healthy essentials - Stuff Parents Need

Three Simple Changes I Have Made to My Routine (for a Happier Morning!)

August 29, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

This post is part of the HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® 2014 program by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. and The Motherhood, who sent me a box of products and compensated me for my time. Opinions, experiences and photos shared here are all my own, and I hope you enjoy them.

I’ve written about my oldest starting kindergarten this year over and over and OVER again (I had a lot to process, y’all!). But I’ve been much more quiet about my little Layah starting school. Her adventure started just yesterday, and I sat in her classroom to help her feel more comfortable with the transition (school rules, not me trying to be a helicopter mom!).

layah first day

I’m so glad I was on hand to observe her first day, because my suspicions about how Layah would handle going to school were spot-on. Every single time her teacher introduced her to a new lesson, she SQUEALED with delight! This kid is ready for a few hours of Montessori education, and some fun with new friends, too. I teared up a bit while watching her, but those were happy tears because I knew she was so ready.

But as it turns out, our morning routine is about to get even trickier as we have to get both girls packed up and ready to go (and I just learned that Layah will be eating lunch at school before heading home at noon…gotta go get another lunch box!). I’ve been doing some experimenting with our evening and morning routines to figure out what simple changes make the biggest impact on our routine. As much as I’d love to make 15 changes that all promote efficiency, that isn’t going to happen. But here are 3 that are sticking for us:

1. Laying Out Clothes the Night Before

There are 4 people in this house who need to be dressed and ready for the day by 7:45 am. Two of those people need some form of assistance getting ready (our 5-year-old can’t reach some of her clothes in her closet, and our 2 year old, when left to dress herself, puts on an owl costume, so there’s that…). Now that I know this routine is going to stick, I’m going to get some extra hooks for the girls’ rooms so that their clothing options don’t go on the floor. You may be able to get away with laying out just one outfit for your kiddos, but my girls MUST have choices. 🙂

2. Cleaning the Kitchen Before Bed

This is really a huge gift to myself, even though I grumble about it after dinner while cleaning up. I get up REALLY early and do my early morning work at our kitchen table, which boasts a million dollar view of our kitchen. It is very deflating to start my day off by staring at a pile of dishes and junked up kitchen counters. I’m left feeling guilty that they are dirty, and conflicted about whether I should spend my precious morning time doing my job (the blog) or doing housework. A dirty kitchen also makes breakfast prep and lunch box prep more difficult. Starting the day with a clean kitchen has been truly wonderful, friends. And I aim for about 90% clean…if I insisted that it be perfect, I’d just give up!

3. Washing My Face with Something Invigorating

Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit helps get me going in the morning in a major way. I skip right over waiting for the water in the faucet to warm up and go for a cold wash. The scent and the little scrubbies in this cleaner leave me feeling so fresh and so clean, clean! Whatever you choose for your morning face care routine, know that there are some wonderful products out there to meet specific needs, whether it is spot treatment, wake me up, or make me glow (or all of the above!). Healthy Essentials can make for easier morning routines, and right now you’ll find more than $40 in savings on Neutrogena products, as well as a whole host of other items. So go get something to help you wake up a little easier in the morning, and save some $$ in the process!

I’d love to hear about routines you have in place (evening or morning!) that help your family get out the door faster and with less stress!

Healthy Essentials Make for Fun Summer Play!

July 8, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

So a handful of weeks back I received a box of super awesome essentials that will help me and my family have lots of fun this summer, all why staying healthy and safe. I’ve been excited to show you some of our favorites from the bunch at work!

First and foremost, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE NEUTROGENA’s sunscreen products and have been using the heck out of two of them this summer.My husband and I are both super pale (if we burn, we just peel and are pasty white again…no need to even attempt a tan). Additionally, melanoma runs in Tim’s family, so for both of those reasons, we take our sunscreen seriously. Sunny, overcast, whatever…if we are going to be outside for more than 5 minutes, we lather up!

neutrogena healthy essential ultra sheer sunscreen

My personal favorite product in their sunscreen line is the NEUTROGENA Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 45. It provides that high level of protection that I need, but it doesn’t go on greasy or thick AT ALL and is dry so fast! This makes it very easy to apply right before putting on my makeup. I barely even have to wait before I’m good to go with my foundation! Speaking of foundation, I’ve been eyeing the NEUTROGENA Nourishing Long Wear Liquid Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 20, too. I was sent a bottle, but it was too dark for my complexion (seriously…PASTY white…). But I really like the sound of it. Anyone out there tried it yet? Thoughts? But as for the sunscreen above, do yourself a favor and put it on your list for your next trip to the store. Just trust me!

We’ve also been using the heck out of the NEUTROGENA Wet Skin Kids Spray Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 70+. I’ve actually purchased a second bottle because we love it so much. When it comes to kids, nothing is better than a spray-on sunscreen. Ok, actually there is something better: a spray-on sunscreen that can handle your skin being wet! That’s the deal with this. We’ve used it at Six Flags, at the splash park, at the river….basically anywhere we like to hang out that involves water. Application takes mere seconds!

Two other products getting some love these days (though I’ll spare you the pictures…you’ll understand why in a second) are Band-Aid Tough Strips Adhesive Bandages and NEOSPORIN + Pain Relief Ointment. Tim and Darah have been spending a lot of time practicing riding bikes, and that inevitably means some scraped up arms and legs. Like most kids, Darah seems to feel remarkably better after she gets her “badge of courage” (a Band-Aid) and I feel a heck of a lot better knowing that NEOSPORIN has been applied to provide instant pain relief as well as to start the healing process quickly. These are both brands I grew up with and continue to trust!

And finally, I’ve been rocking the Cool Mint LISTERINE Antiseptic Mouthwash. It tastes great and super refreshing, and my mouth tingles with that clean feeling for quite some time afterwards. This happens to be my favorite flavor of Listerine, as is evidenced by my having 3 bottles of it under my sink. I’m not sure if I’m afraid they are going to run out before I can buy the entire stock in my city, or what, but there you have it. I’ve got more than my fair share of this product!

And you guys, GET THIS….did you know that Listerine is also great for a foot soak?! Say WHAT??? I didn’t make this up, y’all. It’s all over Pinterest. And I was planning on showing you how to do it until I read multiple posts saying, “DON’T USE COOL MINT….YOUR FEET WILL TURN BLUE!” So I’m putting this little project on the back burner until I can get another color. But I’m so gonna do it. What a great way to get all that excess dead skin off your feet, especially this time of year when you are probably wearing sandals a lot and want them to look their best!

We are having an adventurous summer over here, and I hope you are, too! Just be sure to have all the supplies you need on hand for SAFE summer fun! And perhaps for soft feet that won’t turn blue, too! 😉 Want some coupons? You can find some for many of the healthy essentials (and some other great products) right now (more than $45, worth!).

Bathroom Recycling, Donating Via App, Twitter Parties, and Coupons! Healthy Essentials

April 15, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

photo credit: kingdesmond1337 via photopin cc

Tim and I have gotten pretty good at recycling. We purchased a large recycling bin (the same size as our city-issued garbage bin, but in a different color) and that has given us an opportunity to find more things to recycle, because now we have a large bin for storage (our recycling is only picked up twice a month, so the small bins we were issued weren’t cutting it). I’m totally in the zone about recycling stuff as I sort through mail and as I use up stuff in the kitchen.

But I tend to be a bit more forgetful about products in the bathroom. I’m not sure if it is because it is upstairs, and away from where I usually deal with recycling, or if it is because the bottles are smaller, and so my mind rationalizes that recycling those things isn’t really “worth it.” Worth what? The effort to walk down the flight of stairs you go up and down 100 times a day, already? Girl, puh-leeze.

HealthyEssentials.com, one of my favorite websites for finding REALLY good coupons for bath, beauty and personal care products, has some great tips for recycling in the bathroom that I recently checked out. I learned there that only 1 in 5 people consistently recycle bathroom items.

I’m going to stop being one of those 4 people. Will you join me? If enough people make the change, we can reverse the statistic, so that only 1 out of 5 DON’T recycle bathroom products. That would save thousands of TONS of plastic from landfills, people!

I appreciate the thoughtfulness that Johnson & Johnson is putting into how it makes their products, and the fact that sustainability is a key peace of their product design. They are really being great role models, in my opinion!

In addition to having some great information about recycling, the Healthy Essentials website also has some SWEET coupons up right now, including the following:

Save $1.00 on any JOHNSON’S® Baby Intense Moisture Cream
Save $1.00 on any LUBRIDERM® product (6oz or larger)
Save $1.00 on any (1) CLEAN & CLEAR® product (excludes trial and travel sizes)
Save $1.00 on any (1) NEUTROGENA® Sun product (exclude trial size)
Save $1.00 on any (1) LISTERINE® SMART RINSE Anti-cavity Mouthwash, 500 ml
Save $1.00 on any (1) REACH® Total Care Floss, or REACH® Gentle Gum Care Floss, or REACH® Dentotape® or REACH® Access® Flosser
Save $2.00 on any (3) NEOSPORIN®, BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive bandages or JOHNSON and JOHNSON RED CROSS® Brand products (excludes all trial and travel sizes, First Aid Kits, 10 ct Band-Aid Brand Adhesive Bandages, and On-the-Go First Aid Kits. Must buy (2) different brand products to qualify for this offer along with a third product)

Donate A Photo

You’ll also see on the website information about the Donate A Photo (DAP) app. For every photo shared through Donate A Photo, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 to one of its non-profit partners, and you even get to choose which one! I’ve downloaded this app because it is such an easy way for me to help get some much needed funds into the hands of organizations doing great things. This month I’ll be focusing on donating to environmental causes. What would you donate to through your photos?

Twitter Party

Do you love to party on Twitter? Join me for a great one all about HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® this Thursday at 1pm EST. There are going to be 15 prize packs, each worth $50! You can find all the details and RSVP here:http://twtvite.com/jnjearthday . And don’t forget to use the #Moms4JNJConsumer hashtag! See you there?

Valentine’s Date (Breakfast-Style) with SPLENDA and Healthy Essentials!

February 12, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This post is part of the HEALTHY ESSENTIALS^®2014 program by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. and The Motherhood, who sent me a box of products and compensated me for my time. Opinions, experiences and photos shared here are all my own, and I hope you enjoy them.

As you know, Tim and I accidentally started dating on Valentine’s Day 15 years ago this year (!). We planned to celebrate in style, and head to the beach for a fun, relaxing weekend with our family. Various circumstances caused us to put our trip on pause for a few weeks, and as it turns out, I’ll be spending Valentine’s Day in Atlanta with some very good friends having a huge fun playdate. And we are bringing our kids, too! 😉

Having to postpone a milestone like 15 years together is something I could never have even fathomed when I was younger (read: when I didn’t have kids). Why on earth would you allow your schedule to determine such things???!!!! Well, that’s just life, folks. And you know what? IT’S FINE!

We will take the time we do have together that day with joy and laughter, and marvel and the little rugrats under our feet. I won’t head out until just before Tim goes to work, so I’ve got plans for a very sweet start to our breakfast. It’s also very practical (I’m not making a gourmet feast right before a road trip!) and is loaded with healthy essentials.

Looks good, doesn’t it? Well you will not believe how indulgent it tastes! Very sweet, very smooth, and very VERY yummy! I went to the SPLENDA website, where they have lots of great recipes on hand, in order to find something easy and delicious. If you want to recreate this at your home, here’s where you can find the sweet berry smoothie recipe.

I’ve been enjoying SPLENDA products for a few years now, as they sweeten up my iced coffees in a flash. But I hadn’t yet ventured into using SPLENDA as a sugar replacement in recipes. It was easy, because it measures the same, cup for cup, and now that I’ve tried it, I’m definitely ready to give it a go in baked goods. In fact, maybe I’ll surprise Tim with some SPLENDA-fied chocolate chip cookies to take to work this Friday. This no-calorie sweetener is a great way to add a little sweetness to your day and leave the guilt behind!

HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® Savings for Valentine’s Day and Beyond!

Have you checked out the HEALTHY ESSENTIALS website? Here you can find some SPLENDA coupons ($1 off!) and other great tips and tools. For example, If you purchase $10 of SPLENDA® products between now and 2/17/2014, you can receive a free 30 minute nutrition consulation with a Registered Dietitian. You can find all the details at HealthyEssentials.com.

But SPLENDA isn’t the only brand you’ll find on the site! You will also discover savings and other helpful information for brands like REMBRANDT and NEUTROGENA, which can help you get ready for a smokin’ hot date night! By the way, the color stick you see above, from NEUTROGENA, is nothing short of amazing. You are definitely going to need to add it to your collection. It is so smooth and moisturizing!

I’d love to hear how you will be celebrating Valentine’s Day this year. Have you booked a sitter? Are you going to celebrate on a different day (much cheaper that way!)? And are you a fan of SPLENDA, like me?

Healthy Essentials (and LOTS of Great Coupons) from Johnson & Johnson!

January 11, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

My friends at Johnson & Johnson are SO excited to announce that just in time for the post-holiday budget crisis happening in many homes (Definitely in mine! Too much holiday spending!), you can save over $45 on products you likely already know and love. Go to www.HealthyEssentials.com and sign up for some totally awesome coupons, offers, tips & tools. HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® is here to get you on track for a healthy new year (and an affordable one, too!).

If you’ve got some healthy resolutions, from pain & allergy relief to digestive & dietary health, you can find what you need on this website and save some money, too! Love it!!!

World Cup Sweepstakes!

Want to go to 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™? Visit HealthyEssentials.com and see if your wish could come true. Plus, get tips and coupons to save on your favorite products for the New Year.

All you have to do is share a picture or story of a moment of caring in your life and you could scream “GOAL!” from Brazil.

Visit www.healthyessentials.com for more information on this amazing opportunity!

Ring in the New Year with Healthy Essentials at the #Moms4JNJConsumer Twitter Party

I’ll be joining Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies for a Twitter party to talk about HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® for the New Year, resolutions, family wellness and how to score great deals on health and hygiene products! Learn how HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® can help you reach health-related goals for 2014.

When: Tuesday, January 14, 1 p.m. ET

Hashtag: #Moms4JNJConsumer

Prizes: We will randomly award 15 prizes throughout the party, from all eligible correct responses to trivia questions. Each prize includes an assortment of Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® products with an estimated retail value of $50.

Prize Eligibility: No purchase necessary. Entrants must be legal residents of the 50 United States + D.C. 18 years of age or older. Void where prohibited.

Hosts: @theMotherhood, @CooperMunroe, @EmilyMcKhann, @TheMotherhood25

I hope to see you there. Do you have any healthy resolutions for 2014? I’d love to hear about them!