Stuff Parents Need

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

Conducting a Trial Run for Santa’s Cookies: We Have a Winner! #HolidayGuide

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When I was growing up, it was an annual tradition to leave out a plate of cookies and milk for Santa on Christmas Eve. My older brother and I were convinced that the quality of the cookie would have a direct influence on the quality of presents Santa would leave.

So we always insisted that we had something from Pepperidge Farm to leave him. Those cookies were considered EXTREMELY indulgent and were saved for the most special occasions in our home. I’m not quite sure why, since they are readily available at grocery stores! But they were super duper special treats. And that’s exactly why we wanted them for Santa every year. We would beg and plead, but looking back on it now, I can’t imagine that my parents felt disappointed in our request. After all, they were the ones who got to sample the goodies after we went to bed on Christmas Eve!

The tradition continues in my house. Darah knows that Santa has a lot of work to do on Christmas Eve, and that it is polite to leave him a little snack. I didn’t give a second thought to the brand of holiday cookie I, er, I mean, Santa would be enjoying that evening. Naturally it would be the super special Pepperidge Farm brand.

But which cookie to select? Well, the Party Blu Prints Holiday E-Guide gave me my answer! Target has an exclusive Pepperidge Farm cookie for the holidays!

We headed straight to Target after seeing this scrumptiousness featured above. I knew I needed to try these out for myself and see if they would make the cut as the perfect cookies for Santa.

After a bit of searching, we found the cookies in the holiday snack section (NOT in the regular cookie section).

We then headed back to the house and really got into the holiday spirit. Earlier that morning I created a Christmas Countdown paper chain for Darah. Each link had a fun, Christmas-y activity to complete. We opened the first one to see what we were going to to that day.

Hooray! We were going to buy a tree and decorate it!

After a quick trip over to Ace Hardware for a tree, we got down our ornaments, put on the Christmas music, and got to work. And I supplied the refreshments with ease by putting those delicious cookies on the Santa plate. All part of the trial run, of course. Choosing Santa’s cookie is VERY serious business and we had to make sure every element made sense.

They passed the test for looking nice on the official Santa cookie plate. Now for the taste test. I’ll let you decide what we must have thought about the cookies, because here’s what I found when I reached into the Milano Minis bag just 15 minutes after first opening it:

Saddest part of my day, folks. But then I remembered that Target will be carrying these throughout the holidays. Next time, I’ll buy 3 or 4 bags (seriously) and will probably have to write “Hands off!” on one bag so that poor Santa will get his fill Christmas Eve!

The Milano Mini Candy Cane cookies from Pepperidge Farm were a most excellent suggestion from the Party Blu Prints #HolidayGuide. Have you gotten a chance to look at it, yet? It gave me several good ideas for my holiday shopping. Suggestions are practical, affordable and fun!

Do you leave special holiday gifts for Santa, be it cookies, or a note, or anything else? Any other fun Christmas Eve traditions? I’d love to hear!

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 Pepperidge Farm #CBias #SocialFabric. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Master Lock Vault: Safe, Secure Online Storage (dialSpeed GIVEAWAY!!!)

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Are you finished with your holiday shopping yet? I think I might be, actually!

Which probably means that I’ll realize something important is missing about an hour before the Christmas Eve service and find myself at Walmart panicking with throngs of other people. Ha!

I actually just crossed an important hurdle related to the holiday season for me, and that is paying a credit card bill. My bills for November and December are usually pretty rough since Christmas purchases are all over them. They are painful to pay, and I’m happy to report that November’s has been paid. While I was online paying it, Darah asked me what I was doing. My response, “Mommy’s slaying a dragon, sweetie.” It sort of felt that way!

As I was going over my statement, though, it occurred to me that I’m definitely not very organized. I don’t have all of my receipts in one place where I could go back and double check purchase amounts. I was going off memory alone.

It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Master Lock has a virtual “safe deposit box” called the Master Lock Vault. It is a safe place online where you can store important documents, digital receipts, and passwords for various online accounts.

Oh don’t get me started about losing online passwords. You would simply not believe how many times I have had to change my iTunes password. I finally have changed it to something so bizarre and different from everything else I use. But now I have a place where I can keep it and other passwords and know that they are completely safe. The vault has 256-bit encryption, 24/7 monitoring and authentication controls. They also have an app to pair with it so that you can access the information you need safely from your smartphone.

Did I mention that the basic plan for Master Lock Vault is FREE??!! Yes, indeed!

In addition to having all the great features listed above AND being free, the Vault also can be used in conjunction with Master Lock’s sleek dialSpeed (which I reviewed back in August). If you don’t remember, the dialSpeed is the first electronic combination lock to have connectivity online.

I’ve been so impressed with the dialSpeed that I’m actually giving one to my brother-in-law this Christmas. It makes an awesome gift for anyone who values safety and security, and who also loves the cutting edge of technology.

Whether you own a dialSpeed or not, the Master Lock Vault is something I strongly want to encourage you to check out. If you need a safe place online to store some documents and passwords, look no further!

Win it!: One Lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a dialSpeed lock! Woo hoo!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

I am a member of the Master Lock Live Secure Safety Squad, and as such, I receive complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own, however.

What’s Left of My Christmas Shopping List and Deals I’ll Be Taking Advantage Of!

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After dealing with a bout of the flu in our house last week and over the weekend, I’m feeling REALLY thankful that most of my holiday shopping is already finished. Being sick throws life out of balance and I can only imagine how stressed out I’d be if I had to purchase 40 more gifts on top of my monstrous to do list.

But there are a few more things I need to get. And it turns out that waiting until the last minute has worked in my favor!

Today Kmart is featuring 40% off their Joe Boxer Baby and Kids sleepwear, as well as robes, Women’s sleepwear and thermals! It’s a tradition in our family to have new pajamas at Christmas, and this sale will make it quite affordable for me to outfit everyone in something affordable and comfy!

I’m also still shopping for Layah (babies are harder to buy for than you might think, since they can’t tell you what they’d like to have!). Fortunately, Kmart is also running BOGO 50% off on Fisher Price items. Score!!!

I’ll be using my Shop Your Way rewards card, which currently has $50 in rewards on it. And, of course, I’ll be earning rewards as I shop, as well. Gotta love a store that pays you to shop and save! 🙂

What’s left on your list? Looking for any great sales to help you finish up?

This is a compensated post written as a member of Brandfluential. All thoughts, opinions and remaining shopping tasks mentioned are strictly my own! 

Special Lovey Contender: Goblin Kids Bunny Review and Gift Certificate GIVEAWAY!!!

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Did you grow up with a most special lovey? Perhaps it was a blanket that you carried around with you everywhere? Or maybe it was a favorite stuffed toy? For my husband it was a stuffed Wicket plush (yes, from Star Wars). Even at 32 years old, you can still see a little pain in his eyes when he recalls losing it at the airport one year while traveling.

For me, it was my doll Lisa. She was the last Christmas gift from my maternal grandmother to me before she died. I was only 3. Lisa was my constant companion for many years. She was lost in a flood in the ’90s. No, she wasn’t literally swept away, but the damage done to her was irreparable, so she had to go. I wish I had thought to take photos of her before letting go.

While I don’t need the comfort that Lisa provided me as a child any longer, now that I see how special Darah’s lovey is to her, I can recall its deep importance, and I want to make sure I do everything I can to keep him safe and sound, even if there is a lengthy season of her life where he will simply sit on a shelf, or even in a box.

And I am honestly gripped with excitement as I wait for Layah’s lovey to be discovered. For Darah, the attachment came rather early, around 9 months of age. Will it happen that soon for Layah? I don’t know! But every time I introduce her to a new friend, I really enjoy seeing how she responds to it. You never know which one will steal her heart.

Darah suggested that we get Layah her own special big bunny since a bunny is Darah’s lovey of choice. She suggested a look-a-like, but I could see that causing more problems than not, so I thought having something a little different would be ideal. But one thing was certain: it needed to have long, soft ears. Those are best for rubbing gently over baby’s eyes as they drift to sleep!

Meet pink bunny.

She’s from one of my favorite online toy shops called Goblin Kids. This store sells the kinds of toys you dream about getting for your little one. Unique, high quality, and classic. They are built to last and are constructed very carefully. These are the toys that you will hold on to long after the days of playing are over. They are meant for several generations of play, not just for several months.

Pink Bunny, who actually comes with a much more creative name, Cordy Roy, is from the London-based company Jellycat. She is 15 inches high, which is a really nice size! She is super snuggly soft and I have no worries about Layah chewing on her, as the standards used by Jellycat meet and exceed both American and European safety standards.

Would you believe that Layah was already in the midst of THE FLU when this picture was taken? That should give you an idea of how she lights up when she sees pink bunny. While it is too early to make the call, I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes her most special lovey.

Goblin Kids may have helped us find a real treasure, indeed. And I know they can help you do the same, whether you are hunting for a lovey for just for a special toy. They are a particularly great resource for Haba toys, wooden toys and educational toys. Definitely give them a look!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a $25 gift certificate to Goblin Kids! What a great credit to have on hand for an upcoming baby shower or kid’s birthday party!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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

My Favorite Coupons This Week

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I’ve been getting back into couponing over the last month after a year-long hiatus. I’m actually taking a new approach that is working out quite nicely for me: I’m not purchasing the Sunday paper AT ALL! Sure, I’m missing out on some good deals that way, but I’m also missing out on a whole lot of stress and extra work! I simply print the coupons I need online, which rocks!

Here are some coupons I printed this week. I thought I’d share them with you just in case you are interested in some of the same stuff as me! Hurry, though, as these coupons won’t print after today!

This post does contain affiliate links. But as I said, these are coupons I printed, myself, and plan to use. Thought I’d pass the savings on!

Ditch the Plastic Wrap: Corn-n-Tater for Healthier Microwave Cooking (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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I learned from my mother-in-law last year that I really should stop using plastic containers and plastic wrap in the microwave. Just as we have learned that BPA is found in many plastics and is harmful for people, there are also many questions being raised about plastic wrap. Better to avoid using them altogether and find alternatives. I’ve got a fair amount of glass containers now, but the plastic wrap has been a really tough thing for me to avoid using, as I don’t know what the alternatives are. For example, if I want to steam broccoli in the microwave (you retain more nutrients by steaming than by boiling), I can put it in a glass bowl, but then I still have to use plastic wrap to cover it.

But today I’m really excited to show you a product I’ve been using with success. It’s called the Corn-n-Tater bag, and it is a specially made bag for cooking various foods. It needs to hold solids, so it can’t heat up soup for you, but if you are cooking vegetables like corn, sweet potatoes, broccoli, etc. then this is most definitely the way to go.

The bag comes with a recipe book and with a chart to tell you how long to cook various items. I have put that chart on my fridge, and I just check it before using the bag. The Corn-n-Tater is SO easy to use, you guys! You simply place the food you want to cook inside a moist paper towel, and then put that in the bag. If your microwave doesn’t rotate on its own, you need to rotate the bag every 2 minutes. You also need to flip the bag over every 2 minutes.

I used the bag with some sweet potatoes we got from our CSA recently. When I pulled them out, they were just slightly underdone, but the fault was mine because I forgot to flip the bag. I just put them back in for another 2 minutes and they were perfectly done!

We even used the Corn-n-Tater bag to make some baked potatoes for our Thanksgiving meal. They came out perfectly in 7 minutes. And my goodness that’s a whole lot faster than using the oven!

The bag is machine washable and mine has held up great in the wash so far. I absolutely love this bag and plan to use it every chance I get. While it won’t eliminate plastic wrap from my kitchen, it is going to significantly cut down on how much I use it, and that makes me SOOOO happy!

Buy it!: The Corn-n-Tater bag is available for $12.99 in a nice variety of prints. What a great gift this would make!

Win it!: FIVE Stuff Parents Need readers will each win a Corn-n-Tater bag! Woo hoo!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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

 

HUGE Tech GIVEAWAY!!!

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And a Special Thanks to our Co-Host:

Route 249 | Mom Blog Society | Jackie’s Reviews | Geeky Gamer Mom | Tinkle Monkey | Country Stew | She Informed | S.O.S Mom | Inside My Head | Building Carpenters | Mom Does Reviews | Aunt Maggie Rocks | A Medic’s World | Spend With Pennies | Bay Area Mommy | Mom’s Living Thrifty | Sister’s Saving Cents | My Vegan Gluten Free Life | Always Searching For Savings | What’s Up – Giveaways, Contests, Promos and Deals | Don’t Make Me Nuts | My Style Spot | Wife Mom Work Life | Counting To Ten | Coupons In Motion |

First Place Winner

Xbox Bundle:

Xbox 360 4GB Console

  • Xbox 360 has blockbuster games, HD movies and controller-free fun for everyone
  • Built-in Wi-Fi for easy connection to Xbox LIVE
  • Super quiet with sleek new design plus matching controller
  • Ready for the controller-free fun of Kinect

Microsoft Xbox Live Gold Subscription Card

Boaderlands Game: In a distant future, the planets at the outer edges of the galaxy have become a beacon to fortune seekers and those yearning for a better life off world.

2nd Place Winner

Google Nexus 7 Black Wi-Fi 16GB Tablet – ASUS-1B16

The Google Nexus 7 tablet computer is the world’s first Android tablet that combines the latest Android 4.1 mobile operating system with a powerful quad-core processor for high-performance computing on the go. An eye-catching 1280 x 800 high-definition display is your touchscreen interface for this Google tablet. The Google Nexus 7 tablet computer’s LED-backlit IPS panel is made from scratch-resistant glass to offer crisp images, wide viewing angles and 10-finger multi-touch support.

3rd Place Winner:

Blue Hue” Laptop Bundle with optional matching accessories:

  • Blue Laptop
  • Case/Bag
  • Mouse
  • USB Flash Drive
  • Headphones

The event dates: 11/30 – 12/10 Open World Wide. If the winner is outside the use they will receive and online gift card in the prize amount in place of the physical prize. NO EXCEPTIONS.

For a chance to win one of these three amazing prizes enter the Rafflecopter below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join Me for the StorkNest Twitter Party 12/4 at 2pm EST For Diaper Talk and Great Prizes!

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One of the reasons I continue to blog nearly every day is because I truly love sharing info about really great companies with all of you. Today I’m featuring a company that hasn’t even launched, but it is so committed to engaging with is customers in meaningful conversation that it already has a Twitter party planned. I love that, you guys!

The company is Called Stork Nest, and I will be one of their panelists at their Twitter party on 12/4 from 2pm-3pm EST. I would love it SO much if my readers were there to hang out with me and talk! We’ll be using the #StorkNest hashtag. Here’s a link to get yourself RSVP’d for the party:  http://resourcefulmommy.com/11096/stork-nest-twitter-party/.

If you have a little one in diapers, then learning about Stork Nest is a very good idea, indeed. This company is going to be selling unique diaper, training pant and youth pant brands at LOWER prices that you can find ANYWHERE else. This company is going to manufacture its own diapers, thus cutting out the middle man. In the beginning brands like Fisher-Price and Fittit diapers and training pants will be offered, and as the site grows, it will partner with different baby product manufacturers to expand its product offerings. The focus will be on trust worthiness of the products and affordability.

Sounds pretty good to me!

So back to the Twitter party, and more specifically, THE PRIZES. Here’s what is up for grabs:

Ten winners will receive a case (a one month supply) of Fisher-Price daytime diapers in the size of choice. Imagine having all your diaper needs handled for the next month! Score!

Additionally, ALL participants are going to receive a discount code to use at StorkNest.com. So on top of the lowest prices that will be offering, you’ll get an even LOWER price because you came to the party.

 

But wait, there’s more!

Stork Nest is also hosting a Facebook contest, and you are most definitely going to want to enter this, as well. It is currently live, and ends December 31st. But don’t delay, because the prizes, once again, are AWESOME! It’s called the EcoBundles Cutest Baby Photo Contest. EcoBundles is a diaper and training pants brand that is exclusive to StorkStack and that is a bit more eco-friendly than traditional disposable diapers.

There will be two winners for this contest, and just wait until you hear what the prize is.

Seriously. JUST. YOU. WAIT!

Winners will be featured on the packaging of a size of EcoBundles diapers (so your baby becomes the face of the product!!!). There will be a photo shoot for the packaging and the parents get to keep the professional pictures of their baby.

Additionally, winners receive a year’s worth of free diapers from the Fisher-Price brand. A YEAR’S WORTH OF DIAPERS!!!!!!!!!! Wrap your head around that one, people!

And every single entrant into the photo contest will receive a Buy One Get One Free coupon to use on StorkNest.com. So you’ll get some diapers for 50% off, basically. Which is pretty darn sweet.

Now, I know that I have the cutest baby on the face of the earth, but I’m guessing you think you have the cutest baby on the face of the earth! Let’s put our theories to the test on the Stork Nest Facebook page. Someone is going to win, and it might as well be me…or you! 😉

Thanks to Stork Nest for sponsoring my involvement in this rockin’ Twitter party. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.