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Healthy Choice Steaming Entrees
With my son in school, every single night it's a struggle for me to pack a lunch for him, let alone a healthy one for me. More often than not, I throw in a pack of tuna and some crackers and that's it. Ugh. Once in awhile this is fine, but a little variety would be nice.
I new alternative? Healthy Choice Steaming Entrees. This is not your average microwavable meal, folks! When you pull the entree out of the microwave, you instantly notice that the colors are brighter. Fewer ingredients and the use of steam all work together to release a great, fresh flavor. It also doesn't have that super salty taste of other microwave meals. In just a few minutes, you have a fresh, tasty meal for only a few dollars.
TKDDaughter gives Healthy Choice Steaming Entrees a:
“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Healthy Choice and received samples of their new steaming entrées to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”
What Matters to You: One-a-Day and Wellness
This is sponsored content from BlogHer and Bayer One A Day Multivitamins.
When it comes to the core components of life (relationships, family, money, nutrition, health), what matters to you most? It's a difficult question to answer because money doesn't mean much if you don't have health. Many of these components work within each other. But when I think about what matters the most to me, even when I haven't been my healthiest (three years of knee problems will sort of make you feel unhealthy), it's the relationships in my life that have carried me through the rough times.
After losing my cat at Christmas (had to put him to sleep on Christmas night-imagine telling your kids that when you walk in the door from the vet), and then losing my grandmother over the course of three hospital stays and finally a massive stroke that resulted in us moving her to hospice care, and then finding out I needed to have a third knee surgery, it's hard to feel positive about anything.
But then it hit me, that although these past months have been unbelievably challenging ones for me, although I've often thought "Why me? Why all of this now?" on more than one occasion, I realized I most certainly did have reason to feel thankful for certain things and people in my life.
First and foremost, these past months taught me that my neighbors are not merely neighbors; they are friends, dear friends. The people on my street and in my community rallied around me, bringing prepared meals and heartfelt wishes for personal peace, so much so that it was a bit overwhelming. My karate friends, some who hadn't seen me in months, showed up and offered me emotional support even though I haven't been able to attend class. I am so very thankful for the friends that I have in my life, those near and those far away, who are always able to make me feel better whether it's a personal visit or a phone call. I am so very blessed with an amazing support structure of wonderful people. Relationships, meaningful ones, can make all the difference in your life.
When you're not feeling at your best mentally, and when you're having trouble digging yourself out of the doldrums, having a good support system is key to getting yourself back on track. Speaking of getting yourself on track, there is an interesting little tool that you can use to help you keep track of and continue to work on your own wellness goals. "What matters to you" is a great website, sponsored by One a Day Women's Multivitamins, where one can navigate around a relaxing website and focus in on your own personal goals. Whether you find your goals and a healthy lifestyle by using this site or not, the pictures and the ease of navigation alone will delight your senses and relax you.
And here's another thing that can delight and relax you. . . winning $150. For your chance to win the $150 giveaway from BlogHer, please answer the following question in the comments below:
What matters to you more?
For another five chances to win $150 from BlogHer, make sure you visit this page so you can check out all of these sponsored posts and up your chances at winning. There's also an additional chance to win a $100 Visa card on the main page! Winner will be chosen one month from today!
Winners Announced
Choosing winners for the Romano Macaroni Grill's gift set was difficult. So I enlisted some help from TKDaughter and we just made our choices.
The winners are as follows:
Katharine
and Porsche Nut.
When we hear stories about teachers, we completely get how exhausting it is to come home after a day of teaching and get a decent meal on the table. And Amanda, sippy cups on the table/drying rack. We've been there.
Please send me an email at black-belt-mama at hotmail dot com with your mailing address and we'll get your meal rescue gift sets on the way!
Congratuations!!!
We have more giveaways coming soon! Stay tuned!!!
Mommy Docs Summer Tips for the Holiday Weekend
The 4th of July is upon us and this means that summer is in full swing. This means picnics and swimming and catching fireflies. But with all of these great outdoor activities comes sunburn, bug bites, and belly aches. The good folks at MommyDocs wanted to spread the word on some safety tips to help make your holiday weekend and the rest of the summer safe for you and your kids:
Have a Sun Protection Strategy:
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends sunscreen with a minimum Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15. Look for products that provide "broad spectrum" coverage to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Use this sunscreen routine with your child–daily application 30 minutes before going outside and reapplication every 2 hours (or sooner if swimming, toweling off, or sweating). Creating a routine will establish good habits for the future. In addition, don’t forget a wide brim hat, sunglasses with 99-100% UVA/UVB protection, and sun protective clothing.
Keep Pests off Your Little One:
In the summer, many insects can bite or sting your child. For pesky mosquitoes and ticks, consider a DEET containing insect repellant. Apply sparingly to exposed skin (avoid backs of hands and around the eyes and mouth) and/or to clothing once a day. As the percentage of DEET goes up, the duration of action increases. To prevent unnecessary exposure, always use the lowest percentage that will last for the planned length of time spent outdoors. Never go above 30% or use on children under 2 months old.
Keep the Pool Cool and Clean:
Small yard pools provide a great way for kids to have fun and cool down when the temperature rises, but they can also harbor germs, such as bacteria. To keep the pool free from unwanted "swimmers," after each use disinfect it with bleach by cleaning with a solution of ¾ cup regular bleach to one gallon of water, then rinse well and dry thoroughly. Safety must: Always supervise children regardless of age when they are around any water; whether it’s a bucket, a small backyard plastic pool, or the local community pool.
High Heat Means Hydrate:
Excessive heat exposure may cause your child to experience a heat-related illness such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or even heat stroke. How to prevent this: take breaks in the shade, avoid playing outside during peak sun exposure hours, and drink, drink, drink! Make sure your child is taking in plenty of fluids before he become thirsty.
Rid Rashes and Relieve Itchies:
Running through the yard in bare feet, taking a nature walk on a trail, and picnicing in the park are some of the joys of warmer weather. But all of this outdoor activity can expose your child to a host of plants including those which cause poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. If an allergic reaction occurs, ask the pediatrician about an oral antihistamine and/or a topical skin care product such as a steroid cream or calamine. If the rash is extensive, looks infected, or is not getting better, call your doctor right away.
I had never been to MommyDocs before, but wow! What a great site! I have already bookmarked the site for myself. There is a wealth of information there that I automatically trust not because these women are doctors, but because they are moms. If you are even half as paranoid of a mom as I am, you will want to visit MommyDocs.
Since I learned a ton from these safety tips and the site, I give this a:
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