Lightening Online

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for sharing your great “cheer others up” experiences.  We’re having internet troubles at the moment so I’m not able to do as much online as I would like (right now in town at the library trying to do this post quickly).  My apologies for not responding to your comments as I would like.

Recently we were sent a pack of the new Sultana Bran Buds to try.

The kids were rather excited when they arrived and wanted to try them immediately.

To be honest, I was somewhat surprised as my kids don’t like sultanas.  LOL.

But they LOVE these!!!

I’d have walked past them in the supermarket every time assuming they wouldn’t like them because of the sultana content.

The packet we were sent to try was wolfed down in a matter of days.

Followed by “can you buy some more of these mum?”

I’m kind of relieved because the younger two are painful when it comes to what cereal they like.

They’ll eat coco pops and nutra grain (and fruit loops if I’d let them) but I prefer them to have something with some sort of nutritional value for breakfast!

And from what I can gather on the nutritional panel, they have more fibre per serve than weetbix!!!

So, I’ve been offered 5 packs of these to my readers as a giveaway.

If you’d like to try them, simply leave a comment below answering either (or both) of the following questions:

1.  A creative idea for getting more fibre in your kids diet.

2.  What kinds of cereal are popular in your house?

I will announce the winners in a few days (internet willing) so don’t delay, get your comments in straight away. 

Life keeps trying to teach me an important lesson.

I’m not superwoman. 

Which is a bummer really as I’d LOVE to BE superwoman.

Not in the “save people” sense though.

More in the “able to do everything” sense.

Hands up who’s with me?

LOL.

I think most mum’s would like to have more energy, more time, more organisational skills at some point in their lives (or many points as the case may be).

So, one of my “not trying to do it all” moments came when I realised it’s okay to buy prepackaged snacks.

When I was a full-time stay at home mum I cooked a LOT from scratch.

It was a way I could contribute to the family finances by keeping our costs as low as possible.

Now that I’m working part-time (even if it is somewhat flexible, it all takes time) AND doing other things like being President of the Parents & Friends at school, running kids around to sport, music etc etc., I’m finding it increasingly more difficult to fit everything in.

So, the kids now have 1 prepackaged snack for their lunchboxes each day (well, most days).

And Farmboy and I have been using some when we need to grab something to take out on the tractor.

The problem is, it’s not that easy to find prepackaged snacks that have some nutritional value and don’t completely break the bank AND that we like.

I’ve never been a huge fan of muesli bars.  I’m aware that they’ve had a bad rap in the press in regard to their nutritional value BUT the main reason I’m not a fan is because I don’t like them.

Anyway, when Zing asked me if I was interested in the NEW Be Natural Berry Trail Bars, I thought I’d give them a go.

I have to admit that they are quite nice.  I like Berry flavoured things so they appealed to me well.

So, what about the nutritional side of things?

According to the information I was sent, per bar they have:

Energy 462kj

Protein 2.6g

Fat 1.4g total (0.4 saturated)

Carbohydrate 19.7g (5.8g sugars)

Fibre 4.0g

Sodium 54mg

Plus they promote that they have no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.

They also contain 5 whole grains, 3 of which we actually grow (that’s got to be a good thing yeah? )

I don’t know.  Healthy snack?  Treat only?  What do you think?

I’d also love to hear from you as to what kinds of prepackaged snacks you do and don’t buy and why.

P.S.  On a “less healthy” note, I wouldn’t mind trying the Macadamia & Honey or Nut Delight Nut Bars.  They’d be more healthy than a chocolate bar, yeah?

I hate to admit this…but I’m not very technically minded.

In fact, people sometimes get the wrong impression when they see my blog.  It does make me look rather clever doesn’t it?  But all the “clever-ness” was outsourced.

Anyway, it’s usually Farmboy’s job to nut out any new technology in this house.

It’s just all beyond me.

So, I was a little hesitant when it came to getting the Canon Pixma MP990 all set up and ready to use.

It’s no good waiting for Farmboy this time of year.  He’s never home.

Besides, how can I blog about something if I haven’t actually gone through the process myself.

So, I’ve bitten the bullet and set about seeing if I can figure out what needs to be done to get this thing up and running.

STEP ONE - GET IT OUT OF THE BOX, REMOVE THE PACKAGING AND LOCATE THE POWER CORD.

Okay, seemed to manage all of that without too many dramas.  I seem to have notes everywhere.  Not necessarily a bad thing as it’s harder to go wrong that way.

STEP TWO - INSTALL THE INK

Kind of had heart failure when I realised I needed to install the actual print head (tray the inks go in) first!

The instructions were pretty easy to follow though.

And the best bit?

You know that little monitor I was going to talk more about.

Well, it gives you lots of HELP when you’re getting the printer all set up.

And for someone like me who is visually oriented, it makes the whole process SO much easier.

I used a combination of the written instructions in the manual and the visual instructions on the monitor to make sure I was getting it right.

AND, when you have all the inks installed CORRECTLY, they have little lights that light up to let you know it’s “all good”:

How uber cool is that????

STEP THREE - GETTING THE PAPER ALIGNED

The printer comes with a special paper pack that you use when setting up the paper alignment and testing the printer.

What I also like is that my little monitor tells me how long I need to wait while the printer is busy doing something.  It means I’m not left standing around wondering how many minutes cleaning the heads or getting itself sorted is going to take and can go and do something and come back.

STEP FOUR - INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE & CONNECTING TO THE COMPUTER

I did have a little bit of trouble locating where the USB cable was meant to plug in.  The picture in the manual doesn’t show it all that clearly.  With a bit of a hunt, I did find it.

I expected to have to install software from the disk but by plugging the USB into my laptop, I was able to go directly to printing.

You can’t get much easier than that!

STEP FIVE - PRINTING

You’d expect this to be automatic wouldn’t you?

Everything else is all set up, we should be ready to go?

Not quite.

I tried to load the paper in the same place it had gone for getting the alignment all set up.

WRONG!

I hadn’t read the instructions properly.

And, as the kids were quick to point out to me, the computer screen had an image showing me exactly where to load the paper.  *blush*  I did say I was technologically challenged!

The paper gets loaded into a cartridge underneath the printer (similar to the way a photocopier would load).

Unfortunately, I pulled the entire tray out from the printer and it was very difficult to work out how to get it back in.

Difficult for me anyway.  I discovered I just had to lift it up the tiniest bit and it just slid right in.  Doh!

IT’S WORKING!!!!

Always a bonus when you have a new piece of equipment! 

Now the fun part can start!

You’ll have to excuse me if I fail to blog as much in the next few weeks.

I’ve just a received a “parcel in the post” (okay, via courier but you know what I mean right?)

This is the new Canon Pixma MP990.

Isn’t that built in monitor so cute????  (I’ll blog more about that in my next post).

I’ve been asked if I’d like to put this printer through it’s paces and possibly blog about my experiences doing so.

I figured “why not”.  Who wouldn’t want a new toy to play with, even if it is only for a short period of time.

The bonus is, I’ve been considering updating our printer.

Now I have the opportunity to put one through it’s paces before trying to decide what features I’d like/use etc.

How handy that Farmboy doesn’t need me on the tractor this morning.

Housework be darned, I have a present to play with.

P.S. I don’t get to keep it.  I just get to play with it for a while and then I have to send it back.  *sob*

P.P.S.  I didn’t really mean it about not blogging for a while. 

I’m no tech-head.  People sometimes mistake me for one when they see how professional this site looks.  The thing is, I didn’t do it!  :)  Now my secret is out.  LOL.  You only have to have a conversation with me and you’d quickly discover how much of a tech-head I’m NOT.  I tend to refer to all things technical as “thingys” and can be overheard muttering “I hate computers”.

I actually don’t “hate” computers.  I love them.  I just get so frustrated that I don’t know how to do more with them.

My regular laptop (not this small one that has become my “main” one temporarily) is getting old and tired.  I’ve tried downloading “clean up” type programs to help it along.  I think all I achieved was to clutter it up more.

So when I was offered a trial of this system mechanic from Iolo, I figured I had very little to lose in giving it a go.

I’d love to give you the techie low down on how it works and what it does, but that’s a bit beyond me.

This is all I can tell you:

1.  It was so simple that even I could download and install it.  And use it.

2.  It has definitely sped up the speed of our computer.

I guess that’s all you need to know really, right?

Here’s a bit of info the company gave me for those who want to know more:

System Mechanic:

• Fixes errors, crashes and freezes
• Boosts Windows and internet speeds
• Restores system stability
• Cleans out clutter and junk files
• Prevents slowdowns and bottlenecks
• Plugs security holes
• Clears out private data
• Extends healthy life of PCs

System Mechanic Giveaway

Christmas is a great time of year for a giveaway isn’t it?  Well, any time of year is probably a great time of year really!

System Mechanic have offered a number of copies of System Mechanic for me to giveaway to my readers.

It’s very simple to enter.  All you need to do is fill in the form below mentioning one of the 5 top causes of a PC slowdown (as mentioned on Iolo’s website).  You can find the answers on the Iolo System Mechanic website.

(just ignore the website field on the form below - I thought I’d told it not to include that.  It’s been a while since I’ve created a cform *sigh*).

cforms contact form by delicious:days

I know it’s a busy time of year but I hope you’ll take the time to enter. Entries close end of the day Tuesday 22nd December 2009 (South Australian time) and I’ll announce the winners on Wednesday 23rd December 2009. All personal information collected will be used for the purpose of this giveaway only and then deleted.

Last time I reviewed a lego product, I asked Trailer Boy what his dream Lego would be.

His response?

A caravan!!!

This might not be quite the same as our caravan but it’s pretty close:

And the lovely people at Zing actually remembered that was what his hearts desire was.  How nice is that??? 

I was going to keep it for his birthday but he was so sick recently that I brought it out as a “cheer me up”.  And it certainly cheered him up!!!

Even though it’s a smaller set, Lego had still packaged it up into numbered packages to make building it easier:

I’m not the world’s best Lego builder so this was particularly appreciated given he was not well and needed lots of help (and Farmboy is busy at the moment).

Every time I help build a new set of Lego, my heart always leaps to my throat wondering if a piece is going to be missing.  It’s NEVER happened though.  Lego must have some decent quality control.  Which is nice in this day and age of “cutting costs to increase profits”.  It might not be the cheapest toy to buy but at least you feel like you’re getting something for your money.

I still cannot believe how much detail they get into their kits.  This one has little cups, a pushbike (much to Trailer Boys delight!!!), a television.  Once made up, it opens up and you can actually play with the people that come with it - put them in the back, put them in bed etc.  So much FUN!!!!

He’s done nothing but play with it ever since we put it together!

A message from Trailer Boy:

It’s Good.

I like the inside of it and that they can surf.

There’s a thing up there (the top) where they can sleep.

The best bit is the drivers seat.

Thank you to Lego and Zing for sending it to me.

Thanks from me too!!!  I think you saved my sanity, trying to cope with a sick little boy!!!  :)  No doubt this will remain a treasured item in our home for years to come!

When Farmboy and I were dating, we had a friend who had a mammoth beanbag we loved to inhabit.  We decided we HAD to have one for ourselves.  Fast Forward MANY years and that never eventuated.  While I haven’t gone out of my way to hunt for a beanbag that’s comfortable for 2, I haven’t come across any either.

Not until these Omni chairs by Sumo were brought to my attention.  AWESOME!!!!

It’s like Farmboy and I have returned to those youthful “dating” days!!!! 

Of course, there are a few little differences:

Like back then, we didn’t have an 11 year old!!!! 

Or an 8 year old, or a 5 year old!  I wonder if the omni chair has ever been made into a car before?  Notice the babies in their carseats in the back?  I just love kids imaginations!!!! 

And at the end of a hard day….

Perfect for my new school boy to take a much needed nap! 

It has the perfect fabric for those with kids too.  It’s easy-clean (unlike our last beanbag which didn’t stand up to the test of children!).

Alright, enough talking about it, I’m off to snuggle in my omni pillow and watch NCIS! 

You can find more information about the sumo lounge range, including some other suggestions for ways to use it and information on how to get your own by clicking here.

You’ll have noticed that from time to time I’ve been writing product reviews on this blog. I enjoy trying new products and letting you know what I think of them. So when I was approached about trying this new Pomegranate Juice, I was intrigued. I’ve never heard of it before. Here are my thoughts:

FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT

I have to say that before the juice has even hit my tastebuds, I’m impressed. How cute is this bottle? And the logo with the love heart? I’m in love already!!!

I took some with me to swimming lessons during the holidays and the bottle alone sparked quite a bit of interest and intrigue from other mum’s around me.

SOME FACTS AND FIGURES

Attached to the bottle is a cute little label which details the following in terms of the antioxidant power of pomegranate juice when compared to other juices:

POM Wonderful 96%

Red Wine 68%

Concord Grape Juice 62%

Blueberry Juice 51%

Black Cherry Juice 47%

Acai Juice 46%

Given I’ve always thought of Red Wine as being high in antioxidants, I was quite impressed with these figures.

MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE TASTE

It’s taste reminded me of grape juice and blackcurrant juice which isn’t surprising given it’s a similar colour juice to those. It is quite strong and I prefer it watered down with either water, lemonade or soda water. In fact, I think it would make quite a nice base for mixing together with any number of other drinks. Naturally, the health benefits would also be “watered down” in this case. However, I’m not sure I liked the taste enough to continue to drink it at full strength.

THE BIG TEST - THE KIDS

My children are always the biggest critics when it comes to something new so I thought it would give the juice quite the test if I gave it to them. They’re used to having dark juice diluted with water so I gave this to them the same way. Here are there reactions.

Lleyton (almost 11) - wasn’t keen. Took 1 sip and that was enough for him.

Singstar Princess (8) - wasn’t sure. Drank about half of the first cup and said she didn’t like it but came back the next day and wanted to try it again.

Trailer Boy (5) - LOVED it! Can’t seem to get enough and is always asking for more.

So there you go, quite mixed reactions there!

ANYONE ELSE TRIED IT?

It’s apparently available via Woolworths and Safeway stores. Has anyone seen it in the stores and anyone else tried it? I’d love to hear what you thought of it if you have.

If you’d like to know more about it, you might enjoy having a browse of the POM Wonderful website. I noticed there are some other flavours mentioned there. It would be interesting to try some of those. I particularly like the look of the Pomegranate and Blueberry juice.

Just before Christmas, I was asked if I would review a new product on the market called Top Corn. Being the curious person I am, I was keen to lay my hands on some and see what it was like.

Test 1 - The Kids

My kids are big popcorn fans but tend to balk at the idea of trying anything new. Lleyton was the most keen and also being a nut fan, quite liked the taste and texture of the Top Corn. They liked the plain TopCorn and the Cheese flavoured packet.

Test 2 - Farmboy

Farmboy is generally pretty easy to please and seemed to like the Top Corn. His favourite flavor was the Spicy.

Test 3 - My Parents

My father is a diabetic so I was particularly interested in the fact that Top Corn has less saturated fat than chips and nuts. I put some out on Christmas Day and it was as popular as any of the other available snacks.

Test 4 - ME

No doubt I am the pickiest of all the test subjects. I tend to enjoy a savoury snack and I’m a bit of a chip-a-holic. I found the Top Corn quite satisfying as a snack and the thing that interested me most was that while it was nice, I didn’t feel an urge to down the whole packet. This is quite significant because I tend to overeat when it comes to snack foods. I preferred the plain to the Spicy or the Cheese.

What IS TopCorn?

Unlike popcorn, Top Corn is made using large corn kernels that are unpopped. To me it has a similar taste to popcorn but with a much crunchier texture. The plain was salted with a beautifully light salt which created an interesting and pleasurable texture.

It’s made from giant corn (non genetically modified) grown in the Peruvian Andes.

If you’d like to know more about it, have a look at the TopCorn website.

Disclaimer: The only payment for this post was the provision of some samples to try this product.

I grew up thinking water was “free”. Or at least pretty close to “free”. I remember seeing bottled water in the stores and wondering who in their right mind would actually PAY for water???

A can or bottle full of bubbles, colour, sugar and some artificial flavouring seemed great value in comparison to buying plain water!!!

How times have changed.

I like to rate my purchases in terms of nutritional return on investment. If I apply that formula to the purchase of water vs soft drink, water comes out way in front.

I have to admit that I’m still reluctant to buy it unless I have to.

But like it or not, decent water is essential to our health and is getting harder and harder to come by “free”.

We’re very fortunate here where we live. Our rainwater tanks are new and clean as is our air most of the time (particularly in comparison to cities). We can harvest our own water. Of course, there is a still a COST in doing so (the cost of our rainwater tanks).

When we travel, we always BUY bottled water. Why? We’ve found whenever we’re in another area we get stomach upsets - which we attribute to varying bugs in the water. Bugs our body are not used to. So we prefer to purchase water rather than risk being ill while we’re away from home.

When Noble Beverages asked me if I would be interested in trying their Pureau Pure Water, I agreed. Because I wanted some free water? No. Because I’m actually really FUSSY when it comes to water. Which is actually a source of frustration for us when we travel.

I like my water to taste like…. water.

Not plastic or minerals or whatever else is in many bottled water products that make me shudder when I try to drink it.

We’ve already decided that when we do our trip, we’ll allocate funds to purchase water as we go rather than take a risk with various “free” water sources on offer.

Finding something that doesn’t make me “shudder” to drink is kind of high on our priority list.

THE VERDICT?

Pureau Pure Water tastes like WATER!!!

I kid you not. I have not ever tasted prepackaged water that tastes so close to rainwater before.

It got the thumbs up from the whole family.

And the cask made it very easy for the kids to access the water themselves.

A FEW FACTS FROM THE COMPANY:

Noble’s Pureau is the only Australian water that is 100% guaranteed to be completely free of all impurities including chlorine, bacteria, sodium (salt), fluoride, nitrates and other inorganic minerals.

Noble Beverages uses a proprietary three-stage filtration method for its water called the “Pureau Process”. Absolutely no treatment chemicals are used during the process, nor is ozonation, chlorine or UV. It’s also important to note that Pureau is not distilled water – distillation is not part of the Pureau Process.

Pureau is owned by Noble Beverages, an Australian company based in St Marys, Sydney.

Choosing Noble’s Pureau’s 5 and 10 litre casks is a great way to cut-down the consumption of disposable PET and HDPE water bottles, which can help reduce your carbon footprint.

Final Thoughts

Pureau gets the “Lightening Tick of Approval” for:

• Taste
• Aussie Company
• Not using chemicals in the process
• Ease of access for all ages (cask)
• Consideration of Environmental Factors

Over To You

What are your thoughts on buying water for consumption? Do you do it? Do you have a favoured brand? Do you buy based on cost, taste or some other factor?

No money has changed hands for this review. Editorial rights have remained exclusively with the blog author (and always will for reviews - it is a condition of me agreeing to review a product). If you are interested in having a product reviewed, please see my advertise/review page for more information.