Stuff Parents Need

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

Beautify the Space You Occupy All Day: Your Office!

· by · Leave a Comment

When I worked outside of the home, I had a really nice private office with beautifully selected furniture that I inherited from the person who was in it before me. But the walls were all bare and it still had an overall “generic” feel to it. One day it occurred to me that I was literally spending 1/3 of my day, 5 days a week, in that space. Why couldn’t it look a bit nicer? I asked my boss if there were any extra funds available to do just a little bit of decorating. He didn’t have much ($150, I seem to recall) but I said I would work with that and I hopped online to see what I could find to beautify the space.

In the end, I purchased some lovely curtains and rods, which really gave my office a more comfortable and less institutional feel. I also shopped around the office suite for some items. We had several pieces of framed art work from previous city-wide multi-cultural festivals just gathering dust in a closet. I selected a few and put them on the walls. They looked great! Then I spent the remaining funds I had on some plants, which also helped the space feel so much more inviting. My students commented that the office was staring to have a really peaceful feel to it and that they enjoyed visiting.

Now I work from my home, but I have taken the same mentality with my work space. I want it to feel productive and not cluttered, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be bare and devoid of anything interesting! I have art on my walls here to inspire me, and I’ve also put down area rugs and made sure my office chair is decent.

When Valentine’s Day was approaching a few weeks ago, I started thinking about a way to show my love for Tim outside of typical gifts like chocolate. I started to think about the space he dwells in when he is away from home. I asked him if he likes the look and feel of his office. I’ve seen the space, itself. It is large and has a lot of windows, which is very inviting. But other than that, it looks SO BORING!!!! And there’s not one single thing on any of the walls. So I encouraged him to think about a piece of art he might like to have on his walls, both to enjoy himself, and also for his visitors to get to enjoy.

He headed to Gallerydirect.com and spent some time looking around. And he did find something that he felt spoke to his role as a City Planner, and that would also bring some color and some life into his bland office. He loved this print by the abstract artist Jasper. While this isn’t the original piece, Gallery Direct is only offering 950 prints total of the work, so it is a limited edition. The print is also signed and numbered. Tim selected to get the print on paper, and to have it framed in a gorgeous metallic aged bronze frame. The end result was fantastic!

I have to say, we have ordered so many different combinations of print and frame options from Gallery Direct, and every single time, we are thrilled with the end result. Everything they offer is of the highest quality. Tim absolutely loves having some nice art work in his office, and it looks so polished and professional; just perfect for an office!

Gallery Direct is sure to have whatever you might be looking for to make your work space more inviting. You can search by style of art work, by color, and you can even upload your own images. I can’t say enough great things about this company and the quality of what you will receive. You will most definitely be pleased with your purchase!

Be sure to check out their site; it just got an overhaul and now is even easier to use!

Disclosure: I serve as a blog ambassador for Gallery Direct. Product samples are provided as part of the program. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Adding The Mustard of Royalty to Your Fridge: Colman’s Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

· by · 119 Comments

I’m a pretty simple cook. I like recipes that get me in and out of the kitchen quickly and that provide a lot in the way of taste. I’ve learned over the past 9 1/2 years that I’ve been cooking that there are some ingredients you can go frugal with, and there are other ingredients where you get exactly what you pay for, and bumping up the quality a bit can make an ENORMOUS difference in just how good your dishes actually taste.

One ingredient I had not considered upgrading until recently was mustard. I had the opportunity to try out Colman’s mustard recently. This product originates in England, and has been around since 1814. In 1866 it actually received a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria, and that made it official: this was the best mustard in the country! It continues to be the best of the best overseas, and lucky for you, it can also be found in American grocery stores now!

I’ve been using both the prepared mustard and the mustard powder for dishes that call for it. The prepared mustard definitely has a spicy kick. It makes regular yellow mustard seem like SUCH a joke! You only need a small amount to take your sandwiches from tasting just fine to tasting out of this world. I have been extremely impressed, and I don’t think I’ll ever buy the other stuff again, honestly!

I’ve also been enjoying putting together a quick homemade honey mustard dressing (no point in me buying a whole bottle of dressing, as I’m the only one in the house who uses it!). Additionally, I tried the meatloaf recipe from the Colman’s site that called for a bit of mustard powder, and I LOVED the flavor it added to the dish. I’ll definitely keep incorporating mustard powder in my meatloaf recipes down the line.

Perhaps the best news of all is that getting this top-of-the-line mustard isn’t going to break the bank, as some high-end products tend to do. The prepared mustard retails for $3.99 for the prepared mustard and $5.99 for the mustard powder. You can find your nearest retailer here or purchase from Amazon.com.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a jar of Colman’s prepared mustard AND a container of Colman’s Mustard Powder!
[Read more…]

Preparing for Nursing Now with Bravado (Review and GIVEAWAY!!!)

· by · 98 Comments

As I head into my third and final trimester of pregnancy, my body is starting to really prepare itself for becoming a mom. Those of you who have been pregnant before know that your breasts grow quite a bit in the early part of your pregnancy, and they grow a bit more in the final trimester, as well. They also sometimes start leaking colostrum (sorry if that is TMI, but its something I wish I had been told the first time around, because when it happened to me it totally freaked me out!).

I recommend sleeping with a comfortable nursing bra as early as late in your first trimester. I would say to absolutely be sleeping with one by your third trimester. At this point in my pregnancy, sleeping on my side is a must for the health and safety of the baby. But sleeping in this position without providing some additional support for my breasts is a recipe for a terrible night of sleep (I know from experience!). Quite frankly, your breasts are just heavier than they have ever been, and they need some support so that you aren’t feeling really uncomfortable.

So why get a nursing bra instead of something else? Well, first and foremost, you need something that offers a balance of support and softness. I promise you don’t want any underwire within a 10 foot radius of your breasts! Also, since you are going to need a nursing bra in the near future, it makes sense to go ahead and get one now so that you can get even more use out of it. But shop carefully, because I cannot stress enough how important it is for this bra to be comfortable. In just a few short months, you will be wearing it to bed and using the nursing feature all hours of the day and night!

I have been wearing the cotton nursing bra from Bravado lately (poor thing is constantly getting yanked from the dryer and then worn and worn some more until I give it a break, but only to be washed and quickly dried before the cycle repeats!). This bra is EXCELLENT! I am top-heavy, and it rises to the challenge of providing me with the support I need. In the past, I’ve had the experience with some wire-free bras where they felt nice, but were sort of pointless in the support department. This is not the case with this bra. With that said, comfort has not been sacrificed. I have also practiced unlatching the bra so that I will know how to do it when it is time to breastfeed, and I’m pleased to report that it is very easy to do with one hand.

Want to hear something REALLY cool? This bra comes with a neat little conversion kit so that when you are all done with breastfeeding, you can covert the bra back to something more traditional. What a great value this provides!

Wherever you may be in your pregnancy or breastfeeding journey, I can say with full confidence that this bra is a terrific purchase choice. I already love it because it keeps me comfortable day and night (a decidedly difficult task at this point) and I know I’m going to enjoy using it as a nursing bra, as well. Bravado really got it right with this product. Well done!

Buy it!: The Bravado Original Nursing Bra is available online for $35 and comes in several attractive colors and patterns.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win an Original Nursing Bra from Bravado!!!

[Read more…]

Grandma’s Trunk: 5 Games in 1! Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

· by · 93 Comments

I’m so excited to announce that I am part of the blogging review team for a FANTASTIC educational resource website called Educational Insights (this is a site you are going to want to bookmark, promise). Every month I’ll be bringing you at least one review and giveaway opportunity. I’ll be introducing you to some innovative and exciting educational products for young children, and you’ll get a chance to win, of course! Let the fun begin!

My very first review for the company is of a new game called Grandma’s Trunk. This is designed for kids in Kindergarten and up, and it is actually 5 games rolled into 1 (hooray for toys that can do more than one thing!). From the website, here are the 5 games that can be played with this set:

1. What Comes Next? Take turns placing the letter cards in the trunk in alphabetical order.

2. Memory Time Take turns repeating the sequence of cards already in the trunk, then adding one of your own and challenging other players to remember them all, in order.

3. Grandma’s Riddles Deal the cards, then read a riddle and race to see who has the letter card that answers it!

4. Letter Sequence Memory Deal the cards and take turns putting them in the trunk in alphabetical order, repeating the items already in the trunk and challenging other players to remember them all, in alphabetical order.

5. Grandma’s Adventures Place the letter cards in the trunk and take turns pulling them out to create a cooperative story: “Once upon a time there was a grandma. She saw an iguana.”

While most of these games are too advanced for Darah at this point, we are already playing with the set by looking at the letter cards and practicing the sounds each one makes (she LOVES practicing letter sounds at school, so it’s great to continue those lessons at home!). Since there are so many different things to do with this set, I can tell that it will be played with for several more years, which makes it an excellent value.

I’m very pleased with all the different things you can do with Grandma’s Trunk, and with the overall quality of the game. I’d say that at $14.99, this is a bargain price for a game that will really help develop reading, memory and story telling skills.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Grandma’s Trunk! Score!
[Read more…]

Making Friends as an Adult: MWF Seeking BFF Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

· by · 40 Comments

Remember the good old days (college, high school and even grammar school) when making friends was as easy as walking down your dorm hall or striking up a game of hopscotch with someone on the playground? When we were younger, we had lots of time to invest in friendships, and we were constantly surrounded by people our own age. I’m not saying that there were never any challenges with friendships during these times, but you’ve got to admit, it was a heck of a lot easier to make and even nurture friendships than it is as an adult.

I’ve also come to realize that our friendship needs back in those “glory” days were also simpler. And maybe that’s part of the reason why we become so frustrated when our search for friends as adults doesn’t go as smoothly…we forget that we aren’t really looking for friendships born out of sheer convenience, anymore. That’s just one of MANY things I learned while reading a great book, MWF Seeking BFF.

This read by Rachel Bertsche chronicles a year-long experiment the author did to really put herself out there and find some friends after moving to a new city to marry her boyfriend, leaving her best gal pals behind SEVERAL states away. She set out to go on 52 different “girl dates”, and she tried just about everything under the sun to meet new people and see what it takes to form meaningful connections with others as an adult.

It was certainly an ambitious project, and it started to become its own full-time job. While what Rachel did is not necessarily what everyone needs to do in order to find great friendships, it does point to the fact that hard work and interntionality does have to go into the search. And you have to thicken your skin a bit, too. Rachel does actually get dumped/rejected a few times by would-be friends, which of course, is a blow to the ego, and I think what most of us fear to the point that we doing put ourselves out there at all. But you know what? For the most part, Rachel found that other women are really and truly excited to be invited to lunch/dinner/whatever with someone new. Don’t you feel that way every time someone reaches out to you?!  It takes some courage to be the one doing the reaching out, but the payoff is tremendous. Even if the friendship spark isn’t there after all, you’ll still walk away with an acquaitance and one more way to feel connected in your city, however loosely.

It won’t always work out, but if you are willing to be the one to make the first move, the odds are SO much better that you are going to form some good friendships than if you sit at home, feeling sad that nobody will call/text/email you with an invitation. As it turns out, those women you are wishing would call you might very well be sitting at home doing the same thing! Rachel says, “Most women I’ve met with are similar. We all think we’re living in a world of grouches, so we’re too self-conscious to be the overly friendly one” (177).Overall, I felt very encouraged by Rachel’s project to put myself out there more. There’s really very little to lose, especially if you can withstand the occasional bruise to the ego (some people are just not going to be that into you, I’m sorry to say). I have been motivated after reading the book to follow up on several, “We should get together” email exchanges I have had with other women in town as well as just reaching out to some ladies I have met briefly and thought, “She seems cool! I wish I could hang out with her sometime!”

 MWF Seeking BFF is a really fun and encouraging read. I’ve definitely taken some steps in the right direction since reading it, and I find myself thinking about what worked and didn’t for her frequently, and putting those strategies to work in my own life. I’d say the time I spent reading the book was a very good investment, indeed!

Buy it!: Right now MWF Seeking BFF is priced at a steal for just $10.20 on Amazon! That’s less than a lunch date would set you back!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a copy of MWF Seeking BFF!

[Read more…]

(Maternity Monday) Noodle & Boo Skin Perfecting Creme Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

· by · 82 Comments

I’m 28 1/2 weeks into my pregnancy. I look like I’m about 36 weeks along. Seriously. Some would probably say I look 40 weeks pregnant! I’m super short and the baby has nowhere to go but out. This is also my second pregnancy, so my body seems to be quick to remember how to expand to make room. All this is to say that I’m one round lady these days, with no hope of shrinking any time soon!

So as my belly grows, my skin is stretching. And itching. LIKE CRAZY!!! I need relief, and if there’s a chance that a product might help with stretch marks, well that’s a bonus. I actually had been using a stretch cream product that I used the last time, and it did seem to work, but it had a critical flaw: it is SO greasy! Seriously, I have to not put any clothes on after applying this stuff for a minimum of 10 minutes…way too long!

For the past month, though, I’ve been using a product from Noodle & Boo (remember the review I did earlier for their fantastic super soft lotion?). It’s called Perfecting Creme. I’m just going to be up front about the negative of this product: it ain’t cheap! A 3.5 oz tube will set you back $42.00.

Now let me tell you why I think it’s worth it.

First and foremost, it isn’t greasy! Yay! But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t an AWESOME moisturizer. My belly feels so soft! It also helps tremendously with itching. And when you itch like crazy, you will do anything to get relief. This perfecting creme most definitely provides that relief.

Second, this pregnancy stretch marks cream contains a peptide compound that helps prevent and reduce stretch marks while naturally promoting the synthesis of collagen (that’s elasticity for your skin!). So far, I don’t have any stretch marks. I can’t promise that this product will keep them from appearing, but I do feel confident that it will at least help reduce their severity if I do get them.

Third, this stuff smells SO SO SO good. It made with cocoa butter and avocado oil, but if you ask me, it smells like sweetened almonds. It honestly brightens my mood when I apply it, which is a happy little perk.

I’m so glad I got to try this product. It isn’t something I would have picked up for myself, but now that I have used it, I would highly recommend it to other expecting moms. It’s worth it, and so are you! Be sure to check out the rest of their line, which includes lots of great baby skin careproducts.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a tube of Noodle & Boo Perfecting Creme! Woo hoo!

 

[Read more…]

Healthy Comfort Food Options from #Publix4Pork (Awesome GIVEAWAY!!!)

· by · 118 Comments

This week you can find pork sirloin cutlets on sale at Publix (more information on the sale can be found here). Once again, this was a particular cut of meat that I have never, to my knowledge, purchased. By this point in the Good and Good For You Challenge, I have come to realize that my avoidance of the pork section of the meat department has been a huge mistake! So many cuts are very lean (not bacon, sorry to say) and cook up super fast, with a super juicy taste!

Porkbeinspired.com has become one of my very favorite online resources for recipes, too. I am blown away by the volume of tasty recipes you can find there, and I especially love that you can search by cut of meat. I think one of the reasons that I have avoided buying pork in the past is simply because I didn’t have any recipes on hand to use. And I didn’t have any recipes because I didn’t ever buy pork. See the viscous cycle? Also, meat is one of the pricier items on our grocery list, so I NEVER want to purchase a cut of meat that doesn’t have a clear intended purpose. There are so many different cuts that I’m unfamiliar with, so I just stick with what I know (ground turkey and chicken breasts…I swear that’s the only meat besides seafood that I bought before this challenge started).

My search for sirloin cutlet recipes turned up dozens and dozens of pages of options on Porkbeinspired.com alone! Trying other cuts of pork will yield similar results on the site, in terms of quantity. Now I have absolutely ZERO fear about buying a different cut of meat (pork in particular) when it is on sale. It will be no problem to find a delicious dish to make with it!

So this week we were to look into healthy comfort food options. I found a healthy version of Pork Piccata (served as a sandwich) and my family thoroughly enjoyed it. The recipe can be found below, but we made ours even healthier by avoiding the butter altogether and simply cooking the meat on the George Foreman Grill.

PORK PICCATA SANDWICHES


Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
4 pork cutlets, 4 ounces, 1/4-inch thick
1 teaspoon lemon pepper, reduced sodium
2 teaspoons butter, unsalted
4 large sandwich buns, split
Lemon wedges

Directions:

Coat cutlets well with lemon pepper to taste. In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter to sizzling over medium-high heat. Cook cutlets quickly to brown both sides, turning once, about 4 minutes total. Place on buns; serve with lemon wedges.

 

That’s it! It pretty much couldn’t be any easier, and these tasted totally scrumptious. We made enough to have leftovers the next day, which meant that mom and dad got a free pass the next night at dinner, and all for 10 minutes worth of work the night before. Hooray!

So, again, my big takeaway from the Good and Good For You Challenge is not to shy away from pork any more. There are several cuts of meat that are just as lean as the chicken and turkey we currently eat, and the flavors can be quite exceptional. I feel as though we’ve just opened up a whole new world of culinary possibilities, and I’m so excited. Watch out, Pinterest. I’m coming for you, and I’m looking for pork dishes!

Don’t forget to check out the Love Me Tenderloin sweepstakes on the Pork Be Inspired Facebook page. They are giving away lots of great prizes!

Speaking of prizes, here’s your chance to win a great prize pack!

Win it!: One super lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win all this fabulous stuff:

  • (8) $5 off pork coupons (SWEET!!!!)
  • water bottle
  • reusable grocery bag
  • meat thermometer
  • pedometer
  • recipe book

[Read more…]

Dress Up Time! Costumes for Any Time of Year!

· by · Leave a Comment

Ever since we visited Darah’s cousin Livy in North Carolina this past December, getting dressed up has been something she is REALLY into. Livy had a dress up trunk, and Darah definitely thought that was an awesome idea. When we got back home, we actually decided to turn her trunk, which was just a generic toy bin, into her dress up area. It has been a huge hit! We have tutus and various out-of-season but oh-so-fun-to-wear dresses in there, as well as hats and necklaces and scarves.

I’ve been to the dress up section of a few big box toy stores, and I have to say, I wasn’t all that impressed with the selection. Everything is some take on a ball gown (nothing wrong with that, but how about some variety?!). And the prices are sky high for the pitiful quality, in my humble opinion.

It then occurred to me that I was looking in the wrong place. Since I wanted something a little bit different, perhaps like the selection I could find closer to Halloween, why not shop online at a Halloween store? They are open all year, after all!

I went to Wholesale Halloween Costumes online and found an absolutely adorable mermaid costume. Before you tell me that this is just another princess costume, let me remind you that its a fish, and that really is quite different! Darah is absolutely bonkers about Ariel, and while I have my reservations about going nuts with the Disney princess stuff, Ariel happens to be my favorite Disney character, and I actually really enjoy our frequent games of, “under the sea” (hiding under the covers). We also love to go all over the house looking for treasures to take to Scuttle. She gets a big kick out of what Scuttle names each object and declares its purpose to be. I try to not spend much of our time talking about Prince Eric or getting married, but instead, focus on having great adventures under water. Our adventures have even prompted me to do a little research on the history of mermaids. Pretty fascinating stuff, really!

The costume, in my opinion, is quite good for the price. Is it the highest quality costume that you could possibly imagine? No. The sequins do start to come off after the dress has been worn a while, but that’s something easy to fix. It’s also long, which is great if you have a tall kid, but a little tough if your child is a shorty like mine. Darah has learned how to master hiking up her fins, though, so she doesn’t seem to mind. She asks to wear the costume all the time; it is definitely her current favorite dress up outfit!

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


Learning Resources Primary Science Mix & Measure Kit Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

· by · 114 Comments

Play time during the toddler years is a great opportunity for learning. Learning can be one giant experiment in fun if you have the right equipment on hand. Today I’m featuring a Primary Science Mix & Measure Kit, and it is helping Darah have so much fun and also increasing her ability to concentrate.

We wanted to get something like this after Darah got to play with a similar kit that her cousin received for Christmas. Those two spent so much time at the dining room table mixing different colors, and transferring water from one container to the next. I was really amazed by how much time Darah wanted to spend working on her experiments.

This set comes with several mixing containers of different sizes, a scale to determine weight, as well as several activity cards to give parents ideas for different experiments to try. Right now we are really enjoying guessing which containers might hold more or less water than the others. Darah is learning the basics of volume, and seeing that containers can be shaped differently, but still hold the same amount of water. She is fascinated by this idea!

The Primary Science Mix & Measure Kit is just one of a HUGE ARRAY of outstanding products from the company Learning Resources. I have this site bookmarked for the future, and I want to strongly recommend that you do the same. You can shop by age, category or subject which can really help you find what you are looking for, or it can help you discover things you didn’t even know existed! For example, I’m currently mulling over buying the Gator Grabber Tweezers. At school, Darah does several activities that require the use of small tongs to develop fine motor skills. I’d love to be able to continue those lessons at home!

Learning Resources also has a section for resources for special needs children, filled to the brim with fantastic activities! You can shop by skill, modality, and disorder/disability.

I am extremely impressed with the great products that Learning Resources has made available to parents and teachers. I think they have their finger on the pulse of what kids really need to help further their skills as they play, and they have made sure that learning can truly be a lot of fun. I will certainly be doing business with them again!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a Primary Science Mix & Measure Kit!

[Read more…]