Tag Archives: going reviews

Welcoming Naturepedic Into Our Home

We got a new Naturepedic organic mattress and our excitement can hardly be contained! After having to deal with getting uncomfortably hot in our old mattress for years, the time has finally arrived to improve an all too often overlooked aspect of health; sleep.

Naturepedic EOS Campaign_1

 

Not only was our old mattress uncomfortable, but it, like most mattresses, was plagued by flame retardants and a host of chemicals like phthalates that easily spread throughout the house. Basically, lots of nasty stuff that can pose harm to us and our little ones. Even during pregnancy, studies have shown mothers exposed to phthalates have been linked to their children having an increased risk of asthma.

Having grown up with asthma as a kid (luckily I don’t have it now), I know firsthand that it sucks, literally. It’s true, having asthma usually involves sucking wind when you exert yourself too much and have an attack or close to it. It’s not fun and I don’t wish it on anyone. Lets just say my childhood days of playing soccer had me clinging to an inhaler like Frodo Baggins with the One Ring.

Point is, there are things I never even considered to pose a threat to our health, but now know otherwise. One very big thing is the mattress we sleep on. After doing our research, Going Mom and I knew it was time to upgrade our sleep and health by getting a new mattress.

Our last mattress was a queen, but my wife, always thinking ahead, said we need a king for when someone *cough* Avery *cough cough* starts venturing into Mommy and Daddy’s room to join us. I guess the kitchen floor (note the picture above) doesn’t work so well.

naturepedic
Please let me sleep with you, Mommy and Daddy.

Thankfully, the super generous people at Naturepedic provided us the value of their queen mattress so all we had to do was make up the difference to buy a king! I can picture us now…

Naturepedic EOS Campaign_2

Except we won’t have the ocean as a backdrop and Avery will surely be in between or jumping us. You know, standard toddler. Speaking of, they do have crib and kid mattresses too.

Happy doesn’t even begin to describe how we feel about our new mattress. I think flabbergasted or elated would serve as a better word. Avery was excited the day the mattress arrived in, get this, several boxes.

Naturepedic mattress, organic, flame retardant free

That’s right, a king mattress in several boxes. We haven’t opened them since we’re waiting to set it up this weekend, but there are warnings to be careful when opening. I can just picture a giant snake-in-a-can effect happening from trying to be too quick to open! SURPRISE!!! Actually, they provide detailed assembly instructions and have a YouTube video.. It seems easy peasy to me, what do you think?

I guess that means no snake-in-a-can surprise. But seriously, watching that video gets me even more pumped up to set it up this weekend!

Anyway, I’ll be working hard (aka sleeping on this awesome mattress) to write a review post. Over the coming months, look for update posts and please feel free to ask any questions you have anytime. If I can’t answer them, Naturepedic’s website is packed full of useful info.

A big thanks to Naturepedic for allowing us the opportunity to sleep on their high quality organic mattress. I can’t wait to share with everyone how great it feels and why being free of flame retardants and other chemicals is so important.

To see why we’re so excited to welcome Naturepedic in our home, be sure to keep up to date by following them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, and their blog.

Are you in the market for a new mattress?

Have you heard of Naturepedic?

Merax 36″ Foldable Mini Trampoline Review

With our daughter seriously upping her energy levels as she neared the 2 year mark, Going Mom and I decided an indoor trampoline would be a perfect birthday gift. The search, as with most kid things nowadays, took a while to decide which would be the best quality/value. I use Amazon for almost everything, and after reading a novel’s worth of mini trampoline reviews, we finally decided on a trampoline worthy enough for us Avery; the Merax 36″ Mini Trampoline.

mini trampoline, amazon

She turned freakin’ 2 back in November, and took right to her new trampoline when we brought it out.

mini trampoline, birthday

I assembled it the day of her birthday and found it rather easy to setup. Took me longer than expected because of the vague instructions that came along with it, but in retrospect, the entire process was hardly an issue. Just unfold, fit the cover over the elastic bands, screw on the legs and foam-covered handlebar (optional) and you’re good to go. Getting the cover to fit properly was probably the biggest “challenge”, but that didn’t take too long.

Having thick elastic bands instead of springs is a major plus, and I feel the trampoline doesn’t even need the cover as a result. But, to prevent any little feet from falling through, it’s probably a good idea to just put it on. The handlebar is optional too and can easily be removed, but Avery seems to like it right now, so it stays. Other than a great stabilizer, it works as a perfect mini-blankie rack too.

jumping, trampoline, toddler

With a max capacity of 220 lbs, the Merax 36″ Mini Trampoline is great for adults too looking for a fun fitness option. Kids or no kids, the current price of $79.99 makes it a viable and affordable option for any adult looking for a way to keep active. My wife and I can never get on to jump without Avery quickly joining in, but with the high weight capacity, we can bounce with our kid without the fear of breaking the trampoline.

So far, we have both bounced with Avery and have had zero issues with stability. The only thing we find ourselves saying is how we wish it were bigger. When there’s two people jumping, you’re basically limited to your exact foot placement, and if you shift around, you run the risk of jumping on the other person. Sorry, Avery. No worries though, she never seems phased when she’s stepped on and would rather have us keep bouncing her.

Since she’s had it, this trampoline has been in our living room and is used every day. It’s the perfect addition to any toddler obstacle course creation which helps an easier transition to naptime….usually.

Our little obstacle dominator! #playing #fun #toddler #exercise #loveher

A video posted by RC Liley (@going_dad) on

I love having the ability to quickly and easily fold the trampoline up for storage or to take along when travelling. Really the only major complaint is the small size, but that’s more of a nitpick since the price alone makes it well worth it to me. A trampoline with the word “fitness” in front can easily go for twice as much, but I would find the Merax can do the job just as well.

Avery has found her trampoline useful for doing yoga…

trampoline, yoga
Upward dog, toddler style!

…..playing “hide-and-seek”….

Avery on Trampoline with Mini Blankie

…..and just relaxing after an intense jumping session.

DSC_1317

The Merax Mini Trampoline is not the top-notch rebounder you might find for well over double the price, but for a quality kid’s item that adults can use too, it’s well worth it to me. It’s also a great way to gauge interest on a full-sized trampoline for the backyard, which, after using this, has moved to the must have list in our family. Come summer time, we’ll be flying high in the sky!

Buy the Merax Mini Indoor Trampoline on Amazon!

Do you have or are you currently looking for an indoor trampoline?

Do you have any other products you find useful to keep your kids busy inside?

I purchased the Merax 36″ Mini Trampoline myself and all opinions are strictly my own, but there are affiliate links within this post. If you use the links to make your own purchase, I will earn a small commission which helps keep Going Dad going.

Legion Whey+ 100% Isolate Protein Powder Review

Do you currently use a protein powder? Is it plant-based, some form of whey, or something like beef protein powder? For the longest time, I was  a mass consumer of whey protein until I realized it was the reason I always felt so bloated and, well, gassy.

That was several years ago and I have cut all whey out of my diet since, until now. After years of sticking to plant protein, I found a whey protein worthy of giving it another try, it was Legion Whey+ Protein. Not too long ago, I shared my thoughts about Legion’s Forge Pre-Workout supplement and how happy I was to find a company with clean, high quality ingredients.

Legion Whey Protein Powder

Eager to try more of their line, the awesome and kind people at Legion sent their vanilla whey+ to me free of charge in return for my honest review. This would be the first time in years to consume any whey protein powder, so I was a little timid at first, but then I tried it…..delicious! After giving it a day (just to be sure), there was no bloating, gas, or ill feelings, just the desire to have more after my next workout. And to use it in recipes of course!

Ingredients

Sure, there are many protein powders that taste good, but it’s what’s inside (i.e. ingredients) that really matters. It’s truly hard to find good quality protein powders without artificial colors,sweeteners or  other possibly harmful chemicals. For example, here’s the ingredient list of a top selling vanilla flavored protein powder:

protein powder ingredients

And that’s rather short compared to other chemical laden brands/flavors. Plus, the source of these ingredients is almost guaranteed to be from the best places. Like where the whey comes from is most likely NOT from hormone- and antibiotic-free cows, and usually IS packed full of artificial flavors and sweeteners, usually it’s not non-gmo, and created with a blend of proteins.

If it wasn’t the bloating that turned me off from other whey powders over the years, looking at the ingredients certainly did it. That’s why I was delighted after seeing this list from Legion’s Whey+ Protein Powder:

protein powder, natural whey protein

Yeah, that’s more like it. Totally free of artificial flavors and sweeteners, it’s non-gmo, and made with 100% whey isolate from grass-fed cows untouched by hormones and antibiotics. Just try and find other whey protein powders with similar stats, they are scarce.

Taste and Mixability

As someone who uses stevia on a daily basis, I found the taste very pleasing, even when just mixed in water. If you’re not used to stevia, I think you’d still find Legion’s Whey+ satisfying with maybe a stronger sweetness than you’re used to at first. This will quickly pass as your taste buds adapt and your body feels better from not having all of the artificial junk found in other powders. As for mixing, it easily mixes in any liquid with a simple shaker bottle. You could stir it with a spoon as well, but there will be a few clumps. Of course, they are still tasty clumps!

Price

This is probably the hardest part to accept. When any product is made with top notch ingredients that are highly scrutinized to live up to the company’s standards, the price will be a little higher than products with cheaper ingredients. Legion Whey+ Protein Powder is a bit more expensive than other brands, but when it comes to what goes in my and my family’s body, I’m willing to spend a little more. That said, the price is not extremely high, and the term “you get what you pay for” definitely applies here. Plus, just sign up for their newsletter and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up to date on the current special offers.

To summarize, what you get with Legion’s Whey+ Protein Powder is

  • A 100% whey isolate meaning each serving is almost entirely protein, with carbohydrates and fat almost non-existent
  • A supplement made from hormone- and antibiotic-free milk from cows raised on small dairy farms in Ireland.
  • A protein powder processed using cold microfiltration and ultrafiltration creating 100% intact, undenatured protein.
  • Great taste that mixes easily and is naturally sweetened and flavored.
  • Free of soy protein, gluten, GMOs, MSG, or hormones.

Legion’s Whey+ 100% Isolate is the first whey I’ve had in a long time, and now it’s the only whey to go when I choose this form of protein powder for our family. Of course, whey is not the best source of protein, and I always suggest getting most of your nutrients from real, whole food, but this is a great supplement and one I feel good about using. Even Avery enjoys it!

protein powder

I’m a fan of using protein powders as an alternative for recipes calling for flour, and after several test batches, I found a tasty, protein packed recipe I’ll share with you soon. Keep a lookout for the recipe soon, and in the meantime, pick up your own bottle of Legion Whey+ Protein Powder!

Do you have issues with most whey proteins?

What is your favorite flavor of protein powder?