Congratulations to post #37, Kim, who wrote, “subscribe to emails #2”
You have won a Playskool Lullaby Gloworm! You are absolutely going to LOVE it! I am emailing you and you will have 48 hours to respond.
If you didn’t win, don’t fret. I have many great giveaways coming up. Don’t forget to enter my current giveaway for some really nice natural skincare products! http://stuffparentsneed.blogspot.com/2009/11/luxury-skincare-at-drugstore-prices.html
Since I claim repeatedly on this blog to be a frugalista, it may come as a shock to learn that I am an iPhone mom. I jumped on the iPhone train 20 days after my baby was born, on my 29th birthday. People, I AGONIZED over this decision for months and months. The one time expense of the phone was tolerable enough (since the price went all the way down to a cool $99.00). The big hang up for me was the monthly cost. Tim and I have always had the cheapest cell plans possible, pretty much. Our monthly bill for two phones used to be $65/month. To go from that to $150/month was absolutely sickening to me, which is why we steered clear of switching for as long as we felt we could stand it. And then Darah was born and something somehow changed. Maybe we just got tired of worrying over the issue. Maybe we wanted something more reliable than the crappy phones we had and the spotty service within our house (dropped calls, anyone?). Maybe we were just in a really happy place and decided, “What the hell?! Let’s do it!” I think that was the case, actually.
And even though the monthly bills totally blow as compared to what we used to pay, let me tell you why this languished-over-and-yet-ultimately-impulsive decision actually worked out great and why I’m so glad to be an iPhone mom.
1. PODCASTS! Yes, I know that podcasts are not strictly for folks with iPhones, but it is soo convenient to download them to your phone. The reason that this is a particularly awesome feature for me is because it provides me with entertainment that doesn’t take my eyes off Darah while I’m feeding her, and the built in speakers allow me to listen hands-free. I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate this. I think that if I had absolutely nothing to do while feeding this child 8 times each day that I would start to grow a bit resentful. I’m just being completely honest. I spend most of the time listening to mommy podcasters and learning some really great parenting tips. Darah also gets to listen to some cool new words. Everybody wins!
2. Taking pictures. Yes, I know camera phones have been out for several years. It shouldn’t surprise you to hear that Tim and I, in addition to always having the cheapest plans, have also always had the cheapest phones. So this is a new experience for me, personally. When I was on maternity leave, I emailed Tim photos of Darah each day while he was at work, and he said that it really helped him feel connected to us. It also helped me to get to share some of the details of my day with another adult, which was really nice. Also, I basically have a photo album with me at all times, and this has come in handy!
3. Checking email quickly. I absolutely love that I can check my work, personal and blog email accounts in mere seconds, and from anywhere that I am. This is a HUGE time saver for me, as it keeps me from worrying that I’m missing something important (because I am a worrier). While it isn’t faster to respond to an email on the iphone as opposed to a computer, checking my accounts is much faster. I love it!
There are many other fantastic features to the iPhone, and many more reasons why it makes my life easier, but those are the main three. Does anyone else have an iPhone or any other similar phone and find that it makes life easier? Does anyone find that it actually seems to be complicating their lives a bit more?
Picnic Basket Crafts is a business after my own heart. Tiffany Norton produces quality luxury skincare products, while striving to tread very lightly on both the environment and your wallet! What’s not to love about that?! Tiffany has a background in the sciences as a biology and chemistry teacher. Her potion making skills have helped her to create an incredible line of natural skincare products. Tiffany says of her small price tags, “I’ve pared down my recipes to just the essentials, and then use the highest quality oils I can get. Nothing fancy!” So basically she skips all the unnecessary stuff and passes along the savings to you. Awesome.
I received several samples of her products to try out for myself. Everything was beautifully yet sensibly packaged in a pretty stitched brown paper envelope. I spent several days trying out each sample, and really had fun doing so.
First I’d like to tell you about her handmade oatmeal & cocoa butter soap. This soap is absolutely ideal for brand new parents, and I’ll tell you why: it doesn’t have a scent! Still confused? Well, the most highly developed sense that babies have at birth, and for the first 6 weeks or so of life, is the sense of smell. Primary caregivers should avoid perfumed products during that period of time, as it could confuse or frustrate your baby when s/he is trying to memorize (and enjoy!) your scent, which smells absolutely heavenly to your baby. I also found the soap to lather quite well. And please note the price for a thick piece of this soap…$3.00! Score!
Next up is the night time eye serum. I used this eye serum for several nights in a row.The serum is something that needs to go on at night, because it takes it a long while to fully soak in, and you only need the tiniest amount, so a bottle will last forever. Tiffany says of the ingredients, “Each component of the formula is carefully chosen for it’s mildness, safety, and reputation for providing healing and therapeutic benefits to dry, aging, and sensitive skin. Included in this list of wonder oils is my very own brew of calendula-infused olive oil, along with carrot seed essential oil, rice bran oil, vitamin E, pomegranate essential oil, and jojoba oil, and other great gifts from nature.” She also noted that this serum can also help with other skin problems, such as stretch marks, scars, rashes, scrapes and burns. I really love a product that can multi-task. And once again, let me just point out the price tag for a small vial of this wonder elixir: $3.75! Unbelievable!
The third
product I tried was the healing facial creme for seriously sensitive skin. The first thing I noticed when I opened the package was a light avocado smell. Avocado oil is actually one of the ingredients in this cream, and Tiffany says that it is “one of the most moisturizing of oils, and gentle enough to use in infant products.” There are also other amazing ingredients in this cream such as calendula infused olive oil, apricot kernel oil, chamomile essential oil and cucumber extract, which is actually the reason that the creme has a greenish tint! The price also can’t be beat: $12.00 for 2 ounces. I shudder to think about what I have forked over in the past for lotions that were full of synthetic junk and didn’t work half as well as this product.
Tiffany had two products geared towards babies for me to try out on Darah. The first product I tried was the oatmeal and calendula baby bath bag. Tiffany says, “This special formula is made for sensitive, damaged, or irritated skin of all ages. Whether you have a baby with diaper rash, a toddler with eczema, or a teenager with poison oak, this super gentle bath soak will ease symptoms, moisturize skin, and promote healing.” While Darah isn’t experiencing any skin problems at the moment, I thought I’d still try this out in her bath. It is made from such wonderful products that it is sure to be good and soothe her skin, regardless! The bath bag had a very light oatmeal scent. She ended up sitting on the bag in her baby bath, which is probably why it broke apart about 7 minutes into her bath. But it honestly wasn’t a big deal, as the stuff inside the bag was very fine. No residual bits were still on her skin when we pulled her out of the bath. She didn’t have any reaction to the ingredients. I have one more package that I’m going to save for her first diaper rash breakout. I’m confident that it will help her feel better. Tiffany offers 5 tea bags for $6.00. This is another great deal, and an excellent product to have on hand for breakouts.
I also tried the baby and boo boo balm. This is another multi-tasking product. It is great to help prevent and treat diaper rash, but is also handy to help with rashes, chapped cheeks, nipples and noses, burns, scrapes, bruises, bumps and other skin problems. The smell is light, and the product works just as well as other diaper rash creams I have used. One ounce is only $5.00, and this is another product that doesn’t need to be slathered on to get the effect you seek.
Finally, I got to try out Tiffany’s newest product, the therapeutic facial scrub. So as I was applying this scrub in the bath, some definitely got in my mouth. Oops! But I’m pleased to say that it didn’t taste gross and awful like other face care products do (What? You’ve never accidentally eaten your face cream like I have?) Actually, it tasted rather sweet, and that’s probably because it is made with organic cane sugar. This scrub was not messing around in terms of its exfoliating power. I was really impressed with that. I did get a little nervous when I started to rinse it off, because I quickly noticed that my skin felt like it had a whole lot of oil on it. I decided to just calm down and follow the directions, which were to rinse my face and then pat it dry. I’m so glad I didn’t freak out and try to wipe off the residue, because after I patted dry, my face felt seriously supple. I kept touching my face every 2 minutes for the next hour. Twelve hours later, when I got out of bed to start the next day, I felt my skin. Still soft! Wow!
Buy It!
Picnic Basket Crafts offers truly luxurious natural products for drugstore prices. Such a combo is extremely hard to find! Check out all the awesome products she makes! For the duration of this contest, Tiffany is offering Stuff Parents Need readers 10% off their purchase price (less shipping). The prices were already a bargain, but this makes them a steal!
Win It!
One lucky reader is going to win a $10 gift certificate from Picnic Basket Crafts. I am sooo jealous! The contest will run until Sunday, November 15th at 7:59pm CST, when the 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 Picnic Basket Crafts. Come back here and tell me what product you covet the most (it will be hard to choose!)
Additional Entries:
1. Share this post via any of the venues at the bottom of this post (digg, stumbleupon, twitter etc.). Leave one comment with a link for each way that you shared or your username on these sites!
2. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS. Leave a comment with your email address for the subscription (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
3. Make a purchase at Picnic Basket Crafts (5 entries, so leave 5 comments!)
Disclosure: I received samples of the reviewed items for the purpose of writing the review. No additional compensation was received for this post.
This easy polenta recipe comes together fast and is oh so delish! Enjoy on your next cold morning! Who knew polenta could be a dessert?
Recipe name:Polenta Pudding with Blueberry Topping
Source: Cooking Light via Cheap Healthy Good
Servings: 4
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
1/2 cup sugar, divided
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
6 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1) Combine the blueberries and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cover with wax paper. Microwave at HIGH 3 minutes or until heated through and sugar dissolves. Stir after 1 1/2 minutes of heating.
2) Combine 1/4 cup sugar, milk, cornmeal, and lemon rind in a 2-quart glass measure. Stir with a whisk. Microwave at HIGH 7 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring every 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla and salt. Serve with blueberry topping.
If you missed my post about just how much my infant loves her Lullaby Gloworm by Playskool, check it out here. We are BIG FANS in my house. The Gloworm can calm my baby when she is all worked up and it can also make her smile most any time.
After I made that post and the second post, I just didn’t feel right going on and on about how cool the Gloworm is while leaving all of you to feel jealous, so I contacted Playskool. And aren’t you lucky, because now you can
Win It!
One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a Gloworm for themselves (er, I mean, for their kid!) The contest will run until Thursday, November 12th at 7:59pm CST, when the winner will be chosen at random and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to reply with their contact information. 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. Thank you, Playskool!
How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Go to the Playskool website and tell me one other toy you’d love to have for your little one! (1 entry)
Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS (3 entries!). Leave 3 comments with your email address for the subscription.
2. Share this post via any of the venues at the bottom of this post (digg, stumbleupon, etc.) (1 entry per method). Leave one comment with a link for each way that you shared or your username on these sites.
Ready, Set, GO!
Disclosure: I was not provided with any form of compensation for this giveaway or for my previous review. I just love the gloworm!
I have a very dear friend who has just been put on bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy (you know who you are, and if you are reading this, stop and go get back into bed!). Fortunately, her due date is very soon, so she shouldn’t be confined to her bed for too terribly long. I never had to go on bed rest with my pregnancy, but at the very end, I pretty much just sat all day, except for those walking excursions I took daily to try to get the baby to come on out. Right about now, bed rest actually sounds kind of nice. This tells me two things: 1. I need to try to relax a little bit more and go to bed earlier so that I’m not as tired, and 2. I have no idea what bed rest is really like, and how boring it can probably be. So with that in mind, I’d love to hear from anyone out there who has ever been on bed rest…what did you do to pass the time? Here are the suggestions I made to my friend for what to do while on bed rest during pregnancy:
1. Eat chocolate
2. Watch reality tv, the more ridiculous the better
3. Sleep while you still can!
4. Do crossword puzzles, or some other fun activity like word searches or coloring
Other bed rest tips for my friend?
I’ve noticed lately that my little one has a strong affinity for chewing on her fists. I think we are in the very early stages of teething. Oh joy. Because her hands are always in her mouth, they are starting to get quite sticky. This made me wish that I had some sort of all natural product for baby that I could quickly and easily wipe her down with. I went to Etsy to search for something, and I found the solution at BareBebe.
BareBebe is a new company to Etsy, having been in business for about 7 weeks now. The inspiration behind the business came about 4 years ago, though, when Alison (the owner) started her family. She says, “I really became focused on not only what we put into our mouths, but what kinds of things we put on our skin.” When she decided to fully commit to cloth diapering with her third child, she had a really tough time finding wipes that weren’t really cheap and detergent that fully disclosed its ingredients. With cloth diapering, this is particularly important, as some ingredients can ruin or at least diminish the effectiveness of cloth diapers. So she did was any creative person would do; she started making these products for herself! Soon after, a store was born featuring 3 signature items: PureBebe detergent, CleanBebe wipes and FreshBebe wipes spray. There are other great items in the store as well. Alison says, ” I realized I had many things in my home, made by me, that would be great additions to my store (ie. BabyBreathe Eucalyptus balm, MightyToSave dryer balls, and BareBebe milk bath) All these items are natural replacements for the most commonly used items in my house.”
Alison was kind enough to send me the BareBebe Sample Pack, so that I could try out her products for myself. The sample pack contains the following:
~2oz. FreshBebe wipes spray
~Enough DryBebe (powder) for several diaper changes
~One gender neutral CleanBebe cloth wipe
~Enough PureBebe laundry detergent for 3 loads of laundry (6 loads for HE)
(all of this is only $3.50, by the way!)
I was excited to try every product, but I was especially eager to try out the FreshBebe wipes spray. It was created as a wipes spray, especially for sensitive skin, but its uses go way beyond that! I’ve found it to be an excellent item to have on hand to quickly wipe down Darah’s hands throughout the day, and I have absolutely no worries if she starts chewing on her fists 3 seconds after I used the spray on her, because it is a natural product.Alison says, “FreshBebe contains a naturally derived mild soap and tea tree oil. Both of these have antibacterial qualities and guarantee your little one will be clean.” FreshBebe comes in a variety of scents. I chose tangerine vanilla, and it smells fabulous but light. I am really happy to have found a great solution to my problem with little miss sticky fingers! A 4 oz spray bottle is a very reasonable $4.50. She also sells 8 oz refill bottles!
DryBebe was another great product in the sample pack. It is a talc and cornstarch free powder option for little tushies. Alison has blended some essential oils of lavender, vanilla and lemongrass to create a scent similar to lemon poppyseed muffins! The powder is tan, which surprised me at first. As Alison points out on her site, though, “it’s all natural, and you can’t find many things in nature that are pure white.” Good point! I got about 8 uses out of my sample pack of DryBebe. It helped to keep Darah nice and dry, and it smelled great, too. An 8 oz bottle is $7.75, and it will last a long while.
PureBebe is a laundry detergent th
at is enzyme, dye, perfume, soap brightener and softener free. It turns out that all of these elements can possibly irritate the skin of a baby. It comes scent free, but essential oils can be added to give it a very light fragrance. I requested lavender essential oil to be added to my sample. The product smelled great. I’m pleased to say that Darah’s clothes have done well with this detergent! PureBebe is $6.50 for 38 loads (72 loads in a HE washer).
The Clean Bebe wipe I received was soft, but also very sturdy. It is two-ply, which means it can really handle some business. One side is made of soft cotton jersey and the other side is made of cotton flannel, which makes it a bit more helpful for, well, the big messes! The cloth held up beautifully after being put through the washer and dryer, and is ready for its next mess! Best of all, these come in a variety of really cute patterns! A package of 4 of these costs $4.00, just about the same price as a package of disposable wipes. You can see how these will pay for themselves rather quickly!
Buy it!
BareBebe has some truly fabulous products that are good for your baby and kind to your wallet. Please check out her site and snag something special for your little one. Also, for the duration of this contest, Alison is offering you a 10% discount on anything in her shop! Simply put code, “Stuff Parents Need” in your message to her at checkout, and wait for her to send you an invoice with the discounted amount.
Win it!
Alison has generously offered a $15 BareBebe gift certificate to one very lucky reader. This contest is open to residents of the United States, and will close on Sunday, November 8th, at 7:59pm CST. I will contact the winner via email, and that person will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected.
How to Enter:
Mandatory Entry: Go check out all the amazing products at BareBebe and come back here and tell me how you would spend the gift certificate 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 posts)
2. Share about this giveaway via any method found at the bottom of this post (stumbleupon, digg, etc.) (1 entry for each method)
3. Make a purchase at BareBebe (3 entries). Leave 3 comments with the email address you used when making the purchase.
Disclosure: I was given a sample pack of BareBebe products to try for this review. No other form of compensation was received.
Congratulations to post #7 (dwalline@…) and #68 (CharlieGurl57@…), who are the winners in the paperless towels and reusable wipes giveaway from UniqueRabbit. Winners, check your email and respond to me within 48 hours to claim your prizes.
If you didn’t win, no worries. I have SEVERAL more giveaways heading your way, so stay tuned!
Do you love the lettuce wraps from P.F. Chang’s? Hate the price tag? Let me show you how to make them at home!
Recipe PF Changs Lettuce Wraps
Source: adapted from Chaos in the Kitchen
Servings: 2-3
Thanks to Chaos in the Kitchen for posting such a fun recipe. If anyone has ever been to P.F. Chang’s, you know that this is a signature of theirs. We really enjoyed having our own version at home for a fraction of the price.
Our substitutions/additions: We used ground turkey, and the taste was awesome. I also shredded 4 baby carrots and sliced 1 green onion to add a little bit of color. We used water chestnuts which I finely diced, and we left out the mushrooms, because we believe that mushrooms are nasty.
I made this while Tim was out running errands, and I was glad to have the opportunity to sneak in water chestnuts, which he doesn’t like, in general. When he tried the wraps he immediately asked, “What is the crunchy stuff in here?” I made him tell me first if he liked it, which he said he did (!) and then I revealed the secret ingredient. He wrinkled his nose up, and then confessed that water chestnuts were a good thing in this dish. Victory for Tiffany!
