Motherhood - Page 26 of 60 - ON THE EDGE w/ missstephanieb

Getting Groceries Delivered is Your New 2017 Resolution – Here’s Why

December 29, 2016

Everyone has some sort of holiday tradition of baking holiday cookies. For us, it’s spending one entire day baking dozens and dozens to mail out to family and friends. Although we’ve shared countless precious memories with flour on our faces and tasting our new delicious concoctions, the memory of going to the grocery store during the holiday season, especially here in NYC, for all of the ingredients is like a nightmare. Crowded, hot stores, extremely long lines, and then not to mention, having to carry your groceries all the way home. This sort of holiday tradition needs to be one we laugh about and watch like a train wreck Christmas movie. And guess what – it can. Now with a few clicks of a button I can check my list twice (like, Santa!) and have all of my holiday favorites delivered to my door from Peapod. Including all those heavy flour and sugar bags – I like to keep my heavy lifting for the gym.

Grocery shopping is cooler on your couch

Listen guys, getting your own groceries is now only acceptable in 2003 and rural living in Colorado (I can say that I’ve lived there) – Peapod has everything you would find in your local supermarket – from produce and prepared foods to those organic herbs you love to cook with, to toiletries, office/school supplies and even wine! Peapod delivers – regardless if you live in the city or suburbs (or a snowstorm, unless De Blasio shuts down the roads again) and even to your business. With functions like Order Genius (a cart auto-fill with the items you buy most frequently) and Past Purchases (which saves your orders so re-ordering is fast and easy) you can make sure the office kitchen never runs out of that fair trade, organic coffee from Guatemala that everyone loves.

Recipe-to-cart

Have you ever read a recipe online, wrote it down, and then had to travel to three different grocery stores to find all of the ingredients? Wasting what little free time we do have to come home frustrated and no longer even wanting to cook, or CAN because you couldn’t find what you need. That’s the issue with all these “clean eating” recipes – some of them have obscure ingredients, right? By using the (free!) mobile app you can easily have your shopping complete in a matter of seconds – and just search for those weird ingredients you need, like powered milk (seriously, this is a real ingredient we went in search for one day!).

Furthermore, the most phenomenal feature about Peapod is their recipe content site. FromthePod.com is a muse for recipes. Simply select a meal category like brunch or desserts and then browse the array of dishes until you find something that makes your mouth water. Clicking the “SHOP NOW” button allows you to place the ingredients directly into your cart in one smooth uniform process. Get fancy with your holiday entertaining and try out an amazing recipe that will surely WOW the socks off your friends. Don’t worry if you need dairy-, peanut- or even gluten-free items, Peapod has a filter to only see products that meet your dietary needs. Yes, that means you actually DO have time to make those nut-free cookies for school this week.

More insider tips

Coupons! Some online grocery stores don’t take manufacturer coupons (say what?), but Peapod will even double these coupons! (also, if you forget to hand these coupons to the delivery guy – do not fear, you can just mail them in and they will credit your account – I’ve tried it!).
Peapod helps you save a ton of money by highlighting sales items customers have bought before in a “My Specials” list, with thousands of weekly specials, budget friendly store brands.
You can either get a yearly delivery pass for only $119 (I’ve done the math – if you get groceries delivered once a week like I do, you’re saving over $100 by getting this unlimited pass!) OR
if you don’t need that many deliveries, you can also schedule “eco-friendly” delivery times and save up to $2 off your delivery fee (getting your stuff delivered for only $4 is a BARGAIN in NYC).

Get Peapod delivered for free!

Want to see all the life changing features I talk about above for yourself? Enter here to win a ENTIRE YEAR of FREE DELIVERIES! All you have to do is comment below why you need Peapod deliveries, and enter the Rafflecopter. One luck winner will be chosen on January 8th.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

15 Tips for Your First Long Distance Race

December 26, 2016

If you’re getting ready to run your first long distance race, there are a few things you should know. Maybe you’re a pro and already prepped, but for my first half marathon, I hadn’t run a registered 5K, 10K or 15K in over five years! True story.

So if you’re a newbie like we all once were once, it’s helpful to have a friend or seasoned veteran (can I consider myself that now? How cool!) give you some insider tips on making it the best run you can. Here is my pre-race checklist:

1. Don’t do any strenuous workouts two to three days prior to the race.

Let your body rest. The hard work is already done!

2. Carb load the night before.

This is the BEST part of the run! Live it up the night before, you earned it. My friends and I love to find a good Italian restaurant and go for chicken parm with spaghetti. Protein and carbs for days!

3. Get sleep.

Sometimes it’s hard to sleep the night before a race, but try to turn in early—at the very least, turn the phone off and read a book or magazine.

4. Don’t rush in the AM

Be sure to get up a little early and leave enough time to prep for the race.

5. Lay out your clothes.

By now you will know what you love to run in, so have your outfit ready to go so you’re not scrambling with one-eye open in the am.

6. Have your morning coffee!

You want to “clean out your system” before you hit the race—trust me!

Read the full article here on Runkeeper.com

Avoid a Holiday Oops This Year

December 24, 2016

We’ve had Home Alone, Christmas Vacation and Elf on repeat this week, and while we laugh, they all have a common theme – they make fun of all the disasters that come with the holidays. From leaving your child behind on a trip to Europe (shudders), to burning down Christmas trees, it’s funny to relish in other’s mishaps – until it happens to you. Last year alone, over 12,000 people visited ERs – just for the holiday hurts like falling off ladders for hanging up Christmas decorations, electrical shocks, and even nibbling on toxic mistletoe berries.

But, alas, accidents happen. Thankfully in NYC we’ve branched out and don’t have to sit in ERs next to gunshot wounds, there are “urgent cares” where you can slip in to get a quick stitch, cool a burn, or get a quick x-ray of that leg after you fell off the balcony (I mean – it happens!). There are a few of these popping up everywhere, even here in Queens, and this is cutting down wait time dramatically.

Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Cares are our go-to due to their smart innovations. Literally you can see on their website which location is closest, and which has shortest wait time. If you’ve ever spent time in an ER in NYC, you know how much of a blessing this is (one we sat for so many hours, we gave up and drove out to an ER in Long Island – true story!). Plus, let’s be honest – this looks more inviting, clean and sanitary that that sketchy NYC ER, right? I won’t mention names, but this is a prime example why we’re big fans of these urgent care facilities – not to mention they treat you like a human, not a number just sitting here in a cold, stuffy waiting room.

Now, I can check the site and hop in a quick Uber to the closest Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Care to make sure Maximo’s fever is under control, or sigh, have that candy removed from his ear (again, true story). Currently there are five locations in Queens, six in Manhattan, fifteen in Long Island and three in Staten Island.

And just to be on the nice list this year, here are a few “tips” on how to avoid a Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Care trip:

Remember that poinsettias and Mistletoe are toxic – even though they’re pretty, if ingested it can cause stomach aches or worse (even for pets!)
Did you know some artificial trees might not be “fire-resistant?” Make sure to grab one that is, and still never leave it or a real tree on while you’re not home.
Just yesterday in NYC’s first snowfall I slipped three times walking home – many urgent care visits are due to falls. Watch the ground you’re walking on, especially when rushing to school or getting lost in the holiday crowd shuffle.
Toys resulted in 185,000 ED visits in 2015. That’s insane. Make sure small pieces don’t get dislodged or could end up in tiny mouths, that batteries are used properly, etc.
Candles. Seriously we’ve probably all left the house with one burning. Tisk tisk. Or those electric heaters are everywhere right now (even our doormen have one on their desk), so just be cautious of them, even if they’re not your own.
And my favorite – if you’re going for a long road trip (or to Colorado for the holidays like us!) make sure you have supplies in the car if anything happens. The last thing you want if you hit ice and wreck with no cell service is no blankets or food! A couple tea candles in a coffee can can heat the inside of a car enough to keep you alive (it’s also good to store these candles in the can at home just in case the electric or heat ever goes out – take it from a former girl on the farm).

This is a sponsored post by Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Cares, but as always, we only promote the places we truly believe in. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting Football Food and Motherhood.

Broadway’s First A Capella Musical: in transit

December 20, 2016

Recently I hit a rough patch in my life, I came back to New York City after quitting my job at NY1 and backpacking through Asia for six months. I came back for love, and then two months later we had the inevitable tragic breakup that happens in your late 20s when it’s either forever or never. Consequently, I’ve been living on my savings, jobless, loveless and chasing a dream that I don’t even know will come true. Too many times to count I hit rock bottom, questioning if the dream is really worth it and why don’t I just “give up”… use these degrees and skills, get a job paying the big bucks, WITH BENEFITS!

Low and behold I headed to Broadway the other night not sure what to expect, and that is exactly what in transit is about. It captured the experience of millions of New Yorkers that ride the subway who are “in transit” with their lives. Everyday we commute with thousands of strangers who are all going through heartache, unemployment, family issues, loss (just to name a few) and we all want to feel happy and fulfilled.

But wait! Let’s talk about how this is Broadway’s FIRST A CAPELLA musical. Humans make all the musical sounds we hear throughout – how incredible is that! There is even a character in the production called Box Man that creates the majority of the “music” with his vocals, but is also a key character that sort of guides the other characters through their transitions. The performers will make you laugh, cry and cheer while creating music with their vocals that if I didn’t see it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it was actually a human being.

Who’s behind the scenes? With three-time Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall as Director (Nice Work If You Can Get It), Academy Award winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez behind the music and lyrics (Frozen), and Deke Sharon heading up vocals (um, have you seen Pitch Perfect?!), you expect one hell of a show. But plan to be floored – this takes musical to an entirely new level. Not to mention, it’s hosted in the Circle in the Square Theatre meaning you get an even more intimate experience with the cast.

As we go through these bleak winter months in New York City, the snow turns black and stays on the street for weeks and our hands and noses feel frostbitten, take an evening and go see In Transit. It’s worth staying in the city late and being “in transit” the entire way home, because it will remind you to find the beauty in everything around you: to not let all the mishaps in life (and NYC) get you down, and once again believe that things will get better (and maybe even happen for a reason!). If you’ve been “chasing a dream, but your will to run is gone,” In Transit will remind you that while things may seem bleak right now, you’re not alone in your struggles and to never give up on your dreams!

How To Get Tickets:

i n transit is currently playing through the end of June at the Circle in the Square Theatre (235 W. 50th Street), on Broadway. Orchestra seats start at $89. Get tickets, here.

FFM was provided complimentary tickets to facilitate this review, but all thoughts and opinions are our own. Thanks for supporting Football Food and Motherhood!

I Tried Orange Theory: How I Survived, and Why I’ll Be Back

December 20, 2016

It’s that time of year when you say F it, you’ll make your new years resolutions in January and eat that Christmas cookie. But let’s be honest, do you ever really keep those resolutions anyways? I haven’t made or stuck to resolutions in eight years because I know I set myself up for failure. Instead, I’ve learned to just start. right. now. You have to give yourself lots of little goals to strive for – like actually MAKING it to the gym or class. Just showing up counts for something. But torching over 600 calories in one class, that’s a milestone.

Push It To The Limit

I’ve heard friends talk about Orange Theory in passing, in fact I walk past it at least once on a week on 23rd Street, so when they finally invited me to come in and experience it, I have no excuses to say no. I headed over to Brooklyn, and walked in the door, sort of knowing what to expect – I wear a heart rate monitor when I run, I’ve done speed and incline intervals at Run Club, and I have been known to pop in a Crossfit class here and there when I am feeling adventurous.

But nothing really prepared me for Orange Theory. This class totally Kicked. My. Ass.

What To Expect

60 minutes of calorie torching. This class teeters on level savage (not to intimidate you!). Yet, it’s designed to help push people of any ability – even if it’s just power walking on the treadmill. Since it’s all about working within your top two heart rate zones (the optimum level for results), you can see directly in front of you on the screen if you’re slacking and can kick it up a notch. Unfortunately, so can the trainers, and if you have someone like Coach Corey, expect him to find that unacceptable and push you into the next level.

No class is ever the same, so you can’t say – UGH i don’t want to do that damn “dreadmill” today. You might not. You won’t know until you walk in. You’ll always find a mixture of strength, endurance, power and speed between weights, row and treadmill, and trust me – you will be calling it a “dreadmill” when you finish if you never have before. But, that’s why you’re here right? To get out of your comfort zone? To see results? If you’re just walking on a treadmill everyday thinking it’s going to change something, why waste your own valuable time.

Even though we were in a group setting, it’s small enough that the coach can still give you one-on-one time, correct your form, and of course, push you just a little bit more when you don’t think you can – you can.

Know Before You Go

There are two new Orange Theory locations in Brooklyn (and I heard there is possibly a new one coming to LIC/Astoria soon – fingers crossed!) – one in Willamsburg and one in Brooklyn Heights, and each are individually owned. There is also one opening in Park Slope on January 14. That means yes, you’ll run into and get to know the owner, it’s not just some corporate gym run by meatheads somewhere out in California.

Don’t be scared. You can do it – they aren’t going to push you any harder than you can go, and it’s right there on the screen in front of you – so you can actually SEE that you’re not overexerting.

Bring your own shoes, and a change of clothes. You are going to drip sweat.

Prepare for your new found confidence. If you’ve never experienced the “high” after a seriously good and intense workout or run, you will here. You’re going to walk out feeling like a different person and it’s addictive.

Current classes run either basic (4 classes per month), elite (8 classes per month) or premier (unlimited classes). And right now, Williamsburg was running a special for $100 – get four classes AND a hoodie – PLUS, the first class is FREE. So, really, that’s five.

Who’s going to join me there in January?

This is a sponsored post by Orange Theory, but my tale of survival is honest and true – all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting Football Food and Motherhood.

My Achy Breaky Back: TENS Therapy At Home

December 15, 2016

This post was developed in partnership with Bayer, as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received the Aleve® Direct Therapy^TM TENS Device and compensation to facilitate my review.

I looked down at the pool of muddy water below and thought about the last three miles of mud, running and barbed wire. This was the final act, and as I slid down the massive slide into the cess pool of slop, I knew I was going to pay for this later. The downside to being athletic and pushing your body to new limits is the fact that aches and pains come with the territory.

Even at 35. And when you’re trying to keep up with a four-year old. From running a few miles here and there, to slugging heavy diaper bags and strollers up and down subway steps and all over the city, to carrying 10-lb pumpkins across the patch to take home and carve, us moms really take a toll on ourselves daily. But, we can barely find time to take a shower let alone get massages, see chiropractors and therapists.

This is why I was excited to see that Aleve created a TENS device (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), for use at home. That’s right ladies, long gone are the days of just hoping a hot bath would cure your ailments overnight. Now you can put the kids to bed and curl up with your favorite Netflix show and the Aleve Direct Therapy TENS Device on your back.

So what is TENS?

It’s a small device for your lower back that uses electrical stimulation to relieve pain, specifically for the temporary relief of pain associated with sore and aching muscles in the lower back due to strain from exercise or normal household and work activities (did someone say housework?) There are two clinical theories of how TENS can relieve pain: by blocking the transmission of pain, and by stimulating endorphins, the body’s natural pain-reducing chemicals.

Want to give it a try?

The Aleve Direct Therapy TENS Device is now available nationwide and can be found at major stores in the Analgesics aisle near other topical pain relief products. It is also available at online retailers. The gel pads last 2-5 uses, and it holds the device on your back, so even if you don’t have time to sit down, you can help relieve your pain while you’re putting the kids to bed, or just tying up an article for work – like me right now.

Embrace technology and the ability to feel better at home because now you can. If you just reached down to pick up a pile of toys and felt that stiffness, this is for you. Enjoy!

Find your everyday happiness in what you wear: prAna

December 12, 2016

I maybe have earned my New Yorker card after 7 years in this city, but my heart is still (and always will be) Yinzer. If I had to say my favorite way to dress was “down” and that I can pull it off – totally. Yinzer in my blood means looking good while not trying to look like you actually care. Is Yinzer the original Hipster?

I mean, boys in Pittsburgh were definitely looking hot in beards and flannels way before it became “cool” so…. #justsaying.

prAna Love

Clothes don’t define you, but they should represent who you are. Mine always say “I look like I rolled out of bed looking this good because I did.” Aka. Effortless. And that’s why I feel in love with prAna. They can take me from walking to school in the park to barre class and a simple work lunch and back. That is me.

As a single mom, New Yorker and verified hustler, I am 27 hours a day on the go. You read that right, and as simple as it may seem, I need outfits that pull off as may “hats” as I do. prAna’s style, feel, comfortableness, versatility and the idea of being able to wear one outfit all day for every activity is what captured my heart. Not to mention, they’re American-made and take pride in their sustainability.

What’s Hemp Got Do To With It?

More than ever, people just like you and me are seeking ways to spread positivity in our country. One way to do that is to make sure every purchase you make and every gift you give has a positive impact on our planet. prAna offers organic, hemp, sustainable, and fair trade items so that consumers feel great about the things they wear and the items they give.

If you don’t know why you should love help, Educate yourselves on why it’s a wonderful, sustainable and eco-friendly product. It’s seriously the best way you can love the planet (and we need it to be around for a while for our kids).

prAna even got me through Ellis Island. In a room where thousands have stood before us, we stand here basking in our freedoms of choice – to be here, to wear what we want, and to talk about it openly.

I mean, even the mission of prAna should make you a happy, proud American:

“When you reach into your closet, there should be something there that reflects who you are, how you feel, and what you value most. There should be something that you can put on in the morning and confidently wear all day long. Something you can throw in your bag and know will work for whatever your journey brings.”

So my friends, enjoy your journey, because you earned it.

prAna for all:

Use promo code BLOGF16STBA and receive 15% off ANY order.

Did I also mention some of those proceeds will go back into the community? Give love, get love. Be happy.

xoxo

I received complimentary product from prAna to facilitate this post. But as always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Football Food and Motherhood!

Amazon Prime members can now share their Prime Photos benefit with up to 5 friends or family members! Plus an opportunity to win a $500 gift card provided by Amazon.com

December 12, 2016

I remember LBP (life before Prime). Especially as a mom and a New Yorker, two-day free shipping was life changing. I could literally buy one thing at a time (instead of always trying to remember what I was out of in a list) and have it show up. Literally, it’s become my favorite thing to do on the walk to school – what did I need? Ketchup? Ok – done.

And then let’s not mention all the videos that come included (hello entire collection of Downton Abbey!).

Introducing Amazon Prime Photos: Family Vault

But now, Amazon has launched an all-new Prime Photos experience with Family Vault. Now, Prime members can share their benefit of unlimited photo storage with up to five family members or friends at no additional cost. Hello! Prime Photos is free for Prime members and makes it easy for family members to safely store and share all their favorite photos.

And this means you can send all those photos from your phone directly to the vault via the new app. Additional new features include: Image Search, People view and Places view. And Prime members can now order photo prints, cards, photo books, and calendars directly from their Prime Photos account. You know this also means – you guessed it – free shipping for Prime members as well. I don’t know about you, but this is a great way to go into the new year – with one main place to have all your stuff organized. We all know we’re in Amazon all the time anyways. 🙂

Did I mention it’s unlimited storage? That means you can take those 100 shots for the perfect Instagram image and not feel “storage guilt.” Oh technology, how did we ever survive without you?

And just to make your holidays a little sweeter, you can enter to win a $500 Amazon gift card here, too. So – Happy Holidays to all and to all a safe place to host your photos. xoxo

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to Amazon for sponsoring this post and providing prizes for the giveaway! Amazon, Fire and the Amazon Fire TV logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Home on the Free Range

December 9, 2016

Once upon a time a little girl grew up on a farm in the heart of dairy country PA. She loved to wake up early with her grandparents and head down to the barn to milk the cows. After a simple, mid-afternoon lunch of chipped chopped ham sandwiches on the wraparound porch, she would visit her Amish neighbors to drop off some fresh milk and help feed the hens and pick eggs to take back home.

That short story seems to far away and fairy tale, but really that was my life about 25 years ago. Simple, carefree and innocent. Just like most childhoods are (and should be!). But the moral of this story is, that our animals were also simple, carefree and innocent. Real farmers treat their stock with compassion, and we live together. The hens pecked and clucked as they roamed freely around the grass and it was always comical to see the Rhode Island Reds run around and make noise. They were like pets.

Why Happy Hens Matter

It makes me sad to see how things have changed these days sometimes, and that large, commercial farms have made all farmers look bad – but not all are. One that we really love and stand behind is Nellie’s – because just like our farm, they let their hens be…hens.

This video is 100% how I grew up. In fact, that might be me flashed in that quick clip from the 80s lol.

Happy hens lay better eggs.

And better eggs means better food for our families. Nellie’s are Certified Humane, Free Range and they contain no hormones and no antibiotics. As a former farmer, I am proud to know these small family farmers (and many of Nellie’s are right in my old stomping grounds in PA!) are able to still provide for their families, and raise happy, social hens that are also living on environmentally sustainable farms. If you can’t say that about the eggs you’re currently buying – why would you?

I’ve said it a lot and I’ll say it again, I love living in NYC, but I look forward to the day I retire and move back to a quiet, happy little farm with little happy hens of my own running around. But until I have my own eggs each morning again, I’ll be happy to support farmer’s under Nellie’s with my same values.

Remember, without hens you wouldn’t get scrambled eggs, frothy icing for cookies or that delicious fried chicken and wings you have during football games. #hensarefriends

To learn more about Free Range and Certified Humane farming, visit www.nelliesfreerange.com, and also take a minute to watch the cutest Free Range Kids video. Because kids are the future.

Nellie’s provided me with complimentary baking items to facilitate this post, because they are passionate to get the word out about Certified Humane Free Range hens and so and I. Thank you for supporting Football Food and Motherhood and happy hens on all Nellie’s farms!

Photo credit: Hens/Nellie’s

Under my Rella, Rella ella

December 8, 2016

Once the chill hits the hair, I am renown for doning hats. In fact, my array of headwear might rival some ladie’s shoe closets. Being outside more than inside in the winter (I mean, have you walked outside in NYC lately?) means you need something to keep cool and LOOK cool.

Apparently, this season it is something we used to refer to on the farm as tossle caps. But of course, hipsters turn everything that was normal to me growing up and made it cool (wow I wish I had that beat up wardrobe from 11 years old milking cows, who knew). So these “pom” hats are everywhere. If you haven’t seen them, maybe take a minute to look up from your phones.

Who is RELLA? This Is RELLA.

And personally, my favorite right now is ThisIsRELLA.com. RELLA lives in Canada (Montreal) – so you know they make things that are warm as f.

The best part? They obviously make unisex hats too – my fave! – that I share with Max. So with his “big head” we can finally share something that both of us love. Swoon.

Chances are, you’ve seen me walking around town in this RELLA Bea Cuff “pom.” Mine is Natural color, and literally goes with me everywhere I go. Wether it’s a leisurely stroll through the park to take Max to school…

Or as an accessory with a tank top when I meet a friend for a much-needed “mom” beverage.

The other fun one I am loving is the RELLA “Gnome” hat in fire red. But, really, it looks way better on Max. I mean, this is a photo of the Gnome hat caught in the wild, folks! Enjoy this rare capture to get a raw glimpse into how we REALLY function on a day to day basis.

RELLA SPECIALS RUNNING NOW:

From now until Christmas day, you can get 50% OFF the Entire Store (includes gifts, markdowns, and clearance! HELLO!).

And RELLA is also offering FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50.

Get your RELLA on.

I was provided product for this post by RELLA, but as you know, I really DO wear hats all winter season, so opinions are my own! Thanks for supporting Football Food and Motherhood.