Tiffany Merritt - Stuff Parents Need

Pillow Pets Now Have Matching (Tooth)Brush Pets (Giveaway!)

April 6, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 97 Comments

Today I want to show you two products that we are happily using as part of our bedtime routine. And it’s been a while since I’ve done a video, so I thought it would be fun to actually talk instead of write while I showcase Pillow Pets Glow Pets and Pillow Pets Brush Pets! Check them out!

Do you have a pillow pet at your home? It seems that most families with young kids do! 🙂

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a year’s supply of Brush Pets (4 total)!

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fashion Friday: Mint and Peach Accessories On MEGA Markdown!

April 4, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

Affiliate links included. I only promote AWESOME, as always! 🙂

I’m all over today’s sale, and hopefully my little sister is, too, as My Cents of Style has all things mint and peach half off. Those were the colors of my little sister’s wedding (mint and coral…close enough) so this combo will always make me smile! Use code PEACHY to get 50% off and FREE SHIPPING!!!

My top pick is the Easter Infinity Scarf. Straight to your door with the coupon code for $5.95! Click on the links below or just on the photos. All roads lead to a great sale! 🙂

Flower Stud Earrings – Reg. Price- $12.95, Fashion Friday Price- $6.47 SHIPPED.
Peach & Mint Ballet Flats– Reg. Price- $32.95, Fashion Friday Price- $16.47 SHIPPING.

Tell me what you pick up during this awesome sale!

What It’s Like to See Rock City

April 4, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

Complimentary passes to Rock City were provided. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

If you have done any traveling in the United States, I’m going to guess that you have come across one of these:

photo credit: SeeMidTN.com (aka Brent) via photopin cc

During the 1930s-1950s, over 900 barns across the United States were pained with “See Rock City.” It generated quite a lot of interest in the amazing trail of geological formations found just 6 miles from downtown Chattanooga on top of Lookout Mountain.

Rock City opened to the public in 1932 and has been delighting its visitors ever since. After living in Chattanooga for 3 1/2 years, we finally got to “See Rock City” for ourselves last week. After seeing it, we really wish we had gone sooner!

We spent about two hours walking through beautiful paths and navigating a few tight squeezes (but not too tight!) through rocks that are said to be over 2 million years old. Wow!! The rocks are absolutely awe-inspiring, but perhaps the most breathtaking formation at the park is Lover’s Leap and the waterfall.

Notice how they have a walkway that just sort of juts out over the cliff. I’m not afraid of heights at all, but I got a little nervous walking out on that particular balcony! Our girls had never seen a waterfall of this size before, so it was a really special treat to get to see them admiring it. We stayed in this area just enjoying the view for quite some time.

Rock City has two separate trails, and it is easy to follow both of them without having to do any back tracking, as they both lead up to Lover’s Leap, which is an area where you can see 7 states on a clear day. We took one trail up to the large outcropping (which also has a place to eat and some cool rock climbing), and we took the other trail back down.

We also vied for the rights to the crown in the small village in that area. They had a sword in the stone, and invited us to see if we might be the heirs to the throne.

It wasn’t a lucky day for anyone in my family. But Darah was absolutely thrilled to have had the chance! We also spotted some deer while we were on the trails, as well as some fun references to beloved fairy tale creatures. It really made the trip feel a bit more magical, especially to a child.

Perhaps the most delightful surprise for us, though, was discovering Fairyland Caverns and Mother Goose Village, near the end of our trek. A plethora of scenes from beloved fairy tales and rhymes are on display, all with figures that were imported from Germany in the 1930s. They have all been painted to put off fun special effects under black light, as well. As a MAJOR nursery rhyme fan, myself, I was absolutely tickled to see all these beautiful scenes.

Each year, more than half a million people visit Rock City. If you are thinking of visiting, I would tell you to definitely do it. Tickets for adults are $19.95 and children are $11.95. If you live close enough to visit more than once a year, annual passes are a very reasonable $35 for adults and $19 for children, or you can get a family of 4 pass for $89. Tim and I have already talked about getting an annual pass for our family next year. Rock City offers a wide range of seasonal events which make it really fun to come back more than once a year, too.

rock city year long events

A word of advice for travelers with young children: if you have a child who needs to be in a stroller, please note that strollers are not allowed on the property (and after walking through it, myself, I can tell you that it is not navigable by stroller, so there’s no need to ask for permission to bring yours in). Just something to keep in mind. Either wear your baby or be prepared to carry her for a really long time. Or just wait until all of your children can walk on their own. Our youngest is almost 2, and this seemed to be a good first age for her to go.

So, have you seen Rock City, yet? If you are ever in the Chattanooga area, make the time to see it. There’s a reason that it has been a really popular attraction for almost 80 years!

Fairy Training Lessons to Celebrate The Pirate Fairy

April 3, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 8 Comments

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser. #ProtectPixieHollow #CollectiveBias

My 4 1/2 year old daughter believes with all of her heart that her mommy turns into a fairy every single night, and flies around Chattanooga doing various “fairy jobs” with her special blue pixie dust.

Pretty wild, right? I can’t imagine who in the world told her something so outrageous. It couldn’t possibly have been me…

Ok, it was me.

blue pixie dust fairy training lessons the pirate fairy

And truth? I don’t regret it for a second! Darah and I have been sharing so many wonderful adventures through stories about my nightly flights. And it has certainly piqued her interest in Tinkerbell and all her friends. We watch the fairy movies frequently, and even read from the Disney fairy chapter books every night.

The Pirate Fairy

pirate fairy at walmart

You may have heard about the latest fantastic movie from Disney that was just released, The Pirate Fairy. I headed to Walmart on April 1st, which was its release date to pick up a copy. I went to Walmart to make my purchase because they have an exclusive offer: you get a bonus Disney fairies DVD with your purchase! The bonus DVD is called Pixie Hollow Bake Off, and it is an adorable short film all about our favorite fairies putting their talents to work to try to bake an incredible cake. The DVD also includes 10 very short but very cute additional stories from Pixie Hollow. You can only find this at Walmart!

Fairy Training Lessons

Since Darah has a fairy for a mom, and since a great new movie was coming out, with a focus on blue pixie dust (I won’t spoil the movie, but let’s just say it is pretty darn critical to Pixie Hollow!), it seemed like the perfect time to start fairy training lessons, much to Darah’s delight.

I’m going to show you how to make your own blue pixie dust, but first, I want to encourage you to really get into the spirit of things when conducting fairy training lessons. Put on your most fairy-like outfit, do your makeup, don your wings. I promise, it makes it even more fun, and your child will totally flip out! 🙂

Blue Pixie Dust

1 cup sugar (I used natural cane sugar, but refined sugar would also work just fine!)
1 packet of blue kool-aid
1 Tbsp blue glitter
5-7 drops blue food coloring

Mix all ingredients together until well combined.

I found a green zip-up pouch at Walmart ($4.88!) that reminded me a bit of something Tinkerbell might wear, so that’s what we put our blue pixie dust in for safe keeping. I then had a special ceremony where I gave Darah her pouch full of blue pixie dust, and reminded her that it was the most special pixie dust in all of Pixie Hollow, and to use it wisely!

Later that day, we headed up to Rock City, which offers the most breath-taking views of Chattanooga (in fact, you can actually see 7 states from this vantage point on a clear day!). Darah asked if she could bring her pixie dust to do just a little bit of sprinkling over the city. I thought that was a great idea!

Darah LOVED her pixie dust, but also asked me what we could do to help her sparkle like a fairy, too. I thought the perfect solution would be to make some blue pixie dust bath salts!

Blue Pixie Dust Bath Salts

2 cups Epsom salts
2/3 cups baking soda
2 packets blue kool-aid
5-7 drops blue food coloring (optional)
4 Tbsp glitter (I used light blue and silver)

Mix all ingredients. I recommend storing this in something with a lid, as the humidity from the bathroom will cause the mixture to harden a bit if left exposed. The kool-aid in the mix will help with turning the water blue (it also makes it smell yummy!). If you want a darker blue color, add more food coloring.

Darah requests her blue pixie dust bath salts at least 3 times a week, and I’m happy to report that the glitter easily washes away from the tub, so I don’t mind her using it at all. Taking a blue pixie dust bath is the perfect ending to an evening spent watching The Pirate Fairy Blu-Ray DVD. And definitely schedule some fairy training lessons for the next day, because after seeing what Zarina (pictured above) is able to do with pixie dust, your kids are going to want to give it a try, themselves, I promise!

Want a little sneak peek of The Pirate Fairy? Check it out!

Ready for those warm, Spring nights with HALO!

April 3, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

This post is written by Alanna Peters on behalf of HALO SleepSacks. Product was provided – thoughts and opinions are my own!

It’s no secret that we love HALO SleepSacks around here! Tiffany used them with her girls, and I am using them with mine. So of course, I’m very excited to share with you that HALO has a new product available just in time for spring!

Now that the weather is warming up (for most of us), it won’t be long until the nights become a little less brisk and our little ones don’t need such thick, warm SleepSacks. HALO now has new SleepSacks and Swaddles available in 100% cotton muslin, and they are adorable! They are very soft, lightweight and breathable for baby. I received the pink SleepSack to review and the little pink elephant pattern is so cute! (Are you singing “Pink Elephants on Parade” now too?) The blue and neutral versions are also super cute. I’m loving the little giraffes! We’ve had some chilly nights here lately but I know the nights will warm up again very soon and this SleepSack is going to be perfect for spring.

The feature I love best about HALO SleepSacks is the inverted zipper. When you have to change a diaper in the middle of the night, no one likes to fully wake the baby by making her tummy cold. These zippers allow you to only expose Baby’s legs and bum for a quick, warm diaper change.

HALO Innovation’s SleepSack® wearable blankets have become the standard for hospital nurseries and parents alike. In fact, 1,250 hospital nurseries use the HALO SleepSack Swaddle instead of blankets through the HALO Safer Way to Sleep Initiative. HALO Innovations also offers free Safe Sleep Practices kits to childbirth educators to help further the cause of SIDS prevention.

If you’d like to add one of these adorable new muslin SleepSacks or Swaddles to your baby’s wardrobe, you can find them at amazon.com, babiesrus.com or buybuybaby.com. They also make AWESOME baby shower gifts!

Stay on top of news and new products from HALO by following them on social media:

www.halosleep.com

www.facebook.com/halosleepsack

www.pinterest.com/halosleepsack

www.twitter.com/halosleepsack

Dark Circles Solved: I Love Erase Paste

April 2, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 29 Comments

I’ve been so excited for this day to come on my editorial calendar. About a month ago I purchased a product that has really impressed me, and helped me take care of a problem I have that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. In fact, it just seems to be getting worse as I age.

The problem is dark circles under my eyes. And my research seems to indicate that they are really just genetic and you can’t get rid of them. There are some super expensive creams out there that MIGHT help lighten them ever so slightly, but pretty much, you are just stuck with them if you have them.

So, yay! I’m definitely feeling like a winner!

Ok, so if you can’t make them go away, the next strategy is to cover them up. For a long time, I have used Mary Kay’s concealer (it’s actually one of my favorite makeup products), and it worked really well. But I think as I have aged and the dark circles have become a bit more, well, DARK, that this product has started to not be as effective. So I did some online searching for another highly recommended concealer that other genetic lottery winners like myself had successfully used for dark circles.

I heard repeated high praise for Benefit’s Erase Paste which is now called Boi ing airbrush concealer and even with a high-ish price tag, I took the plunge and purchased it. And friends, it was the right call!

I believe this product comes in a few shades, and I picked the palest peachy one. The peach beautifully counteracts that dark purple under my eyes (think opposite sides of the color wheel when you are trying to balance!).

Gals, I tried and tried to get a good before and after shot of myself, but I was attempting it by myself with a toddler tugging on my pants legs the whole time, and everything looked blurry. So you’ll just have to trust me: the under-eye circles, while not 100% gone, were dramatically improved.

And here’s a tip for you: you need to get an applicator brush when using this. It looks so much better than if you attempt to apply this with your fingers.

I picked up the super affordable Bamboo Deluxe Concealer Brush and it is working great! When you apply the concealer, make a few dots under each eye, and then use your brush to sweet everything down and out, if that makes sense. For the $40 you’ll spend on the concealer and the brush, you’ll be SUPER happy with your results. I know I am! I hope it helps you out a bit if you are seeking a solution to dark circles.

And if you need a budget friendly option that works surprisingly well, I also am currently loving the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer. It’s under $10 and brightens the area so very well.

For some ideas on how to keep your bamboo concealer brush clean, check out my DIY makeup brush cleaner tutorial (it uses a product you almost certainly have at home already!).

Affiliate links included. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

I Deleted Candy Crush to Make Room for Letroca

April 1, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

Thanks to my friends at Fanatee for partnering with me on this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

A few days ago I deleted Candy Crush on my phone. It was such a colossal time suck and I found myself being more and more drawn to it any time my kids were acting out. The cycle went like this: they started to get wound up and a bit out of control, and I would reach for my phone so I could take a little “time out” from life and try to make that darn candy bomb. My lack of attention toward them caused them to act out even more. Total vicious cycle.

And so, in a brief moment of clarity, I deleted it off my phone. Honestly, I was rather proud of myself for doing it. I felt like I traded in something that provided momentary mindless entertainment for me for something my kids would appreciate, which is seeing their mom without her fact behind her phone all the time.

And then this happened earlier today:

Sorry for the gritty photo, but I was in the dark. Hopefully you can see my toddler in the picture. She sleeping on my legs. She REFUSED to sleep any other way for her nap other than on my body. This hasn’t happened in at least 10 months, or so. Very out of character. But she’s been sick, and for some reason, being with her mommy made her feel good enough to fall asleep, so I sucked it up and sat quietly on the floor of her room.

But now my “go to” game app was gone! Should I re-install?? No! But perhaps I could find something that was fun to play and actually felt productive in some way. I mean, I was really and truly stuck on that floor. I at least wanted to find something fun to do while I was there!

Letroca

I downloaded Letroca. Have you heard of it? First and foremost, it’s FREE (very important detail, in my opinion!). It already has passed 500,000 downloads on androids, iPhones and iPads, and was selected in Latin America by Apple as one of the best apps of 2013. The objective of the game is to find the largest word you can with the letters provided, and once you have found that word, to then see just how many words you can build with those letters in the amount of time you have.

I really like that this is a game that requires you to do a little thinking. Honestly, I need some stimulation that sharpens my thinking skills. Watching Frozen for the 76th time isn’t really helping me with my pursuit of clear thinking (though it is helping me, “Let It Go!!!!”). For me, personally, Letroca is a great replacement for Candy Crush, because I’m replacing a game that sort of made me feel mentally mushy with a game that is making me feel a bit more “tuned in” and sharp.

I also like that if you are not feeling on your A-game, you can opt for the half mode, which is where you just attempt to find half of the possible words from a pile of letters in a set amount of time. And if you aren’t digging the whole “timed” aspect of the game, just play in zen mode, where you can take as long as you want to find all the possible words.

I personally prefer the classic mode, although being new to the game, I have yet to find more than half the words in my allotted time. That’s ok…nowhere to go from here but up, right?

I also like that each game is only 2 1/2 minutes, and at least in my opinion, it is easier to put away than Candy Crush was. I feel like I accomplished something after doing just one puzzle, and I can walk away from the game for a while, rather than telling my kids, “Just a minute!”.

Letroca is a lot of fun, but it isn’t mind-numbing, and that means that I won’t be reaching for it when those tough parenting moments happen. And that’s a good thing. Instead, I’ll be reaching for it during those unexpected quiet moments like the one I had today with Layah. She gets her mommy, I get a little brain workout. Everybody wins. 🙂

If you have kids who are readers at home, they might also really enjoy Letroca. It’s a fun way to teach vocabulary! It’s also great for language learning, as it is offered in Portuguese, English and Spanish, fyi.

I’m happy I downloaded Letroca and gave it the space Candy Crush used to occupy. Have you downloaded it, yet? What else are you playing these days? I’d love to hear!

Making Healthier Purchase Decisions Quickly: Facts Up Front

April 1, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

I don’t usually have much of a problem making healthy choices for my family when I’m in the produce section of the grocery store. Fresh fruits and vegetables = good decision!

But I don’t have the time or the resources to make 100% made from scratch, local, organic, in season menus every week. So I have to supplement my menu with a little help from the aisles of the grocery store that have shelf-stable and frozen items. They save me time, and that really matters to me. I also know that those foods can potentially be loaded with extra preservatives, chemicals, and sodium. Today’s consumers have voiced their desires for more healthful options, so they definitely can be found, but you have to know where to look.

But FactsUpFront.org is an organization that helps me make more informed decisions FAST, right there in the aisle. They have key information from the Nutrition Facts Panel placed on the front of the package. That helps me make a more healthful choice without having to spend a lot of extra time reading all the labels.

Facts Up Front also has a lot of great resources on their website to help you meal plan effectively. Take a look at some of their tips:

FactsUpFront.org just launched a few days ago, and I have been trying it out this week while building my grocery list. I’ve been learning about the Interactive Label that talks about the nutrients featured on Facts Up Front and the role they play in a beneficial diet. Learning more about this is changing the way I am putting meals together, already.

I’m also loving the meal planning tips from registered dieticians that are helping me figure out well-rounded meal ideas. It’s awesome to be able to get this kind of professional advice totally free!

Have you seen the Facts Up Front labels on any of the products you purchase? It is a voluntary initiative led by the Grocery Manufacturers Association. It launched in 2011 and is currently being used by over 50 manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. Don’t forget to check out FactsUpFront.org to get more helpful information that can help you get in and out of the grocery store fast, all while making more informed decisions for your family.

photo credit: ginnerobot via photopin cc

FactsUpFront.org is a great resource you can use to understand how to read product labels, use a nutrition calculator, and find great recipes and tips! Answer the question below for a chance to win $1,000! Sweepstakes Rules.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Facts up Front. The opinions and text are all mine.

How I Support My Lungs and Sinuses Throughout the Seasons

April 1, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 50 Comments

I am sharing my experiences in this post, and not attempting to diagnose or prescribe treatment. Always consult a medical professional if you have questions about ways to treat medical conditions! Affiliate links may be included; I only promote what I love!

I live in one of the worst places in the entire nation for pollen counts. Evidently Chattanooga is like Club Med for pollen. This is where pretty much all of it comes to PARTY HARD.

Ok, I know not ALL of it is here. There are a lot of you out there in other parts of the country sniffling right along with me, and just trying to make it through Spring without your nose or your eyes being permanently damaged from all the tissue applications they are receiving.

I turned to my growing collection of oils to see if I could find something that would support my lungs and sinuses and encourage proper nasal function. I learned about a trio that many people apply topically. It consists of 2 drops each of lemon, peppermint and lavender, along with carrier oil, like almond oil or coconut oil.

This idea seemed promising, but it doesn’t help any of my other family members, who might also benefit from the health benefits the oils may offer.

That’s when the lightbulb went off for me. What if I diffuse those oils every morning? When you diffuse oils, everyone in the room reaps the benefits. And I have found that, indeed, this method is working out just great for my family. I diffuse the trio every morning while we are having breakfast and getting ready for the day, and it seems to really make a difference with our wellness and our nasal functions throughout the day! I have noticed that the effects start to wear off by late afternoon, and that’s when I just swipe one drop of lavender across the bridge of the nose of anyone who seems stuffy. That seems to straighten things out until the next morning! 🙂

Looking for Support?

I have all the info for you about how to get started with essential oils whenever you are ready to look into it. If your budget allows for it, I would recommend going for the premium starter kit, as it comes with all of the oils for the trio (plus 8 more!) and the diffuser. By ordering a kit, you become a wholesale member, which simply means that you can order products at a discount from here on out (but you aren’t under any obligation to order anything else, if you don’t want to!). If you aren’t ready to become a wholesale member just yet, I can also place an order for you using my own wholesale membership so you can still get the oils you want to try at a discount. I love to share my perks with others! 🙂

What are you currently using to support wellness throughout the seasons? I’d love to hear what, if anything, is working for you!

More essential oils posts:

Trying Essential Oils as a Skeptic

How to Get Started with Essential Oils

DIY Shower Disks for Lung Support

Essential Oils for Weight Loss

How to Get Free Essential Oils Without Starting a Business (It’s EASY!!!)

How to Get Rid of Hiccups with Peppermint Oil

How to Strengthen Brittle Nails with Essential Oils

Support the Immune System During Back-to-School Time with Thieves

Use Lemon Essential Oil to Safely Remove Crayon Marks

How to Neutralize Bathroom Odors in a Flash