonder I made it through.  BTW stadol as a pain medication sucks big time.  They gave me that and I could feel everything, yet not move a muscle.  I felt paralized.  They give me that and then tell me it's time to push.  PUSH WHAT!!! I was in la-la-land.  So after 2 million hours (slight exaggeration) at 4:56 am on September 20, 1995 I had the most amazing, fantastic, awesome thing happen.  I gave birth to my son Leland.  Of course I was still loopy, so when they put him in my arms all I could think about was "if I drop him they won't let me take him home" LOL I was so glad when my grandmother showed up. I immediately asked her if she wanted to hold the baby.  She felt honored, I just felt relief that he was safe LOL  After a bit everybody left and we just relaxed in the room.  I remember looking over at my son, laying spread eagle under the warming lamp, like he was catching some rays, and feeling so happy.
          Know what? They let me take him home LOL silly nurses.  Didn't they know I had no clue what I was doing?  I learned though.  I was determined to be the best mommy in the whole world.  My son made it so easy for me.  He was perfect in every way. I did have one scare.  For a bit I wondered if he was deaf.  I would sneak up behind him and say boo!!! No reaction :(  I'd bang pots and pans...NO REACTION!!! I was scared that my baby was living in a silent world, that he would never hear me tell him I loved him.  I shed many tears over that thought.  That is until one night I snuck into his room, a floorboard creaked, and HE WOKE UP!!!  He heard me LOL  the little jerk just didn't care that his mommy was strange and liked to bang pots and pans LOL  so all went back to being perfect.
          He was a cute little imp, at times he made Dennis the Menace seem like an angel in comparison, but he was always so loving that I didn't care.  He grew up way too fast,  Today is his 21st birthday.  I cannot believe it has been 21 years. He made being a mom so easy.  Whenever I felt down, he made me smile.  If I felt like life was too hard, I would look at him and keep going.  He is my rock.  He is a man now, and one I am so very proud of.  He is kind and generous, he looks out for those in need. He is smart (of course LOL I am his mother) and currently in college.  He loves his little sister, and is crazy about his two cats. He's never done drugs, smoked, or drank.  I think I did a great job with him.  So Happy Birthday Leland!!!

Top Ten Products for When You Take Out Your Stress on Your Hair

          I have always taken out my stress on my hair.  I mess with my hair constantly, often with coloring it.  If really stressed I cut it LOL.  So with all the abuse I give it, I have to work at making sure it stays healthy.  I think I succeed since I usually get lots of compliments on it, not at work though LO there my hair is usually pulled back in a French braid.  Way back when I was sixteen years old I got stressed, so that is when the hair abuse began LOL So I decided to blog about what, in my humble opinion, are the ten best products to use when you stress but do not want to stress out your hair.

1.  Revlon Color Silk Hair Color: Right now I am into being a redhead, so I use the bright auburn hue.  Like I said I had been doing this since I was sixteen years old.  I have had every hair color possible.  I have been platinum blond, honey blond, ash blond, and sunshine blond.  I have also been a brunette all the way from lightest brown to almost black. Redhead hues have been from so dark it was almost purple, to strawberry. Each time people seem to think it is natural.  Nobody can imagine me with a different hair color that what I am currently sporting.  It is funny, at work I started out with short platinum blond hair, now it is long and red.  People don’t even remember me blond, yet it is the picture on my ID badge LOL the color is inexpensive, and simple to use.

 

2.  Disposable Shower Caps:  I think these are so useful. After I use the above hair color I just put one on over my hair. It keeps the dye in as well as decreasing mess.  I also use it for when I use deep conditioners.

3.  Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deep Conditioner:  Speaking of deep conditioning I love this brand.  It smells great, and makes my hair feel so soft afterwards.  I often leave it on longer than 3 minutes LOL usually when my hair is starting to look stressed.

4.  Garnier Whole Blends:  I am loving these shampoos and conditioners for everyday use. They smell incredible, work great, and leave my hair feeling silky smooth which is very important to me.  They have a few varieties, so I can change it up when I feel like it.  I get bored easily LOL.

5.  Detangling Comb:  these wide tooth combs are wonderful at getting the tangles out of wet hair without losing too many strands.

6.  Pantene Pro-V Moisture Mist Hair Detangler: This stuff is inspired. It sprays on, and does not weigh hair down. I use it all the time. I even use it on my braid before work. It keeps all the tiny stray hairs smooth and in the braid.

7.  Smoothing Brush:  This is essential, especially in the Floridian humidity.

8.  Veggie Tales Detangler:  This stuff smells yummy and works wonders on my daughter’s long blond hair.  I use it as well when I am feeling silly.

9.  Nature’s Bounty Hair, Skin, & Nails Gummies:  These taste like strawberry drops. It is just as important to take care of your inside health, so that your hair grows strong.  Every time I take things on a regular basis my hair grows faster it seems.

10.  Water:  Staying hydrated is an important component to strong, healthy hair.  Make sure you drink plenty every day.   

Girl Power

          I got completely gob smacked this week when I looked at my Twitter account, I had a celebrity follow me!!! No idea why, but it’s awesome.  In case anybody is wondering who, it is Juliet Landau.  She played the lovely and loony vampire Drusilla on two of my favorite shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

Isn't she pretty

Made me nostalgic for those shows.  I cannot believe it has been over thirteen years since they ended.  The Pivot network still plays Buffy reruns; I am watching one currently. It was a great show.  It challenged a lot of old-fashioned notions about girls.  Instead of girls being the victim, and being rescued, the girl was the superhero.  She saved the world, a lot LOL (if you were a fan of the show, you might get that reference).  All the females in those shows were totally powerful.  There was Buffy, Willow, Cordelia, Tara, Anya, and crazy Drusilla.  They did not cower, but fought for what they thought was right. They were devoted to their friends and family.  All of the females on the show were great, albeit non-traditional, role models, even wicked Drusilla. She was loyal, and protective, and loved Spike.  Girls today need more super heroes, more women role models they can look up too.  I know there are lots of real world, strong women, but little girls, like my seven-year-old, are not interested in politics, philanthropy, or Fortune 500 companies. She likes bright colors, cute dolls, ponies, and fun.

love these dolls

I like the D.C. Comics has come out with a line of D.C. Superhero Girls that are girls, not women. They are much more relatable to my daughter. Staci likes that she looks like Supergirl with the long blond hair and big blue eyes. I am also looking forward to taking her to see the new Wonder Woman movie.  I want to encourage her to dream about being a strong, smart woman. LOL I had Linda Carter as my Wonder Woman, and a Saturday morning show with the Greek heroine Isis. I watch them now and cringe at how silly they were, but to me back then they were awesome. I want her to have those types of role models to look up to, ones that make her feel that she can do anything.  I want her to face problems head on, to not give up, even when it seems to be an impossible task.  I want her to have friends she loves and who love her in return.  I want her to have incredible courage and be brave, even when she is scared to take that first step. I never want her to feel limited by being a girl, or mortal LOL.

Amazing Autumn

It finally happened, I was walking to work this weekend, it was hot, the sun was still beating down, and then a cool breeze blew.  It was not a warm, summer, breeze rather it was a crisp, cool autumn wind.  I want to say it smelled like leaves, apples, cinnamon, pumpkin, and a bonfire.  In truth it did not carry any scent, but rather it evoked a feeling I wait for every year around now.  It made me feel like it was finally Autumn.  I love Autumn.  It is my favorite season.  It is such a cozy time, the beginning of the holidays, family coming together, and no longer hot enough to bake cookies on the sidewalk. Instead now you can bake cookies inside.  Today I made oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies YUM!!!

the cookies we made

They were dessert for after we had the Autumn Chopped Salad we had for lunch.  Both super tasty, and the salad was even healthy.  Staci gave it her seal of approval.  So now my place smells like Autumn.  If you want your home to smell warm, inviting, and autumny without all the calories of cookies then you can try this recipe: in a small pot, in no particular amount, add fresh water, a few cinnamon sticks, some cloves, orange slices, apple slices, star anise, ginger, and cardamom pods. Let the mixture simmer on the stove, wrap yourself in a comfy blanket, with a hot toddy of choice, and enjoy the fragrance filling your home. When the water gets low, just add a bit more.

simmer on low

 Now for ways to enjoy Autumn I recommend going on a foliage walk.  You and your family can take a walk through a park or around the neighborhood, enjoying the changing colors of nature, and looking for pine cones, acorns, fallen leaves, and odd twigs.  All of which can be used to make Autumn crafts come alive. With Autumn comes football, I know everybody around me is all excited about the games.  Unfortunately, I have no understanding of football, but I do understand football food LOL I love making a rich, spicy chili with jalapeno pepper laden cornbread alongside it. Also a good idea would be to host a healthy potluck where recipes that emphasize healthy alternatives are shared between friends.  I don’t mean just salads LOL plenty of recipes out there that celebrate the holidays, while still being healthy.  I like the One Pan Autumn Chicken Dinner One of the recipes you find might inspire you to break out your crockpot.  You also might want to hit your local grocery store and stock up on spices for the season such as: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, sage, bay leaves, and cloves.

 Another way to have a healthier Autumn is to trade white breads and pastas for their whole grain versions.  Whole grains are so much better: they are full of protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. You need to keep yourself healthy for the holidays.  They are stressful.  When the stress starts to get to you, just breath. Focus your mind on something positive, and try to banish all negative thoughts.  Perhaps go for a walk. Splurge and buy yourself some vibrant, cozy, and comfy workout wear to sweat in.  Remember it is SWEATer weather.  Above all else reconnect with your family.  With school, work, and numerous other functions, life can get hectic.  Take time out to have fun with your family. 

I want to go here

Go for a walk and have a picnic, enjoy a bonfire while sipping on cocoa and gazing at the stars, go cheer on your team at a football game, do yard work together raking leaves to jump in, or just cook dinner together and then have a movie or game night.  Autumn is an amazing season.  I do so love throwing splashes of Autumn colors all over my home.  I hope all who read this enjoy this time as much as I do.

Big Glowy thing in the Sky

          Well that was a bit of a let down LOL no hurricane hit here, just some wind and rain. Nothing spectacular.  I kinda slept through it since was hitting at 4am,  No damage outside my place, a few old branches down, and leaves on the balcony, but that's it. Now the sun is brightly shining in the sky.  Unfortunately nothing to keep me from going into work. Hopefully weekend goes by quickly.  All these people saying they can't wait for the weekend, and I hate Mondays, I am opposite hate Friday and can't wait for Monday morning. The week goes by way to quickly.  I miss my kids dreadfully when I am at work. Anyway I have decided that I don't always have to have a spectacular idea for a blog post.  I've been writing this for others, and that is not what it should be about, it's for me. Just like a diary.  If people read it then great, if not no big deal.  If I think it is share worthy, then I will. So time to get ready for work.  I'm tired, lousy sleep because of Comcast. They started calling me at 7am to confirm my 3 appointments for today.  Thing is I had no appointments. Every time I tried to tell them that, they set another appointment.  Those guys can't get act together.  Repeated phone calls this week, trying to get internet to work, and each person I talk to says the previous person was either a liar, or had no idea what they were talking about.  They actually used the word liar, didn't think that was allowed in business.