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

One Piece of Advice to My Expecting Sister: Develop Rituals with Your Baby!

February 9, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Special thanks to The Motherhood and JOHNSON’S® Baby for partnering with me to make today’s post possible. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own, as always.

photo credit: Ashleigh DeSandro

My little sister, Laura, is expecting her first child in a little less than 3 months (and isn’t she just glowing, by the way???). We are all SO excited to meet this little girl and I am really looking forward to watching the transformation my sister will be going through as she experiences motherhood. I have so many things I want to tell her so that she’ll be ready, though I know in my heart that there’s just now way to actually be ready. You simply have to experience it for yourself to “get it.”

But that doesn’t mean that this bossy older sister can’t still try to give a little advice! 😉 I want to keep my expert opinion to a minimum so as not to overwhelm her, but here’s one thing I will say to her (and to all of you reading this!): develop and embrace rituals with your baby.

Little ones crave routine as they soak up this big, beautiful and completely overwhelming world. It’s all new to them, friends, and parents can help make sense of it all by creating some rituals that they can count on in the midst of all this data input they are constantly having to do. One fantastic ritual we’ve done with our children centers on bath time. JOHNSON’S® Global Baby Bath Report has just been released and it contains some really fascinating findings related to bath time. A multi-sensorial experience during and right after a bath can help lead to happy, healthy baby development. I want to share with my sister (and again, with all of you!) some of the ways that we have made bath time, and the night time ritual, in general, a great way to stimulate the senses of our children.

Bubbles

I know bubbles seem like an obvious thing to have on hand with kiddos just for the sheer fun of it, and that’s definitely true! But according to the JOHNSON’S® Global Baby Bath Report playing with bubbles also helps babies develop hand-eye coordination. It also helps babies understand that things exist even when they can’t be seen (this is big developmental milestone, friends!). Touch and smell also are triggered during bubble time. So be sure to keep some on hand for a great bath experience.

Painting

This is such a feast for the eyes in the tub! Be sure to use watercolors so that everything rinses off easily and you can go with paintbrushes or just let the little ones use their fingers. My girls have been painting in the tub since they were tiny little things. It’s such a fun way to make masterpieces and very visually stimulating.

Great Smells

Here’s some interesting data for you: babies who are bathed with a fragranced bath product display 30% more engagement cues with their parents than those who aren’t. They also spend, on average, nearly 25% less time crying before sleep. Additionally, smell is the sense that is most directly linked to memories and emotions. This is just one more reason to get those great scents in the air while you make happy memories with your baby.

Role Play

Like most kids, ours have a slew of tub toys that they enjoy having in the bath with them. Tim, the chief bath time overseer in our home, does a GREAT job of turning these toys into real characters during bath time. He has been having “chats” with the girls using these characters he has developed since they were pre-verbal!

Cuddles

I can’t tell you how this all got started, but ever since Darah, my oldest, was about 2, she has pretended to be a baby animal of some sort the second she gets out of the tub. Naturally Layah has followed along and does the same thing. The great thing about having a baby cheetah or baby bunny or baby dolphin or whatever they pick is that it leads to a big ‘ole cuddle session right after the bath. It’s such a wonderful bonding experience!

Massage

Massage is something I really wish I had done more frequently with both of my kids, though we are in a pretty regular habit of giving foot rubs with lotion during story time just before bed. Research tells us that infants who received regular touch and massage were 50% more likely to make eye contact and 3 times more likely to have an overall positive experience. The perfect time to give a baby a massage is right after the bath. It provides a cue that this is the time to settle down and soothe and as a parent, it definitely helps you feel even more connected to your child.

I hope these tips related to turning bath time into a ritual and engages the senses for baby is helpful to my sister, and also to those of you out there looking for some ways to make more rituals for your family members and more ways to connect to your kids. They don’t have to be babies anymore to still enjoy a really good bath! 🙂

Smoky Mountains Weekend Getaway at Hidden Mountain Resort (GIVEAWAY!!!)

February 5, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 119 Comments

Special thanks to the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce for hosting my family for the weekend. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Over the last week I’ve shown you fun things to do in Sevierville, as well as great places to eat in Sevierville. Now I want to show you THE place to stay during a trip to the Smoky Mountains.

Let me introduce Hidden Mountain Resort. This is a glorious little community of cottages and cabins in a remote area so that you feel far away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. And yet, I was also very pleasantly surprised that I could reach the main drag of Sevierville and ALL that fun stuff to go see and do in just 5 minutes flat. Hidden Mount Resort homes are perfectly situated to give you the best of both worlds: seclusion and easy access to all the fun!

We stayed in cabin #4129, Mountain Dove (every home has a fun name, which I love!). When we arrived my husband and my in-laws, who were traveling with us, were positively SHOCKED at how gorgeous this home was. I was honestly a little confused by their dismay, and then I learned that their assumption was that staying in a “cabin” would be rustic and perhaps even mildly uncomfortable.

Clearly they didn’t get the memo about what Hidden Mountain Resort homes are like! I suppose I had the advantage because I visited the website before we went. I knew it was going to be spectacular! 🙂

I just can’t say this enough, friends: if you are traveling with kids or with a larger-than-average group (such as having your in-laws with you) then staying in a house is leaps and bounds more comfortable than staying in a hotel. And you just might be shocked by how comparable the cost is to having to book a few hotel rooms. This particular cabin rents for $350/night. It has 3 bedrooms. If you had 2 different families splitting the bill, that would be $175/night per family and instead of having to hole up in a tiny room, you have an entire GORGEOUS home. It’s honestly a no-brainer!

My children had an absolute blast exploring all the fun that there is to be had in Sevierville. But they also made a point of asking to “go back home” and they weren’t talking about Chattanooga…they were talking about Hidden Mountain!

With that garden tub and a little bubble bath on hand, can you really blame them???

As for the grownups, we enjoyed getting to have some time to relax in the hot tub on the deck, and of course, we made good use of the fire, which was gas and turned on with the flick of a switch!

Our Hidden Mountain Resort home was very spacious, very pristine, and very comfortable. Everyone had plenty of room to stretch out and relax. And while hit up quite a few restaurants on our particular trip, the next time we come to Hidden Mountain (oh trust, there will be a next time!) we’ll make use of the kitchen, which will actually help us save money on the vacation and ensure that we have food on hand that our little picky eaters will actually eat. 🙂

I also loved that while I had all of the benefits of staying in a house on this vacation, I ALSO had some of the benefits you expect when you stay in a hotel, such as 24 hour front desk service and the ability to switch out my linens if I so desired. The house also had a washer and dryer. Laundry wasn’t on my intended list of things to do during the weekend, but my youngest had a potty accident (such is life with a toddler, right?!) and boy was I glad to have that machine on hand so that I didn’t have to haul stinky, dirty laundry back home with me. Imagine how useful that would be for week-long vacations, too!

We absolutely LOVED our stay at Hidden Mount Resort. They have many different cabins at various price points and of various sizes to accommodate a wide variety of budgets and needs. I can’t wait to go back.

And true story: just this morning I was reminiscing with my kids about our trip to Disney World back in November. My oldest said, “Yeah Disney was fun, but when are going back to Sevierville and that pretty cabin?” Sevierville and Hidden Mount Resort, that is the highest praise from my daughter, who loves all things Disney with all of her heart!

Win it!:

One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a 2-night stay at Hidden Mountain Resort in a 2-bedroom home, cabin #4068 (and a few attraction passes, too!). Please note: while Facebook doesn’t allow us to require you to like our pages, please keep in mind that your “likes” help keep the blog running and help make amazing giveaways like this possible! We appreciate your support!

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A Collection of Guilt-Free Chocolate Indulgences

February 4, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Thanks to Foodie.com for partnering with me for today’s post about yummy guilt-free chocolate recipes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The hardest part about working on weight loss has been, without question, becoming more intentional about what I put in my body. I thought I would hate having to work out 6 days a week the most. Nope! I mean, I don’t like that, but I would honestly do twice as much working out if it meant that I could eat anything and everything that I wanted. I have a terrible sweet tooth, you guys. TERRIBLE.

But it turns out that you can still incorporate sweet treats into your meal plan, as long as you exercise a bit of creativity. I put together this list of guilt-free chocolate desserts for my own sake, and I thought some of you out there might enjoy having access to the list, as well.

Let me know what sounds the best to you from the lot!

Get Fit Fashion: I’m Loving Fila at Kohl’s SO Much!

February 4, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Gift card provided by Kohl’s for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always. I love to shop at Kohl’s!

So I’ve been working out at the gym 6 days a week for the past month. I used to go to the gym approximately NEVER EVER times each week.

Y’all. It’s been ROUGH.

But it has been so good for me! I have dropped 5 pounds on the scale, which is a very healthy amount to lose in a month, and more importantly, I have significantly increased my strength and my energy levels. I still don’t like my treadmill sessions or my strength training classes (just being honest!) but I am getting increasingly addicted to that feeling that washes over you about 15 minutes after you are done. It’s the feeling of being a complete BOSS.

A few weeks ago I headed over to Kohl’s to check out their exercise apparel section because while I have no shortage of yoga pants (#workathomemomproblems), I had only 1 sports bra and absolutely NO workout tops. Also? I learned the hard way that I only had 1 pair of athletic socks. Let me just say that during my first week back in the gym I was rockin’ some rather unique looks.And for the record, trying to jog in a regular bra is an absolutely HORRIBLE idea. Just trust me on that one.

Kohl’s has a TON of stuff from the premier athletic brand Fila. Did you know that? I want to recommend that you check it out in store, and also take a look at their offerings online. While I tried on several different items from several different brands, I realized that I had a strong preference for my selections from Fila. Want to see what I scooped up?

First, I got the MUST HAVE: another sports bra! I am loving this one for my strength training. It doesn’t provide enough support on its own, for me personally, for the treadmill. But if I pair it with my Fila fitted top, I’m good to go!

I pair this combo with the Fila Sport Colorblock Yoga Leggings. I know, I know…this was the one thing I didn’t need! But I tried them on just for fun and then I didn’t want to take them back off. So into my cart they went! They feel AMAZING. And if I do say so myself, they look cute, too! 🙂

While I was in this section of the store, I also looked for a t-shirt. I didn’t want anything so fitted that it looked like I shopped in the children’s department, and I also didn’t want anything so loose that I looked embarrassed of my body. They had a perfect selection of cute yoga shirts and they were just $9! I snagged the one that spoke the most to me, which said, “Fueled by coffee.” Yup.

Then I headed over to the department with socks so that I could stop wearing dress socks to the gym (yes, I totally wore knee high dress socks under my yoga pants one time. It was just as awkward as it sounds, even with my “I love me just the way I am” attitude beaming from my soul. I’m sure you can imagine).

Again, Kohl’s had a lot to choose from, but I headed straight for the Fila brand since I’d already had good luck with other pieces. These socks are really supportive. I’m actually going to buy another set in the next month, I think. And of course, Kohl’s was having a sale (like they always do!) so I got a great price on them.

And finally, before I headed to checkout, I went to the kitchen accessories part of the store in the hopes that they might have a water bottle made of glass. BINGO! They had the Contigo water bottle, and even in my favorite color! I wanted a glass bottle because I love to add a drop of essential oils to my water, and oils and plastic do not mix! 🙂

Would you believe that when I headed to the register to ring everything up, the total was just shy of $80? I’m normally pretty good at running a tally in my head, and I thought I was around $110. Some of the items were on sale even more than I realized. This is a very normal occurrence for me, though, when shopping at Kohl’s. I get sticker shock pretty much every time, but it’s the GOOD sticker shock!

Have you been to Kohl’s in the search of workout apparel, yet? Do you own any of the Fila line, by chance? It’s totally my new favorite!

How I Oil: A Day in the Life of an Essential Oil User

February 1, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 5 Comments

Disclaimer: I am sharing my own personal experience, but I am NOT offering medical advice of any sort. PLEASE take great care when deciding whether or not to ingest essential oils, and if you decide to do so, carefully research the brand you choose. 98% of essential oils on the market are not safe to be ingested. Please consult your physician should you have any questions or concerns. Essential oils have not been tested by the FDA.

I can’t believe that it was almost exactly a year ago today that I ordered my premium starter kit (February 4th, 2014). I was SO excited after hearing great things from my friend Kayla about what the oils were doing for her family. But I had buyer’s remorse a mere 30 minutes after placing my order. You can read all about my journey into essential oils as a skeptic if you want the details!

But of course, once I started using the oils I was blown away by how supportive they can be in my quest for wellness. And now, a year later, Young Living products are a vital part of my day, throughout the day! While I have over 61 oils and several different oil-related products that I reach for from time to time, I thought I’d give you a glimpse into a typical day in my life and the role YL products play in it. Here we go!

4:00 AM

I’m up long before the sun so that I can get some writing done while the house is still quiet. I am an iced coffee addict, but for the benefit of my body, I have to drink a glass of water before I get my first cup. You best believe that I drink that glass of water quickly! I love to put 1 drop of lime essential oil into it because it tastes FANTASTIC. I took this photo later in the day because I actually will add lime or some sort of citrus oil to my water throughout the day. But lime is always the one I start with for some reason!

6:00 AM

After my shower, I lather on the moisturizer, as I have very dry skin. I add 2 drops of Essential Beauty Serum to my favorite moisturizer and I can really tell a difference in how well everything seems to soak in. I’ve always loved Olay products and found them to be effective, but my Young Living Essential Beauty Serum kicks it up another notch!

6:05 AM

I need to make sure that my morning shower wasn’t pointless, so it’s time to reach for deodorant! We have gone through countless different types of deodorant in our home trying to find one that doesn’t cause Tim’s skin to break out. My body is not as sensitive, but watching what so many deodorants do to his skin has made me question if I want that stuff on my skin, too! I’m pleased to say that we have NO problems with the Young Living deodorant line!

7:00 AM

Time to get some good stuff flowing throughout my body! Right after I eat breakfast, I take a Life 5 pill from Young Living. This is a powerfully effective probiotic, and probiotics are so good for you for so many different reasons. I especially love that this particular probiotic contains 2 super strains that enhance colonization of good bacteria up to 10 times. I wash it down with approximately 1 ounce of Ningxia Red. To call this drink an antioxidant superstar is one heck of an understatement. One ounce of Ningxia Red contains the same amount of antioxidants as 10.85 pounds of spinach. BOOM!

7:05 AM

Time for my weight loss trio! I take a pill made of lemon, peppermint and grapefruit essential oils, as well as coconut oil. I have found this, especially when combined with a healthy diet and exercise, to be really helpful to me to keep the cravings in check and to increase energetic feelings! You can read more about using essential oils for weight loss if you are interested!

8:30 AM

The girls are now at school, Tim is off to work and now it is time for me to sit back down at the computer and get some work done. I always diffuse something during my morning work sessions. Exactly what I pick just depends on my mood and the type of work I need to accomplish. Today I’ve got to do some serious thinking and some writing, so Clarity is what I’m diffusing to help reduce brain fog. For me, it really helps!

11:00 AM

Since the beginning of January, I’ve been going to the gym a whopping 6 times each week. Most days I’m there from 11-11:45 to get in a workout before I pick up my youngest from school. To help me power through my workout, I put a dab of En-R-Gee behind each ear and a dab on my chest. I’ve forgotten to use it a few times, and I can most definitely tell a difference in my stamina on those days when I forget it!

12:45 PM

After we have lunch and a bit of play time, it is time for Layah to take a nap. I’ve actually “rebranded” nap time as quiet time, since she doesn’t always sleep. But I do always diffuse a bit of lavender for her, because it helps to promote a relaxed feeling. She sleeps more often than not when I use lavender, and even when she doesn’t sleep, if I have this diffusing she tends to be cooperative and plays quietly.

3:30 PM

After both girls are home from school, it’s video and snack time for them, and cleaning time for me! I usually run a load of dishes and do a bit of vacuuming. Since we live in a small home and have 2 indoor only cats, I also run Purification frequently to help eliminate odors (including the ones that our own noses get used to, such as the cats). It makes such a huge difference because it doesn’t mask the odors, it eliminates them! I’ve also been known to make good use of Purification if I accidentally burn dinner while cooking it. This happens most frequently when I’m trying to cook and get caught up on the latest My Little Pony episode at the same time (What? It’s a really cool show!).

6:30 PM

My girls wake up early. They always have, and it really doesn’t matter what time they go to bed (trust me, I’ve tested and tested and tested again!). So we try to have them in bed no later than 7:00 PM so that they can get the amount of sleep their growing bodies need. After bath time and just before story time, they each get sleepy time cream on the bottoms of their feet (recipe forthcoming in a blog post!). The cream contains Lavender, Cedarwood, and Peace & Calming. It does an AMAZING job of winding everyone down for the evening.

8:00 PM

It’s almost time for me to go to bed since I’ll be up again at 4:00 AM. So now it’s time for me to put my all-time favorite oil in the diffuser by my bed. This is Dream Catcher and this oil blend helps me experience relaxation in a way that I haven’t experienced since before I had kids. Do you remember pre-kids sleep, friends? It was glorious, because it was uninterrupted. You got to get through your REM cycles and wake up feeling refreshed. I feel refreshed when I wake up after using Dream Catcher. I call my bottle of Dream Catcher “my precious.” If you are experiencing occasional restlessness I can’t say enough great things about this oil blend.

While tomorrow’s use of essential oils may look a little different, this gives you a general idea of how Young Living and its amazing product line is part of my day! Questions? Leave me a comment! And if you are ready to welcome Young Living essential oils into your life, I’d love to be part of that journey with you! Here’s more information on how to join Young Living. And of course, you can always message me with your questions!

3 Great Places to Eat in Sevierville, Tennessee

January 31, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 8 Comments

Thanks to the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce for hosting my family over the weekend. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.

A visit to the Smoky Mountains is a very easy weekend getaway option for folks in the Chattanooga area. We headed upstate last weekend and enjoyed a fun-filled 3 days in the area, with the bulk of our time spent in the town of Sevierville. A few days ago I highlighted fun things to do in Sevierville, and today I want to make some restaurant recommendations. We ate out at several different establishments, but three stood out from the crowd.

1. Courthouse Donuts

When we visited this tucked away shop, located right across from the Sevierville Courthouse in the old downtown core of the town, we learned that Courthouse Donuts had only been opened for 6 days! So the word hasn’t gotten out yet, but I can promise you that this is a total gem in the city. It’s off the main drag, so the hustle and bustle of all the tourist destinations is absent (which is actually quite refreshing!) but the food offerings, which at this point are strictly donuts, still offer customers “an experience.”

We all tried something different and then argued over who had the best donut. I personally loved my seasonal selection, which was an apple pie donut (YUM!), but even I have to admit that my father-in-law probably got the very best, though also the most strange selection. The owner suggested that he try a vanilla dipped donut with fruity pebbles sprinkled on top. If he didn’t like it, she promised to make him a new one. He thought for sure that he’d be bringing it back to her to replace.

That donut was gone in a flash, friends! The combo seemed weird, but the owner knew what she was talking about!

The staff at Courthouse Donuts was very friendly and fun, the atmosphere was adorable in every way, and even the iced coffee was yummy (which is always important for me!). Get off the beaten path and head to Courthouse Donuts during your next stay in the area. You’ll be so glad you did!

2. The Apple Barn

The Apple Barn is actually a chain of buildings, so once again you can head to this location to eat, but also to have a total apple experience. We started in their winery. They make several variations of wine with apples right on sight, and offer complimentary tastings.

We also checked out the candy store (a big hit with the kids) and the Christmas-themed shop (which is a great place to buy souvenirs). I also really liked the gift shop that carried all things apple-related. Connected to that shop was a little bakery where we picked up some fried apple pies to snack on the following day. Then we headed over to the grill to enjoy dinner together.

We really enjoyed the apple fritters that came as an appetizer while we waited for our meal. The menu contains what I would call “down home” cooking (chicken & dumplings, pot pie, fried catfish, etc.). It was a heavy meal, to be sure, but it was good! And I really appreciated the atmosphere, which was family-friendly and relaxing. The fireplace in the center of the main room was a really nice touch.

All in all, the Apple Barn is a place to head to for a meal, but it offers so much more so that you’ll want to stick around for a while!

3. Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin

This appears to be a chain in the area. There are several locations in the metro area, and that usually means that a restaurant is quite excellent if it can be in such close proximity to itself! Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin in Sevierville is the location we chose. Inside you’ll find a cute little shopping area that you can peruse either while you wait for your seat or while you wait for your order.

As a family of 6 (4 adults, 2 children) we ordered a total of 5 “regular” plates (so nothing off the children’s menu) to all share, and we still had a LOT of leftovers. So bring your stretchy pants before you head over to breakfast at Flapjack’s!

All of the food was outstanding, but the real stand-out had the be the chocolate and peanut butter pancakes. You can probably imagine just how yummy they tasted by seeing how yummy they looked!

The only thing I would suggest to avoid at Flapjack’s is their iced coffee. I was so excited to see it offered on the menu, but was so disappointed when it came out and I took my first sip. It was apparent to me that it was just regular hot coffee that had been poured over ice. That’s NOT the way to do it if you didn’t brew the coffee really strong, because if it isn’t strong, you are just going to have really weak cold coffee on your hands. So don’t order that item. But as for the food, as far as I could tell you really can’t make a poor choice! I would eat there again in a heartbeat!

Those are my top picks for places to eat in Sevierville. If you’ve got a favorite in the area I’d love to hear about it!

My Favorite Things to Do in Gatlinburg, TN? Head Over to Sevierville for Fun!

January 29, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

Thanks to the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce for hosting my family over the weekend. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.

Did you know that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in our country? It actually wins by a landslide, drawing roughly 9 million visitors a year, which is double the amount that the second most visited national park receives. The park is located in Tennessee and North Carolina and on the Tennessee side, is right next to the city of Gatlinburg.

It’s no wonder, therefore, that so many people are searching for things to do in Gatlinburg to compliment a trip to the Smoky Mountains. But I’d like to let you in on a little secret: some of the most fun things to do in the area are actually just down the road in Sevierville, TN. Sevierville is within very easy striking distance of Gatlinburg and the national park and it is also filled to the brim with fun activities for the entire family.

We recently headed up to Sevierville for the weekend and absolutely LOVED how many cool things we could do, all within a 5-10 minute drive of each other! I want to highlight two fun destinations that are perfect for families with kids.

Rainforest Adventures

Rainforest Adventures is a very fun spot for any animal lovers. The attraction is largely indoors (and fair warning, it DOES smell like a lot of animals call this place home!). You can see a wide variety of mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians and bugs. There is plenty to see and some really interesting material for older kids and adults to read.

We got to watch this fellow snack on a fly, which was AMAZING! Those tongues are crazy fast, y’all! And we also spent a little time with the serval cat, who was most excellent at providing great photo ops.

In fact, the entire place was filled with really fun photo opportunities of super cool animals. My kids were thoroughly entertained for about an hour, and I think if your kids are able to read the info signs they might want to stay about 2 hours. This isn’t an “all day” attraction, but it is certainly worthy of a piece of your day.

The outdoor portion of Rainforest Adventures includes opportunities to feed llamas, ostriches, sheep, goats and even a pig. Bring your quarters (or get change made in the gift shop) so you can purchase some food. I think we spent $1 and that was the best dollar we spent all day because Layah was positively tickled by the experience. She laughed and jumped and squealed the entire time. It was priceless!

Rainforest Adventures is open 9-5 every day of the year except Christmas Day, and children under 3 are free, kids 3-12 are $7.99, adults are $12.99 and those over 55 are $10.99. You can actually get discounted tickets if you purchase them in advance online, so be sure to take advantage of that savings opportunity!

Wonderworks

One building you can’t help but notice on the road between Sevierville and Gatlinburg is the one that’s upside-down.

This is Wonderworks and it is an excellent destination for kids, tweens and teens, as well as for the adults who are with them. While younger kids may work through the displays more quickly, I think tweens and teens can stay entertained for an entire afternoon here! You can also come and go as you please during the day that you purchase your ticket, so leaving to grab lunch or even to go take a nap is no problem, which I really appreciate, since kids can be unpredictable at times and you might need to cut your visit short for some reason.

Wonderworks is overflowing with highly interactive displays, many of which are based on matters related to science. For example, perhaps you want to experience category 1 hurricane winds. My father-in-law thought they were “a breeze” (hee hee) but I was “blown away!” (somebody stop me!).

Or maybe you want to touch a powerful electrical current but not get hurt. No problem! Put your hand in the chain mail glove and see what happens!

You can also feel the exact temperature of the water the night that the Titanic sank and see just how long you can keep your hand in it before you need to pull it out. My mother-in-law did 40 seconds, which was 10 seconds longer than the person who went before her. It really helps you understand how the unfortunate victims would have died very quickly in water that cold when you see that you can only stand it, yourself, for a matter of seconds before you remove your hand.

One of the coolest things we saw, though we didn’t attempt it because our kids were too small, was the obstacle course that was WAY up high in the air. I could tell it was very popular with older kids!

Tim tried out the bed of nails with great success, though it freaked our kids out a bit!

I think our very favorite exhibit (and I’ve only scratched the surface of the exhibits with the above photos!) was the bubble making area. We spent a good deal of time there making bubbles that were absolutely enormous. SO much fun for kids and adults, alike!

Wonderworks is $15.99 for kids and $24.99 for adults. So it isn’t cheap! For that reason, I would hesitate to recommend this for families with kids 6 and under, unless you have a 5 or 6-year-old that is very adventurous and willing to jump in and try everything out. But if you have older kids, I think this is very much worth the money because there is just SO much to do! I also like that you can go in the morning and play for a bit, leave for a spell, and come back and do it again in the afternoon. That can really help you get your money’s worth!

Have you been to Sevierville, TN? I’d love to hear about what you did there, or if it is a place on your radar to visit! I actually have a vacation giveaway coming up, so stay tuned!!! 🙂

The Greatest Invention Since Camera Phones: FREE Instant Movie Maker (No Skills Needed!)

January 29, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Special thanks to the Mom It Forward Blogger Network and to OneDay for including me in this compensated opportunity. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own and I only promote what I love.

Today is a great day, friends, because I have just learned about a FREE app that will revolutionize how you capture video of your kids. I have severe mom guilt about the lack of videos I have of my children, despite how easy it is for me to whip out my camera and just start filming. I often find myself missing those adorable (yet brief) moments, or thinking that something going on is just too long to film and then not filming anything at all. Do you do this, too?

FREE Instant Movie Maker: No Editing or Video Skills Needed

The OneDay App is an AMAZING answer to this conundrum of what to film! After downloading the app you will see a series of video themes that you can choose. Each theme has a series of questions that you can ask you child and then record them giving their answers. Then the app will turn those short video responses into one seamless video that will absolutely make parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and maybe even perfect strangers just melt! It is truly as simple as hitting the record button. The app takes care of everything else for you.

Here’s a quick video I did with my 5-year-old this morning with a Valentine’s Day theme. It was such an easy way for me to capture her understanding of how people fall in love (she doesn’t get it), her DEEP love for chocolate, and her thoughts on Cupid (which cracked me up!). I didn’t even have to think of the questions for this fun video. I love how easy it was!

http://share.onedayapp.com/video/78AA8F0E-B3A6-4BE5-901A-D80536488BAA

OneDay has provided several prompts for me to use so that I can share fun memories of my children through a story. The app even adds a background song and shows each question before the answer is offered by the child.

Here’s another example of a quick video I would not have thought of on my own: if you have a young toddler, how about recording their animal sounds? Now that I have this video of Layah on hand I can tell you that I wish with all of my heart that I had something like this of Darah. They only sound like this for such a short stretch of time, and then their language skills evolve and change and that moment is over. I’m glad I’ve got this on video now!

http://share.onedayapp.com/video/ED4FCCB0-A08C-42E2-9AD4-BFEF43EF0C52

OneDay also makes it very easy to share your videos via email, Facebook or Twitter, as well as to save them to your camera roll. Just imagine how thrilled grandparents will be to receive such adorable little vignettes and how easy it will actually be for you to make them.

You can sort through the story possibilities by holidays, or by focusing on stories for kids or stories for adults. No matter the topic, the questions asked are always thought-provoking and fun.

I’m gonna be honest: I don’t understand why this is a free app. I would pay for this service in a heartbeat. But I’m not going to argue with the creators over price, especially since they have decided to charge NOTHING. So basically here’s what you need to create short movies of you or your kids: no money, no editing skills, and no video skills beyond hitting the record button. Sign me up!!!!

How to Get the OneDay App

Downloading the app is super simple and super FREE! Click here to get started. You can seriously have a beautiful video created 5 minutes from now. What are you waiting for???

Did you #PledgeToLose This Year? Then Get Ready to WIN!!

January 28, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Did you make a resolution to improve your health this year? I did, and I’m down 4 pounds and more importantly, working out 6 days a week, on average. I’ve also majorly increased my water intake.

photo credit: blacklerphotos via photopin cc

Did I do these things because I’m amazing and have incredible willpower and discipline? Oh heck no! In fact, my lack of discipline is what got me into the situation where I needed to shed some weight! But let me tell you what IS helping: being part of a group of like-minded people who are also working on their goals. Having a place I can go to talk about my goals, my challenges and to share ideas and offer encouragement with other people who will do the same thing has made all the difference between me succeeding (I did 3 miles on the treadmill just last night!) and giving up by the second week in January like I do every other year.

Contest Alert

Nutrisystem_pledge_to_lose_image

One great resource for people looking for a system and for support is Nutrisystem. And right now they are hosting the Nutrisystem Pledge To Lose Contest. I just entered and it took me all of 30 seconds. You simply need to provide your name, email and the reason why you pledge to lose this year. You are then entered to win a 3 month membership to Nutrisystem. The accountability group I’m in actually ends in mid-February, so I’m gonna be real here: I REALLY want to win! But I also want you to win, and fortunately, they are giving away several great prizes, so I’m spreading the word so that anyone with interest can have a shot at a great prize.

If you want to get an advanced peek at the great resources and support Nutrisystem offers, do what I just did and Join Nutrisystem on Facebook. I’m impressed with the great content they are posting there, and I love seeing all the support and encouragement they are so quick to offer to folks leaving comments!

You can also check out the Nutrisystem Diet Plans to see just how much variety is available. I’m impressed by what they have to offer, and you just might be, too! Take a look and leave me a comment about your health-related goals. I’d love to hear about them and cheer you on!