DISCLAIMER: XFINITY partnered with bloggers like me for this program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about any product mentioned in these posts. XFINITY believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. XFINITY’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard... "Fiber is Coming". You've no doubt seen the cool grey T Shirts and the (much less cool) construction going on all over town, all in an effort to bring you more, better, faster... something. Google's new fiber optic TV and internet service is slowly being rolled out in several markets over the coming months and years, but why wait for Google Fiber to come, when Xfinity is already here. While I am not a huge proponent of letting the TV babysit your kids all day, I do feel that TV can be as useful a tool as you choose to make it. I have found it to be very helpful at times, especially in our homeschool. Micah is a very visual learner and the TV has saved me more than once or twice, when I was having trouble explaining a concept, I could look it up and find a video or an episode of a show that explained it better than I could and kept his attention better than my droning voice could. With the new features on Xfinity's Kids Zone, my "job" just became a lot easier. The new voice remote feature, available only on X1, allows kids to (safely) search for their favorite shows, with the press of a button. This is super handy if your child can't spell well or if little Susie wants to watch Caillou and you are currently elbow deep in some raw chicken parts and she just won't take "no" for an answer. Another handy feature of Kids Zone is the order blocking function. While in Kids Zone, your child can not buy any movies or services, without your help, but you might want to make your PIN something different than your telephone password, if your child has a good memory. When in Kids Zone, children can browse all on their own, selecting live programming, free Xfinity On Demand content, movies and TV shows purchased through the Xfinity Digital Store, as well as any saved programming on your DVR — all of which has either been flagged by the network or studio as kids programming, or deemed age-appropriate for kids 12 and under by the great folks at Common Sense Media. You can even filter the shows further for the youngest members of the family. Along with all the cool (safety oriented) bells and whistles on the X1 voice remote, there are also a few fun "Easter Eggs" (hidden stuff you can do that isn't widely known). You can speak your favorite "Teen Titans Go!" phrase for a fun surprise or try saying "banana" and see what funny yellow character surprise you find... Spoiler: It's a Minion voice... or something.
While all of these features are really cool, I think the best feature is... it's available right now!!! Call your local Comcast provider for more info on Xfinity's X1 service with the exclusive voice remote. Tell 'em I sent you. It won't get you a discount or anything special, but it might start a fun conversation.
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DISCLAIMER: Thanks to PlumbTile for sponsoring today's post. All opinions and experiences are my own. Part of my job, as a blogger, is to be a story-teller. I have a good one for you today... Once upon a time, there was a woman; she was a kind and gentle woman. Dare I say, a happy woman. She was known for her calm demeanor and ability to stay strong in the face of negativity. Then, one day, she decided to do a full kitchen renovation. After four days, she was never seen or heard from again. The End. The story you just read is a true representation of my experience remodeling my kitchen. I eventually came home, but only after the whole thing was done. OK, I only left for an afternoon, but still, most of the story is true. Undergoing a remodel is almost as bad as having teeth pulled, but it really doesn't have to be. Today, I'm sharing a few tips that I wish I had known, before I remodeled my kitchen. First things first. Decide exactly what you want your new kitchen to look like. Check out paint colors, kitchen lighting choices, tile choices, flooring choices, etc. Take some time to look at some home improvement magazines or websites like PlumbTile to get a few ideas to show to your contractor. Speaking of contractors. This is probably the most important part of your kitchen remodel. Finding a good contractor is key to getting a good final result. Ask around and see if your friends have a guy they use and recommend. Word of mouth is very important when looking for a contractor. Ask around on your local Facebook groups, or check on Craigslist. Also, you could check with your local home improvement stores, often they will have names and numbers of contractors. This is a good one. When planning a remodel, kitchen or otherwise, make sure you don't have anything to do for about three weeks. Seriously. Don't plan a huge remodel close to the holidays or a birthday or a major surgery or anytime you might have company coming in from out of town. Also, make sure you write into your contract: final price is based on job completed, not on number of days worked. This will ensure your contractor gets the job done in a timely manner. If you are doing a full remodel, remember: you will probably be without your fridge for at least a week, so plan to eat up all the food before the contractor shows up. Also, you should plan to be without a sink or place to wash dishes, so plan to use paper plates or you could always wash your dishes in the tub or eat out a whole lot. (both are horrible ideas, trust me) Doing any kind of home improvement can be (read as "will be") hectic, unnerving and a downright pain in the ass. You must remember this going in to it. Make sure you have an "escape plan". Ask a friend or neighbor if you can come to their house for an afternoon if it all gets to be too much.
If you have no friends or neighbors, go to the park, walk around the mall, go do some shopping, go for a hike; whatever you need to do, do it. Don't let something that is supposed to be fun, turn into a headache. Keep your eye on the prize, it will all be worth it, in the end!
DISCLAIMER: I received the products mentioned below to help facilitate this post. All opinions and experiences are my own.
If you've been following me on Facebook or Instagram, you've no doubt seen tons of pictures chronicling my most recent "adventure"... trying to get healthy. A couple of months ago, I was having some issues with vertigo that landed me in the ER. After a nice shot of anti-nausea meds and a little bit of blood work, the Doctor comes back to inform me that all my blood work looked OK, but my blood sugar was really high and I would need to go on meds to control it.
Having been diagnosed with gestational diabetes during my last pregnancy, I knew exactly what this meant.... I'm screwed. Good-bye to the donuts, good-bye to the sushi I sooooo adore, good-bye to the easy to fix and eat sandwiches I enjoyed on a daily basis, good-bye to everything good in life... or so I thought. I had given up sugar and carbs in the past, when I was pregnant, but it was easier that time, I literally had another life depending on every bite of food I put into my body. The kicks and nudges from the inside were enough to keep me on the right track. What would be my motivation this time? On the way home from the hospital, I was whining to my husband how much this sucks, how much effort this was going to require and how I really didn't think I was up for this, etc., etc. He said one thing that will stick with me forever... He said: "Look at our kids and tell them they're not worth it." Well that was a low blow. You can't play the "the kids need you" card right off the bat... can you? Well he did and that's all it took for me to get it in my head to get with the program and not only for the kids, but for myself also.
Upon leaving the hospital, the Doctor gave me a months worth of meds, told me to lose about 40 lbs and told me to follow up with my regular Doctor. Yeah, I don't do Doctors and medicines. I have had three back surgeries, two c sections and one gallbladder-ectomy and to say I am not fond of Doctors is an understatement. I knew I had to get serious, if I wanted to avoid the dreaded Doctor visits once a month, so I did.
Knowing myself the way I do, I knew I was going to need an ally, so I enlisted the help of my husband who had been trying to get me to go low carb for quite a while. After some initial self doubt, reluctance and complaining on my part, we agreed to have one last hurrah over the weekend, then get down to business on Monday morning.
Monday wasn't too hard. I still had tons of carbs in me from the day before. I can't remember exactly what I ate that morning, but it was probably something like... eggs, bacon and coffee for breakfast, chicken and spinach for lunch and probably some kind of meat for dinner. No bread, no sweets, no carbs. No problem. I was hanging in there. Day one came and went and we were on to day two, then day three, then day four and before I knew it, it was just another day. About a week in, I decided to do something I swore I wouldn't... weigh myself. I wasn't expecting much, but I was sure hoping... there it was, I lost 3 pounds. Wait, what?! Really? Yep, just like that, I was losing weight and I wasn't even starving myself. Was this some kind of sorcery or what?!
Well, it wasn't magic exactly... let me explain... When you eat carbs, your body uses them for fuel and stores any fat you eat for later, but when you eat low carb, your body uses fat for fuel and it doesn't get stored. Pretty easy concept, really and once I figured out how to make it work and started seeing the results, I was hooked... then I wondered... what if I actually add some exercise to my day?! What a novel concept.
Being a super novice when it comes to any kind of exercise, besides vacuuming (which is a great way to burn calories, by the way), I started with what I actually felt comfortable with... walking. I set a small goal in my head to try to walk a mile. I put an app on my phone to help me track my progress, downloaded Pandora, found some old earbuds and I struck out.
I did that one mile and almost got to two, then I hit a wall, but that's OK. After I realized I was capable of so much more than I originally thought, I was pumped to do more and more. Almost like Dorothy in the "Wizard of OZ", I had the power all along, but couldn't see it because of my own self doubt.
I have been on this journey for a couple of months and to date, I have lost 20 lbs and I am not on any meds to control my blood sugar anymore. My numbers are excellent and as long as I continue to watch everything, I should (knock on wood) be OK. Aren't our bodies amazing the way they can heal themselves?! While I have only been doing this for two months and it sounds like everything is rainbows and unicorns, it's not. I have had a few problems along the way. For example, after my first week of walking, I had horrible blisters on my feet, big, huge ones that were really painful, but I didn't let that stop me. I put band-aids on them and kept going, with what I felt comfortable doing. I also added some different terrain into my walks and even went hiking a few times. Where there's a will, there's a way. The best advice I have given to friends (that have asked) is: make it fun and it won't feel like work. Simple enough, right?! Also, planning is key! A wise old guy once said... "Failing to plan is the same thing as planning to fail" ... or something like that. But seriously, planning is key to making this a success. For me, mindless snacking was my downfall. Instead of preparing a meal, I would just snack here and there, which adds up so much faster than you even realize. Once a week, sit down and plan what you want to eat the next week. There are tons of low carb/keto diet sites with tons of recipes to try. Pick a few and write them down. Most keto/lowcarb recipes are fairly simple and require simple ingredients, like meat and cheese. Find an app that will help you keep track of what you eat. For me, this was huge. Instead of trying to count stuff in my head, I can keep track of it on my app. (I use My Fitness Pal) The app can also keep track of your exercise also and deducts the calories from your total for the day. Don't deprive yourself of what you want, just find a workaround. When I was toying with the idea of going low carb months ago, I was afraid I would miss out on eating all the foods I love, I don't. I eat pretty much anything I want and if I can't have the conventional version of something, I re-work the recipe, until it's low carb friendly. What about low carb southern fried chicken? Yes, even fried chicken. (and low carb cheesecake {recipe coming soon})
After you get your "food game" on point (as my kids would say), it's time to get your "gear game" in check... or something like that. Whatever. What I'm trying to say is, you need the right tools to get the job done. Just like you wouldn't show up to build a house with a spoon and knife, you can't show up at the gym or the walking track in just any old thing. Exercise is serious business and should be treated as such.
Starting with your clothes... you need something that is appropriate for the weather, something that will keep all your important bits covered up and something that feels like a nice warm hug... on your bum. I reached out to the awesome folks at Soybu, who have an amazing new line of plus size active wear and they were kind enough to send me an outfit to check out... OMG! It's like buttah. Seriously, the Allegro leggings are soooo soft and the Melissa Tee fits just right, no matter if I'm going to work out or going to the grocery store, this outfit is a winner. My 18 yr old tried to steal the shirt last time she was home from college... not today, sister.
When I first started out with my exercise routine, I found I had two problems. One, I didn't have anywhere to put my huge phone, which was playing my awesome music I needed to keep me from quitting halfway through my workout and two, my earbuds kept getting sweaty and falling out of my ears.
Well this just wouldn't work. The music is the main thing that kept me going (besides the kids), so I looked online... surely there is something that I can use that will hold my phone, while I am walking, like a fanny pack, only not quite as granny-ish... I found it! Say "Hello" to the Kinetic K1 running belt from Sporteer.
This little gem is amazing. It holds my giant Lumia 1320 phone and even a couple of dollars, so I can ride the bus home, if I give out on my walk. (kidding) There's also a spot for a house key or maybe a love note from your sweet hubby. (hint, hint, sweet hubby)
The belt is adjustable, so when I shrink, it will too. It has a really nice, comfy padded feel and is really substantial, but best of all, it works for my big phone. With all my research, this is one of the only running belts that fit large phones I could find. You can even switch songs and answer the phone, without having to remove it.
After I solved my phone problem, it was time to solve my "sweaty earbud" issue. As I was looking online, I ran across these awesome Monster isport Freedom wireless headphones... was this my huckleberry? Yep, it surely was. These headphones had exactly what I was looking for... and they are sweat proof. Score!
The isport Freedom is everything I was looking for... Slip resistant ear padding, great sound, cool color (reflective strips too) and best of all, it's wireless, which makes for a much smoother, less distracted run/walk.
The isport Freedom has on ear controls and even allows you to answer phone calls, with one touch. The headphones come with an antimicrobial cleaning cloth, a carrying pouch and a USB charging cord. All you have to do is charge them and go.
All these awesome goodies sure do make my "job" easier, but when it boils down to it, it's really just about perseverance, dedication and the support of an amazing partner. If I can do it, anyone can.
DISCLAIMER: I will receive complimentary issues of the magazines for sharing this info with my readers. Redan Publishing is offering my blog viewers a special discounted offer plus a FREE bonus issue for ordering. Go to go Redan.com and click on the magazine cover with your child's favorite character to order. Each issue contains stories, a craft project, a collectible poster and a workbook full of fun educational activities that are designed to give your child a head start in developing their early learning skills with the help of their favorite characters. Your child will spend endless hours stimulating their imaginations and having fun not realizing they are learning! These interactive magazines make the perfect gift for any young reader on your list.
DISCLAIMER: Thanks to the folks at Amwell for sponsoring today's post. I was provided a free consultation with an Amwell provider as a part of a social media campaign to spread the word about their services. All opinions and experiences are my own. Yours may differ. Let's face it, short of placing your kids (and yourself) in a germ-free plastic bubble, there's no foolproof way to avoid the funk this Winter. It's almost inevitable. It seems like every year, usually right around the holidays, someone gets sick. Be it the kids with a stomach bug or Mom and Dad with the general crud, odds are, someone will get sick and the only thing worse than being sick around the holidays is... going to a Doctor's office and sitting for an hour or more to be seen... when you're sick around the holidays. *insert Debbie Downer music here* It's a fact; being sick is not fun. In all honesty, it sucks. You're snuffly, sneeze-y, tired, grumpy and the last thing you want to do is put on clothes, get behind the wheel of a car and drive yourself to the Doctor. (where you're subject to pick up a really nice case of pink eye) Wouldn't it be nice if you could just call the Doctor (whilst still in your cozy, germ covered jammies) and be like..."Look, Doc, I've caught the funk, I feel like I'm dying, could you hook a girl up with some meds that will make me feel like a human again?!" Why can't there be an app for that?! Oh, but there is! Say "Hello" to Amwell. Amwell is the nation’s largest telehealth company, connecting you with board-certified, licensed doctors, dietitians and psychologists, in 46 states, for immediate and live, online visits—day or night, using your mobile phone or desktop computer. Amwell doctors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, rain, sleet, snow, hail, zombies, no matter what, you have a Doctor, right in the palm of your hand. While you would probably want to see your local Doctor for stuff like... broken bones, sharp instruments stuck anywhere in your body, profuse bleeding, gun shot wounds and motor vehicle accidents, the Amwell docs are here to help you with more common ailments and issues, such as... • Bronchitis • Cough • Sinus infection • Sore throat • Urinary tract infection • Vomiting • Diarrhea • Fever • Pinkeye • Flu • Sprains and strains • Cold • Respiratory infection • Headache • Depression • Anxiety • Weight concerns • Smoking cessation Finding a provider is easy, just login on your PC or even better, use the app. Choose the type of practitioner you are looking for. Depending on the issue at hand, the doctor can diagnose, suggest follow up, and prescribe, when appropriate. I know you're wondering if this is legit or what, right? It seems too easy to be true, right? Wrong! Amwell takes your privacy very seriously. Your visit with the doctor is secure and HIPAA compliant. Amwell is accepted by many major insurers, with more added every day, but for a limited time, you can claim a FREE visit with a Doctor or Nutritionist or Psychologist, by using coupon code BEWELL16 at Amwell.com or on the app. I recently had the opportunity to check out the services Amwell provides, when I had a consultation with a Doctor, to discuss ways to control my fasting blood sugars. A couple of months ago, I was advised that my blood sugar was way out of whack and I needed to get it under control, so for the past 2 months, I have been on a low carb diet and closely monitoring my sugar and I am proud to say I've lost about 20lbs and I am no longer in need of meds to keep my blood sugar under control. While my numbers are excellent after I eat, my fasting sugar has been a bit higher than I want it to be, so I consulted with the Doctor for some advice on this issue and here's what happened... After realizing my PC was not going to cooperate, I decided to use the Android app, which is what I should have done to begin with. It was super easy. It took about a minute to install the app onto my phone, then I was set to login, using the info I supplied, using my PC. (Name, date of birth and preferred password for logging in, nothing invasive) After logging in, I was asked what type of practitioner I was looking for, then I was brought to a page where I was given several choices of available Doctors, with a little blurb about them. I was asked a couple of basic medical history type questions... allergies, heart disease, cancer, etc; the basics, then I was asked about any meds I currently take and I was on my way to seeing the Doctor. After reading a little about each one, I chose a Doctor based on the issues I wanted to discuss. I was then put in the queue. I was informed I was second in line and given the choice to wait or choose another Doctor. Since this Doctor matched best with my concerns, I chose to wait.
While I was waiting, I was shown a short video explaining what to expect from my visit and I was urged to write down any questions I had for the Doctor. About 4 or 5 minutes passed before my practitioner appeared on the screen. I, of course, was like a 65 yr old granny who has never used video chatting before (I Skyped my daughter from across the room once, on accident) and was like... "Can you see me?" "Can you hear me OK?" then I tapped on the thing. It was awkward and I was really glad I could use the "selfie angle" to finish my visit and hide my third chin. Jokes aside, it was really easy and even though I didn't like the way I looked on video, I got the answers I was looking for and my health concerns were put at bay. Between you and me and anyone who knows me; I have a huge fear of Doctor's offices. It causes me a ton of anxiety just thinking about it. You won't catch me in one, unless I'm literally bleeding to death or giving birth to a child, so for people like me, I can see how this would be an amazing asset. Lucky for me, I don't have to see a Doctor often, but when I do, I'm glad I have the option to use Amwell from now on. Want to check out Amwell for yourself? You can, for a limited time, score a free visit by using coupon code BEWELL16 at Amwell.com or on the Apple store, or the Android app. You can see an Amwell doc for lots of common ailments as well as routine medication refills. (in most states, some limitations apply)
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of the game as well as a Steam code to giveaway, thanks to TellTale Games. All opinions are my own.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard of Minecraft before, but have you seen the new incarnation of Minecraft? Just when you thought it couldn't get any better... Minecraft Story Mode.
Minecraft: Story Mode will be an all-new narrative-driven, episodic game series, developed by Telltale in collaboration with Mojang and members of the Minecraft community. Set in the world of Minecraft, the game series will introduce new characters and familiar themes, but will be an entirely original Minecraft experience inspired by the game that continues to inspire a generation.
Micah has been asking, no, begging me for this game since he saw a trailer for it a few months ago. We are a huge Minecraft family. (by "we", I mean "Micah") I wasn't too sure what all the hype was about, so I watched the trailer and I have to admit, it looks like a really fun game. It is kind of like the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books I used to read as a kid, brought to life, in the Minecraft universe.
In Minecraft: Story Mode, playing as either a male or female hero named 'Jesse,' you’ll embark on a perilous adventure across the Overworld, through the Nether, to the End, and beyond. You and your friends revere the legendary Order of the Stone: Warrior, Redstone Engineer, Griefer, and Architect; slayers of the Ender Dragon. While at EnderCon in hopes of meeting Gabriel the Warrior, Jesse’s friends discover that something is wrong… something dreadful. Terror is unleashed, and you must set out on a quest to find The Order of the Stone if you are to save your world from oblivion.
If you have a Minecraft fan in your home, you've probably already got this on your holiday shopping list, but if you don't, add it NOW! I assure you, this is the number one item on any true Minecraft fan's list. All you have to do is: wrap it up, sit back and watch the squeals of delight, when they open it. It's almost too easy... almost.
Minecraft Story Mode is available for PS3, PS4, XBox360, XBoxOne and Steam for PC.
The awesome folks at TellTale Games have generously given me a Steam code to give away to one lucky reader. (You must have the Steam engine downloaded on your computer for this to work) See full details below and get your entries in!!!
FINE PRINT: Only one code will be given and all entries will be verified. Good Luck!
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