Gluten Free Mac & Cheese, I heart you!

Nerd Mom here to tell you about this great new mac 'n' cheese I just tried. I received a bowl of microwaveable Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese from Annie's Homegrown for free in my #MamaVoxBox from Infuenster. Now, like all people who breathe (and aren't lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy) I LOVE MAC N CHEESE!! I have tried all the microwaveable kinds there are, the kind with a K that rhymes with "raft", the one that is golden that people love to "eeta" and even the store brand from my local H-E-B, but Annies' Homegrown Gluten Free made with Rice Pasta and real cheddar is now my new favorite.

I must admit that it didn't turn out totally the way it was supposed to. I followed the steps on the package and was expecting a bowl of tender pasta with a deliciously cheesy sauce. I got a bowl of tender pasta with some crunchy noodles (I should've stirred it halfway, I think) and a delicious cheese sauce. The sauce itself looked like any other macaroni sauce, a bright orange powder. I was expecting it to taste similar but it tasted like real cheese instead of like powder/processed cheese. A big bonus for me was that I didn't experience any stomach distress after eating it like I do with some other mac n cheese products. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this a 9, only because of the crunchy noodles (which were more my fault but still made eating a little weird). I am definitely going to be adding more Annie's Homegrown products like the Gluten Free Rice Pasta and Cheddar to my grocery list! :)


**I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes**

Random ramblings

After a day of doing the normal mom thing, dinner, homework, laundry etc, I find that I like to stay up long after my children and Hubs have gone to sleep. "But Nerd Mom, Why?! Aren't you tired?" Short answer: Yes. Extremely. But I also like to have some time to just be. I spend all day alone and that should be enough "me" time but worry about how my kids are doing at school, how my hubs' day at work is going and what the hell I am going to make for dinner keep me from relaxing.

So I stay up late watching Colbert and crocheting. Sometimes I even play around with make up just to see how it looks cause I am too chicken to do it during the day and then wear it out of the house when I pick up the kids. I even try new products that I've bought or that have been sent/given to me for testing purposes. Sometimes I play with things I've won.

Like my Mally Beauty Perfect Prep Poreless Primer. Whew. Try saying that five times fast. I was a lucky winner of this product through a Facebook contest.

This stuff smells terrible and unfortunately for me, causes break outs on my skin. It has it's positives though. It goes on really well, very smooth and you can't even feel it once it's on. I don't use foundation so this was a nice way to cover my skin and helps keep my loose powder in place. And it may sound superficial, but the packaging is really pretty too. :) All in all, I'd have to give this maybe an 7 out of 10 but only because it causes my skin to break out. If there was a sensitive skin version it would probably get a 10/10.

Weird Nerd Mom battles boredom

With the beginning of another school year and the memorable milestone of my youngest starting pre-k, this Nerd Mom is beginning a new battle. The battle against boredom. I am a stay at home mom and that used to mean playing superheroes with my son, making him lunch, taking him outside for some air and exercise and teaching him things that are hilariously inappropriate for a 4 year old to say/do. Now he's joined his sister at De Zavala Elementary school, I find that there's only so many times I can dust the furniture, do the laundry and wash the dishes before I run out of things to do. I have lots of hobbies, and have been told I am a skilled crochet-er. I make hats and such and thought that I could fill my time by making and selling them. Only, I look at the yarn and think "meh, maybe tomorrow" and take a nap or watch cooking shows to learn how to make something I'll probably never cook.

We're only a few weeks into the new school year so maybe I can bust outta this funk. I think I'll start by reviewing a few new make-up products I had the pleasure to win/receive for free and/or buy lately. Stay tuned for Nerd Mom takes on Face Primer!

Have a Nerdtastic Day ev'rybody!

Mary Kay is making this Nerd Mom look Good while doing laundry!

I am a longtime fan of Mary Kay products and used to swear by their Satin Hands and Lips set. Unfortunately, Motherhood hit this Nerd Mom hard and my days of splashing on some make-up to start my day went buh-bye. Until recently I would go through my day with a naked face and some chapstick but now thanks to my Mary Kay voxbox from Influenster I am rediscovering my inner diva!

 

I absolutely love the products that were in this box. The Cream Eye Shadow goes on silky smooth and can be built up one layer at a time for a more dramatic color. This allows me to apply it lightly while I run errands or even hang out at home doing laundry and then punch it up when going out with the Hubs at night with just a few more layers or even use it as a base for my regular pressed eye shadow. This product coupled with the double duty pulling eyeshadow/concealer brush are a dynamic duo I can totally get behind.

The Lash Primer and Mascara were also huge hits! I wear the Primer alone everyday to give my lashes a little more volume and definition and when I want some oomph I follow it with the lengthening mascara. I couldn't believe how great my eyelashes looked! It was almost like I had false lashes on but better cause this mascara didn't clump and didn't cause any breakage or any lashes to fall out. I have tried lots of mascara brands before but I have never gotten results like these before. Color me impressed!

Finally, I have to give it up to Mary Kay for the fantastic-ness that is their True Dimensions lip stick. I have never used a pink lipstick, EVER. I didn't think it was for me. I also generally stick to glosses and balms cause my lips are a real problem area. This lipstick was phenomenal. The color, Pink Cherie, was just the right pink. It can be applied with a heavier hand to get a poppin' pucker or used more sparingly and blotted lightly for a perfectly pink pout (i like to alliterate lol) . It has a smooth feel when it's on and didn't dry my lips out which I have found to be a problem with almost every other lipstick I have dared to try. It lasted a good while as well and didn't bleed or fade.

I put all these great products together and when I looked in the mirror could not believe how much time I had wasted by not taking the time to make myself up a little before now. I carry these things with me everywhere now. I have been shouting from the rooftops about how great these products are (well, I would if I wasn't already shouting at my kid to get his finger outta there...) I am so glad I got a chance to try these products and I am looking forward to becoming a Mary Kay customer again and buying/trying all the great products they have!

Try these products, and others, for yourselves at http://www.marykay.com/


**Mary Kay provided these complimentary products through Influenster for me to try**