Stuff Parents Need - Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Over 100 Adorable Items $4.95 with Free Shipping!!!

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

Time to turn our attention to stocking stuffers, and boy do I have a great sale for you today from one of my favorite affiliates! If you order by 5pm MST today, your order will be shipped today or tomorrow from My Cents of Style and will reach you before Christmas. They have over 100 items on mega markdown today only. They are listed at $5.50 each, but if you use code STOCKING the price goes down to $4.95 each. Shipping is totally free!!! You’ll find shoes, scarves, jewelry and much more!

Fashion Tuesday- Stocking Stuffers- $4.95 & FREE SHIPPING with Code STOCKING.

What It’s Like to Cruise: My Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas Experience

December 16, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 8 Comments

Friends, I have so many things I want to tell you about my very first experience going on a cruise. In November, I went on a press trip with Royal Caribbean, and explored all that there is to do on one of their truly remarkable ships, Freedom of the Seas.

In particular, I want to talk about how easy Royal Caribbean makes it to be gleefully entertained, how fantastic the kids programming is, how memorable all the meals really are (the food is every bits as good as they say it is!). And I want to talk about the most important thing that I learned: how critical it is for parents with children to spend time away from home AND away from their kids, together.

I’ve got separate posts headed your way over the next few months dedicated to each of these topics. For today, though, I want to introduce you to Freedom of the Seas, and if you have never cruised before, to give you a taste of what Royal Caribbean has to offer. We were told that cruising would give us an opportunity to feel pampered and to be very entertained, but we never could have imagined how a vacation could so easily provide wow after #Royalwow.

Accommodations

We stayed in a Deluxe Ocean Stateroom, which offered two twin beds that easily become a king, a small sitting area, private bathroom with shower, and most importantly, a small private balcony. The couch also converts to a bed to accommodate extra guests. The room was quite spacious for 2, and we could have squeezed in our two kids here, though it would have become decidedly less comfy if we had done that. When we cruise with our kids later (and we totally will…can’t wait to tell you about what they have on board for kids!), we will likely spring for a larger room.

The Ship Interior

The interior of the ship was, in a word, magnificent. It honestly felt like a floating city; very easy to forget that you were actually on a boat as opposed to at a resort complex on land! Freedom of the Seas has a main thoroughfare with what feels like a small, beautiful mall inside of it, with shops, specialty bars and places to eat.

It also has countless “tucked away” spots just like this one, where you can relax, have a drink, and just enjoy your surroundings. When we set sail, every single stateroom on the ship was booked, which means that we had somewhere around 3,000 passengers on the ship, not counting the 1,360 crew members. And yet, Tim and I were able to find place after place to steal away and be by ourselves, or at least not in a huge crowd. I have no idea how that was even possible, but I have been told that it is by design. The ship is overflowing with little nooks for people to find and enjoy in peace and quiet. This was one of the things that surprised and delighted me the very most about cruising. I assumed before going that it would feel like going on vacation with 3,000 strangers. But it doesn’t!

This is where we ate most of our meals. I mean, c’mon! The dining room was nothing short of spectacular. I felt so very spoiled just getting to dine here night after night. And the food. YOU GUYS. I have a whole future post dedicated to the topic, because it is just that worthy! 🙂

Entertainment

The Freedom of the Seas is a gorgeous ship, and it is perfectly appointed to encourage relaxation and pure enjoyment. But if you want to be entertained as well as to be relaxed, then don’t you worry: Royal Caribbean is ready for you!

Every single night they have amazing shows in their theater. We saw a Broadway review, incredible live musical performances, dancers, and a comedian (admittedly, he was offensive and I didn’t like him, but I guess that’s sort of the deal with comedians…). We even caught an afternoon 3D movie (The Croods! I’ve been wanting to see it for a while but I NEVER get to go to the movies!). I thought that the level of talent we got to enjoy on the ship was absolutely astounding. And as you can see, the theater can hold a lot of people, yet it still feels intimate. We had a great seat for every single performance, because there’s no such thing as a bad seat in the house!

We also got to try our hand at ice skating. That’s right, Freedom of the Seas has an ice skating rink. And as you can see, I was a total natural. I took one lap around the rink, gave myself a killer bruise on my arm (see picture above), and then retired my skates and decided to let the professionals take the ice.

Did you know that Royal Caribbean is one of the largest employers of ice skaters in the world? Their performers put on an incredible show for us. The house was totally packed for their shows; it was the most “crowded” I felt during the whole trip, and even then, it felt like no big deal. We were seated quickly and it only took a few minutes to get out of the theater afterwards. And best of all, no traffic to deal with to drive back home! In fact, we walked from the show straight to a fabulous dinner. What a vacation, people!!!

If you want something a little more “low key” then just play some board games with other folks on the ship. We took part in a really fun organized game of Apples to Apples. Evidently we aren’t the only fans of this game, as about 100 people showed up to play! In addition to organized group games, they also have a special room on the ship just for playing games at your leisure! Tim and I played a quick round of scrabble, and there was a fierce game of rummy happening one table over from us. Those ladies looked serious!

Arts/Culture

Or maybe art is more up your alley. TheCEO of Royal Caribbean is a huge fan of art, and his love really shows on the ships, which are full of beautiful pieces you can enjoy. There’s even an art auction on board so you can take home a treasure! We sat in on a very interesting art lecture while on the ship, too. See? Something for everyone!

I even managed to stumble upon a cooking demonstration, happening right in front of one of the main buffets on the ship. I watched the highly skilled chefs on board, I learned a few new techniques, and I got to sample the yummy end result. It really blew me away how many exciting and fun opportunities were waiting around every corner.

Work It Out

For those of you who like to work on your fitness, the views from these treadmills are quite spectacular. The workout facility also has a boxing ring (!) and an aerobics room for classes like yoga, pilates, and step aerobics. I almost got on one of those treadmills just so that I could workout in such a beautiful setting.

Almost….

Instead, I spent some very relaxing time in the sauna and steam rooms available in the fitness center. That’s got to be the best way EVER to work up a sweat. Seriously though, this was one of my very favorite moments on board: quiet, calm, warm, and relaxing. Growing up, I actually had a sauna in my house. It is SOOOOOO random, and not at all indicative of my income bracket. It just so happens that the person my parents bought the house from was “that guy” (you know, the upper-middle aged bachelor with a hairy chest, a gold chain around his neck, and a sauna in his master suite). I haven’t been in a sauna in 15 years (my parents use the space as storage! Ack!). It felt like going home, honestly.

Quantum of the Seas

While on the ship I also got to learn more about the ship that Royal Caribbean is currently building. It is called the Quantum of the Seas and I want to vacation on it SO BAD!!!!

So that would be bumper cars that you are seeing in this rendering. Bumper cars at sea. I think I could hang with that a bit better than the ice capades “incident” I had on the rink. Run into someone else on purpose? I got this!!!

That same area will also transform into a full basketball court. And I cannot WAIT to watch folks dribbling the ball on the high seas! Hee hee! Seriously though, the sports and fitness center on this ship is going to be second to none. Just imagine what the rest of the ship is going to look like!

What I Love About Cruising

I was so impressed with the Royal Caribbean staff, and the thoughtfulness behind the design of the ship. I spend 4 nights and 5 days without a care in the world, and without feeling like I was part of a big crowd. My experience on the ship was one of luxury and leisure. “Freedom,” indeed, is what I felt on this ship. Free to do as I pleased, when I pleased, and to always BE pleased. The staff made sure every moment was a #RoyalWow, and I had a blast. It was my first cruise, and there’s no way it will be my last!

Pull-Ups Training Pants: Our First Experience and a High Value Coupon!

December 14, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pull-Ups® Training Pants. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always!

So Layah has been dutifully sitting on the potty for a few months now. Sometimes she uses it. Sometimes she doesn’t.

And our cloth diaper load hasn’t shrunk one little bit, though perhaps the used diapers are less “used” after each use. I seem to remember the same thing happening to Darah. I basically felt like I was getting the short end of the stick, as all that time spent in the bathroom wasn’t yielding fewer diaper changes.

That all changed with Darah when I stepped up the potty training and got us on a schedule. I only had one child at that point in time, so it was within my powers to be a bit more organized and on top of things. Oh for the glory days when I could remember my last name and to make dinner for my family (I regularly forget now on both accounts, true story).

Anyway, this time around, I need a little assistance, so I’ve been looking for an app. I was even willing to pay for one (shocking, I know), but guess what? Pull-Ups® has a totally free potty training app that rocks my socks off!

It has several great features, but the ones we are using regularly now are the potty timer (we are currently going every 90 minutes) and the big kid checklist. Layah is old enough to understand and appreciate night time rituals, and the checklist we go through helps to get her on the potty one last time before bed.

We never even used Pull-Ups with Darah when potty training, so this is my very first time to purchase this product. Since Layah is much more “hands on”, though, I think they are the right fit for her. She really likes to practice dressing and undressing, so being able to pull down and pull up her training pants is going to be something she will enjoy. She’s ready to start her big kid training, I do believe! Since Pull-Ups come in specific types based on gender and size, I went with the 2T/3T package that had Ariel and characters from Monsters, Inc. on it. I appreciate that not everything in the package is princesses!

I’m very impressed with the resources Pull-Ups® offers to help parents start and successfully complete the potty training process. Between the app and the , there are numerous tips, resources, games, and celebration ideas to get things moving along!

$3.00 Off Coupon for Pull-Ups!

When you register on the Pull-Ups® website, you have access to a great $2.00 off coupon on a package of Pull-Ups® Training Pants (Jumbo Pack or larger). Since I just purchased my very first package of Pull-Up® s, I can tell you that they cost right around $20, so a coupon is really helpful!

But you can upgrade your $2.00 off coupon to a $3.00 off coupon if you share the coupon via social media (Twitter, Facebook). You save money, and your friends who are also buying Pull-Ups® can save, too. Everybody wins!!!

How to Register on the Site

Head on over to the , and create a username and password. Then you’ll be asked to provide some additional information about your child. Once you have completed those two steps, you will have arrived at Big Kid Academy on their site!

Take some time to explore Big Kid Academy. It is overflowing with excellent ideas to help parents who are at every stage of potty training to develop a plan that works great for your child.

You’ll also see a page titled Coupon Share Pants, and that is where you will find the $2.00 off coupon, as well as instructions for gaining access to the .

Even if you aren’t personally helping a child with potty training, if you know someone who is, print this coupon off for them, as it is really high value and will be much appreciated!

Parent Resource

Edit: And if you are seeking a helpful resource so that your potty training experience is brief, I highly recommend fellow blogger Becky Mansfield’s Potty Train in a Weekend. It’s not a resource I knew about when we were going through this, but based on the feedback readers give the book, I really wish I had! I hope it helps!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pull-Ups® Training Pants. Save up to $3 on your next purchase of Pull-Ups® by registering at the .

LEGO Takes “Family Building” Activity to a New Level!

December 13, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

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

Anyone else out there have some LEGO products all set to go under the tree this year? We've got one en route to use from an online order at the moment, and I can't wait to give it to our youngest to play with, and yeah, let's be real, I want to play with it, too!

Right now you actually CAN do really fun family building exercise with LEGO products, and I mean that quite literally! Check out the LEGO Minifigure Family experience, wher eyou can custom create a minifigure family to represent your own. You can customize the skin color, facial expressions, the clothing options, and even the scene. I just made one to celebrate the holidays and to send out to loved ones. Check out my crew, LEGO-style!

It only takes a minute or two to make your minifigure family, but if you are like me, you'll want to take your time so you can pick out the perfect outfit. I men, c'mon, I am rocking a cat sweater over here, and Tim's in a Santa top, Darah's got some sort of crazy bejeweled outfit going on, and Layah is dressed like a gingerbread man.

And I barely scratched the surface of the wardrobe options, people. So much fun!

Pop on over and put together a LEGO version of your own family. It's free, easy, fun, and makes for a clever alternative to holiday cards if you are running short on time to get yours out!

Gift Ideas for Those Working on Their Fitness!

December 13, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Truthfully, there aren’t very many things that I miss about Memphis, which was my home city off and on for 10 years. But one thing I do miss VERY much, is their awesome water. Memphis sits atop a fantastic aquifer, and as a result, has some of the best tap water in the entire country. It tastes awesome! I never understood how bottled water makers ever sold anything in that city.

Chattanooga’s water, in comparison, tastes a little gross. Maybe not to everyone, but I was so spoiled by the water in Memphis that I feel like I’m taking a big swig of chemicals whenever I drink water from the tap here. Yuck.

That’s why I’m loving the Fit Top bottle. It is a water bottle that comes with its own filtration system. Not only that, but it also has a separate hole in the top, totally separate from the filter, where you can add anything you might like to add to the water (Crystal Light, energy shots, lemon, whatever).

My tap water tastes infinitely better after I run it through the Fit Top filter. But I still like to add a little lemon to my water to give it some zing. It’s a great product, and it is getting me to start drinking water again. Yay!

If you’ve got a health nut, a gym rat, or someone looking to make 2014 their year to get more serious about their health, then the Fit Top bottle is a great choice. No matter where you go, you’ve always got a way to have fresh, clean, delicious water! The 14 ounce bottles are $19.99 and the 24 ounce bottles are $24.99. They come in 3 different colors (red, blue and green).

How’s the water taste in your town? I’m curious to hear!

Fabulous Last-Minute Christmas Gift for Her (Under $10!)

December 13, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

My Cents of Style has got a great offer today for Fashion Friday! Use code CHEVRON8 to get these infinity scarves for $7.95. Shipping is FREE!!!! Scarves will be mailed out this weekend and early next week to ensure that they arrive in plenty of time to get wrapped. Get on it, shoppers! 17 colors available!

Fashion Friday- 12/13/13- Chevron Infinity Scarf- $7.95 & FREE SHIPPING with Code CHEVRON8

Healthy Tuna Recipes: Mediterranean Tuna Salad with #OceanNaturals

December 12, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 5 Comments

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop about healthy tuna recipes has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Discovering Ocean Naturals Tuna

Last week I had to pick up some items at Walmart for holiday prep (we finally ran out of gift tags…about 8 years ago I purchased approximately 1.5 million tags at a 90% off sale). Anyway, I also wanted to get some ingredients so that I could make some healthy tuna recipes to keep in the fridge for snacking throughout the day. I’m definitely a grazer, and it is up to me to make sure I have tasty and healthy options at hand so that I don’t find myself working through a bag of chocolate chips. Not that I’ve ever done that, or anything.

I spotted a new tuna product on the shelves called Ocean Naturals and I was definitely intrigued. It is responsibly caught tuna that doesn’t contain any additives or fillers. What you find when you open a can is wild premium tuna, a dash of salt, and water or oil, depending on which can you purchased. You can even learn more about where the specific tuna you are eating came from by visiting http://oceannaturals.com/my-tuna/ and entering the code on the can. That’s pretty awesome, if I do say so, myself!

Ocean Naturals is good, good for you, and good for the planet. It’s affordable, too, so into my shopping cart it went. When I got home, I put together a dish that would wow my taste buds. I chose a few ingredients that really packed a punch in the flavor department, and the end result, if I do say so myself, was naturally delicious and AWESOME!

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

serves: 18 as an appetizer or 6 as a main dish

(1) 14.5 oz can chicken broth
1/4 cup water
(2) cups couscous
(1) head broccoli florets (roughly 3 cups), cut into bite-size pieces
(2) 6 oz cans Ocean Naturals tuna in water, drained (I used Skipjack)
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles, plus more for topping
1/3 cup olive oil
2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt

1. Bring broth and water to a boil in a stock pot. Once boiling, add couscous, stir, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 12-15 minutes, and then remove pot from heat, open the lid, and stir the couscous every few minutes to help it cool down.

2. While the couscous is cooking, place broccoli florets in a microwave-safe dish, add 2 Tbsp of water, cover, and microwave for 2 1/2 minutes.

3. After the couscous is no longer hot (warm is ok), transfer it to your serving bowl. Add broccoli, tuna, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, and 1/4 cup feta cheese. Stir to combine.

4. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a bowl. Once mixed together, pour over the dish, then give it another good stir to combine. Add additional feta cheese on top, if desired. Serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.

Free Tuna Alert!

Ocean Naturals is currently holding a Tuna Tuesdays Facebook giveaway, and their readers are winning free product, so you should get in on that by heading over to their Facebook page! There are 12 winners every week, and you should be one of them!

A Little Pinspiration

If you are looking for more tuna recipes that can help you put together healthy lunches or healthy dinners, you’ll find a TON of inspiration on Pinterest! Check it out and pin your favorites!

Best Tech Gifts for the “Hard to Shop For” People On Your List! #OneBuyForAll

December 11, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 6 Comments

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop for cool gifts at Best Buy has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.

A few days ago I headed over to Best Buy on a very specific mission: I wanted to find the hottest tech gifts for people on my list who are really hard to shop for (that would be my husband, Tim). Best Buy was my tech gift center choice because I really like how their stores are organized, which makes it easy for folks like me who aren’t super tech-savvy to navigate the floor and find what they need. Additionally, there are employees in every section who have specialized knowledge of the products in those sections, and they do a great job of answering questions and showing you what you think you might be looking for, as well as a few alternatives that might also fit the bill.

Before I headed to the store, I checked out what cool gifts are currently trending as the most popular. While the top 10 list did have some fluctuation depending on when I checked it, I definitely noticed that a few different things stood out from the crowd. Let me show you the highlights!

Samsung Galaxy

So this seems to be a VERY hot ticket product line this holiday season! My Best Buy was offering a KILLER deal on a Samsung Galaxy S4 plus a Samsung Galaxy Tab plus your choice of another accessory. Just $309.98!!! I mean, seriously. I stood there for several minutes trying to figure out if I should go drop my iPhone in the toilet “accidentally.” I didn’t do it, but I’ve never considered it more seriously than I did in that moment, people! The Samsung Galaxy seems to be the smartest of the smartphones, and one that everyone is loving. So if you’ve got a little more to spend on your “hard to shop for” person and they are due for a phone upgrade, it doesn’t get any sweeter than this. And for the James Bond types out there, definitely check out that sweet Samsung Galaxy Tab watch. It is nuts!

Apple Products

Even though I debated ending the life of my iPhone, I can’t really hate on Apple, because their products are just so unbelievably amazing. For example, I have the first generation of the iPad, and I think it is fabulous (except for its inability to take photos). One of the helpful Best Buy employees snapped a shot of my shock as I picked up the newest iPad. It is so light! Priced at $499, it would make one showstopper of a Christmas gift under anyone’s tree! I know I’m supposed to be shopping for Tim here, but I can’t help but feel as though I need to start singing, “Santa baby, just slip an iPad Air under the tree, for me!”

Getting back on track and thinking about what my husband would like, I spotted (heck, how could I miss it?) the largest monitor in the store. Tim is a planner by profession, and he is often looking at and making maps. He needs a big screen to get his work done. This would be an absolutely mind-blowing gift for him, and if money were no object, it would have gone home with me on the spot. At $1,799, I had to take a pass on it, so if that’s within your budget, well then, there’s one available at the Best Buy in Chattanooga! Ha!

Ok, so for those of us with more “modest” budgets, you simply can’t go wrong with an iTunes gift card. They fit any budget and allow the recipient to have a HUGE range of options to use it on, from apps to movies and music, or if you are like me, moving up to the next level in Candy Crush. I’m so embarrassed that I just admitted that, so let’s move on!

Best “Bang for your Buck”

Y’all, forgive the crazy faces I make. What can I say? I get overly excited when I see a great deal! I was super impressed with the Windows Tablet that Best Buy currently has for $299. It detaches from the keyboard, so you can use it like a traditional laptop or like a tablet, and it comes with Windows Office. Let me tell you, this is not something I need, but it is most definitely something I want! And if we didn’t already have a Chromebook (purchased earlier this year at…wait for it…Best Buy!) I would have come home with this and put it under the tree for ~~myself~~ Tim.

Small Appliances

If your loved one likes coffee, even just a little, then you can’t go wrong with a Keurig! My machine is one of my BFFs throughout the day, as it makes me cup after cup of perfectly perfect coffee. Best Buy even has a holiday K-cup package you can purchase to go along with it. I’ve already got the coffee maker, but I don’t have all those yummy holiday flavors! Jeez…I CAN’T stop shopping for myself!!!!

Stocking Stuffers

I thought these gloves were the perfect thing to go in Tim’s stocking this year. They’re actually perfect for anyone who has to live through a few cold months each year, and who is glued to their smartphone, as you can operate your devices without taking these gloves off!

I also picked up a pair of ear buds for Tim. He seems to lose track of his from time to time, and Best Buy had a fantastic selection at a variety of price points. These were under $15!

And you can never go wrong with a Best Buy gift card! I found a really nice selection right by the front register. In fact, there’s never been a better time to purchase one, thanks to the Give It To Win It gift card promotion. Best Buy is rewarding the gift-giver every day starting today through December 24th. If you purchase a $25 or higher gift card, in-store or online, you can scan/enter your gift card number through the Best Buy app or by going to www.bestbuy.com/givetowin /ref=70&loc=12. Entering your number gets you a chance to win a sweet daily prize! They are giving away (5) $500 Best Buy gift cards, (10) $100 Best Buy gift cards, (40) $50 Best Buy gift cards, and best of all, (1) $10,000 Best Buy gift card (!!!!!!!).

Best Buy is my go-to gift center because has so many great ways to help you shop for something awesome this holiday season. From the trending products site to the great in-store customer service, you are sure to find something that will fit the bill for the person who is so hard to buy for. Best Buy is even partnering with Google on December 17th for a Google+ “shoppable hangout” that you can view through YouTube or Google+. It’s going to be all about last minute shopping, and is sure to be helpful!

$200 Paypal Giveaway: #BloggersGiveBack

December 11, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

You might want to head over to my Instagram account and check out what I just posted there. It’s for $200, entering is pretty easy, and the winner will get the money before Christmas!

Check it out, and good luck!