My 2019 Vibes

I am not into New Year's resolutions but rather setting intentions for a coming year or finding ways that I want to live better or in more words, find ways to adjust my lifestyle that will help myself and my family thrive. Some people will choose a word while others will make resolutions. Any way you slice it, I think it's an admirable thing to make an effort to improve your life, no matter what time, place or motivation.

A couple of weeks ago, I did a silly little thing on instagram, decorating a Christmas tree with gifs and I somehow landed on a bunch that seemed to set a vibe... so why not, right? I already try to live a life set by moral principles and kindness but trying to bring a couple other things into the mix is a noble intention set by a mother of two young male tornadoes set on bringing in da noise and da funk!

I want to live the following:

Educate Myself to Be a Better Human (especially to marginalized communities)

Paying attention to what's happening around us isn't a choice, it's our duty. If you're not educating yourself on what is going on in the world, well, that disappoints me. I am not intending to take on all of the world's problems (I've been known to take on more than I can emotionally handle) but I do know that I have lived a life of privilege, wherein I have benefited from being white and from a family that was not poverty stricken. I have been doing some spiritual activism workshops, am planning to see Rachel Cargle in February and am looking forward to doing some hard work helping to be a better human and raise better humans. I don't know 100% what this looks like for my year but I know that it's at the top of my list to achieve.

Spend Less, Reduce, Recycle, Reuse, Mindful Shopping

I've been working on this for a few years now but it seems like every year, around the holidays, I fall into the trap of gifting my love. I know that I should be able to do this within reason but when I get festive, boy do I get festive. This year I am kicking off this goal anew by doing a low spend January and a no spend February. My end goal is to spend A LOT less this year, keep to our budget, recycle, reuse and just think before I shop- do I or someone in my family need this? Will this add value to my life (make me happy)? Am I contributing to pollution or negative effects to the environment? I am going to be taking much into account as I spend my money (in all areas) more mindfully than ever.

Be Kind

This should go without saying but truly, this reminder is always a good one. There have been many instances in this past year where someone has shown me kindness and it's meant a great deal to me. I plan to (try) bring kindness into all of my exchanges, as best I can. We never know what someone is going through and what a nice word or two can do for them. Be kind, it's important.

Make the Time to Create

Something I thought about every single day in 2018 was to work on creating something, specifically, whipping out my sewing machine and crafting something... something I was not good at in 2018 was making the time for all these ideas that I had. Looking back, I spent far too much time putting around on the internet, checking my phone or working on other people's projects. I am prioritizing my own stuff this year... so let's see what I can make!

Focus on Fitness and Movement

I really kicked it into high gear this year, going consistently to the gym multiple times a week, finding classes that I really enjoy and making it a part of our routine. I want to continue this into 2019 but perhaps focus it more on what could work to make specific changes in my body. I have plans to perhaps do a couple 5Ks and maybe even a trail run with friends. All I know is that I want to continue moving and shaking and getting stronger!

What a list am I right? It's not so much a list but ways that I want to bringing changes into my every day. I am looking forward to 2019 and seeing what comes my way. I'd love to hear what you've got planned for the upcoming year- leave me an old fashioned comment below!

A Marvelous Evening with Xfinity, Sponsored Content

*This post is sponsored by Xfinity by Comcast. All opinions are 100% my own.

You guys know by now that every once in awhile, the team at Xfinity like to invite me to learn about their newest gadgets and offerings but this holiday season, they most definitely upped their game! This year, we were invited to learn about X1 and the Amazon apps by celebrating the Season Two premiere of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel at the Revere Hotel in Boston!

I met up with other local bloggers for drinks, treats of all kinds and a screening of the Season Two Premiere of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The night was super fun, and the team at Xfinity and Amazon just wanted us to have a good time! After such a great evening, I was all on board to learn how Xfinity and Amazon Prime are working together. As avid Prime users ourselves, we know the value of our Prime membership and the Video App (learn about Prime video below). With Xfinity's new offering X1, it's a match made in holiday entertaining Heaven. Xfinity xFi simplifies the home network experience and provides many consumer benefits. Simply put, Xfinity xFi is an app that deserves to be on every phone (and in every home with an Xfinity xFi Gateway). After all, it’s an easy-to-use app that enables customers to see what devices are on their home WiFi networks, troubleshoot issues, and even pause their home WiFi connections during dinnertime.

 The features you need are at your fingertips when you rent an Xfinity xFi Gateway and download the app. Can you see how this would make life more streamlined, especially in a tech savvy household?  My kids know how to navigate our Fire TV remote and I feel like they'd be quick to pick up the Xfinity apps whether we are at home or on the go. With complimenting products like Gateways and Xfi Pods, you can set up your home however you'd like, based on your everyday needs. The X1 platform is an Entertainment Operating System that gives Xfinity TV customers an interactive TV experience, which is something I know that my husband appreciates... and as always, Xfinity is super thoughtful of how their mobile devices pair with everything they do in the home. They've got plans that include everything your family might need; they're there to help!

Do you use Xfinity and X1 and if so, are you ensuring that you are making the most out of your system, at home and on the go? Check out all the services and how they work together to make the ultimate in entertainment for you and your family!

Extra! Extra! Read All About it! X1 Customers Will Be Able to Search and Navigate All the Prime Originals Like Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Homecoming,The Man in the High Castle and The Grand Tour Via Xfinity On Demand and Watch Them in the Prime Video App. Prime Video Catalog Will Be Integrated with Live and On Demand Services Throughout the Emmy Award-Winning X1 Interface!

About Prime Video

Prime Video is a premium subscription streaming service that offers customers an unmatched collection of digital videos—all with the ease of finding what they love to watch in one place.

·         Included with Prime: Watch thousands of popular movies and TV shows, including our award-winning Prime Originals such as Emmy-winning The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Homecoming, The Man in the High Castle, Bosch, Academy Award-winningManchester by the Sea and The Salesman and Academy Award-nominated The Big Sick, exclusives, live sports and licensed and self-published content available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

·         Watch more with Prime Video Channels: Prime members can add 150+ channels like STARZ, Showtime, and more—no extra apps to download, and no cable required. Only pay for the ones you want, and cancel anytime.  View the full list of channels available atamazon.com/channels.

·         Rent or Buy: Enjoy hundreds of thousands of titles, including new-release movies and entire seasons of current TV shows, available for all Amazon customers to rent or buy.

·         Instant access: Watch where and when you want with the Prime Video app on your smart TV, mobile device, Fire TV, Fire tablet, Apple TV, game consoles or from the web. For a complete list of compatible devices, visit amazon.com/howtostream.

·         Enhanced experiences: Make the most of every viewing with 4K Ultra HD- and High Dynamic Range (HDR)-compatible content. Go behind the scenes of your favorite movies and TV shows with exclusive X-Ray access, powered by IMDb. Save it for later with select mobile downloads for offline viewing.

In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalogue with Audible Channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select Lightning Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more visit: amazon.com/prime.

  

What it Means to Shop Small

As we head into the heavy gift giving season, everyone has gift giving on their minds. I hope to make mindful movements and purchases, especially now that I am gifting something that took thought when choosing. One of the best things I think someone can do when shopping for gifts is to shop small and local if possible. Shopping small is one of the best ways to contribute to a business owner out there hustling, working their buns off to succeed. You know that product has been made with love and passion. Shopping small AND local will ensure that you are contributing directly to your local economy and the people who are your neighbors. I took a little poll of some of my friends who also happen to run small business. I asked why they viewed it important to shop small and I've got some great answers that will encourage you to shop more mindfully than you may do already!

Face/Food Natural Skincare

"I love to support small and local biz here in my town. Newburyport, MA is full of creative and passionate entrepreneurs, it’s what keeps the pulse of our little city beating! Of course I love to receive orders and have people shop in my store but what really makes me do a happy dance is when I get sincere feedback about how much a customer or client is loving their product and how it makes their skin feel or look . Literally what keeps me feeling passionate about my craft." -Khaki Paquette of Face/Food Natural Skincare ( I love Khaki's Flower Power Healing Toner!)

“Small business don’t have thousands to millions to spend on marketing and promotions like the big box stores. But what we do have are unique products that we work hard to promote and offer great customer service. Small businesses help the local and entire economy with tax dollars and jobs. Nothing makes me happier than when I get an email or a review telling me how much of a difference my products have made to them. And what really makes me happy is when my products are given as gifts. That is such a compliment. “ - Andrea Pierce-Naymon of OY-L (My fave product right now from OY-L is the body butter!)

"Each time an order comes in, I most certainly do a little happy dance! It truly means so much to me that I have loyal customers and new customers who enjoy shopping Pretty Pure. I truly put all of my passion and love into this, which I think is true for all small business owners- there’s a lot of heart there that just makes shopping more meaningful, which is also something we look for when curating our brand selections. Also knowing that my little ones will grow up seeing that you can do anything that sets your soul on fire is something that drives me in the day to day. It’s not easy balancing it all, you tend to wear many hats and have your hands in all aspects of the business where larger companies have a single person for each job, but it is so worth it. It’s worth the connections we have made with our customers, the joy that customers may get from the small notes we include in the packages and the ability to support other small business owners through our shop." - Kristen of Pretty Pure Beauty (If I were you, I'd snag some holiday lip stuff from Kristen's fab collection!)

"As a small business owner I of course do a happy dance every time we sell something! :) However, here at Trellis Beauty the most rewarding part is building long term relationships with our guests through education. Education is empowering, far more than selling a product to someone for us. As a small business we are passionate about every piece of the business which translates to amazing customer service for the guests, and at the end of the day translates into repeat business for us, which translates into sales for us. It’s a win, win!" - Tracy Trellis Gori of Trellis Beauty (In Raleigh, NC? Book a Facial Steam at Tracy's gorgeous little shop!)

"My favorite thing about small businesses is their ability to build community. Behind every small business success story is a team of supporters who pitched in to offer help, advice, funding or became early adopters themselves. Small businesses have the flexibility to choose their suppliers and make sure that everything from the ingredients and packaging they source to their manufacturing and distribution is done ethically and sustainably. This holiday season, we're teaming up with two of our favorite Boston-based businesses for our Think Global, Shop Local Holiday Gift Box featuring Taza's Peppermint Dark Bark, MEM Tea, and our True Moringa Oil" - Emily Cunningham of True Moringa (Snag that holiday gift box, y'all!)

"Small businesses give a personal feel to your shopping rather than just being another customer. When I receive an order, I drop everything to get that order out as soon as possible! I love to hand write thank you notes with every order. It sounds strange but I enjoy clicking the "fulfilled" button on my site and dropping it off to the post office. I track the order like I'm the customer rather than the business to when it was received and then anxiously wait for feedback. Products are made or sold with care and attention. You have the ability to communicate with the owner or a small team rather than a hotline. They appreciate your business and realize that you have many choices so when you're shopping with them, you're promoting something I call "genuine shopping". The products are not mass produced and you're not a number on a customer list, rather a real client to the business." - Sabeen Zia of Muskaan Makeup (Sabeen knows I love her lipstick in Bougie Brunch!)

"We love the trend towards small business and supporting makers. It is something we highly value as a brand and also love to support others. All things are made by someone and to know exactly where, who, and how it was made is a real joy for us. It helps us to respect and value the things we buy and also show gratitude to the makers. It's why we love to shop small! For our shop, when we know customers are happy with the product and also the experience, it makes it all so worth it. We strive for excellence in our shop and it means so much when people have a good experience!" - Rebekah Twinem of Found Shop Vintage  (Rebekah's vintage collection is ever changing, follow her on Instagram for the latest!)

"Being a small business is so hard and so worth it. What we hope people understand is that when you shop locally, in locally owned businesses, you're literally putting food on our tables. You're contributing in a tangible way and spending your money intentionally. When you spend money at small shops, you can rest assured that your dollars are appreciated and that you're investing in your community." - Rachel and Meredith of Forty Winks Lingerie Boutique (You know this Mama is ALL about the lounge wear!)

So tell me... where are you shopping small this holiday season? 

If you're stopping in a brick and mortar shop, be sure to chat up the business owners and tell them what you love about their shop! Shopping online? Leave a little note in the notes section to send a smile over the nets. I guarantee you that someone in that shop will love it! Spread the love and goodness this season, my friends!

Customizable Clothing from eShakti

I have used eShakti multiple times before and I am thinking that I might just return now that you can completely customize your clothes, not just as you did before (remember my first eShakti dress or the dress I went on my first brunch date with Molly in or even my first post Teddy dress?)... I am talking bust sizes, full measurements, the works. You're basically having the entire garment tailored specifically to you!

You can still customize based on your current size but you can also opt to change your garment into just about anything you want-- seriously, take a look. For $9.99 per garment, you're getting an absolutely amazing deal on something that would cost you a fortune to do at a tailor. For those of us that are busty or petite or super tall or whatever your shape or size, you can make something that fits like a glove.

eShakti was one of the first brands that ever contacted me when I first started blogging and is one of the longest relationships that I've had so far. I appreciate that they continue to work with women of all sizes, providing a way for us all to feel special in our garments because they fit and look great. You can create a garment that is as magical as you are without spending all the money. If you have any questions about the process or the quality of the clothes, be sure to leave me a comment below and I'll reply right away. I  gotta go... there's tons of new styles and I can't wait to find the perfect holiday party dress! 

Quick and Easy DIY "Fine Art" Ornament

I don't even know how I found out about this here ornament exchange, hmmm, maybe it was on twitter of all places but yes, I found a crafty blogger ornament exchange and was assigned a partner and here we are, with a DIY "Fine Art" Ornament that I whipped up this past week! My swap partner for this round is Chelc Fox of Inside the Fox Den and after checking out her blog and got an idea of the type of decor she might appreciate, I decided that a handpainted ornament would be perfect for our blossoming friendship! I started with some plain plastic "Decorate your own" ornaments from Michael's (and I saw some smaller ones at Dollar Tree as well). The simplicity of this DIY is you basically need the ornament, a primary color acrylic paint, white acrylic paint and a paint brush. It's so simple and affordable!

I started by painting the entirety of the ornament with the purple metallic craft paint that I picked out. It definitely took two coats to cover (I let one dry then painted again) and wanted to make sure that the ornament was completely covered and you're not able to see through it, unless of course you like the look of it!

While the second coat was still wet, I dipped my brush in the white paint. In order to create the end effect, I swiped the brush lightly back and forth, side to side, dipping the brush back in the white paint when the needed. There's the chance that you could go overboard so I found that starting slow helped me edit myself to create the perfect combination of purple to white. It's really as easy as brushing over a couple of times and letting dry!


I enjoyed myself so much and these are so easy to make that I created a whole collection and even switched up the colors to a light peachy pink on another batch. Chelc was expecting one ornament and she may have gotten four! I just picked up a few more ornaments to play around with the kids because I think this is a really great way to customize and curate your own tree by creating ornaments catered directly to your colors and style!

I'd love to hear if you guys have created anything like this or you've made it a custom or tradition to decorate ornaments in your house-- I think I have found something fun to do with my kids annually, cute right?

Don't miss the rest of our blog posts with tons of DIY ornament tutorials for every type of holiday style and theme-- I know we all had a great time creating!

Our 2018 Blogger Ornament Exchange Link Party

This year, we have 48 talented bloggers sharing their Christmas ornament tutorials and helping to host the handmade ornament exchange link party! Let's meet the hosts of this year's 2018 Ornament Exchange Link Party!

My Pinterventures • Northern Feeling • A Purdy Little House
Create and Babble • 2 Bees in a Pod • Across the Boulevard
Simply Beautiful by Angela • The Inspiration Vault • Faeries and Fauna
Home on the Corner • This Autoimmune Life • Our Unschooling Journey
Rosewood and Grace • Shoppe No.5 • Domestic Deadline
Made In A Day • Intelligent Domestications • Cookies, Coffee and Crafts
Tales From Home • Munofore • Super Mom - No Cape!
Raggedy Bits • Christmas Tree Lane • C'mon Get Crafty
Making Manzanita • Mom Home Guide • From Evija with Love
Red Cottage Chronicles • Coastal Bohemian • Our Crafty Mom
Girl, Just DIY! • Halfpint Designs • Prim and Propah
Purple Hues and Me • Farm Girl Reformed • Eye Love Knots
Try It - Like It - Create It • Teadoddles • Two Purple Couches
Inside the Fox Den • Keys to Inspiration • Our Home Made Easy
Charleston Crafted • The Quiet Groove • Chicken Scratch NY
Jordan's Easy Entertaining • Mom Envy • Sparkle Living

If you have a handmade ornament tutorial, we would love for you to share it on the link party below ⇓⇓

An InLinkz Link-up

Ringing in the Holidays with Cost Plus World Market

*This post was created in collaboration with Cost Plus World Market. All opinions are mine.

You may remember last holiday season, Cost Plus World Market held an epic scavenger hunt that had us all awaiting each day’s clues… well, this year, they are upping the ante with their Golden Bell Scavenger Hunt! Every day from Thursday November 1st through Sunday December 9th, I’ll be helping to spread the good word (and the daily clues on my Twitter!) so that you can hunt for prizes every day (except Thanksgiving) at your local Cost Plus World Market location!

It’s really quite simple, you guys! Follow the clues every morning at 8am (via my twitter account at 8am daily plus on the Cost Plus World Market emails, social channels and in store) to find where the Golden Bell is hidden in store each day (Psst. Check out Day One’s Clue Below), be the first to find one of 8 Golden Bells hidden in store and you could receive a $10, $20, $25 or $50 Reward*! Over $1.8 Million in Total Rewards will be given which is just WHOA… Just bring your Golden Bell to the nearest associate to cash in! I don’t know about you but getting to shop at Cost Plus World Market, with a reward coupon especially, is one of my favorite things to do. There are lots of chances to play, Game 1 (store opening to 3pm): 4 Golden Bells will be hidden prior to store opening and Game 2 (4pm to Store Closing): 4 Golden Bells will be hidden for game 2 so whether you’re an early riser or a night owl, you have the opportunity to get in store to win!

Speaking of shopping-- I’ve got my favorite go to Golden picks from Cost Plus World Market this season: Whether it’s Golden Decor, Gold Ornaments or Gold home goods items, there’s no shortage of selection if you need to get your fix! I’ve linked to a bunch of my favorites below, so don’t miss your opportunity to deck your halls out with gold + it up your local Cost Plus World Market for the chance to win with the Golden Bell Scavenger Hunt starting today! I know that my Framingham, MA and Salem, NH stores can’t wait to see you guys-- search here to find your closest location! And here's your first clue!

 

Shop Cost Plus World Market's Great Gold Selection

What would you treat yourself to at Cost Plus World Market?

*Limit (1) reward per person throughout the Promotion Period (11/1/18 - 12/9/18, regardless of store location(s) visited. EMPLOYEES and DESIGNATED SHOPPERS NOT ELIGIBLE.

Release of Thirst, the Mission of Charity:Water and Scott Harrison + a Giveaway

It's been a few weeks since I was in Brooklyn for the 2018 WELL Summit... and let's just say that one of the biggest things to come from the weekend itself was a reading list a mile long. I am thinking that I will do a reading recap of some sort to include WELL Summit books as well as others that have piqued my interest lately but for now, I just want to talk about one book in particular, THIRST by Scott Harrison.

I'll be honest, I had never heard of Charity:Water before WELL Summit. I sat down for Scott Harrison's keynote, ready to listen and learn... but what I received was so, so much more than a lesson. As a woman of privelage, I felt moved to write this blog post because the message of Thirst and Scott's keynote, was that we have the ability and as I understand it myself, the responsibility to help bring clean water to those around the world who suffer in so many ways because of the lack of it. Now of course, I was vaguely aware of issues with clean water but I had never taken the time to dig deep and educate myself on the real problems that plague nearly 663 million people worldwide (that's 1 in 10 or twice the US population). Throughout Scott's presentation, I was struck again and again at the conditions that people live through, the children that trek day in and day out with the women of their families, in order to retrieve even the smalles amounts of water. I cried so much throughout the keynote that I was #1 embarrassed but #2 moved beyond words... turns out, that the vast majority of the attendees were shedding some tears, so I was in good company. I think what struck me most was that I take clean water for granted, nearly every single day. With two flushes of one of my toilets, I use as much water as some women would hope to collect in a day. My mind was blown not just by the conditions but at how clean water affects so many different aspects of these people's lives for health, education, and even self esteem. Clean water isn't just about drinking but providing a quality of life that every person deserves. I hope that every single person in that room with me either made a donation, bought the book or shared the message within their social circles. I know that when my Mom and Sister were up visiting, I made sure to give them the download so that they could do their own research and spread the good word farther. To date, Charity: Water, their donors (like you and me) and their local partners have worked on 29,725 projects, providing clean water to over 8 million people. If that's not truly amazing, I don't know what is.

Scott's book covers a lot of this as well as his pretty amazing journey that led him to start Charity:Water and with every purchase of Thirst, a $30 donation is made back to Charity: Water, so it's a total win- win, a decision I immediately made! I purchase two copies, one for myself and one for a lucky Prim and Propah reader (psst. I already emailed and the donation was made on our behalf!) I'd love to continue spreading the message of an amazing charity that is taking 100% of the donations from us and using it to employ locals to build wells and other means of bringing clean water to their communities. You want on board with this? Check out my instagram post below to enter to win a copy of Scott Harrison's Thirst for yourself! My gal pal Elizabeth is giving away a copy as well so grab your crew and let's help more people in this world have clean water and a better life!

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✨GIVEAWAY✨ This week’s book giveaway is yet another @wellsummit discovery — Thirst by @scottharrison, Founder + CEO of @charitywater 💛 I’ve written a blog post (link in profile) that covers Scott’s Keynote about his journey and the work they are doing to provide clean water to those who need it— I’d love it if you’d take a read—but while you’re here, do you want to win a copy of Scott’s book as a gift from me? To enter: Follow @primandpropah 💕+ @charitywater 💦 + leave a comment, have you heard of the book or the organization? Or do you want to know more? Let me know! 🙌 PS. My gal @elizabethev is giving away a copy as well so head over there to double your chances! *Giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram- I bought the book for you and a $30 donation was made to Charity:Water on our behalf! I’ll randomly choose a winner on Friday 11/2 ✌️#wellsummittribe #charitywater #wellsummit18 #propahreads

A post shared by Amanda (@primandpropah) on Oct 29, 2018 at 5:27am PDT

prAna Hemp for a Cozy Fall + Winter

*This post was created in collaboration with prAna. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you've been following along my journey for awhile now, you know that I am a big fan of prAna and using our dollars to purchase from brands who have a mission, a purpose and whose values are as similar to mine as a business can be. When prAna reached out to talk all things hemp, I was of course intrigued because prAna continues to create and also lead the way in the mindful business practices that I value and would love to see other clothing companies, especially, adopt in the very near future.

So you may be wondering what from the hemp line of clothing that I chose. The Pammy Beanie (pictured here in Dusty Evergreen) stood out to me and here's why. I always have an issue wearing Winter hats (the kind meant to keep your head warm in this biting New England cold) because the material may bother my ears. Sometimes my ears itch when something is too wooly. Sometimes my ears are very irritated by the sounds of the fibers from hats made from synthetic materials... you get the picture. So why not try a hemp blend? This hat is created from a recycled blend of polyester and hemp... and it's, no lie, the perfect fabric for my head. It has a cotton feel but it's as heavy as I would hope it'd be. Of course, they are creating more than hats using their hemp sourced from China, grown as organically as possible. Hemp is safer for farmers to grow and preserve the health of the land because the crop requires no chemical pesticides or fertilizers to be sustained.

WHY HEMP MATTERS

The materials that prAna uses to make their clothing will no doubt leave you feeling good about your purchase while also feeling good about how you look. In addition to Hemp, prAna uses Organic cotton, recycled wool, recycled polyester, and responsible down, just some of the notable materials that prAna has lined up to create fair trade, responsible and sustainable made apparel for men and women. Respect for the planet and its people- I'm on board with that.

Want to shop prAna and their hemp line for yourself? The kind and lovely folks over at prAna are offering Prim and Propah readers the opportunity to save 15% off of their order using code: PHAL18... oh, and don't forget to use Ebates to get 4% back on your purchase... what's on your list?!

You can Follow prAna on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest!

Give a SH*T, Please + a GIVEAWAY

I met Ashlee Piper at WELL Summit last week.To say that I was smitten would be an understatement. She's no doubt funny but more importantly, smart a f$&*ing whip. Her session on Mindfullness and Sustainability had me veeeeeery excited to purchase her book "Give a Sh*t- Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet" that I did it nearly immediately and off her person. I hadn't even read it yet but I knew that I would want to share it with you guys... so I bought two copies, one for me and one for a Prim and Propah reader (but more on that later). I know that it is up to us as individulal humas to make our personal and collective environments, better ones.

My mother and sister came up this weekend and I couldn't stop talking about the main points of Ashlee's presentation and all the nuggets of wisdom that I had gleaned from the book thus far. I told them it had to be a must read, added to their wishlists immediately. While I won't get too indepth as to our conversations surrounding the political climate, let's just say that we all agreed that channeling our energy into improving our footprint with our daily actions, is a good use of time. I've only gotten about half way through the book, which says a lot because when I sit down to read, I usually start falling asleep (#momlife) but that said, I couldn't wait to give you the opportunity to read it along with me. So to give you a quick rundown of what you're getting (beside real realness), it's a book broken down into chapters, Giving a sh!t in your home, in your kitchen, in your closet, in the mirror and in the wild... and I think that about covers all the areas that I feel I can try to control (barely) in my own little world. But just imagine if everyone gave a shit, right? Talk about the amount of change we could create.

I'm not going to lie, there are some tough topics in this book but to balance that out, these topics are of the utmost importance. There is a lot of humor in this book but with that humor comes some information that may shake the way that you view, the animal processing industry for instance. While I am sure that you are able to use your imagination, actually viewing a chart broken out into how animals are treated is, well, it's eye opening and also horrifying. But I have an open mind, and an open heart... and I believe you have the same, that's why you read my blog at this stage in time! So are you ready to give a sh*t? You can enter this giveaway on the Instagram post below hy just commenting on the one area you are looking to improve on in your life first and foremost... let's get real, then get real serious about fixing our world.

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✨GIVEAWAY✨ Happy Monday my loves! Today starts a month worth of book giveaways because I just feel like showering you guys with love and gifts, you know? @ashleepiper's new book "Give a Sh*t: Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet" was a recent @wellsummit discovery and to say that I am smitten as a kitten would be an understatement. I wrote a quick blog post (link in profile) about meeting Ashlee last weekend (and subsequently girl crushing), about the book, a little teaser and some recent conversations but if you want to save all your reading for the actual book, you can just stay here to enter to win a signed copy for yourself plus a brand new “create calm” journal to start saving the planet in an organized fashion! To enter: Follow @ashleepiper + @primandpropah Good juju and extra entries, tag some booklovin' friends who want to make the world a better place! *This contest is not affiliated with instagram-- your girl bought the book for you herself because I just wanted to share the good stuff with you! I'll choose a winner at random on Friday evening 10/19 #propahreads #wellsummittribe

A post shared by Amanda (@primandpropah) on Oct 15, 2018 at 4:36am PDT

Didn't want to wait to win? You can purchase Ashlee Piper's book on Amazon or where other books or sold or maybe if you see her in person out in the wild, she'll have a copy you can buy off of her--- or hey, supporting your local library is awesome too-- see? no excuses!

Boudreaux's Keeps My Babes Hiney Healthy

*This post is in partnership with Moms Meet and Boudreaux's Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% my own.

I have to say that we are hopefully nearing the end of being in diapers. Teddy will be two in Decemember and I think that Wesley was potty trained around three, OK nevermind, we are going to be in diapers for the next year at least. Something that has happened a lot with Teddy has been diaper rashes and yeast infections. Yes, a glamorous life I lead, let me tell you. It's been tough to find a diaper cream, or in this case butt paste, that really works and lasts through the night. Moms Meet was nice enough to send me a very generous package from the team at Boudreaux's, including the Rash Kicking Kit. When looking at the quality and performance, while also taking into consideration the ingredients, I have been very pleased with the Boudreaux's line of baby care products. The Rash Kicking Kit especially, since they have the applicator in there! Anyone who knows diaper cream knows that it is not something that is fun to apply with your bare hands-- the applicator does the dirty work and the bum still gets covered! This kit is, like the perfect, baby shower gift. Since having small children, I am of the mindset that gifting things that new Moms need is much more practical then giving them cute baby booties that we all know won't stay on the baby's feet. Just call me Practical Patty over here!

There are a lot of different options out there for discerning parents but this brand is not to be looked over. The quality is on point, a little goes a long way and you can buy different sizes (for home and for diaper bag) You can find the entire Boudreaux's product line on Amazon, so that makes it super easy, am I right? I'm thinking baby shower gifts, holiday donations to local shelters, and of course, stocking up in my own home for this sweet little bottom.

Have you tried Boudreaux's for your baby?