Java Me Up coffee bar review via Shoplet.com

This was certainly a change as far as "office supplies" product reviews go for Shoplet.com. They sent me some Java Me Up coffee energy bars. Have "Coffee with bite"!

Not your average office product, yet something that is often needed around the workplace. These are a fantastic idea. Get your coffee in the form of a bar. You can avoid spilling, burning yourself, and its quicker to devour than drink. Each bar is equivalent to 1/2 a cup of coffee.

These bars are all natural with fiber and protein. They provide you the energy-inducing push in the form of a bar. Each bar is a combination of coffee, chocolate, almonds, and rolled oats. 

I took some to work to try with my coworkers. Getting up at 4 AM can be hard to do. And since most of us have lives outside of work, i.e. family, school, etc., we don't always get enough sleep. Some of us turn to energy aids such as energy drinks to get through the day. Side effects can be headaches, quickened heartbeat, and increased body temperature. Ingesting these bars didn't result in any of those. I'm not one for coffee in general. I'm that type that drinks it only when it's super sweet and therefore not effective. While these bars are covered in dark chocolate, they aren't overpowered in the chocolate flavor. The taste of rich coffee is quite prominent. My coworkers enjoyed them. The results of added energy varied. My own feelings were inconclusive as I was near the time for my second wind already. One of the guys reported feeling a super boost and it seemed to work. The other one stayed as mellow as he always is. Then again, I don't think he ever comes off as "energized" no matter what he takes. 

The texture and consistency were good. They aren't hard or too chewy. 

If you're a coffee lover looking to try something new and clean, this is it. Easy to take on the go, without making messes, and still helping to kickstart your day - these bars have my approval. They are $39.99 per pack which comes to $1.66 for each bar.
Don't forget to check out Shoplet.com for more than just office supplies. They now provide medical supplies, office stationary, and promotional products to get your business name out there.

A great month over all

January was pretty busy. Getting into the swing of the new year, making plans and even turning a year older. It seems to be flying by so quick. 

Work has been the craziest of all.

Preparing for our Bounce Back has made me seriously despise working in retail. 

I came up with a new creation of my own. Your mind can get quite devious when the cupboard is getting bare. 

I had pasta, diced tomatoes, sour cream and some velveeta cheese. Mixed it up for a sort of southwest meal. I think adding chicken or ground beef would be a good idea too. 

For my birthday, a couple of my coworkers treated me to their baking skills with chocolate mint cookies

and chocolate mint cupcakes.

I'm pretty sure that in two days time I've gained about 10 pounds, but the taste was divine so I'll survive. 

Instead of making my cake or my husband going out to buy one, I decided to get Krispy Kreme donuts. 

Why not? Especially when I got one free with a free drink from my birthday email. 

Which, by the way, Krispy Kreme has a deal if you're needing to buy more than 5 dozen donuts for parties or other events before February 12th... 

Or here's another Valentine's Day giveaway, that you might be interested. One of the local rock stations is giving away a divorce for Valentine's Day.

Yep, that's right. Divorce. So if you had enough (like me), you can sign up for a chance to win an uncontested divorce by local (Bexar county residents only) lawyer-assisted divorce. Happy Valentine's Day, honey! 

February should be fun.... 

Guest post of healthier living by Mediterranean Snacks

Occasionally I received emails from Mediterranean Snacks that I feel are worth sharing. This is one of them. Let's stay healthy and live better, not just this year, but every year to come! 

 

3 Ways to Make This Your Best Year

1. Clean Eating: Here's the trick to shifting your diet to a more balanced and clean routine.  Start small. Many of us go "all in" before really thinking through our goals and knowing what are the best steps to take. Jumping to extremes or going full force can make it harder for us to maintain. We suggest you make a list of all the things you would like to work on, evolve, or change in your diet.  Maybe it's cutting out soda, swapping fried chips for baked lentil chips, eating fewer carbohydrates, adding more greens, or simply drinking more water. After you make your list, pick the top 12 and use those as your guide, one for each month of the year.  So each month you make one temporary change with a goal to make it a habit. By the end of the year, you will have made 12 improvements to your diet, how awesome is that? 2. Get Active: How many times have you tried to get active, yet sometimes, you feel you may have failed? Same rules apply as in step 1. Start small and make it gradual. We also recommend focusing on your interests and find an accountability partner; a buddy to check in with weekly. Start with getting active once a week for a month, then twice a week, then three times a week and so forth.  Make sure you and your accountability partner check in with one another to ensure success. 3. Stay Positive: The first two steps may not succeed unless you work to stay positive. Change is not always easy, but if you want things to be different in your life, then being open to change is a great start. Find your gratitude in each day and in each experience because this will open up your mind to new ideas and make it easier to stay positive.  Make this your best year-you deserve it!

American Sniper movie review

I went to see American Sniper last night. I've heard from so many people about how great it was. Even my mother has been urging me to go as well. She was right. Every American needs to see this one.
For starters, it's directed and produced by Clint Eastwood. He's a great american actor and director who has my utmost respect.
This movie brings a very important subject to the spot light; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. Our military men and women come back changed mentally and/or physically. Numbers are showing that there are 22 veterans committing suicide on a daily basis. That's a staggering amount of individuals within a similar group. PTSD can be triggered by sights and sounds that are reminiscent of what they experienced while deployed. Friends and family need to know how to recognize the signs and reach out to those coming home on a regular basis.

This story is about Chris Kyle. At 25 years old, he joins the Navy and becomes a SEAL who later struggles with war and home life. He marries before his first deployment after the September 11 attacks. Leaving behind a pregnant new bride, he is thrown into war and pitted against a sniper of incredible skills on the enemy's side. This story takes you into what it's like for these soldiers. They have a bond stronger than blood. When one of them gets hurt, the rest seek vengeance. They look to finish off the enemy that threatens the American way of life.
I was floored by this movie. They make jokes throughout. But it's far from a comedy. It's action packed with everything Americans might not see or know. The struggle for him to adjust to home life after being on a battlefield. Four tours left him distant and always on edge. It took a lot of patience from him wife to pull him back in to reality. He began helping others who were recovering as well. It gave him something to use to find balance. Sadly, he was killed in the US by another vet on a gun range.
There's a lot of hype going on about this movie. A lot of political nonsense. But this movie is about one mans life and experience. About fighting for what he believed in, being scarred by what he saw and did, and overcoming it all. Our Marines, Navy, Air Force, Army - all of them deserve our respect. All of them fight while we sit here and enjoy the privileges to do whatever we want in the country founded on being free. They fight overseas to try to keep the war away from home. No matter what you think of war or of those leading the troops, you need to support the troops themselves. They volunteered their lives and minds.

 Some interesting trivia that I found...

Chris Kyle met "Lone Survivor", Marcus Luttrell, during their BUD's(SEAL Training) and became close friends with him although they graduated with different classes. They kept in contact often and remained friends for the remainder of Kyle's life.

 The real Chris Kyle was murdered on February 2, 2013 at a shooting range while trying to help a veteran that had severe PTSD.

 Chris Kyle's first long range kill was a woman who was about to throw a grenade. It was not, as depicted in the movie, a child and then his mother. When asked about it, Kyle responded "The woman was already dead. I was just making sure she didn't take any Marines with her".
 So I have a challenge for each of you reading this.... Go see the movie. Then reach out to a veteran. Even if all you do is say thank you. Remember what they have done for YOU.