Stuff Parents Need

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

My New Year’s Resolution is Hanging on the Wall

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This year, Tim and I decided to go with the increasingly popular trend of bucking a New Year’s resolution list, and coming up with a New Year’s resolution theme. Specifically, we wanted to come up with a word that would help guide us for 2012.

We gave the idea very careful thought, and came up with the word “rooted.” That one idea speaks to many of the specific dreams Tim and I have for ourselves as individuals, a couple, professionals and citizens of Chattanooga.

We tried (admittedly half-heartedly at times) for 6 full years to plant roots in Memphis. It just never happened. We are committed to seeing that happen in Chattanooga, and we’ve already got some roots planted, but we have much more work to do before this place really and truly starts to feel like home. We both want to get more involved in our church and in our community, and really be part of the fabric of this town.

We also want to form more meaningful relationships with people; its really hard to thrive when you don’t have very close personal friendships. I have already met some wonderful Chattanoogans, so I hope to continue to nurture those relationships (haven’t done a good job at all since becoming pregnant, unfortunately). I also hope to meet some new people who will become life long friends. It’s pretty darn tough to make friends with other adults. We are all so busy with our respective commitments, so carving out time for new people is a big ask. I hope that I will make the time to seek out those people, though, and should I be lucky enough for those people to seek me out, I really hope that I will make room in my life for them!

We are also welcoming another child into our family, and this will be a year for Tim and I to become even more rooted in our role as parents. I know we will be tested repeatedly, not just this year, but for the rest of our days, but we have strong foundation now, and I look forward to seeing it become even stronger as we grow.

Having a theme is easier to remember than having a list of 10 goals. My original idea was to put the word somewhere we could see it daily, like on the fridge. But then I thought it would be even more powerful to see a creative expression of this word, through art, hung in our home where we could enjoy its beauty and meditate on its meaning throughout the year.

So, of course, I turned to Gallery Direct to put together something truly beautiful. Would you like to see it?

This is a print of a photo I found on Flickr, under the creative commons licensing section. When something has a creative commons license, that means you are free to use it as long as you attribute the photographer. This is a beautiful piece by Kevin Buehler. It really spoke to both of us, as it shows these really big roots stretching out far and wide. It now hangs in our kitchen/dining room, and is in a place where we see it many times each day. I can actually see it from my spot at the kitchen table right now!

This custom print has already helped get me re-motivated to work more on our business we are launching (something I’ve let fall completely to the wayside for the past 3 weeks) and has inspired some quality conversations between Tim and me. The frame is absolutely stunning…this is so much better than sticking a word on the fridge!

If you are in need of some inspiration in your house, consider framed art. If you have a particular picture in mind that you’d like to get framed, you are REALLY in luck, as I have an awesome coupon code for you! Use code photo75 to save 75% off your canvas photo print! It expires on 2/1/2012, so hop to it!

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.

Express Scripts Member? What’s Happening with Walgreens and Your Program

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This post brought to you by Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you are a member of the Express Scripts program through your health insurance and you like to fill your prescriptions at Walgreens, there’s some important information that you need to know.

It seems that Walgreens and Express Scripts have failed to reach a contract agreement with each other, and as a result, Walgreens will no longer be part of the pharmacy provider network for Express Scripts as of January 1, 2012.

What happened? Well, you can get full details about it by checking out the Walgreens and Express Script press release, but basically, Express Scripts wanted full control over contract terms and to reduce the reimbursement rate for Walgreens to below the industry standard. Walgreens was not seeking an increase in rates.

Who loses? The customers, of course! Express Scripts has stated that their members are not going to experience any cost savings by having Walgreens off the list of providers, so even they are acknowledging a lack of benefit to customers. For people who traditionally went to Walgreens for their prescriptions through this plan, they will have to find a new pharmacy, develop a new relationship with a pharmacist, and potentially encounter higher prices, as Walgreens kept their prices very competitive.

While Walgreens is unable to reach an agreement with Express Scripts, they have made an effort to ease the burden to customers who will be affected by offering a special discount for the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club. A family (adult, spouse and any children under 22) can join for just $10/year, and gain access to discount pricing on more than 8,000 brand name and generic prescriptions. Individuals are able to join for just $5/year. In additions to receiving discounts on prescriptions, members will receive discounts on flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers and diabetic supplies. You are also eligible for bonuses when you purchase Walgreens brand products and photofinishing services.

Walgreens wants to help your family not be as negatively impacted by the failed negotiations between the two corporations. If you’d like to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings with Walgreens, be sure to follow Walgreens on Twitter as well as Walgreens on Facebook

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Woombie: A New Swaddling Technique

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In our house, we are swaddling evangelists. Darah LOVED to be swaddled. Like, more than any other baby I know. She was tightly swaddled including her arms until she was about 5 months old (by her insistence!) and was tightly swaddled with arms out until she was probably 16 months old (again, by her insistence). Even now, at 2 and 5 months, she likes her blanket to be very loosely swaddle-like around her (of course she pops right out of it, but it’s a sleep cue to her, we think). Her swaddling blankets have been one of the very biggest work horses in the nursery.

So it won’t surprise you to hear that we will be swaddling baby #2. But I have learned a few things about swaddling in the time since Darah was bundled up like a pea in a pod. Most notably, I’ve learned that you have to take care not to make the swaddle too tight around the legs, as that can impede their hip development. I also know from experience that a loose swaddle on a newborn and young infant is kind of pointless. This has really left me scratching my head about what to do!

woombie review

Oh bloggers, how you help me so! Thanks to some great reviews that I read, I learned all about this fabulous product called Woombie. If you have never practiced swaddling, then the look of it may make you nervous. Let’s be real, it looks like an infant straight jacket. But as a swaddling aficionado, I’m super excited at the look of it. It’s this perfect balance of a snug and tight environment, which little ones crave (think of the womb!) while also leaving some stretch opportunity for those growing legs and hips.

I also like that if you happen to have a major squirmy worm on your hands, there’s no blanket to come unraveled, which means no suffocation risk. That’s great for peace of mind. We received the newborn original Woombie in raspberry (FABULOUS color, by the way) and the material seems to be just too right…breathable, yet will keep your baby nice and warm without overheating.

Woombie offers a very impressive variety of styles and options for your little snuggle bear. The Houdini is for those babies who can get out of ANY swaddle. Not this one! I’m also drawn to the organic line, as well.

Prices for the Woombie vary depending on which style you select. The original that we reviewed retails for $26.99 and fits 5-13 pounds. They also offer a size for 14-19 and 20-25 pounds, as well as a 3-6 pounds for preemies. Woombies can be purchased online at Amazon or you can find your nearest retailer.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win an Original Woombie in your choice of available colors and size!

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Free Resources For MLK Day – A Great Way To Share The Idea Of Service With Your Family

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Please enjoy this guest post by Daria, a fabulous musician with lots of great free resources to share! 

Monday, January 16th is celebrated as MLK Day.  Will you be doing some act of service, large or small on that day?  If so, here are some great ways you can involve your kids and bring the experience home, share it with your school classroom or enjoy it with your homeschool group.

First of all, I’d like to share the song I wrote a few years ago that I’m proud to say is being used in classrooms across the USA and even in South Africa and Australia.  It’s called I HAVE A  DREAM and it’s the free mp3 on my monthly song page (link below).  I wrote it because I wanted to find a way to share the life and legacy of MLK with children.  But how do you do that?  How do you explain things like civil rights, prejudice and racism to young children?  I decided to focus on the ideas from MLK’s most famous I HAVE A DREAM speech and include ideas like “being fair,” “thinking of others” and what’s its like to have a mountaintop moment – to see things clearly and in a very positive light.  I hope you enjoy the song and feel free to download it and share with others.
In addition to the I HAVE A DREAM song, I’ve worked with a friend who is an artist, and we created some special coloring pages for MLK Day.  There are versions for younger kids and one for older children that share great lines from a variety of the most popular MLK speeches.  These words are still incredibly inspiring even decades after they’ve been spoken!  You can find the link to the coloring pages below.
Along with those items, there are also full color mini-posters of our rainbow of quotes and free sheet music as we have had dozens of requests to perform this song at schools throughout the year.
Additionally, I wanted to include a great link in case you want to get involved in a service project and don’t know where to begin. The government site for MLK day is a wonderful resource as well.  It has lots of valuable information plus a special locater where you can enter the name of your city or town and it will share projects on file that you might like to get involved with.
What Does Service Mean To You?
Lastly, I’d love to encourage you to think about what service means to you and your family.  Remember, the act of caring and service can be a deceptively small thing.  It can involve prayer for the lonely, the hungry or those in need of material goods.  It can involve very simple acts of kindness or uplifting words.  It can start small but make a huge difference to someone in need of kindness, consideration, help or an expression of compassion or love.
If you take a moment to consider what this can mean to your family, you’ll probably be surprised at how enriching and inspiring this one simple day can be.  So go ahead – become a part of a rainbow of kindness, fairness and peace.  I know you’ll be great. Remember:
“Everybody can be great… because anybody can serve.”
LINKS:
DARIA’s monthly song page contains free mp3 to the song I HAVE A DREAM, coloring pages, posters and sheet music.  Located at:  
 
 
Find a service project near you:
 
 

The Animal Place Stuffed Animal Review: So Realistic!

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My mother-in-law has a holiday movie that she loves to watch every single year. Actually, it’s just one scene from this movie that she HAS to watch. She laughs SO hard just thinking about it. It’s HILARIOUS to watch her as she conducts her annual ritual of watching “the squirrel scene” from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

If you are not familiar with this scene, it involves a squirrel being discovered hanging out inside the family’s Christmas tree. MUCH hilarity ensues when the squirrel decides to attack! Here’s a clip (WARNING: bad language is present in this clip).

This year I was able to add an extra dose of laughter to our family’s Christmas celebration by placing a VERY realistic squirrel in the tree for my mother-in-law to discover. She laughed and laughed when she found it, and now I’m on a mission to get another squirrel just like the one I have for her.

Darah has dibs on this one, though. She loves to chase after squirrels in the park, and when she first saw this squirrel, she thought it was real and was a bit nervous about touching it! That just how real it looks, people! This squirrel is from The Animal Place, a company that makes gorgeous, handcrafted animal toys. Their products have been endorsed by major conservation organizations because of their excellent attention to detail. These are the products of skilled workmanship, as is evidenced by the distinctive features of each animal.

Most every child has a favorite animal, and the odds are good that The Animal Place has a representation of that exact animal. After all, they have over 150 species represented and 10 different collections. They even have extraordinary life-sized reproductions that can hold riders up to 250 pounds! Woah!

I have to say that I’m extremely impressed with the quality of the toy we received. I believe it is going to hold up very well to years and years of play. The squirrel we received retails for $23.82 and the quality does justify the price. The dragon you see above is certainly a splurge, but it is life-sized and can come flying into your home for $927.00.

The Animal Place is pleased to offer a discount to Stuff Parents Need readers! Use code NEWYEAR2012 to save 15% off your order! Woo hoo!

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

Yonanas Review: Making Healthy “Ice Cream”

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I don’t watch cable tv, so I usually miss all the latest commercials. But even I have been hearing about this product called Yonanas. It’s getting attention on many different media outlets, including magazines andblogs, which I do read! Yonanas is a machine that turns frozen fruit (bananas, strawberries, mangoes, you name it!) into a creamy product that has the exact same consistency as ice cream. But it’s JUST FRUIT!!!

Yonanas Review

Check out this quick video to get a demonstration of how Yonanas works. What you are seeing below is consistent with what I experienced when making Yonanas for the first time.


yonanas review 1. I’m not usually a fan of kitchen gadgets that only serve one purpose. But I LOVE Yonanas. What is produces absolutely CANNOT be replicated in a blender or food processor. I was totally surprised by just how smooth and creamy the final product really is.My thoughts:

2. This is an AWESOME tool for anyone with a sweet tooth or with family members who like cold, sweet treats. The flavors I crave more than any other are cold and sweet, so to have the opportunity to make something so good and not have any sugar or fat added to the mix is a really good thing for me. I actually served some Yonanas to Darah as part of her dinner the other day (and why not? What I made only had bananas, blackberries and raspberries in it!). Also, in my pregnancy I really crave ice cream, and I love the idea of reaching for some Yonanas when the craving hits hard.

3. Yonanas is dishwasher safe. Hallelujah!

I have decided that the product Yonanas makes is so good that devoting limited shelf space to this one-trick pony is worth it! Just be sure to use the really ripe bananas, as they are the sweetest!

There are a few drawbacks to Yonanas, but again, both things are not sufficient to make me not endorse the product.

1. I found that it is best to only make as much yonanas as you want in one serving. I made a large batch once with the idea to store away the rest, and I found that when I returned to eat the yonanas, the stuff was pretty darn hard. It did thaw out, but it took about 20 minutes for it to get soft enough to dig back in with a spoon easily. If you plan ahead that’s not a problem, but if you want some ice cream NOW, then you’ll be disappointed.

2. When making your Yonanas, you should disassemble the device in order to get all of the yummy goodness out. I found that a fair amount of “ice cream” was still inside the device once I had finished making my treat. It was no big deal to scrape it out with a spatula, but that’s something to keep in mind as an extra step.

We’ll be making use of this product and are going to enjoy experimenting with different fruit combinations to find our favorite blends of healthy ice cream. My mouth is watering just thinking about summer time when all the berries will be in season. I’ll be in strawberry yonanas heaven! 🙂

Yonanas can be purchased for $49.99 at a wide variety of retailers (see store listings here).

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

Design ‘N Doodle Travel Game Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Thanks to my great blog readers, I got some very good advice about traveling with littles before our big trip out to California for Christmas. One piece of advice that I heard over and over was to have a new toy or activity for your child. Get something that they had never before played with, and that would engage and occupy them for quite a bit of time.

I did just that by bringing along a Sesame Street Design ‘N’ Doodle! These are offered by Patch Products, a company that has launched a great variety of activities and games for kids of all ages!

The Design ‘N’ Doodle actually got pulled out very early in the trip. We had to take a shuttle from Chattanooga to Nashville, and about 40 minutes into that 2 hour trip, Darah decided that she didn’t want to play with any of the other toys we brought, and that it would be more fun to sing at the top of her lungs. We, as her parents, can tolerate and admittedly sometimes even enjoy her solo performances, but the other 6 passengers in the van did not seem quite as enthusiastic about becoming her audience. So into the bag I went and pulled out this new toy.

Her eyes widened, her mouth dropped open, and she said, “I see Elmo! May I have it, please???” She was hooked from the start. The Design ‘N’ Doodle is a portable magnetic play board that also incorporates the use of dry-erase markers. It folds up easily and has a handle. It really is a great item for car or plane trips, as I can attest! The setting is Sesame Street, itself, and it can be enhanced with the magnet Sesame Street figures that come with the set. Kids can also draw on the magnets and the scene, itself.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a Design ‘N’ Doodle of your choice!

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Go! Go! Sports Girls Doll Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Darah is really into playing with dolls. She loves to comb their hair, put them to sleep and have tea parties with them. I want to make sure that as her imagination develops she thinks beyond playing dress up and lets her dolls do all kinds of awesome things outside of stereotypical “doll” behavior.

Go! Go! Sports Girls is a fun line of dolls that are on the market that show girls as enthusiastic participants in a wide variety of sports. I never ventured beyond dance as a child (though don’t get me wrong, dance can most definitely be a sport and an intense form of exercise!). I want Darah to know her options go far beyond dance, though. We tried to get her the Anna soccer doll, but they were completely sold out! So we opted for the Suzi swim doll, since we want to enroll Darah in swim lessons this summer. We hope this doll will inspire some great conversations about learning how to swim and how once you know how to swim, it can actually become a fun hobby or even a competitive sport. Darah’s Aunt Leslie swam competitively for many years, so she’s got a role model in the field, already!

Go! Go! Sports Girls Dolls currently showcase the following sports, with even more in the works for later:

  • golf
  • soccer
  • running
  • tennis
  • gymnastics
  • dance
  • softball
  • swimming
  • basketball

I know Darah is going to enjoy playing with Suzi, and I’m excited to see what underwater adventures they have together in the coming months! I’ve still got my eye on the soccer doll for next year, though, as Darah loves to run so much, so we think soccer might be a good fit for her!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Go! Go! Sports Doll of your choice!
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(Maternity Monday) LilyPadz: Discreet, Unique, Reusable Breast Pads (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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This may sound really strange, but the issue of breast pads is one of the reasons why I decided to start blogging in the first place. I was so struck by the vast difference in quality of different products on the market and I wasted quite a bit of money trying to find something that wasn’t bulky and just all-around awful to wear. I really wanted to share my thoughts on the topic with other women (and I had a million other blog post topics, as well). And so, a post on disposable breast pad comparison was one of my first!

Since that time, I’ve learned SO much about all the different options out there for breastfeeding women. We aren’t limited to what we can find in the aisles of Target, ladies! And just like I now know that reusable diapers are an awesome option for babies, I’ve been intrigued by reusable options for breast pads, as well. Anything I can do to save some money and be a bit more eco-friendly is worth checking out!

Today I’m featuring a breast pad that is really and truly unlike anything else on the market, and after having seen it for myself up close and personal, I simply must sing its praises. I will be recommending LilyPadz to every single expecting and breastfeeding mama I know, for sure!

LilyPadz are reusable breast pads, but they are not made of any sort of cloth. They are made of silicone, which as you know, does NOT absorb any liquid. Scratching your head about how in the heck this could work as a breast pad? They are actually designed to keep your breasts from leaking at all in between feedings! AMAZING! They have a slightly tacky side that, when applied correctly, keeps pressure on the nipple and keeps you leak free until it is time to remove them and feed the baby. Now, I don’t think they can work a miracle and keep you leak-free for 8 hours when you have a newborn, or anything, but when used properly, women report great success with them.

I do think that this will not be the product I use for the first few weeks of breastfeeding, as I recall that being a time when my milk was sort of out of control. It was also a time when I needed to make frequent use of lanolin products. While you can use lanolin with LilyPadz, you are advised to use it sparingly and be extra careful to wash them well each day. I think that I’ll just turn to these once my hormones get a bit more under control and breastfeeding becomes slightly more predictable.

While I can’t yet speak to their effectiveness at preventing leaks, I have practiced applying LilyPadz and I can say that they are easy to apply. I’m also happy to report that they are SUPER DUPER THIN. Like, so thin I couldn’t really believe it. I may have actually squealed a little bit at the thought of getting to wear something so discreet this time around. Joy of joys!

LilyPadz do require an oil-cutting soap to be used on the pads daily in order to keep the tacky side working properly. I received a starter kit, which is what I would recommend to anyone interested in this product. It comes with one pair of LilyPadz, one bottle of LilyWash (a silicone cleanser) and one box of LilyWipes, which are great to use if you are away from home and need to clean the pads.

LilyPadz are a fabulous product, and I would highly recommend them to anyone! You can purchase a starter kit for $36.95, and can purchase them online here or check out the store locator for your nearest retail option.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a LilyPadz starter kit!

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