Friday, August 27, 2021

Monster Pop, a Total Hit Over Here!

 *This post was created in collaboration with Monster Pop and MomsMeet. All opinions are my own and as always, thank you for supporting me and the brands that help make PrimandPropah possible.



We recently received a great sampling of Monster Pop popcorn. I could stop the review here by saying this "it didn't last long!" My family devoured this in a multitude of ways and truth be told, I tossed some bags in our tote for a pool party and the beach, and other kids were instantly enamored as well! I think that the monster on the bag piqued their interest but the actual product is what kept them coming back for more! Both bags were empty in no time.


As a mom of two, I have come to realize that even though I want to always create the most ideal foods for my little guys, sometimes I want the best AND easiest foods to make my life a little less stressful. After the last year or so that we've had here, cute and healthy snack options are more than welcome in this house. I love that I can throw some popcorn in a bowl for movie night and since Monster Pop is not greasy like some bagged popcorn, I don't have to worry about dirty hands wiping their business all over clothes and couches haha! No artificial ingredients and two great flavors! We love the cheese but are more partial to the butter flavor for that classic popcorn feel! What do you say? Want to give Monster Pop a try?


A poem by Monster Pop:

"When your kids munch our popcorn,
Each kernel they eat,
Is a healthy and natural,
Gluten-free treat.
No high-fructose corn-syrup,
All whole grain. Nothing fake.
Delicious nutrition
In each handful they take."



Save 25% on any product on monsterpopshop.com with promo code MOMSMEET25. Expires 10/31/21.


Sunday, June 27, 2021

Wayfare Pudding is Perfect for the Propah Kids!

 *This post has been created in collaboration with MomsMeet and Wayfare Foods. All opinions are 100% mine and as always, thank you for supporting Prim and Propah.



When MomsMeet reached out about trying some of the Wayfare Foods pudding, I thought why not? I am always trying to get my kids to eat healthier and make healthier choices. Why not present them with the opportunity to try something new, a variation on something they already know and love... and something that is soy free, gluten free, vegan, organic, non-gmo, and dairy free. For instance, the Wayfare team sent a sampling of their puddings, chocolate being our favorite! Here are the ingredients in that option: WayFare Dairy Free Base (Water, Organic Butter Beans, Organic Oats), Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Powder Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Gum Arabic, Organic Cultured Dextrose, Sea Salt, Organic Sunflower Lecithin, Organic Sunflower Oil, Konjac Root Powder, Calcium Citrate, Organic Natural Flavor.



Nothing funky or out of the ordinary in the ingredients list but most importantly, guess what? My kids loved it. They really felt like this was a treat, well, because pudding in all it's forms really is a treat over here. I took a couple of bites and maybe it's that I don't eat that much pudding myself but I really, really loved it! The texture is creamy so you don't miss that aspect with regular dairy pudding, plus, the refridgerator life seems to be pretty generous. We took a trip to NC this past week and I popped a couple of these in our cooler back for a nice, cool treat for one of our stops. The kids were so excited to see them in there!





This is really a great option for anyone but especially those with dietary requirements that might normally get left out or have lower quality options available to them. You can feel good about grabbing a pack of these puddings and next on my list are the dips and cheese! It would be pretty amazing to find some other alternatives to the things I love to eat but could probably find healthier and more thoughtful options! Let me know if you have tried and Wayfare Foods products! 


Wayfare Foods is now shipping Nationwide! You can save 20% on any product on wayfarefoods.com with code shareWF20


Tuesday, May 25, 2021

We are Wearing Pact

 *This post has been created in collaboration with Pact and MomsMeet. All opinions are my own and as always, thank you for supporting Prim and Propah and the brands that support me!


It is not a lie that I love Pact. From the organic cotton they use to the sustainability in their supply chain and back to the care and concern they have for our planet... and we're already off to a great start getting to know what a brand's values are. So when we were asked to try the Dream Big Pajamas for my kids, I did not hesitate because you don't have to ask me twice to put my kids in matching, organic pjs! 




I've been having the conversations with other parents about how absolutely cute matching pajamas are and if I am being honest, I simply love kids pajamas. When my boys put on their Dream Big Pajamas, I was instantly in love with how cute they looked, all fresh and clean post-bath, in their alligator pajamas! Cuteness aside, the pajamas are made with organic cotton, no toxic chemicals and 91% less water used than conventional cotton... and they feel so soft, comfy and stretchy without stretching out because the quality is spot on.




Besides the clothing they are selling, Pact is also trying to think about all the ways that their brand affects the world and what they can do to offest their footprint to make a bigger impact. If you know me, my main thing is trying to keep my little world as sustainable as possible because it's what I can control. This includes where I spend my money and who I choose to support on this blog. Whether you're a secondhand shopper or like to buy new sometimes, there are ways in which you can be mindful and think about the choices you are making. Pact makes it pretty easy to shop with them and feel good about it. Check out a special code to save on your first purchase of Dream Big pajamas or something for yourself, too!




Save 20% on your first Pact purchase at wearpact.com with promo code MomsMeet20. Offer is valid until 12/31/21. (Note: Offer valid on first purchases only. Does not apply to sale items. Cannot be combined with other offers.)


SHOP PACT HERE




Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Own Your Bod, Babe Monday May 17th

 After the year plus that we've collectively had, I'd love for us to be able to look back and say that we didn't let the way that we were affected physically, be something that breeds unhappiness for an extended period of time, especially as we see ourselves out of this whole ordeal *crosses fingers


I've had a lot of time to think about my body and what it does for me and this past year, it's become incredibly clear that our health is the utmost of importance. That's all there is to it. Seeing people pushing the "beauty ideal" rings even more hollow than it usually would have, especially because there are hundreds of better things to worry about than having no jiggle. I recorded a little IGTV (below) to sort of talk about how I have been feeling and why I want to encourage people to Own Their Bod, Babe in the year of our Lord 2021. It's about more than accepting our bodies, it's about appreciating everything that they do for us, including and not limited to remaining healthy in very stressful global pandemics!  😂


WHAT IS OWN YOUR BOD, BABE? It all started with a crop top, you can read the original post here. I felt free and wanted to encourage other people to feel that freedom that I felt, so invited people to help me celebrate owning our own body, and saying FU to the haters.



Also, I might have a couple of fun things up my sleeve for the ocassion! I always like to keep things interesting so am looking for some awesome giveaways and ways for people to be interactive with sharing! I am really looking forward to seeing how people feel the need to share and what they are talking about this year. It's been a challening one, that's for sure, why not release ourselves from societal pressure and have fun while we're doing it!


CHECK OUT THE OWN YOUR BOD, BABE APPAREL


For every piece of clothing or a hat that is purchased, the profit on each piece is going to Big Sister Boston, to encourage our local youth in a tangible way. It's important to me to find ways to ensure that girls and women continue to understand the importance of finding support and creating the life they want without being hindered by negative self esteem and low body image. This seems like a great place to start! Shop my Bonfire Store HERE. Let me know what you picked! I definitely treated myself to an "I Own It" sweatshirt and a "Sensitive" ballcap!


I am really looking forward to continuing the conversation around body positivity and encouraging one another to be proud of our bodies, what they can do for us and break down the negative self talk that has been ingrained since we are young. This shit takes some working out but once we start the journey, it can just get better and better!


Do you have any questions? I am here to help! And I hope to see you on May 17th!


Friday, April 16, 2021

Circle Home Plus and Our Family

*This post was created in collaboration with Circle Home Plus and the team at MomsMeet. Though this is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own. Thank you, as always, for supporting Prim and Propah and the brands that I work with.

Picture this... you're living through a global pandemic. You're a mother of two young-ish small humans who are somewhere in between potty trained and somewhat independent. There are times where the house goes quiet and you worry that something horrible has happened because you simply don't trust them... this is when you take out the screens. Unfortunately, as the last year has raged on, my patience has run thinner and thinner, leaving me to depend more on the the most valued member of the family, the tablet. I ki,d, I kid, but you get what I'm saying.


So here we are, trying to reign this all in. The kids love their screen time and why wouldn't they? They use apps like they've been navigating technology since they were born, which they sort of have been. But I have realized that I've created little tech addicts and I'm hoping that, as a family, we can find a better balance. Which is why I am so happy that Circle Home Plus sent us their super easy to use device to help me manage the screen time issues in our home.




Here's how it works:


The Circle Home Plus device connects with your router to manage every Internet-connected device on your home network. You then download and use the Circle App to operate Circle and manage mobile devices (both iOS and Android) everywhere. Does it take up a lot of space? Absolutely not. It's as small a device as you could possibly hope for that does what this does and we parked it right behind the TV along with our other wifi compatible devices that help us manage all the techy things.

There are so many options that Circle Home Plus offers but seeing that my children are not yet on social media, we have some basic needs surrounding the internet so the device and app was super easy to set up for our family's needs. For now, the kids sort of follow our lead and listen (sometimes) when we say that it's time to log off but as you can see from the above picture, I often find my youngest especially, hiding somewhere with a tablet.

I can see my family growing with this device and service, adding bedtime and rewards as my kids are more robust internet users. I also haven't had the need but the PAUSE the internet button seems to me to have a lot of potential 👀 I think it will be important to lay the groundwork for them to be responsible for usage but have this device and app as my mother's helper. When the internet turns off, well, that's all she wrote, folks! I sort of love that we can apply these to the adult devices as well. Both my husband and I have been doom scrollers this past year and sometimes need to be told to just turn it off!





This device does require a subscription but to me, it's extremely useful and it is no more costly then any one of your streaming services. You can also choose to purchase a lifetime subscription, which would pay for itself in about three years based on the current monthly rate of  $9.99. Overall, I think this is a pretty great investment for the family! By the time my kids have their own phones and devices (not shared among the family), we'll be adept at navigating the Circle Home Plus, it's offerings and hopefully, our collective screen time!


Save 20% on your purchase of a Circle Home Plus device + 1 year app subscription or Circle Home Plus device + Lifetime app subscription with promo code MOMSMEET2021. Valid until 10/15/21. One promo code use per person. To purchase, click here.


Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Comfy Clothes Forever, Please

Will I ever "dress to impress again"? Probably! But will I take into consideration that I just love being comfortable? Yes, absolutely. Over the past year, all that has keep me going are the matching sweatsuits and comfy jumpsuits that make me look cute but absolutely let my body breathe free! Like please give me all the loungewear sets because when you match it's like you actually cared to put the outfit together! Right? Well, a girl can dream.


Sweatsuit c/o Femme Luxe

I was talking with a friend this morning about all the grooming items we'll check off on our to-do lists once we are vaccinated. I am going to get eyelash extensions. I am going to get a long overdue facial. I am going to plan a spa day and maybe even go for a new bra fitting! I have plans to get this business back in business so to speak but will I ever forget what I learned in the past year? Not likely. The memory of all the comfy clothes and the clothes that I have been living in, will stay with me. I am not going to go out of my way to be uncomfortable but I'll remember the comfort!


Sweatsuit c/o Femme Luxe

Will I continue to buy Womens Tracksuit Sets and do photo shoots with my cat a la Kate Beckinsale? Yup! Will I buy some new Summer tops? Maybe. Will they all be cute AND comfortable? More than likely yes! Because it's not important for me to find clothes that look good but don't check off that comfy box. I can still look cute without sacrificing comfort. And I post you one last question: Did I post this in part because I wanted to show you the bougie cat picture? YUP! I did!


Sweatsuit c/o Femme Luxe



Friday, March 12, 2021

Explorer Academy Up in the House

*This post was written in collaboration with Moms Meet and National Geographic Explorer Academy. All opinions are 100 mine and as always, thank you for supporting Prim and Propah!


I will not miss out of the opportunity to get my kids some cool new books. Now that Wes can ready pretty well, especially for an almost 7 year old, we are really digging into all the new avenues that have opened up now that I don't have to read everything to him at every juncture of the day! When I had the opp to snag the Explorer Academy Series of Books, I didn't hesitate... this seemed right up our alley!




My son is a strong reader for his age but still needs some help with big words and a little bit of comprehension but we started these books as soon as they arrived. We took turns reading each page, alternating between me and him. I can tell that he loved starting this series because the books have an "older kid" feel to them... because, well, they're recommended for kids aged 8-12. Without giving too much away about the plot and such, this is most definitely a kids adventure book but is not specific to "boys" or "girls" but rather makes space for any child who wants to experience a little mystery, adventure and a great story, that I would assume carries through to the next books (though we haven't made it that far yet) Book One: "Cruz Coronado applies to attend an exclusive school for explorers, the Explorer Academy, where his mother worked before dying in a mysterious lab accident. Plunged into a world of critical missions and code breaking, Cruz embarks on a global hunt for a secret formula that could reveal his hidden past. But it might be difficult—especially when you don’t know who you can trust."



On top of the books, I love that National Geographic has built a robust companion website that not only covers the reading but also has videos, games, education, art from the books and much more! My kids love to have their "screen time" so I've added this to the bookmarks on their tablet for further exploration that I would consider much better than your standard kids youtube fare. It just feels good to be able to trust that between the books and the website, I can put myself on auto pilot a but knowing that if he's reading/using Explorer Academy, then he's using his imagination and perhaps even learning! It's nice to be providing this reading enjoyment to him *pats self on the back*. Overall, this series is definitely one that I'd recommend! The team at MomsMeet and Explorer Academy sent me an additional set to giveaway, so rather than do your standard giveaway on the 'nets, I went to my local Buy Nothing group, which has been an amazing community support especially during the pandemic, and I offered them up, mentioning how great the books are. These found a home with another child in my community and I am so grateful to have been able to share Explorer Academy in multiple ways! Check out how you can get the first book in the series, at a discount, below!



I'm sure that your kids will love Explorer Academy, too so I am sharing a special discount code! The team at National Geographic is offering 50% off the first book, The Nebula Secret. Click here to use your special code 50OFFEA1 on Amazon. Offer valid 1/18/21 through 3/19/21 or while supplies last.



Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Sticker Mule Fueling All my Branding Dreams

*This post is in collaboration with Sticker Mule. Even though I might get some free stickers out of this deal, I have purchase from them with my real money, many, many, many times before... so you know that I am legit on the level.


I think I discovered Sticker Mule on twitter because they have one of those accounts with personality and someone most definitely shared something and I was like what is this all about? Fast forward to my launch of Propah Pieces (before the world forever changed over the coronavirus) and I knew that I wanted to have some sort of swag that I could afford, so I orders some of the Sticker Mule custom stickers. Not only was the ordering process super easy, and they send a proof before you complete the order, but the stickers were in my mailbox within a couple days. It really was such an easy first experience with them, that it was a no brainer when I wanted pins and more stickers!




What I also love about Sticker Mule is that they're always running little deals so if there is a product you've had your eye on for your brand or business, but didn't want to pull the trigger just yet, they let you order a small quantity at a deal depending on what their promo is that week or month. I think it's a pretty cool program and it's exactly how I got hooked on the pins for Propah Pieces and my voting series of pins as well!





If you know what's good for you, Follow Sticker Mule on Twitter and check out all of their good stuff on the site. Whether you're creating stickers for Galentine's Day (like I did for my girlfriends this year) or pumping up your branding, I just love the crew over there!


Find Sticker Mule on their website, twitter, facebook, and instagram!


Friday, February 12, 2021

Love Corn and The Light Family

 *This post was created in collaboration with Love Corn and MomsMeet. All opinions are 100% mine and as always, thank you for supporting Prim and Propah and the brands that I work with.


You know I love a good blogger kit and one that is food? Well, bring it on. I have two growing boys that are coming in hot when it comes to eating. They are only 6 and 4 but if what I am dealing with now tells me anything about the future, I am certainly in trouble from a food standpoint. When we got the very generous box in the mail from Love Corn, my kids were like STICKERS and then SNACKS 😂 and I was like CORN! Ask anyone in my family and they can tell you about my love of corn and cheese, both separately and together haha. But anyways, yes SNACKS! Plant based, Non-GMO, gluten-free snacks to be exact!



Mom life has been a bit cray lately, oh who am I kidding, mom life has been downright hard for the past year, harder than usual. I have to admit, that I now have the snacks low enough in the pantry so that my kids can go get it themselves. It's not how I envisioned parenting but this is one of those battles that I am happy to raise the white flag of surrender. Adding Love Corn snack packs to the closet has made me feel a little less guilt about the ease that I've welcomed in the snacking process. Love Corn sent us a bunch of varieties from habanero chili (my personal favorite), to sea salt, BBQ and salt + vinegar. The base for their recipe? Corn, sunflower oil and salt, that's it. Ingredients you can recognize... that I love... corn. 😂




In addition to the fact that my kids actually like this snack (when it comes to healthy stuff, it's a hard sell for them) and that this is the perfect size for lunch boxes and car snacks (though I do not look forward to rogue corn kernels in between seats), Love Corn looks like a brand that has goals to be a brand that gives back and supports their community, which is big for me. We vote with our dollars so if we're going to spend money, why don't we buy from brands who are doing great things and helping people in their community? That's how I like to vote anyhow.






For a limited time, you can save 25% on all LOVE CORN products with promo code MOMSLOVE on their website! They're also offering a FREE snack pack (with shipping costs) so that you can try these tasty bits for yourself!


Friday, January 8, 2021

TruSkin Review, Sponsored Content

 *This post was created in collaboration with TruSkin and MomsMeet. All Opinions are 100% my own and as always, I thank you for supporting Prim and Propah!


I have tried MANY face oils, serums and moisturizers in my day. I have been on the "clean beauty" scene for about 6 years now so I have had the opportunity to sample and review a lot of different brands and their product offerings. I wouldn't consider myself an expert but I wouldn't consider myself a novice either. I can tell when something is a good product for a good price. I can tell when something is overrated and overpriced and anywhere inbetween the two. So when TruSkin sent me their face serum and moisturizer, I have been able to review with a discerning eye.




When I first recieved the products, I have to admit, my first impression was to not be impressed. I mentioned that I have used many, many products so I have seen the prettiest and most impressive packaging that there is... but here's where I shouldn't be so snooty, right? Beauty and quality skincare should be accessible and available to all and we shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Based on my initial first few uses, I would say that this is a pretty good product and is on par with some of the brands that I've gotten at Whole Foods. There is no scent (which I know is huge for a lot of sensitive folks) and it's very lightweight, both the serum and the moisturizer. My skin has been drier than usual due to the New England cold and this duo has stood up to it, which I do find impressive.



I think what I like the best about TruSkin is their price point for this product. I use a toner, serum and moisturizer every day. I believe it's a good solid skincare routine for anyone and if you don't have major skin issues, I think this duo is actually pretty perfect. A Serum at $19.99 and moisturizer at $15.99. I've recently come to realize that just because a company puts forth affordability, doesn't mean they don't care about ingredients and sourcing. TruSkin is Leaping Bunny Certified so you know that they take consideration in that area.



I really liked this duo and even though I have other oils and moisturizers, will work this into my routine, I like it that much. Their products do the job and while they might not be the fanciest out there, they are affordable, quality and generous in size. Save 10% on any TruSkin products by using the promo code MOM10 on their website. Visit momsmeet.link/truskinshop


You can find TruSkin on their site, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!