Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Black Bean Dip Recipe: Easy!

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image of baked black bean dip recipe (easy)
The next time I make this black bean dip I will double it because it doesn’t last long enough. This is a great dish for those nights when you want something really fast, because it comes together quickly. Hooray for quick and tasty food!

Recipe name: Baked Black Bean Dip
Servings: 3

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup light sour cream (optional)
1 clove garlic, diced
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 cup grated cheddar
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 small tomato, diced
tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place beans, sour cream, garlic and cumin in a food processor (I’ve been through several over the years, and this one is by far my favorite). Process until mixed but still chunky.
Spread mixture in a pie plate (I used other bakeware, so it really doesn’t matter). Top with cheese, onions, olives and tomato.
Bake 15 minutes.
Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream, if desired.

Pacifier Clips: No More Destroying My House!

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My baby is really serious about her pacifier. She has always been a baby who has needed to suck in order to comfort herself, and I quickly lost interest in serving as her personal pacifier. As soon as we got the green light from our pediatrician to give her a binky (at 2 weeks) we did!

Darah is now 4 months old. She is learning how to grab things, which is absolutely precious. She seems to be especially fond of grabbing her pacifier, taking it out of her mouth, and dropping it somewhere. Usually, within minutes she is crying for it, but she doesn’t yet know how to locate it and pop it back in her mouth. Tim and I are CONSTANTLY roaming around the house looking for lost binkies. We decided that we either needed to purchase 10 pacifiers and place them all over the house, or we needed to get something that could help hold her pacifier in place (a cheaper and more logical choice, obviously).

I found some ridiculously cute pacifier clips at the Etsy store Freakie Toes (don’t you love that name?!). Varinia, the shop owner, kindly sent me a clip to try out on Darah and review for you. I received the clip pictured on the right (cute packaging, right?). There are many pacifier clips on the market, but here’s what I particularly love about the clips from Freakie Toes. First, the snap on attachment works with both popular styles of binkies. You can snap it around a pacifier that has a hook on it, or you can snap it around the base of a pacifier that doesn’t. Darah has rejected every pacifier out there except for MAM, and they don’t have the hooks on them. This made finding a pacifier clip very difficult. But the clips from Freakie Toes totally work!

The second thing I really like about these clips is that they are downright lovely. I’ve seen many pacifier clips that can get the job done, but they are so unfortunate looking that they can make the cutest outfit look a bit sad. This just won’t do for my little doll. The flower that serves as the attachment piece is absolutely precious! Notice that is has a little rhinestone in the middle, too! Darah’s pacifier clip is basically a little brooch, and it adds to the cuteness factor of whatever she wears.

Freakie Toes has several clips to choose from on their site, and if you want to customize the color of the ribbon, that can be done. This especially great for anyone who dresses their little ones in colors beyond the traditional pinks and whites. Varinia also has some really cute beaded clips for sale if you aren’t interested in having the flower on the clip, or if you just want something different and fun! Either clip sells for $9.00. Trust me when I say that if you don’t have a pacifier clip, you’ll spend way more than $9.00 replacing pacifiers as they get lost!

Buy It!
Freakie Toes has precious and practical gifts for any little one who loves a binky (and the parents will enjoy it, too!). These clips would be perfect stocking stuffers or would be appreciated at your next baby shower. For the week of the contest, Freakie Toes is offering a 10% discount (less shipping) to all of my readers. Simply convo Varinia with what you want to purchase and she can make a custom listing for you with the adjusted price (don’t forget to tell her that you are a Stuff Parents Need reader).

Win It!
One very lucky parent is going to snag a pacifier clip for his/her little one! This contest will run until December 21st at 7:59pm CST. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments or have it listed in your profile. The winner will be selected via random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to the winning notification. Open to residents of the U.S.

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Head over to Freakie Toes and tell me if you would prefer a beaded pacifier clip or a flower rhinestone pacifer clip, and what colors you like best.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS. Leave a comment with your email address for the subscription (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
2. Make a purchase at Freakie Toes (5 entries, so leave 5 comments). Be sure to leave the email address you used when making your purchase.
3. Grab my button and add it to your blog roll (leave a url so I can find it!)
4. Follow me on Google friend connect
5. Enter my mineral makeup giveaway (listed Monday, December 14th)

Disclosure: I was sent a pacifier clip for review purposes only. No other form of compensation was received for this review, and the opinions expressed are my own.

Mineral Foundation Reviews: Achieve a Beautiful Look Naturally

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Mineral Foundation Review

I have been a fan of mineral foundation for about 2 years, now. I was very skeptical about how something that looked like powder could possibly offer the coverage of a liquid foundation, but a girlfriend of mine encouraged me to give it a try after she has success with it. I gave in and ordered some Bare Minerals (a place where many people start), and pretty much never looked back. The makeup, in my opinion, is of a very high quality. Unfortunately, the price tag is also high (I know that more expensive makeup definitely exists, but when you are used to paying drugstore prices, $25 for a month’s supply of foundation totally stinks).

I know that part of what you are paying for when you use Bare Minerals is the name brand. They spend a fortune on advertising, and pass those costs right along to the consumer. I tried some of the drugstore versions of mineral makeup, but did not have any success with that venture, as I personally found the quality to be seriously inferior. I knew that there had to be some company out there that offered excellent mineral makeup but for a more reasonable cost than what I was paying. Friends, I found such a place!
mineral foundation reviews for Tiara Minerals
Let me introduce you to Tiara Minerals by Colorful Designs, an etsy store run by a fabulous woman named Gail. This company, which also has a website, offers a really large variety of options for anyone looking to try out mineral makeup, or anyone who is looking to spend less on their makeup but maintain the great look they are currently achieving with higher priced brands. Gail is a huge fan of mineral makeup, and her love of it as a consumer turned into a business. She only uses the highest quality minerals in her products. If you are on the fence about whether or not mineral makeup will work for you, listen to what Gail has to say: “Traditional liquid makeup have oils and waxes in it that can clog your pores and feel heavy on your skin. Mineral makeup is so feather light and pure you can sleep in it.” You heard right, folks. YOU CAN SLEEP IN IT. Any mother out there will rejoice at the sound of this news! This is one less thing for us to do at night on those especially crazy days! Woo hoo! Gail also offers sample baggies so that you can try out some shades before making a commitment.

I was sent a 10 piece sample bag to try out for myself (incidentally, you can snag this sample set for yourself at the sale price of $9.99 right now!). I blended the shades fair and fairest light together, as that is what I normally do with my Bare Minerals to get the right shade for my skin. I did a test by putting Bare Minerals on one half of my face, and Tiara Minerals on the other half. The coverage was equally good, and the colors matched up so well that I was able to wear the makeup out of the house as is (I did put some mineral veil over it just to smooth it out a bit). One thing that really makes me happy about Tiara Minerals is the way the foundation is sold. You can actually buy a few different shades at once so that you can custom blend the colors just for you! With any set that you purchase, be it foundation, eyeshadow or blush, colors can be swapped out in order to best meet your needs. I am especially impressed by this ability to customize your order. Whenever I order from Bare Minerals, for example, I always get a few things that I don’t personally want or need (such as the bronzer), simply because it comes with the set.

One other standout for me was the Clear Luminous All Over Color. Remember that pregnancy glow? This actually returned a bit of that glow to my face, and if I can achieve that look again without having to be pregnant, sign me up!

Overall, I was so pleased with the products I received from Tiara Minerals that I opted to wear the makeup for our Christmas photos. I like a soft, natural look that makes my skin feel healthy, and that’s exactly what I got with Tiara Minerals. I also love how fast the application process is with mineral makeup. Anything that can save me time AND look terrific is a winner with me. I’ll be placing an order in the future, for sure!

Buy It!
Tiara Minerals foundation sets start at $3.99 for a sample bag and $12.95 for a set. Most of the products are available with free shipping to save you even more money! If you are looking for a new makeup to try out, I really recommend that you start with Tiara Minerals! Edited to add: if you aren’t comfortable shopping on Etsy for some reason, Amazon does now offer a really nice selection of mineral foundations. Just be sure to read the reviews before making a purchase!

Win It!
One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a 10 piece baggie set (net wt 14 g) of their choice. Choose from Fair, Light or Tan! The contest will run until Sunday, December 20th at 7:59pm CST, when a winner will be chosen at random and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected. You must include your email address in your comment or make sure it is listed in your profile! You must complete the mandatory entry in order for any subsequent entries to be counted. Open to residents of the United States.

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Go check out Tiara Minerals. Come back here and tell me the product she sells that you want the very most!

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS. Leave a comment with your email address for the subscription (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
2. Become a fan of Tiara Minerals on facebook (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
3. Make a purchase at Tiara Minerals (5 entries, so leave 5 comments)
4. Add my button to your blog and leave me a url so I can find it! (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
5. Follow me through Google friend connect
6. Enter my pacifier clip giveaway (it goes live Tuesday, December 15th)

Disclosure: I received product samples for review purposes. The views in this post are strictly my own.

Easy Sweet Potato Burritos Recipe

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This is one that might sound a little strange, but I promise it is yummy. Anytime we make these sweet potato burritos, we double the recipe and freeze half of them for a quick meal later! These are perfect for work lunches.

Recipe name: Sweet Potato Burritos
Servings: 6-8

1/2 Tbsp veg oil
Handful of chopped onions
1 clove garlic minced
1 can re-fried beans
3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp grounds cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground mustard
pinch cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp soy sauce
6-8 flour tortillas
40 oz can yams, mashed
Shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Meanwhile heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until soft. Stir in the beans. Gradually stir in water and heat until warm. Remove the bean mixture from the heat. Stir in all spices and soy sauce.

Heat tortillas in microwave oven for 30 seconds to 1 minute to soften. Put bean mixture on tortillas and spread sweet potato over the beans mixture. Top with cheese. Roll up burrito style and place on a lightly greased backing sheet. Sprinkle top of burritos with cheese. Bake for 12 minutes.

Finally! A Blog Button!

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The following has been on my blog “to do” list for a few months now: Get a blog button. It has stayed on my list because I don’t know how to make a blog button, and I was seriously dreading spending hours figuring out how to do it. Fortunately, I found Blog Buttons by Jane, and she can make buttons for your blog!

For $15 and zero pain on my part, I got a blog button! I got something on the simple side, but she can also purchase cute images for you if that’s what you want. I wanted to send some other bloggers her way as a thank you, so please do check her out when you can! And by all means, please do grab my button (to the right of this post) and add it to your blog roll. All future giveaways on my site will include an extra entry opportunity for folks with my button.

My Family’s Christmas Traditions

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This is my very first meme, inspired by Girly Mama! It’s all about Christmas traditions. Please feel free to join in on the fun and post your own answers on your blog, and then post a link in the comments!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? I LOVE egg nog. Go ahead and judge me. I judge myself a little bit, because I can objectively realize that it is kind of gross. Oh well!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? This is a point of contention between my husband and me. In my family, Santa gifts are unwrapped. In his family, Santa wraps presents, but they are in a special semi-see through type of wrapping paper. I have no idea how we are going to do this next year (this year we’ll be at my in-laws, so Santa gifts will be wrapped).

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White on a house and colored on a tree. I’m partial to a tree that is a little bit tacky!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope!

5. When do you put your decorations up? Um…when we get around to it? 🙂 I try to get home decor out soon after Thanksgiving, but the tree usually goes up the following weekend.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? I am especially fond of fudge. I also really like those Reese’s peanut butter cups in the shape of a Christmas tree!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? I remember several Christmas mornings as a child, when my older brother and I would go get my parents (it was the rule that we had to go get them before we went into the living room to see what Santa had brought). In hindsight, I realize my parents had probably only gotten a few hours of sleep (because we woke up at an ungodly hour on Christmas morning), but they never fussed and Christmas morning was always SO AWESOME because of them!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Ok, nerd alert! I had my suspicions once I found a few gifts in my mom’s closet labeled as being from Santa, so I went straight to the authority on all matters…the encyclopedia! I remember reading that he was a “fictitious” character and I was all, “Ah ha!” I think I was 6 or 7.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We open one gift on Christmas Eve, and that is pajamas.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? My husband and I both have a good number of ornaments from our childhood days, and we also have accumulated quite a few in our 7 years of marriage!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I love it, but that is because I live in a place where it snows between 1 and 3 times each year, and it is always a tiny amount.

12. Do you remember your favorite gift? My favorite gift ever? Well, my husband proposed to me on Christmas morning, and while he didn’t yet have a ring to give me, that would still be my favorite gift of all time.

13. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Special memory- making time with my family.

14. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Christmas Eve drive about town to look at Christmas lights.

15. What tops your tree? We have a star.

16. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Everyone who knows me knows that gifts are my love language. I really do love to get gifts, and that doesn’t mean that it has to be a material object. As trite as it sounds, I swear that it is the thought that counts. I guarantee that I will always appreciate a handmade card that cost nothing over a $100 gift that had no thought put into it. As I have gotten older and more mature, I have also started to get a lot of joy out of gift giving. I try to put thought into all the gifts I give!

17. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? Sort of yuck.

18. Favorite Christmas Show? I really like The Grinch!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I love so many of them, but O Holy Night is my favorite. My second favorite is What Child is This?

 

Don’t forget about my 3 giveaways going on right now! (Playskool, swaddling blankets, and Delicae Gourmet!)

AffordableChristmas Toys for Babies

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I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what to get my baby for Christmas. Of course, I want the day to bring her joy and laughter, but I know that it is completely unnecessary for me to overwhelm her with material objects in order to bring a smile to her face (and I pray that I never lose sight of that fact!). I’ve been thinking about finding just a few  interactive toys for baby that are developmentally appropriate for her (looking for baby toys for 6-12 months), and that are affordable. If you’ve ever shopped for toys for babies, you know that you can certainly find cheap stuff out there, but that doesn’t mean that it will engage a child’s mind. You can also find some really engaging toys that hit your checking account awfully hard. In my opinion, Playskool is a brand that offers the toys that children can learn and grow with, minus the heavy price tag. If you have a baby or toddler on your Christmas list, I want to highlight a few really great affordable toys for babies from Playskool, all under $20.

christmas toys for babies For babies ages 6 months and up, the Tumble ‘N Twirl Top is an excellent option. Balls can be dropped into the chute, and then the button on top can be pressed to start twirling them around! A baby can also open the door to release the balls and enjoy crawling after them. This product retails for $19.99.

Another great option for a baby 9 months and older is the Blocksters Blockimals. These are stacking blocks with a twist! The outside of the blocks have different animal characters on them. The blocks also have an animal on the inside of the blocks for additional fun! The blocks come in sets of 3 and retail for $14.99.

If the baby in your life is 12 months or older, Playskool has a really cute and thrifty option for you. Wheel Pals are soft and squeezable animals on wheels! Your young toddler will really enjoy rolling these along the floor time and time again. The price also cannot be beat, as these retail for $3.99. These would be a terrific stocking stuffer, or put together a few of them (there are 12 varieties from which to choose) for a really fun gift.
christmas toys for babies
For the kids ages 2 and up (and let’s be real, also for the grown ups), consider a Classic Themed Mr. Potato Head! christmas toys for babies If you never had a Mr. Potato Head growing up, I encourage you to indulge yourself and get one! They are SO MUCH FUN, and of course, they are even more fun when you get to introduce them to a child for the first time. Pretty much everyone is familiar with Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head figures, but did you know that Playskool also offers a Firefighter Spud that comes with an extinguisher and Captain Potato Chips, complete with a peg leg, eye patch and hooked hand? Imagine the fun to be had with these toys, and for the low price of $9.99!

I hope that this post gives you some ideas for truly fun toys for babies at a price point that won’t make you squeamish. The folks at Playskool do an excellent job of creating great toys that children will reach for again and again. They are definitely buy-worthy, in my book!

They are also win-worthy! Playskool is offering a Stuff Parents Need reader some of these excellent toys! One of you will win a Firefighter Spud AND 2 Wheel Pals! You will be giving hours and hours of fun to the little one in your life who will receive these, I guarantee it! This contest will run until December 15th at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected via random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email with requested information. Open to residents of the United States.

How to Enter

Mandatory entry: You must follow or subscribe to my blog! Options include following me through Google friend, subscribing through email, or subscribing via RSS. Let me know which one you use in your entry.

Additional Entries:
1. Follow HasbroNews on Twitter
2. Tell me another Playskool toy you really love!
3. Check out the For Parents section of the Playskool site, and tell me something you learned there!
4. Enter my giveaway for swaddling blankets (ends 12/12)
5. Enter my Delicae Gourmet giveaway (ends 12/13)

Disclosure: I received no form of compensation for this post. I just love Playskool! Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you.

Orange Creamsicle Dessert Recipe

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Are you having a hard time resisting all those indulgent holiday treats? Me, too! Here’s something you can make for your and your family that will be much more kind to your hips. This easy orange mousse recipe rocks, and you can totally make it (mostly) fat and sugar free! You can use fat free cool whip and sugar free gelatin. I couldn’t find sugar free white chocolate pudding mix, so I’m not sure if they make that or not.

The mix needs about 3 hours before it is ready to eat. You will eat 2/3 of it before you even look up from the bowl, I promise.

Recipe name: 5 minute creamsicle mousse
Source: recipezaar.com
Servings: 4 (unless you are me, and then it serves 2…maybe)

1 box orange gelatin
1 box white chocolate pudding mix (sometimes this is tricky to find in the stores, but Amazon has it!)
1 (8 ounce) container cool whip

Mix gelatin with 1 cup boiling water. Dissolve gelatin completely and add 1 cup cold water and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Using an electric beater, beat in pudding mix until well combined.
Fold in cool whip.
Chill until set.
Serve!

The Lowdown on Receiving Blankets: The Key to Infant Sleep (Giveaway!)

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swaddling blankets for babies

(Image from Target.com)

Before I had a child, I thought that receiving blankets (or swaddling blankets for babies) just like the ones shown to the right made the perfect gift for new parents. After all, babies like to be swaddled, right? So a receiving blanket would be an extremely useful gift!
Only now do I realize how very wrong I was. I shudder to think about how many receiving blankets I’ve given at baby showers.

You may be very confused right now. Am I saying that babies don’t like to be swaddled, and therefore, don’t need blankets? Absolutely not! Most newborns absolutely love to be swaddled, and really NEED to be swaddled to help them feel secure, especially during the first 3 months of life (my little one is days away from being 4 months old, and she is still all about the swaddle). The blankets pictured above, along with the vast majority of receiving blankets you will find in stores, are simply WAY WAY WAY too small (the ones above are 30 x 30)! Darah was a smallish baby when she was born, and when we got her home we found that her receiving blankets could not contain her 6 pound 9 ounce little body. We received a homemade receiving blanket at a shower, and it was HUGE. We couldn’t imagine that we needed something that big, but in fact, it became our saving grace at nap time. Our traditional receiving blankets are sitting in her closet gathering dust while her homemade blankets are working overtime.

I haven’t really seen receiving blankets in any national chain stores that are truly big enough (edited to add, since writing this post, Amazon has started to carry some larger ones…always check the size!). But I have found a store on Etsy that makes exactly what you really need. Let me introduce you to Ahmelie. This shop carries a large selection of swaddling blankets that can actually get the job done (they measure 44 inches square for the large blankets). I was blown away by the beautiful patterns she offers. The price is outstanding, as well, starting at $11.00 per blanket. If you are expecting, I am begging you to get a large swaddling blanket like the ones at Ahmelie. If you are going to a baby shower any time soon, this would be a gift that the parents will thank you endlessly for once their bundle arrives (I promise!).

swaddling blanket for babies
Buy it!
Ahmelie has swaddling blankets with a designer look, but without the designer pricetag. Head on over and stock up for yourselves or for your friends and family who have babies on the way! All orders come with a blank hand sewn card. BONUS: Anyone who places an order and mentions this post in their note to the seller will receive a free bib/nusring clip, which can be used to turn napkins and burp cloths into bibs or to secure a blanket in place so it can be used as a nursing cover!

Win it!
TWO lucky readers are going to win 2 swaddling blankets each of your choice from Ahmelie! Oh how I envy you! The contest will run until Sunday, December 12th at 7:59pm CST, when the winners will be chosen at random and emailed. The winners will have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected. You must include your email address in your comment or make sure it is listed in your profile! You must complete the mandatory entry in order for any subsequent entries to be counted. Open to residents of the United States.

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Go check out Ahmelie’s swaddling blankets. Come back here and tell me which two you would pick if you won!

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS. Leave a comment with your email address for the subscription (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
2. Become a fan of Ahmelie on facebook (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
3. Make a purchase at Ahmelie (5 entries, so leave 5 comments)

Disclosure: I received no product or compensation for this review and giveaway.