As part of the campaign, they sent me a package with coupons, scratch-off tickets to enter a contest to win a year’s worth of DanActive, and a cute magnet white board for the fridge. I was very excited to receive it, and quickly ran off to the grocery store to get my pack.

The Dannon DanActive probiotic drink is packaged in a 7+1 format and comes in several flavors, but I chose strawberry-banada. I’ve never been much of  a yogurt person, but so far I’ve really enjoyed them. The container is small, easy to hold, and sealed with the traditional silver foil top that yogurt containers used to have. The flavor was nice, not overpowering as strawberry can sometimes be. I did notice a slightly strange texture on my tongue after drinking, but that could be normal for yogurt, I’m not too sure. Either way, it wasn’t anything that would turn me off from the product, I just felt it was worth mentioning since some people are sensitive to that kind of thing. The serving size is perfect for a quick snack, or as a breakfast substitute for folks who don’t normally have breakfast [guilty!]

As a probiotic, I can’t really say if it worked on the front or not. I’ve always been kind of irregular, and that didn’t change much, though we did have a stomach bug go through the house right in the midst of my test, so that could easily have affected it. But whether it really works like the commercials say or not, I would still recommend the product – it’s a quick, easy, healthy snack, that also happens to taste great!

This is a product review based on personal experience – I received a coupon for a free package, but no other compensation from the companies mentioned.

My initial rection was after taking it out of the box, as to be expected, “wow!” It is a beautifully design computer, lightweight for the size, and thin enough it can fit into almost any workstation, no matter how small your space is. The keyboard and mouse fit perfectly with the style of the computer, so it all feels like one cohesive unit.

Once we set it up, my husband had to show me where the power button was – a bit of a downside considering it’s not in the most obvious of places [on the back of the screen, left hand side], but with his experience using one in the office, not a big deal. The setup process was smooth and each step was outlined simply on screen. Within minutes, it was ready to go, which made me quite happy.

Right out of the box, the keyboard and mouse are a bit strange. The keyboard is smaller than almost every Windows PC keyboard I’ve ever seen, and the keys are downsized to go along with it. Then of course there’s the new keys you don’t find on a standard keyboard, and the change of keyboard shortcuts – I still haven’t figured out how to tab between programs – or even if you can. But the media buttons on it work very well [better than the ones on my former laptop!], and I love that it’s wireless, so I can adjust it’s position easily, and don’t get my feet tangled in anything while I work.

The mouse also has a completely different design, which I’m still getting used to. It’s wider and very flat, so it doesn’t lend itself to actually resting your hand on, so it can be uncomfortable to use for long periods of time. The touch-based controls are nice, though I find them to be slightly less responsive than I’d like – and without the click of a scroll wheel, it’s hard to judge just how far or fast the screen will move while swiping your finger. I’m still adjusting to it, so in a few weeks once I’m solidly using it for work and play, I’ll have a better sense of whether it’s good or whether a swap out for a different one would be in order.

Being a Unix-based operating system, it definitely has a different feel to use than a Windows PC. One of my biggest initial issues was that the menu bar is always located at the very top of the screen, no matter what you size the window to. It took me a little while to adjust to that, and I still sometimes find myself getting confused when I try to do something with it. And without a standard Windows task bar, I sometimes have to search a bit for the program I want, since I no longer need to use my windows at full size.

So far though, my biggest complaint with the OS is the installation of new programs – I’ve found it to be confusing, and definitely more difficult than it’s made out to be on the various websites I read before getting the iMac. The drag-and-drop style doesn’t always work just how it’s supposed to, and it won’t work if you don’t move the exact file you need to – which can be annoying if you download something and it comes in a folder or zip file. For the most part I’ve figured it out, though I still have one game I can’t seem to get to work even after I installed it, even under the Admin user. But, with time to adjust to it and some quick instructional reading online, it’s not a major problem.

So, my impressions thus far are generally favourable. While there is a definite learning curve and adjustment period, I feel like it was worth the investment and switch from a Windows PC – especially after spending time editing some photos and seeing just how well it handles my heaviest-use software.

Photo is by me, and is my current desk set up.

@ClutterDiet – The Clutter Diet program, offering lots of great tips for beating the clutter problem.

@smashingmag – Links to great Smashing Magazine posts, and info from around the internet about design and technology.

@pregg3r – Lots of great info about conceiving, pregnancy, and newborn life.

@randysnotes – Fun random quotes, thoughts, and links, with LOTS of humor thrown in!

And don’t forget, I’m @tinakeightley, and I tweet about my life, photography, crafting, humor, and random links I find.

Do you Twitter, and do you have any great Follow Friday suggestions? I LOVE finding new folks to follow! Enjoy!

That type of balance is a myth – it’s nearly impossible to have both items perfectly level at all times. What usually happens is you’ll swing from focus on family to focus on work at different times, with the scales tipping one way or the other. Right now, my scales are tipped towards work – while I do spend much of my day with my kids, whenever I can get free time, I spend it working in some way or another. Right now, I’m spending a lot of time creating for my Etsy shop [psst, check it out here!], and will be moving on to rewriting my business plans and whatnot. Both of which are vital to success, so I don’t have an issue spending my free time that way.

The key to ‘balance’ is understanding that it’s okay to focus more on one or the other. There are times when you need to focus more on work – several big projects to complete, or a rush of clients coming in, or needing to create new product after a bunch of sales. Then there are times when the need to focus on family is paramount – major life changes, holidays, etc. Accept that it’s unlikely you will never find that perfect balance, and you’ll feel a whole lot less stress trying to achieve it.

Best of luck to you all in finding your balance!

Photo by mrserica on Flickr from the Creative Commons.

We’ve been seeing a financial adviser for about 6 months, which has literally saved us from bankruptcy. Through our own lack of knowledge and dumb choices, we racked up an INSANE amount of consumer debt for have a [relatively] low income. One of the first things she did was tell me to call and cancel all of the credit insurance-type items on my credit cards, which totals at least $50 per month in charges – YIKES! But I’ve kept putting it off, due to my extreme fear of telephone conversations.

Well, I finally bit the bullet and started today. I had to call one of the companies anyway, so I figured if I’m doing it, might as well scratch a few others off as well. So, for a whole 5 minutes on the phone, I’ve saved about $30 per month in charges for things we really don’t need. I still have one or two more to deal with, but for now, that’s a good start.

And, I have to say, it was surprisingly non-painful – even when I had to repeat myself constantly that NO, I DON’T WANT YOUR SERVICE.

Take a page from my book, and if you’ve got credit card or other monthly charges you don’t need or want, for only a few minutes of your time, you could save a bunch of money by canceling. And no, I’m not switching to Geico.

Photo by 1Happysnapper on Flickr from the Creative Commons.

But in the past couple of days, the pain has gotten much worse. In fact, this morning I had to call DH over to get Isaac from my lap before I could stand up, it hurt THAT much. So, with the help of a heat pack, he rubbed it out enough that I could move again, but unfortunately I’m still in pain.

Since a lot of pain is due to muscle tightness and a lack of muscle strength, I’ve decided I need to get into some sort of exercise/stretching routine. From what I’ve read, lower back pain is often caused by poor posture, tightened muscles and ligaments in other joints, and weak core muscles. To alleviate the pain, I’m aiming to first do some stretches once or twice a day to help loosen the muscles. After a few days if the pain has subsided, I’m going to move on to doing light resistance to help build better muscle strength in my abdominals, and try to add in some light cardio. And, of course, I’m going to work on sitting properly at my desk, so as not to cause the pain to reoccur.

I did a quick search this morning and came across a couple of websites which might be a help if you suffer from lower back pain. The first is Lower Back Pain Answers. While this site doesn’t recommend starting exercises until the cause of the pain is remedied, I’m confident getting started now is a good idea for me, since I know the cause of the pain. The second is Yoga Postures Library, which covers many of the poses used in the practice of yoga. I have always liked the idea of doing light yoga, and I think it would be a good way to focus my stretching and help reduce stress.

I’m rather hopeful if I can stick to this plan, the pain I’ve been suffering will subside. If not, off to the doctor I’ll need to go, and I could very well have to stop working, as sitting at my desk for too long only makes it worse.

Ingredients:

• 1 jar spaghetti sauce [we use a store brand mushroom sauce, but anything will work]
• 1lb ground beef
• 1 can mushrooms OR 1/2-1 package fresh mushrooms
• 1 small package of noodles [we've used spaghetti, farafella, macaroni - anything you like]
• Parmesan cheese [optional]

Brown the beef in a frying pan on medium heat, making sure the pan is deep enough to take the sauce. Once the meat is about halfway cooked, add the mushrooms and cook until the meat is done and the mushrooms are browned. Turn the heat down and add the sauce, and cook until bubbling, stirring occasionally.

While the beef is cooking, fill a pot with water and add some salt, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the noodles and cook until they’re cooked to your taste – we always cook ours a bit beyond al dente, especially if it’[s spaghetti, because neither DH or I are good at keeping it from clumping LOL. Once cooked, drain and put back into the pot. Add the sauce, mix, and serve with Parmesan if you like.

This recipe feeds 4 generously, and makes great leftovers – we often have it for lunch for one or two days after we make it, and it’s amazing. We also vary it up sometimes – leaving out mushrooms if we don’t have them, or adding green pepper, celery, onions, or other veggies. Enjoy!

That was my Facebook status update last night after I bit the bullet and joined The Clutter Diet. As I’ve mentioned before, we have a lot of Stuff. Which isn’t a recent problem, I’ve always been a collector and packrat. I eliminated a lot before we were posted, but not nearly enough, and have accumulated more since. This is a problem, because I just don’t have the time an energy to have to clean it all – so it’s time to let go!

So, having attempted various systems for dealing with it on my own and finding little success, I’ve made the decision to join a program to give me the direction and motivation I need to succeed. I really think this program will work for me, as long as I put myself to it – and set up good rewards for completing the work!

Do you have a clutter problem? Why not check out The Clutter Diet, or Flylady, or any of the other systems that get you tackling it! I’ll be posting updates periodically here on the blog, occasionally with photos as well.

In the interest of transparency, the links in the post are affiliate links – but I receive no other compensation from the companies mentioned, and I pay for my membership.

The first is one I’ve been following for awhile, Becoming Minimalist. I’m not a minimalist by any stretch, but I came across it while reading about decluttering and living simply, and this blog offers lots of great info on both, among other topics. I always enjoy reading it, even if I don’t always agree completely with the author’s opinion.

To get you started, here are a couple of my favorite recent posts:

Why fewer toys will benefit your kids

10 tips to start living in the present

Enjoy!