Work Is Something

Guest post written by my buddy Royce Heath

Work is something I love to do, not do something I have to do, but I think part of the reason is because I love my job. I know not many people feel this way about going into the office but I guess I'm just one of those lucky ones who found the right position at the right time for the right price. The only thing I don't really like about my job is a lot of my coworkers… They don't really seem to understand professional boundaries when it comes to e-mailing or calling me at home. I spent a lot of time in the office but when I leave I expect to be left alone until I come back the next day but for whatever reason as soon as I get home my phone is almost always ringing off the hook. I recently got clear wire wimaxand I was a terrible decision because now I'm e-mailing with my colleagues all night long instead of spending time with my husband and children!

How Do You Feed a Hungry Giant?

As a mama that loves to cook, I feel blessed that I have a mini-me who shares my kitchen enthusiasm.

When we received How Do You Feed a Hungry Giant  written by  Caitlin Friedman and illustrated by Shaw Nielsen. Both ladies of the kitchen were excited

First it was fun to see all the ways that the boy in the story tries to feed the Hungry Giant that he finds outside his door, making the book even more fun are plenty pull tabs and doors and windows to open and look through, that keep even straying eyes focused on the book!

We also really appreciated the recipes that went along with the book. Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies are always lots of fun and we are excited to try more of the giant recipes from the book! 

A sure winner in every house How Do You Feed A Hungry Giant  is sure to impress!

I received a free copy of  How Do You Feed A Hungry Giant for this review. All opinions are  !00% mine. I did not receive any monetary payments for this review. 

Kidz SuperFood

I'll admit it, my baby who once ate everything in her eyesight, is not so good about eating her greens anymore, add that in with a mama who simply doesn't have the time to crank out a green smoothie every morning and you have my frustration.

How do I get my two year old to eat everything that she needs?

There was a time when I had all the time in the world to puree foods into other foods and hide the goodies, but my time (and my food processor) have been a bit inaccessible lately which is why I was happy to try  

Kids SuperFood Chocolate

This product from Amazing Grass, is like chocolate milk that is GOOD for your little one (no actually good for them, not like what you tell yourself when the little one is downing chocolate syrup and some milk)

Its a green drink in the form of a powder which is tasty and makes your kids want to eat......err drink their greens! 

Each serving contains 3 servings of fruits and vegetables but only 1 gram of sugar! 

(already we are beating that chocolate milk)

And its non-dairy, non-gluten, non-caffeinated, non-GMO and VEGAN!

I love it as a before school meal since my little one isn't the best about breakfast, its very easy to persuade her with the word 'chocolate'

So give Kids SuperFood from Amazing Grass a try! Its only $24.99 on sale now for 30 servings! Less then a dollar a day! 

I received a free trial of Kids SuperFood from Amazing Grass for this review. All opinions are 100% mine. I did not receiveD any monetary payments for this review.

Start the New Year Healthy with Sun Ridge Farms!

If one of your New Years Resolutions is to stay healthy this year then you should give Sun Ridge Farms a try. 

A company based out of Santa Cruz California (an area where I have recently discovered makes some super yummy and nutritious foods)  Sun Ridge Farms is a company with products that are not only delightful for your taste-buds, but good for you and easy on your wallet!

I'll be honest and tell you that the first thing I devoured from the box of goodies was the Dark Chocolate Almonds, the only part of that that I regret was that so few were left after I finished! Made with all natural dark chocolate, a personal favorite of mine. I was happy to enjoy a good 2/3 of the bag.

The Tamari Roasted Mixed Nuts are the perfect snack to bring along on a hike or for a long car trip. Different then the usual salted variety of nuts, Cashews, Almonds, Peanuts, Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are coated in Tamari adds a taste that is less harsh then salt. Everyone in the family enjoyed these!

Finally I gave the Organic Nutcracker Crunch a try, Its a delightful Asian inspired trail mix. Which like the Tamari Roasted Nuts, is a great surprise from the usual trail mix of cashews, Chex-mix and m&m's. I loved the Sesame sticks and really felt a boost of energy. It was a great selection when I brought it as a snack for a full day of giving chair massage!  Just a handful between every few massages and I was able to keep sustained through out the day.

I really enjoy the way SunRidge Farms has been able to bring such modern twists to such classic snacks. All the above snacks cost under $5 which make them a great choice when you're low on cash or in a hurry!

So next time that you're stocking up on snacks head on over to the SunRidge Farm site and see if there is a retailer near you, or order some straight from their site!

I received a free box of products from SunRidge Farms for this review. All opinions are 100% mine. I did not receive any monetary payment for this review. 

Einkorn Pasta

I had never even heard of Einkorn till very recently, when I was approached by the folks over at Jovial Foods

The pasta from Jovial Foods is made from  Einkorn which was cultivated nearly 12,000 years ago is one of the earliest species of cultivated wheat.

The pasta contains 9 grams of Protein per serving and it outperforms super-foods like the blueberry in nutritional value.

Its also a healthy source of fiber, zinc, iron, and the antioxidant Lutien.

With no egg, the Einkorn Pasta is a great option for Vegan, or vegetarian eaters.

I think its a great option for toddlers. The pasta is hearty like a whole wheat pasta and it goes well in hearty dishes like casseroles because it really holds its shape.

Besides the great taste, if you cover it with some cheese, most toddlers don't even notice the difference so its a simple way to take a normally unhealthy meal and turn it into something that will really rock the lunchbox, AND have your toddler filled with all the protein she needs in just a 2-ounce serving!

We made the Einkorn Rigatoni with Broccoli, Olives, Herbs and Lemons which went great with a roast chicken that I cooked for the night!

If you want more recipes for Einkorn Pasta check out the Jovial Foods Recipes Page

I received a free sample of Einkorn Pasta from Jovial Foods for this review.. All opinions are 100% mine I did not receive any monetary payments for this review.

Gracie's Gift

If you have a little girl and choose to do things to her hair, then there has probably been a point in your parenting that you've dealt with your little one loathing the hair-bow or pigtails.

Ever since my daughter was born, I have been guilty of decorating her adorable little cranium,

From Headbands

To Hats

To Tutus

To Bags

Headlamps

or even Pigtails

She Much prefers it like this

Gracie's Gift  is about a little girl who dislikes hair-bows about as much as my daughter does.

When her birthday comes and she see's her birthday outfit set out on a chair complete with a bow, Gracie is not so excited.

But as the day goes on, Gracie notices the beautiful bows that complete her birthday presents, are just like the bows that her mother gives her everyday, a way to celebrate Gracie as a special gift!

Annabella really enjoys this book, of course she always enjoys reading books about girls and the more pink the more she is convinced that the girl is 'princess'

She also loved the birthday party idea, I think that every young kid can relate to a birthday being a special and exciting event. 

I've found that Annabella wants to do her hair as soon as I'm done reading the book. And while it doesn't work during a temper tantrum, it certainly has turned a few mornings around!

Gracie's Gift was written by Andrea Trosclair and Illustrated by Sean Gautreaux

The book sells for $16.95 and is a hardcover; a portion of the proceeds benefit the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America.

For more information or to get a copy of this book for yourself, visit

www.TrosclairTales.com

I received a free copy of Gracie's Gift for this review. All opinions are 100% mine. I did not receive any monetary payments for this review.

Cuties Clementines and Mandarins!

                                                                                                                                  COAST TO COAST: CUTIES^® CALIFORNIA CLEMENTINES

       AND MANDARINS GO NATIONAL

   Cuties^® Kicks off National Launch And Online Channel – CutiesKids.com – Dedicated to Cute Kids

Los Angeles, Calif. (December 7, 2011) – The kid-friendly California citrus that West Coast shoppers have grown to love is bringing a bit of sunshine to the East Coast. Beginning this month, Cuties^®California Clementines and Mandarins are available coast-to-coast for the first time ever.

In support of the national launch the brand will introduce a $20 million national television and print advertising campaign that is among the most significant in the fresh fruit, vegetable or salad category.

“We know how much parents love sharing Cuties^® Clementines with their kids on the West Coast and we are excited to now offer this popular fruit to families across the country,” said Marc Seguin, senior marketing director for Paramount Farms North America.

In conjunction with the national launch, Cuties^® has also introduced a new, interactive website created especially for kids and proud parents to celebrate the cute things kids do. The site (www.CutiesKids.com) will showcase parent-uploaded videos and pictures, featuring kids doing what they do best: having fun, acting silly and of course, being oh-so adorably cute. Bragging rights aren’t the only prizes parents can win by uploading images of their kids: Cuties^® is giving away a college scholarship worth $150,000 to the star of the cutest kid video.

Cuties^® is teaming up with DonorsChoose.org, a not-for-profit organization that lets contributors across the country fund classroom projects posted by public school teachers on the DonorsChoose.org website. For every video uploaded, users will receive a $10 DonorsChoose.org gift card to use towards any classroom project of their choice. Weekly winners will receive a $500 DonorsChoose.org gift card and the winner of the grand prize will receive a $5,000 card. Cuties^® is committed to kids and educationand will continue the charity gift card giveaway up to $100,000 in addition to the individual college scholarship prize.

“The CutiesKids.com site is another way for us to reward parents for something they already love to do – show off their kids,” said Seguin. “What better way to do that than winning a free college education for your little cutie.”

In addition to school contributions, Cuties^® will award daily and weekly prizes for the first 18 weeks, leading up to one grand prize winner. Participants will be able to share their videos using their social network platforms, and the winners will be determined by the number of online votes.

•        Daily Prizing: Forty-one video contestants per day will each have a chance to win a Cuties^® T-shirt, beanie, lunch box, tumbler or plush toy.

•        Weekly Prizing: One video contestant per week will win a $500 DonorsChoose.org gift card to use to fund a project of their choice in addition to an active game console.

•        Grand Prize: One grand prize winner will be awarded a college scholarship worth $150,000, a $5,000 DonorsChoose.org gift card to use to fund a project of their choice and aseason’s supply of Cuties^®.

                                                                                                      

To submit a video of your kid, or to watch some seriously cute videos, log on to CutiesKids.com. 

About Cuties^® Brand

Thanks to their small size, sweet flavor and easy peelability, Cuties^® are naturally kid-friendly. And with their high nutritional content, they’re a big hit with parents, too. Available from November through May, Cuties^® offer a variety of nutrients per serving including: fiber, potassium, protein, calcium, vitamin C and folate. Cuties^®is a joint venture between Paramount Citrus, Sun Pacific and Fowler Packing. For more information, visit www.Cutieskids.com.

About DonorsChoose.org

Founded in 2000, DonorsChoose.org (www.donorschoose.org) is an online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need. Public school teachers post requests, and then individuals can browse and fund projects that speak to them. After completing a project, the donor hears back from the classroom they supported in the form of photographs and teacher thank-you letters. To date, 184,000 public and charter school teachers have used the site to secure funding for $85 million in books, art supplies, technology, and other resources that their students need to learn. Through DonorsChoose.org, individuals from all walks of life have helped 5.1 million students.