Monday, December 31, 2018

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!



Tuesday, December 18, 2018

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 ChannelsPrime 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.