Tiffany Merritt - Stuff Parents Need

Easy Weeknight Meals Without Ordering Takeout!

November 30, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Chinese takeout is my weakness. When I’ve had a really hard day, I ask for Chinese takeout. When I’ve had an especially exhilarating day, I ask for Chinese takeout. When the thought of getting the freshly cleaned kitchen dirty makes me sick to my stomach, we order Chinese. And when the kitchen is simply too filthy to cook in, well, you know where this is headed.

Chinese food is super tasty, super filling (well, for an hour, at least), and relatively cheap. But it is still a budget buster for us if we spring for it more than once a month.

I’ve thought before about trying to learn how to make it myself, and on the whole, my attempts have been lackluster. What I can never seem to nail down is the sweet and savory sauces that I love so much.

But I’ve been trying out Panda Brand Ready Sauces, which were sent to me for review, and I’m totally sold on them. I will be re-stocking my kitchen with them as soon as I run out, no doubt about it. I have never before had a product get me so close to the real deal. Close enough that I’m willing to save money and make it myself (except for when the kitchen is too dirty…don’t judge).

Last week, for example, I was staring down the clock at 4:30 with absolutely no dinner plan (we eat around 5…yeah, we’re old like that). I then grabbed the Lettuce Wrap sauce, since I knew I had some leafy greens on hand and some chicken, and went to work.

Why did I choose it? Well, first, because I wanted to order Chinese takeout (obviously!). But second, because I noticed this:

I got my ingredients ready (of course I was missing half of them, so I substituted!) and in just a few minutes, I had this!

And let me just tell you, it was finger lickin’! Sweet as can be, but free of high fructose corn syrup (yay!). Also free of MSG and preservatives.

The Panda Brand Ready Sauces are just the latest in a large line of products in the Lee Kum Kee family that you should definitely check out. You can pair your Ready Sauces meal with some Annie Chun’s rice and round out the meal without having to spend any extra time cooking…it is designed to be ready FAST!

Today my family is heading back home from our Thanksgiving fun, and I can promise you this: I’ll be in the mood for Chinese food when we get home, and I WON’T be ordering takeout this time! 🙂

What’s your favorite Chinese food dish? Have you tried these sauces yet? Let me know!

Hello Kitty 13.5″ Doll!

November 29, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Want to see something ridiculously cute that just came in the mail?

Check this out!

I mean, c’mon. Cuteness overload!

Hello Kitty, which has been an iconic symbol of childhood ever since I was a little girl, myself, has just been released for the first time ever as a posable doll. She stands at 13.5 inches tall and has removable fashions so she can be dressed. She can also stand, sit and do various poses.

My only complaint about the doll is the variety of “styles” that she comes in. Options include dancer (shown above), princess, best friend and pop star. I’ll be the first to tell you that my daughter wanted the princess doll as soon as she saw a picture of it, but still, I find the options to be quite limiting, and to further enforce the idea that these are the only things for little girls to strive to become.

But I’m not going to blame the Hello Kitty Doll for the problems of the toy industry. That would hardly be fair. And admittedly, she is really fun to play with (yes, I have already had several tea parties with Miss Kitty). Both my toddler and my preschool enjoy toting her around quite a bit! And if you have a Hello Kitty fan in your house who loves to play with dolls as well, then you pretty much can’t get a better present than this one. She retails for $24.99 though at the time of this writing, was significantly higher on Amazon, which tells me she must be a bit hard to find this holiday season. Good luck, friends!

Thanks to Blip Toys for sending the doll our way for review!

Orbit Gum for Kids: Bring on the Smiles

November 27, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

So a while back I wrote about how much Tim and I like Orbit gum, and about how we are a house divided on whether or not our 4-year-old should be allowed to chew it. Tim thinks she is old enough to handle the responsibility (meaning the proper chewing and not swallowing of the product, and the proper disposal of it). Me? I’m not so sure.

So the folks at Orbit reached out to me to let me know that they actually have a gum designed just for kids. Now they can’t promise that this gum won’t get stuck in the carpet or in Darah’s hair (I would so totally buy that gum if they made it, though!). But they did have some interesting things to tell me about it. They sent me some information and some samples to check out.

Orbit for Kids prioritizes helping keep mouths healthy. The gum is sugar-free, and did you know that chewing sugar-free gum can actually be good for you? It will increase saliva flow which helps protect teeth from decay, as well as clears the mouth of food debris. I had no idea! This makes it really good to have as an after dinner snack when we are away from home. Also, it tastes yummy!

I captured the look on Darah’s face when I presented her with this gum, and then told her that it was just for kids, which meant that she gets to chew it.

And you know what? So far, she’s done an excellent job of being responsible with her gum! She chews on it for about 5 minutes, and then she goes over to the trash can and spits it out! I’m impressed, I have to say.

And just look at that face? Santa’s most definitely going to be putting Orbit for Kids in her stocking this year!

What about you? When did you start letting your kids chew gum? Did you know that sugar-free gum has all these benefits?

Long Eyelashes: How I Grew Mine in a Month!

November 27, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 4 Comments

Both of my daughters have outrageously long and thick eyelashes. Strangers stop us frequently to comment on how beautiful their eyes are. And then the inevitable happens: they look at my eyelashes to see if they got their “falsies” from their mama.

And then they realize that NOPE, they didn’t! Their eyelashes are a gift from their daddy (his are outrageous…so unfair!).

Now, I wouldn’t consider my eyelashes to be short. I’d say they are solidly medium. And if I get the right mascara, they can even look slightly long. At least for a few hours!

photo credit: Kalexanderson via photopin cc

Attempt #1 to Grow Long Eyelashes

Back in 2003 I spent a lot of money on an eyelash serum on a whim just to see if my eyelashes would actually grow. Well, it was a waste of $65, and I felt so silly about it because that was when I was in graduate school in Boston, and Tim and I lived in a 400 square foot apartment and budgeted within an inch of our lives because money was so tight. It was such a foolish purchase! It would have been foolish even if it had worked because we were so cash-strapped, and so the fact that it didn’t just made it that much more ridiculous. So understandably, as I’ve seen other eyelash growth serums hit the market over the last decade, I’ve written them off as hype.

Attempt #2 to Grow Long Eyelashes

When the company at Xlash.net reached out to me to see if I was interested in being an affiliate of their program, I immediately raised an eyebrow and then checked out their site. I’ll admit, I was really impressed to read that they have over 110,000 happy customers, and I was glad to hear that the formula is developed in Sweden, which has regulations on ingredients that are leaps and bounds better than what we have in the United States.

Still, I was highly skeptical. And I also don’t promote products that I haven’t personally tried, so I asked them to send me the product to try out for a month, since they report that results are seen in 4-6 weeks.

Xlash Eyelash Serum is meant to be applied to the roots of your clean lashes, ideally at night before you go to bed. The end result should be longer, thicker eyelashes. Here are my before and after shots, and I apologize for the orange-y lighting throughout. My living room is a terrible place to snap photos.

Here are two photos of my eyelashes, taken at the very beginning of the process. I’m an idiot and didn’t take a picture of my “before” lashes with mascara. Sorry. 🙁

And here are my eyelashes today, 4 full weeks after starting to use the serum and without mascara.

I think the sideways photo is the one where you can really tell the difference in the before and after.

And here’s my “after” shot with mascara. I didn’t apply any makeup to my face or my eyes other than mascara.

I will say, in the last week and a half I have started to notice the difference. Not so much when my eyelashes are bare, but definitely when I apply my mascara (I have very intentionally kept wearing the exact same mascara for the past month so that any differences in appearance wouldn’t potentially be due to mascara). They do seem to reach a bit further! Tim, who was blissfully unaware of what I had been applying to my eyelashes for the past month (even though he took my “before” shots! He never asked what they were for, I guess!), said to me earlier this week that my mascara was looking particularly nice. That’s when I told him that it was actually not the mascara that deserved the credit, but my longer eyelashes! I was really excited to hear that he noticed the difference completely on his own.

I don’t think the serum makes you look like you have a brand new set of eyelashes, nor do I think that if you have really short eyelashes that 6 weeks later you will have eyelashes to rival Twiggy and her falsies. But I do think, based on my experience, that the serum will enhance what you have and extend the reach of your lashes.

Money Back Guarantee

Xlash does offer a full refund to customers who aren’t happy. They do this because they have over 110,000 who ARE happy, so they are betting that you will be, too! The serum costs $59 (note that this price is $6 cheaper than what I paid for some junk that didn’t work 10 years ago!). If you use code “Xlash2013” at checkout, you’ll also get a $10 discount. Score!!!

Xlash Eyelash Serum gets my stamp of approval! And maybe, just maybe, the next stranger who sees my girls’ eyelashes and then looks at mine will note the resemblance!

Video to DVD Transfer: Give Your Parents Back Their Memories

November 27, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

I’m an affiliate AND a customer of YesVideo. I was not asked to write this post but did so because I believe the service is amazing and worth sharing.

My family got a camcorder in 1987, and my father lugged that thing around for the next 12 or 13 years, capturing my childhood, from learning to ride a bike, to walking across the stage at my high school graduation. We have a whole lot of memories sitting on VHS tapes at my house.

I think my parents’ VHS player finally gave up the ghost 3 years ago, and all those videos, which they love to watch from time to time, have been inaccessible. I try to imagine what it would be like if I couldn’t look at videos I’ve taken of my little ones, and they are still little! I would be heartbroken.

But my parents have no idea how to go about conducting a Home Movie Transfer. And you know what? They don’t need to learn. This is something I can take care of for them, and in so doing, I can give them one of the greatest gifts possible: good memories.

Here’s the truth: I don’t own the equipment or have the know how to conduct my own video to DVD transfers. I lack the time, and quite frankly, the interest in taking that step. But I LOVE YesVideo. I’ve had great success as a customer of theirs successfully getting my parents’ videos converted to DVDs. I’m going to break down the costs for you, and then I’m going to tell you how to get a better price. I’m looking out for you! 🙂

$24.99 gets you the EasyShip kit, which is all the shipping and packing materials you will need to ship to YesVideo as many tapes as can safely fit inside the package. I asked customer service about how many tapes can fit in the package, and they said that it depends on how you pack it, but you should be able to get 20 in there. You don’t have to send that many, of course, but you’ll pay $24.99 whether you send 1 or 20, so I’d go big.

Next up, you pay a $12.99 fee per video for processing. At this point, you’ll be able to view your videos on a computer, smartphone or tablet (yay!). They say that process takes about 15 days.

Then if you want a DVD copy of your video, and you don’t want to do any editing or compilations, but instead just a straight video to DVD transfer, that costs $6.99 per video. If you want to do editing to it (which you can handle online), the cost is $9.99 per video. I’m cheap, so you know which one I’d do!

Finally, if you want your old VHS tapes back for any reason, there is a $10.99 charge to send them all back to you. That’s the total charge, and not the per video charge. So once again, it is better to send a lot because this fee is the same no matter how many they are sending you (up to the amount that fits in the ship kit).

So let’s do the math about what it would cost to get 20 home videos transferred for your family:

$24.99 (ship kit)
$259.80 (processing for 20)
$139.80 (DVD creation for 20)
$10.99 (shipping tapes back. Skip this charge if you don’t want them).

total: $435.58

How to Make It Cheaper

Now I’m not going to beat around the bush: that’s a lot of money. But remember, we converted 20 videos (which in my parents’ case, that would be the majority of their collection…they would often use the same tape to record multiple events in an effort to save money…good thing!). Your cost would obviously be lower if you didn’t convert as many DVDs.

But whether you send 1 or 20, I want you to save money!

So first and foremost, let’s make it cheaper! YesVideo Coupon Special – Get 20% Off your entire first order by using Coupon Code: 20TR at YesVideo.com. Bring your favorite memories back to life!

Second, I also know of a discount offer to get 1 video transfer FREE (I haven’t tested if you can combine offers, so someone please chime in if you try it). That discount code is FREEYV1.

If your parents are like mine and have a bunch of tapes that they can’t even watch anymore, help them out. Being able to go back in time and watch their children when they were young will fill them with joy and be one of their favorite gifts ever.

photo credit: foshydog via photopin cc

Super Mario Fun: A Christmas Tradition

November 26, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

This post brought to you by Walmart. All opinions are 100% mine.

One of my most vivid Christmas memories is from 1986, and involves a present that wasn’t even for me. It was the Christmas that my older brother got the Nintendo NES.

I will never forget that moment, you guys. When he tore the wrapping paper and saw what was inside, he let out the most perfect high pitch note as his scream, and held it for, I’m guessing, 8 seconds.

It was an epic response to an epic gift, and it is hands-down one of my favorite Christmas memories of all time.

I’ll also never never forget getting to play Super Mario World™ for the first time. It didn’t hold my interest very much until I heard about the Princess in the game. I don’t think it was the fact that she was a princess that interested me, as much as the fact that there was a girl in the game.

All the characters have continued on since that time through several different fun games. Mario, Luigi, Princess and Toad are now battling it out once again in Super Mario 3D Land. This is the first multiplayer Super Mario World™ game, now available on WiiU, set in a 3D world. Players can pick one of the characters and learn how to master their talents. Once you’ve got one down, start working on the next! One example of a cool new skill: Cat Mario can climb high (where secrets are often hidden), pounce, and my personal favorite, claw his enemies! That ought to be one heck of a cat fight!

I can’t possibly be the only child of the ’80s with vivid memories of the first Nintendo system to arrive at their homes. Tell me a little about your memories! And did you have a favorite character back then? What about now?

What I’m Loving: Copper and Nickel Jewelry

November 26, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

Lately I’ve been wearing the heck out of one particular piece of jewelry that I received for review. I have found it to have a lot of meaning for me right now. Here it is on the first day I wore it, which was the first day of the cruise Tim and I took, away from our children together for the first time ever.

Bama ry steer the course hand stamped copper and nickel necklace 1

Notice how rested I look after just 2 days away from home. Miracle of miracles! Now let’s zoom in on this necklace, shall we?

Bama ry steer the course hand stamped copper and nickel necklace 2

Steer the course. Yes, indeed. When I saw this piece at bama + ry, a fantastic Etsy shop owned by creative genius Jasmine Myers, it stood out to me among the rest. And given how awesome all her pieces are, it says something that it managed to stand out to me!

So what does “steer the course” mean to me? Several things, actually. One of them is cheeky and lighthearted; I’m very Type A, so “steer the course” definitely means “stay on schedule!” to me, and I love that. Others are more serious; I’m embarking on a really exciting yet scary journey of being my own boss, and I have to remember that I really am the captain of my ship, and I get to call the shots. I need to have faith in myself! Finally, the necklace also serves as a reminder to me of the precious time I shared with my husband on our kid-free vacation. We are filled with love for our children, but it is important to remember that they came to be first because we were so filled with love for each other. The necklace reminds me that we are steering this course together, and that we need to make time for each other so that we can continue steering in the same direction.

bama + ry

Fabulous as my necklace is, it is just one of countless designs that Jasmine has dreamed up in her shop. She opened her business in July 2012, and she did so as a way to work through her grief following a miscarriage of twins. Whether or not you have experienced the heartbreak of a miscarriage, most all of us can identify with loss in some way, and with feeling lost as a result. What a powerful way to work on the process of healing, by giving creativity and love a place to shine. I certainly feel the love and care that was poured into the necklace I own from bama + ry.

Jasmine has many fun offerings. I’m feeling very tempted by the snowflake ornament you can get custom stamped with a loved ones name!

And my top pick for a Christmas gift for a good friend? How about the textured copper cuff? Such a lovely piece, and so special since it is handmade! The price is right, too, at $30.

Spend a little bit of time today browsing around bama + ry. I bet you’ll find something just perfect for someone on your holiday shopping list. And as a special bonus, Jasmine wants to offer you a 20% off discount! Simply enter STUFFPARENTSNEED at checkout and save off your entire purchase!

Ruth’s Chris for the Holidays (And FREE Steak!!!)

November 26, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Two Ways to Get Out of Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner

So what’s the plan for your crew this Thanksgiving? We are traveling down to see my family in Alabama and I’m not cooking a single thing.

But that doesn’t mean I’m coming empty-handed! I’ve decided to let Ruth’s Chris Steak House do the cooking for me (woo hoo!). Now through December 23rd you can place an order for a side dish that will wow anyone at your table, or be a huge help to the hostess if you are going to be a guest for a holiday gathering. Check out the Ruth’s Chris Sides to Go program. Ruth’s Chris is, in my own opinion, one of the VERY best chain restaurants in the world, and certainly a top restaurant choice here in Chattanooga. To be able to bring their culinary wizardry home for the holidays is simply awesome! I can’t wait for my family to dig in on Thursday. And I’ve got my eye on the service for Christmas Eve dinner, as well!

There are four great side dishes that you can order from Ruth’s Chris this year: original recipe creamed spinach (TO. DIE. FOR!), velvety mashed potatoes, broccoli au gratin, or velvety sweet potato casserole. Each side dish will serve 10 and is reasonably priced for how crazy-awesome they taste at $29.95.

And as anyone who has ever had to prepare all the food for a holiday meal can tell you, NOT having to do it is pretty much priceless! You need to place your orders at least 48 hours in advance, and you can do so by calling your nearest Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, or by placing your order online.

Thanksgiving at Ruth’s Chris

Now, if you have no plans to travel or dine at someone else’s house, and you still haven’t made your menu for Thursday or feel overwhelmed at the thought of all that cooking you need to do, take my advice: don’t do it! Ruth’s Chris is open Thanksgiving Day and they have an AWESOME three-course prix fixe feast waiting for you and your crew. Let me paint this picture for you: no cooking, no cleaning, and some of the best food you’ve ever tasted! .

And here’s the meal you’ll get to enjoy this Thursday:

Begin with your choice of a Ruth’s steak house salad, a classic Caesar salad, or a bowl of Louisiana seafood gumbo
Next, enjoy roasted turkey breast served alongside traditional must-haves such as cornbread herb stuffing, cranberry relish, and homemade gravy.
You also get to choose an additional Ruth’s Chris signature side (after all, it is Thanksgiving! Gobble up!): garlic mashed potatoes, green beans with roasted garlic, creamed spinach, or sweet potato casserole.
Feeling full yet? But there’s still dessert! Save room for pumpkin cheesecake with vanilla ice cream.

Thanksgiving dinner is just $35.95 for adults and $14.95 for children 12 years and younger. Reservations are recommended, and hours at the various locations may vary, so be sure to call ahead. The Chattanooga location will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.

Black Friday BOGO Dining Deal

You have probably been overwhelmed with all the Black Friday deals coming in your email inbox and on the television. We all know that the stores are offering bargains. But Ruth’s Chris is also offering some serious savings on Black Friday. It’s a deal so incredible, they only do it once a year. Dine with Ruth’s Chris on Friday, November 29th and enjoy a complimentary petite filet with the purchase of another steak entree. Dine-in only, and be sure to mention “Black Friday” to your server! Please check out the website for all the specific terms and conditions for the Black Friday special.

There’s a lot happening at Ruth’s Chris this holiday season, and all of it designed to take away some of your stress and give you the opportunity to savor the flavors of the season. I’ll take a pass on the mall this year, but I wouldn’t hesitate to roll up to Ruth’s Chris right when they open this Friday for that mouth-watering petite filet. It’s worth the price on the menu, and to be able to snag it free? That’s an early Christmas present I’d be more than happy to give to myself!

To learn more about the Ruth’s Chris dining experience, check out my first visit from a few months back. I give you the inside scoop!

Of Fermented Fruit, Mushroom Growing and Rocks for Deodorant

November 26, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 4 Comments

My father’s mother, my memaw, is 91 years old and still rockin’ out. I get to see her in a few days at Thanksgiving, and I’m really looking forward to it. She is the last of my remaining living grandparents on my side of the family, and she has been since 1994.

There are a few very interesting quirky things that I remember my memaw having in her home, and I can’t help but wonder if any of them have contributed to her longevity. And let me just say right now that I swear I’m not making these up!

1. My memaw grew mushrooms in her bathroom. My older brother can attest to this. We don’t know what kind they were or what the heck they did. But they were there and memaw was really proud of them. I may just work up the courage to ask her about those this week. Or maybe this one is best left as a mystery…

2. “Happy fruit.” Ok, I think this concept might have German origins, but I’m not sure. Basically she had a jar that sat on her countertop and it had big chunks of fruit in it, as well as a lot of sugar. And she’d let that fruit sit for a LONG time (a few months? I’m not sure) and said it was only for adults. Ok, so now I know my memaw was totally getting her moonshine on here, letting the stuff ferment until it produced alcohol. Between that and the mushrooms, I have to say, my grandmother is full of surprises.

3. Her “deodorant.” Y’all…it was a rock.

Ok, so flash forward to a few weeks ago when I received a package from Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal with products to try out. I’ve actually used their roll-on products before and totally loved them, so why not expand my horizons a bit?

And then I saw this:

Omg, it’s the rock! I would know it anywhere! And I had to ask myself, “Will trying this product put me one step closer to farming a mushroom garden in my bathroom while sipping on fermented fruit from my kitchen counter?” Probably.

And then I tried it.

Ok, so here’s the deal: this isn’t actually a rock. It’s mineral salts. That’s it! And to use it, you moisten the stick and then apply it. It forms a barrier on your skin to lock out odors. And I felt like a straight-up crazy person when putting it on (no disrespect to my memaw).

Well what do you know? This stuff works great! Tim really loved it, too. He has super sensitive armpits that break out quite often. He has to switch up what he is using every few months, and there are many deodorants that will cause a rash immediately for him. He’s have great success with the deodorant crystal from Naturally Fresh. And I’m happy to admit now, my memaw was on to something.

They also sent a few other products from the line, all of which use the same mineral salts, and just dispense them in different forms. I am loving the spray mist, and of course, I love the roll-on, too. Tim doesn’t like that kind, on account of his armpit hair getting stuck in the roller…ouch! This, of course, is a non-issue for me. But it is something for me to keep in mind, as you never know what I’ll be like once I start my happy fruit jar. I can already tell that it is part of my destiny, y’all. Resistance is futile.

If you want to check out more about Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal, definitely head to their Facebook page. The product line works fantastic for me, and I love that I’m going natural without smelling like it. Ha! Here’s a link to places where you can buy Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal. They are also available on my favorite shopping destination: Amazon. My advice? Go all out and get the rock!