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

5 Common Sleep Problems (and the Mattress Solution We Found)

July 31, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

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

Raise your hand if you experience one of more of the following 5 common sleep problems at night while trying to sleep:

tossing & turning
lack of support
sleeping too hot or too cold
partner disturbance
mattress roll off or sag

If you’d like to hear more about our previous mattress woes, and which of the top 5 sleep problems we were experiencing with our 1 YEAR OLD (!) mattress, check out our quick video.

Sigh…all that penny pinching resulted in my being unhappy with my mattress just 1 year in. So much for saving money, friends!

Here’s how we roll now (or I guess I should say NOT roll on since we don’t have to deal with roll off anymore):

Friends you are looking at a mattress from the Serta Perfect Sleeper Collection. I went to a showroom floor and checked out approximately 18,000 mattress (or maybe it was 30). I sampled the most budget-friendly models and the most not-so-budget-friendly models. I laid down on mattresses that felt a bit like sleeping on a stone slab, and I laid down on mattresses that felt like I was sinking into a pit of feathers. I did it all for you, friends (ok, I did it for me, too). And what I chose to go with wasn’t the most expensive option (not by quite a stretch!). But just as the name suggests, it was the most perfect sleeper. 🙂

This mattress line is the only official mattress of the National Sleep Foundation, and that’s because it has been designed to solve each of those 5 common sleep problems listed above. So whether you are dealing with #5 like us, or if #1 and #3 seem to plague you, you can rest easy with a Perfect Sleeper.

The Perfect Sleeper Line has so many great customization options that you are going to love. If burning up at night is a problem, look for the Cool Action™ Gel Memory Foam that is new this year and available in select Perfect Sleeper models. You can also opt for Custom Support® Individual Advantage coils in select models, as well as a new Perfect Sleeper Memory Foam line, providing an option for consumers that want a memory foam bed at a more affordable price point. Our particular model (called the Spruce Hollow) came with a plush pillowtop. I took a shot of my hand up against the mattress so you could see how nice and thick it is, especially with that pillowtop.

I’ve been enjoying several of these features for almost a week now, and have been sleeping like a log! I’m not rolling to the edge of the bed, or even to the middle (woo hoo!) and I’m not waking up AT ALL when my husband crawls into bed for the night (as I often fall asleep before he’s ready to turn in).

The Perfect Sleeper line offers high-quality mattresses at truly attainable prices (starting at $399-$1,299 for a standard queen set; the mattress model we chose retails for $809).

If you are interested in upgrading your sleep experience further, you might want to check out Serta’s adjustable foundations, especially since Perfect Sleeper mattresses are made to be compatible with them. We have been enjoying the Pivot model (additional $589), which allows for some head adjustment. This is great for watching movies while in bed, or even working on your laptop (like I’m doing right now!). I’ve also already used a slight adjustment level while sleeping to help with allergy-related congestions (and it did help!). Also? My kids think it’s pretty much the coolest thing they’ve ever seen.

I found this mattress foundation to be completely fascinating, friends. I was sure that my mattress was going to FREAK OUT when the platform below started to lift and the mattress was being bent. But nope! It could totally handle it, and it honestly just goes right back into place once you lower it again. It’s operated by a remote control (not cordless, unfortunately…or maybe fortunately because this way you won’t lose it).

You might also want to check out the Motion Essentials model which allows for an adjustment of both the head and the feet. I tried this out in the store, and it felt AMAZING! So amazing, that I was afraid I’d just never get out of bed again. So I had to leave that model at the store so that I wouldn’t begin my retirement at age 34. Didn’t trust myself with it, for sure!

We are thoroughly enjoying our Perfect Sleeper, and we’re also enjoying a better night’s rest. If you are struggling with sleep issues, you might want to give a critical eye to your current mattress and take a Serta Perfect Sleeper for a test drive at your nearest Serta provider’s showroom floor like we did. I bet you’ll find the perfect mattress for a perfect night’s sleep.

(Giveaway!) Happy, Healthy Heinz: Organic Ketchup from the Best!

July 29, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 4 Comments

Thanks to Heinz for providing products and a fun experience for my family. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

My interest in “greening” my home really started 6 years ago when my oldest was born. It has been a work in progress, and to be honest, one of the last things to get my attention has been food. I just assumed that it would be too hard and too expensive to offer my family organic choices. The hard part really isn’t true, especially over the last few years as organic options have started popping up on my every aisle of even conventional grocery stores, but the expensive part is (mostly). But the more I learn about the importance of organic food to our diet, the more I am convinced that the extra expense is definitely worth it.

But ketchup has been a sticking point for me. I have tried at least 3 different organic ketchup brands and they have all been, well, not nearly as good as Heinz. Heinz has been the measuring stick because it is, in my personal opinion, the best ketchup on the market.

And then I learned about this amaing product:

I had no idea that Heinz had an organic ketchup! All I needed to do was give it a proper taste test to see if my ketchup woes had ended. So thanks to Heinz, we put on a little back porch barbecue to give this ketchup a chance to perform.

While our organic hot dogs, okra and onions were cooking, we did some tomato seed planting in a cute little container bag meant for tomatoes.

This was a great way to talk more with the girls about where our food comes from and what the difference is between organic and non-organic produce. We already have a small herb garden that the girls take care of, and they take immense pride in knowing that their herbs are in a dish I have prepared. In fact, they are more likely to eat it! 🙂

So by getting our kids connected to the growing process and by encouraging an appreciation of how good food reaches our table. we hope we are instilling core values that they will carry with them throughout their lives.

We grilled okra for the first time (just thread them on skewers) and also grilled up an onion, both of which came from our CSA basket this week.

And then we were ready to put Heinz Organic Ketchup to the test! I love putting a slice of avocado on my hot dogs. It’s a healthy alternative to mayo but still gives you that nice, creamy texture. Definitely try it!

It was good. It was actually SO good that I grabbed the bottle of ketchup to start reading the ingredients, because I was convinced that High Fructose Corn Syrup had to be lurking in the ingredient list in order to produce such a spot-on “Heinz” taste. But look for yourself!

Heinz has a 26 ounce container of their organic ketchup, which is a family-friendly size. They have the same size now availabile for their Simply Heinz Ketchup, which doesn’t contain organic products, but it does contain real sugar and a streamlined ingredient list. You can also find Heinz No Salt Tomato Ketchup and Heinz Reduced Sugar Ketchup. I am so impressed with the line of products this company has created for the conscious consumer!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win three VIP Heinz Tomato Ketchup coupons (for 3 free bottles!). You can select the right Heinz Ketchup for your family, or even try them all!

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

Heinz Ketchup

How I’m Maximizing My Savings Online for Back-to-School Shopping

July 28, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Thanks to ShopAtHome.com and Belk for partnering with me on today’s post about back-to-school deals. All thoughts, opinions, and total lack of creative skills are my own. Affiliate links included.

Yesterday I had to go shopping for clothing for an upcoming trip. I only shopped inside a store because I didn’t have enough time to order stuff online. I spent an hour scouring racks and trying on a dozen things in the fitting room. I did walk away with the items I needed (a new skirt and 2 new pairs of shoes) but it absolutely WORE ME OUT.

Additionally, when I got to the register I realized that I didn’t have any coupons to help shave something off the bill. This is hardly ever a problem when I shop online because I can often find additional savings opportunities through ShopAtHome.com. Shopathome.com back-to-school

Most everyone still has at least a week before school starts back, and most of us have 3-4 more weeks, so let’s take advantage of the current time lead and get that back-to-school shopping done online!

Right now, Belk (a department store largely in the South, but available for everyone to shop with thanks to the internet!) is having some terrific sales, and ShoptAtHome.com has DOUBLED their cash back offer. By clicking through the Belk link on ShopAtHome.com you are eligible to save 12% on your order, and that’s in addition to any coupons you might be using (currently ShopatHome.com has 23 coupon coupon offers for Belk).

Let me demonstrate how to rock what ShopAtHome.com and Belk have going on right now:

First head to the Belk page on ShopAtHome.com.

Then look through the coupons. Right now I’m seeing one for $10 off a $50 order. I’m going to click this link to get my savings code, and then I’m taken to the Belk site. Right now I’m looking for a few adorable pieces for my youngest, who is starting preschool in a few weeks. I’m a fan of Rare Editions and Bonnie Jean, because both lines tend to have whimsical, colorful prints and patterns that remind me a bit of Matilda Jane. But thanks to the Belk sale and the ShopatHome.com discounts, I won’t be paying Matilda Jane prices! 🙂

This 2-piece set is already marked down 40% and is currently priced at $30. Into my cart it goes!

And this owl outfit? Yes, please! It’s also on sale right now for $30, also 40% off.

Now given the ridiculously cute factor of these outfits, $60 isn’t too terribly bad, but I definitely want to do better. So I’m going to use that $10 off coupon code I found at ShopatHome.com to bring my total down to $50. Then I’m going to check out and pay the total, but here’s where the perks of ShopatHome come back into play: after checking out, I know that I am going to be credited back 12% of my purchase through ShopatHome. So I’m going to see $6 of that payment come back to me, and all I had to do to earn it was use ShopatHome.com. By using this site, what would have cost me $60 actually only cost me $44. And FYI if you like these brands…I saw quite a bit on the site that was 75% off!

And on top of all that awesome, ShopatHome.com also has the ShopGold program, which I think of as a loyalty program. Each store you shop at through the website is worth a certain amount of ShopGold coins. Coins that you earn by shopping can be redeemed for gift cards down the road. It takes a while to earn enough to get a gift card, but I see this as icing on the cake and a really great way that ShopAtHome.com is thanking their members for remembering to shop with them. More savings on top of all of the other savings is a pretty nice thank you! 🙂

ShopatHome.com sends checks out monthly, once you reach a minimum of $20 in your account. With the great cash back offers they have on hand, it won’t be too hard to earn that amount, friends. If you haven’t signed up for ShopAtHome.com, what are you waiting for? It’s completely free to join and is designed to save you as much time and money as possible.

Easy Taco Soup Recipe to Switch Up Your Taco Tuesdays

July 27, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 7 Comments

This shop for an easy taco soup recipe has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CampbellSavings #CollectiveBias

Ever since my girls first saw the LEGO movie some time last year, they have asked me to start doing “Taco Tuesday” dinners (if you haven’t seen the movie, it’s actually quite good, and Taco Tuesday is a key component of the plot!). What parent wouldn’t want to jump on board with a weekly ritual that makes meal planning easy?

Only here’s the thing: one of my quirks is that I don’t like to repeat my meals often. And by often I mean that once every 6 months is sort of pushing it. Yes, it’s every bit as annoying as it sounds. And it means that this mama is trying new recipes pretty much all the time.

But I’m totally up for the challenge of incorporating Taco Tuesdays into our weekly routine. With school being back in session in just a few weeks (ACK!) we can use as much streamlining as possible. We can also use meal ideas that are easy on the wallet. Yesterday I printed some great coupons for various Campbell’s products, including Swanson’s Broth and PACE because you need those two ingredients if you want to make this bowl of awesomeness:

That’s right! We’re rockin’ Taco Tuesday with a taco soup this week! It’s beautiful, it’s flavorful, it’s budget-friendly, and most importantly, it’s EASY!

You can find your key supplies at your nearest Walmart. I found PACE in the Hispanic foods section and Swanson’s at the start of the soup section. I personally went for the mild PACE so as not to risk it being to spicy for my girls, but you could also grab medium or even hot depending on your family’s preference. I also grabbed the Swanson organic broth as we opt for organic offerings as much as possible.

So let’s get this easy taco soup on the dinner table for your next Taco Tuesday! Here’s what you need:

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 large onion, diced
(1) 15 oz jar PACE Picante Sauce
1 cup frozen corn
3 cups Swanson Chicken Broth
(1) 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
(1) 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper

For garnish:

fresh cilantro
grated cheddar or monterey jack cheese
green onions
sliced avocado
tortilla chips (go for the scoop ones!)

Instructions

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook ground turkey and onion together until browned. Drain out fat if necessary.

2. Add frozen corn and PACE to the meat mixture.

3. Time to add the Swanson broth!

4. Add in the beans and all the spices, give it a good stir, and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as it starts boiling, move the heat down to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

To serve, ladle the soup into individual bowls and top with shredded cheese, a slice of avocado, sprinkle with green onions, and if desired, add fresh cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

I love this recipe because you can do your prep work ahead. I gathered all of my spices together earlier in the day, and you could even cook your meat and onions ahead of time and just stick them in the fridge. The main component of this dish is getting everything into a pot and just letting it simmer. You can have this soup going while you help the kids with homework and not feel stressed about how to get both things accomplished. This is even a great recipe to let little chefs help out with, too.

Coupon Offer

Now’s a great time to be thinking about quick and easy weeknight meals, and why not save money on those planned meals? Campell’s has big savings on seven great products that can help you get in and out of the kitchen fast.

Pace® Picante Sauce – Save $1 on any Two (2) jars of Pace® Picante Sauce or Salsa.
Swanson® Chicken Broth – Save $0.50 on any TWO (2) cartons of Swanson® broth (26oz. or larger).
Prego® Italian Sauces – Save $1 on any TWO (2) Prego® Italian sauces.
SpaghettiOs® – Save $0.40 on any THREE (3) Campbell’s® SpaghettiOs® pastas.

Be sure to print your coupons before your next Walmart trip! I’d love to hear if you see any coupons that will help you pull together an easy weeknight meal!

(Giveaway!) Art Lessons for Kids at Home: Home Art Studio

July 24, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 86 Comments

Complimentary products provided for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Can I share with you one of the things that has made me the most uncomfortable as a parent? It’s art.

I know….many of you are going to think that’s completely ridiculous. With all the things out there to be petrified of as a parent, I’m going to get all nervous about art?!

But I have a feeling that somewhere out there, there are people reading this who are giving me a, “Me, too!” Somewhere along the way, and early on in my life, I decided that I wasn’t any good at art, and so I quit challenging myself and I pretty much avoided art if at all humanly possible. This is why people see art I have created with my girls and instantly assume that it was the 5-year-old who made it. Not kidding.

See?!

Creepy craft time! ? #artishardforme #notcrafty

A photo posted by Tiffany (@stuffparentsneed) on Jul 21, 2015 at 12:48pm PDT

Here’s the deal, though: I REALLY don’t want my kids to develop the same fear I have of art, and I know that part of how I will keep that from happening is by making art a part of our daily lives. I have created an art space in our home which has been WONDERFUL because it keeps our materials easy to access. We have been doing art much more frequently since making that shift, so I highly recommend keeping your art suplies visible. Even with these changes, though, I still get very overwhelmed as I look through Pinterest for fun new art ideas. I’m never quite sure what is age appropriate or if the instructions are detailed enough for me to follow (8 times out of 10 they aren’t!). And this is where the Home Art Studio comes in. I absolutely LOVE this program, you guys! Each DVD is designed to provide art curriculum for the school year (perhaps roughly 1 new lesson every 2 weeks). Ms. Volin serves as your art teacher and walks you through the steps to make your art. Since you are watching a DVD, it is easy to pause or even rewind if you need to see a step again. Darah and I have been working through the Kindergarten DVD this summer as a way to help increase her confidence and her art skills. And yeah, as a way to increase mine, too. That’s right, friends: I’m working my way through kindergarten art. And no, it’s not too easy for me. The lessons are challenging to Darah, as well, but they are certainly doable, especially with an adult on hand to help explain things. This wouldn’t be the kind of thing you’d sit your 6-year-old in front of and then leave the room while it played. You, as the parent, also get lesson plans for each activity (they come on the DVD) so that you can know which supplies you need ahead of time and you can prepare the space for the lesson. Speaking of supplies, you can also buy everything you need for each year’s curriculum through the website, or you can simply pick and choose which items you might need based on your current art supply inventory. It is really nice having exactly what the art teacher in the video is using for her projects on hand, and I didn’t have to head to the dreaded craft supply store to try to figure it out myself. So I highly recommend that if you get one these DVDs you at least look over the supply list and see what you might want to buy. The prices are reasonable. 🙂 My time spent with Darah working on these art lessons has been absolutely precious to me. We’ve really bonded over our lessons! I’m there to encourage her when she gets frustrated and she truly beams with pride when she steps back and realizes that she finished a project. We have art hanging up all over the house now! Darah has even taken to hanging up the art I made in my room, which totally makes me smile. She wants me to be proud of my work, too! 🙂 I am planning on buying the first grade Home Art Studio DVD once we are finished with the Kindergarten set. This is some truly fantastic material, whether you are homeschooling or simply seeking some enrichment opportunities. It is doing wonders for my daughter, and it’s doing wonders for me, too. First grade art, here I come! 😉

Win it! One VERY lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win the entire Home Art Studion curriculum collection (DVDs for K-5, which is a $180 value!). You can work your way through them with your kids or grandkids, and then pass them on to someone else to enjoy. It’s like a gift that keeps on giving!

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

Home Art Studio

When the Days are Long: The Tough Side of the First Few Months with Baby

July 22, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

As I type this my little sister, who became a mom for the first time in May, is headed to the pediatrician’s office with her baby in the hopes of figuring out why her little one has started crying. A LOT. As in, if she’s awake, she’s fussing or crying.

When I spoke with her a few days ago, I could hear the strain in my sister’s voice. She’s tired. Actually, she’s WAY past tired. She’s worried, too. And she’s upset because this is a puzzle she can’t seem to figure out. All the tricks she has learned over the past 11 weeks just aren’t working, anymore. She’s racking her brain, and all while listening to one of the scientifically-proven most disturbing sounds to an adult human ear: the sound of a baby crying.

Y’all, I’ll be the first to tell you just how short the years are; my babies are SO big now and don’t fit in my arms. Just looking at the picture of my Darah above nearly slays me. But what my sister is going through right now is the epitome of the other half of that saying: “the days are LONG.”

: Layah’s first Christmas. She started the day at 2:45 am, you know, just for fun…

I’m packing a little care kit for my sister and my niece. I’m including a journal where she can keep some of her favorite baby photos (including the good moments AND the not-so-good moments!), and I’m also including some Colief Infant Digestive Aid, as I have a feeling that colic is the culprit for baby Taralynn’s crying.

Colic affects nearly 1 in 5 babies, which totals over a million each year here in the United States. The cause? For many, it’s a temporary lactose intolerance (TLI), and lactose is found both in breast milk and in formula. By adding Colief Infant Digestive Aid directly to baby’s milk, digestion is made easier, as this product is designed to break down most of the lactose. Studies have found a reduction in excessive crying by up to 40% when TLI was present and Colief Infant Digestive Aid was subsequently added to milk.

Are you a new mom with a baby who is experiencing colic? You may want to check out these great video testimonials from other moms who have been there. Or do you know a new mom going through this tough situation? Colief Instant Digestive Aid might be one of the best baby gifts you would possibly give, and it’s available at Walgreens or online.

#ColiefMOMents Giveaway

Right now you can enter to win some really great prizes through the #ColiefMOMents Giveaway. There will be weekly winners of great Colief products, and there are also some BIG prizes ($500 Walgreens gift cards and a designer diaper bag!). To enter you simply need to submit photo that captures a memorable moment with your baby. Somebody’s going to win, and if you enter, that somebody could be you!

Colief® Infant Digestive Aid is a gluten-free dietary supplement for the reduction of colic-associated crying resulting from temporary lactose intolerance (TLI) in infants. Colief Infant Digestive Aid may help reduce the crying time associated with colic by breaking down the lactose in breast milk or infant formula, making it easier for infants to digest. To learn more, visit us.colief.com or LIKE the brand on Facebook.

This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation that contains affiliate links. All opinions, text and experiences are my own. Colief Infant Digestive Aid is a dietary supplement to provide relief due to colic-associated crying from temporary lactose intolerance (TLI). These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. The product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Natural Roach Repellent: What’s Working for Me

July 21, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 13 Comments

Not gonna lie: it’s a little bit embarrassing to be writing a blog post about the great natural roach repellent you’ve been using, on account of how it let’s everyone who reads this know that you had roaches in your house. So embarrassing…

In my defense, I live in the South (where roaches are common) and I have little ones at home, which means that crumbs on the floor and spots of water here and there are easy to find inside my home. Also, I am not the world’s best housekeeper (which I guess is not exactly helping my whole “defense” thing). These factors make my home pretty much a roaches dream abode.

I, however, do not feel similarly excited about these pests who decided to become our roomies. They needed to GO, and NOW.

But with those two little ones around, as well as two cats, I was SUPER leery about putting out poisonous bait on the floor. I wanted to have a more natural roach repellent option, and I’m happy to report that I found one!

Here’s what you need:

Cypress essential oil
Peppermint essential oil
a glass spray bottle
salt

To make your natural roach repellent, simply add 1 tsp salt to 2 cups of warm water, and then add 12 drops of cypress and 12 drops of peppermint. Give it a good swirl in the glass container, and you are good to go! I suggest spraying the areas where you most often find the roaches showing up (so for us that was the cracks in between our backsplash and our kitchen walls (EWWWW! I KNOW!!!). Spray liberally, twice a day, until your roaches stop showing up! And then I would spray the area about once a week just to keep that smell (which you will actually LOVE but that the roaches HATE) around to discourage any new roaches from attempting to move in.

I do not believe that this spray actually kills the roaches. I think it is simply a repellent, meant to discourage them from sticking around. It helps make the places where they go to find their food and water so unappealing that they’d rather go elsewhere. This may not be the right solution for everyone, especially if you seem to have a very bad infestation, but if you simply want the bugs to take a hike, I noticed a difference right away when using this blend.

If you are new to essential oils, you may be wondering how they work. In this case, these are simply two smells that roaches don’t tolerate. They are perfectly safe, however, for humans to smell and even to taste (not that you would lick the wall after applying roach spray, but don’t put it past your kids or your pets!).

The other reason I love using these oils is because, rather than a nasty, toxic conventional roach spray that you might pick up and use for just that one purpose, essential oils have MANY amazing uses. Peppermint is our go-to when we want to stop our hiccups, or when we want a really invigorating, energizing scent throughout the house, or even when doing some baking (1 drop in your brownie mix = OMGoodness!). Cypress promotes liver health and discourages fluid retention, and it also supports respiratory health. So from my perspective, why put a poison in your house when you could use something that can actually be great for your entire family while still giving bugs their marching orders.

I’ve linked to the particular glass bottle and the particular salt I use above, but if you’d like to get the essential oils, you’ll want to connect with a representative for Young Living, which is the company with the highest quality essential oils on the market (by leaps and bounds, friends). You may already know someone who uses and loves their oils, and if so, please reach out to them!

If you aren’t connected with anyone who loves Young Living, I am a huge fan and a wholesale member, and I’d be happy to add these oils to my once-a-month group order for you. Simply reach out to me at (stuffparentsneed) at (gmail) dot com and let me know how I can help. I share my wholesale member discount with newbies to essential oils so that you can get the best possible price.

Your roaches can be gone soon, and without poisoning your family in the process! #WINNING!

Honest Company Swim Diapers Review: An Honest Assessment

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

Affiliate links included. I only promote what I use and love.

I am SO happy to report that we are now well past the diapering years in my home. If you aren’t past it yet, take comfort…it WILL end! 🙂 But for now, you might be trying to find some eco-friendly swim diapers for your little one. Last year we purchased an Honest Company reusable swim diaper, and we really loved it.

photo credit: Honest Company

Some people may be a bit confused about the concept of reusable swim diapers, but let’s all just be honest about what swim diapers ACTUALLY do: they keep poop contained. They don’t really keep urine contained at all. And while they are made differently than regular diapers, they do still swell a little bit once they are wet.

A reusable swim diaper, on the other hand, is going to feel and function more like a bathing suit, only it has more intense elastic around the edges to help contain anything that really needs to stay put, if you know what I’m saying. We found the Honest Company swim diaper to serve very well in that capacity. Our daughter just wore it under her swimsuit. You could also wear it in lieu of a swimsuit, though it’s only a bottom (but Honest Company does sell swim shirts separately, FYI).

The prints are cute and the swim diaper works well. If you spend a lot of time at the beach or the pool, you might want to get more than 1. But for us, we only visited on occasion, so 1 was plenty! They are priced at $13.95, but you can choose to add a swim trio to one of your bundle orders (the trio comes with a swim shirt a hat and a swim diaper) and if you add it to a bundle then you get 25% off the price, which is quite nice! Currently they are offered in 4 prints, and the prints seem to change every year (our swim diaper had pinepples on it, and that doesn’t seem to be an option anymore).

What the Heck is a Bundle?

If you aren’t familiar with how it all works, check out my post on getting started with The Honest Company (and note the info included about how to score freebies!). You can shop with The Honest Company a la carte, or you can bundle items together to save money. It’s a great program and I promise you, it’s SUPER easy to shift how often you order or even to cancel your subscription. I change my order dates all the time and it only takes a few clicks of the mouse!

For more tips on how to get maximum savings with Honest Company bundles, check out my full list of Honest Company reviews (so you can know what to skip, what to buy, and exactly how to buy it).

What is Dry Brushing? My Quest for Smoother Skin

July 20, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

Affiliate links included. I only promote what I personally use and love.

I’m gonna be honest with you: if there’s a cooky new fad that is fairly easy to try and that purports to be good for your health, I’m usually game to give it a shot. I won’t do extreme things like only eat grapefruit or sleep upside-down. But if it’s not hard, I’m on board. Such was my attitude going in as I commenced my Google search for something I recently heard about: “What is dry brushing?”

Spoiler alert: I love it!

Dry brushing is pretty much what it sounds like, only instead of brushing your hair, you are brushing your skin. There are special brushes that are ideal for dry brushing of the skin, and they are very easy to find online. They are also affordable (this one is under $7).

Brushing your skin is supposed to really help your lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is one of the major ways that your body gets rid of toxins. It is a series of vessels all over your body that absorb and trap bacteria so that white blood cells can attack them and eliminate them from your body. Basically, you want your lymphatic system to be highly functioning for optimal health, and people who practice dry brushing seem to think that this is a great way to make sure that’s the case.

How It Works

I’ll refer you to some other posts online to get a sense for exactly how this works. I printed off the dry brushing graphic (find them doing a simple Google image search) and pasted it to my bathroom wall so that I can easily follow the directions during each brushing session. There is some variation out there about how to do it, though there seems to be consensus that you are brushing toward your heart. It’s also advised to do this before you hop in the shower, and that you should think about having a filtered shower head (that’s the one I bought) so that you aren’t washing toxins right back over your body as soon as you stimulated your lymphatic system to eliminate others.

After I get out of the shower I apply a natural lotion (Honest Company is a good choice) and I add 2-3 drops of essential oils to the lotion before applying them. I have a rather fierce collection of oils, so I do switch up what I apply depending on the time of day or my mood. I think a safe bet for anyone would be lavender or for a less floral scent, try Cedarwood. Just remember not to choose citrus oils if you are doing this in the morning and will be exposed to sun, as most citrus oils are phytosensitive. Edit: After this post was first published, I learned about Mary Ruth’s Lymphatic Drainage drops that I also take before I begin my dry brushing session for a bit of a boost in effectiveness.

What I Have Noticed

I have been dry brushing for 2 weeks now, about 3 times each week. I can most definitely tell that my body is trying to eliminate some built up “ick” that has been trapped in my lymphatic system, because I’m experiencing a higher degree of tiredness, which is a common side effect early on in the process. I’m also experiencing a change in, how do I word this, bathroom habits. Nothing is going on that is keeping me glued to my house (or to my toilet seat) but without being too detailed, let’s just say that I can tell my body is eliminating more junk than it normally does. I have also read that this is not an unusual experience, either.

Based on my lack of energy and my extra time spent in the bathroom (for dry brushing and otherwise) you might be surprised to hear that I am really enjoying this new practice. But I am! For one thing, I know that these unfortunate side effects will subside soon and that my energy level will start to pick back up and surpass what it used to be on a typical day. I also know that my body is going to be running more efficiently and effectively once the junk that’s been stored up in there has been removed.

Also? Dry brushing seems to be having some great effects on the appearance of my skin! I have Keratosis Pilaris, which is that condition where the skin on your arms and parts of your legs is bumpy. The dry brushing does seem to be causing my arms to feel quite a bit smoother, which is a really nice effect. I also think my skin looks a bit more radiant. And folks who have been doing dry brushing for some time seem to report back that cellulite can be improved with regular practice of this technique. I can’t report back on this, yet, but if I’m already enjoying the practice and this might be a benefit down the road, I’ll take it!

My costs to get started were just under $40 (brush and new shower head) and for me, it has been money well spent. It takes me about 10 minutes to get through the entire dry brushing routine, and I use that time to watch part of an episode of Friends on Netflix. I suppose I could use the time to be reflective and quiet, but frankly, watching Friends is super fun. 😉

Have you tried dry brushing? I would really love to hear about your experience, or if your interest is piqued after hearing about what I’m doing.