Chocolate Goodness in a Smoothie

I took the boys to pick mulberries at my old work this morning. They said it was more than ok. I love leaving places on a good note. We picked a gigantic popcorn bowl size of mulberries. I triple washed them, put them in snack sized ziploc bags to freeze them. 

When we got home the boys were super hungry. Hungry growing boys need more protein intake. Lucky for them I had all the ingredients for their favorite sandwiches- BLTs and a shake.  

Chocolate Protein Shake: 

• 1 smaller protein pack
• 1 cup of ice 
• 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup berries
• 2 bananas

Flavors:

• Vanilla
• Salted Carmel 
• Chocolate

I got chocolate to review. I would have liked any of the flavors to be honest. 

Where to get it:

You can pick it up at Walmart https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pro-Keto-Shake-Best-Tasting-Low-Carb-Low-Sugar-Clean-Protein-Shake-for-Keto-and-all-Diets-15-Servings/317558735 for $32.99. The pack sold on their site has 15 servings. 

The boys both liked it. It was refreshing after picking berries. 

I liked that it could be made with ice and milk, or fruit could be mixed in. 

Usually I get pea protein, roast pumpkin seeds to grind, and add dried and grinded kale to the mix. I have a cinnamon flavored protein powder for smoothies that have pumpkin or squash with banana. I added dried and ground berries into another for a berry smoothie. Then I have a plain one for mango and peach smoothies. 

I missed the chocolate flavor. It’s nice to have some chocolate goodness. What flavors do you enjoy in a smoothie or shake?

Disclaimer: I got this product for free, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Random Tid Bits

1. I’m into my second week at my new job. So far, so good. I have heard that it’s stressful getting the writing from architects and engineers, so I can implement it into proposals. 

2. At my last job AIM, I was hired by a guy named Kelly. At this job I was hired by a guy named Tracy, but I work with a girl named Kelly. I so feel like I’m going to butcher Tracy’s name. It will be embarrassing because Kelly is a girl. I’m usually great with names. Can you see how this could happen? 

4.  A week after I started I got business cards. That’s something I’ve never gotten at a job.

At AIM they wanted the same person to print things for consistency. All except for business cards. Everyone had to print their own. Explain that one. 

5. Mica’s taking a Philosophy course at our local community college. He’s getting a taste of what college is like. They had a free course and book for high schoolers. 

I have mixed feelings about free college. It will kill all specialty schools. Including tech, art, acting and music colleges. Free education isn’t really free. The money has to come from somewhere. What are your feelings about free college? 

Red Shoes | Cool Shoes

I totally dig the color red. It makes me feel like I stand out.

Colors that this shoe has: 

-Black

-Blue

-Purple - Second choice

-Red - First choice

-White

I liked both red and purple. They are two colors I wear a lot. I just don’t see those colors in shoes a whole lot  

Pros:

These shoes are really breathable and light weight. They actually feel a bit like wearing Crocks, which I always thought were comfortable. They come in five different color options. I like the colors. I think they make great walking shoes. 

Cons: 

I feel a bit like the lace holes aren’t sturdy enough. Like if I pull to tighten the laces, they could rip. The front tip of the shoe could be bigger and wrap around more. There isn’t a ton of traction. I think hiking is pretty much out of the question with these shoes on. The brand isn’t one I’ve heard much of. It’s Damyuan. 

Where to get these shoes:

You can get them on Amazon for $30.99. They shipped fast! 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08S3786L2

B08S3786L2

I haven’t gotten anything new, since before the Covid hit. Now I feel like getting a few new things. Did you shop during Covid, or put a hault to shopping all together? 

Disclaimer: I got this product for a discounted price, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Making Kombucha #diy Step Two

I have the first step on making kombucha here. 

I left the tea to ferment for two weeks. You can do one week if you like it less carbonated. Don't leave it longer than two weeks, or you'll have a mess on your hands when you pop the bottles open. How do I know, I did it once. It was a mess any time I'd open them, but man it tasted great. 

You can put fresh fruit in the bottles, or blend it like a smoothie to put it in. I've done both, and prefer it blended. It doesn't matter what you use, just try and pair up like things. You only need 1/2 cup of smoothie like fruit. 

I used mango, nectarine, peach, ginger, and cardamom. That's my favorite combination!

I put the fruit in with a funnel. Then I fill the bottles most of the way with the fermented tea. If you don't like the vinegar taste, just add more fruit. 

Leave space at the top, for carbonation. 

I leave extra fermented tea in the big container with the scoby to keep it live and well. That gets stored in a dark place, out of the way. It keep it in the box downstairs with my canning stuff. 

Let the bottles sit out in a dark spot for two days. After that you are good to put them in the fridge. 

I've found Italian soda or fancy vanilla bottles work great! I used 3 Italian soda bottles, and 2 fancy vanilla bottles. 

When I drink it, if there's fruit on the bottom I use it in a smoothie. I use a glass for each drink, so I don't contaminate the main bottle. I'm the only one in the house that drinks it, and I make smoothies for the whole family. 

It is said that fermented anything is something we don't get enough of. It has natural probiotics in it. I typically make it because I like the taste. It's way less expensive to make it yourself than to buy it.

What flavor do you think you'd make? Whatever flavor I make I like ginger in it because it's great for inflammation with my asthma. 

Immune Support -Elderberry Review

I've had one week at my new job Schemmer. My dad called me twice to see how I liked it. It's too early to say, or know. 

Goodbye to the old job, and hello to the new. I still left AIM up on LinkedIn because I agreed to do freelance. I'm sure there will be good and bad just like anywhere else. Nothing is meant to be perfect. Life is yin and yang. If everything were good we'd walk around with gigantic heads. As humans we have weigh in on how much we can handle that isn't positive; know when to move on. And so I moved on.

With starting a new job I'm upping my health game. First off I now work in the office; as opposed to being at home all.the.time. This is good and bad. I'm exposed to more germs, but some germs are good to take in. My office is kind of out in the open. That I'm not used to. I have to walk around more.

I find that whenever I start a job I get stressed, being the new person. I'm hoping wholsome Immune Support keeps my system in check.   

Where to get wholsome Immune Support - Elderberry:

You can pick up your bottle on Amazon Prime https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BX4X473?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details. It is made in the U.S.A. It came to me in tip top shape. Wrapped up in plastic, with a foam seal on the lid, and a plastic seal that kept the lid on. 

Cost:

$9.99, but right now it's $5.99. It comes with 60 pills. I do wish they'd charge more and fill up the bottle, or just sell it in a smaller bottle. Then there would be less packaging waist. Use the code: whol30off for 30% off your order of any Wholsome product.

Top Benefits of Elderberry that I got from facty.com:

1. It's a natural laxative. It ranks higher than most other fruits and vegetables in the fiber department. This is important to me because my Asthma Inhaler messes with me!
   
   
2.  Relief for allergies. Also a relief for me - Miss Allergy Suffer!
   
   
3. A natural Diuretic. This is mostly for seniors. If you have problems urinating, elderberry is supposed to help with that. I remember my grandpa getting a lot of urinary tract infections. I wish I would have know to give him elderberry. 
   
   
4. Assists with healthy skin. This goes for Mica that has some unknown under the chin rash that he's had for years. The last doctor thought it was similar to the bumps some people have on the back of their arms. Sometimes it gets really red though. At the time of seeing the doctor it wasn't red at all.
   
   
5. Lowers blood sugar. I think we all need that in our family. We have diabetes on Travis' mom's side and the my mom's side.
   
   
6. Cold and flu relief. We could all benefit from sickness relief with covid still being a thing. It helps get rid of phlegm - something I have all the time with allergies and asthma. 
   
   
7. Might fight cancer. If you get cancer, drive up your elderberry intake.
   
   
8. Improves heart health. I have higher cholesterol. 
   
   
9. Improves bone health. I think we all could have better bones. It would have been good to know that elderberry makes bones stronger over milk.
   
   
10. Assists with weight loss. I do tend to gain weight from steroid use from asthma.

I'm happy we're taking this supplement. I might look into even more elderberry things to incorporate into our daily diet. Have a pill supplement one day, juice another, and so on. 

Have you had elderberry anything before? 

Were you aware of all the benefits it provided?

Disclaimer: I got this product for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Help your child to establish a good oral hygiene routine that will stay with them for life

As a parent, you want the very best for your child so that they grow up healthy and happy. This might mean pushing them to do well in school, encouraging a love of exercise, and demonstrating the importance of a nutritious, balanced diet. However, looking after your teeth is also a hugely important aspect of self-care for top physical health, and you have the power to show your child just how important it is to look after your teeth. Here is how you can help your child to establish a good oral hygiene routine that will stay with them for life:

Brush together

Kids learn by example, so brushing your teeth together every day clearly shows them the importance of oral hygiene and what a good routine consists of. Brushing together allows you to show your child the correct brushing and flossing techniques that will clean their teeth thoroughly while not harming their delicate gums. Dentists recommend that you spend at least three minutes on brushing for clean teeth; kids might struggle with this length of time, so by brushing together, you can ensure that they clean their teeth thoroughly, and you might even make the process fun by introducing brushing songs or a timer.

 

Make the dentist fun

Regular visits to the dentist are essential for monitoring teeth health and rectifying minor problems before they become serious issues. This is especially important for growing kids as their teeth are developing; however, with the bright lights, dentist’s chair, and scary-looking equipment, a visit to the dentist can be traumatic for many children. Carry out your research before deciding on a dentist for your child, and find one that has a bright and welcoming office with friendly staff. A dentist who specializes in children’s oral care will ensure that your child feels comfortable and unafraid in their office. Check out bafdentistry.com for more information about finding the right dentist for your child in your local area.

Use child-friendly brushing tools

It might take your child a while to properly get to grips with the correct tooth brushing technique, and using the right brushing tools can help with this process. A child’s toothbrush will have a head that is small enough to fit into a child-sized mouth and reach the very back of their teeth; its bristles will also be gentle to ensure a deep clean while not harming gums. Children’s toothbrushes are available in lots of fun designs to help make tooth brushing time that bit more fun. Furthermore, it is common for children to dislike the somewhat strong and bitter taste of minty toothpaste, and therefore be reluctant to brush for long periods of time, if at all. Children’s toothpaste comes in a number of different flavors, such as strawberry and bubblegum, to get them excited about brushing again. Just make sure that they use a pea-sized amount and spit the toothpaste out after brushing.

Isaak gets his braces off in two weeks. It will be fun to see his teeth once again!

OBYMEUS Men’s Tennis Shoes Review

Isaak typically gets shafted with all things new. He get hand me downs from Mica. I try and get him a few things here and there that match his personality. He doesn't get into all of Mica's space and science obsessions. 

I got a pair of lightweight tennis shoes to review just for Isaaak.  

Brand:

OBYMEUS - It's not a brand I'm familiar with. 

Where to get them:

You can pick them up on Amazon for $44.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QR3LP6C?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details.

Colors:

They come in five different styles/color options. When I looked they didn't have as many. The only selection when I ordered were black and grey. The black ones were out in his size. 

• Cool Blue - They look super cool. Kind of a midnight blue.
• Blue - This confuses me because the shoe is actually grey with a green design on it. Possibly they have the wrong picture in there. 
• Active Grey - The same picture is in this shoe selection as the blue one. I'm thinking this is the right photo. It's grey with a green design on the side. 
• Brave Black - It's black with a sleek black design on the side. 
• Grey - The one we got to review.

Had they had all these options when we ordered, and all were in Isaak's size I would have gone with Cool blue or Brave Black. The design on the sides of those options remind me of the design lines he opted to put in his hair last year. 

Perks:

• They are lightweight and breathable. 
  
  
• The shoelaces aren't too long, or too short. 
  
  
• I like the neutral colors. To me neutrals aren't as fun as bright colors, but they go with more things. 

Cons:

• They don't have a ton of traction. They are advertised as being a gym shoe. I think just casual day to day walking shoe is more like it. 
  
  
• The tongue of the shoe is all part of the shoe. I don't know how I feel about that. I have never seen that before. It made it hard for that extra lace hole to go in. 
  
  
• I feel like the rubber tip (*see photo above) should go higher. The shoe could get scuffed easier because it's shallow. 
  
  
• Cost wise it's $44.99-$49.99. In one way sure they aren't as expensive as most shoes. In another way they aren't a brand I've ever heard before. The design isn't a shoe that would last. 
  
  
• I wish the color/design selection would have been there when we got this pair. Although this is the pair I agreed to review. 

All in all I'm glad Isaak has another shoe selection. He likes having new things. 

Do you like shoes that are colorful, or neutral? 

Disclaimer: I got this pair of shoes for a discounted price in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Mens Tennis Shoes Review

Both Mica and Isaak have been growing like weeds! It helps when I get shoes, boots, clothes, or food to review! 

Last week Mica got to pick out a new pair of shoes.

Where to get these tennis shoes:

You can get them on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08N18KHQT. They are $46.99 on Prime. They did ship really fast. 

Colors:

One downfall is that they only have this color in his size. He's in a size 10 1/2, but we went with a size 11. That's not too gigantic. My dad wears size 15 1/5! 

• White with Blue - Like he got
• All Red
• Blue with white soles
• Grey with orange soles - This is the one he wanted. I like that they are neutral which goes with a lot of things, yet have a pop of color.

Pros: 

They are breathable and lightweight. I hate when I have really heavy shoes that make a lot of noise when I walk. These are not like that. I also feel that because they are breathable there's going to be less stinky feet. Ha! I think the pop of blue coming through looks good. The laces aren't too short, nor too long. 

Cons: 

The color section was limited, for the size we wanted. The soles don't make a lot of noise and are lightweight, but have very little traction. Traction is something I look at when I'm buying in a store. I want the boys to be able to be boys. These aren't climbing, running, or hiking shoes. For an off brand - Damyuan - that I've never heard of, they are still fairly expensive. Almost $50. Like I said, they aren't super great, with little traction. 

Do you wear tennis shoes, or other kinds of shoes more?

 
Disclaimer: I got this product for a discounted price in exchange for an honest review. The company did not tell me what to write. All opinions are my own.

Making Kombucha #diy Step One

I’ve been making Kombucha for awhile now. I’ve never great with remember the steps on making things that have extended processes - in the kitchen that is. 

My mom got me this starter set a few years ago. I think I waited a half a year to use it. Mainly because I got it at Christmas time, when very little options of fruits can be purchased. 

I’ve made three flavors. I happen to like peach, orange, mango, ginger, and cardamom. Any recipe you find online is great. You can substitute different fruits as long as it’s the same amount. 

What You Will Need: 

•A kombucha starter kit. 

•Inside it will have a code to get the scoby. You do not need to get this until you are ready to make your first batch. It does not cost extra for the scoby. Inside the box there is instructions on prepping the scoby. 

•Organic black tea either loose or bagged. 

•Organic sugar. This helps activate the scoby. 

•Organic fruit, and spices when you are ready for the last step. 

•Jars, which I’ve been keeping Italian soda bottles, and fancy vanilla bottles just for kombucha. 

First Step:

•Boil 4 cups of water in a big pot. 

•Cool for 2 minutes. 

•Add 6 bags of organic black tea, or equivalent of that for loose leaf tea. If I use bagged tea, I tie the strings together. Steep for 15 minutes. 

•Pour 8 cups of filtered water in with the scoby to the big jar that comes with the kit. 

•When the 15 minutes is up, pour in 1 cup of organic cane sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon, until it’s dissolved. It took me around two minutes of stirring. 

•Pour the tea, sugar water into the big jar that has the scoby and additional water. 

•Put a cloth over the jar, add a rubber band, and place it into a dark place for a week. We usually put it into the box the kit came in. Don’t forget about it. 

That is it folks. It's as easy as brewing tea. I tend to make it more of a process in my mind, since it's not something done in one setting. I will follow up with the next step in a week. 

Why drink Kombucha?

The drinks are promoted as improving digestion and diabetes, strengthening the immune system, reducing blood pressure and being detoxifying. Proponents also contend kombucha helps rheumatism, gout, hemorrhoids, nervousness and liver function and fights cancer. *Source

Kombucha is a fermented tea that has been consumed for thousands of years. Not only does it have the same health benefits as tea — it's also rich in beneficial probiotics. Kombucha also contains antioxidants, can kill harmful bacteria and may help fight several diseases.

Do you like Kombucha? 

Random Tid Bits

1. We've been binge watching Ozark. Have you watched it? My sister-in-law used to live in the Lake of the Ozarks. I asked her if the people that are depicted in the show how they really are there. She said, "For sure." I don't remember them being that wacky and back woodsy. 

2. The boys got done with school. That means no more dropping Isaak off, and picking him up. 

3. That also means I need to start going into work. I can't work with blabby boys around me. 

4. I only have a week left at work. I gave them my notice on Monday. Switching jobs again isn't what I wanted to do. I could think of a ton of reasons to stay, but also some major reasons to leave. In the end much of my work that I was happy with they weren't using. They wouldn't even talk about it. I kept doubting myself, and it wasn't healthy. 

More about the job I'm heading to in a week. 

5. My niece Margaret is doing really well. The only thing she's struggling with is solids. My sister has been trying for few months, and she's not into them. Kids with Trisomy 18 typically have weak necks and throats. She's holding her head up ok. I wish she'd take to food, so she doesn't have to get tube fed.