Nonnabox: The Subscription Box for Italians!

Italy is in my blood.

Literally.

A large portion of my heritage is Italian, and from my loud-mouthed ways to my love for pasta, it's hard to deny. 

So when I heard there was an Italian-themed subscription box, I was all, "HOLD ON. LET ME WIPE THE GRAVY OFF MY FACE AND CHECK THIS OUT."

Meet Nonnabox.

Guido Pedrelli, founder of Nonna Box, gets the Italy love. He's a US-based Italian with a Nonna (grandmother) who ran a trattoria in San Carlo di Cesena. She was an amazing cook, and Guido has fond memories of her kitchen and her food. 

To honor her spirit and commitment to all things culinary, Guido created Nonnabox: a subscription box service that delivers gourmet food items from a different Italian region each month, along with the story and recipes of a local nonna.

I LOVE IT.

I had a chance to check out last month's Nonnabox. And this Italian girl was QUITE pleased! Feast your eyes on my haul:

I love that every item has a recipe to accompany it! It allows me to truly use every product.

Nonnabox makes an AWESOME gift: either to someone else OR yourself! The monthly price for a box is $69.95, and you can order online.

For more information: www.nonnabox.com.

Gluten-Free Fall Fun with Snyder's Chips!

Ahhh, fall. The season of tailgating, pumpkin picking and Halloween soirees. It's funny, but this season is one I attribute to good food. Maybe it's all the pumpkin-spiced items, the meatier meals on chilly nights or the food-laden holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving. But when autumn arrives, I'm ready to chow down!

More and more people in my life struggle with food allergies. I'm quite aware of it as a parent of school-aged girls. I'm a homeroom parent for Chica's class, and each year, there are an array of allergies that we need to be sensitive too. 

Despite the bad press food allergies have received in the past few months, I'm fully supportive of accommodating those with allergies. If it were my kid or my husband that struggled, I'd hope they would be extended the same care.

So, I'm always looking for good allergy-friendly food to keep on hand at home. You never know who is going to pop in, and it's nice to be able to offer food to anyone who stops by. I keep an eye out for specifically peanut-free options as well as gluten-free items. This year I'm also working on offering only allergy-friendly items on Halloween. Partly because I want everyone to feel safe and enjoy the holidays. Partly because I, personally, don't need that much candy in my house!

That's why I'm digging the awesome variety of chips from Snyders of Berlin®.

Not only is Snyders local to us PA natives, but their chips are delicious AND gluten-free. They recently had a design make-over on their bags, and the new packaging pays homage to Berlin, Pennsylvania with eleven flavors each featuring a different landscape or location.

The Snyder of Berlin® potato chips are available in Original, Bar-B-Q, Honey Bar-B-Q, Sweet and Sassy Bar-B-Q, No Salt, Vlasic Dill Pickle, Salt & Vinegar, Cheddar, Sour Cream, Rippled and Wavy. A majority of Snyder of Berlin chips are Gluten-Free; always check the bag for Gluten-Free claims.

For more information and to see the full line of Snyder of Berlin® products, visit www.snyderofberlin.com. 

Disclosure: I was give product samples to conduct this review. As always, all opinions are my own.

5 Reasons To Love the Fit & Fresh Bento Box Lunch Kit

**Scroll down to the end of the post for a promo code to get 2 Bento Lunch Kits for $25 before 9/8!**

Tomorrow is the first day of school.

As a kid, I was anxious about the bus ride, about my teacher, about my classmates. I'd worry about getting lost, forgetting my homework or encountering that awkward moment when you accidentally call your teacher "Mom" in front of the entire class.

(What, no one else had that happen?)

Moms get anxiety on the first day of school too. We worry about our kid's worries: about how they will fare on the bus, in the classroom, with their classmates. I worry creating a routine again, about the chaos of mornings and being ready on time.

One of my biggest stressors, actually, is making lunches. I try my best to pre-make lunches the night before. But let's be honest: that lasts for about a week into the school year, then all bets are off. I get lazy, which means I put off making lunches until the morning. Mornings are scrambles in our household: scrambling the get up, scrambling to get dressed, scrambling to eat, scrambling to get to the bus stop on time. When I leave lunches until the morning, not only am I pressed for time and rushed, but my creativity flies out the window.

Since Chica started school, I've become a big fan of Bento Box lunches. No, I'm not crazy artistic with them. I just really appreciate having everything compartmentalized and reusable because it forces me, even on busy mornings, to think outside the box.

(Pun intended).

This summer, I had a chance to check out the Fit & Fresh Bento Lunch Kits.

And friends? These are the bees knees. Here are 5 reasons why you need to rock lunch with Fit & Fresh Bento Lunch Kits, like, immediately:

1) No more baggies (and waste!)

I love that Bento Boxes are reusable. It means at the end of the day I can throw the containers in the dishwasher. It means no more plastic baggies and tinfoil - which means less waste. And it means less money spent, because you won't have to buy baggies and tinfoil to put snacks and sandwiches in - so you're saving money!

2) No spillage 

This is a big one for me. Not only is Bento Box compartmentalized, but the 2 smaller side compartments come with their own half cup container with a lid. So I can put yogurt in one and granola in the other, and there will be no mixed mess when Chica opens her lunch!

3) Durability and cleanability

Yes, I know cleanability isn't actually a word. But it should be. The Fit & Fresh Bento Box is made of a hard durable material, which can withstand drops, kicks and wear & tear of an elementary school day. It is covered in an easily-wiped down cloth material on the outside, and smooth material on the inside. I can't begin to tell you how messy my 2nd grader is. Suffice it to say, cleanability is SERIOUSLY NECESSARY.

4) Ice, ice, baby

Have you ever had a semi-warm ham and cheese sandwich. I'll save you the suspense: they're super gross. That was one of the most irritating things about lunch when I was a kid: having great lunch ingredients that would just not make it to lunch time. Yogurt, cheese, lunchmeat would all get lukewarm and soggy.  Problem solved: inside the Fit & Fresh Bento Box are 2 freezer packs that snap into the lid. Food stays cold all day. BOOM.

5) Creativity ensues

Last year, Chica had a cloth bag lunchbox. It was great and all, but I couldn't use a Bento Box appartus with it. And I'm going to be honest: my creativity stunk. Having compartments gives me a chance to think, "Hmm - what can I fill this space with?" It gets me to think outside of the sandwich. I'm looking forward to a lunches that Chica is excited to open this year! If you're looking for awesome inspiration, check out the 100 Days of Real Food School lunch archives.

If you're ready to shake up your lunch routine (and maybe make your morning routine a little easier), head to the Fit & Fresh website to place an order!

BACK TO SCHOOL DEAL: I saw this as I was working on my post - but Fit & Fresh is offering an AWESOME deal. You can get 2 Bento Lunch Kits for $25 with code 2BENTO25. The offer ends on 9/8 & cannot be combined with other offers. Without the offer, each lunch kit is $19.99 - so that's almost 2 for the price of 1!

Stitch Fix: My First Review

I'd been hearing about Stitch Fix for a while now, but I dismissed it because it sounded like some subscription service for people who were more fashionable than me. I understood the general idea that a person paid a monthly fee and got sent clothes to try out. If they liked the clothes, they could buy them. If they didn't, they could send them back. It didn't seem like a service for me, so I wrote it off.

Then more people I knew in real life (IRL!!) shared that they were using Stitch Fix. I became intrigued. I talked to a few of the moms at the bus stop, and they said it took a few tries, but soon they enjoyed the clothes they were sent enough to start purchasing them. One of the moms was wearing this totally cute shirt and she was all, "Yup! Stitch Fix." 

So I was like, "FINE. I'LL TRY IT. BUT ONLY IF THEY SEND ME CUTE STUFF LIKE THAT SHIRT TO WEAR."

Before I committed, I did a little poking around on the Stitch Fix website. I found that my general understanding of how Stitch Fix worked was true - but it's a little more in-depth than I thought. The monthly fee (or, rather, how ever often you choose to get a Stitch Fix box) is $20. This is the stylist fee. Yes, you are assigned a stylist. This is the part that hooked me. I'd actually get someone (albeit virtually) to pick my clothes for me so I don't look like a second grader dressing themselves.

Before I could sign up for my first Stitch Fix box, I took a long "quiz." Stitch Fix asked me questions about myself: my dimensions and the usual sizes that fit me. Then, the questions moved toward preferences. Stitch Fix really wanted to know what I was like: what kind of styles appealed to me, what kind of clothing I liked to wear, what I felt most comfortable in and, most importantly, what kind of price range I was was comfortable with  They would show me pictures of Polyvore-esque outfit sets, and I rated them. 

They really tried to get a feel for how I felt about my own body: did I have certain parts of my body I wanted to accentuate? Not accentuate? By the time I was finished the questionnaire, I felt like Stitch Fix had a pretty good idea of who I was and what my style was about.

I then signed up for my first box, which would arrive containing 5 articles of clothing or accessories, each within the price range I said I was comfortable with. Once it arrived, I would have 3 days to try everything on and decide if I wanted to keep it or send it back. If I wanted to keep the clothing, I would be billed for the amount minus the $20 stylist fee (which would be applied toward the purchase). If I didn't buy anything, the only cost to me was the $20 fee. Since, regardless of whether I bought anything, my stylist worked to figure out those outfits for me!

So,  I waited with bated breath for my Stitch Fix to arrive. 

Which it did today.

And this is what was in my first box:

I love that Stitch Fix added this guide with ideas on how to wear each item.
Because I literally cannot be trusted to come up with that crap on my own. #ForRealz

1. KUT from the Kloth Women's Kate Boot Cut Jean - $78
2. Pixley Deon V-Neck Top, Navy - $44
3. 41Hawthorne Silvio Arrow Print Sleeveless Silk Blouse - $88
4. Loveappella Dixie Crochet Sleeve Dress - $78
5. Market & Spruce Spencer 3/4 Sleeve Striped Dress - $58

I'd say it was a decent selection, most of which appealed to me. Maybe not a home run, but I was prepared for that. I figured that my stylist would need some time to get to know me and my style, and it might take a few tries to get it right. 

Here is how the clothes looked like on me:

I liked the Market & Spruce Spencer 3/4 Sleeve Striped Dress dress, but I didn't love how the front clung to me.
Although looking at the picture, it's not too bad.

Although you can't tell from the picture, the Loveappella Dixie Crochet Sleeve Dress dress was HUGE.
It looked okay on but...

...it was a weird stretchy material. And it felt like I could fit 3 of me inside.

I was digging the cute "open shoulder" feature though.
Rawr! <--- growl="" p="" tiger="">

This is a twofer: Kut From the Kloth Kate Boyfriend Jean AND 41Hawthorne Silvio Arrow Print Sleeveless Silk Blouse.
The jeans were so-so, but I kind of liked the shirt (despite the sleeveless-ness of it.)

Same jeans with Pixley Deon V-Neck Top . This shirt was a little bigger, which was nice.
But I didn't like how it kind of tented out when I turned to the side.

The items were a little above what I'd like to pay for clothes, so I will send back that feedback before my next Stitch Fix comes. Some of the materials weren't my favorite. Also, if I had an area of insecurity about my body, it would be my arms. I'm not sure why - I just am. So, I tend to avoid sleeveless shirts and dresses. I let my stylist know this beforehand, but may reiterate that for the next round. Although I will say, I was digging the shirts and almost didn't mind that they were sleeveless.

Now I need your help:

What pieces in my Stitch Fix did you like? 
Dislike? 
Which looked best? 
Are any worth keeping?  


I'm still a little uncertain about the price tag...


I'll be sure to update you on what I do with my first Stitch Fix (send it all back? Buy a few things?), and I will report back next month when I get my second Stitch Fix box!

Intrigued? If you want to try out Stitch Fix for yourself, head over and get started!


Disclosure: this is a review I took on myself. I was not compensated. I did not work with Stitch Fix to make this happen. I was just really intrigued and decided to share my honest opinion so other people might feel empowered to try (or not try) Stitch Fix out.

American Made Gift Guide for Guys: Holidays 2014

I have a special holiday post for you! And if you are struggling over what holiday gifts to get for the important guys in your life, then get a pen and paper and pay attention.

You'll want to take copious notes.


Buying American-made products has been an increasingly important movement in this country. I've always been aware of it, but my husband has taken quite a passion for supporting American-made products. He's put quite a lot of research into small, American businesses and has sought to purchase quality items from these purveyors whenever he can.

If you are looking for a genuine, quality gift for some of the guys in your life, I have a great gift guide for you today. Hubby has put together a great list of American Made Items for Guys to consider this holiday season. 

Without further ado, meet Bill.

*****

Hi! I'll be brief: I'm pretty quickly being won over by the American made movement. Globalization has stretched supply lines all over the planet, and we've become even more alienated from our stuff than we were after the Industrial Revolution. 

[Pedantic clearing of the throat, the kind teachers do before giving speeches which are decidedly not brief.]

No really, I'll be brief. 

The American made stuff I've come to talk about today is:

• Made of higher quality materials, with higher quality techniques, than the mass-produced stuff we import from elsewhere.
• Manufactured by first-world workers, being paid first-world wages, in first-world working conditions. Unless you're into making your own stuff from scratch (which is cool!), American made stuff is often our most conscionable option.
• Oh-so dope. 

So without further ado, I'd like to walk you through some of my favorite American made items:

Pointer Chore Coat – Bristol, TN

I bought my first Pointer Chore Coat (made by L.C. King Manufacturing Company) a year ago, and it immediately became my after-work/ all-weekend jacket. Because it's unlined, it works well over a t-shirt in warmer weather, flannel and sweatshirts as Fall progresses, and under a down vest when it really cools off. All that wear hasn't taken its toll on the coat at all; the fabric is tough, and the craftsmanship is sturdy.

Recently, Pointer teamed up with Cone Denim (Greensboro, NC) to create a chore coat in Raw White Oak denim. I've enjoyed cycling it into my coat rotation, and I look forward to seeing it develop its own distinctive fades.

(Connect with L.C. King Manufacturing Co. on the web, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)

Tellason Ladbroke Grove – San Francisco, CA

I won't try to offer a primer on raw, selvedge denim. Art of Manliness does a great job, though I'll summarize by saying that we're talking old-school denim. It's often made on original looms, cut and sewn using classic techniques, and designed to last years rather than months.

There are two things you should know about Tellason: 1) They've got personality (spot their repeated, subtle nods to the only band that mattered), and 2) their jeans are of a quality you don't even know exists yet.

If you've never paid more than $50 for a pair of jeans, consider that, practically speaking, a pair of Tellasons will easily last you four times longer than “fast fashion” denim. My pair is made of denim that's more than 30% thicker than your average jean, and the construction is, from hems to beltloops, absolutely tough as nails.

(Connect with Tellason on the web, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)

Darn Tough Socks – Northfield, VT

Speaking of “tough as nails,” I've also found the last pair of socks I'll ever buy. I've worn some comfortable socks in my day, but never for more than a year. Having come to accept heel and toe blowouts as part of life, I was initially skeptical at Darn Tough's “guaranteed for life” claim: if you wear through a pair, they'll either give you a new pair, or your money back.

I've been wearing Darn Tough socks exclusively for a year now, and I have the growing hunch that they must not need to replace a lot of socks. They look, feel, and fit essentially like they did when I first bought them. I've added pairs, knocking crummy old cotton socks out of the rotation, and new pairs are indistinguishable from old pairs.

(Connect with Darn Tough Socks on the web, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)

Ebbets Field Flannels – Seattle, WA

Ebbets Field makes faithful reproductions of jerseys, ballcaps, jackets, and other sportswear, and they do it carefully, and they do it very, very well. Looking for a 1928 Duluth Eskimos jersey? Or the blue cap Fidel Castro wore on the pitcher's mound back in 1959, pitching for the Barbudos? Ebbets researches and recreates these athletic treasures with painstaking detail, and – this is becoming a pattern here – they build them with high quality materials and methods.

(Connect with Ebbets Field on the web, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)

Red Wing Shoes – Red Wing, MN

Red Wing
probably doesn't need as much of an introduction as some of the smaller, newer organizations in this post, but here goes. The company was founded over a century ago by a fellow named Charles Beckman, who sold heavy duty boots to miners, loggers, and railroad workers. Their Heritage Line
is still made in the US, using leather from tanneries older than your great grandpa. 


(Connect with Red Wing on the web, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)

Maine Handsewns – Lewison, ME; Perry, ME; Brewer, ME

This reddit post is a pretty thorough rundown on Maine handsewns. The short version is this; Maine is host to one of the oldest shoe traditions in the country, and the industry involves generations of families, all of whom know each other and have been collectively building this culture of excellence over decades and decades.

Mine are Sebago Made in Maine Campsides moccasins, and I'm looking forward to trying out Rancourt, Quoddy, and a few of the other companies that continue the legacy. 

If you're a fan of good, American-tanned leathers like Horween's Chromexcel or (I have not yet ventured into this world) Shell Cordovan, if you like the idea of customizing your own pair of shoes, and if you like a shoe that marries the often mutually exclusive priorities of comfort and fashion, this is certainly a rabbit- hole worth exploring.

What are your favorite American-made businesses? 

What American-made products are on YOUR holiday wish list?

Disclosure: We received products from some of the businesses listed in this post. We were in no other way compensated. As always, our opinions are our own!


For more gift ideas, check out my other Gift Guides:

• Sherlock Fan Gift Guide
• Breaking Bad Fan Gift Guide
• New Girl Fan Gift Guide
• Gifts For Kids Who Love To Code
• Gifts for Moms Who Run

Flex Belt: The Holiday Gift of Abs

There is something to be said about embracing our bodies, regardless of our size. I'm a girl of average build, and have been for as long as I can remember. My sisters were skinny-minny's growing up. And I kind of always stayed the road right in the middle: not terribly thin but not overweight. And I'm okay with that. Because, life experiences will put our bodies through the ringer.

College 15? Check. 

Pregnancy weight gain? Check. 

Hitting 30 and my metabolism totally changing? Check.

So I think it's important to take the number on the scale with a grain of salt. Because I think what matters most is our lifestyle. That's the key. Leading a life that is focused on doing good things to our body will give us longer, healthier lives.

Eating healthy? Check.

Engaging in physical activity at least 3 times per week? Check.

Getting enough sleep? Check.

Surrounding ourselves with positive influences? Check.


My body is definitely got rounder and curvier when I had my girls. I struggled to lose the weight in the time between getting pregnant with Chica and giving birth to Bug. Making the transition to staying at home with my kids and getting accustomed to having little "Me Time," I found it difficult to get physically active and eat right. I ate what I could when I could as a new mom. I found it more stressful than it was worth taking them to the gym's daycare so I could squeeze in a work out.

And can we all agree? I was just plain tired from lack of sleep.

I've shared about how I took up running. I found this easier to do as my kids got older, although I wish I had embraced doing it sooner. Running makes me feel good, inside and out. And it's my favorite way to work in physical activity. Going on a run for 30 minutes gives me a half hour of "Me Time." It's quiet so I can think. Or I can listen to my music. It's when I write posts in ym head or plan what meals we'll have during the week. One of the nice affects of running is that it has helped me lose the baby weight and gives me overall a little more confidence.

Confidence is a good thing.

Now that I've gotten rid of some of the remaining baby weight, I wanted to take on the challenge of toning my muscles. Sure, vanity-wise, it would look nice. But toned muscles are strong muscles. And I want to be stronger (both physically and mentally).

As a WAHM mom, I don't always have time to go to the gym, so I do what I can, strength training-wise at home. I recently had the chance to check out The Flex Belt, and I think it's a unique way to fit in an ab work out all while in the comfort of your own home (and running around after kids, getting dinner ready, writing blog posts, cleaning the house, etc).

What is the The Flex Belt?


The Flex Belt is a medical grade electronic muscle stimulation (EMS) device that is designed for toning, firming, tightening and strengthening the abdominal and oblique muscles. This means, you wear the band around your middle and it sends electric pulses to your muscles, causing them to contract they way they would if you were doing crunches. The great thing is that The Flex Belt contracts all of the ab muscles at the same time – upper abs, lower abs, and obliques. You don’t have to do 3 different ab exercises to get your ab workout in. 

I appreciate that you can control the intensity level to your liking, and that the pulses are concentrated to focused areas for a more efficient "work out." You can give you abs a muscle toning session when you are doing all your normal daily routines: working, doing laundry, playing with your kids. And yep - even when you are sitting down!  

Now will The Flex Belt whittle your waste to a size 6? Absolutely not. But, can it help strengthen your core and give some toning attention to your core muscles? I believe it can. 

This would be a fun gift to give someone just about anyone who is looking to take their fitness routine to the next level - whether they are a college student who is too intimidated to work their abs at the university gym to the mom who can't wrap her mind around trying to crunches because her two-year old is deftly navigating her way up dining room hutch. 

For more information on The Flex Belt, check out their website.

 

 
Disclosure: I was provided a Flex Belt in order to conduct a review. I was in no other way compensated.

Neutral Running with the Mizuno #WaveRider18

Strong, supported feet are pretty essential in the world of running.

I shared about my experience running in very old shoes a few years ago (and the injuries that subsequently followed). I had just received a spot in the Philly 10-mile Broad Street Run day before my injuries, so I kept thinking the injuries would resolve itself and I'd be good to go. As the pain continued, I realized this was more than just "running aches." I took myself to an orthopedic doctor, who diagnosed a strained ligament in my left foot. The cure? No running for 8 weeks at minimum.

I was crushed.

My dreams of running Broad Street were dashed, so I gave up my ticket. Which was smart, as it ended up taking an extra 4 weeks after the initial 8 to get back on track (pun intended). 

Needless to say, I take my feet, and that which covers my feet, very seriously.

I had never considered neutral running before, as my #1 goal as a runner was to keep my feet supported. But one of my running buddies had recently bought a pair of neutral running shoes and during one of our runs we discussed the benefits. A neutral running shoe is a shoe halfway between barefoot running and a supportive running shoe. There are the benefits of cushioning but not being overly cushioned. I was always under the assumption that anything less than "supportive" would mean Injury City. But my friend explained that neutral shoes help build muscles in the feet that supportive shoes cannot. Case in point: she suffered for a while with painful plantar fascitis, and since running in her neutral shoe, she has had no symptoms.

After our talk, I decided that there might be benefit in having a neutral running shoe in my rotation. Having more than one pair of running shoes has been the advice of the owner of our local running store. Since every shoe offers different and varying support, swapping out shoes every couple runs also works different muscles, strengthening our feet and legs. 

My pick for a neutral shoe?

The Mizuno Wave Runner 18

I added this pair of neutral shoes on some of my shorter runs (3 miles or less), and I have been very surprised by the outcome. They are very comfortable, with the perfect amount of cushioning to not jolt my legs every time I pound the trail. Their U4ic midsole offers great shock absorption, which I immediately noticed on even the first run. 




I also love how light they are (30% lighter than other shoes in their category). Mizuno is known for their Wave Technology®, which provides runners with a stable ride throughout their run. The Wave Rider 18's feature the Double Fan Wave, which is offers the perfect blend of shock attenuation and flexibility. These shoes offer enough support for neutral and supportive runners alike, hitting the "sweet spot" for  a variety of runners!

Also?

They come in super cool colors.

(I know. I'm such a girl.)

Mizuno Wave Rider 18 retails at $119.99.


You can connect with Mizuno on their website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Are you a neutral/minimalist runner? 

What are YOUR tips for easing into this practice?

Disclosure:  I was provided a pair of the Mizuno Wave Rider 18 shoes through a campaign with FitFluential LLC and compensated for me time. All opinions in post are, as always, my own.