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

Getting Off to the Right Start (Including Brain Food for Breakfast!)

August 19, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

As parents, we are all faced with decisions big and small that need to be made to help our children become awesome little global citizens. Choosing a great educational program and learning environment is a big decision (and one that we have to revisit every year!). But there are also daily decisions that we need to make to help our kids perform at their best. And as insignificant as it may seem in the moment, deciding what to offer for breakfast is one of those critical decisions.

I learned this lesson two years ago when my oldest child’s preschool teacher reported that she was noticing some difficulty with concentration. My mind went into immediate panic mode, thinking she would need to be tested. But her teacher said this: “What is Darah eating for breakfast?”. Darah LOVES bagels, so that is what she was going for most mornings. They were whole grain, so I get points for that, right? But where’s the protein?!?! Her teacher asked me to make sure Darah was getting protein each morning, as well as a supplement with Omega 3s in it. And guess what? It made all the difference!

Darah likes to show me how the good food she eats helps her grow. She’s reaching the tree branches, now! 🙂

I’m so fortunate that one of the BIG decisions I made for my girls (being intentional about where we enrolled them for preschool) resulted in having a teacher who was paying close attention and who could identify a missing link in our daily routines that was having a negative impact on Darah’s ability to grow and learn.

Together, We Learn

If you are seeking a nurturing and caring learning environment for your young child, be they an infant or a kindergartener, or anywhere in between, you might want to check out your nearest La Petite Academy. This is a national program with a solid reputations for curriculum that inspires a lifelong love of learning. And that includes teaching children (and their parents) about proper nutrition and developing a love for good-for-us foods.

La Petite Academy has incredible programs for the work day for working parents, as well as before school and after school programs, Spring Break programs and summer camps. You can schedule a tour to see for yourself, which I highly recommend, as the decision for how to get your child off to the right start with their care is a big one! I think you’ll like what you see at La Petite Academy, from story time to snack time and everywhere in between.

To get more information, check out the La Petite Academy website or follow La Petite Academy on Facebook or Twitter.

La Petite Academy. Opening Minds. Unleashing Imaginations.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Learning Care Group. The opinions and text are all mine.

AT&T Wireless Promotion ($300 in Savings!!!)

August 18, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Thanks to AT&T and ShopatHome.com for partnering with me for today’s post. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

We recently upgraded our cell phones here at the House of M. I LOVE my iPhone 6 (especially the camera!) but let me tell you, paying for it was totally painful. I wish there had been a deal happening at the time like the one AT&T is offering now.

From now through August 23rd, if you switch to AT&T and buy ANY smartphone on the AT&T Next plan you will get $300 in credits. That breaks down to a $100 bill credit and a $200 instant credit or AT&T promotion card (a buyback credit). That instant credit can be used on accessories, other devices, or even on your bill.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how the summer buyback promotion works:

Customer purchases qualifying device online on a Next Installment Plan
Customer sent order confirmation email with instructions and Promotion information, which includes a single-use promotion codes that can be used for online fulfillment
To fulfill online, Customer goes to the AT&T Buyback Program site (www.att.com/buyback) and searches and selects the device they’re trading
Device must have a ‘Yes’ response to each question to be eligible for the promotion
Customer enters Buyback device IMEI and their mobile phone number (BAU)
Customer enters Promotion Code to receive enhanced values, completes transaction BAU
Customer is sent packaging material and shipping label to send in device (no charge for material or shipping)
Customer sends in device and is shipped promotion card in 2-3 weeks after receipt

What a great way to get your old device upgraded! I didn’t get ANYTHING for my old device, so this is one seriously sweet deal, people!

And don’t forget to shop through ShopatHome.com where just by going through their link you can earn up to $155 cash back on your AT&T purchase (exact amount just depends on what you purchase). That’s literally money in the bank for you, friends!

Try not to rub your awesome deals in too much, ‘k? The amount I forked over for my new phone still stings a bit…

Here’s to you saving much more than I did!

A New Ritual for a New Season of Life: Tea Time with Botanica Science

August 18, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Thanks to Botanica Science and Socialite for partnering with me for today’s post. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

All summer long I have been working on transforming the contents of our pantry and our refrigerator. Processed foods have slowly gotten the boot, and whole grains reign supreme. We have ample storage now for fruits and veggies to encourage their purchase and their consumption, and we are buying organic options as much as possible (yes, it’s expesive, an therefore, a bit painful, which is why it has taken all summer to switch over!).

Now that I know I’m putting good things into my body, I’m ready to invite all that junk that is hanging out in my body (trapped in my gut, in my fat cells, etc) to exit the building. This is the right time for me to take on a detox. But this mama can’t go all out with a 14-day juice cleanse or the like.

But I’ve got time for a few cups of tea!

I’m using the Botanica Science SkinnyTox 14-day organic herbal detox regimen, which consists of two different types of tea. I am taking the Organic Energy Berry Blend first thing in the morning, 30 minutes before I eat breakfast, and I’m taking the Organic Herbal Detox (which is my favorite!) 30 minutes before bed.

These teas are designed to help support your metabolism during the day and give you a natural energy boost, and they are also designed to help you have a healthy colon and digestive tract. Other folks who have used these teas report that they help with losing water weight and reduce bloating. That bloated feeling is what plagues me the most, and I definitely attribute it to my body needing to shed a lot of the toxic junk it is holding on to.

If you are just not feeling yourself lately and if you are also working on changing some of your eating habits, it might be a good time to think about trying a detox program of some sort. I wouldn’t advise doing it if you aren’t also giving your body healthy food options, as there’s not much of a point in trying to get rid of junk in your body when you are putting junk back in it at the same time!

I’m finding these teas, so far, to be very gentle and really just a great way to start and end my day; very comforting and calm! It’s the type of detox that fits well into my daily routine. And I absolutely love that it’s organic!

Have you ever tried a detox? I’d love to hear about your experience!

How Will I Ever Get Dinner Made Again (Homework?!): Let’s Chat About It!

August 17, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Today both my girls are off for the start of another great school year. My oldest is in first grade, and in Montessori, that means that she transitions into a classroom with 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders all learning together. It also means the start of nightly homework. As this reality sunk into my head during parent orientation last week, all I could think was, “How in the world will I ever get dinner made again?! We’ve got to do homework now right during meal prep time!”

Of course we will figure out a way to eat, and we will even find our groove with homework. But there’s absolutely no doubt that I’ve got to up my game when it comes to being as efficient as possible in the kitchen. That’s going to mean finding shortcuts that make sense.

With the help of the canned foods in your pantry – or your “Cantry” – you can make nutritious, homemade, A+ meals a reality any day of the week! Like home canning, cans seals in foods nutrition, freshness and flavor. So your next wholesome meal is only a can – or two – away!

Twitter Party!

And this, my friends, is what we are going to be chatting about tomorrow night on Twitter! Please join me at 8pm ET for the Cans Get You Cooking Twitter Party. We’ll be sharing some great #backtoschool cooking tips and recipes.

And of course, no Twitter party is complete without some great prizes! Throughout the party, participants who answer trivia questions correctly will be eligible to be drawn for four Cans Get You Cooking prize packs (including a Cans Get You Cooking branded apron, tote bag, can strainer and $25 Visa gift card), and one grand prize will include a Cans Get You Cooking branded apron, tote bag, can strainer and $50 Visa gift card! Woo hoo!! That will buy some great stuff to stock your pantry with, for sure! Follow your hosts, special guests, and your co-hosts and let’s get some new ideas cooking together!

Hosts: @TheMotherhood, @TMChatHost, @CooperMunroe, @EmilyMcKhann

Special guest: @CansGetUCooking

Your fellow co-hosts:

Amee, http://madamedeals.com, @realadvicegal

Carlee, http://www.frugalandfunmom.com, @athomemoma

Christine, http://www.momslifesavers.com, @Momslifesavers

Dawn, http://homemakinghacks.com, @dawnchats

Heather, http://www.ourkidsmom.com @ourkidsmom

Linsey, http://www.lillepunkin.com, @Lknerl

Lori, http://www.adayinmotherhood.com, @lomargie

Marisa, http://thepennywisemama.com, @pennywisemama

Tiffany, http://stuffparentsneed.com, @Tiffanyblogs

Val, http://www.fromvalskitchen.com, @valmg

Macy’s Sales to Check Out!

August 17, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Thanks to ShopAtHome.com and Macy’s for partnering with me on today’s post about back-to-school deals. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Affiliate links included.

I think one of the most exciting things I got to do all summer was to visit (and of course, shop at) the iconic Macy’s at Herald Square in NYC. You know, THE Macy’s! The flagship store. The eipcenter of the televised parade each year. Yes, that Macy’s.

Did you know they still use their original wooden escalators? They do!! Here’s a pic I took to prove it!

Thanks to the internet, though, you don’t have to take a flight over to NYC in order to enjoy the great savings Macy’s is currently offering, right in time for all those back-to-school needs (we just discovered this morning, for example, that our youngest is outgrowing her shoes and needs a new pair NOW!).

From now through the 19th of August, you can enjoy 20% off with code BTS at checkout. That same promotion is going to run again 8/23-8/25, just FYI.

Don’t forget to go through ShopatHome.com to snag an additional 5% cash back, too! I love sweetening the pot with my online shopping deals by going through this completely free website (it’s actually better than free because you earn money back when you use it!). They have a comprehensive list of sales and coupon offers, and they give you an additional percentage back on top of what you are already going to save.

That wooden elevator was pretty darn cool, but ShopatHome.com makes staying put totally worthwhile, don’t you think? 🙂

Here’s what I’ve picked out for today’s sale:

These Carter’s shoes are on sale for $25.99 and then I’ll get 20% off that, and then another 5% cash back from ShopatHome.com!

And Carter’s also has these animal print pants on sale for $8.99 (plus 20% off, but 5% back!). Can’t beat that, friends!

Check out the Macy’s sale today an see what great buys you can scoop up for the school year!

The Best Back-to-School Finds from Sears

August 13, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Thanks to ShopAtHome.com and Sears for partnering with me on today’s post about back-to-school deals. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Affiliate links included.

One of my favorite things to find on a website that sells clothing is outfit inspiration, or total looks that I can browse. I’m slightly trend-challenged when left to my own devices. But the downside of using these types of tools is that these trendy looks are almost always the newest merchandise, being offered at full price.

This is NOT the case at Sears! I have been browsing some of their top looks for boys, girls (and maybe even for me) and I’m finding lots of stuff 50% off! Sears is actually offering back-to-school looks, including some great new merchandise for fall, at up to 50% off. I want to show you some of my favorite pieces!

Runway Glam

From the Runway Glam collection, this pink moto jacket is my favorite! It’s a great layering piece for fall weather, when it’s chilly in the morning but warm by the afternoon, and the price is SO right, at just $14.99 (regularly $32)

Gym Class Heros

While I’m not doing any shopping for boys, you might be! So check out this look:

I love that heather gray with the black piping! And once again, the price tag is something any parent will appreciate: $13.99 (down from $28). I also saw another cute jacket that was just $7.99 down from $40, so you can find deals at Sears right now that are even better than 50% off and still right for fall!

Something for Mom

Since the prices are so good, don’t feel bad about taking a moment to look around for yourself, mama! I headed straight to the ’70s Boho inspiration page, as that’s one of my favorite looks, and I spotted this:

Y’all I live in my leggings, so I’m always looking for stuff that will cover my rear end so that I can keep wearing them outside of the house. Isn’t this floral top cute? So perfect for early fall here in Tennessee, where it’s still usually warm until the end of September. It’s on sale right now for $19.99, regularly $42.

How to Sweeten the Deal

There are a few strategies you should use to make your Sears shopping an even better deal! First, try coupon code SCHOOLCOOL and you’ll get an extra 20% off your purchae over $50!

Second, be sure to shop through the ShopatHome.com link. Shop at Home is a totally free service you can sign up for that will give you CASH back for doing what you are already doing: shopping online. You will find an extensive selection of coupons and cash rebate offers there (so if SCHOOLCOOL is no longer working, just check out the ShopatHome.com list of available coupon codes, as they keep things up to date!).

Additionally, ShopatHome.com offers you an extra percentage off which you will get back in the form of cash (well, technically a check). Usually they offer an extra 6% off at Sears, but in celebration of back-to-school time, they have bumped it up to 8% back. So if you spend $100 at Sears, you can get $8 of that back in cash just by going through ShopatHome.com to do your shopping, and that’s on top of any savings you are going to score thanks to the Sears sale and the Sears coupon code. Hooray!!!

Do you have any particular looks that you are seeking out for your kids this year (or even for yourself)? I’d love to hear more from you about what’s trendy where you live!

Chocolate Clafoutis with Strawberries: A Pure and Deceptively Simple Dessert

August 11, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This post brought to you by DairyPure Milk. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Stuff Parents Need.

Friends, this summer I have been working really hard to give our refrigerator and our pantry a makeover. I’m not talking so much about aesthetics (although did you catch the lighting hack we did with our fridge? It’s worth the read!). I’m talking about overhauling the types of food we are eating and making healthier choices.

For example, I’m becoming very brand loyal with our milk. I always look for the DairyPure label wherever I am because I really trust the exclusive 5 Point Purity Promise:

No artificial growth hormones (no significant difference has been shown between milk derived from cows treated with the artificial growth hormone rbST and non‐rbST‐treated cows).
All milk is tested for antibiotics
Continuously quality tested to ensure purity
Only from cows fed a healthy diet
Cold shipped fresh from your local dairy

We’re also changing out the types of food in our pantry, opting for as many non-GMO options as possible (pantry makeover post forthcoming!). But even with these shifts, I’m still the same type of chef in the kitchen: I want things I make to be as simple as possible.

Today I’m showing you a dessert that sounds unbelievably fancy (as all french words tend to do) but scroll through the tutorial and you’ll see that you can make something absolutely breathtaking and delicious in precious little time and with just a few ingredients. That’s my kind of recipe!

Chocolate Clafoutis with Strawberries

Let’s get started so I can show you how simple this really is!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups DairyPure milk (I suggest whole or 2%)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup sugar (I used a blend of white sugar and coconut sugar)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup strawberry preserves
for garnish: powdered sugar fresh strawberries

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Begin with 6 individual ramekins, and butter them so that your clafoutis will not be stuck to them after baking. I have a super sophisticated method of buttering my ramekin dishes, as can be seen below.

Now it’s time to add everything except the strawberry preserves and the garnishes into a food processor (you can also do this with a mixer).

Blend until smooth. You might feel a little worried that your mixture looks quite runny. I freaked out a little bit, too, but just trust me. Clafoutis has a final texture that is a somewhat similar to a custard, so you are on the right track.

Pour your batter into your 6 ramekins; they should each be roughly 2/3 full. Now add a spoonful of strawberry preserves (roughly 2 tsp) to the center of each clafoutis.

Bake for 35 minutes, give or take. Try hard not to open the oven door as this is a delicate dessert that falls in on itself quickly after coming out of the oven. You don’t want it to fall before it is done if you can avoid it. You will know it is done when it is nice and puffed up and it also doesn’t jiggle too much.

Remember, you have strawberry preserves in the center of your clafoutis, so dont’ be alarmed when you dig in and it looks a bit mushy, like this. The taste will be divine!

Want more pure and simple recipe inspirations? Follow DairyPure on Facebook or see out DairyPure Recipe inspiration on Pinterest. And if you’d like to Learn more about DairyPure head over to their website.

Give Your Device an Instant Upgrade with SanDisk

August 11, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

This year I’ve got one in pre-school and one in first grade. That means that the amount of art coming home is about to EXPLODE. But mama’s got a plan. We’re going to be photographing it and then storing it all on a SanDisk memory card, which takes up pretty much no space at all. #WINNING!

SanDisk, which you can find at Best Buy, has a wide range of products that can fit your data storage needs. You can easily capture and transfer documents, as well as photos and videos (even HD!). Transfer speeds go up to 60MB/s for smartphones, tablets and action cameras. This makes them 10x faster than ordinary cards! Transfer speeds for DSLR cameras and camcorders are up to 80MB/s. sandisk 1jpg

If you are like me and are constantly snapping photos on your phone, make sure it can keep up with you and that you don’t get the dreaded “no more space” message again and again. Add a SanDisk microSD card to your smartphone (or even to your tablet) so that you don’t have to choose between your photos and your apps. Having more storage can also enable you to shoot high resolution photos and videos without worrying that you’ll run out of space quickly. Capacity options range from 4GB up to 200GB.

I also love their USB for iPhone and iPad because you can transfer your pictures and videos easily between your devices. I am often snapping a photo on my phone that I need to edit on my laptop and this makes it a breeze to do.

Just yesterday, in fact, we had a major win thanks to SanDisk. We took advantage of the tax-free weekend here in Tennessee and got a new tablet for the girls (we have been rockin’ the original iPad, which still works beautifully except for the fact that we can no longer upload any new apps, so…boo). We walked into the store thinking we’d stick with the brand we have known and loved, but then we realized that the Apple products couldn’t make use of a micro USB, and that the storage capacity we’d want would mean that the iPad would run us $600. That’s when we decided to look a bit more carefully at some of the android options. And friends, we found one that for all intents and purposes offered the same quality as the iPad, and with the addition of a $39 SanDisk micro USB, we could match the memory of the iPad. Our total cost? $239. BAM! SanDisk saves the day!

Remember, friends, a lack of storage space doesn’t always mean that you need to upgrade your device. SanDisk might be able to get you plenty of extra mileage. Or it might be able to save you lots of space on your fridge for those lovely works of art, too! 🙂

How to Clean a Couch with OxiClean Stain

August 10, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

This post on how to clean a couch was sponsored by OxiClean through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about OxiClean Stain, all opinions are my own.

There is a season of your life when your kids are young where you realize that you really and truly can’t have anything nice. We replaced our beautiful leather couch a year ago due to massive rips in the upholstery from little bodies constantly climbing all over it. I knew better than to go get a brand new couch, so we searched for a gently used one, knowing full well that it would likely need to be replaced within 5 years, as well. If I am going to have to get a new couch again in 5 years, I would rather spend $250 on it instead of $1250.

The couch we bought on Craigslist has washable covers (I know this because I’ve washed them 4 or 5 times in the last year thanks to various “incidents”). But I can’t take the upholstery off the side of the couch, where I found these berry stains last week.

UGH!!!!

So I had to get my Google on to find out how I could fix this problem. The simple solution was out there, thankfully, courtesy of OxiClean Stain. Do you have a container of OxiClean Stain in your cleaning arsenal? I highly recommend it!

The OxiClean website lists over 101 uses for the product, so you can certainly get a lot of bang for your buck with this product. But for the purposes of this post, let’s focus on how to clean a couch.

Ingredients:

1 cup water
Oxi-Clean scoop (to the “B” line)
funnel
spray bottle

Add the OxiClean to hot water (no need to heat it, just use the hottest setting from your faucet). Stir well to combine. Then pour it through a funnel into your spray bottle, add the nozzle, and then shake really well to further combine.

Spray your stained areas until they are wet but not completely saturated and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Use a damp white cloth to wipe away the stain after the 5 minutes, and then follow up with a dry white cloth to remove excess stain treatment. Your stains should be a thing of the past!

This mixture that you have created is only effective for about 8 hours, so now is the time to go on a stain treating rampage all over anything upholstered in your house! I attacked our dining room chairs while I had this solution mixed up and they look so much better, too! You can take anything that’s left over in the solution and add it to your next load of laundry. Waste not, want not!

In the last week I have used our OxiClean Stain product to attack our outdoor furniture covers, to remove set in stains in my girls’ clothing, and to get out a VERY stubborn “yellow” stain in a delicate white sweater that I missed before I put it away for the season last fall. I am very impressed with how well it works and with how useful the product is. I absolutely LOVE its versatility!

I hope this post on how to clean a couch helps you extend the life of your sofa a little bit longer. We may be in a season of our lives where we can’t have our dream couches, but that doesn’t mean we have to live with all those stains on them!