Stuff Parents Need

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

$200 Amazon Giveaway Coming Soon! Bloggers, Get Signed Up!

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Get ready…I’ll be bringing you a $200 Amazon gift card giveaway in just 2 short weeks!

Event Details:

– The giveaway will go live on July 15, 2012
– Open Worldwide
– Prize: $200 Amazon Gift Card *1 winner*

Sign Up Fee & Info:

– NO COST for the first link (Facebook Page only)
– To participate, please share this free event on your site and complete the form below.
– If you would like to include more links (Twitter, Pinterest, Votes, etc.) for this giveaway, then please send the fee to chicalgene@gmail.com via Paypal. Each additional link will cost $3.

Click here to get signed up if you are a blogger!

Cloth diaper giveaways all next week!

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Hello bloggy friends! I wanted to let you know that I have a special treat for all you fluff fans out there! Next week I’ll be reviewing and giving away 5 different types of cloth diapers…they are all fabulous, too! Stay tuned, as the reviews and giveaways start tomorrow! Yay!

How to Eat Fresh, Healthy Foods on a Budget! GIVEAWAY!!!

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Please enjoy this guest post from a mom-owned business that happens to be founded by a former housemate of mine! Lisa Peterson rocks! 🙂 Don’t miss the great giveaway at the end! 


It is easy for us all to make excuses or hide behind unanswered questions to avoid making the lifestyle changes which would truly improve our health, our relationship with the world around us, and our bottom line. A revolutionary approach is necessary to give us all the concrete strategies and resources necessary to reach real success with our food dollars.
For Lantern Financial Founder and President, Lisa J.B. Peterson, healthy eating was never a priority, but she started to think more about it upon the arrival of her daughter Alice in May 2009. Lisa is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™ and started Lantern Financial to help young professionals and families set financial goals and work toward achieving them. Obviously she had always been very conscientious of her budget when she trekked out to do the grocery shopping, but felt that eating healthy and sustainably required visiting “trendy”, upscale markets and that simply did not work with her budget.

She began to wonder… She knew there must be a way to feed her family fresh, healthy, sustainable foods but not break her piggy bank to do it. She was hearing the same concerns from the young families she was counseling. Everybody wanted to be healthy, but they either could not fit into their budget, or chose to make extreme sacrifices to do so. That’s where her research started.

Lisa connected with Annie Carlson , a sustainable farmer, mother of three, and Executive Director of FARRMS. Annie was able to provide amazing insight into making earth-friendly, tummy-friendly choices about food.  Lisa incorporated her knowledge of financial planning and living in an urban area…
And Voilà! A webinar was born!

“Lettuce Save You Some Cabbage- Preserving the World, Your Tummy, and Your Wallet” will answer all of the questions you have about eating healthy on a budget (Where can I buy local, sustainable food? What is important to buy organic, anyway? Where do I even start at the farmer’s market?). You will be able to ask your specific questions before “Lettuce Save You Some Cabbage” goes live. The $29 registration fee includes live participation and unlimited views of the recorded material.

The webinar goes like July 19th, 2012 at 1:00pm EST. You can register at http://www.lantern-financial.com/webinar .

Win it!: Lucky for all of you mommies, Tiffany is giving away a free ticket to the webinar! You can enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Disclosure: I am receiving nothing but good karma for this post. I personally know Lisa. She’s one seriously savvy lady and I believe in her business. I would recommend her services to anyone, which is why I’m proud to feature her on my site! 

Too Busy to Call the Grandparents? Try DoubleScoop!

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Please enjoy this post brought to you by DoubleScoop. This app is seriously cool, y’all! 

Have you ever had a ‘tech support’ call from your parents? I think the last one I had lasted 45 minutes as I walked my mom through how to download a photo of my daughters. While I enjoy speaking to my mom, guessing what her screen is like and understanding her technology challenges is a drag. But on the flip side, it’s really important to me, and perhaps even more so for her and my kids, to keep in touch with my kids. So I was thrilled to hear that two people in the town I live in were developing a safe and easy way for young kids and grandparents to stay connected. In fact, I started to work for the company, called DoubleScoop. 

DoubleScoop is a simple app that works on PC and Mac computers, as well as iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches. It allows young kids, (as young as 3!) to draw pictures, record their voice and listen to their grandparents’, write stories and exchange photos. My kids, at the time aged 4 and 7, tested it for months before we launched it. Here’s what I love about the app:
  1. It keeps all the pictures, stories, recordings and photos in one place, so neither kids nor grandparents need to search around their computer or download attachments.
  2. It’s really easy to use. Once an account is set up, a child can just click on our ice cream cone icon and go. Same with a grandparent!
  3. Kids and grandparents communicate directly with each other. This is really unique – a lot of sites require a parent to post information on behalf of the child. With DoubleScoop, the child and grandparent begin to build a one-to-one relationship.
  4. Kids can use it independently, and mom doesn’t have to schedule a call or Skype session. DoubleScoop is so safe and easy to use, I can have my kids send messages or sing happy birthday while I am making breakfast. It’s so convenient.
  5. It is safe for kids. DoubleScoop has no advertising or external links, and there is no way for a person to ‘find’ kids.
We are so excited to have launched the app and hope you give it a try. It’s free, and it works on plain old computers in case the grandparents don’t have an iPhone, or you don’t want your child to use yours.

 

Cowboy Playground CD Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Do you have a little cowboy or cowgirl in your home? Or do you have a trip planned to the Wild West this summer? There’s a really fun CD that Putumayo Kids has jut put out that will create the perfect setting for an outdoor adventure!

The CD is called Cowboy Playground and it is full of really fun songs that you may recognize, such as Pecos Bill, Home on the Range, Happy Trails and Whoopie Ti Yi Yo.

These are all songs that I know, but that I never thought to teach to Darah. Now that we have this CD, she is learning them and loving them (especially Whoopie Ti Yi Yo, which really makes her laugh). I think this is the perfect music for summer days, and it also brings up a lot of great imaginary play ideas!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Cowboy Playground!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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

Ahmelie Swaddling Blanket Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: if you are going to swaddle your baby, don’t even attempt to use a receiving blanket or the vast majority of swaddling blankets on the market. They are TOO SMALL!

I think many parents give up on swaddling their infants because they don’t realize that they have equipment that does not prepare them for success! When Darah was born, we were gifted with 3 blankets that seemed ridiculously huge. The woman who made them for us said, “You need a bigger blanket for swaddling than you realize.” She was SOOO right. Darah was a small baby, and even she had outgrown her other swaddling blankets within a month or so. We used those “huge” blankets on her for the better part of the next 2 years. She actually still has one in her big girl bed with her!

There’s a company that realizes how big swaddling blankets actually need to be in order to be effective. Ahmelie has been featured on this site several times, not only for her swaddling blankets, but also for her hooded towels and her beautiful burp cloths. The fabrics Ahmelie uses are absolutely stunning. I have truly never seen prettier baby accessories.

And I really appreciate the size of her swaddling blankets. I’ve actually purchased swaddling blankets from Ahmelie several times for friends who have had babies. While I typically don’t like to veer from the gift registry for people, I am eternally grateful that someone knew to get me a huge blanket for swaddling, so I try to pay that forward by gifting them to others. Plus, these blankets are so gorgeous that I know the recipients will be pleased!

Here’s a picture of our Ahmelie swaddling blanket at its full size. Pretty big, right?

Now, here’s a picture of Layah all bundled up in her beloved blanket:

If you are currently expecting and want to try swaddling (which I HIGHLY recommend as a way to comfort and calm your baby), please do yourself the biggest favor and get a huge swaddling blanket, like the ones found at Ahmelie’s shop. Her blankets are $16.00 each are are worth so much more than that! AND…you can use code STUFF10 to save 10% off your purchase at Ahmelie.com! Woo hoo!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a swaddling blanket from Ahmelie!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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

Sid’s Backyard Camp Out DVD Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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We don’t have television in our home. Now, before you think I’m trying to sound all high and mighty about this, I will disclose that we have Netflix instant service AND I watch my share of programs online. But I still miss out on a lot of television programming and am pretty behind the times when it comes to the latest kid tv shows.

Sid the Science Kid is one example of an entire program that I had never heard of until I got a new DVD in the mail. It’s called Sid’s Backyard Camp Out, and it is really cute! It stars Sid, of course, and if you are also unfamiliar with him, he’s a very curious little boy who likes to get to the bottom of why things are the way they are. This leads to lots of science talk, which I think is pretty cool!

In this DVD, Sid, Gerald and Dad are making plans for a big backyard camp out. It’s rather humorous seeing Gerald prepare for the event. He pretty much packs everything but the kitchen sink. But through their adventures, they learn about just how little you really need to have a great time, and how few things are true necessities. There are definitely some great lessons in there!

Sid’s Backyard Campout runs for 45 minutes and also includes 12 Teacher Susie songs. It retails for just $6.99, making it a very affordable summer treat!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Sid’s Backyard Campout!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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

 

Fluffy Fourth of July! Cloth Diaper Giveaway Worth Over $415!!!

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Welcome to the Fluffy Fourth of July sponsored by Gnome’s Naturals and hosted by Life With Levi!

Whether you’re just starting out using cloth diapers or already a fluffy pro, this giveaway prize offers something for everyone.

Fluffy Fourth Ultimate Starter Pack

One lucky winner will receive the ULTIMATE cloth diaper stash starter pack, valued at over $415!!!

This amazing prize prize pack includes:

  • THREE ones & twos All In One Diapers
  • ONE AppleCheeks Bamboo Little Bundle
  • ONE AppleCheeks Microterry Little Bundle
  • TWO Tots Bots Easy Fit or Tini Fit Diapers
  • TWO Rumparooz G2 Pocket Diapers or Little Joey Newborn All In Ones
  • ONE Bummis Beautiful BASIC Kit
  • SIX Organic Cotton Prefold Diapers
  • ONE Bummis Super Snap Wrap
  • ONE Bummis Super Lite Wrap
  • TWO Snappis
  • ONE AppleCheeks Storage Sac Pail Liner
  • ONE M Monkey Foot Designs Wet Bag for when you’re on the go.
  • ONE KalmSkin Travel Size Cloth Diaper Safe Rash Stick
  • ONE Bag of Rockin’ Green Laundry Detergent
  • ONE Clean Cheeks Wipes Concentrate
  • ONE 6 Pack of AppleCheeks Cloth Wipes
  • ONE Mini Shower Diaper Sprayer
  • ONE Pack of AppleCheeks Flushable Diaper Liners

That’s all the diapers AND accessories you need for 18 diaper changes!!

Gnome’s Naturals is a cloth diaper and natural parenting store owned & operated by Lori Whitlock. As a mom of a toddler, Lori is always searching for great natural products for herself and her family. When she finds products that she loves, she sticks with them. Lori created Gnome’s Naturals to share those products with you. As a cloth diaper blogger, Lori has tried almost every cloth diaper on the market and strives to carry only the best of the best.

In addition to some well known brands that Lori loves, Gnome’s Naturals also carries work at home mom (WAHM) made items in the store. Make sure you check out the WAHM Spotlight section for products that are handmade by moms in North America. Lori is a huge proponent of moms supporting moms and she hopes that by retailing some mom-made items, she can help support them financially as well.

If you’re new to cloth diapering, Gnome’s Naturals offers several different cloth diaper trial packages. Beyond cloth diapers, Gnome’s Naturals also carries a great selection of baby carriers, baltic amber teething necklaces, breastfeeding products, and more.

Ready To Win?

Just enter using the easy Rafflecopter form below.
All entries are optional – be sure to come back often to complete the daily entries, since the more entries you have, the more chances you have to win!

Giveaway open to residents of the US & Canada. Contest ends Friday, July 6th.

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Preparing Space for Guests When You Don’t Have a Closet: Spectrum Products GIVEAWAY!!!

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The house we moved into has 4 bedrooms.

Sort of.

You see, in my opinion, a room cannot be classified as a bedroom unless it has a closet. Chattanooga realtors appear to think otherwise.

Honestly, I’m not really sure what the builders of this house were thinking when they made this home (in 2007! It’s not even old!). You see, the largest “bedroom” in the house has its own bathroom but completely lacks a closet. It is supposedly the master bedroom, and I definitely would have been tempted to move into it, but what in the world would we do with all our clothes? It doesn’t make any sense to go upstairs to get dressed!

So this nice big room has become our guest room. Which means that now our guests have to figure out where in the world to put their clothes when they visit. We do have a hall closet downstairs that can hold a few things, but you have to walk through the living room to get to it. That could be sort of embarrassing for company if other folks in the house are awake and hanging out in the living room (a very likely incident with two small children who are early risers).

But I found a solution at Spectrum Diversified that will make a big difference, and it takes up precious little space. Check out this over the door wardrobe rack. We put this on the door in the guest room and it is the perfect place for our company to hang up their clothes. We could have purchased a large wardrobe, I suppose, but those are expensive and they take up a ton of space. I much prefer this option, and at $11.99, my wallet is absolutely ecstatic about the choice!

Spectrum also has some fantastic wall hooks that can help you create more space in cramped quarters. We installed this metal wardrobe rack in our bathroom so that we could get the girls’ towels off the floor. Since all 4 of us use one bathroom, our towel rack was not sufficient, and there were constantly towels on the floor or hanging on door knobs. Now the girls’ towels have their very own dedicated space! This hook is just $8.49 and looks really sharp.

Finally, we installed the CUTEST bird wall hook in Layah’s closet. This created a space for her diaper bag to hang. Before installing it, the diaper bag’s “home” was wherever it landed, which meant that it was frequently lost. Now it has a place to return to after every outing, and space in the closet that wasn’t being used now has a purpose. Gotta love that! And at $3.49, how can you say no to something this adorable?

I have been extremely impressed with the creative storage and organizing solutions offered by Spectrum Diversified, as well as the price points. All three of the products I now have in my home were less than $25, and look at how many problems they solved!

I have a feeling that some of you could use a bit of help getting organized in your home, so…

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a $25 gift certificate to put towards anything you’d like from Spectrum!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.