Stuff Parents Need

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

Super Easy Gift Ideas for Teachers: Starbucks for the Win!

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Thanks to Starbucks for sending along some seasonal flavors and products. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Today I’m working on the holiday gifts for my children’s teachers and I thought I’d show them to you in case you are still trying to figure out what to put together (and in case your Pinterest searches on “teacher gifts” stressed you out because it definitely stressed me out!).

Friends, it doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as this!

teacher gift starbucks

Give you children’s teachers a simple holiday treat that is sure to be appreciated. They have worked so hard with your kids over the last few months, and they are about to get a well-deserved break. They will even have time to curl up on their sofas with a delicious peppermint mocha (or 5!). 🙂

Each of my girls has 2 teachers in the classroom, so I’ll be multiplying the above gift times 4. If your budget allows for a bit more, or if your child only has 1 teacher so your funds can go further, here’s another idea for you.

teacher gift idea starbucks

Consider getting one of the absolutely gorgeous tumblers that Starbucks has available (this one is called Watercolor Hearts) and pair it with some hot cocoa (you can get K Cups or a mix).

Starbucks is something that puts a glimmer of joy in most everyone’s eyes, so it’s a safe bet as a gift. You can also feel good knowing that you picked out something beautiful and delicious that will be enjoyed and not relegated to a storage closet with all the “world’s best teacher” stuff. 😉

Do you have other teacher gift ideas to share? Let us know what you are doing for your kids’ teachers in the comments! 

Women Who Do: Reflections and Inspirations from This Year

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I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Influence Central for Vanity Fair Lingerie. I received product samples to facilitate my review and compensation to thank me for my participation.

As I think back on 2015 and personal opportunities that taught me the most, my ambassadorship with Vanity Fair comes first to mind. This partnership was really focused on Women Who Do. During my visit to NYC this summer we talked a lot about all the things that women do each day, whether it is in an office setting, behind the wheel of a minivan, or even both. Whatever our roles, we are working hard to better ourselves, and especially to better our families. And we need support in order to turn our dreams into a reality, because that saying that “it takes a village” is so very, very true. It’s intended meaning is about raising kids, but it’s also true when it comes to navigating this awesome but stressful world. We need each other.

vanity fair summit 7 Vanity Fair is a brand that gets it and that wants to be a meaningful part of the village for all women. One of the ways they do that is by working very hard to create bras that provide the right foundation for busy women. When you have the right fit and the right level of support, you feel comfortable and confident and are better poised for what the day might throw at you. I learned this year that one of the best gifts you can give to yourself this year is to get a proper bra fitting. Once you have the right size, go for a bra that offers the support you need. My personal favorites from the year are the Body Caress and the Flattering Lift. Try on a variety of options to find the style or styles that suit you best.  Now that I have experienced the Vanity Fair difference, this is my go-to brand for bras that can keep up with my daily life.

vanity fair bra

Yes, Vanity Fair makes bras and underwear that are of exceptional quality with cutting edge fabrics and on-trend colors. But I also choose Vanity Fair because this company has lifting women up in mind in more ways than one. I have been so impressed with Vanity Fair’s commitment to Dress for Success. This year they donated 50,000 bras to the nonprofit so that every woman going through the program could have the right foundation underneath her job interview suit and to go hand-in-hand with the training she receives at Dress for Success to help her be worthy of a promotion down the line. Helping women achieve economic independence is a gift to us all, because these women are not just bettering themselves; they are bettering the options for their families, too.

vanity fair summit 1 So when I get ready every morning and I select my Vanity Fair bra, I not only feel great about my own foundation, but I feel great knowing that I got to play a tangible role in bettering the foundation for another woman. My own personal purchases with Vanity Fair this year resulted in 2 bras being donated to Dress for Success through the BOGOGO promotion this fall. I’m thrilled that making a positive change in my wardrobe positively impacted  2 women in the Dress for Success program. I will never forget the commitment that Vanity Fair made to those women this year. That’s exactly the type of company I want to continue to support.

I feel honored to have been a voice for Women Who Do this year, and to introduce my readers to Vanity Fair and to the wonderful work they are doing to support us all, be it through stellar undergarments or through supporting women who are seeking new employment opportunities. Thank you, Vanity Fair, for being part of the village for all of us!

vanity fair summit 2

 

Educational Postcards in the Mail: Kiwi Bop Subscription

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Thanks to Kiwi Bop for providing product samples. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always. Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you.

Friends here’s a really fun stocking stuffer idea for any young readers on your list (or an inexpensive gift idea)! Check out Kiwi Bop Postcard Pals.

kiwi bop 1 This is an ideal gift for curious children who love to learn about new places and who love to see cool photographs. Each month, your child is sent 4 postcards from different postcard pals (there are 8 postcard pals that send notes…you hear from 4 of them each month). Each pal has something new and fun to show you from around the world (or even outer space!).

kiwi bop 2

The welcome kit ships immediately and at the start of each month to follow, you’ll get 4 more postcards! The postcards are on a high quality paper. In order to send them on to others as actual postcards, you might have to cover up a bit of the printed material, but that’s certainly doable. That could be a fun way for cousins to stay in touch with each other!

kiwi bop 3 A monthly subscription starts at just $3.59/month! You can order month by month, or get a 6-month membership or a 12-month membership. This might be just the thing you were looking for, so definitely check it out!

 

 

 

Thomas & Friends DVD Brought to Life with the TrackMaster™ Shipwreck Rails Set

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This post brought to you by Fisher-Price. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Stuff Parents Need.

Are you watching lots of fun family movies this time of year? We’ve been having family movie night almost every night so far this month! There are SO many great holiday movies to choose from, and there are also some great new releases out on DVD to check out.

We just watched this fun feature-length film, Thomas & Friends DVD, Sodor’s Legend of the Lost Treasure

photo thomas amp friends sodors legend of the lost treasure_zpsikxdqcct.jpg

This was a really fun flick; it was such a treat to snuggle on the couch with my girls and go on an adventure that combined the thrill of the rails AND the thrill of the sea! And Thomas certainly has a lot going on in this movie, as he discovers a lost pirate ship AND a lost treasure!

photo thomas amp friends movie_zps0fmupk9g.jpg

And after watching the movie, it was time to recreate it right in our living room, with help from the Thomas & Friends™ TrackMaster™ Shipwreck Rails Set from Fisher-Price

photo thomas amp friends shipwreck rails set_zpsravl7ptz.jpg

What a wild ride Thomas gets to go on with this set, friends! This track (which is compatible with all other TrackMaster rails, FYI) takes Thomas to new heights and throws him for quite a loop, too! He also gets to discover some hidden treasure as part of the adventure.

photo thomas amp friends 4_zpsaye6flll.jpg The girls have played nonstop with the set since watching the DVD. Their favorite thing to do is to send Thomas on that steep spiral spin, which he masterfully executes time after time! There is an auto-reset function that allows the spin to run over and over without interruption.

thomas & friends 3

The Thomas & Friends TrackMaster Shipwreck Rails set is recommended for ages 3 and up (adults or older children will be needed for assembly) and you can find it and the DVD at your nearest Walmart or at Walmart.com. What a perfect gift these items would be for the Thomas & Friends fan on your holiday gift list!

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THE Game for the Holidays: Pie Face!

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Thanks to Hasbro for providing Pie Face for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always. Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you.

You have likely seen the viral video of the grown man and little boy playing Pie Face! If not, here’s a link (it’s ok, I’ll wait!).

You guys, it’s just that funny to play! I laughed SO HARD the first time my husband got smacked in the face with some whipped cream. It was HILARIOUS!

pie face 2 And when it was my turn, I DIDN’T get hit in the face, which was so disappointing to Tim because he filmed the moment in slo-mo. Check it!

When you don’t get pie in your face. #hasbro #pieface

A video posted by Tiffany (@stuffparentsneed) on

The concept behind the game is very simple: the first person to get to 25 points wins. To earn points, simply spin the spinner. The number it lands on (2, 3, 4 or 5) is the number of clicks you have to turn the pie face machine with your face in it. If you are not hit with the “pie” (you just use whip cream) then you get double that amount of points. So if you did 5 clicks and didn’t get hit, you earned 10 points.

pie face 1 If you are feeling scared, you can opt for a lower number of clicks on your turn, but of course, that means fewer points to earn if you aren’t hit! Darah was brave enough to try the game (and she whooped and hollered and rolled on the floor laughing the entire time) but she only did 1 click each time it was her turn. She still got pie in her face, though! 🙂

This game is very basic, but oh so hilarious. It is the PERFECT choice for family gatherings over the holidays. Because the game is so popular, it’s tricky to find right now. I saw some on Amazon just yesterday for the reasonable price of $14.99, but they seem to be priced higher right now (Amazon prices fluctuate throughout the day). Hasbro also sells them, but they seem to be sold out at the moment.

You may want to try local brick and mortar stores like Walmart and Target. This is one not to miss. We are going to play it several more times during winter break, for sure!

(Giveaway!!!) 4 Words That Mattered the Most: The Best Advice I Received as a Parent

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This post brought to you by COUNTRY Financial®. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Stuff Parents Need.

It has been such a thrill to watch my little sister and her husband take on the challenge and experience the joy of becoming parents this year. There were SO many things I wanted to tell Laura about parenting while she was pregnant, but I kept my mouth shut on a number of subjects (which might shock her to hear because I’m sure I seemed like I never stopped dispensing my “wisdom”).

Frankly, there are just some lessons that come along with parenting that you have to live through to understand. People can (and will!) tell you over and over again, for example, how everything is going to change. And they are certainly right. But to really grasp that truth, you just have to experience that change for yourself.

photo advice for new moms_zpsegibqpon.jpg

But here’s one thing I can share with anyone out there who is currently expecting their first baby, or who recently became a parent, and that is that you need to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

These 4 words were gifted to me by my doula when I was in labor with my first child, and it was very appropriate for that particular event (there’s an understatement), but it was also true for every day that was to follow now that I was a parent.

Whether it’s something as simple as learning to keep that smile on your face during family photos while your little angel is filling up her diaper and then some (see below…way to keep that holiday spirit shining in the photo, mama!), or something more complex like figuring out what you want to do for school when the time comes, I can promise you that no matter how many parenting books you read, they won’t have every answer for you. You are sometimes simply going to have to wing it, go with your gut, and step out on faith that you are doing your best for your family.

photo christmas 2009 izea_zpsr0pdy1az.jpg

COUNTRY Financial® is a company that understands just how complicated life seems to get after a little one joins the ranks. They have been serving families through all life stages for 90 years, helping to make life easier in some way, including for new parents. Financially strong and highly rated by independent insurance rating agencies, COUNTRY Financial® is a group of US insurance and financial services offering a full suite of products that can help you right now, as you start your new family, as well as through the stages to come. They are well-suited to help make you more comfortable with some of those decisions you need to make to help protect your family.

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To qualify as a winner, you must reside in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin.

If you do live in one of those states, then enter to win

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Pressed for Time? Try This Genius Whipped Cream Hack for Store-Bought Goodies

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This post brought to you by DairyPure Milk. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Stuff Parents Need.

orange blossom whipped topping

I don’t know about you, but this is the time of year when I feel utterly at war with my to do list. Every morning I get out of bed and prepare for battle with a list that seems to get longer despite my best attempts to slash it. There just seem to be more needs than I can possibly fulfill, and that is stressful to say the least! I know many of you reading this can identify with this feeling.

But friends, let me tell you something I’ve learned: when you are feeling like too much is being asked of you, you might just find, as I have, that the person doing too much asking is yourself.

Here’s an example for you: this week I’ve been majorly stressing over a dessert I needed to provide for an event. How in the world was I going to find the time to find the perfect Pinterest-worthy recipe, make sure that I get it just right on the first try and then wow the crowd with its insanely awesome taste and look?

But when I sat down to really think it all through, I realized that the only person who was asking me to do all of those things was me. I really didn’t have time to create a new dessert from scratch this week, and so I gave myself permission to let the grocery store do the baking for me. I could provide a homemade topping that would take the flavor profile up a notch and save my sanity all at once.

So as a compliment to these store bought chocolate goodies I purchased, I made an AWESOME whipped topping. It only takes a few ingredients and a few minutes and it tastes extraordinary. I hope you enjoy this simple and delicious recipe for Orange Blossom Whipped Cream.

photo orange blossom whipped cream 1_zpsixbgk2zu.jpg Ingredients:

  • 1 cup DairyPure heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1tsp orange zest
  • 1 tsp orange flower water (found mine on Amazon!)

photo orange blossom water 6_zpsvsjv5kxs.jpg Begin by grating your orange peel using a zester.  This adds such great flavor and a bit of color to the recipe. If you don’t own a microplane zester, this is the one to get that will go the distance. I’ve had mine for a decade and it still works amazingly well.

photo orange blossom whip cream 5_zps4gchck5a.jpg Add all the remaining ingredients together with the orange zest in a mixing bowl and then mix on the highest setting of your mixer until stiff peaks are formed.

photo orange blossom whip cream 4_zpsiik9tfvi.jpg When the mixture is getting close to forming those peaks, give it a taste to see if the sweetness is to your liking. You can add a bit more sugar at this point if you desire.

photo orange blossom whip cream 3_zpsd23nn4ip.jpg Now all you need to do is add this to your dessert of choice! Yum!!!

photo orange blossom whip cream 2_zpsocn3xakc.jpg If you are in need of a simple and delicious solution to some of your holiday baking needs, give this recipe a try in conjunction with something store bought (I think it goes best with chocolate!). I hope this idea helped you take some of the stress out of your to do list this holiday season. For more simple and delicious ideas and to Learn more about DairyPure, check out the DairyPure website, as well as DairyPure on Facebook. You can also find DairyPure Recipe inspiration on Pinterest

Hang in there, friends!

(Giveaway!) More Fun Elf on the Shelf Ideas from Kohl’s

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Thanks to Kohl’s for providing products for review and the giveaway item. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I hope you enjoyed some of the Elf on the Shelf ideas I shared with you last week. I’ve got a few more fun (and easy!) ways you can have fun with your Elf on the Shelf in today’s post, and none of them involve making terrible messes or elaborate schemes. I like to keep it simple around here.

elf on the shelf outfit When my girls woke up this morning they found our Owen being just a smidge naughty (he’s playing in our television cords) but they also discovered that he has a new outfit! Kohl’s has the cutest Claus Couture collection, with several fun outfit options for your elf and for your elf pet!

elf on the shelf elves made me do it dish towel Owen has also been such a thoughtful house guest this week by bringing me, his hostess, a gift! Owen found this adorable “the elves made me do it” kitchen towel set at Kohl’s (and I saw his receipt…he got such a good deal!).

And next week, he’s going to surprise the girls one morning with a super fun gift just for them!

elf on the shelf bathtub stuff Yes, this fingerpaint bathtub set will be messy, but the kids will be in the bath, so they will wash off easily (and so will their canvas!).

We are having so much fun with Owen, and I am really loving this new tradition we are creating of having our elf provide some new fun holiday decor each year. If you don’t have an Elf on the Shelf, they really can be a whole lot of fun, so think about getting one. Our elf keeps us highly entertained. He even does a great Adele impression (call him Adelelf!).

Hello, it’s me. #Adelelf #elfontheshelf #adele

A photo posted by Tiffany (@stuffparentsneed) on

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a $100 gift card to Kohl’s. You can get your house all decked out with Elf on the Shelf gear and other holiday decor! 🙂
Kohls Gift Card

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