Cold and Flu

(Originally posted on Chat with Sandy 12/30/10. I am bringing it back because I like these products. I am no longer a GT VIP blogger and I’m not getting compensated in any way for this post. But I do believe in these products and use them myself and wanted to let you know)

Has it Hit Your House Yet?

Cold & Flu  has hit mine… several times.  We have had colds, bronchitis, walking pneumonia, strep throat, sinus infection in the last 3 months between the 10 of us.

Not fun is it?  Yuck!!

What have I had?  I will tell you that I thought 2 different times that I was getting sick. But it was like 1 day of a little sore throat and then it was gone.  Last night was the first night that I wondered about a cold. My nose was stuffy, but so far today it seems fine.
You know.. I hate even writing this! Because as soon as I start bragging that I haven’t gotten sick… I’m going to get whammied!!

I was going to put this video at the end of this post….but I want you to see this.  Dr. Lindsay Duncan was on the View and did a great job explaining some of these… After the video… check out the rest of our adventure with these juices. Consider this a commercial break! lol

What have I been doing that the rest of my family hasn’t been?  I’ve been drinking Omega Orange Juice from Genesis Today.  Do I know that is why I haven’t been sick and they have been?  Nope, I don’t.  Could it be?  Sure…

My boys got home from the first 3 weeks of basic, both with congestion and the beginnings of colds and coughs.  I started them drinking the Omega Orange and also the Resveratrol, Acai juices along with taking the new Vitamin C and Acai chews that I received from them.

Neither of them have gotten worse like you would expect with a cold. They are both doing great. The first several days that took Nyquil at night and Dayquil during the day. But then that was it. About 3 days and they are better.  Again… can I say it is from the Genesis Today products that they are better?  No… I can’t.

We had several different juices from Genesis Today to try.  The favorite of my older boys (we were out of Omega Orange) was the Pomegrante & Berries with Resveratrol. We also tried the Cranberry Goji and the new Veggie Blast.

The Vitamin C chew has 200% of vitamin C in it, along with some other great stuff.  It tastes good, reminds me of a starburst piece of candy.

The Acai chew is the same size. The consistency is slightly different.  It is just a little firmer. The taste is very much the same as the Acai juice. It is a little tart, and I like to have my coffee to drink after I eat it.  It doesn’t taste bad, but my mouth is actually watering as I type this. lol

My thoughts on the new Cranberry Goji juice – taste wise, I don’t care for it. But… remember!!! The Genesis Today products are about the health benefits for you and what they can do… Let me tell you… the pure form of these things do not taste good. You can get the concentrated form and take 1 oz a day.. and it is terrible! But they have made these juices in a diluted 8 oz serving form that I get at Walmart. So those of us who want the health benefits but want a better taste.

The Veggie blast tastes like cold tomato soup.  I personally have never liked V-8 because of the peppery taste. The Veggie Blast did not have the peppery taste when I was drinking it. Now – what I did notice was an “after burn” in my throat – not really my tongue. Kind of strange really – but a good way to get your veggies in!

I have to start eating healthy and this year is going to be kicked off right. Genesis Today is going to be part of my healthy lifestyle for 2011 and beyond!

Disclosure: I am on the Genesis Today VIP Superfood blogger team. I did receive samples of the Veggie juice, Goji juice and chews to try. I was allowed to use the video if I wanted to (which I did). The pictures are my own and opinions are my own.

(Update 2012 – I’m no longer a GT blogger and did not get compensated with any product to repost this blog)

Healthy Smoothie

(reposted from Chat with Sandy 2/7/11)

Super Healthy Shake that taste good!

I’m like things to taste good, and often when I see or hear of “healthy” food, it doesn’t taste good.  Here is something that that I like and is really healthy for me. 

My sister gave me the recipe for this shake that she has been having in the mornings. She started drinking it in January of this year and has lost 11 pounds, just because she isn’t hungry during the day.  She is still eating.. but she isn’t snacking.  {perfect!!}

I made it again today, and other than my Lean Cuisine that I ate for lunch, I have been great with water and now a piece of gum. It is 3:54pm (and that 3:00 hour usually kills me) and I’m fine. So really hoping this works for me too.

Here is the recipe:

1) 1 cup Omega Orange Juice (you can use any juice here. My sister uses a juice with grapefruit etc..)
2) 1 cup Frozen Fruit (mixed)
3) 1 cup Greek Yogurt
4) 1 cup fresh spinach (I just use a big bunch)
5) 2 Tablespoons Flax Seed
6) 2 Tablespoons Metamucil (I didn’t have for first batch. My sis recommends the berry favored. I could only find orange)
7) ice – optional

Just measure everything out and put into the blender

Greek Yogurt

Frozen Fruit – My husband went to the store for me, and got blue berries instead of a mixed frozen bag of fruit. No complaints.. the blue berries are good.  But next time I’m going to try the mixed fruit.

These are frozen.. not sugared as they appear
Next I added the Omega Orange Juice from Genesis Today. Love this juice! You can get it at Walmart. I drink it every morning, so I wanted to use it.

Add your fresh, washed spinach

My sister just said to take a big bunch of it. Hard to really measure a cup

Add your 2 T of Flax seed and 2 T of metamucil

Then you turn on your blender and blend it all together

I had to stop once or twice to get stuff off the side and move the spinach down, but it mixed pretty well.

You can add ice if you want.  I don’t know that it needs it, but I did add a few cubes each time I made it. Of course you can add the ice in at the beginning.. I just forgot.

Then blend some more

I originally poured it into a 12 oz glass. That was too small. I needed a bigger cup.

I have had things with flax seed in them before… so I wasn’t too sure about this. I was a little scared to try it.  I thought…. spinach, flax seed .. oh no.  This shake did not have the metamucil in it.

But this really was good.  I was so pleased!  It wasn’t one of those that I had to hold my nose and force down. I enjoyed it.

I made it again today with the Metamucil.  It was thicker.  I noticed that right off the bat.  If I would have taken a picture, you wouldn’t have seen all the bubbles, it was more like a thick milk shake. I got a straw.  It was also very good. I didn’t really notice any change in taste adding in the Metamucil.

Some of it was left at the bottom of my cup.. maybe about 1/4 of a cupful… and I went to wash the cup out a little later and it had really thickened up. I defiantly think that was the Metamucil at work.

I’m going to keep drinking them. I’ll try some different combination’s with the mixed fruit, and maybe I’ll try another one of the Genesis Today juices in it… but for now I am wanting to stick with the Omega Orange.

Update: I posted this originally on my Chat with Sandy blog 2/7/11. I have not been able to find the Omega Orange juice for awhile when I go to Walmart. You can use any juice, and I’ve made it with Acai or Resveratrol from Genesis Today also. I’ve inspired myself by reposting this. I’m going to get these started again. They are good… and good for me.

Disclosure: I have done some work with Genesis Today in the past and love their products. This post was not done as a review, promotion or even the knowledge of GT.

Organizing to Traveling

I have started my traveling this year….in a big way.  So I really have been organizing to travel!  I just went to Austin, TX to be a judge for the Genesis Today Bloggers Immersion. I got to help pick one of the 5 finalist for the Genesis of a Great Idea Contest.  Debba Haupert won by the way from Girlfriendology.com

I leave on Wednesday to go to Nashville for the BlissDom conference. I am going to see my boys who live there on Wednesday and go to the conference the next day. I will be driving there. I flew to TX.

I come back from there on a Sunday and leave again on Wednesday for the Disney Social Media Moms Conference. I will be flying there also.

Here are a few tips that I have used to make getting ready to go easier.

1) Make a packing list.  Ok..I always do this. But I took it a step further and have it on my computer now. So I just have to print it out and tweek it for each trip.  It has all the items that I am always worried I will forget…like the phone, computer, camera chargers and sync cables, business cards.  I have a section on it for things to take on board the plane.

2) You can also make another list like the above for things to do before you leave.  Cooking meals for the family, make a copy of your itinerary for your husband or wife, leave insurance card and schedule for kids activities.

3) If possible use a little larger suitcase to go with, so you will have room if you get things on your trip to bring home.

4) Pack a base color of clothes and use accessories to change your look to reduce clothing. Scarves are great accessories (I am just learning how to use them myself)

5) Be sure all your electronic items are charged before you leave.

Genesis Today

I am thrilled to be traveling to Austin, TX on Wednesday am.  I have been chosen to be one of the judges on the Genesis of a Great Idea panel to decide which of these fantastic people will win $10,000!  How fun will this be?  The other 4 who do not come in 1st place will still receive $1,000 each.

Francesca Banducci from Mayhem & Moxie  and Jill Smokler from Scary Mommy  are a team.

Debba Haupert – Girlfriendology

Deb Rox

Mike Kunkle at Dream Worthy Gifts

Jan Idelman of Creative Group

Genesis Today has come out with 3 juice that are in Walmart and Sam’s Club. Prior to this you could only purchase their concentrated juices via their web site or Health food stores.  But they developed a juice that is not concentrated (and hence tastes good) that is affordable and easy to get.

I became a firm believer in these juices after I learned that my sister and brother in law (surgeon who investigates everything)  have used them for the last 3 years.  They swear by them!  So that gave me the confidence to look further into them myself.  I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Lindsey Duncan (founder and president of Genesis Today) and Dan and Jeff from Genesis Today when I was in Las Vegas at Blog World.

We are going to get to tour Genesis Today headquarters and have a two hour question and answer session with Dr. Lindsey.  I will be tweeting and whrrling while I am there. I will be excited to tell all of you about it.  We were thrilled to find out that Genesis Today asked to have some more bloggers come with us on this trip.

We started out with the first group of bloggers that were asked to be judges.

Naomi  @superdumb

Danielle Smith @extraordmommy

Jodi Grundig   @ jodigrundig

Elizabeth Norton @ProfessorofPlay

Sandy Jenney (me) @organizersandy

Here are our bonus bloggers that were also asked to join us!

Kim Janacko @craftymamaof4

Courtney   @theappleofmyeye

Sugar Jones @sugarjones

Zipporah Sandler @zipporahs

We are being going to be in great company with Katja Presnal (@katjapresnal) , Brook Austin (@austinbrooke) and Brad Lawless (@bradlawless)  of Collective Bias on this trip.

I am sooo excited to go on this trip!!  We are going to have so much fun.  Watch for my tweets and whrrl stories and blogs!!  I will be thrilled to share what I learn about these juices with you…along with letting you know who wins!!

Disclosure:  My trip is being paid for by Genesis Today and I am being paid for being a judge for this contest.  But I am not being told I have to blog or whrrl or tweet for that matter.  It will also not influence what I say about this juice.  If I have positive comments, blogs, tweets or whrrl stores in regards to this company/product…it is because I believe in what I am saying and I want to share it.

My Home Party Video!

I had a blast last Thursday at the Home party I was able to put on. It was sponsored by four Brands,
Genesis Today, e.l.f. cosmetics, Zone Perfect Indulgence bars by Abbott and THQ video games.
I have had this posted on my Chat with Sandy blog…but wanted to share on here too!
Enjoy!

Concoct a Cocktail with Genesis Today Contest!

Genesis Today is such a fun company. They want to create some excitement about their super juices and we thought it would be great to have some fun with all of you…creating recipes. There are 5 different blogs with contest running, but my contest isn’t just any recipe…..I get the Cocktails!! (yippee)

So get out your blenders, ice, glasses and any combination of party, cocktail or punches made with alcohol that you would like to make up. If you would like to participate but would prefer not to use alcohol in your drinks, at the bottom of the list you will find another contest with non-alcoholic drinks to enter.  Have some fun experimenting on how you can make either Resveratrol, Acai or Goji berry Genesis Today juices into a cocktail that you will be happy to serve at your next evening get together.

Be sure to also check out Genesis of a Great Idea site to enter your social media idea and possibly win $10,000!!  If you are one of the top 5 ideas chosen you will get to travel to Austin, TX and see the headquarters and meet Dr. Lindsay Duncan.  I will also be going to Austin, TX (so I’ll get to meet you too!) The panel will chose between the top 5 ideas and the winner will receive $10,000 and will help to implement their idea. The other 4 people will still win their free trip and $1,000 each.  (The Genesis of a Great Idea contest ends Nov. 15th at MN CT – so enter ASAP!!)

Genesis Today promotes health and wellness with their juices.  They do not promote alcohol consumption as a source of health and wellness. But if you are going to have a cocktail party then using one of the Genesis Today juices as a mixer in your drink is a healthier drink than without it. So we thought we would add this category as something fun and playful.

Rules

1) You need to use either the Resveratrol, Acai or Goji berry juice in your recipe. (You can purchase at Walmart or Sam’s Club)

2) You can make either a party drink, punch or cocktail.

3) I have to see in your pictures or video which Genesis Today juice and ingredients you are using.

How to Submit Your Idea to Win!!

1. Do a blog post how you could use any of the three Genesis Today Juices in an cocktail. Link to http://www.genesisofagreatidea.com is required. Come back and leave a comment with your link.

2. Create a Whrrl story (www.whrrl.com) of your creative fun and how you are making your recipe, also be sure to take pictures of your shopping trip to buy your juice and include those. Use the #genesistoday hashtag in your story. Leave a comment here with the link to your whrrl story

Here is an example of a Whrrl Story.
4. Create a YouTube video of your shopping trip to buy your juice and then concocting your cocktail. Leave a comment here with a link.

You can do all 3 if you would like!

Some extra ways that can help you to win!

1) Go to Genesis Today and tell me 2 important health benefits each for the Acai, Goji and Resveratrol in your blog posts, vlog or whrrl story. Leave those in the comments. You can do a separate comment for each juice.

2) Set the scene for a party! Make me feel like I am really at a cocktail party. If you have done this in your pictures, vlog or whrrl then please leave a comment here and mention.

Be innovation and creativity how you use Genesis Today juices in your submission!
The winner will be chosen by random, but if you win – your blog, vlog or whrrl story will be displayed on both of my blogs. So please make it great!

What is in it for you?  You will realize how healthy these juices are for you and you can win 3 month supply of the 64oz bottles (12 bottles) of your choice of Resveratrol, Goji or Acai berry juice.

Here are the other blogs that have different recipe idea contests going on.  Be sure to visit: You can enter all our contest if you would like!  (Links will be added as posts are live)
1) Crafty Mama of 4 – Smoothies, non-alcoholic drinks, healthy drinks

2) Mom’s Favorite Stuff – Holiday Dinner

3) Coupon Princess - Desserts / baking

4) Adriennes House – Dinner

Contest ends at 25, November, 2009 by midnight CT.

Genesis Today or Collective Bias are not choosing the winner of this
giveaway. Genesis Today and Collective Bias employees are ineligible to
enter.  Entries that do not done by the entry requirements will not be
considered. The winner will be notified and have 2 days to confirm receipt
of the email. If no response is received within 2 days, another winner will
be selected. Open to participants in the U.S. 21 years and older. Full
disclosure: I received a three month supply of Genesis Today Juices to test
them myself.

Genesis Today Juices – Do they help?

I will let you know right off the bat that I have not been using the Genesis Today juices very long, so I am no expert and won’t claim I am. What I am is a woman who is almost 50 {gasp!} who is seeing the effects that aging is having on me and I don’t like it.
I have tried all 3 of the new juices they have in the Walmart stores. The Resveratrol, Acai and Goji berry juices.
They all do different things….and I have tried a big bottle of each. I know that isn’t much and I know I should pick the one that best fits me and stick with it for awhile to really get a true test…but I am having fun experimenting. (below is the information on each & what they do straight from the Genesis Today Web site)

Resveratrol – Cardiovascular health, healthy inflammatory responses, youthful energy and appearance.
Acai -Skin, hair and nails, Weight control, Energy and endurance, Aging and longevity
Goji -Mood, mind and memory, Eye health, Endurance

The main thing that I have noticed so far, and probable the only thing since I have only gone through one large bottle with each one is increased energy. Is it in my head….I suppose it could be, but I don’t think so.

I am currently drinking the Resveratrol berry juice, and after watching these videos….I know I will continue. I may add the Acai or Goji concentrates in with this if I find out I should be taking them too…but these is pretty powerful video. You can see several more videos on the Genesis Today Web site, where I got this one from.

I have to admit that I haven’t lost 10 pounds in the last month since I started drinking these juices (come on….it has been Halloween and there is good candy in the house!) and I do not look like I have just had an instant face lift because I have been drinking an anti-aging juice…but I do have increased energy and who can’t use that? Keep in mind that I have only gone through one bottle each of the 3 different ones. But I am going to continue with this healthy experiment! I’m excited to learn more and find out what else these juices can do for me. I’ll keep you updated as to my progress too.

Disclosure – I got $25 worth of the Genesis Today juices to try last month. I have purchased the 2 bottles of Resveratrol that I presently have on my own. I am also proud to say that I am helping with the Genesis of a Great Idea campaign, but what I say above are my own thoughts and words (other than the video and description of the juices )

Collective Bias Dinner at Las Vegas…and More

Click on the screen to see some more of my pictures from Vegas.

Genesis of a Great Idea $10,000 Contest Info

The launch of this Social Media Contest happened at Blog World Expo 2009 on Friday October 16th. Dr. Lindsey Duncan, John Andrews of Collective Bias and Katja Presnal of Skimbaco took the stage to explain the contest and talk about Genesis Today.

This is a fantastic contest because it is anonymous. The panel who is judging will not have any information on the person who has submitted the idea. So this is not a “popular blogger” contest. How refreshing.

Here are the contest guidelines…

Here are the basics:
Submit your idea (250 words or less)
You will have to enter your name etc…but the panel will not see ANY of your information. This will only be viewed by one person who will be organizing that part of it.
5 semi finalist will be chosen.
Those 5 will be flown to Austin Texas the week of January 11th (not sure of exact dates, but plan on 2 days)
All expenses will be paid for.
The panel will hear the 5 ideas and will chose 1 winner for the $10,000 cash.
The other 4 will win $1,000 each.
The the winner will help to put their idea into reality.

Genesis of a Great Idea Contest!

You need to stay tuned for Friday’s big launch of the “Genesis of a Great Idea” contest for Genesis Today.   They are sponsoring a huge contest for $10,000 for the best Social Media Idea for their company.  There are many great features of this contest…some of which have not been announced, but to me the best one is:

It is Totally Anonymous!  There are no “vote for me” features, there are no “favorite  bloggers” that stand a better chance of winning this as to someone who has a blog that no one follows or reads.  It is your imagination against theirs….thats it!

I am thrilled to be working with Collective Bias and Genesis Today to help bring you all the information.  I leave for Blog World Exp 09 tomorrow, but will be keeping you updated on my blog (with whrrl pictures again…hope you guys like when I do that) and with information about the contest.)

I will be tweeting live during the launch of the contest around 2:30-3:00 est (11:30-12:00 in Vegas).  So you can watch for this on twitter:

@organizersandy  @genesistoday  @katjapresnal @craftymamaof4  With the hashtag #cbbwe

You can follow the contest on Facebook. Or go to the Genesis of a Great Idea Site.

It is worth check out!!

Working with Genesis Today – So how does that Help in Organizing?

I have to share some news that I am really excited about!!  I am going to be working with Genesis Today. They have signed on with Collective Bias, whom I am a member of.   Genesis Today has a line of Super Fruit Juices.

When John from Collective Bias first asked me about working with Genesis Today I told him I wanted to check it out first. My first impression was not a good one.  I think I was on the wrong site.  They did have the juice on this site, but was completely different than it is now. My first thought was…it seemed like a multi level marketing site.  I told John that too.  I also told him that it did not seem like it would be a fit for my blog as I have an Organizing blog. So how does juice work with organizing?  It certainly didn’t seem to be a fit to me at first.

I did research it (because I knew nothing about it)  and found only positive things.  I actually got on the correct site and that made me feel better right away.  I was feeling like it was something that I wanted to try for myself even if I didn’t work with them as a blogger.

Then yesterday it all seemed to fall into place.  I remembered my sister and brother in law (he is a oral & Maxillofacial surgeon in DC) had told me about some kind of “super juice” they had been taking for several years.

I called her and asked her about what juice they used.  She said it is made by Genesis Today and you can only get it at Health Food stores or online. They use one called Acai 100. They only use 1 oz per day (it is not sold at Walmart…at least not yet)  Not knowing why I was asking her about it, she went on to tell me that since they had been using it her husband had not been sick even once. (That was 3 years). She said she completely believes in it.  My sister and brother in law also research everything like that, so for health purposes I felt completely safe for the fact that they used it. (I know that sounds kind of dumb…but if you knew my brother in law like I do….you would understand).

I know it helps with healthy living, and I am still researching it on anti-aging properties, but my sister loves to ask people when they see the two of us together who they think the older sister is. She is almost 4 years older than I am, but weighs less (we are the same height), has less wrinkles and yes…looks younger (happy sis? LOL)

Ok…so now I am totally getting psyched.  I know I want to try it myself…but now I am thinking..how does this fit with my Organizing blog?  Well…I can say that you need to be healthy and have energy in order to organize, but that sounds like a “line” (although it is the true).  Truth is…I am a mom, wife, woman…(aging woman..soon to be 50 …aghhhh!!). I am also a nurse. I have several of the issues going on that this super juice is supposed to help.

I am going to be coming to you not so much as an Organizer, but as a woman, mom, wife  and nurse.  I would not be working with this brand if I didn’t feel it would be something worth while for my readers and myself. I will be keeping you filled in on all I am going to learn about it. I will be getting to meet Dr. Lindsey Duncan when I go to Blog World Expo next week. I am thrilled that Collective Bias and Genesis Today are sponsoring me in full  for this conference.  (disclosure policy)

We were also provided with a gift card to shop for some of the juice that they now have at Walmart. See my Whrrl Story here for my shopping adventure.  Just click on the slide to see the whole slide show.