Stuff Parents Need

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

Kidorable Helps Make Picking Up Clothes More Fun: Coupon Code!

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About twice each week, Darah and I spend some time with each other cleaning up her room. Darah focuses on putting away the toys, and I am tasked with putting her clean clothes away. We hope to make some changes to her closet in the near future so that Darah will be able to put her clothes away all by herself (currently the closet rod is much too high for her).

Once we make her closet more toddler-friendly in terms of access, I also want to make it more toddler-friendly in terms of the aesthetic. I will be adding a few extra special hangers that will delight Darah, and also help her learn how to keep her clothes separated by type. She has a few costumes that will be available to play with, but they need to be kept seperated from her everyday attire. Kidorable is going to help Darah learn how to keep her dress up clothes in their own grouping, all thanks to their fantastic wooden hangers. These aren’t just any wooden hangers, though! They have wonderful designs that coordinate with other Kidorable products.

Darah is going to get the mermaid hangers because she is currently obsessed with mermaids. She also happens to have a mermaid costume, and what better to hang it up with than a mermaid hanger?! The quality of these hangers is awesome; they are hand carved and hand painted! A set is just $20 for the smaller size, and $22.50 for the larger size. These are definitely a fun way to help bring some fun design elements to your child’s closet, and to help them turn the chore of putting away clothes into something much more fun.

From June 11-18 Kidorable is offering a 20% discount on their hanger sets! Simply enter code CLEANUP2 at checkout to get your discount!

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

 

Prodigy Skincare Review and GIVEAWAY

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Long before he was on How I Met Your Mother, Neil Patrick Harris captured America’s hearts at Doogie Howser, M.D., the teenage doctor on television. Remember how he would write journal entries at the end of every episode on his blue screen computer? And how that was SO technologically advanced? Perhaps all of us blog writers are just indulging in our secret desires to be just like Doogie by writing these posts every day.

But I digress.

I brought up Doogie Howser because the product line I am featuring today was created by a real life teenage doctor! The founder of Prodigy Skincare graduated from medical school at just 16 years old, making him the youngest doctor in his specialty field of dermatology. He spent years working on a line of products that would be effective for his patients with dry skin, allergies and a sensitivity to fragrances. What he came up with has been highly praised by those who have used the products.

I have been trying out two different products from the line and have been really pleased with both!

First, I’ve been using the Prodigy Advanced Moisturizing Soothing Gel. This is a product that you apply after cleaning your face but before your moisturizer. It binds moisture to your skin to give your complexion a more supple look. As someone with VERY dry skin, I think this works really great, and it seems to give my moisturizer a little extra help, which is always good. This product retails for $56.00.

Next, I’ve been using the Prodigy Advanced Moisturizing Firming Eye Cream. I’ve told you before that once you hit your 30s, taking care of the skin around your eyes really is no longer optional. This is one area where you need to find a product that really works even if the price tag is a bit higher than what you are used to paying for skin care. This particular product does 3 things at once: it reduces that morning puffiness around your eyes, it reduces fine lines and wrinkles and it protects your skin from additional environmental damages, which typically wreak havoc on our faces on a daily basis. The product is very smooth, and you only need a tiny amount each day, so a bottle will last a long time. This product retails for $68.00.

If you have been looking for products that are developed by some of the best and brightest medical professionals, and that cater to those of us with sensitive skin, then look no further than Prodigy Skincare!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win the item of your choice from Prodigy Skincare!
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. 

Just in Time for Father’s Day: A Unique Experience from Cloud 9! (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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Any time I ask Tim what he would like for whatever gift giving occasion is on the horizon (Father’s Day, birthday, Christmas), he responds with a blank stare, and then a shrug. Seriously, people, he NEVER has a suggestion for me. And it isn’t because he’s being coy and wants me to read his mind. He just doesn’t feel as though he needs any stuff!

But let me tell you what he DOES love: experiences. But in our culture, experience gifts aren’t as easy to wrap in a box or in my case, stuff in a gift bag, and so they aren’t as popular as gifts. But Cloud 9 Living aims to change that.  They do extensive research to ensure that they are working with extremely high quality experience providers, and help you plan something extraordinary that your gift recipient will NEVER forget. Here’s a video that shows you exactly how it works!

While Cloud 9 Living doesn’t offer experiences in every city in the U.S., check out their list of options, and I bet you’ll find something relatively near you. I’m currently checking out the options in the Atlanta area(they currently have 47 experiences in the area!!!). The tandum hang gliding opportunity is really catching my eye, as I recall Tim telling me just a few weeks ago that despite his fear of heights, he has always wanted to go hang gliding. Wouldn’t he be surprised if I got this for him for his upcoming birthday?!

If you think an experience might just be the perfect gift for someone you love, then you’ll want to check out Cloud 9 Living. Be sure to follow them on Facebook and hear about special offers and discounts!

 

Win it!: One very lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a $50 gift certificate to Cloud 9 Living and a gift pack, which includes the gift certificate, a personalized message, and a detailed card of the experience. Not only will this gift be amazing, but so will the presentation!

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

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Cloud 9 Living. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

A Fun Father’s Day Gift Idea: A Gumball Machine! Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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If you are still looking for a fun Father’s Day gift idea, I’ve got one for you! One thing Tim is getting for his office is a gumball machine.

That’s right, a gumball machine! I thought this was a clever way to add some more personality to his office, and a fun thing for his co-workers enjoy when they come to visit (much more entertaining than a simple candy dish!).

Gumball.com is the #1 online source, not only for gumball machines, but for all bulk vending supplies. They have a VERY impressive selection of gumball machines. We opted for a simple carousel gumball machine that fits nice and neat on Tim’s desk. When we opened it and read the instructions, we thought it was really cool that you can customize your machine to either take money in order to get a gumball or not require money at all. That’s a cool feature, because I think it would be sort of rude for Tim’s co-workers to have to pay a quarter to get some gum! But on the flip side, if the gumball machine ever comes back home, we could turn that feature on so that our girls wouldn’t simply help themselves to all the gum they wanted!

Gumball.com is definitely a site worth checking out. They have every time of gumball machine you can imagine, and they have a full supply of gumballs. I personally like the transparent gumball machines. They are unique and would especially fun for kids!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a carousel junior gumball machine and a box of gumballs!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other 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. 

GREAT Outdoor Photographer in the Chattanooga Area: Monica Meade!

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Two weeks ago we had a great photo shoot at a local park with the fabulous Monica Meade. Monica is a teacher who lives in North Georgia, and she’s working hard on building a side business as a photographer. Her specialty is outdoor photography, and she absolutely loves taking pictures of babies and children.

We met Monica at a beautiful park in town. She brought a precious basket to put Layah in, and we brought some blankets and a few cute outfits. We also got Darah dressed up so that she could snap a few shots of the sisters together.

Since Monica is still working on building her portfolio, her prices are AWESOME! For $35, you get a one hour session with Monica, and a CD with all of your photos from the shoot. So there are no extra fees for ordering prints…you own all your pictures! That’s a HUGE money saver!

The photos from our shoot will be cherished by my family for the rest of our lives, and we got a great shot for Layah’s birth announcement, too! Here are some highlights from the shoot:

Be sure to follow Monica on Facebookso you can keep up with her great photo shoots. And if you live in the area and are in need of some cute photos for any occasion (newborn, birthday, graduation, holiday cards), definitely give her a call. You’ll be pleased with the results and THRILLED with the price!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary photo shoot for review purposes. All thoughts an opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

How I Made Birth Announcements During Layah’s Brief Nap: GIVEAWAY!!!

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After bemoaning on Facebook the fact that my second child is NOT a good napper, my cousin made a really good point. She said, “Good thing she wasn’t born first!” Amen to that! This might have convinced me to just have one child! Layah is such an amazing baby and I’m absolutely bursting with love for her, but she has fully embraced the name we gave her, and insists on LAYING on someone in order to lose consciousness.

Thanks to some helpful tips and tricks from friends, though, we have managed to have some success by using the swing during the afternoon (for some reason, she’s not ok with the swing in the morning).

Two days ago, during her afternoon nap (which lasted about 40 minutes) I created her birth announcements from start to finish. Seriously! How did I do it? I went to Photo Card Creations and used their easy to navigate website to walk me through the process.

One of the things I like about Photo Card Creations is that they have a really good selection of birth announcement options, but they don’t have HUNDREDS. There really is such a thing as too much of a good thing, and I just didn’t have time to wade through so many choices and then get all confused about which one I liked the best. I needed to be able to make a decision quickly. They had 39 different options, which still gave me plenty of choices, but I was able to make my pick in about 7 minutes.

Once I made my selection, I was able to tweak the font choice and even the size for the front, inside and back of the card, as well as customize exactly what was said. I think that the company might offer slightly too many font options, but this is coming from someone who needed to make a super quick decision.

I’m really pleased with the look of my cards, which are going to be shipping out lightning fast (they have a 1-3 day turnaround!). I’m glad for that, because my little one is already a month old, so it’s time to get these announcements out! While I won’t be sharing the exact birth announcement with you, as it has my daughter’s full name on it and I don’t share that on the blog. But here’s the basic layout I chose:

Cute, right?!

Photo Card Creations is a fantastic option for you if you are looking to make custom thank you cards, announcements, holiday cards or invitations. I need to get some birthday party invitations made for Darah’s 3rd celebration (and her first ever actual party), and I’m going to email the company to see if they’d consider making a card template that has an “Under the Sea” vibe. They are working really hard to add new designs, and are open to hearing suggested themes from their customers. I love that! Right now they are offering 10% off your order when you use the promo code 10NEW by June 14th!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a gift code for 25 free cards from Photo Card Creations!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaway, 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. 

Papa Crow Things That Roar CD Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Summer is in full swing, now, so it’s time to update your music collection and give your kids some new music to listen to while they toddle around the house. I’ve got a great choice for you, today. Papa Crow is the stage name of a father named Jeff (he’s got 2 boys). His first album was released last year, and it’s called, Things That Roar!

Despite what the title might have you think, this isn’t an over-the-top rowdy sort of album. It’s actually quite laid back, which I find to be useful during the time right after dinner when it is time to start relaxing and unwinding a bit as we head toward bath time and all the night-night rituals.

This album has already made the Top 10 Albums of 2011 from Time out New York Kids, and Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child.

Darah is not the only one in the house enjoying this album. The track,”Welcome to the World” is such a great song to listen to with our new little bundle; so sweet and joyful. I’m making great memories dancing with Layah to it.

If you are looking for something fresh and new for your kids, but also want something that isn’t going to encourage them to bounce off the walls even more than they already do, then give Things That Roar a listen. I think you’ll find yourself humming along to it in no time!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Things That Roar!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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

Keeping Your Home and Your Stuff Safe and Sound This Summer

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I’m excited to announced that I’m part of the Live Secure Safety Squad for Master Lock! That means that throughout the year I will be bringing you great information (and great giveaways!) about products that can help you keep your home and your possessions safe and sound.

I think the timing of this campaign is excellent, because summer is an especially important time of year for us all to be mindful of safety. Our children are likely home more in the summer than they are during the school year. We might be doing things like opening up our windows at home to enjoy the wonderful weather outside. Perhaps we’ve got toys, a grill and other valuables sitting outside in our front or back yards. I’ll be showing you steps we take over the coming months to enjoy the weather, enjoy our yard, and still feel safe and secure (no more grills being stolen…lesson learned!). I’ll also share how to have more peace of mind about leaving your house if you are planning any vacations (we are hoping to take a trip to Atlanta sometime this summer).

Why is it so important to take a bit of time and think about such security issues? Well, everyone has different reasons. I happen to have 2. Want to know what they are?

They are my two little girls. They are my heart, beating outside of my chest. It is my job to do everything in my power to keep them safe and to create a safe environment in which they can thrive. If mommy is always stressed out/worried about the safety of our home and things, that anxiety will be known by my girls (children pick up on this type of thing quite easily). That’s one of the reasons that we decided to move away from Memphis, where crime and theft were much more of a price you just had to pay to live in the city. It was never a question of if anything would be stolen from you, but when. We made a major change by moving to a different city, but now I want to have a home that is as stress-free as possible. Part of making that happen includes taking the time to make some necessary precautions.

What about you? Do you live in a community with major theft problems? Any summer plans that will take you away from home and are making you a bit nervous? Any particular security needs you want me to talk about this year? 

CHIAVIE: A Drink For Warrior Women

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When I was in early labor with Layah (all 3 times, because yeah, I went into labor 3 different times before she was actually born!), I stayed at home for the early part (only went to the hospital the final time, actually). There were many reasons why I wanted to do early labor at home, including the fact that I wanted to be able to eat and drink.

That probably sounds like a silly reason for staying at the house, but being able to stay hydrated and get the energy my body really NEEDS during labor is important. And once you go to the hospital, NO MORE FOOD. And for most hospitals, only ice chips are allowed! Given the fact that my labor with Darah was 19 hours long, I wasn’t interested in being starving in addition to being exhausted from labor.

And I had a carefully selected drink in my refrigerator to help give me a major energy boost. This drink is not specifically designed for women in labor, by any means, but it’s definitely useful for when you are about to do the hardest work of your life!It’s called CHIA\VIE, and it is an all natural blend of chia seeds and fruit. Chia seeds are relatively new to me, but since discovering them, I’ve learned that they are one of the greatest superfoods in the entire world. The CHIA\VIE bottles state that a handful of chia seeds used to sustain Aztec warriors for an entire day. Woah!

Each drink has 2 servings of fruit and no sugar added. It also doesn’t require refrigeration. This was great, as it enabled me to take the drink with me to the hospital (why yes, I did sneak in a drink for myself!). I found the taste to be quite pleasant, and I’m certain that this drink helped me have the energy I needed to sustain the 24 hour labor. Yeah, you read that right…24 hours! So much for the idea that your second delivery will be much quicker than your first!

Each drink also has 2000 mg of Omega 3, as well as 600 mg of Omega 6 and 88 mg of Omega 9. If you are currently breastfeeding, know that the boost of Omega-3s in your system is a wonderful thing for you and your baby, as it promotes brain and heart health for both of you! Even if you aren’t currently pregnant or breastfeeding, if you are a mother than you are a warrior woman in your day-to-day life, of that I am certain! I love the idea of turning to the food source that warriors used to help sustain you!

Go to the CHIA\VIE website to find your nearest retailer!

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