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

Mimosa Recipe: How to Make a Perfect Mimosa

September 14, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 11 Comments

If you have been on the hunt for a mimosa recipe that gets it right, look no further! I have done the grueling work of testing several different ways to make a mimosa (tough job, but someone had to do it…) and I have found the perfect blend!

My quest started earlier this week, when my 16 month old took a dive in our living room and gashed HER EYELID. She needed 3 stitches. Oh, and did I mention where they were located?

THEY WERE ON HER EYELID.

Little Layah was SO brave. Mama? Not so much. And no wonder my nerves were so shot. You see, this event came a few days after she ruined her best dress and the bathroom rug with nail polish, broke my favorite pair of glasses, and put poop in my hair. And two days after the “stitches incident” she decided to start the day at 1am (oh how I wish I was kidding) with her only naps for the entire day being a very brief one from 6-6:30 am (when our other child was up, so yeah…no nap for mommy) and in the car on the way home from running errands at 10:45am.

So I think it is no coincidence that while I was sitting in my car parked in my driveway with a sleeping toddler in the back that I started thinking that I needed to do a post on mimosas. I mean, I clearly needed to offer a recipe to my readers, just as a good and fun thing to do. Also, mama needed a drink in a major way by this point!

So Friday morning, I heard the following sentence come out of my mouth: “Layah! Get in the car, the wine shop opens in 6 minutes!”

Given the week we’ve had, I think I was justified, my friends! 🙂

I did a little experimenting with different quantities, and here’s what I found to be the perfect mix for a Mimosa

Mimosa Recipe

1/4 cup pulp-free orange juice
1/4 cup (plus a splash!) sparkling white wine (I recommend Prosecco)

Pour 1/4 cup orange juice into a champagne flute (oh heck yes, I broke out my stemware for the occasion!). This should fill nearly half the glass. Then pour 1/4 cup Prosecco into the flute. Top off the glass with an extra splash of sparkling wine (maybe 2 Tbsp? Just eyeball it). I found that the extra splash is exactly what the drink needs to go from good to great!

I hope this helped you figure out how to make a mimosa. They are really quite simple, and you can’t help but feel a tiny bit elegant while sipping on one. Even if you know you had poop in your hair a week ago…

As for my glasses, those are from Waterford, because I got married in 2002 and have a Southern mama who swore I would regret it forever if I didn’t register for china and crystal. Spoiler alert, she was wrong! These champagne flutes are just as pretty and about 1/4 of the price. Live and learn!

Friday Fashion Finds: Don’t Miss Those Earrings, Ladies!!!

September 13, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

We’ll have to make this one quick, as little Layah doesn’t seem to be too terribly interested in her afternoon nap today (anybody else feel TOTALLY ROBBED when their infant or toddler skips a nap? It’s like I lost a $20 bill or something, I swear). Affiliate links sprinkled throughout. Thanks for your support, and for shopping LIKE A BOSS!

Alright, so there are some SCRUMPTIOUS sales happening on this, my favorite day to shop!

Living Social has a coupon for 13% off today only using code FRIDAY13 (and by all means, go through Ebates to snag an additional 2% off…it’s free and it just makes sense!).
Crazy 8 has got it going on today in the Halloween department! Take 40% off their Kids & Halloween items. They also have an extra 20% off Markdowns. Holla!!!

If you are aren’t a MyPoints member, don’t forget to check out their September Lucky Leaf promotion. Lots of points to be earned at signup! I’ve been a member of MyPoints for MANY years, and have always loved them!

I got the inside scoop on a sale that is only available through affiliates right now at TinyPrints. You can take 20% off any holiday cards order (no minimum!!!). If you already have some cute pictures of your family, knock out those Christmas cards now before life starts getting too crazy!
Cents of Style has 11 different GORGEOUS statement earrings on sale for 50% off today (free shipping, too!) by using code 1920 at checkout. For $7.95, you can get these pieces and several more. Hop to it…these go fast!
If you missed the super cute (and super affordable!) scarf deal on Cents of Style, there’s still time to snag it. The price comes down to $9.95 with coupon code FALLSCARF). Here I am wearing mine. Doesn’t it look every bit as fabulous as the one beside it that is currently for sale for $65?
And finally, I have something so sweet to share from one of my all-time favorite shopping destinations, Gymboree: Do you ever find yourself looking at your child and wishing you could just stop time? You are not alone! The folks at Gymboree want you to join them in celebrating and sharing cherished moments in childhood. Gymboree has created an amazing new video to help kick off this campaign and I am thrilled to share it with you. This video is truly touching and must be watched by all parents. So watch and enjoy, then share your favorite cherished childhood moments in the comments!

8 Ways to Go Gourmet in a Few Minutes: Make It Your Michelina’s

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

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

I’m currently on the hunt for lunch ideas that come together very fast so that I don’t have to spend 30-45 minutes of my work day preparing food. But I don’t want to eat peanut butter & jelly all the time, nor do I want to eat frozen entrees. There are a lot of good frozen options out there, but I know I would get bored.

Michelina’s actually has a solution for those of us who want great taste, something that feels and tastes homemade, AND something lightning fast. The company, along with several bloggers, have created recipes that use Michelina’s entrees and take them to a whole new level, all with just a few moments extra of prep time. It is called Make It Your Michelina’s. That sounds like the best of both worlds to me!

I’ve looked over all the yummy possibilities, and I selected my top 8 ideas to share with you. Since I need to be especially quick in the kitchen 2 days each week (when my youngest is away and I can REALLY work), 8 recipes would take care of a month of working lunch ideas for me!

Lettuce Wraps using Chicken Fried Rice

Gourmet Italian Fare using Cheese Manicotti (shared from ItsOverflowing.com)

Chicken Paremesan Bites using Michelina’s Pop’n Chicken

Cheeseburger Wheel Pasta using Wheels & Cheese (shared from BabyGizmo.com)

Michelina’s Gyro using Michelina’s Ziti Parmesano

Bacon and Tomato Pasta Love using Tuscan Inspired Garlic Chicken (shared from Honeybearlane.com)

Chipotle Chick and Rice Burrito using Chipotle Chicken & Rice (shared from The Gunnysack.com)

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta using Penne with White Chicken (shared from BabySavers.com)

Everything looks great, doesn’t it??? You can also Follow Michelina’s on Facebook or Follow Michelina’s on Twitter to get more inspired ideas that will take your frozen meals to a whole new level, all without requiring more than a few extra minutes from the chef!

Out of the “School Lunch” Box Ideas

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

Are you already in a bit of a lunch box rut, like I am? School has been back in session for 3 weeks now, and I’m running out of ideas, fast! Don’t fret…I actually have a few fun posts this week on the topic of different school lunch ideas, and today I’m happy to share two new finds with you, courtesy of CrispRoot and lunchskins2.

Cassava Chips

So first up, I’ve got a VERY unique take on the classic potato chip. Cassava root (which you might have heard called yuca root) is a vegetable that is not very popular in the United States (yet!) but that is VERY popular in many parts of the world…and for good reason! It has twice the fiber of potatoes! The innovative company CrispRoot has turned this vegetable superstar into a crisp chip that has 30% LESS fat than a standard potato chip. That’s what I’m talking about! Everyone in my family, including Darah, has enjoyed munching on these yummy chips. They come in 4 fun flavors: original, thai ginger, bbq bliss, and our favorite, sea salt! Want to try them for your next lunch? Click here to find your nearest retailer, or you can get them on Amazon.

lunchskins2

And since even the small bags of CrispRoot chips are too big for a 4-year-old, I’ve been tucking them away in lunchskins2 reusable sandwich and snack bags. These are such an economical, eco-friendly alternative to plastic bags, and they are MUCH cuter, too! They come in coordinating sets and can be found at Target. Their sizes are generous; here I’ve fit 1/2 of a banana in the snack bag and a whole bagel sandwich in the larger bag (though I’d cut it in half for serving to Darah…but a whole sandwich can definitely fit!). You can pick up these awesome, adorable bags at Target in a wide variety of prints!

These are just two suggestions I have for switching up the routine a bit during the lunch hour. What are you munchin’ on these days? Any cool new finds?

Ruth’s Chris Steak House: The Ultimate Date Night Experience

September 10, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 7 Comments

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse is a national restaurant chain unlike any other. Here you will have an elevated dining experience, and not simply a meal. I’ve had quite a few friends tell me that they considered it to be the perfect choice for a special occasion.

Chattanooga recently welcomed Ruth’s Chris Steak House to the community, and I had the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful meal with just my husband at the restaurant. I’d love to share my experience with you. Even if you don’t live in the area and won’t be visiting this particular restaurant in the forseeable future, I think this will give you a good sense for what the Ruth’s Chris dining experience is like!

Why A “Ruth’s Chris Night” Was Needed

First I want to explain to you why such a special date night was in order for Tim and me. We weren’t celebrating an anniversary or a birthday, but we WERE celebrating surviving Layah doing what she does best: make some serious mischief. The day of our date, she broke my favorite pair of glasses, and learned how to open a nail polish bottle by herself, ruining the bathroom rug and her very best dress, which she had on for the first time that day, before mommy realized what was happening. And might I also mention that the day before she took her diaper off and flung it across the room…and it was a DIRTY diaper. Poo in my hair. I don’t think I need to say more…

So yeah, as we were pulling away from the house, this is how I was feeling:

When we arrived we were greeted with complimentary valet parking (which is something you will find for dinner service at every Ruth’s Chris restaurant). We were then ushered in to a gorgeous dining room and presented with our menus. Which looked like this!

How fancy! The menu was presented on an iPad! Additionally, we were given traditional menus. I actually found myself using both. I wanted to unplug from technology on my date, so I reached for the traditional menu first. But then I realized that the iPad version offered beautiful photos of the food and drinks, as well as wine pairing suggestions with the entrees. I couldn’t resist, so I started using the iPad, as well. What I loved the most about the iPad menu was the fact that you could mark anything you wanted to consider and then look at your narrowed down selections more closely. You could even email your selections to yourself if you wanted (and I did!). What a fun way to keep a memory of your special date and all that awesome food and drink you enjoyed!

And just in case you were wondering, you DON’T use the iPad to actually order your food. You are still receiving absolutely outstanding customer service from your wait staff. Between the regular menu, the iPad, and our server offering her thoughts on the selections, I felt that we made some very well-informed choices.

I also appreciated the fact that we were encouraged to take our time, and order anything we wanted as we were ready. So we ordered our cocktails and then just enjoyed a few minutes of relaxed conversation (yes, we actually got to talk without being interrupted by our children! It was glorious!) before even thinking about dinner.

We had a delightful time enjoying our cocktails, some delicious bread and an appetizer that was simply a joy to eat! I try to keep an eye out for dishes that I can’t easily replicate at home, and veal ravioli is definitely in that category!

We had a fair amount of time in between the appetizer and the entrée portion of the meal, which meant we got to go around the restaurant and explore. It really was a beautiful building; I loved all the decorating they did using wine bottles. Very clever!

Before too long, though, our entrees were headed our way. I got the mixed grill option (our server called it “a tour of Ruth’s Chris”) and Tim got the New York Strip. They were simply stunning, and still sizzling from the 1,000 degree oven (!).

We also each selected a side (side dishes come separate from the main course at Ruth’s Chris). I went for the asparagus with hollandaise and Tim went for the au gratin potatoes. The portions are very generous and meant to be shared, which is really nice!

Finally, it was time for dessert. We went with the warm apple crumb tart and only go through about 1/3 of it because we were so full!

Thankfully, all of our leftovers were able to come home with us, beautifully packaged in sleek black boxes (I felt fancy just eating the leftovers!). What an experience it was to dine at Ruth’s Chris Steak House! I definitely would call it a special occasion restaurant, but I would also say that sometimes “we survived the week” is reason enough to treat yourself to something this wonderful.

Have you ever dined at Ruth’s Chris? What did you order?

If you live in the Chattanooga area, don’t forget to follow the new restaurant on Twitter (@RuthsChrisCHA).

Diamond Candles Review and Ring Reveal (Giveaway!)

September 10, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 5 Comments

I started longing for Diamond Candles candle pretty much as soon as I heard about them. It is pretty much the perfect gift for me: it smells great, it looks pretty, and it has a treasure inside!

Diamond Candles

I’ve purchased a few Diamond Candles over the past year (one for myself and a few as gifts) and have enjoyed the experience. The fun folks over at Diamond Candles recently asked if they could send a candle for me to review and show to you all. I thought a ring reveal would be really fun so I said yes!

I selected Peach Paradise as my scent. I thought it was the perfect choice for the last of the hot days here in Tennessee. And the smell is quite lovely. Not too overpowering. Just right, I would say! I’ve been burning it at my desk while I work for the past week or so, and at a minimum I’d say I let it burn for an hour a day. It provided a really nice smell and calming ambiance while I worked on the blog!

Finally, I reached the point where I could see some gold foil sticking out of the candle. Hooray! It was time to see what my ring looked like. Every Diamond Candles candle contains a ring that could be worth anywhere from $10-$5,000. So seeing your ring is a huge part of the fun. I videotaped my ring reveal so you could see exactly what I did to safely retrieve my ring.

Now wasn’t that fun? It was such a great way to start my day, and I’m pretty sure it made Darah’s whole week! While I didn’t score a $5,000 ring this time, I’d say that the purchase price of $24.95 for the candles is totally worth it. Definitely treat yourself or someone you love to a Diamond Candles candle in the near future! And videotape your ring reveal, because people LOVE watching them!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a Diamond Candle!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Flip Hybrid Diapering System: My Very Last Cloth Diaper Review

September 9, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 9 Comments

The Flip Hybrid Diapering System is perhaps the perfect diapering system with which to end my time as a cloth diaper reviewer. This is because it has me going back to a cloth diaper that I tried before and didn’t like. But I know the truth: I gave up on it too quickly, and I didn’t have the full “Flip” experience.

So when I had the opportunity to try out Flip diapers again, and this time the right way, I knew I needed to give them another chance. After all, they are some of the most popular cloth diapers on the market. My dislike was quite unusual! Since Layah is already on the road to potty training, I feel confident that this will be the last cloth diaper I will review, and what better way to end this season of my life than by returning to the one type of diaper I couldn’t really get into before.

Flip Diapers

So what are Flip diapers? They are a hybrid diapering system designed for maximum flexibility. They are sold in various components. First, you have your covers. Pictured below are two of the four covers I received, in colors noodle and grasshopper. Covers are one size, with adjustable snaps along the front. They come in hook and loop (velcro) or snaps. I would recommend getting the snaps because they don’t wear out as fast, and because babies have a harder time figuring out how to take them off.

The next component is the stay dry inserts. You simply lay these inside the diaper shell for use, and they are very easy to remove and replace. The idea is that unless you’ve got a messy diaper on your hands, you can use the diaper shell multiple times and just switch out the inserts. This was an idea I could never fully appreciate with the one Flip diaper I owned, and that’s because I purchased it with only one insert! Now that I’ve actually tried out the Flip concept as it was intended, I find it to be very easy to reuse the inserts as long as you have your available replacement inserts close at hand. I also LOVE that the inserts have marks on them to show you where you should fold them for small and medium sizes. They take out the guess-work! Inserts are also available in organic cotton. My personal opinion is to go for the stay dry unless your baby has super sensitive skin and doesn’t do well with microfiber. Why is that my opinion? Well, prior to this review, the one insert that I did have was the organic one, and while it was absorbent, it also felt more damp on the baby’s skin, which wasn’t as comfortable.

Additionally, Flip offers disposable inserts, which I had never tried before. Let me tell you why I love these so much! These are absolutely perfect for when you are out and about. When you change baby’s diaper, you just toss the old insert, and lay in a new one. The inserts take up less room in the diaper bag than a cloth diaper, and even less than a disposable! I also think they are great for anyone who might be taking care of your child for you (babysitter, grandmother, day care provider) and who is just getting used to the idea of using cloth diapers. This is sort of a happy mix of reusable and disposable.

But what I love the disposable inserts the most for is using when I suspect that Layah might be about to poop. Sorry if that is TMI, but I think all parents know that our life revolves around pee and poop for a certain number of years. That’s just the way it is! Anyway, if I time it right and Layah poops while wearing a disposable insert, that means that I can just toss the insert and not have to deal with nearly as much mess with the diaper sprayer. And that, my friends, is a WIN!

So now that I have given Flip diapers a fair shake and used them exactly the way that they were intended, I have to say that I like them! I’m not madly in love, but they are in regular rotation now, and I’m even using the same shell more than once before replacing it. That is cutting down on my cloth diaper wash load, and I REALLY love that!

Have you ever tried Flip diapers? Or hybrid cloth diapering, in general? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

The Best, Most Affordable Sleep Training Materials Coming to Video!

September 9, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 6 Comments

Tim and I didn’t sleep train Darah until she was 13 months old, and we were all completely miserable. We vowed that we would do it sooner on with Layah. And guess who was the biggest barrier to doing so? ME! I am a total wimp when it comes to hearing my babies cry, and so in my exhausted state of mind every night, I could never understand how going through sleep training was a better choice than getting up 4-7 times to rock her back to sleep.

Baby Sleep Training

Fortunately, Tim had his wits about him and knew something had to give by the time Layah was 8 months old. We decided to try The Sleepeasy Solution, and it CHANGED. OUR. WORLD! The book was fantastic, but what I loved the most was the DVD option. You got to watch families going through the process and see exactly how the different steps worked. I cried while I watched it because I was so overjoyed at seeing those infants and toddlers learn how to put themselves to sleep in just a matter of 2 or 3 days. And I was hopeful for what our life would look like once the adults in the house got to go through complete REM cycles!

So when I heard about the 16 part video series all about The Sleepeasy Solution on Mom Assembly, I was thrilled to have the chance to partner with the company to tell you all about it. For the price of $15 (which is roughly the same price as the book) you get the entire process laid out for you in easily digestible videos that Jen and Jill, the two ladies behind the program, have made. It is as if you are sitting in one of their workshops and learning right along side other weary, worn out moms and dads.

I reviewed the videos and I thought they were AWESOME! Jen and Jill both have such calming personalities, and they are gentle with their parents, and understanding of all their concerns. They have been working with parents and children for over 15 years, so they really have a firm understanding of what is going on to keep sleeping through the night at bay, and they have suggestions that, in my experience, really do work.

What I love about the video format of this information is that the steps in the process are broken down into very manageable pieces (each video is between 6-12 minutes in length). So you can watch them any time you have even just a few minutes to spare (and let’s be real, sometimes that really is all we have!). Additionally, when you purchase the video workshop, you have the ability to pose questions, and those questions might be answered by other parents who also purchased the program OR they might be answered by Jen or Jill! Having access to their personal feedback is something extra special. And if you want all the information they review in written format, they even have 27 pages of information available in worksheet format for you. Basically you are getting the best of everything for one very reasonable price!

I’ve never seen an online workshop offer this level of detail and this level of access to the presenters for this price. And the subject matter is a total game changer. Tim and I honestly refer to our lives as parents in terms of pre-and post sleep training!

Whether you have a 5 month old or a 5-year-old who won’t sleep through the night, Jen and Jill have a plan that can help, I promise. They actually promise, too, and they offer a money-back guarantee if you don’t see results after following The Sleepeasy Solution method with your child. You have nothing to lose but sleepless nights!

And if you aren’t personally struggling with this issue, but you know someone who is, this video series would be an amazing gift to give. Affordable and life changing; who could ask for more!

Mom Assembly

The Sleepeasy Solution is just one of several fantastic video workshops available on Mom Assembly. You can also find a wide variety of videos that cover the following topics:

Behavior
Discipline
Feeding and Nutrition
First Year
Health and Wellness
Marriage and Relationships
Newborn Care
Pregnancy
Safety
School Aged Children
Sleep
Special Needs
Toddlers
Working Moms

Prices for the videos start at the great low price of FREE (!) and many of the courses you will find are in the $10-$15 range. What an amazing resource. I wish it had been around when I was new to this whole parenting gig!

I’d love to hear what you think of the videos being offered. Are there any topics that you are struggling with and that you’d like to see some video resources for? Mom Assembly wants to offer solutions for moms who need some extra help, and they would be grateful for your suggestions!

PinkBlush Maternity Review and Giveaway!

September 7, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 59 Comments

A lot of things about this pregnancy are very similar to my first. Things like continually feeling nauseous, feeling completely exhausted all the time, and craving strange foods that I don’t normally eat. (Hello, bacon-wrapped pickles!) One thing is a little bit different this time though, and that is my rate of belly growth! Pretty much the day I found out I was pregnant, I was already feeling bigger around the middle. By week 10, I felt like a whale. At 14 weeks, people already started asking me if I was pregnant. (Which I think is a little bold!) I definitely don’t remember my belly popping out so fast the first time around! I realized pretty quickly that it was going to be time for maternity clothes a bit sooner than I had planned. My wonderful husband pulled the boxes of my old maternity clothes out of the attic for me but I was sadly disappointed by what I found. Everything is so outdated and frumpy looking! Oh no, this would not do.

Then I discovered PinkBlush Maternity, who sent me a super cute top to add to my wardrobe and review. They really have some super cute maternity clothes! I spent lots of time browsing their website, making a list of all the cute things I just had to have. My first choice, a striped top with lace on the sleeves, was unfortunately sold out in my size (I have a slight obsession with stripes!) but my second choice was available. And I have to say, I really do love the top I received. It is super cute, unique, and made of good quality material. I like that the fabric is thick and doesn’t look like it will fall apart before my baby arrives. I also love that it comes with a belt! With my first pregnancy I had NO CLUE how to wear a belt with a pregnant belly, and this shirt figures it out for me. I’ll be pairing this top with black or tan leggings.

I love how unique many of the tops are, and more interesting than the boring items you find in most of the chain maternity stores. Their clothes are also very affordable, which I think is a must for maternity clothes! I was a little disappointed to find that they don’t have a larger selection of jeans and leggings since that’s what I’m currently in need of, but their huge selection of tops and dresses more than makes up for it. (Looking for maxi skirts? They’ve got plenty!) I noticed that they have a lot of really cute things out for fall now, including pants and leggings. If you are pregnant and looking for trendy maternity clothes, I highly recommend browsing their site. I’m pretty sure you’ll find something that suits your style!

Win It!: PinkBlush Maternity Clothing is offering one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader a $25 gift certificate to PinkBlush Maternity!!!

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