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

Halloween Treat Idea for the Savory Fans Out There

October 9, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

This post brought to you by Sam’s Club. All opinions are 100% mine.

My husband craves salty and savory snacks much more often than he craves something sweet.

I cannot relate to this feeling, people. I mean, I crave salty stuff, too, but there’s ALWAYS room in my tummy for something sweet!

But the truth is, not everyone feels this way. This is even the case for trick-or-treaters. And if you are looking to give a little help to the kids out there who will be ringing your doorbell October 31st and who don’t have a sweet tooth, but you don’t want to be “that house” that gives out treat bags with baby carrots in them, then I have a suggestion!

photo CheetosCube_zps7b3f6e82.jpeg

Right now at Sam’s Club you can find a spooky Cheetos® Halloween cube, filled with 65 individual treat bags that glow in the dark. That makes them an awesome treat that will stand out from the candy crowd! And when it comes time for trick-or-treaters to sit down with each other and start swapping candy (one of my favorite things to do on Halloween night!), I think kids are going to keep a tight grip on their Cheetos®!

These bags also are perfect for school events, the office, and even packed lunches this month. Basically, they are a cube full of fun, and a welcome relief for the kids, young and young at heart, who wish they had something savory to snack on!

In addition to finding the Cheetos® cube at Sam’s Club, you can also keep up with the Cheetah’s latest adventures by following Cheetos on Facebook as well as Cheetos on Twitter.

Do you have any savory snackers in your family?

Putting a Baby Mirror in the Back Seat: What Took Me So Long?

October 9, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 8 Comments

Special thanks to Prince Lionheart for providing the baby mirror for review. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own. This post may contain affiliate links.

Now that we have a baby mirror in the back seat of our car, I absolutely cannot believe I have never had one before.

For the past month, we have had the Prince Lionheart Baby viewMIRROR, and it has been a total game changer.

Prior to having this mirror installed, I would rely on my 4-year-old, Darah to tell me what was going on with baby Layah if she was unusually fussy or unusually quiet. And when I didn’t have Darah in the car, I would just have to hurl myself around to check on her whenever I was stopped at a traffic light.

Now if I want to see what she’s doing, I just glance in my rearview mirror. There she is!

The Prince Lionheart Baby viewMIRROR comes in an understated color, to blend in better with your car upholstery. I really appreciate that, because goodness knows I’ve got plenty of bold, bright colors everywhere else! It also has two caribbeaners to hold toys. Your child might enjoy being able to kick the toys with his/her feet, but I’ll tell you that this feature just annoyed Layah, because she wanted to be able to grab the toys with her hands. Only she couldn’t, on account of her car seat.

Layah is now 17 months old, and we want to keep her rear-facing until she is 2. I believe that the mirror is going to be absolutely critical in making this happen. She loves to look at herself in it and laugh at her reflection. It helps keep her mind off the fact that she can’t really see much of what is going on around her, and gives her something to focus on.

So, is this a necessary item? Of course not. But now that I have used this one, this is most definitely an item that I would highly recommend to first time parents, because it is one that I wish I had owned from the very beginning. And you guys, as of the day I wrote this, it is on sale at Amazon for less than $14! I mean, c’mon. Total bargain for how much you will get out of it. Promise!

Do you have a baby mirror in your back seat? Wish you did? How do you check on your little ones that are turned around?

Comfort Food Recipes: 31 Days of Unforgettable Recipes

October 9, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Please welcome fellow Reynolds Real Mom and comfort food EXPERT (trust me…she makes all kinds of delicious things on her blog that will bring a smile to your face and tummy!), Emily. She certainly didn’t disappoint with this comfort food round-up!

I am on the verge of begging Fall to hurry up and get here already! I am so over the hot summer days, and ready for a little rain, falling leaves, pumpkin and apple treats, an the list goes on. I have even been breaking out some of my favorite comfort foods that just beg for Fall weather. Of course, when one needs cheering up, comfort food can be eaten anytime of year, but I often think of warm casseroles, soups, homemade breads, and foods that just warm the belly and the soul. I thought I’d share a roundup of some of my favorite comfort foods, and others that I’m dying to try!

Comfort Foods

1. Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

2. Turkey Potpie

3. Company Chicken Casserole

4. Creamy White Bean Stew

5. Roasted Sweet Corn and Tomato Soup

6. Chicken and Dumplings

7. Chili Tortellini

8. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

9. Homemade Cinnamon Bread

10. Grandmother’s Buttermilk Cornbread

Emily is a blogger over at Cleverhousewife.com. She is a college graduate and is a mother of 4 little redheads. She loves to cook, bake, travel, and laugh with her family.

Want to see the entire 31 Days of Unforgettable Recipes series? Just click the banner below to see the full list!

Finding “Singable” Books Online: Bookboard Makes It Easy!

October 8, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

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

Layah, my 17 month-old daughter, LOVES to sing songs. She also loves to read books. So a book that contains words that can be sung is pretty much her Holy Grail.Bookboard, our favorite way to read books, has an entire collection of singable books, and we’ve been adding them to our library to enjoy.

The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Wheels on the Bus are already favorites of her, so I was very excited to see them offered on Bookboard. In addition to the great library of books available for perusal, you’ll also find dozens of curated collections. These can help you find just the right material for your child depending on their interests (oceans, outer space, and favorite non-fiction finds are just a few examples!).I introduced you to Bookboard last month (check out the post here if you missed it), and I’m excited to get to talk with you about it again. We are still loving the subscription, and I still believe it is one of the very best values in a subscription service that I have yet to see! If you subscribe for 6 months, you pay just $4.99 each month for access to SO MANY books! Darah and I have read over 50 books in the last month, and we didn’t have to haul any of them back and forth from the library, nor did I have to fork over any money for them beyond my subscription fees. Darah is treated to new books every single night before bed. And if I’m being completely honest, it is a treat for the parents, too! I get tired of reading the same books over and over, so it is really nice to always have something fresh and new to read!

If you have a tablet, then this children’s digital subscription library really is a must. Bookboard offers a 100% free trial that is very generous (we read 14 different books before ours ended!) and you don’t even have to give them your credit card information for the free trial. You have absolutely nothing to lose!

Why would they do that? Because they know what they are offering is SO worth the subscription price, but they want you to see for yourself with absolutely no risk! We use this service on our iPad more than any other and I think it is an awesome find!

What are your kids loving to read lately? I’d love to hear!

Cupcake Decorating Ideas: 16 EASY Ideas to Try!

October 8, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 5 Comments

I always find myself looking for cupcake decorating ideas a few times each year (usually for birthdays and special school events for the kids). Pinterest has no shortage of photos and tutorials of beautifully decorated cupcakes, to be sure. But here’s the thing: I need ideas that look cute and that require very minimal time, skills and special equipment. So that knocks out about 95% of the options I see! For my future reference, and for yours, I have come up with a list of 16 EASY cupcake decorating ideas. I hope these help you out when you are looking for some practical ideas!

Amanda Krueger via photopin cc

Cute and Clever Toppings:

DIY Mikey Mouse Silhouettes, MomDot

Rootbeer Float Cupcakes, My Sweet Sanity

Monkey Cupcakes, Simply Budgeted

Fruit toppings:

Strawberry Mimosa Cupcakes, Oh My Veggies

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Icing, She’s Got Flavor

Red, White and Blue Cupcakes, About.com

Candy Toppings

WHOPPERS Chocolate Malt Cupcakes, Food, Family & Finds

OREO Stuffed Cupcakes, Food, Family & Finds

Icing Made Easy

Make Your Own Icing Bag, Sensibly Sara

Surprises Inside

Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes, A Hen’s Nest

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes, Clever Housewife

Pineapple Cheesecake Cupcakes, She’s Got Flavor

Different Baking Cup Ideas

Themed Cupcake Wrappers, Stuff Parents Need

Making Cupcakes in a Heart Shape, Clever Housewife

Parchment Paper Turned Into Baking Cups, Stuff Parents Need

Square Cupcakes, Food, Family & Finds

Want to see the entire 31 Days of Unforgettable Recipes series? Just click the banner below to see the full list!

My Top 5 Holiday Card Options From Tiny Prints (Giveaway!)

October 7, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 138 Comments

Thanks to Tiny Prints for providing gift codes for review and for giveaway. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

I need your help, readers! I need to decide which I will be ordering this year. I have it narrowed down to 5. Which one is your favorite? I’ll make it worth your while to tell me: I’ve got a $50 Tiny Prints gift code up for grabs! (Details below).

It is so hard to narrow it down, you guys! Tiny Prints has SO many cool options, including all these great new designs for 2013 (Contemporary, Classic, Vintage, Full bleed photos, All That Glitters, Bold Expressions, Simply Chic, Woodland Wonder & The New Tradition). And once you find the right style for you, then you’ve got to check out all the new trim options: square, round, bracket, ticket and scallop! And of course, Tiny Prints offers matching address labels and envelope liners to ensure that your holiday card is every bit as much fun for the recipient to open as it was for you to send!

Ok, so here are the cards I’m considering, in no particular order. I customized the colors and the trim in each case to my own preferences. So much fun!

Holiday Card Options:

1. Swell Swirls Black Flat Holiday Card

2. Sequined Season White Flat Holiday Card

3. Wishful Wonderment

4. Golden Greetings: Gunmetal Flat Holiday Card

5. Wonderfully Cozy White Flat Holiday Card

While you are trying to decide which of the 5 you like the best, here are a few tips for you:

Don’t miss out on the Pinning Party ™ hosted by Tiny Prints tomorrow, October 8, at 2pm EST. RSVP here! Lots of fun prizes up for grabs! And also be sure to check out the great . I don’t know about you, but my parents have asked for pictures of their grandbabies for Christmas. Tiny Prints can help me put together something extra special for them!

Ok, ready to vote? And maybe to win???

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a gift code that is good for $50 off your total order, as well as free shipping! That ought to put you in the holiday spirit!

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Two Fantastic New Releases from Scholastic (Giveaway!)

October 7, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 104 Comments

Special thanks to Scholastic for providing these fun DVDS for review and giveaway. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Today I have a fun hodgepodge of new releases from our favorite DVD source, Scholastic!

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First up, let’s talk all things Halloween! Scholastic has just released a 3 disc set of Halloween favorites that are sure to get your kids talking! Definitely check out the Halloween Stories Collection, Volume 2. You’ll find witches and skeletons, and also a lot of fun and bravery. My 4-year-old is able to watch everything on the set without freaking out, just to give you a litmus test of the “scary factor.”

I think Darah and I both have the same favorite video on the set, and that is the Day of the Dead. Darah really enjoys seeing the dancing and instrument-playing skeletons, and it also gave us the opportunity to talk about another culture, as well as what happens to people when they die. Being able to talk about celebrating the memory of others seemed to really resonate with her, which got me thinking that we need to do a little Dia de los Muertos celebration of our own, this year!

This DVD set retails for $24.95 and provides some great stories for this time of year! I definitely recommend it. It would be fun to show at a sleepover! 🙂

I have two other great DVDs to share as well! Children Make Terrible Pets, and More Stories About Family (ARV $14.95) is SO cute, you guys! The title story is all about a bear who finds a young human and wants to keep it as a pet. Her mother tries to warn her that children make terrible pets, but this is one lesson she has to learn on her own. Darah thought it was absolutely hilarious. Such a fun one….great for the stocking!

And last, but certainly not least, there’s a new Mo Willems DVD out!!! Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late is, like all the pigeon tales, quite funny. But the real treasure in this set, in my opinion, is Knuffle Bunny Free. I’m not going to give away too much about this story, but I’m going to be real with you guys and tell you that I BAWLED my eyes out while watching it. Darah did not…so please know that it isn’t horrifically sad. It just struck one heck of a chord with me as a parent, thinking about my own child growing up a little bit. I’m actually tearing up just thinking about it now. It is such a sweet, touching story. MUST WATCH! This one also retails for $14.95 and should be required viewing. Just sayin’.

Win it!: Let’s do a giveaway for TWO winners, today! One will win the Halloween set, and the other will win the Children Make Terrible Pets and Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late discs.

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7 Grill Recipes You Will LOVE! (31 Days of Unforgettable Recipes)

October 7, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Hello! My name is Sarah and I blog over at Bombshell Bling. I post about a little bit of everything—recipes, holidays, jewelry, baby headbands, home decor, and more! Please come visit me and say hi! I am so excited to be posting here today all about great grilling recipes, the first of which is my family’s favorite chicken recipe. It is so simple and so yummy! Mama’s Sweet Marinade Chicken from Bombshell Bling (formerly Craft Quickies)

Korean Grilled Flanken Ribs from Sweet C’s Designs

Grilled Summertime Pizza from White House Black Shutters

E asy Grilled Salmon from No. 2 Pencil
Red Robin Copycat California Chicken Sandwich from Bombshell Bling (formerly Craft Quickies)

Didn’t Sarah do an awesome job? I’m definitely feeling tempted to do some fall grilling, now! And I just wanted to add in a few of my own favorites for the grill, including a surprisingly delicious farmer’s market pesto, and a latin-indian fusion taco recipe that includes a killer marinade for chicken. Perfect for grilling! Enjoy!

Want to see the entire 31 Days of Unforgettable Recipes series? Just click the banner below to see the full list!

SUPER Simple Candy Halloween Crafts

October 6, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 6 Comments

I’m excited to be partnering with Hershey’s and Global Influence today for this fun Halloween crafts exercise! Chocolates were provided. Crafting wizardry is my own!

If you have been a reader of mine for a while, then you may be surprised to hear me talking about crafts on the site.

Because this girl is NOT crafty. I’m not down on myself about it. I have lots of other gifts and talents! But I seem to be especially gifted at messing up any and all craft projects.

This was the basis for my Halloween craft plan: it needs to be REALLY REALLY easy! And my friends, with the help of my local dollar store (because I’m thrifty like that…) I have come up with 3 cute ideas that can help you get your craft on, get your Halloween spirit on, and of course, get your chocolate on! Which is the whole point of Halloween, after all.

First up is the most complicated of the 3 crafts. But that doesn’t mean it is hard!

DIY Chocolate Spider Web Door Wreath

My local dollar store has these web-shaped place mats. They also have sparkly pipe cleaners, which I wove around the web just to make it more festive and fun (the goal here is FUN, not perfection!). And to make my spider, I took a Cadbury Screme Egg, and wrapped 4 purple pipe cleaners around the egg, and then around the back of the web to hold it in place. Then I just arranged the pipe cleaners to look like legs. And the spider has a Hershey Bar dangling from its silk. It caught something yummy! You can hang this on your door, or keep it somewhere inside your house if you don’t trust your postal carrier not to eat your spider ;-).

Witch Treat Holder

In order to keep our candy consumption under control, we needed something in our house that would limit the available treats. When I spotted this cute witch (only $1!) I had an idea. I took part of a Halloween Kit-Kat bag, and used a bit of tape and some green pipe cleaners to fashion a trick-or-treat bag for the witch. She can hold a handful of candy at a time without tipping over, and that’s just the right amount for us to have out in the open. Isn’t it cute?! I totally adore it. And you guys…I made a craft! So what if the witch was already totally made? It counts!!

Crows Guarding Their Shiny Objects

Ok, so crows really like shiny things. When I found these two crow figures, I knew they would be the perfect guardians for some Rolos. Isn’t this is a cute little display? And the only effort it takes is NOT eating the display. And I’m not talking about eating crow in this case!

I also happened to find a really cute bowl for the Halloween candy during trick-or-treating. That really isn’t a craft, though. It’s just a bowl. Still, I feel like I accomplished something when I found it! It’s shaped like a spider web.

So what about you? Are you craft-averse like me? Perhaps the sweet touch I’ve put on these, and even just the fact that I managed to do them without burning the house down, gives you a little nudge. You can do it! And trust me friends, with Hershey’s on hand, SWEET is your reward! 😉

Let me know if you replicate any of these fun ideas, ok?