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

3 Things to Remember to Pack When Vacationing with Kids

June 28, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Thanks to Exorgen for the sample thermometer. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always. Affiliate links may be included.

I have traveled with my kids on dozens of trips, and there are 3 items that have I have left out of my toiletry bag at one point or another that I have deeply regretted leaving behind. These items might not be on your “must pack” list, either, but I’d encourage you to re-think it! toiletry bag necessities

1. Tweezers

Splinters are highly skilled at making their big move whenever you least expect it. For us it has happened on wooden booths at a restaurant, during nature walks and even at an amusement park. I love our travel pair of tweezers since they are SO easy to throw in your purse, but the truth is that tweezers don’t take up a lot of space even at their full size. You might not need them, but if you do, you’ll be SO glad you have them. They are definitely worth the tiny amount of space they require!

2. Thermometer

Both of my children are extremely gifted at developing some sort of sickness while we are traveling. A thermometer now makes my “absolutely necessary” list any time we are traveling overnight with the kids. We’ve used it moretimes than I can count. We especially love the Exergen Smart Glow Temporal Artery Thermometer because you simply need to swip the device across someone’s head to get an accurate read in just 1 or 2 seconds. The 9 volt battery comes with the device (THANK YOU!) so it is ready as soon as you purchase it, even if you are purchasing it in some random drugstore in a city not well known to you because you forgot to pack yours. Or you can plan ahead now and snag it on Amazon!

3. Chapstick

My lips are super finicky about the weather. If I am headed to a climate that is less humid than where I live, my lips show their disdain almost immediately. They actually seem to get upset no matter where I go. Any sort of change in climate means my lips need extra care. And the apples don’t fall far from the tree, so my kids need the exact same thing. This is another item that takes up precious little space but that can provide a heck of a lot of comfort and soothing. And if you are like me, you already have over a dozen chapsticks at home, so don’t force yourself to go buy lucky #13 while you are away from home! We love Young Living’s lavender chapstick for keeping our lips soft and moisturized!

What are some less common items that you have learned are absolutely critical for your family to pack on vacations? I’d love to hear your ideas!

Making the Most of Date Night: Enjoying Chattanooga’s Renovated Bonefish Grill

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

Thanks to Bonefish Grill for providing gift cards for our meal. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Going on more regular date nights has been one of our key resolutions for 2015. While we haven’t achieved the quantity of date nights I was hoping for, but we have certainly upped our game when it comes to the quality of our date nights. And that’s an improvement I have REALLY been enjoying!

Tim and I are now quite careful with which restaurants we choose to dine at during our precious time together and our time away from the kids. We want food that we can’t make at home, and we want an atmosphere that is classy and beautiful (so…the opposite of our house). bonefish grill chattanooga 3

Last night we dined at Chattanooga’s Bonefish Grill for the first time since moving here 5 years ago, and we were absolutely thrilled by the place, which has just been renovated. While I’m going to be highlighting aspects of this particular restaurant for the rest of the post, if you aren’t in Chattanooga, keep reading! I’ve got some helpful tips about planning an amazing date night that everyone could use!

Tip #1: Choose your restaurant wisely

Bonefish Grill was a fantastic choice for us because the specialty is seafood, which is something I can’t replicate at home. I suppose I could pick up some pre-frozen salmon at my local grocery store, but it simply wouldn’t be the same, not by a long-shot. Bonefish Grill was also a great choice because the ambiance was so gorgeous.

This was our “wall.” So pretty! And this was right next to it, just next to where my seat was located:

We had a beautiful location (though there’s not a bad table in the restaurant, in my opinion). When you select your restaurant for your date night, go through the trouble of making a reservation, even if you go out on a weeknight and likely won’t need one. When you make a reservation, you can make a special request for an especially good table! :-)

Tip #2: Restaurant hopping is totally ok

One idea that we’ve tried before and LOVED was starting at one restaurant with a great bar for drinks, and heading elsewhere for our food, and then to a third location for dessert. Bonefish Grill has an absolutely outstanding bar with top shelf offerings (I should know…I tried the watermelon martini and it might be my new favorite thing ever).

I also noticed that the section of the restaurant closest to the bar had a lot of more open seating. I saw quite a few couples enjoying drinks there, as well as small groups of people (perhaps co-workers enjoying happy hour together).

Tip #4: Eat and drink amazing things

I like to choose restaurants that are high quality and that have excellent servers, because I feel that I can trust the recommendations of those servers. That takes the pressure off me to worry too much over the menu, and instead, I can trust that the food is going to be excellent! At our dinner last night, we trusted our server’s recommendations and had some really exceptional food, such as the Bang Bang shrimp appetizer (which was actually enough shrimp for an entree!) and a scallop dish that pretty much blew my mind. And that berry shortcake was every bit as good as it looked!

Our date night was a success. We laughed a lot and had quality time together that we really needed. We enjoyed delicious food. And we soaked in a beautiful atmosphere. Chattanooga’s Bonefish Grill is now on our list of places to go when we want to have a great date night!

Where do you love to go on your date nights? Do you have a Bonefish Grill within striking distance? Any favorite menu items?

Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives (Book Review)

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

Complimentary copy provided by Blogging for Books. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Here’s the bad news: habits are super fragile and far easier to break than to uphold.

Now here’s the good news: Gretchen Rubin has provided a wealth of insights into possible pitfalls as you work on developing new habits, as well as some strategies to keep on the straight and narrow, and she has done so for several different personality types.

As I read this book, though, I kept oscilating back and forth between feeling overwhelmed and feeling hopeful about new habits I’m trying to form (for me, that specifically means getting OUT of the habit of ingesting gross amounts of sugar and getting INTO the habit of eating cleaner).

On the flip side, I realized how important it is to be really choosy about what you decide to take up as a new habit. Since habit forming is so darn tricky, you really increase your odds of success by ony focusing on one new thing instead of trying to develop lots of new habits all at once. This has helped me set aside several other habits that I “should” be trying to form right now so that I can focus my efforts on the one I want to develop the most.

Better Than Before is a solidly good read, though perhaps a little annoying at times. Gretchen has an Upholder personality type, so she is very self-motivated and in some ways, her personality type has the easiest time forming new habits. I’m also an Upholder, so I’m fully aware of our tendency to be a smidge self-righteous, and that does come out in the book here and there. I think this is one to pick up from your library instead of purchasing for your permanent collection, though.

What are you reading right now? Any book recommendations for me?

(Giveaway!) TOMY Inside-Out Plushes!!!!

June 24, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 134 Comments

Tim took the girls to the box office smash of the summer last weekend. Yes, I’m talking about Disney Pixar’s Inside Out! My little loves were jumping up and down with excitement to get to have a special movie date with their daddy. And just in case the movie had some scary scenes (and Tim said it did, by the way), they were rockin’ some brand new lovies. Check out the TOMY Disney Pixar Inside Out Talking Plush!

This is Joy!

And this is Sadness. The main characters in the movies are actually the emotions of a little girl named Riley. They are Riley’s advisors and guides throughout her daily life. Things get a little out of control for Joy, Riley’s chief emotion, when a cross-country move happens. Tim reported back that it’s a fantastic film with lots of great conversation starters about feelings. I can’t wait to see it on DVD!

The girl each gravitated toward a different plush, with Darah claiming Sadness and Layah claiming Joy. So it was absolutely hilarious to me when my husband texted this shot from the theater, as the girls are modeling the opposite behaviors of their dolls!

It turns out that little Layah didn’t want her own seat, but instead wanted to sit in her daddy’s lap the whole time. Which she did, all with a big smile on her face!

Here’s the entire line of TOMY’s plush figures for Inside Out. Aren’t they awesome?! From left to right you’ll see Joy, Anger, Sadness, Disgust and Fear.

These toys each talk and say several different phrases whern you squeeze on of their hands. They are so much fun and really help bring a great movie to life at home. They are available online for $19.99 each.

Win it!

One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win TWO fabulous Inside Out Talking Plushes by TOMY (fulfilled randomly, which makes for a fun surprise!).

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

TOMY Inside Out Plush Toys (2 Prizes, 1 Winner!)

4 Ways to Clean Up the Air in Your House

June 24, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 35 Comments

Thanks to Airfree for providing a review sample and a giveaway item. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Since I work from home, I spend A LOT of time inside these four walls. My kids are also inside a lot since the summer temps have been too hot to safely play outside for over a week now, with no signs of cooling off in sight.

Do you ever wonder just how clean the air is inside your home? Chances are that it could use some improvement, and there are some pretty darn easy ways to clean up your air and breathe a little easier while inside.

1. Protect Your Bedding

Bed bugs and mites and all sorts of nasy things take up residence on our bodies, like it or not. And the bed is where many millions of them go to die, as well as to reproduce. UGH!!!! You can keep these microscopic critters from building up in your home and contributing to congestion by using mattress protectors and pillow protectors that are bug proof. They are easy to find, affordable, and very much worth it. Make sure you have them, friends!

2. Make Use of Technology

Technological innovations have been very impressive when it comes to devices you can put in your home to help rid the air of harmful particles. Airfree has the Onix 3000 that is well-suited for spaces up to 650 sq ft. It uses a little bit of heat in a concentrated area to destroy airborne allergens. You can feel the heat when you get very close to the machine, but you almost have to be touching it to feel it. I have not felt any difference at all in the temperature of a room when the Onix 3000 is on, just FYI. The air that is heated in the device is cooled back down before being released.

The Onix 3000 can help guard your home against bacteria, viruses, mildew, mold, dust mite allergens, pet allergens, pollen and tobacco odors. That’s some intense stuff it helps eliminate! All you do is plug the device in and it goes to work. It is completely silent, but does emit a blue light (it actually makes a great night light!).

As a default, our Airfree Onix 3000 sits in the room that serves as our primary entrance to the house, though I will also take it upstairs once a week to let it do its thing up there. 🙂

I LOVE that there are no filters to replace with this particular device. It’s also very lightweight (less than 5 lb) and compact, which makes it easy to make space for and to move around.

Want to learn more about how this awesome device works? Click here for details!

3. Ditch Your Chemical “Cleaners”

I totally get it…stuff that smells like bleach smells CLEAN! But friends, the truth is that you are just swapping one set of nasty airborne stuff (germs) for another (toxic chemicals). There are SO many natural alternatives that are effective without compromising your ability to take a deep breath (I’ve got detailed Honest Company reviews on my site; it’s our go-to brand!). If you can’t bear to give everything up at once, commit to making the switch to an eco-friendly (and lung-friendly) alternative as each of your cleaners gets used up.

4. Shoes Off!

My family has gotten in the habit of taking our shoes off once we get in the house (we toss them in a simple wooden crate). It has made a HUGE difference in the amount of dirt that gets on our floors, so there’s definitely a visible difference. I know there’s a difference that my eyes can’t see, too. Also? the shoes are near that Onix 3000, so what lingers on them doesn’t stand a chance!

June 2015 Beauty Box 5 Review

June 24, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

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

It’s time for another Beauty Box 5 review! If you’ve missed my reviews of the most affordable beauty-based subscription box out there, then check out my archives:

July’s Beauty Box 5

November’s Beauty Box 5

December’s Beauty Box 5

January’s Beauty Box 5

February’s Beauty Box 5

March’s Beauty Box 5

April’s Beauty Box 5

May’s Beauty Box 5

Here’s the scoop on the June contents for you!

What was your favorite item in the box? Ready to give it a try? You can pay $12 for a box and go month-to-month, or just spring for the year for $99, which is just $8.75/box! Major bargain!

(Contest!) Family Bonding Time? How to Rock the Family Shirt!

June 24, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Thanks to CustomInk for partnering with us to make today’s post possible. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Contest!

Before I tell you about our recent family bonding experience, I want to alert you to an awesome contest that is ending really soon! Be sure to check out the CustomInk T-shirts and Genes: Family Reunion Contest. This contest is meant to celebrate the importance of gathering gnerations together to strengthen family times. One special family will have the opportunity to make their upcoming reunion unforgettable!

To enter, simply submit a photo of yourself and at least 3 of your family members with a brief photo caption that details how you would use $1,500 from CustomInk to help unite your family this year. This is all happening on facebook and is open to U.S. residents over the age of 18. The contest ends Thursday, so hustle on over and get entered!

How We Rolled This Weekend

This past weekend we decided to do a fun family bonding event, complete with t-shirts we designed just for our family (we refer to ourselves as The House of M, as my husband and I have different last names, but they both start with M). Check out the fun family crest I was able to make in under 15 minutes using the CustomInk Design Lab!

Each family member has one of the quadrants in the crest. The hashtag represents my online work (#obviously), the compass represents my husband’s mapping skills, and the bunny and the dog represent the best lovies (and possibly spirit animals) of our two girls. Everyone in the family thought the shirts were rad. Time to show them off!

So where might a family go when rocking these amazing shirts? To the bowling alley, of course! We have one within walking distance of our home that is totally swanky (designed for the hipster crowd, no doubt…and it doesn’t get much more hipster than having your own family crest!).

Did you know kids can get these awesome ramps when they bowl to help increase momentum? AND they can have bumpers, too? We still bowled terrible numbers, but man these accessories were fun!

This was the first time bowling for both girls, so it did not occur to Darah that bowling cheerleaders weren’t actually a thing. She spent a lot of time composing cheers for each member of The House of M. It was so stinkin’ cute. When she wasn’t doing that, she was relaxing on these leather sofas. Why relax on the sofa cushion when you can just rest on the top? #kids.

Told you it was so hip it hurts…

Yours truly bowled the only strike of the whole game (yes, with the bumpers in place! Ack!). I celebrated with a victory dance, naturally.

We enjoyed a fun lunch right there on our sofas while we bowled. It was so much fun, and I think we looked fabulous while we bowled. The girls both asked when we could go again, and I think we’ll be headed back out that way, especially since we already have league shirts now! 😉

Your Crest

Friends, I would so love to hear what a family crest might look like for you. Some families are legitimately fancy and already have one (likely sans-hashtag). The rest of us can simply make our own! What would be your symbol in a family crest? Let me hear about it in the comments!

(Giveaway!) Bug Smarties: Insect-Repelling Children’s Clothing Line

June 23, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 79 Comments

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

Last weekend my family got to experience one of the most incredible aspects of the part of the country where we live: the great outdoors!

Isn’t nature just incredible? So lush and green and quiet.

Well…almost quiet. The only sound you hear besides the water is the bugs. The kind that are super eager to bite you. Yuck.

That’s the down side to where I live: the South has more than it’s fair share of biting insects like mosquitoes and ticks. This is one of the reasons why I was never really much into spending a lot of time outside growing up. I also didn’t have surroundings like the one above, though.

Additionally, we certainly didn’t have Bug Smarties, which is the insect-repellent clothing line from One Step Ahead. Have you heard of it? This is an entire line of play-friendly clothing for kids with build-in insect protection. The clothing is lightweight and perfect for outside play.

When you consider that Lyme disease cases average about 300,000/year (!!!!) you have simply GOT to take preventative care seriously before you head out into the forest. These clothes can be washed roughly 70 times (which is the anticipated life span of an article of clothing, anyway) before losing their insect repellent capabilities.

I most definitely don’t want my children to have the same aversion to spending time outside as I did, and having a plan for preventing bug bites is a big part of that. My girls were very comfortable and happy in their Bug Smarties outfits, and I certainly felt more relaxed knowing that they were having a great experience and getting to see sights like this:

I’m happy to report that they didn’t have a single bite on themselves when the hike was over!

You can find the entire line of Bug Smarties apparel here, which comes in sizes 2T-7/8. I think you’ll find it to be very reaonsably priced!

Giveaway:

One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win 1 in stock top and bottom of your choice from Bug Smarties!

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

Bug Smarties Outfit!

How to Grill a Take and Bake Pizza: Effortless Meals!

June 23, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EffortlessMeals #CollectiveBias

The average temperature here for the past week has been in the mid-90s or higher, with absolutely no end in sight. We experienced 24 hours of a broken air conditioner in the midst of it, which was every bit as horrible as it sounds.

Y’all. It is HOT over here in east Tennessee! And I know a big chunk of the country is in the grip of the same summer heat wave. For me, this is affecting my meal choices. I don’t want to turn on the oven right now and further contribute to the insanity in any way!

But I also still need to be able to have a few effortless meals each week so that I don’t have to spend much time in the kitchen on a busy work day. Can you identify with this? Then let me show you a little hack I learned so that my family can have one of it’s favorite meals WITHOUT touching the oven knobs: pizza on the grill!

We love picking up Marketside take and bake pizzas in the deli section of Walmart. They have a huge variety of options, all at affordable price points, and in my personal opinion, I think they taste better than frozen pizza options. Plus, they are GREAT on the grill!

Don’t forget to grab a Coca-Cola product while you are getting your pizza, as you might want to do what we did and make a Coke float to go with your pizza. More on that, later!

How to Grill a Pizza

1. Place paper on the bottom of a chimney starter and add charcoal on top. Place the chimney start on the coal grate. Add a few squirts of lighter fluid, and light a match to get it started.

2. Give the lit charcoal 10-15 minutes to get going, or until it looks a bit ashy on the top. Then spread the coals on the bottom of the grill, keeping roughly half on one side, and half on the other side (no coals right in the middle directly under the pizza).

3. Preheat the grill to 450 degrees (we used a grill thermometer to determine readiness).

4. Once the grill is preheated, place the pizza on some sort of a heat shield, like a baking stone of some sort.

5. Close the grill and cook for roughly 20 minutes, turning 1/4 of a turn every 5 minutes.

6. (Optional, but totally smart): since you have the grill going, make your life easier by grilling up some food for tomorrow, such as chicken or hot dogs!

During the downtime while the pizza was cooking, I put together a simple salad (make use of the bagged stuff!).

And I also prepared our special treats: Coke floats!

Here’s a pro tip for you (why yes, I DO consider myself to be a Coke float pro!): make your floats ahead of time and pop them in the freezer. Pull them out just before serving and add your whip cream and the cherry on top. Your mugs will be frosty and the float will taste extra cold and good! I made ours while the coals were first heating up, so they had about 45 minutes to get more chilled.

We had a delicious meal that didn’t raise the temps in our house even one degree! And because the meal was simple and didn’t require a lot of active time for the chef, we could spend that time watching a movie together (we watched the new Annie, and I LOVED it!!!). This is also a great meal to make on those afternoons when your kids want to be outside playing in the kiddie pool or under the sprinklers!

Thanks to this pairing for helping a busy family create an effortless meal and a great evening of fun together!

Be sure to check out more delicious effortless meal inspiration online. There are SO many great ideas! (subject to change). What ideas do you have for pairing Marketside products with Coca-Cola?