Feosol Iron Supplement - Giveaway

I received a box of Feosol Iron Supplements to facilitate this post.  The opinions below are my own. 

My freshman year of college I got really run down.  I started feeling weak and exhausted all the time.  I went to the "quack shack" - aka the university medical center, and they tested me for mono.  But it was negative. 

One day I was trudging up the three flights of stairs to my French class when I was hit by such strong dizziness and weakness that I had to sit down.  In the middle of the flight of stairs.  Let me tell you - I still remember how gross that floor was as I stared down at it, wondering how I would ever make it up to my class.  It turned out that I had an iron deficiency.  Not fun!

 Feosol Iron with Bifera is an iron supplement that minimizes side effects.  Because if you've ever taken iron, you know it can be really rough on the stomach.  It is a heme based iron, so it actually increases absorption while decreasing nausea and constipation. 

Fatigue is so common in women, and many of us ignore the symptoms and just keep pushing on.  I know I am guilty of this.  It never hurts to check in with your doctor about these things.  And long before you're stuck in a dirty stairwell with no clue of how to get up!

Want to win some Feosol iron supplements?  Click on the Rafflecopter below.  Remember to always check with your doctor before starting an iron supplement. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Running Recap June 2013

I am starting to miss racing!  I have done no speedwork this spring, so I'm in no shape to race, but I do miss it. 

The past month I added quite a few supplements to my routine, in hopes that I would start to feel better in my running.  Here's what I'm taking:

I don't normally take supplements, but I was at a point where I needed to try something.  I feel like I typically get what I need in my diet.  But I guess a little boost never hurts.  I'm taking Glucosamine/Chondroitin for the joint pain I've been having.  I don't like to take this because it does tend to raise my blood pressure, but I don't plan to stay on it for more than a month or so.  I love the Vitamin Shoppe's Energy Formula multivitamin - it's a vitamin I took about 8 years ago.  I am feeling a bit better since I started back on it.  I also added in sublingual B-12, as I've had a B-12 deficiency in the past.  And lastly, some Omega-3 Fusion that tastes like lemon meringue pie.  Quite an assortment, but I do think that they are making a small difference.

Running - 115 miles
Weights - 7x
Swimming - 3x
Yoga - 1x

Not a bad month.  Next month will be lower because we will be really busy for much of July. 

What about you, readers?  Do you take any supplements? 

Mossy Heart

1.  When we took our canoe trip a couple of weekends ago, and docked briefly at a little island, I discovered a perfect little mossy heart on the trail. 

2.  When I was 7 (1982) I used my allowance to buy a gypsy fortune teller doll.  She had a tiny magic 8 ball.  You couldn't see her too well in the box, so when we got her home and opened the box to discover a very much unclothed and anatomically correct well-endowed upper half, my mom and I were shocked.  And we had to laugh.  And then my mom designed a shirt for her so she could be covered up and decent.  Why they would have designed a shirtless toy like that is beyond me - wonder how many of them sold? 

3.  If we have some free time, I take the boys to the library.  They are signed up for the reading program, and have to read 600 minutes this summer to get the prizes.  So we check out a lot of books.  I love the library - they have comfy couches I can sit on and free fast wifi, and the boys are happy to play with their puzzles and train table. 

4.  Never assume someone is a bad parent when a child is acting out.  Recently we put Cort on a new preventative for his asthma (he continues to struggle with this), and the steroids in it made him mean.  And I do mean MEAN.  It finally got to the point where we were in a parking lot trying to run an errand and he was screaming at me at the top of his lungs and hitting the sidewalk with his fists and I thought, "This is NOT my child".  That was my breaking point.  I took him off the medication, and explained to his doctor why.  He'll be going for a breathing test later this summer. 

5.  I like it really cold at night when I sleep.  In the winter I don't even turn on the heat in our bedroom. 

This post linked with Nancy for Random Friday at A Rural Journal and Clytie at Random Hearts. 

Gone Canoeing

For Father's Day we decided to take the boys canoeing.  This is the first time we'd ever been as a family.  We got off to a slow start when Paul discovered one of the tires on the trailer was stripped.  We had to make a detour to buy a new trailer tire along the way.

An hour later, we finally launched the canoe.  My aunt and uncle gave us this canoe years ago, and we've been so eager to use it - but waiting until we felt certain that the boys would be able to sit quietly on our adventure.

Still, I was nervous enough about capsizing that I decided to leave behind my good camera.  Instead, I dusted off my old point and shoot for the ride.

The boys did really well though.  I think the fact that the boat rocked when they shifted weight helped.  It provided a little scare factor - just enough to keep them in their seats.

About halfway into our adventure we discovered a marvelous tiny island (we were paddling in a local lake and nature preserve called Carvins Cove). 

On the tiny island is one of the most perfect picnic spots I've ever seen.  Next time we are definitely bringing along lunch! 

Paddling on the water is so relaxing.  And Carvins Cove doesn't allow noisy boats like jet skis and motorboats, so it really is a serene setting.

Lots of smiles, all around.  I'd call our first canoe trip a success!  Hopefully there will be many more to follow.

Helpful Tip of the Day:  If your three year old says, "Mom, now can I do exercise in the water?" while you're in the middle of packing up the boat, don't distractedly tell him "Yes".  Unless you want a soaking wet 3 year old to bring home. 

Oh Those Socks!

Have you ever......loved a pair of socks so much......that you pulled them up high for all the world to see?

Have you ever...loved a pair of socks so much that you wore them....even when they didn't match a single item of clothes you were wearing?

Have you ever.....loved those socks so dearly that you hid them from your Mom when they were dirty so you could keep wearing them and they wouldn't be delayed in the wash?

Have you ever....loved your socks to such an extent, that if you discovered with horror that they had made it into the wash one day, you sat down and sobbed over having to wear a different pair?

Me neither.

But I know someone who has.

Kindergarten Moving On Ceremony

On June 6th, Pierce had his Kindergarten moving on ceremony.  It was so cute.  They sang a wonderful collection of nursery rhymes set to catchy modern day music.  Pierce was the clock from Hickory Dickory Dock. 

After the program, they gave out candy awards.  Each child received an award.  Awards included Symphony Bars for the most musical, Mr. GoodBars for the best citizen, Mounds bars for the kid who showed mounds of improvement, and Babe Ruth bars for most athletic.  Twenty awards for each class, and each kid received one that was unique to their personality.  Pierce's?  He got the Smarties award, for the kid who was "always having the smartest ideas and thinking outside the box"

Shucks if I wasn't so proud of him!  He worked hard this year, and he did such a great job with his reading and writing.  I plan to continue to work with him this summer on his reading and his handwriting (which is kind of scribbly still).    We have so much going on that it isn't always easy to squeeze in some schoolwork, but I plan to try for a few minutes each day.

Readers, do you have any summer goals?

Pralines and Cream Scones Recipe with International Delight #spon

I have blogged before about how much my boys enjoy scones. They eat them for breakfast, but also enjoy having them as a snack. I'm always trying to create new versions of scones for them, so they won't get bored. In trying to come up with a new scone, I realized that International Delight's Caramel Macchiato creamer has such a decadent flavor it would be an amazing addition to a scone recipe. I decided to try combining the International Delight Caramel Macchiato (Sugar Free) creamer with chopped pecans to create a pralines and cream style scone. It's a bit sweeter and moister than your average scone, and the boys and I loved them.

 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup International Delight Caramel Macchiato creamer (I used Sugar Free)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender (or knife and fork) until mixture is crumbly and resembles cornmeal. Combine egg, International Delight creamer, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture, adding just enough to moisten the mixture (you may have some leftover). Stir in pecans. Place on floured cutting board (if mixture has become to wet to work, add more flour) and pat into a round disk about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 10-12 wedges. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 400* for 15 minutes or until light brown. Serve warm with butter and jam if desired.

Readers, instead of commenting on this post, I'd love for you to go check out What's Your ID? International Delight is looking for their most passionate flavor fans. Put your ID on the map to enter to win a Magical Trip, play games and discover more unexpected delight. Share your ID flavor at http://whatsyourid.com/.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.