Tiffany Merritt - Stuff Parents Need

Give the Gift of New Books for a VERY Low Price!

November 17, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

I am a member of Bookboard’s Blog Ambassador program. I am compensated, from time to time, with free products and monetary payments. Any views expressed in this post are completely my own.

We continue to love our subscription to Bookboard. This is a digital library subscription that provides access to TONS of new books for your children (perfect for kids from birth-age 12). I’ve blogged about Bookboard here and here if you want to read more about how the service works and why we are so nuts about it.

Bookboard is a very affordable service for all the book access you receive, and I’m really excited that they have finally made gift cards available, as this makes an outstanding gift to give to a child or even to an entire family. For $54.99, you can purchase the gift of reading FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR for a family with a tablet. I think this makes it one of the very best values for a gift I have seen this year, as it comes to just $4.58/month!

If you aren’t quite ready to jump into a year-long subscription for your family or for a family you know, then definitely try out their free trial. They don’t collect any payment information from you; it really is 100% free with no strings attached! We did the free trial ourselves and read 14 books before it was over…an impressive amount, if you ask me!

I hope this helps some of you out with your holiday shopping this year. The gift of reading is one of the very best gifts you can offer to a child, in my opinion! And this gift requires 0 trips to the mall! 🙂

Are You Part of “The Sandwich Generation”?

November 16, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 14 Comments

I recently became familiar with the term “the sandwich generation.” This refers to adults who are simultaneously caring for their own children, as well as for their elderly parents.

Currently, the typical age range for folks in this position is 40-60. But my siblings and I know that we are going to be joining the ranks of the sandwich generation sometime in the next 2-10 years.

This is because my father was recently diagnosed with vascular dementia. While he is not currently in need of any assistance, because of his diagnosis, that will change, and we can’t be sure quite how long it will be before that happens. And we need to have a plan that we all like (most importantly, my father). While he is still able to help with these decisions about his care, we need to make them now.

This is a completely overwhelming prospect. My father’s children range in age from 18-35, and we all live away from my father and away from each other. We are all also in different life stages. It makes getting together for really hard conversations pretty darn tough.

The Sandwich Generation’s Guide to Eldercare

So when the opportunity came to read and review a book about this very topic, I knew that I needed to do it. Let me be clear: I didn’t WANT to read it. But that has everything to do with me being in denial of the issue, and nothing to do with the book, itself.

The Sandwich Generation’s Guide to Eldercare is the perfect book for anyone who suddenly finds themselves needing to understand things like how Medicare works (short answer: it’s complicated). I also got some very concrete advice on where to start with this whole process. I am so thankful for this resource, because I’ve been feeling like my siblings and I are on the beach, and have just been told to swim across the ocean until we find land again. Pretty overwhelming task, I have to say, and speaking for myself, I’ve been much more content to just stay put on land rather than to start swimming.

But this book feels like the map I need. I don’t think it is exhaustive, and I don’t think it is for people who have been providing care for their elderly parents for years and already know how it all works. It is for people like me who now realize that this is coming and that they need to get a plan together now.

I’d love to hear if any of my readers are currently part of the sandwich generation? If so, does your parent live with you, or in an assisted living facility or nursing home? Any tips for those of us who are about to have to step up their responsibilities?

This Chef’s New Secret Weapon at Walmart: #STAROliveOil Usage Pairings

November 15, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop for Star Olive Oil at Walmart has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and its client.

I fancy myself to be a very creative and colorful cook. I blame the show Chopped for my flare. This is the show where professional chefs get a box of wacko mystery ingredients and have to make a dish that uses them all, I’ve pretty much deemed myself an expert at finding flavor combinations that surprise and awe those who sit at my table thanks to this guilty pleasure of mine.

I’m definitely successful at surprising folks with some of my creations. I’m a little more “hit or miss” when it comes to just how edible these surprises are. What can I say? They make it look like if you just want it bad enough, stuff that shouldn’t taste good together magically will!

Of course, I know the truth: these chefs have years (even decades) of culinary training and refined palettes that help them very quickly categorize flavor profiles and textures, and that helps them create magic, even from a box of stuff that wouldn’t ordinarily jive. As for me, I only get to watch them make unlikely duos such as Fruity Pebbles and caviar join forces to make something awesome, and then I head to my kitchen where I have no shortage of really random ingredients just waiting for their chance to shine or flop. But if they are going to flop, they will flop HARD in my kitchen. I don’t make stuff that tastes “ok.” I’m all in, baby.

Chef’s Secret Weapon

This week I added a new secret weapon to my arsenal. A secret weapon is something that you know will drastically increase your odds for success in the kitchen. STAR Olive Oil has just released some awesome new products that are specially made to be used with certain key ingredients. Check out the options that I recently found on the shelves at my local Walmart.

Also note that fabulous $1 off coupon. And it gets better…when STAR receives that coupon back from the store for redemption, it will then donate .50 to Operation Homefront! Win/win/win!

Ok, so back to the secret weapon business. These olive oils have very special extra ingredients that will help infuse awesome flavor into all kinds of foods.

Vegetables: Meet Your Match!

I chose the Arbequena olive oil for vegetables because as you might remember, we are part of a local CSA and we get a great deal of fresh vegetables every Wednesday afternoon to cook up and enjoy. STAR Arbequena Olive Oil will help bring out the flavors of all these fresh greens.

I noticed a few other vegetables in my fridge and on my counter (some broccoli and tomatoes) that were nearing their expiration dates, and so I decided to use them up in this recipe that I found on the STAR website. I switched up the type of pasta I used, but kept everything else the same.

YUM! What a healthy and delicious treat this made for my family’s lunch yesterday. Everyone ate it, and for once I’m really excited about having leftovers! Adding this olive oil to the dish really did seem to elevate the flavors of my veggies. I will absolutely use this oil again the next time I’m in my kitchen pretending to be on Chopped (someone please tell me I’m not the only one who does this!).

In addition to being inspired by all the crazy stuff I see on Chopped, I also adore finding new recipes on Pinterest (who doesn’t?!). And speaking of Pinterest, I just followed STAR Fine Foods there, as they have a kick butt Pinterest site with some seriously awesome boards. Gotta love when someone else does the hard work of finding awesome recipes for you! Getting my hand ready for a serious “repin” marathon! 🙂

If you’d like to try STAR Usage Pairings Olive Oil, be sure to get some now while that sweet coupon is attached. And also check out the giveaways running right now on the STAR Facebook page! They’ve got all 3 of their usage pairings oils, including Hojiblanca and Picual, up for grabs (there will be 5 lucky winners!). Best of luck!

Early Access to the Best Sale for One of My Favorite Services

November 15, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

I am an eMeals affiliate and satisfied customer. I hope you enjoy this fantastic eMeals coupon!

Have you heard of eMeals? This is a menu subscription service, and I have been a customer of theirs since just before Layah was born last year. I joined because I knew that it would be a big stress reliever to have someone else take care of picking out recipes and planning a grocery list for me. And eMeals does just that! I simply have to print off my recipes and my shopping list and head to the store. Things are categorized on the list by section of the store to make shopping even easier.

eMeals Costs

Basically, it is AWESOME and 100% worth the cost. Speaking of which, let me break it down for you. Each plan provides 7 complete meals each week, delivered straight to your inbox.

12 month subscription: $58

6 month subscription: $35

3 month subscription: $21

You can also add a lunch plan to any of these subscriptions for just $4 each month. I’ve done the lunch menu before and those options are most often lunchbox friendly, which is really handy!

Types of Plans

Not sure if eMeals knows how to plan meals for your family? I’m going to bet that they can, and that’s because they offer a huge variety of plan types!

Clean Eating (our current plan. Totally adore it!)
Paleo (tried it, loved it!)
Low Fat
Low Carb
Natural & Organic
Portion Control
Gluten-Free
Classic (tried it…good for a family who eats the Standard American Diet)
Vegetarian

That’s not even the complete list of options, friends! Even in the past year, eMeals has really expanded and enhanced its offerings, and that’s yet another reason why I’m not planning on cancelling my subscription anytime soon.

The Big Sale

Ok, so once a year eMeals has its biggest sale and its largest discount offer. It happens on Cyber Monday, and it is for 30% off the subscription price.

BUT…since I’m an affiliate of eMeals, I have been granted early access to this promotion. That means that you, my readers, can get the eMeals discount of 30% off RIGHT NOW!!! Use code CYBER at checkout, and you are all set!

Let me know which subscription you buy. And if you are having a hard time deciding, don’t worry! eMeals gives you the opportunity to switch up your subscription. I’m actually thinking about switching over to the slow cooker clean eating plan, myself, for the winter months!

Chuck E. Chees Launches a Gluten-Free Menu

November 14, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

If you are the parent of a child who has dietary restrictions you know how disappointing it can be for them when they aren’t able to participate in what are the typical fun kid activities like birthday parties at themed restaurants. I am so excited to be sharing the great news that on November 13th, the New Chuck E. Cheese Gluten Free Menu was launched at more than 500 locations! Thanks to the new offerings, Chuck E. Cheese is now an even better location for more children to enjoy a typical classic birthday party.

The New Chuck E. Cheese Gluten-Free Menu

Knowing that kids are the pickiest when it comes to a different menu item, Chuck E. Cheese has definitely put hard work into creating a fun and tasty Gluten Free Menu that will satisfy the kids and adults who need it as well as appear close enough to the traditional menu that they won’t feel singled out for eating something “different”. We all know how much fitting in and being the same as everyone else can impact a young child. Parents will also appreciate the fact that they don’t have to (1) bring something from home that singles out their child (2) spend twice as much for the meal as they would the traditional menu.

The Chuck E. Cheese new Gluten Free menu consists of only 2 items at this time but they are the classic items that will appeal to almost all children and adults. They are offering a gluten free cheese pizza as well as a gluten free chocolate cupcake. While you can also partake of the salad bar offerings and request preferred toppings to be added to your cheese pizza they don’t currently have any pasta dishes available. With the launch of the new menu at only 500 locations a good response will only increase the desire of the corporation to introduce more items as time goes by.

Currently the Chuck E. Cheese Gluten Free menu is not a part of their birthday party packages but if you know you will have children in attendance at your party who are in need of gluten free food you can request that it be added separately. Being able to sit down to their own personal pizza that looks just like the other kids will surely be a plus factor for those in attendance who otherwise might feel singled out and sad they can’t enjoy pizza like the rest of the gang.

For further information about the launch of the Chuck E. Cheese New Gluten Free Menu and to see if it is available in your area feel free to contact them directly at 1-888-778-7193. Their staff will be happy to share with you full nutritional information and listen to your comments or concerns regarding this upcoming menu launch.

And don’t forget to check for Chuck E. Cheese coupons before your next outing! You can save quite a bit of money with just a few clicks!

My Curated “Before Christmas” Gift Suggestions

November 13, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 6 Comments

If you hunt around on Stuff Parents Need, you will find several hundred (likely approaching 1,000!) finds I have discovered over the past 4 years that could be great holiday gift suggestions for folks on your list.

But today I want to talk about the things I think you should consider getting BEFORE the holidays are here (and they are almost here, so hurry up!). Think of them as gifts to yourself! These are items that can help make the holidays more festive and fun, and prepare you for send out yearly family letters or make some fun crafts without costing you an arm and a leg. Here’s a list of the products and services that I’m loving RIGHT NOW:

1. The Elf on the Shelf. This has seriously got to be the best $30 I have ever spent. Darah is completely nuts about her elf, whom she named Owen. He moves around the house daily, and he is NOT a naughty elf (mama ain’t got time for that!). Darah talks to Owen, dances for Owen, brings Owen marshmallows, and sings for Owen. I almost die pretty much every single day from the cuteness of it. He has brought some serious Christmas joy to our house, and a feeling of magic. He has only been with us for a month (yes, he cam early) and he is already a family treasure that I know we will have for decades to come.

2. Tiny Prints cards. For today only you can get 25% off your entire order (no minimum!) AND free shipping, which is a smokin’ hot deal because these are some of the prettiest cards around, and they are already reasonably priced. The code to use at checkout is exclusive to affiliates of the store (that’s me!) and I’ve been told this is the very best deal they offer on holiday cards. The code to use at checkout is ~~HOLIDAY25FS~~. (Edit: new code is SW1119 for 25% off). I got mine ordered already and they will be here soon so that I can get all the holiday cards ready for the mail for the day after Thanksgiving.

3. Groovebook. I’ll be adding an additional printed photo to each of my holiday cards, and I can do that for SUPER DUPER CHEAP thanks to Groovebook! You can read all about Groovebook here, (and learn how you can get 100 prints 100% FREE!). Basically, for this month, I picked a photo on the phone that I really liked, and printed 30 copies of it into my Groovebook. The other 70 prints for the month are just other things I like. Now I’ve got an extra photo for my friends and family to enjoy, and got it printed and delievered to my doorstep, along with 70 other pictures I like, for $3! Groovebook is my favorite app of all time, hands down.

4. Stitch Fix. If you have some festive parties to attend and you need an updated outfit or two, leave the work to the stylists at Stitch Fix. They will hook you up with something gorgeous that suits your taste and your budget. You’ll save time and you’ll look great! Here’s a link to all my past fixes to give you a sense for what it is like!

5. Kiwi Crate. This is one of my very favorite subscriptions, as it helps busy and/or non-crafty parents like me put together truly awesome crafts and activities for the kiddos. We adore our Kiwi Crates, and plan to order more in the near future. Right now they have special holiday-themed crates that you definitely need to check out. How much fun would it be for your kids to get to make some of the decorations for Thanksgiving, Hannukah or Christmas?

6. Amazon Prime. I’ve been a member of Amazon Prime since January of this year, and I’m planning on renewing when my membership expires. The ability to ship SO many things from the site without meeting the minimum shipping amount (which I heard has gone up to $35…can anyone confirm that?), and the 2 day shipping is SOOOOO nice! You get to try it out free of charge for 30 days, and if ever there was a time to give it a whirl, it is during the holiday shopping season!

7. Ebates. This is the time of year when I make sure I’m checking in regularly with Ebates, as well. You can read all about how Ebates works to get the full scoop. It is a totally free service that will give you cash back on the online purchases you are already making. So far they have sent me over $215. For real. Yes, the checks cleared. This is legit! 🙂

Your turn: what are some of the things you are buying to get ready for the holidays?

The Softest Disposable Diapers: Now in Larger Sizes

November 12, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

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

My two girls were born almost 3 years apart, and at hospitals on the opposite ends of the state of Tennessee. My pregnancies were different. My births were different. My worries were most definitely different (I had approximately 10% of the worries I had with my second thta I did with my first, simply because it wasn't my first rodeo!). But one thing about my daughters' first few days was exactly the same: they both wore Pampers® Swaddlers at the very beginning.

Perhaps your babies started out in the same diapers. It is entirely possible, given that they are the #1 recommended diaper by hospitals. They are super soft (the softest disposable diaper I have ever encountered, by leaps and bounds). Pampers Swaddlers are also distinct for their wetness indicators. With our first baby, we were so grateful for that color changing line that would let us know when the baby needed a change.

While we were more experienced with baby #2, I can tell you that I sure do wish her diapers had wetness indicators right now, as we are in the midst of potty training. Layah has made great strides in the last week about telling us when she needs to go potty, but there have been times when I have thought she had on a clean diaper, and only realized after an attempted potty session that she had already gone in her diaper. But I have always thought of Swaddlers as those awesome diapers for newborns and younger infant.

Exciting news, friends! Pampers® Swaddlers are now available in larger sizes (4 and 5). Layah is in a size 4 diaper, and I'd love to pick up a package of these as part of our potty training process. In addition to having a diaper that can help us know when Layah has had an accident, we can also take advantage of the Pampers Rewards Program. This is a free program that rewards you for spending your hard earned dollars on Pampers® products. It is so nice to get a little something back from a program like this, I have to say!

Give your baby the #1 choice of hospitals (based on sales data), whether you have a newborn or a toddler working on potty training! If you haven't yet tried Pampers® Swaddlers or if you thought your child was too big for them, let me encourage you to pick up a package on your next shopping trip. The softness is unmatched in the disposable market, and the wetness indicator takes away all the guess work!

Nice Prizes for “Nice Guys” (And Gals, Too!): $25 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway!

November 12, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 78 Comments

Thanks to Global Influence and Walmart for partnering with me on today’s post. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

Can you remember the first impression you had of your significant other? Was it spot-on, or way off? I remember the very first words I ever heard Tim speak. We were at college orientation for the community-service based scholarship program we were both part of, and we were going around the room stating our name, where we were from and one thing about ourselves. He was wearing a red shirt. And I’ll tell you honestly that I wasn’t dazzled by him. But that’s because I hadn’t planned on going to college to get my Mrs. So I wasn’t exactly in “man hunt” mode that day!

What He Didn’t Say

He gave his name and where he was from. He said he was from Fayetteville, Arkansas, which was where his family was currently residing, but he had actually only lived there for 6 months. He was FROM Washington state, which would have totally gotten my attention if he had said it, as we all know the ’90s were all about grunge, and for those of us not from the Pacific Northwest, that part of the country was so freakin’ cool.

What He Said That Mattered Most

And then he said one thing about himself. He said, “People tell me that I’m a ‘nice guy.'” Now, there’s nothing particularly remarkable about that statement, except for in hindsight. Tim really is a very nice guy. In fact, he’s so much more than nice. He actually did himself a disservice by using such a vague phrase to describe himself. But he’s also humble and not one to brag about himself. He’s a rare gem; one of the good ones. And I pray that our girls find partners as nice as their father. Because in the end, the kindness that Tim possesses is one of his greatest attributes. And it is one of the very first things I learned about him. I can’t help but think that my subconscious hooked onto what he said and put it in my mind to want to get to know him better.

The Internship

Speaking of nice guys, they deserve to get to have a fun little break every now and again, and I know my guy LOVES to get to watch movies. The Internship is coming out on DVD, and it showcases just how critical first impressions can be!

In celebration of the DVD release of what I would personally categorize as a “dude flick”, you’ve got the chance to win big! Check out the Walmart AXE Hair The Greatest Place to Work Sweepstakes. Now through November 23rd, all you have to do is head to your local Walmart and visit bit.ly/axesweeps via your mobile phone and answer a few easy and fun questions and you can win ALL the prizes listed below (for real!):

An IT upgrade:

– Touch Screen Notebook- Mini Tablet- HDTV

Gym Benefits:

– Home gym- AXE® Styling Products

A sweet cafeteria situation:

– Mini-fridge- Coffemaker- Blender- Snack Supply

A smooth commute:

– Electric Bike

A better break room:

– Gaming console + 5 Games- Recliner- Massage Table- Putting Green- Media Streaming Device

Additionally, 3 finalists each week are going to score the following:

$250 Walmart gift card
The Internship DVD
AXE® Styling Products

And after you enter to win all these amazing prizes, come back over here and enter to win a $25 Walmart gift card, just for my readers! Woo hoo!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

For the Princesses In Training: Sofia Talking Doll and Talking Castle (GIVEAWAY!!!)

November 12, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 87 Comments

Darah is a HUGE Sofia the First fan. We actually don’t have cable, so she’s never seen the show that features Sofia. She has, however, seen the movie at least a dozen times, and she has a Sofia app that she loves to play with.

Darah knows that she is a very important part of the Stuff Parents Need family. Her role in the company is to be the chief toy tester, which is something she takes quite seriously, you know!

When Mattel recently sent two of their Sofia the First toys for Darah to experience, she was ecstatic. I’ve been observing her and playing with her as she plays pretend, and I’d like to share our thoughts with you!

Sofia the First Magical Talking Castle

While the castle came in the box unassembled, I found that it was all put together in about 20 minutes. It wasn’t extremely difficult, by any means. Darah very quickly picked up on what needed to happen in order to get the miniature Sophia and Clover that were included with the set to talk. She also really enjoyed setting up all the little accessories for a picnic.

One of the features of the castle is that Clover has his own built-in hiding place. He can be secured into the under-side of the bench on the second floor and “hide.” Let me warn you right now: it is REALLY easy to not secure him correctly, and to have Clover get stuck in the bench. We “hid” him once and we will never do it again. Sorry, but this was only a cute idea in theory, and not in practice!

Darah did seem to really enjoy playing pretend with Sofia and Clover. She liked that Sofia had her own bed, and that she had yummy food to offer to Clover. She even liked the feature that made it easy for Sofia to “walk” up and down the stairs. But I did notice that she got bored quickly with only the two toys to play with in the castle. Mattel offers many more friends for Sofia to play with in the castle, but those have to be purchased separately. I get that, but I think they should have included one more human friend, at least. Darah’s solution was to go retrieve her Octonauts and their Octopod, and make them next door neighbors of Sofia’s. Problem solved!

I think this toy is quite fun, overall. Don’t expect it to be the world’s most awesome toy or the world’s highest quality toy. It isn’t either one of those. But it does provide a canvas for creative little minds to play and create on, and so it serves its purpose. If you don’t have any handy “neighbors” at home, though, be sure to pick up a few friends for Sofia to play with in her castle. I think you’ll see play time last longer with this toy with a few extras. The Disney Sofia The First New Magical Talking Castle is currently on sale at Amazon for $49.97, down $10 from its original price.

Sofia the First Talking Doll and Animal Friends

This doll is a huge hit with both Darah and Layah. Sofia is wearing her purple amulet, and when you press it, she will talk. Now that isn’t very impressive in and of itself. The magic really happens when you take one of the included animal friends that comes with the doll (Robin, Clover or Mia) and hold them up close to the amulet. That’s when you will hear the animals talking to Sofia, and Sofia talking back! My 18 month old has the hang of how this works and loves to make the toys talk with each other.

The Sofia The First Talking Sofia and Animal Friends retails for $39.99. My opinion? The price is a little steep for what it does. Amazon currently has it marked down to $28.99, and that seems like a more reasonable price. My 4-year-old does like having her doll “talk” to her and to her animal friends, so it definitely is entertaining. Beware that the animals unlock certain phrases, so if they get lost, you won’t hear Sofia say those particular things any more. Just a note of caution for those of you with kids who tend to lose their toys easily! With that said, though, if you have a big Sofia the First fan in your home, the doll is cute and a whole lot of fun for the kids. I got bored with it fairly quickly, but fortunately, it isn’t my toy. The ones that matter play with her every day. 🙂

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Sofia the First Talking Sofia and Animal Friends doll!

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