A Night Out with #XfinityMoms

*This post was sponsored by Xfinity though all thoughts are my own.

Last week while my parents were up visiting, the man and I decided to combine some blogger business with a date night. We headed up to the Xfinity store at 3rd Ave in Burlington to have some tasty holiday inspired sips and snacks while learning all about what the team at Xfinity are working on this holiday season. I know it seems silly to take my husband with me, but listen, he likes gadgets and so it wasn't too much of a stretch to take him with me to play with some of the new grown up toys at the Xfinity stores. We joined some other local Moms to listen and learn.

I think it's hard for this non techy Mama to get into all the business that goes into your wifi, internet, mobile, cable and so on and so forth. I usually leave this all the my husband but when Xfinity put it into terms that I could understand, it became a whole lot more interesting. From the super high tech voice controlled remotes, you can not only search for your favorite movie, there's less to fuss about with your fingers. Add in the "Kids Zone" and parental controls, you can actually leave the room without your kids turning on some too too adult programming (because you know mine would!). They've got some really fun things on demand as well, like the Santa Tracker this holiday season, if that's your family's kind of thing!

If you're looking to control your "home" and such on the go, Xfinity mobile makes it really easy to carry it with you on your mobile device whether it's your phone or tablet. You can stream something like 200 TV channels and 40K online movies to your devices so on the go entertainment is covered, not to worry. They've also got some pretty amazing apps to check in on your home's security and energy management while you're out if you're signed up for Xfinity mobile service. As a busy mom who often forgets things, this is one less thing to worry about since you can do it on the go. Forgot to turn the thermostat down? No problem with the Xfinity suite of apps. You can get started with Xfinity mobile for as low as $12 a month as long as you have Xfinity internet. They offer an unlimited plan for $45 which totally makes sense if you have a big data lovin' family!

I think of all the things I learned about last week, my absolute favorite was the xFi pods. There's a spot in our bedroom that absolutely is too far from our router. I can't surf the nets while laying in bed, which is sometimes a bummer. With the xFi pods, you can boost your signal and get internet to all corners of your home, which to me, is clutch when I just want to relax with a Netflix show before bed. These are most definitely on my list of things to snag! I know for a fact that if you visit a store, they would be happy to answer all your questions and find a solution that fits your needs. It's nice to be able to work with people to create the right amount of "tech" needed for your home and family!

You can find your local Xfinity Store here and check out all their offerings on their site. Thanks for having us Xfinity, Happy Holidays!

peach for active yet hip mamas

*Peach and my stylist Peach Alissa gifted me items for this review.

You may have been seeing Peach and their casual cool work/out wear on the nets recently. The ladies over there are certainly doing their best to spread the good word about their awesome athleisure-wear but I didn't get a peek at it until one of their stylists, Alissa, contacted me about checking it out. We chatted about the brand, my lifestyle and what would work best for me Peach-wise before trying them on for size.

As a Mom to two busy boys, it's imperative for me to be comfortable. I hate to be like "comfort is key" but dude, it really is. I can't be bothered to wear clothes that dig into me, are ill fitted or don't move with me as I am on the go. That's why "athleisure" wear has become something of a necessity to me... but I don't want to look frumpy dumpy you know? I told Alissa all about my lifestyle, and she totally got it. We talked about my body type and what makes me feel comfortable, and she totally got it. It was nice to actually work with someone to find what would be the best fit both literally and for my lifestyle.

We ended up deciding on the very popular Margot Funnel, the Nina Legging, the Velvet headband and the Modern Boho pant, all which seemed to be very versatile and stylish (+comfortable) staple pieces for my wardrobe. I love everything but I have BEEN LIVING in the Margot Funnel (in soft pink) and the Modern Boho pant. Can we talk about the epitome of comfy! The clothes are Made in the USA and sold by a network of stylists so you most definitely feel that there's a personal touch to the experience... and I just love that.

It's not hard to love a brand that creates comfort without losing the cool. If you'd like to speak to a stylist, I highly recommend working with Alissa and the team at Peach. You won't regret having that human relationship to guide you in shopping for your next favorite clothes!

You can follow Peach online, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! 

Nora Mattress Review- Sponsored by Wayfair

*This post was sponsored by Wayfair. We (well, my sister) received a new Nora mattress for review. All opinions are 100% our own.

When my pals at Wayfair were like, hey Amanda, do you want to review one of our new Nora mattresses, I was legitimately bummed because look, we don't need a new mattress in our house as much as I would have loved to review one... but then I had an idea! Could I write a review with my sister? YES! Her and her husband just bought a new house this year and they've not had the opportunity to flesh out the guest rooms until now. Wayfair and the best sister ever just hooked up The Ward family with a new Nora mattress for all the out of town guests looking to stay at their home these holidays (us included)!

Wayfair shipped the queen sized mattress just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. My sister Mallory and her husband Brandon made it their job to get a bed and some light furniture in their newly painted guest room for family to come and visit, comfortably staying in their home. I had the opportunity to try it out myself while the #propahfamily was visiting so we chatted about the mattress and what Mallory thinks of it! (Hint: It's veeeeeeeery comfortable)

The mattress arrived rolled up into a very compact and very light box, which my sister was able to carry into the house on her own. They opened it in the living room but would recommend opening it in the room where the bed is since it expands right into its glorious mattress-ness right away. So far so good, right? They set it up on a new platform bed with no boxspring but note that it could be used on one depending on what kind of frame you'd like to use. Most importantly, they absolutely think it's the most comfortable.

The layers of foam are gel infused and supportive and fit to your body like a glove. Also, a bonus for this lady (who runs hot), the mattress cover itself is jade infused which ensures that the bed stays cool while you sleep! Besides being super comfortable, the mattresses themselves are super affordable on Wayfair, so much so that I will very much take one into consideration when we're looking to outfit some bunk beds in the coming years. So to recap: delivers compact, lightweight, super comfortable, super affordable... what more could you ask for in your mattress?

Check out the Nora Mattresses on Wayfair today!

It's All in the Sauce with Autumn Glory Apples

*This post was written in collaboration with Autumn Glory Apples and you can believe me when I say that my opinions are 100% my own and my opinion is that these apples are delicious.

I'm starting to be of the mindset that I've got to figure out a way to get more fruits and veggies into my kids without buying those expensive pouches all the time and while also serving my inner domestic goddess. When Autumn Glory Apples was like hey Amanda, can you work with our apples but we want it to be a pretty simple apple hack and not too many steps, I was like hey, you came to the right girl. This Mama of two little ones does not have time for extravagant recipes full of precise measurements because, well, I've usually got a three year old helping me.

The Autumn Glory Apples are a variety of sweet, caramel and cinnamon, that frankly, taste like starshine and moonbeams, they're that delicious. They come in both conventional and organic varieties. Add to that that they are sustainably and thoughtfully grown, well, I'm yours AGA. Wes loves when I cut them up and drizzle a little Whole Foods peanut butter on them but we also love some apple sauce! Since store bought apple sauce often contains unnecessary added sugars, we make ours at home with just a dash of this and a little bit of that so that I know exactly what's in it. This is the perfect kind of recipe for a preschooler to help with too since it's kind of hard to mess up and is bound to be delicious no matter what. We make an apple sauce using apples, cinnamon, ginger and maple syrup and to be honest, the Autumn Glory Apples took our usual recipe to the next level.

It really is as simple as peeling 4-5 Autumn Glory Apples, putting them in a medium/large sauce pan or dutch oven, setting them on medium heat and seasoning. I like to start heating the apples with 1/4 cup of water (you can always add more later) then start adding in the spices, finishing off with maple syrup. My go to amounts are 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and ginger, then I drizzle pretty freely with the maple syrup (I use the organic from Trader Joe's) though I have to say that these apples are pretty sweet on their own so I didn't need to use a ton for this sauce.

Once the apples are soft, I let them cool then pop them in the food processor or blender. The batch usually yields enough for immediate consumption, snacks in the fridge, a couple servings to freeze and enough to make a couple of my favorite applesauce cake recipe. I received 12 apples and they've seen us through a few weeks of snacking, baking and cooking (did you see my apple rosemary flatbread from a recent potluck?)!

I absolutely love these apples. They seriously got Wesley interested enough to take a bit through the peel, which was no small feat let me tell you. I'm hopeful that on my next batch of apple sauce, maybe I can sneak some turnips in without him noticing... but seriously. it feels good to be able to make good food from quality produce that tastes amazing and comes from only the best hands. I can't wait to see what the team at Autumn Glory Apples and Super Fresh Growers have in store for us in the future!

What's your favorite Easy Peasy Apple recipe?

12 Days of Giving- Day Twelve

It's the holidays y'all and I have sort of started a tradition where I try to gather some like minded ladies to put some positive vibes out into the world via something that we're doing every day- on our computers, phones, tablets etc. You may remember last year's giving back series here on the blog and we've decided to kick it up a notch for 2017 because in my humble opinion, we need a little more love and kindness this holiday season! Each day we are donating to a specific and worthwhile charity while also celebrating in high style with a brand that we love. It's really about bringing attention to great organizations while also having a little fun! So here's the deal, I've asked my ladies to give me three words that describe how they are blessed. It can be in all their years, just this year, the day they sent me my email. Three words. It's easier said than done when you're really trying to think about how you are fortunate. So before I get to today's ladies, charity and giveaway, I ask you to do the same exercise. What are three words that you would use to describe how you're blessed?

Today, on our final day of the series, we have made a donation to the organization So Others Might Eat. So Others Might Eat is an interfaith, community-based organization that exists to help the poor and homeless of our nation’s capital. They meet the immediate daily needs of the people they serve with food, clothing, and health care. Just as importantly, they help break the cycle of homelessness by offering services, such as affordable housing, job training, addiction treatment, and counseling, to the poor, the elderly and individuals with mental illness. Each day, SOME is restoring hope and dignity one person at a time. I can get on board with that this holiday season.

I've been working with Wayfair as a Homemaker for a few years now. I have really grown to appreciate their relationship with myself and other bloggers and was obviously thrilled when they agreed to hop on board this 12 Days of Giving train. Today they are offering one reader the opportunity to win $150 to shop their site... which is pretty amazing and a blessing itself! Make sure to visit the previous 11 days to find a ton of awesome giveaways, charities and ladies taking part of an amazing holiday series!

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12 Days of Giving- Day Eleven

It's the holidays y'all and I have sort of started a tradition where I try to gather some like minded ladies to put some positive vibes out into the world via something that we're doing every day- on our computers, phones, tablets etc. You may remember last year's giving back series here on the blog and we've decided to kick it up a notch for 2017 because in my humble opinion, we need a little more love and kindness this holiday season! Each day we are donating to a specific and worthwhile charity while also celebrating in high style with a brand that we love. It's really about bringing attention to great organizations while also having a little fun! So here's the deal, I've asked my ladies to give me three words that describe how they are blessed. It can be in all their years, just this year, the day they sent me my email. Three words. It's easier said than done when you're really trying to think about how you are fortunate. So before I get to today's ladies, charity and giveaway, I ask you to do the same exercise. What are three words that you would use to describe how you're blessed?

I was searching for a charity to donate to that would bring money to areas that were affected by the record breaking hurricanes that hit our country this year. With everything that is going on, it can be easy to forget that people are still recovering even after months and months. When I discovered Project Hope, it was refreshing to see a new take on relief efforts. Project Hope works with medical professionals to empower them to bring critical care during times of crisis and every day, actually. Their efforts span different regions but one thing is consistent, and that's the care that they are bringing to those in need.

I love today's brand not just because they fit with my yoga loving, comfortable clothes wearing lifestyle. Soul Flower creates clothes in the USA with low impact dyes, organic materials and a little bit of that certain something! When making purchases, I always try to be thoughtful of the brands I'm supporting and this one out of Minnesota is just my kinda set up! Today you can win three of their awesome, and super soft, organic cotton headbands, a $50 value!

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12 Days of Giving- Day Ten

It's the holidays y'all and I have sort of started a tradition where I try to gather some like minded ladies to put some positive vibes out into the world via something that we're doing every day- on our computers, phones, tablets etc. You may remember last year's giving back series here on the blog and we've decided to kick it up a notch for 2017 because in my humble opinion, we need a little more love and kindness this holiday season! Each day we are donating to a specific and worthwhile charity while also celebrating in high style with a brand that we love. It's really about bringing attention to great organizations while also having a little fun! So here's the deal, I've asked my ladies to give me three words that describe how they are blessed. It can be in all their years, just this year, the day they sent me my email. Three words. It's easier said than done when you're really trying to think about how you are fortunate. So before I get to today's ladies, charity and giveaway, I ask you to do the same exercise. What are three words that you would use to describe how you're blessed?

Today's donation today is to The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. The BBRF is committed to alleviating the suffering caused by mental illness by awarding grants that will lead to advances and breakthroughs in scientific research. Nearly everyone is affect by mental illness and it's super important to study the brain to help treat and cure. The BBRF studies the following and more: addiction, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder (BPD), depression, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and schizophrenia. We are donating today to raise awareness of such a great organization while also working towards removing the stigma from mental illness.

Do you guys remember when I harassed you all to vote for my tee shirt design? Well, my design made it into the Top 10 and was printed for all the world to purchase. I don't know how many tees actually sold but I do know that a portion of the proceeds went to Girls on the Run International so it was definitely a super fun experience- Today, Cents of Style, the folks who ran the contest and printed my tee are helping me give away my Happiness: It's an Inside Job tee to three winners! Exciting, right?! If you win, I want a selfie sent to me stat!

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