Must Have Monday’s 18

Welcome to Must Have Monday’s. Every Monday our reviewers will let you have a sneak peak into what we use in our homes and our lives. Here we will tell you about the things we can’t live without. If you have a “must have” item to pass along please e-mail us. We welcome contributions from our readers and are always looking for new reviewers.

You may have noticed a new juice line from Minute Maid in your grocery. They are enhanced juices and drinks that strive to provide some of the antioxidants and vitamins we should all be consuming each day, but sometimes overlook. Minute Maid has developed some interesting flavors with pomegranate including mixing it with lemonade, tea and blueberry juices. I’ve only tried the lemonade, but the taste was refreshing and not as tart as I expected. Our 5 year old loves it as well, but I water down his a little bit. The blueberry version offers Omega-3/DHA which is known to nourish our brains and bodies.

Minute Maid has also taken the orange juice line that they are most known for and enhanced it with nutrients we all need. I recently started drinking their “active” version with 750 mg of Glucosamine HCI to help protect my joints (which need all the help they can get). Their is also a “heart wise” version that claims to help reduce cholesterol and might strengthen your heart.

You get a fairly good dose of vitamins in an 8 oz. glass and many of the juices would be great for pregnant or nursing women who need extra nutrients in their diet. The bottles are well-designed and features a side with grips, that allows even young children to pour easily. These juices have become a must-have in our refrigerator.

by Emily

Do you know what the dust pan line is? If you have used a broom and a pan to sweep up the floor, then you can probably relate to the issue of having a line of dirt that just will not sweep up over the lip of your dust pan. No matter what you do. You can keep trying to back up and sweep it again or push the broom a bit harder, but nothing works. That was before I discovered the ReadiVac Powerpan Cordless Dustpan.

At first I was skeptical, because the most I’ve ever paid for a dustpan was maybe $2. This one is bit more heavy-duty and obviously requires 3 AA batteries to operate, but would it be worth the asking price of $15? It earned it’s expensive plastic price tag. The handle is easy to hold and the pan is very wide for sweeping. It has an on/off switch and a clip on the back for storage.

I’m not telling you to get your mother a dustpan for Mother’s Day, but this one may just make her smile. After all it will reduce the amount of work she does and make her life easier. But you should definitely throw in some flowers and a card.

by Terry

It is spring break and oh how I wish I were vacationing somewhere tropical. I remember the high school days when you could show off your post vacation suntan by wearing a white blouse on your first day back to class. All the classmates would swap stories about going to destinations glamorous and sunny. Let me officially kiss those days goodbye now that I am, (gasp!) almost 40 years old. Being hyper-sunscreen conscious and fearing actual sun damage that tanning can do to my skin, I needed an alternative to baking in the UV rays.

So how do I pretend to get that fresh from the islands suntan without the hassle of travel and trauma of skin cancer? I found Jergens Natural Glow tan moisturizers and they provide the look of sun without the side effects. I slathered on the Natural Glow after exfoliating in the shower. The subtle layering of the product over freshly scrubbed skin gave me a nice color in a few days time. I was cautious not to get too dark too quickly, and I was equally careful to let the product absorb before getting dressed.

Having tried self-tanning crèmes in the past, I was skeptical that the Jergens Natural Glow would be truly natural looking on my winterly white, pale skin. I admit I look slightly sunned in an even all-over glow that is not oompa loompa orange or fake and bake sun bed brown. The Natural Glow is aptly named and is worth the drug store price. Now I need to decide whether to fess up to the use of the product or concoct a story about my whereabouts during Spring break.

by Helene