Tuesday, December 30, 2014

WW Happy New Year! {Linky}

This little gif took awhile to make. It's a work project. Lots of dots!


I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas that celebrates it!

One of the boy's stocking stuffers was clear glasses. They've never seen Harry Potter, but I put it on hold at the library. Santa may have gotten the glasses on clearance at Halloween time.



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Monday, December 29, 2014

Nutritional Yeast Superfood Review

I've only used yeast in the past to make bread rise.

Nutritional yeast is a delicious salty, creamy, nutty, cheese-tasting superfood can be sprinkled on just about everything! It's naturally very low in sodium and fat and is dairy and gluten free!


I love that Sari Foods sends out a PDF recipe book once Nutritional Yeast is purchased.

A recipe I tried out is their Hashbown Casserole. Oh my goodness it's so good! It has an middle eastern taste.



Our Brunch: Hashbrown Casserole, steamed kale, 1 egg, Veggie Sushi Rolls, 1/2 a homemade cinnamon roll that Grandma made for us, and each person had a different fruit (grapefruit is in the picture).


They have many more recipes in their PDF book. Nutritional Yeast is also great on vegetables, tacos, pasta, popcorn, soup, baked potatoes, dips, salads and more.

Why Choose Natural, Non-Fortified Nutritional Yeast?

Most nutritional yeast products are fortified with excessive amounts of synthetic vitamins to increase the nutritional count. Sari Foods believes that synthetic, man-made vitamins are not only unnecessary, but that they can be harmful and toxic to our bodies, causing nutrient imbalances and forcing our kidneys and liver to work overtime while our bodies struggle to absorb them.
The abundance of vitamins & nutrients + the delicious cheese flavor found in this bag of molasses-grown nutritional yeast are 100% whole food based and naturally occurring - nothing is synthetic. It's just as nature intended!

Also get it because it's on sale. It was originally $29.99 and is on sale for $12.95!
  • It's comprised of 50% protein (a complete, bioavailable and vegan source)
  • Over 20% fiber
  • Contains all 18 amino acids
  • 15 different minerals (including iron, selenium and zinc) 
  • Natural vitamin B-complex 
  • Beta-glucans (known for their extreme immune enhancing properties)
Other Benefits of Adding Nutritional Yeast to Your Diet:
  • Optimize your health with super nutrients
All the ingredients listed above help strengthen people's immune system, helps lower bad cholesterol, and reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers.
  • Lose weight naturally
Enjoy guilt-free deliciousness with this salty, creamy, nutty, cheese-tasting superfood that can be sprinkled on just about everything and is bound to become your secret weapon in weight loss! In addition to being extremely low in calories, fat and sodium, it is dairy free, gluten free, MSG free and chocked full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. Thank you mother nature! Of course it helps to exercise to!
  • Fight aging and free radicals 
With highly absorbable amounts of nucleotides (the building blocks of DNA & RNA), Nutritional Yeast promotes cellular repair and regeneration. Then, by combining the two antioxidants glutathione and selenium, our Nutritional Yeast Flakes create a special enzyme called glutathione peroxidase that is known to neutralize free radicals and protect us from their damage.
  • End your energy crisis 
15-40% of Americans are deficient in B vitamins which can lead to deep and ongoing fatigue, brain fog, irritability, depression, and even insomnia (as they play a crucial role in melatonin production). The body depends on B6 to make the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine, which affect both mood and feelings of happiness. Improved Vitamin B intake helps us sleep well and helps balance our hormones. increase our energy levels, clarity & overall mental function.
I'm so glad we got Nutritional Yeast Superfood to Review!

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Disclaimer: I'm writing this in connection to Tomoson. I got this Nutritional Yeast free for review. I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Christmas Break Down

Great Aunt Becky does this thing where she gets a gigantic box, and puts little toys in it. She ties a ribbon around those toys, and attaches the kid's names on the ribbons. Then she asks the kids a Christmas type question. If the get the question right they get to pull a gift.

My kids don't go to church (please don't judge). We help them if they don't know an answer.

It looks sort of like this:


It's hard to get good photos because they are in constant movement.


The boys liked their Jacob's Ladders the most.


All was good. No kids were in trouble. No one was stressed that I knew of. Everyone was having a pretty good time. 

Then things started unraveling in my mind. 

I was in the kitchen sitting in the back corner. One person (I won't say who) started saying how I never help. Ummm...excuse me. She was right I didn't help at that moment. I was stuck in the corner with two older people blocking me in. I don't help in the kitchen at events like that because I'm always in the way. I do help bring in dishes, taking the trash out, dumping 1/2 drank drinks...and you get the picture.

I simply didn't say anything. I just rolled my eyes inside. With this person I feel like I never can say anything. It doesn't help.

The meal was over. People moved, so I could get out. I gathered peoples empty dishes to throw out, and took the trash out. I bet no one noticed that.

Then I got my cheese ball, crackers, and cookie plate out. Goodies were already out on the table to be devoured.

The same unnamed girl said to me, "Don't put that stuff out. It's not time yet. We just ate."

I put it out anyway. My aunt said, "It's ok just set it here. Other stuff is out."

The unnamed person said, "Don't put that out Alissa!"

I stormed out of there. I vowed to not put anything out the rest of the day. Seriously it was Christmas!

Somehow, my stuff got out later... I didn't put it there.

I could use a few choice words! Why waist them on Christmas!

Grandpa left the event because he left his meds. That's not the whole reason why he left. We bitched together later.

Isaak got so busy playing. He said his parts hurt. Later on I realized that his freaking pants were wet with pee. What 1st grader pees his pants because he's too busy playing?

I told Mica, "If you don't want those glasses on give them to me. Don't set them down somewhere to get broken." Well he broke them in 1 day.

On the way home I was complaining venting to my husband.

What does he say? "Get over it." Those words are possibly the worst words you can say to someone that's annoyed, mad, and hurt. This is coming from someone that's been complaining about work to me for the last month. I needed time to pout "Get over it." I was quiet the whole rest of the night. When my husband asked me what was wrong I said, "Nothing." I was getting over it. It drove him nuts that I was quiet. In the morning he asked me again. I tried the, "Nothing" thing, and that only worked once. I came clean. He said, "Well I learned that from you." I don't tell him to, "Get over it!" when he's mad. I actually agree with him that this person, or that person is a pain in the ass, and then say, "I don't think they're going to change. You can choose to be around them, or remove them from your life."

So folks that's how Christmas ended.

Do you ever get stressed during the holiday season? They say it's one of the most stressful times of the year.

The Tale Of My New Tights

I'm loosing weight, but I'm not skinny. I'm not old, but I'm not young either.

My lovely husband decided to go to the mall to get me 2 pair of tights for Christmas. Instead of going into a legit store, he went into a small kiosk to get them. There is no returning these tights. Most tights in my mind are for college aged kids and younger. Not for 30 and 40 year olds. *Please take no offense if you wear them. They are just not my thing.

I bought 1 pair, and they were thicker tights. Still risky in my mind. I bought them for my husband just as much as myself.

I decided to go to this kiosk to try and return them. Of course it said on the receipt that you can only trade them in 3 days time. I tried to play dumb. Ya that didn't work.

I said to him, "Never buy something at a place like that again...EVER!" For the record they are being worn under my pants when it's cold.

He said, "Man you need to be more adventurous with how you dress. Show off your sexy side." He then said, "I'm not getting you anything anymore."

All weekend I've been sticking out my chest, walking all funny, and singing I'm Every Woman by Whitney Huston. He came up to me and said, "Why are you walking that way?" I said, "I'm practicing my sexy walk. I'm bringing sexy back." 

He laughed and said, "Well it's really not working for you." 

I said, "I'm doing all for you babe." ;)

Before we left the mall I saw these shoes:


I said, "Travis you have to get these shoes!" 

He said, "Whatever." 

I said, "You have got to try them on for me. They match the tights you bought me. You need to learn to be more adventurous in the way you dress."

He tried them on to amuse me, but didn't buy them.


Later I messaged him something I want him to buy to be more adventurous you know.

The sad thing was is that he didn't know if I was serious, or joking. I was so joking. Not that there's anything wrong with this shirt, it's just not me, or my husband. It sure matches the tights he bought me though.

Souce
While I appreciate the thought, stick with getting me things I ask for, or get something at a place where I can return an item if needed.

For the record he's not mad at me, and I'm not mad at him. While I appreciate him getting me things I just want to make sure I can use those things. The same goes for him. If a gift I got him wasn't going to be used I'd want him to take it back to get something that can be used.

What's something crazy you've gotten as a gift before?

Christmas

Mica woke up at 2 AM to see what time it was. I woke up at 4:30 AM. The official wake up time was 5:15 AM. 

Santa left our fireplace open again. 


Isaak was so excited to get the gold stuff out of his stocking.

I know it may seem odd to some of you that Santa would buy such things for a little boy. Isaak's favorite color is gold. He loves glitter to. The boy uses all my tape, and asks for the stapler to.

When I saw the gold stapler and tape dispenser at Michaels on clearance I had to get it for my son. Then I won the Bling Toothbrush.

Isaak had a huge smile on his face when he saw his gold merchandise. 


I stuffed the top of Mica's stocking with socks. I'm sure at first that's all he thought he was getting. There was a few Star Wars Lego mini sets, and other things in there. Mica's been wanting glasses, so I got him and Isaak clear ones.

Mica got the biggest Lego set that he's ever gotten. It's a castle.



Both boys started right in with building, while they ate their breakfast. A dangerous combo I know, but it was Christmas after all.


I was expecting that Dad would have to help Isaak, but my littlest man isn't so little anymore. He figured it out on his own! He was so busy that he wouldn't look up for the camera.


Veggie Roulade

I've been wanting to make this dish called Veggie Roulade since I saw a video tutorial on it. I'd show the video, but can only find it on Facebook. If you click on the link above it will take you there. There's also a website that has this dish that I found here.

I made it for Christmas.

I cheated and bought 2 pastry crusts at Whole Foods. Laying pie crust down has never been my thing.

I also bought:
  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 green zucchini
  • 1 yellow zucchini
  • 1 bag of mixed colored carrots
You will also need:
  • Olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • sage
  • Greek yogurt
  • Dijon Mustard 
Directions:
  1. Start out with your crust. Spread Greek yogurt on it until it covers the bottom of the crust. 

  2. Spread a soup spoon full of Dijon Mustard and sort of mix into the yogurt.

  3. Sprinkle sage on next.   


  4. Wash and scrub the veggies. *Do not peel the skin off the veggies. Peel the veggies length wise in long strips.

  5. Start making a coil of veggies in the crust. Keep it as tight as possible. The carrots are the easiest to peel, but the hardest to coil. They want to coil on their own in a different direction.


  6. Sprinkle with Olive Oil, salt, and pepper. You could sprinkle with garlic salt. That would taste good to!

  7. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, or until veggies turn a little more brown. You want it to be soft enough to cut. My oven bakes slow. We had to bake ours for 45 minutes. 

  8. Cut with a sharp knife.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Christmas Eve

I hope everyone that celebrates Christmas had a good one!
No real snow fell, so I add fake snowflakes.


Everything was good in my own little family. My sister Terra's family had the stomach flu. They were under quarantine, and had to stay home. :( We missed them. We are planning on getting together with them on this Sunday, but 2 of them still haven't gotten sick yet. I'm not hoping they do get sick, but none of the rest of us want to get the stomach flu! We'll see what happens.

We've been battling a slight cold at our house, but that's nothing compared to the stomach flu. We're kind of at the tail end of the cold. It's the oddest cold - Isaak woke up with a sore throat one day, and after that day he just had a stuffy nose. No coughs, or sneezes.

Christmas Eve is a big deal. Just as big as Christmas. This post will be about Christmas Eve. We get together with grandma, grandpa, great grandpa, cousins, aunts, uncles and 1 great aunt.

On Christmas we do our own gifts, and Santa. Then for lunch we get together with everyone - meaning all my mom's side of the family. We're small enough to get together, but big enough to fill a house.

I decided to curl my hair for the first time in years twice this week (once for my work party, and once for attending a church service). I got asked 5 times if I cut my hair? Nope! I used the Rock and Roll hair curlers I got from the 90s. Yep they still work. I love seeing the boy's expressions when I do different things to my hair. At first they didn't think I'd take the silicone curlers out. I played it up,  "Yep this is how my hair will stay." ;) Then they fought over who was going to take them out. I let them both try a few, then I took over. They wanted to yank the curlers out of my hair with no mercy. - Ouch! Then they thought the freshly curled locks would be how my hair stayed. My hair looked a bit like Shirley Temple's hair on steroids.


No worries my hair calmed down sort of. It's easier to curl it than straighten it. I have a feeling pin curls are going to be back in.

I painted my nails to look like my earrings. I'm sorry the photo of my fingernails is blurry. It was time to leave.



The boys were bouncing off the walls Christmas Eve day. I took the day off to watch them. Dad got home early to "help". His idea of helping that day was playing on his phone, and taking a cat nap. He's not like that every day, just that day.

The boys took a break from bouncing off the walls to decorate a Christmas tree veggie tray. I let them decide what veggies we needed. I washed, peeled, and cut them. They decorated it, and told me what they needed more of. It was Mica's idea to do the start on the top of the tree. It was my idea to carve the stars in the radishes.


We headed off to church. Isaak said, "This is so boring!" 10 times, while we were there.

We went to Grandma and Grandpa's for a big dinner, and to unwrap gifts.

I didn't really get great photos because it was dark, and everyone was moving. Both boys got a big Lego thing, viking themed clothes, a GC to Toys R Us, books, Sculpey, and other random things. Isaak likes the Sculpey, Shrinky Dinks, and Creativity in a Can better than anything else. Mica's crazy about the Legos.

I got a shirt, some kitchen things, a necklace, money, and a sponge happy face that Isaak thought was hilarious.


We got home late. I told Mica that he could put the Santa gifts under the tree. It's his rite to passage for not believing. I didn't want Christmas to go downhill for Mica. It's not a spoil alert. All the presents were wrapped.

Do you do any celebrating on Christmas Eve?

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

This week has been grey and rainy. Blah! 

I was longing for snow. Some snow is on its way. We'll see.

I hardly drive at night. I don't like to. I just don't see the same way I do in the day time. I had to take the boys across town to their ju-jitsu at a different Y. I almost got in an accident. A car in front of me was going at a good speed, then slowed down fast. Thankfully I didn't run into them. Ekkk! 

At a spot light I captured the photos below:





They look almost like impressionist paintings. Rain can be pretty I guess.

Disclaimer

The opinions on this blog are my personal take on products and topics relating to motherhood. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me.

I am not compensated to provide opinions on a variety of topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are my own. If I claim to show knowledge of certain topic or product I will only endorse products or services that I feel, based on my expertise, are worthy of such endorsement.

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