Stuff Parents Need - Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

How to Travel with a Car Seat

January 9, 2016 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Friends I am just now returning from 20 days in beautiful southern California. My family had a grand (and long!) adventure in the desert for our winter break. We had great family time, great extended family time, and lots of new adventures (I’m looking at you, Joshua Tree National Park!).

It was wild and wonderful. I wouldn’t have believed that a place like this existed if I hadn’t seen it for myself. #joshuatree #wildwest #nofilter

A photo posted by Tiffany (@stuffparentsneed) on Jan 2, 2016 at 8:30pm PST

Before our trip, one of my big questions was how to travel with a car seat. I asked for and received a lot of advice on the subject, and now I want to share with you what my family chose to do. I want to emphasize that it’s cool if you make a different choice, as it turns out that most anything related to car seats can get some folks feeling pretty passionate, and I’m certainly not writing this post to tell you that traveling with a car seat can only be done one way. But I hope sharing our experience is helpful to you as you determine what is right for your family.

Bring Your Own Car Seats or Rent/Buy On Location?

If you are planning on renting a car at your destination, you certainly can rent a car seat, as well. We weren’t renting a car, but if we had, based on what I have heard from MANY different people, it’s best to avoid those car seats, as they are often low quality and might even be outdated.

If you are flying into a larger city or one with very popular kid-friendly attractions (such as Orlando) there are actually companies that will rent quality baby/kid accessories to you on site, including car seats, strollers, cribs, etc. This is something I would personally consider doing, but was not able to try at our destination this time around.

A third option someone suggested to me was simply to leave my car seats at home and buy cheap ones at my destination, leaving them as a donation before returning home. For me, that option seemed like too steep of a price to pay for not having to take my own seats, and I also didn’t like the idea of having my kids in lower quality car seats if I could help it. Just my opinion, though!

How to Travel with Car Seats by Plane

So we knew we would be taking our car seats with us. Now the question became how to get them transported. It’s important to note that you are legally allowed to bring your car seats onto the plane and install them in the seats. I think this option does provide the very best odds of your car seat being left in the most pristine condition because YOU will be the handler! Many people also feel that it is the safest ride for the kids. My personal opinion on that front is that when it comes safety in a plane, a car seat isn’t going to make much of a difference if something is seriously wrong. Totally cool if you disagree.

The other option is to check your car seat, and there are actually 2 different ways to do this, as well. First, you can check it along with your other luggage. We flew Southwest and on this particular airline, your car seats don’t count toward your checked baggage allotment, and there is no fee. I cannot vouch for other airlines, so always check with them first, but my overall understanding is that car seats and strollers are checked complimentary.

You can also take your car seat to the gate and then request a gate check. Some folks like to do this to cut down on the amount of handling the car seat endures. Again, I think this is a very smart option.

But we chose to check the car seats at the start of our journey along with our other bags, even knowing that it wasn’t the best possible option for our car seats. Why oh why did we choose this option, then?!

It’s simple, really. We were 2 parents with 2 small kids and 8 pieces of luggage. We were tired and couldn’t really fathom hauling 2 car seats (each weighing close to 30 pounds!) and our children through the airport.

Car Seat Storage Bags

If you are going to check your car seat, then you definitely need some type of car seat storage bag. We did not consider this until the night before our trip (oops). Our first thought was to go for garbage bags and packing tape. Let me spare you some time here: FAIL! Doesn’t work!!! Then we learned that Southwest Airlines offers bags on site for $15! We were delighted to discover that one bag was actually big enough to hold both of our car seats. They are reusable bags, but I can tell you after one round trip, our bag is straining, so I don’t think they are as high of a quality as what you might find online. But if you are down to the wire like we were, they certainly work. You’ll have to check with other airlines to see if they have similar offerings if you aren’t flying Southwest.

So why do you need a bag at all? Because your car seat has straps, first and foremost, that can easily get caught in conveyor belts during the trip it is going to take from baggage drop off to your plane and back. Additionally, those conveyor belts are FILTHY, so if you want your car seat to not get terribly dirty, you’ll want to keep it covered.

The Risk: Lost Luggage

Perhaps the biggest risk you take by checking your car seats is that they will get lost. And on our trip home, that very thing happened to us. Fortunately, they were quickly located (in Chicago…we were in Nashville), but unfortunately, we had no car seats for our drive back home. Southwest Airlines had loaner car seats that we were able to use. They were totally clean and had 5-point-harnesses, which was important to me. But they weighed less than half of what our car seats weigh, which was a key sign to me that they didn’t offer the degree of protection I would want. I felt really bad about this, but we took the loaners and made it home safely, and then had our beloved car seats back 24 hours later. In the future I will look into roll away carts that some people use to pull their car seats through the airport. And hopefully the next time we travel we won’t have quite as many bags, either, so the decision to gate check the car seats will likely be what I will pick next time.

I hope I’ve given you a clear picture of some of the pros and cons. Obviously, you’ve got to decide what’s right for your family and your particular circumstance. Maybe a trek through the airport with a car seat is totally not a big deal to you. Or maybe you need your travel to be as hassle-free as humanly possible.

The Most Important Decision

Ultimately, the choice of how to travel with your car seats isn’t as important as the question of which car seat to choose for your day-to-day life. Diono sent us the Radian RXT for Layah, and I can say without hesitation that I wish I had been using this convertible car seat with her since the day I brought her home from the hospital. It is designed to go from birth through the end of your need for any type of car seat (!!!!!!!). This short video highlights the amazing features that will wow any parent who is tired of having to purchase car seat after car seat for their growing kiddos.

Here’s a quick run-down of some of the most awesome features of the Diono Radian RXT:

Full steel frame and aluminum reinforced sides for unmatched safety
Comfortably seats rear-facing children from 5-45 lbs, forward-facing children from 20 – 80 lbs in a 5-point harness, then converts to a booster for children up to 120 lbs.
Unique SuperLATCH system that makes installation easy
It also fits 3 across in most mid-size vehicles, folds flat for travel and is FAA certified
Booster mode from 50 – 120 lbs (40 to 57 inches)
NCAP crash tested, the industry benchmark for verifying child seat performance in severe accident conditions

The Diono Radian RXT convertible car seat is a huge hit with our daughter. She’s comfortable with how it feels, and I’m very comfortable with how it performs.

Sea Salt & Sugar Body Scrub: An Honest Assessment

December 30, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Referral links may be included at no cost to you. All thoughts and opinions are my own as always.

One of the products that The Honest Company launched this year was the Sea Salt + Sugar Body Scrub. I tend to think that this type of product is severely overpriced in the retail market and that homemade versions are quite comparable and cost so much less.

However, in this particular case, I do believe we have a winner for the best organic body scrub. I don’t think I could replicate the perfect balance of soft and gritty that Honest Company has developed. And the smell? Oh mercy, this is a good one! Every time I use this product I not only have very soft skin for quite a long time, but I also smell amazing (I know Honest Company makes use of essential oils rather than going with artificial perfumes, so know that your scent will be a natural one, and not one made in a lab somewhere).

And thankfully, a little goes a long way, so you won’t run out of the product too terribly quickly, which makes the $16.95 price tag much more justifiable.

So for those of you who do bundles with the Honest Company (pick 5 products from an extensive list for just $35.95), here’s the bad news: this one doesn’t qualify (well, sort of). It DOES qualify to get added as one of your 3 bonus items (when you bundle you can select 3 additional items to add to your order, and each of those items is 25% off). So definitely try this as an add-on, because it will bring down the cost quite a bit (it becomes $12.19…not bad at all!). And if you are new to Honest Company and have no idea what to pick for your bundle, I’ve got a very lengthy list of Honest Company reviews you should check out. Spoiler alert: most things rock, but there are some lemons in the lot, so you’d be wise to read up before filling your cart!

The San Diego Zoo with Kids: 10 Tips for a Great Experience

December 27, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

When Tim and I were newlyweds, we had the opportunity to take a tour of the San Diego Zoo thanks to his Aunt Robyn. That was 14 years ago, and I have been to quite a few zoos since then, but no zoo has even come close to being as awesome as the San Diego Zoo. So as we planned our winter vacation to southern California, we knew that seeing the San Diego Zoo with kids would be a must, as experiences like that are only heightened with little ones around.Earlier this week we picked up our tickets provided by the zoo and had an absolutely marvelous time! I want to show you a little peek at some of the gems inside the park, as well as some tips based on our experience.

san diego zoo with kids

1. Spend time studying the map before you go

The San Diego Zoo is HUGE (100 acres!) and there isn’t one simple loop to walk on to catch it all. You are going to have to do some degree of backtracking, but you can limit just how much of that you do by making a basic plan of action ahead of time. We had no plan, and so we criss-crossed the zoo a lot and wore ourselves out a bit sooner than I had hoped. I think we could have stayed longer with a better plan. Learn from our mistake!

2. Take advantage of the free rides

Included with your admission ticket are complimentary rides on a 35 minute double-decker bus tour as well as an aeriel tram. Both options are located very near the entry to the park. We started with the bus tour and got to see a great number of animals from the comfort of our seats. I think another strategy that would work well is to start your day in the park by taking the tram, which takes you from the bottom of the park over to the top of the park, and then walking back down from there. Either way, save your legs a bit of work! And the tram ride gives you some pretty incredible views, too.

3. Lots of hills!

The San Diego Zoo is a very hilly place, and even if you take the tram ride up and walk down, you won’t completely avoid some steep climbs. Fortunately, the zoo map designates a degree of difficulty for each path, which is especially nice to see if you have multiple generations touring the park together, or if someone in your party simply can’t navigate a steep climb for any number of reasons. I don’t want to give the wrong impression here, as it’s not like mountain climbing or anything, but if you will be pushing a stroller, I thought you’d appreciate the heads up. 😉

4. Lots of shade!

One of the things I learned on our bus tour is that the San Diego Zoo is also considered a botanical garden, and it has over 1,000 species of plants (some endangered!) growing on the premises. That means that you get to benefit from tremendous amounts of shade, as well as lots of beautiful scenery, in addition to one of the most amazing collections of creatures on earth.

5. Lots of (touchable) statues!

I believe I heard that there are over 100 life-size statues of animals throughout the park, and they are designed to be admired AND touched (or even climbed on). This makes for lots of fun little breaks for kids all over the park, as they cannot resist climbing on the back of a gorilla, polar bear or hippo. It also makes for many cute photo ops!

6. Don’t miss the aviaries

As I was looking over the park map on site and trying to figure out what to see and what to skip, I wasn’t feeling much of a need to go through the aviaries. I’ve seen colorful birds before, so no big deal, right? WRONG! Don’t miss this fun walk-through attraction. My crew wanted to do it, so I agreed to go. The above shot was taken without using zoom. Does that give you a sense for just how “up close and personal” you can get with these beautiful birds? Totally worth seeing!

7. Shh! Quiet around the pandas

When we went through the panda exhibit (which requires folks to take only a few pictures before moving on due to its popularity) I noticed that the keeper on sight was almost whispering. I believe someone in the audience coughed and then the panda quickly moved to try to hide from folks. It turns out that pandas are easily startled by loud noises. I don’t fault the person for coughing because that’s just life, but it definitely made it harder for me to get a really good view of one of the pandas. So do all your loud noise making before entering the exhibit to help increase your odds of getting a good shot!

8. Have your camera ready at all times

You never know when a sleeping animal might decide to wake up and move around a bit. That’s what happened with this polar bear, who had been snoozing on a log for quite some time that morning. We saw him sleeping when we drove by on the bus tour, and he seemed to be doing the same when we came back by on foot. But then, just like that, he was up and moving! You never know who is going to feel like strutting when you walk past their homes, so just be ready. Bring a back up battery for your phone if you are taking photos that way.

9. Backstage Pass The zoo offers a backstage pass opportunity to up to 40 people each day. You get to touch a number of animals and you get to take a photo while standing near a cheetah (but no touching that one!). Tim and I mulled over doing this, but for us, it was quite pricey (it costs $115 per person if you purchase it on site and $105 if you reserve your spot online in advance…and this is on top of your zoo admission price for the day). Our oldest is borderline obsessed with cheetahs, but upon hearing that the zoo cannot guarantee the appearance of any animal and when considering the fact that our oldest might very well be too nervous to pet the animals that can be petted, we decided to pass. Also note, you have to be at least 5 to participate, so if you have a preschooler or younger in your crew, someone will have to sit out and go do something else with that child.

But here’s the fun part. We happened to be in the area where the backstage pass was happening (it’s right across from the cheetah exhibit) and there are a few spots in the foliage where you can peek through. We had the best luck ever, as we were walking past while the cheetah was out with her best buddy, a dog. It was NOT as cool as if we were watching it up close, but it was the next best thing, and it didn’t cost anything at all.

10. Stuffed animal fan? Don’t miss the kid shop

There are scores of little shops all around the zoo, but if you are looking for a super cool stuffed animal (or a lovey, as we call it) then you need to go to the kid store that is close to the entrance of the zoo. Go into the back section and there you will find the absolute best collection of zoo animal plushes you have ever seen in your life. Stuffed animals were my favorite as a child, so I’m a total pushover when my girls ask for new stuffed animals. I knew I’d be treating them to something, and I was SO excited by the number of options they had in the $8.99-$14.99 range. It was a bit of a challenge for me to not get a lovey for myself, but I resisted. Definitely don’t miss this spot before you leave.

The San Diego Zoo was a wonderful experience. I hope some of my tips will help you have a great time there with your kids! And if you can’t visit just yet, be sure to follow them on Instagram. They have a fantastic account, and you can see some amazing shots of the wildlife at the zoo from the comfort of your own home!

How to Boost the Immune System for Kids: the Simple Way!

December 26, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Referral links may be included at no cost to you. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

My kids take a multi-vitamin each morning (ok, most mornings…) and we also use essential oils to help provide some support to our bodies to help us stay well. But sometimes we need an extra dose of immunity boosting goodness (especially in the late fall and winter when the sniffles seem to be almost impossible to avoid).

Today I want to show you a product from The Honest Company that is formulated for kids, but that my entire family actually uses. The reason we all use it has to do with the way I choose to use the product: in our smoothies.

I’d say that my crew has smoothies as part of breakfast 2-3 times each week. During the fall and winter (and if needed, other times of the year as well), if I’m making a smoothie that is going to have a dominant berry flavor, I go ahead and add some of this Kid’s Immunity Boost.

It comes in powder form (and a berry flavor) and it can be used in smoothies, on yogurt or even in juice. I’ve simply found that my crew likes it best in smoothies, so that’s the route we take.

I think this is a great wellness tool to add to your arsenal as a boost to help your kids’ bodies be primed for fighting those germs that most definitely will head their way.

Since this product retails for $19.95 it is slightly more affordable to sign up for a wellness bundle, which is $35.95 for 2 products in the list of options (so you could buy 2 and save $2 per container that way). Since shipping is free once you spend $50 or more, take advantage of the fact that bundles allow for up to 3 additional items to be added at 25% off the retail price per item. At 25% off, your price for that third container would be $14.96. I think the most fun thing to do would be to order several different things from the selection, but you could just stick to the Kids’ Immunity Boost and order 4 of them through the bundle service. Your grand total would be $65.87 (that’s $16.46 per container), you’d get free shipping, and you’d likely be all set for a year or even more with your immunity booster.

If you want to look at some of the other wellness products, be sure to check out my Honest Company reviews to see which ones I recommend!

Best Gifts for Makeup Lovers

December 20, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Referral links may be included at no cost to you. I only promote what I love!

I have been loving my Beauty Box 5 Subscription (click that link to sign up and use my referral code: HALFOFF, for 50% off your first box!) for over a year, now. In each box, you receive 5 beauty items (some are full-size, some are sample size). You ALWAYS get more value than what you spent on your box (sometimes the box is worth well over twice what you spent on it!) and you always get to try out some really cool new stuff. You can purchase one box at a time for $12, but I really suggest going for the year subscription, because that brings the per box price down to just $8.75.

This is the absolute PERFECT gift for makeup lovers: fun new items shipped straight to their house each and every month, and the price tag is great so it can work with your budget, whether you can only spring for 1 box, 6, or an entire year of goodies.

This month subscribers got 5 FULL SIZE products. Merry Christmas, indeed! 😉 The products for this month focused on creating a smoky eye, which is a perfect thing to do this time of year with all the great holiday parties.

I absolutely love this subscription service. If you check out my Youtube channel you can see several video reviews I have posted, and you can see that I’m not always thrilled with every single product (I’m a tough critic!) but the value is so great that it’s really no problem if a box has one or two duds in it. And lately the boxes have been having more and more winners. Yay!!!

This is one worth giving a try for sure. And if you need a last minute gift idea for a makeup lover, you can’t go wrong with Beauty Box 5!

Honest Company Best Multivitamin for Men Review: An Honest Assessment

December 19, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Referral links may be included. My family buys and loves Honest Company products.

My husband has been using the Honest Company’s Men’s Complete One a Day Vitamins for over a year now, and they the best multivitamin for men for a few key reasons.

I think the biggest benefit of this multivitamin is the fact that it also has probiotics included. We both have felt a noticeable difference in our overall health when we take probiotics, so having it included with the multivitamin instead of being a separate pill is awesome.

I’m also really impressed with the specific ingredients in this multivitamin and the fact that it is truly targeted for the needs of men. It has a stimulant-free combination of ingredients to help give an energy boost throughout the day.

Tim doesn’t like to take this pill on an empty stomach, so it’s best to pair it with some food. But otherwise, it’s so great to pack so much great stuff into one pill. I wish they could find a way to add in some Omega-3 vitamins, too (although they do offer a separate pill to get those vitamins, too).

And just like all Honest products, here’s some of what you WON’T find in these multivitamins: made soy, gluten, yeast, wheat, casein, gelatin, sodium, dairy, eggs, shellfish, sweeteners, HFCS, artificial flavors, starch, dyes, preservatives, parabens, or phthalates.

A one month supply retails for $19.95. You can subscribe to a bundle and get 2 items from their listed of choices for $34.95 (which will save you about $5 on two containers). You can also get 25% off up to 3 additional items when you subscribe to a bundle, so if you wanted to buy a third bottle, that bottle would cost just $14.96. It’s important to note that there is a shipping charge unless you spend $50 or more, and then shipping is free. So my recommendation is to buy 4 bottles of the vitamins at a time. You’ll get the price per bottle down to about $16.21 that way and you won’t pay for shipping.

And as far as being a bundle subscriber, it is truly hassle-free. You can push back your order as much as you want online, and you receive a notification when you order is a day or two away from processing in case you forgot and need to change anything, want to push it back again, or call in and cancel. I love being a bundle subscriber and the cost savings is totally worth the miniscule amount of time you have to spend pushing back order dates until you are ready to order again.

Want more ideas about which Honest products are awesome and which ones you should pass on? I have a complete list of Honest Company reviews. And don’t forget to get all those great Honest Company free trials before you spend a single penny, too!

My Little Flower Child (December Fashion from FabKids)

December 16, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Thanks to FabKids for providing this month’s dress. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Referral links may be included at no cost to you.

Earlier this week I had Darah’s hair in several different braids. When we took them out the following morning, she had such pretty waves. Since her hair is long and sun-kissed, she looked like quite the flower child!

And she had the perfect dress for the look. This month she selected the from FabKids. As I snapped some photos of her I was simply awe-struck at my baby girl. I spy a 16-year-old in there, and getting that glimpse just threw me for a loop!

If you aren’t familiar with FabKids, it’s a hassle-free subscription service and a great way to get some fun, functional and on-trend outfits for your boy or girl from sizes 2t-12. At the start of the month you are shown a great selection of options (most priced at $29.95 for a top and a bottom) and you can choose one or skip the month with just the click of a button. It’s so easy!

My girls both have several outfits, and we find that they wear really well at school because they are comfortable. We’ve also given outfits from FabKids as gifts, and they have always been well-received!

Have you tried FabKids, yet? They are offering brand new members a , so there’s never been a better time to try them out!

#Donate: Making a Difference with a Simple Comment Through GoodWorld

December 15, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This is, without a shadow of a doubt, my favorite time of the year. The reason? Because it’s filled with magic! And the magic is found in that sparkle in the eyes of boys and girls everywhere. It’s a sparkle that, unfortunately, fades so fast as we learn more and more about “real life” and have to navigate our way through it. But at least for me, by diving head first into the magic of the season and by participating with my kids as they enjoy this time of year, my heart grows two sizes and I find more reasons to smile and celebrate and simply be merry.

What are some of the things that cause your children’s eyes to just light up? Today I want to share with one one of things that my girls love the most: animals. My youngest loves all things dog: from tea cup poodles to big wolves, she’s down with the canines! And my oldest goes for cats, with cheetahs being her absolutely favorite (her biggest wish is to get to pet a cheetah one day…a tough wish to grant as a Google search will tell you!).

I’m not going to be able to grant that wish this Christmas (or quite possibly ever) but one thing I can do this year as I think about charitable organizations that my family would like to give to is to honor their love of animals through a donation. This year we are making a donation to Wildlife S.O.S. And speaking of things being downright magical, let me show you how I made that donation. I participated in GoodWorld’s (#12daygiveaway) and simply commented with #donate.

Animals make my girls eyes light up in such a magical way. I may only be one person, but I can contribute in a meaningful way to make sure that my girls will grow up continuing to enjoy the beauty of incredible wild animals, and that their children will be able to do the same. And by contributing, I’m not just helping to secure this reality for my children, but for children everywhere. I’m also practicing what I preach about the importance of giving, and I know that actions speak louder than words to kids.

It was SO easy for me to make a donation. I simply clicked on this link for Wildlife SOS and commented with #donate $25. Here’s the best part: it’s just that easy for you to participate, too! GoodWorld has a so you can choose the one that speaks to your heart the most. You can donate any amount that you like!

There’s never been a better (or easier!) time to give back to great nonprofits. Won’t you join me and GoodWorld during the 12 Days of Giving from now through December 23rd? Here’s a super short video that shows you exactly how giving works through GoodWorld:

$1,000 Giveaway!

Giving is a wonderful thing to do simply because it is, but right now, GoodWorld is making it even MORE wonderful. If you donate to or you will be automatically entered to win a $1,000 Amazon gift card! And guess what else? You can spread the word on your social media accounts through a referral link, and each referral you send to GoodWorld will also result in another entry for you!

Super Easy Gift Ideas for Teachers: Starbucks for the Win!

December 14, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Thanks to Starbucks for sending along some seasonal flavors and products. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Today I’m working on the holiday gifts for my children’s teachers and I thought I’d show them to you in case you are still trying to figure out what to put together (and in case your Pinterest searches on “teacher gifts” stressed you out because it definitely stressed me out!).

Friends, it doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as this!

Give you children’s teachers a simple holiday treat that is sure to be appreciated. They have worked so hard with your kids over the last few months, and they are about to get a well-deserved break. They will even have time to curl up on their sofas with a delicious peppermint mocha (or 5!). 🙂

Each of my girls has 2 teachers in the classroom, so I’ll be multiplying the above gift times 4. If your budget allows for a bit more, or if your child only has 1 teacher so your funds can go further, here’s another idea for you.

Consider getting one of the absolutely gorgeous tumblers that Starbucks has available (this one is called Watercolor Hearts) and pair it with some hot cocoa (you can get K Cups or a mix).

Starbucks is something that puts a glimmer of joy in most everyone’s eyes, so it’s a safe bet as a gift. You can also feel good knowing that you picked out something beautiful and delicious that will be enjoyed and not relegated to a storage closet with all the “world’s best teacher” stuff. 😉

Do you have other teacher gift ideas to share? Let us know what you are doing for your kids’ teachers in the comments!