cirque du soleil crystal

Cirque du Soleil Crystal

cirque du soleil crystal
CRYSTAL invites you to suspend reality and glide into a world that springs to a colorful life with astounding visual projections and an original score that seamlessly blends popular music with the signature sound of Cirque du Soleil The Providence, RI show runs through Sunday, July 10, 2022 at the Dunkin Donuts Center. You can get your tickets here.
 24_Finale-3930
A breakthrough ice experience CRYSTAL is Cirque du Soleil’s 42nd creation and explores the artistic possibilities of ice for the first time. This unique production pushes boundaries of performance by combining stunning skating and acrobatic feats that defy the imagination. Watch as world-class ice skaters and acrobats take their new frozen playground with speed and fluidity as they challenge the laws of gravity with never-before-seen acrobatics.
Cirque du Soleil CRYSTAL features an international cast composed of figure, extreme and freestyle ice skaters, acrobats, musicians and a comic character. Eighteen different nationalities are represented in the cast.
22_REFLECTIONS CLUMP_0210
Our family had the opportunity to experience Cirque du Soleil CRYSTAL on opening night, and it was fantastic. I’ll be honest, I am not a figure skating fan. It’s just not my thing. But I do love Cirque du Soleil and the magic they create in every show, so I knew I’d totally dig this performance. Avery was all in, and excited.  Dave wasn’t so sure, but he went along for the ride. And what a ride it was!
19_Courtship-2914
We all agreed that the hockey/pinball scene was our favorite. Irish-style music, plus hockey, plus death-defying stunts?  Yup, that part of the show seemed made for us.  We also loved the costumes, especially our budding costume designer, Avery. The Cirque style is totally her aesthetic. Perhaps she’ll find a job creating for Cirque in the future. We also really loved that much of the music was performed by live musicians who became part of the show. The fiddle player was our favorite, of course.
13_HOCKEY_0202
With this new creation Cirque du Soleil explored the essence of skating, bringing its signature style of acrobatics into unchartered territory– a sheet of ice – and blurring the boundaries between gliding sports and circus arts. In CRYSTAL, acrobats and skaters perform acrobatics on the ice and in the air, seamlessly combining multiple disciplines together. Synchronized skating, freestyle figures, and extreme skating are featured alongside circus disciplines such as swinging trapeze, aerial straps, and hand to hand. Figure skaters learned how to be pushers on Chinese poles, while circus artists learned how to skate, and extreme skaters learned figure skating moves.
20_Ballroom-3073
Tips for the show:
  • Dress warm. Even though it’s a million degrees outside, remember this is an ice show and it gets chilly in the arena. Avery was mad that I made her wear jeans, but was happy when we arrived and she realized how cold it was inside.
  • Don’t miss the pre-show performance – and if you’re lucky enough to have seats in the first row, you may get to enjoy some audience participation.
  • We recommend seats with a straight-on view of the ice. There are no bad seats for this show, but there are some elements of the projection that may be missed if you sit along the sides.
 15_Poles-2246

Be sure to pick up tickets for your family to see this unique experience while it’s in town for a limited run.

(Friends in Albany, you can see the show Aug 4-7, 2022 at the MVP Arena)

Follow #CRYSTAL and #cirquedusoleil on social mediaFacebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube | Snapchat |TikTok
SPONSORED: Our family received tickets to the show in exchange for this review. All opinions are our own.

I Have MS

The title of this post is the short story. Below, is the long story.

20220222_133302-01

It has been a rough winter. We lost out on another house we were in love with, we’ve had car issues, I found out my foot has been broken for two years and I’ve just been walking on it like no big deal, and I was diagnosed with MS.

Let’s rewind a bit…

In March of 2010 I started having trouble breathing. I felt like I was never getting a full enough breath or getting enough oxygen. The doctors told me it was anxiety, once even prescribed Ativan. I knew it wasn’t, but tried to ignore it as best I could. A week or so later, I started losing feeling in my feet. I assumed it was a pinched nerve or bulging disk and spent a few hundred bucks on massages. They didn’t help, and the numbness and pins and needles feeling spread up my legs and torso, to my arms, and hands. It was so bad, I was unable to type on the keyboard and couldn’t sense temperatures.  Again, multiple doctors told me it was anxiety. Finally, in June, I met with one doctor who said “Presenting with these symptoms at your age (27) is textbook Multiple Sclerosis.” He immediately sent me for hours, and hours of MRIs on my brain and spine, where a 1.5cm (half inch) mass was found in my spinal cord between C2 and C3. A really, really crappy place to have a mass.

MRI result

Here I was, engaged, planning a wedding and life with my husband, thinking about our future family and suddenly my world was crashing down around me.

I met with a neurologist who said “I don’t think this is MS, and even if it is, I can’t diagnose you with it since you’ve only had one event (flare)” She sent me to a Neuro oncologist because she felt it was probably a tumor.  He looked at it, sent me for more MRIs, CT, more blood work than you can imagine, and did a spinal tap (which was absolutely horrible, made worse by the fact that I have “unique spinal anatomy.” Because, of course I do…) My spinal fluid came back pristine, and slowly my symptoms subsided. My neuro oncologist brought my films to the Tumor Board (a group of super smart oncologists who look at tumors and try to determine what they are and how to best treat them. They didn’t have any suggestions other than “Well, tumors don’t just shrink on their own, and if the symptoms are getting better, it must be shrinking.” But maybe it’s an astrocytoma or a glioma, or some other type of scary tumor that just isn’t malignant…yet. So, the plan was to watch and wait. They wanted me to get another MRI in 6 months, and then every year. But I didn’t have insurance and was no longer eligible for the Hospital’s “charity” so, since I didn’t have symptoms, I just waited.  As soon as I had insurance again, I made appointments but then COVID came along and wrecked those plans, too.

Finally, in January of this year, I was able to get a spinal MRI. The spinal lesion that had been a constant worry for over decade was smaller. Half the size. This was great news, but I was still worried about my brain.  Over the past couple years I’ve had vertigo, headaches, hearing issues, vision issues, fatigue, and other symptoms that had always been chalked up to my Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, anxiety, allergies, and just being a busy mom. But I knew something wasn’t right, and having one lesion that was never diagnosed has always left me worried that another could appear. Fortunately, my amazing doctor listened to me, and sent me for a brain MRI when I requested it.

The results came through my portal the next morning. The news wasn’t good.

Screenshot_20220222-165831_Chrome Screenshot_20220222-165448_Chrome

Lesions in my brain, one prominent, two very tiny, “Likely represent demyelinating lesions.”  After a call with my doctor, he referred me to the MS Center at our local hospital. I met with my new neurology team, who reviewed my MRI results with me and determined, without a doubt that I have MS.  Fortunately, my MS is “mild” at this point. It’s not aggressive, and it’s a good sign that I have gone so long without any symptoms. He told me that he rarely sees patients at this stage of disease because most people wouldn’t discover it at the point. Most folks come in having lost vision, or experiencing sudden paralysis or at least sever weakness. However, MS is an incredibly unpredictable disease, and there is no way of knowing if I’ll continue to have little to no progression, or if everything will speed up. I was given options. I could wait it out, see if I have another flare or more lesions show on my next MRI a year from now. I could go the conservative route and try some of the less intense medications. Or, I could treat it aggressively with the top tier meds. My doctor said “It all depends on what level of disability you’re comfortable risking. ”

20220222_141241

The answer to that is none. So, I have decided to treat this aggressively. I’ll start meds as soon as possible. It will be a monthly infusion, that will hopefully prevent future lesions. There are possible side effects, some boring, some scary, but the (very low) risk is worth the reward.

So that’s a lot of words to say, I’m really scared and sad and angry, but also hopeful. Honestly, it’s not the physical symptoms I’m most concerned about. Could I end up needing a cane or a wheelchair? Yup, I could. I’m mostly ok with that. It’s to potential cognitive issues that scare me the most. Like I said, the disease is completely unpredictable, I have no idea what will happen next. But there is some relief that comes with finally having a diagnosis. When you have a mass of unknown origin in your body, you never stop thinking about it. For years I was worried about”What ifs” What if it IS a tumor that suddenly turns malignant? What if it starts growing again and leaves me paralyzed or dead? What if more tumors grow? What if it IS MS? Well, now I know and we can treat it. Now I know WHY I feel the way I do and why my body doesn’t always work the way I want it to. Now I know it’s not in my head.  (Even though it is literally in. my. head.)

I have to say how incredibly fortunate I am to live in a place with such incredible medical care. I am grateful to have an MS Clinic here where I have access to the most knowledgable doctors, and a team of other health care workers like Occupational and Physical Therapists on-site. I am also feel so grateful that I have supportive friends, coworkers and bosses, and of course my incredible family.

So I will learn to live with this, and fight it when I need to fight. I’ll likely write a lot more about this as I go through it. I’ve never hidden any of my life’s challenges, and feel that my journey may help others in the future. Like my adoption story and postpartum journey, if I can help one person, it will be worth it.

Thanks for reading, and please don’t treat me any differently. Ask questions if you have them, don’t make assumptions. I’m still the same Sarah.

Here’s some info for family (and friends) of someone newly diagnosed with MS

 

Imagine Van Gogh – Boston Ticket Giveaway

Sponsored Content – Our family received a family 4-pack of tickets in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

VanGogh_2020_LaurenceLabat-6742_HR Imagine Van Gogh – Boston Ticket Giveaway

This Christmas is going to be filled with horses, American Girl Dolls, kawaii, and ART! Avery has been drawing and painting non-stop this year, and I am loving it! She’s taken an interest in art history and loves learning about artists both past and present. One of the gifts I’m most looking forward to giving her this year is a ticket to see Imagine Van Gogh.

Imagine Van Gogh is the ORIGINAL immersive exhibition in Image Totale © featuring more than 200 of the Dutch artist’s paintings. It will be on exhibit at the SoWa Power Station in Boston’s popular SoWa Art + Design District.

Annabelle Mauger and Julien Baron are the Artistic Directors behind the creation of the Imagine Van Gogh. They are known for their work at Cathédrale d’Images in Les Baux-de-Provence, France.

VanGogh_2020_LaurenceLabat-6531_HR

Imagine Van Gogh “brings Van Gogh’s canvases to life in a vivid, spectacular way: the audience will truly enter the artist’s world of dreams; visitors are literally transported on a journey to the heart of the artist’s work.”

I can’t wait for Avery to experience this immersive exhibit.

Tickets start at $33.99 (plus service charges and fees) and are on sale now. For more information, please visit www.imagine-vangogh.com

VanGogh_2020_LaurenceLabat-6056_HR Imagine Van Gogh - Boston Ticket Giveaway

But wait, there’s more!!  I am excited to offer you, dear reader, a chance to WIN a Family 4-Pack of tickets to see Imagine Van Gogh. Winner will receive a code to select ANY available time to attend the exhibition during our entire run (December 21, 2021 – February 20, 2022) All you have to do is leave a comment on this post!  One winner will be selected on December 28 at 9PM EST.

Moving Companies In Rhode Island

4 Tips for a Stress-Free Move with Kids

This is a guest post from Alex at The Berger Bungalow. With the current state of the market, it seemed like the perfect time to share about moving companies in Rhode Island. 

Moving Companies In Rhode Island

Mamas – I know a lot of you are moving right now. The housing market is booming, everyone is upgrading or downsizing, and if you have kids, it can be a scarier and potentially stressful process, if you are not sure what to expect. Preparing ahead of time (both yourself and the kids) and giving them opportunities to help make decisions are two great ways to tackle your move, without the added stress and anxiety. Here are a few additional tips to help you stay stress-free during this process:

 

Help them focus on the positive

It’s easy to look at all the aspects of life that moving takes away. Kids will miss their neighborhood friends, extended family members, and school. These are all familiar to them, and the unknown is frightening. However, you can make moving with children a beneficial growing experience when you focus on the positives. Instead of dwelling on what they’ll miss out on, tell them about all the good that will come from it! For example, tell them if their new house will be bigger, they get their own bedroom, or they’ll be closer to other family members. It may also help to find books about moving for kids and tell them your own experiences. It’ll make the process clearer and less foreign to them, which means they likely won’t be as scared.

 

Don’t pack up all their cherished items

Packing for a move is a long process, and the house is going to look messy and disorganized. It’s easiest to pack up one room at a time, but it isn’t that easy when you’re moving with children. The little ones will have their favorite toys, blankets, clothes, and much more that they feel they can’t live without. Instead of fighting with them on it, let them choose which items to pack and which ones to leave out. Kids need familiarity, and those few items will make it seem less like their world is falling apart.

 

Pack an “essentials” bag

Moving day is always full of last-minute packing, so make sure you have a separate bag of the essentials for you and the kids. This includes clothing, medications, toiletries, diapers and wipes, blankets, food, and other items you’re sure you’ll need through the first night. Doing this will make it so you don’t have to dig through boxes as soon as you arrive to find everything you need. You’ll be able to care for yours and the kids’ needs without feeling scrambled and stressed. And the kids will appreciate your calmness!

 

Hire movers

One tip that I recommend for everyone – with or without kids – is to hire movers. Honestly, if you really want a stress-free move, this is the way to go. Without movers, you will have to spend so much more time, effort, and energy on moving. It is a really physical process and when you have kids on your hip, it can be really challenging to get it done in a timely manner (meaning you will either spend more money on a longer rental truck, or you won’t move out in time…which is not good!). Rushing the process is not great either, because you risk breaking furniture or yourself (yikes!). Instead of worrying about this, leave the moving to the processionals, such as Fresh Start – The Moving Crew – Warwick. They are Warwick RI commercial movers and residential movers with labor-only options, packaging services, and more. They service the entire New England area and have company branches in Warwick, Springfield, & Worcester. Fresh Start – The Moving Crew has nearly a decade of experience with moving and they provide clean trucks with proper equipment so that they can better transport your belongings. They say, “Our team of professional uniformed workers vows to be respectful of your property and possessions, handling them with the utmost care. No matter how far you may be going, we can help. We’ll be there every step of the way, from initial consultation to the final invoice. Our team is happy to work with you to develop an efficient relocation plan that fits your needs. We will answer any questions you may have about the process.” With a team such as Fresh Start – The Moving Crew helping you along the way, it will definitely help ease the pains of moving significantly, especially if you have children.

furniture-moving-services

You may have anxiety about moving with children because you aren’t sure how they’ll respond. However, it doesn’t have to be a traumatic experience. If you prepare the kids ahead of time and give them opportunities to make decisions, you’ll find that they take it much better than anticipated! Then, you can get busy having fun, learning about the community, and making new friends!

Filling My Backpack - Empty backpack on grey background

Filling My Backpack

Filling My Backpack - Empty backpack on grey backgroundMore than once in my life I have been asked if I ever wanted to find my biological parents, and if so, why? People have said “You have a family, aren’t they enough? Why do you need to find these other people? Just be happy that you had a good life.” And I get where people are coming from. From the outside, looking in I can see how it may appear that I was searching for some sort of replacement. It may look like I didn’t think my family was  enough. Honestly, that’s not the case AT ALL (and I don’t speak for all adoptees, but I don’t think that’s the case for almost all of us) My family has always, and will always be enough. These are the people who raised me, cared for me, gave me everything I ever wanted, supported me through every dream, and every heartache I ever had. They are my family and always will be. I love them unconditionally.

Now here’s the “but” This is something hard to describe to anyone who is not adopted, but … There has always been a missing piece. A part of my history – my identity -that I had no access to. Vital information that nobody could provide. It’s not a “hole” exactly. I, as a person, wasn’t empty. I had everything I needed to fill up my soul.  But…I guess, you could look at it like a backpack. Everyone has this backpack, and inside it are files, and photos, and information. My backpack was pretty much empty.

For example, in school when  they’d talk about heritage and family trees, everyone would open up their “backpack” and pull out the files about where their family came from, what nationality they were. I could guess that I was Irish because of my fair skin, but that never felt right because I didn’t really know. I could use my family’s history and say I was Italian and Norwegian because my dad is, or German, French, English, and Irish because my mom is, but that didn’t feel right either because I wasn’t those things. Their DNA wasn’t my DNA, and I felt like a fraud claiming their heritage. Everyone else in class just knew. Everyone else in class had a backpack full of information.

Mine was empty.

Every doctor’s appointment I ever went to they’d ask me to give a family history. But I’d open my backpack and there’d be nothing to tell them. “I’m adopted…so…I don’t know…” Everyone else has those files in their backpack, they can pull them right up and say “Yes, my mom had cancer, my dad had heart disease, my grandmother had a thyroid condition, my uncle had a genetic condition.” I had “Biological mother allergic to strawberries and tomatoes.” That never got me very far. Doctors tend to roll their eyes at patients with empty backpacks. Doctors like to have a place to start when diagnosing medical conditions.

All I could give them was an empty backpack, and my apologies for making their jobs harder.

My backpack didn’t have the photos showing who I looked like, where I got my blue eyes or my dimples, or strawberry-blonde hair. My backpack had no photos, while everyone else had full albums.

And everyone else was always adding to their backpacks, while mine stayed empty.

What my backpack DID have were little scraps of paper with words like “unwanted” and “unlovable,” “given up” and “abandoned” Little reminders of that first trauma that would fall out every time I opened that backpack

My empty backpack has affected every relationship I have ever had. Friends, family, boyfriends, coworkers, every single relationship. Even my own child. Avery was my first blood relative. The first person I could look at and see myself looking back.  Having Avery was profoundly healing in ways I never imagined, but it also picked at that primal wound. Having a child added some items to my backpack, but it also reminded me of the things that were missing.

In searching for my biological family, I have just wanted to fill my backpack, to have access to the same information that everyone else has access to.

But in finding them, I have gotten so much more. While those little scraps of paper are still there, and will likely always be there, they are smaller, and don’t fall out quite as often. Because now, when I open my backpack, they aren’t the only things inside. Now those scraps are at the bottom of my backpack, under the photos, and the medical history folder, and the family tree.

My search was never about replacing anyone. It was never about finding something NEW or BETTER. It was always about finding MORE. It was always a search for MORE information. But, through this search I have found even more than that. I have found MORE people who love me. MORE people who want me.

And MORE of my story to fill my backpack.

Escape your reality at THE New England Renaissance Faire

*Disclosure* Our family received tickets to the Faire to facilitate our blog post. All opinions are our own!*

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! FALL! I know, I know, it’s not TECHNICALLY fall yet, but… Pumpkin Spice is back at my favorite coffee shop, Avery is back in school, I need to wear a sweater in the morning, and King Richard’s Faire is open!

Our family has been visiting the Faire every year for the last 4 years. It’s fun for our whole family. I love people watching and seeing all the amazing costumes. Avery loves the performers, and of course the unicorns (Yes, they do have unicorns in Carvershire!) and Dave loves the food!

Avery at King Richards Faire

Each weekend has something different to offer. Our favorite time to visit is during Harry Potter Fan Fest Weekend, which is coming up September 21 & 22. This event features Sorting of Houses (Ravenclaw here!) trivia contest, and a costume parade for all ages. It’s a lot of fun.

Not a Potterhead? That’s ok, members of all fandoms are welcome at the Faire! Game of Thrones fans will want to visit the shire on 9/28 or 29. Do you like men in kilts? Are you a man who wears a kilt? Then visit on October 5 for the Highland Hunks competition! Are vikings or pirates your thing? Maybe you’d like to visit during Invaders Weekend, October 12 & 14.  Love it ALL? The last weekend of the faire, 10/19 & 10/20 is the Fantasy Finale, and features the best costume contest you’ve ever seen. It is sure to be amazing!

No matter when you visit King Richard’s Faire, you’re going to have a great time. With eight stages of live entertainment, a joust, a few hundred actors, singers, dancers, stage combat pros, acrobats, puppeteers, and general (planned) mayhem of “Carvershire” (all free and included with admission!) how could you not??

We look forward to sharing all our photos when we visit in a couple weeks!

———–

Escape YOUR reality at King Richard’s Faire, New England’s largest and longest-running Renaissance festival!

Visit the Faire weekends and Monday holidays from August 31-October 20, 2019, where entertainment, exciting rides and skilled games abound on the Faire’s enchanting 80-acre wooded site (235 Main Street, Carver, Mass. 02330). You’ll be dazzled by acrobats, aerialists, and jugglers! Be captivated by minstrels, dancers and puppeteers and enthralled by fire-eaters, magicians and exotic tigers. Hundreds of talented performers perform non-stop for you throughout the day on any one of our eight vibrant stages. The King’s handsome knights battle on horseback as bawdy beggars compete in mud. Wacky wenches will leave you in stitches while happy villagers engage you in the lanes. Frolicking faeries can be seen dancing through the forest, where you can try your skill in his majesty’s Gaming Glen.

See the website for new acts and special events for the 2019 season!

Afterward, epicurean pleasures suited for royalty, will tantalize even the pickiest of taste buds. Satiate thy palate with giant spit-roasted turkey legs, ringlets of fryes, and boules of chowder or stew, and quench thy thirst with champagne, specialty cocktails, wine and brew.

Many of the King’s talented artisans journey from around the globe and have much to offer all who enter the gates of Carvershire. Discover beautiful handspun pottery, fabulous jewelry, and incredible face painting. Delight in period clothing, leather, armor, and moccasins. Be amazed by our blacksmith and forged weaponry and other works of art. Revel in scented oils, perfumes, handmade crafts and psychic readings as you make memories to last a lifetime.

New in 2019: a new King Richard XI to lord over Carvershire with his lovely bride, Queen Anne and visiting princesses in the village to sample talented artisan wares, food and drynk, and entertaining new performers. New to the entertainment lineup in Carvershire this year: The Accidental Acrobats, a duo of contortionists; Sir Guy, the comedian; Kasam the Masked Master; GoGaucho, a dynamic blend of dance, music, comedy and other tricks; and mesmerizing music from Moon Chariot and piping by the Portland & District Pipers.

Visit kingrichardsfaire.net for a site map, event schedules, and ticket sales.
235 Main Street, Carver MA 02330
adult: $34
child 4-11: $17
children 3 years of age and younger are free
Website link: http://kingrichardsfaire.net
Ticket link:
https://kingrichardsfaire.net/ticket-admissions-faqs/

Dinner Is Saved with Peapod!

Disclosure: #ad  I was given a gift code to facilitate this review. All opinions of the Peapod Service are my own.

Hey friends!  It’s been awhile… Things have been pretty crazy over here the past 6 or so months.  Our family has experienced so many changes, and challenges and unfortunately this blog took a backseat to everything else.  But, things are settling down (sort of!) and I am so happy to be back!

One major change is that I very recently accepted a NEW JOB! I’ll talk about it more in the future, but it’s awesome, and I am so happy! It’s a “normal” job in that I actually have to change out of my pajamas and go to an office Monday – Friday, 9 – 5.  It’s a huge change after working from home or the past 7 years, but I am soooo ready for it.

As ready as I am, there is the little worry in my mind about how the heck I am going to do EVERYTHING?!

Take a look at our weekly schedule:

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Sarah Baseball Work til 5pm Work til 3pm Work til 5pm Work til 5pm Work til 5pm Baseball
Dave Baseball Work til 2:30 Baseball practice 7pm Work til 2:30 Work til 2:31 Work til 2:32 Work til 2:33 Baseball
Avery Baseball Coding til 5:30 Dance 4:30 – 6pm Dance til 5:00 Baseball practice: 6 – 7pm Nothing? Maybe? That can’t be right. Baseball
Girl Scouts 5:45 – 7:15pm Baseball Game 5:30 – 7pm

OK, soooo…. WHEN DO I MAKE AND EAT DINNER?!?!

I guess we can just eat on Friday, and weekends when Dave doesn’t have night games.

I mean, Dave will be home, and he is more than capable of cooking (full disclosure: he is the one who cooks most of the time!)  But it feels like we won’t have any time now that I won’t be home until later. And when the heck will we do our shopping?

That’s where Peapod comes in!  I’ve blogged about Peapod before, and how easy it made party planning. I am going to start taking my own advice, and let someone else do the heavy lifting for me. (Literally)

Peapod is SUPER convenient and easy! I can order everything we need for the week while on my lunch break, and schedule a delivery time that works for me.54433318_570651363446645_6234251274750001152_n

Since Dave was home this week, I chose a delivery time right in the middle of the day, so he could be the one to put all the groceries away! Ha! 55546961_1214622135366021_7038730191530622976_n

I love that Peapod sends you alerts so you know exactly when to expect your delivery. It’s nice that you don’t have to wait around all day, looking out the window, dreaming about groceries…

peapod

OK, so we all know about the convenient delivery and pick-up options. But wait, there’s MORE! Did you know that you can order delicious pre-made meals?  The chicken parm is really good, and is a definite favorite in our family! The pre-made meals are perfect for nights when I just do not have time to prepare even the simplest of meals. I can grab one of these from the fridge and just heat it up! peapod-2

Peapod also offers a variety of affordable meal kits (many are less than $5 per serving) that contain pre-measured, pre-cut and pre-washed ingredients for meals made in 30 minutes or less!!  I was really excited to try these out as we’ve always wanted to use meal kits, but never wanted to be locked into a monthly plan, or get stuck with meals we really weren’t interested in.
peapod-3

I ordered the Beef and Broccoli kit, and the Upscale Beef Stroganoff!  It is so simple, as the kit includes all the ingredients you need, portioned and clearly labeled. The recipe is easy to follow, and doesn’t require any advanced cooing skills. peapod-4

The Beef Stroganoff was SO GOOD! And it made 6 servings so we had more than enough for dinner and lunches the following day! I love the ease of having these meals ready to go in the fridge. Dave and I can easily grab them and whip it up quickly for a hearty meal before practice!peapod-5 Peapod makes shopping so easy, not just with delivery or pick-up but with other special features like:

  • Express Shop: Quickly locate and select all ingredients for a specific recipe, meal plan, etc. Just type your list into the notepad; click Start Shopping and the products matching your first item will be displayed.
  • Order Genius: Auto-fill your cart with the items you buy most frequently and even recall shopping history from Stop & Shop and Giant loyalty reward cards.
  • Sort Feature: Find products with the best price, to meet your dietary needs, even see which product is most popular. Select your sort preference from the drop-down box at the top of every page. Click the Save Sort link and your products will always be sorted that way.
  • Filter Feature: Filter to only see the products that meet your needs, whether you’re looking for dairy-free cereal or peanut-free snacks.

Peapod has no required membership fee, but they do offer an optional subscription service called PodPass which gives subscribers unlimited free delivery and pick-up for one low price with 3 month, 6 month and 12 month options! Standard delivery fees range from $6.95-$9.95

So here I am, having a lazy Sunday, not rushing around the market trying to figure out what the heck we will eat this week, along with half the state. Because I know that Peapod has me covered!

BOSTON/MA FRIENDS!!! From now until the end of March, I am offering a code: FRESH50 to my followers for $25 off your first two orders and 1-year free delivery with a PodPass subscription!  That’s an amazing deal!! Don’t miss out and head to Peapod right now to grab your groceries for the week!

Follow Peapod for more recipes, dinner ideas and solutions!

Facebook  Instagram  Pinterest  Twitter