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

Ask the Earth’s Best Dietitian Your Questions Now!

January 27, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

I’m so excited to be continuing my work with Earth’s Best over the next 6 months. My children enjoy their products and I believe that this company is working hard to provide the very best, nutritionally, to our children.

That’s why I was impressed (though not at all surprised) to hear that Earth’s Best has a medical advisory board in place to provide ongoing counsel about nutritional needs for babies, toddlers and children and to help develop products that will best meet the needs of growing bodies!

Kate Geagan is a registered dietitian for Earth’s Best, as well as a nationally known nutrition expert. She has been a Nutrition Contributor for Pregnancy Magazine, she authored the book Go Green Get Lean and she’s made several appearances on the Dr. Oz Show.

Get Your Questions Answered

In February, Kate will be answering a handful of questions from Earth’s Best Preferred Bloggers! I would love to know if you have any questions for Kate. Here are some examples to get you thinking: “What is the best food to serve my toddler first thing in the morning?” or, “If I can’t afford to provide all organic food for my family, what is the most important thing to choose?” Leave your questions in the comments and I’ll pass them on!

Here’s my question for Kate:

I just purchased 4 cans of Earth’s Best organic formula for my almost 9 month old. It was EXPENSIVE (all formula is pricey, but organic is even higher)! Can you remind me what the important differences are between organic and non-organic formulas? Does it really make a difference?

Coming Soon: Switch to Cloth Giveaway Event!

January 26, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Blog readers who love (or are curious about) cloth get ready!

Bloggers, join in!

Dates: February 14th to March 14th

Hosted by SAHM of Drama Queens & a Prince, My Cloth Diaper Stash, A Year With Mom and Dad,Mommy of One and Counting and Adventures of Mommyhood. The prize is an amazing cloth diaper prize package featuring over $250 in cloth diapers and supplies.

Red Barn Cloth Diapers

Irresistibly Green

ChunkabuTT Creations

Willow with Love

Free Twitter or Pinterest for promoting sign-ups ($5 without post)
Additional links $1.00 each (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest)
Follow Host Page $5

Please send as a gift or if sending as a regular transfer be sure to cover the transfer fee on Paypal
(i.e. you purchase 2 links totaling $2, make sure you cover Paypal’s fee of $0.36 – fees are 2.9% of money sent plus $0.30), if you are unsure of the fee cost before sending money you can emailkarine@sahmofdramaqueens.com.

3 Ways to Protect Your Identity During a Move

January 26, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

In the 10 1/2 years that we’ve been married, Tim and I have lived in 8 different homes spanning 5 different cities in 3 different states.

Every time we move, we swear we’ll never do it again. But obviously we are kidding ourselves!

I’m not going to share with you my best tips for packing up your home, for finding a great moving service, or for discovering a diamond in the rough when looking for homes to purchase or rent, though I have experience with all of those endeavors. Today I want to talk about one thing you might not be considering as you plan a move:

protecting your identity as you change addresses.

I’ve got LOADS of experience with getting our addresses changed, as well as with dealing with all the mail that previous residents get forwarded to us because they didn’t properly change their addresses. I want to share my top 3 tips for keeping your private information private as you move.

1. Fill out change of address forms with the post office BEFORE you move! Many people do this after they are “settled” at their new locations. That is a fantastic way to lose a bunch of your mail and leave it exposed for whoever happens to live in your home after you (or for passersby who are looking for some mail to steal….and I swear that happens as I have had mail stolen from my box before!). You can schedule the date you want your forwarding service to take effect, so it doesn’t have to be done AFTER you have moved, I promise!

2. Do not assume that the post office will let everyone who sends you mail know that you have moved. They will not!!!! The only way places that send you mail will learn is if the post office returns some of the mail to the sender after your forwarding service has expired. They don’t always do that, and even if they do, you will then be dealing with delays. For example, if your credit card bill is mailed to you and then returned back to the sender without your new address listed, the credit card company won’t know how to contact you and before you know it, your bill is late. It is your responsibility to notify all of your contacts (everyone from the utility companies where you may have outstanding bills from the old address to your favorite magazines) of your new address. It is CRITICALLY important that you notify any of your creditors (banks, credit card companies, etc.). Just imagine if your bank sent your new credit or debit card to your old address and it got into the wrong hands (and by the way, any hands that aren’t yours are the wrong hands!).

3. Try to get to know the new residents, if possible. I have met the people who currently live in the house where we last lived, and good thing, because UPS and FedEx have dropped off several packages to them since we left. Those would have been lost forever if they didn’t know how to contact me. You can always send a note through the mail to the new residents simply giving your forwarding address and your email address or your phone number in case they want to get in touch with you about any mail that has arrived.

LifeLock is continuing their wonderful LifeLock for Life sweepstakes in 2013, and for January and February, the focus is on moving into a new home. I just went through all the questions and seasoned as I am at moving, I still learned a few helpful tips. AND…I’m entered to win a $1,000 Visa gift card! 🙂 Take a second to enter for yourself, too! There will also be 9 winners who will receive a year membership to LifeLock!

What about you? What are steps you take to make sure your personal information isn’t left at your old address when you move?

I am a compensated ambassador for LifeLock. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Shutterfly Offers Personalized Valentine’s Day Cards! (GIVEAWAY!!!)

January 25, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 75 Comments

Does anyone else out there remember the year in grade school when you switched from having 4 or 5 parties each year in the classroom to only having 1 or 2? For me, that year was 4th grade. It REALLY stunk. My teacher was a very matter-of-fact lady and informed us that we were too old to need parties all the time and that it was time to be more practical with our time.

We were 9, y’all.

What I missed most of all that year was the Valentine’s Day party. I used to give EXTREMELY careful thought to which person in my class received which Valentine from me. Let’s face it, I didn’t have any grown up responsibilities, so I could spend hours contemplating whether or not I wanted to ask someone to “be mine.” I would do the same thing with the conversation hearts I would give away. The message on them had to be just right! For someone who likes getting certain things in life perfect, Valentine’s Day was a real treat. Ha!

Fortunately for me, I had teachers after fourth grade who paid no attention to the “no extra parties” rule the principal made and let us have little celebrations for most every holiday, even if they weren’t elaborate and didn’t require the homeroom parent to coordinate it.

Now it is time for Darah to get started with her Valentine’s Day cards for her classmates. Did you know that there is a great alternative to those cards that everyone buys at big box stores? You can get something much more personalized (and WAY cuter) through Shutterfly! Check out how adorable this is!

In addition to bigger cards that are perfect to send to close friends and family, Shutterfly also offers the smaller 4×5 cards, which is what we will be handing out to classmates. I like that Shutterfly has over 50 new styles from which to choose, so there is something perfect for everyone. You can choose from 6×8, 5×7, 4×8, 5×5 or 4×5 to ensure you get just the right look for the right audience.

Shutterfly really has thought of everything when it comes to special occasions and potential photo gifts. I just learned that they have (the one I have now that I purchased through a Groupon totally stinks…gotta get a new one soon). I could get one with my girls on it, or even compile those special moments into a personalized photo album as a keepsake. And if you haven’t seen their , those are a must-see. They are really affordable and have a very sleek, professional look. They are absolutely perfect for an office! I’m thinking of doing that as a Valentine’s Day gift for daddy from his girls.

Whether you are looking for unique cards for a classroom party or for something more personalized for a loved one, Shutterfly has got you covered this Valentine’s Day.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win the following gifts from Shutterfly:

50 – 4×5 Stationery Cards
1 – 5.5×5.5 Desktop Plaque

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I will be receiving the same items as listed in the giveaway as a thank you for my time. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

First Finger Foods: Earth’s Best Yogurt Puffs (GIVEAWAY!!!)

January 25, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 68 Comments

Layah has been demonstrating that pincer grasp that parents should watch for as an indicator that it is time to try solid foods. She’s also been seeming extra hungry lately, so I’ve been doing some thinking about what I want to offer her as those first foods she picks up and eats on her own.

I tried mango chopped into small pieces, but she spit it right back out! Mango is my favorite fruit, so I was personally offended by her response. 😉

I decided that I needed something less slippery to grasp and very easy to “chew” once in her mouth (after all, the poor thing only has 2 teeth!).

That’s when I remembered that I had some great puffs from Earth’s Best in the pantry. In fact, I had just received some Yogurt Puffs, which is a new product in the Earth’s Best line.

Before giving them the green light, I read the back of the package to see if it was recommended for infants. Based on the feeding information it provided, it seemed to pass the test, as Layah has been crawling for a while and shows an interest and picking things up and putting them into her mouth (especially things that AREN’T edible!).

I was also a bit worried about whether or not this product would be too sugary. So I tasted them. They definitely have a sweet taste, but it is very mild. I checked the ingredient label, and organic cane syrup is ingredient number 4. I decided that wasn’t so bad, and opted to offer her the blueberry yogurt puffs along with some veggie puffs.

I really like how quickly the puffs melt in your mouth. If you don’t have many teeth and if you are still learning how to chew food before swallowing it, this is very helpful! While I always sit with Layah while she is eating, I do not worry that she is going to choke on these puffs.

Earth’s Best Yogurt Puffs are an excellent choice for a snack or even as part of a meal for your little one. I had forgotten that once babies are ready to start practicing feeding themselves that they can be quite entertained by the food on their trays. This provides me with a great opportunity to do a little bit of computer work or sorting through the mail while she plays with her food.

And cleanup is totally easy. Since the puffs are dry, I’m not dealing with nasty spills on the floor once feeding time is over. The vacuum can take care of the debris in just a few seconds.

Earth’s Best Yogurt Puffs come in two flavors: blueberry and peach. The blueberry is excellent and I’m looking forward to trying out the peach. I definitely recommend them as a great option for snack time, for self-feeding practice, and for travel, as they are highly portable. Plus, they are a good source of Iron, Zinc, six different B vitamins, A & E Vitamins and Calcium. And of course, they are made with organic ingredients. What’s not to love?

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win Earth’s Best Yogurt Puffs in Blueberry and Peach!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

I am a blog ambassador for Earth’s Best, and as such I have received complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All thoughts and opinions express here are strictly my own.

In the Windy City with Reynolds

January 21, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

I wanted to let all you fantastic readers know that I’m Chicago for a few days with Reynolds (you know, the makers of the world’s best aluminum foil?). I’m a finalist in their search for Reynolds Real Moms!

I’m filming some short videos with them (tomorrow morning, actually!) and will be getting to know some other fantastic bloggers who are also finalists, as well.

In the near future I’ll be featuring some great tips and tricks to help get you in and out of the kitchen in a flash (because that’s how I like to do it!). I will be needing your votes so that I can go from being a finalist to being one of the 5 official Reynolds Real Moms. And with that title comes lots of prizes for you, my readers! So stay tuned for more information! Things here will be quiet for a few days. Can’t wait to show you all what I’ve been up to!

If you want to follow the happenings on Twitter, we’re tweeting using #ReynoldsRealMoms.

Hot at Night? How a Pillow Kept Me from Sweating

January 21, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 304 Comments

I usually sleep with 2-3 pillows. I think it feels terrible to sleep with just one! Anyone else feel that way, as well? I’ve been sleeping this way for years and years (as long as I can remember, actually). I’ve always thought that it was a more comfortable way to sleep, and so I have resisted changing that.

But Tim believes it is one of the reasons that my neck always hurts. I chalk my neck pain up to just getting older. But if I really think about it, I’ve had neck pain for probably 5 years or so. Hmmm….

In addition to my neck pain, I sometimes deal with getting hot while sleeping. We use down comforters, which are SOOO comfortable. But here in the South, temperatures can fluctuate and it can get warm at the drop of a hat. For example, last weekend a warm front came through and we had 2 days where temperatures were in the 70s.

In January!!!

But guess what? I slept like a baby rather than waking up sweating and hot. It’s all because of a new pillow I’m using (just one pillow, not three!). And you guys. I am in love. Big time. As in, I want to marry this pillow.

Comfort Revolution has a Hydraluxe Cooling Bed Pillow that combines memory foam and a refreshing gel layer that helps keep your head and neck nice and cool. If you ever deal with night sweats, this pillow will make them ancient history!

I’ve never slept on any sort of memory foam before. Basically the pillow cradles your head to give you great support. It feels nothing short of amazing. And as for the cooling gel, I was actually worried that it would feel uncomfortable this time of year. Would it leave me feeling cold? Because I don’t want to feel cold at night! But no, that was not my experience at all. It felt nice and cool, but not cold. It made me feel very relaxed and comfortable.

Tim also really likes the pillow. I usually wake up a few hours before him every day to start my work day. I have noticed that he makes use of my new Comfort Revolution pillow between my wake up time and his wake up time. Honestly, I don’t blame him Just look at the difference between our two pillows! His pillow is lumpy and the cotton inside isn’t evenly distributed.

The Hydraluxe Pillow by Comfort Revolution is a bit of an investment, costing $79.99 for a standard pillow (though it is currently on mega sale for $43 on Amazon! Eee!). I’m not one to spend a lot of money on much of anything. But after sleeping on this pillow for a week, I can say with confidence that I will NEVER be going back to cheap, crappy pillows. I have already put my old pillows in a donation pile and I am going to save up to get another one of these pillows for Tim. He deserves to get as good of a night’s sleep as I am currently getting.

Did I mention that my neck pain is greatly reduced? I don’t think 5 years of neck pain will disappear overnight, but I have noticed a significant improvement, which makes me SOOO happy!

I also think this would be a great pillow for anyone who lives in warmer climates. My in-laws live in the desert in Southern California. They should most definitely have this pillow. I actually think they should consider getting the Gel Pad for the entire bed. What an amazing difference that would make for sleep when the temperature is consistently in the 90s or higher, even at night!

I highly HIGHLY recommend this pillow for anyone who has trouble being comfortable at night, either due to being hot at night or due to having terrible pillows. It makes such a huge difference in how you feel throughout the day if you have had a great night of sleep. Between Layah starting to sleep through the night and replacing my pillow heap with this one, I feel like a different person.

Walgreens Has Pharmacists Available 24/7 to Answer Questions!

January 20, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 4 Comments

When I was growing up, we never EVER had Advil in our homes. I can’t recall exactly why, but my mother seemed to be terrified of the stuff, especially for children. She drilled into my brain to never take Advil if someone offered it to me when I wasn’t feeling good.

So I always thought that Advil was bad for kids. I was genuinely shocked as an adult to find out that children’s and even infants’ Advil even exist. Isn’t it vile and evil?!

And then I realized that I was making an assumption based off a hazy memory planted by my “freak out about everything under the sun” mother. Perhaps I should look into this more, myself.

I knew that Walgreens Pharmacy offered the ability online to chat with a pharmacist at any time of day or night, absolutely free. Isn’t that awesome? So I went online early in the morning (that’s when most of my computer work happens each day) to see if I could connect with a pharmacist. It was around 6 am when I logged into my Balance Rewards account (you have to be a member…it’s totally free), found the Walgreens 24/7 Pharmacy Chat button, and posed my question. I was chatting with a pharmacist within about 3 seconds of logging on. That was awesome! No having to wait on hold or leave a message for a nurse to call me back.

I found out in just a few minutes’ time that Advil is what you should reach for when a child needs anti-inflammatory properties. An example would be when an injury has been sustained. Perhaps there has been some swelling…that’s a good time to reach for Advil over acetaminophen. Both can be used to treat fever, though.

After better understanding the main benefit of Advil, I thought it would be a good idea to have some on hand. I headed out to my local Walgreens to get some Advil for the girls. If you want to see everything I scored on this trip, check out my Google+ album!

It just so happens that Walgreens had an awesome sale on children’s and infant’s Advil this week. I assumed that I’d need to buy the store brand to save a bit of money, but Advil, itself, was such a great buy!

Advil was on sale for $4.99 (regularly $6.99) and if I bought 2, which I was already planning on doing, I could get an additional 2,000 balance rewards points, which is basically like getting an additional $2 credit to spend in the store. Woo hoo!!!

And let me mention one other awesome thing that happened while I shopped at Walgreens. I decided to switch my prenatal vitamin prescription to the store, because right now they are offering a $25 gift card for transferred prescriptions! What a smokin’ hot deal! My gift card totally paid for the Advil and my other purchases, and I even have a little left over for my next trip! Also, now I can easily request refills of my prescription from my Walgreens mobile app. It couldn’t be easier.

Additionally, if you join or renew your membership to the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club, you can get a $15 bonus! I really appreciate all the ways that I am made to feel part of the Walgreens community. This company seems to care about me as a customer, and offers me multiple ways every single week to save big. They know most of us are on tight budgets, and I appreciate their efforts.

I’m really glad that I’m no longer afraid of Advil. It turns out, there really is a place for it in my medicine cabinet. And more importantly, I have now used and can recommend the pharmacy chat button to anyone. This is an EXCELLENT resource for new parents who might have questions about medicines for their kids or side effects. For example, children under the age of one are very limited in the types of medicine they can take. Before you assume that it is “probably fine” you should ask a pharmacist! And since dosages have recently changed for children’s medicine, it is always a good idea to check with the pharmacist to make sure you are administering over the counter medicines to your children correctly. Walgreens pharmacists are very quick with their responses. Better to take 3 minutes to be sure than to make a mistake. Take advantage of one of of the many Walgreens innovations!

And it doesn’t matter when you have the question. You don’t have to wait and call during business hours. Hop online as soon as you think of your question. Walgreens will be there, ready to help you become #HappyHealthy.

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Walgreens #Cbias #SocialFabric. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Overwhelmed by iPad Apps for Kids? Help is On the Way!

January 18, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

I recently asked readers to name their children’s favorite apps. I was really amazed to see that there were very few duplicate responses. In other words, there were as many different “favorite” apps as there were respondents!

I almost completely rely on bloggers to showcase great new apps that I should consider. If it isn’t blogged about, it is really hard for it to come up on my radar.

That’s a shame, because I’m definitely missing out on some great stuff! Over the past week, I’ve been thumbing through a REALLY helpful book and I have all sorts of apps on my wishlist now. The book is called iPad Apps For Kids For Dummies. It categorizes apps by subject and by age range and gives you full color examples of what the app will look like.

This book also has some great tips for using the iPad with kids, such as how to set a password lock so that your kids cannot grab the iPad and get into who knows what without you even knowing that got online.

I’m also amazed at how much detail the reviewer goes into for each app. I feel as though I get enough helpful information to really understand if purchasing the app makes sense for my family. While apps tend not to be very expensive purchases, they most definitely can add up, and throwing away $1.99 stops sitting well with you after you do it a few times!

iPad Apps For Kids For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) is bargain priced on Amazon at just $11.29. It will help you save at least that much money on apps that turn out to be duds, and it will show you tons of apps you’ve never heard of but that you will want to purchase!

How do you find apps for your kids? Read blog reviews? Rely on recommendations from friends? Stumble upon them in the iTunes store?

I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.