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

The Hottest Toy for Little Robin Hood or Merida: Air Storm Firetek Bow

December 20, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Thanks to Walmart for partnering with me for today’s post on hot toys for 2014. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Ok, friends, we are truly in the home stretch of holiday shopping. Just a few days left to polish off your lists (or get started, bless your heart, if you haven’t yet!). Over the past month I’ve been showing you the toys that kids have chosen as their top picks (have you seen the entire Chosen By Kids section at Walmart.com? It’s a must-see!). My girls have been trying out some of the top toys, so if you are looking for some ideas, check out our reviews for the Sew Cool Sewing Machine, Palace Pets Magic Dance Pumpkin, Razor Scooter and the Zoomer’s Interactive Dino.

Today we are headed back outside to pretend we are Robin Hood, or perhaps Merida from Brave. We’ve been playing with the Air Storm Firetek Bow and working on target practice, hand-eye coordination, strength, and of course, our imaginations.

air storm firetek bow 1

This toy is recommended for ages 8 and up, and while I personally think a 6-year-old might enjoy it, I can tell you that it is too much of a challenge for our 5-year-old to master by herself. For now, we’ve been playing with daddy helping with the launching (which has been EXTREMELY fun for Tim). The girls have also enjoyed running all over the yard chasing the arrows.

I think this is a particularly great product for this time of year, when it gets dark SO early where we live (5:30!) because the bow and the arrows actually light up with a fire-glow LED. This makes them extra fun to launch and extra easy to find.

The bow is an interesting design, as you hook the arrows into loops to launch them. I think once you get comfortable with how it works, the design is intended to make launching arrows extra quick.

While the arrows are a soft foam, do be advised that because they can shoot so far (over 125 feet!) they do go fast. We’ve already had one incident of getting smacked in the head with an arrow, and tears were shed, though they subsided after just a few minutes and with no lasting injury.

The Air Storm Firetek Bow comes with 3 arrows and it also comes with the 2 AAA batteries needed. I have such a soft spot for any company that sends the batteries along with the toy. Thank you for saving Christmas for many people! 🙂

Savings Catcher

The Air Storm Firetek Bow is currently on rollback, down to $24.97 from $29.97. The odds are really good that Walmart has the best price on it in town. But here’s how to be 100% sure: download the free Walmart Savings Catcher app, upload your receipt (for this and any Walmart purchase you make) and if a better price is found locally, Walmart will refund the difference to you in the form of an eGift card, simple as that. Sweet, right?

And if you don’t have a smartphone, Walmart does still offer an Ad Match guarantee. So if you see a better price advertised elsewhere on this or any other item Walmart carries, bring the ad into the store and Walmart will honor the better price!

So friends, I’m very curious to hear if any of the Chosen By Kids toys are under your tree this year! Let me know in the comments below.We got a few hot items for Angel Tree this year from the list! 🙂

I Love My Canon Rebel (Psst: It’s On Sale Right Now at Best Buy!)

December 16, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

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

I got my Canon Rebel in March. Photography hasn’t been the same for me since, friends. I’m hoping that in 2015 I might be able to buy some specialty lenses for it and advance my skills a bit more. If you have someone who really loves photography, and/or someone for whom photography is an important component of their job, then that person is likely either saving up for a really nice camera, like a Canon Rebel, or they have recently invested in one.

Perhaps you are looking for this type of camera for your home. Let me direct you to Best Buy! The Canon EOS Rebel T5i is one of the best-selling DSLRs, and for good reason. You can do quite a bit with this camera even before you understand the ins and outs of shooting in manual mode! The image quality is spectacular, and you can also capture video (in HD, no less!). Additionally, the camera has autofocus while taking video, has an 18.0-megapixeal CMoS sensor and a DIGIC 5 image processor, which is what gives the images that crystal-clear look. It also has a 3 inch vari-angle touch screen to make it easy to navigate between the different features for different shots. Basically, this camera is WHERE IT’S AT.

Savings!

Now through 12/20 you can save $150 on the Canon EOS REbel T5i at Best Buy! Visit Best Buy to learn more. *offer valid 12/7-12/20.

Twitter Party!

FYI, Best Buy is hosting a Canon Twitter party on the 18th at 8pm ET. They are giving away Best Buy gift cards and other great prizes and to follow along just use the hashtag #HintingSeason! 🙂

One More Reason to Love Britax: The Right Car Seat is the One that Fits

December 15, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 7 Comments

Product provided for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We are longtime Britax customers!

Tim and I have been wondering for about a year when it would be time for Darah to graduate from her 5-point-harness convertible carseat (which she has been riding around in since she was 9 months old!). She has been eager to get into some sort of a booster seat, especially as she has watched her friends graduate to a “bigger kid” ride.

So I’ve wondered if this is just the type of thing you get when you kid turns 4? or 5? Or when they reach a certain height, maybe? The issue gets even more complicated for us because our child is very petite (she tends to be right around the 10% point on the charts for height and weight). I didn’t want to put her in a seat that was right for her age but wrong for her body size. I also didn’t want her to feel like the only kid still in a “baby” car seat.

And this, my friends, is just one more reason why I love Britax. They have a Fit My Child section of their website. You need to know things like your child’s height and weight and seat to shoulder measurements, and based on these figures, Britax will show you the car seats in their line that are appropriate for your child.

Darah is petite enough that she was still perfectly safe and secure in her convertible car seat. But thanks to the Fit My Child page, I learned that she is also ready to graduate to certain “bigger kid” models. For example, she can now safely use the Britax Frontier Clicktight. Darah does still need a 5-point harness because of her size, and the Frontier Clicktight is classified as a Harness-2-Booster car seat. So for now, we are fully using the features in the seat that are meant to protect smaller kids. As she grows, we can safely tuck away the harness and transition to the booster mode with a shoulder strap. This is the PERFECT choice for our kid!

Other great features (also known as lots of other reasons why Britax is so awesome)

Tim has always been our resident car seat installer because frankly, installing the car seat has always been a bit of a magician’s act, with lots of waving around of the arms and muttering “magic spells” and a bit of defying gravity. We were, therefore, both totally blown away by the ClickTight Installation System.

You simply lift up the seat portion of the car seat, run the seat belt through this section, buckle it on the other side, and then close it. The act of closing the seat tightens the belt, and it does a GREAT job, too! With previous car seats, Tim would always have to put all of his weight on the car seat and pull the belt with all his might to get it tight enough. No need to do any of that, anymore!

For the first time (in forever….sing along!) I feel comfortable installing a car seat. Britax for the win!

This carseat also have SafeCell Complete Side Impact Protection PLUS. Y’all I take my car seats VERY seriously because I was in an accident on the interstate with Darah when she was just 9 months old. Her car seat kept her from serious injuries (ugh, that day is still hard to think about, even 4 1/2 years later). Britax is a leader in the protection it offers. The shell of the seat is deep, it absorbs crash forces and shields the child from debris. It also has an energy-absorbing headrest to keep your child’s head and neck secure. Britax goes well beyond the US federal safety standards.

The harness is easy to get into and out of, and it makes a nice, audible click. Darah has reported back that her Frontier Clicktight is “super comfortable.” Additionally, the harness has 9 positions and the buckle has 2 positions so that it will continue to be a comfy ride as she grows.

I’ve also already observed that the cover is easy to remove, by design, so that you can throw it in the wash (THANK YOU, BRITAX!!!). And Miss Darah has already noticed that she is rocking a cup holder on either side of her seat. This is pretty much the greatest thing on earth to her, people.

The only trouble we ran into during installation was that we struggled to find the harness strap loosener button. Let me save you a bit of time and show you where it is:

It took us 2 days to find it. I’m really embarrassed to admit that, but it’s true. That’s the only problem with having such a seamless design…things can actually be a bit tough to find because they are so cleverly hidden!

If you are wondering if your child is ready for a “bigger kid” car seat, definitely go to the Fit My Child page, and also check out the resource page on determining when your child is ready for a booster seat. Britax has some really helpful advice and guidelines, and they certainly have incredible products for each and every child, no matter the age or stage. Since the Frontier Clicktight is safe for Darah until she reaches 120 pounds and 62 inches tall, we are all set with car seats from here on out for her. I’m thankful for the resources Britax provided, and I’m also thankful the journey is over! 🙂

The Britax Frontier Clicktight has a MSRP price of $329 and can be found at online retailers such as Amazon or Target.

A Flash Sale, a Great Giveaway, and Gorgeous Jewelry!

December 15, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 111 Comments

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

Friends I wanted to let you know about a killer flash sale happening this week at Isabelle Grace Jewelry. If you aren’t familiar with the brand, you need to take a moment to look around over there! Isabelle Grace is known for elegant, simple, unique and customizable pieces. I own a few of their customized designs (a necklace I love to wear and bracelet for little Layah). I’ve always been impressed with the quality of their pieces. I love that they are not mass produced, but are made my artisans in the U.S.

For the past 2 months, I have been wearing a pair of earrings from the brand, and they are my new favorites, most definitely.

Arent’ they pretty? These are the Beatrice Drop Earrings, and I’m highlighting them today not simply so that I can show off my gorgeous ear bling. These earrings happen to be on special sale this week, with the price dropping from $88 all the way down to $32 (that’s a 63% drop!). All you need to do to get this great deal is enter JUST4ME as the coupon code at checkout. Score!!!! As someone who owns these earrings, and as someone who doesn’t spend a ton of money on lots of jewelry, I think these are a GREAT buy at $32. You’ll get a lot of wear out of them because they pretty much make every outfit look more polished!

This flash sale is part of the JUST4ME Mondays program that Isabelle Grace offers to their newsletter subscribers. That means that next Monday there’s going to be another really awesome flash sale. The way to make sure you don’t miss it is to sign up for their newsletter!

Giveaway!!

One of you is going to win a pair of Beatrice Drop Earrings. What a perfect gift to give to a girlfriend or even to yourself!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Colors Straight Out of Eric Carle Books: Stocking Stuffer Idea

December 14, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

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

Like many children all over the world, my kids are fan of several Eric Carle books. The Very Hungry Catepillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear are both much-loved and regularly read in my home. Part of the beauty of these books lies in the color-rich images.

How fun it is, therefore, to see those exact colors being offered in chunky color pencil sets. These are a PERFECT stocking stuffer for the toddler on your shopping list, friends! The child will likely recognize the images on the packaging and really delight in getting to put those colors to paper.

You can find the Eric Carle Chunky Colored Pencils sets at retails such as Barnes & Noble, Walmart and Amazon. The online prices are always in flux, but at the moment, the best deal seems to be at Walmart.com (just trying to save you some $$$!).

My Credit Card Number was Stolen on Vacation, and Why I Still Confidently Shop Online

December 13, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Thanks to ShoptAtHome.com and Norton for partnering with me on today’s post. All thoughts, opinions, and total lack of creative skills are my own.

Two weeks ago I learned that my credit card number had been stolen and that close to $2,000 in charges had been made all over the country without my card’s fraud department even noticing. I have confidence that everything will get resolved, but can you empathize about how challenging it was to be without your credit card during the first two weeks of December, when Christmas shopping is in full swing???

Based on when and where the charges started, I have deduced that my card number was taken while we were on vacation in Florida. I have absolutely no concerns about the safety of my card information through my computer, and now that I have a new card, I’m right back at it, polishing off my holiday shopping online.

photo credit: Travelin’ Librarian via photopin cc

The reason I’m not worried is because my computer is covered with Norton Security. It has a 100% score in vulnerability protections as well as in “time-to-protect” because in tests it successfully blocks all malware attacks on day one. I appreciate the aggressive threat detection techniques that it uses to identify even the most resistant threats. While I’m certainly savvy enough not to open emails from the nephew of the crown prince of Nigeria (remember those emails? I still get them on rare occasions!), hackers have gotten quite a bit more savvy. Just a few days ago I almost clicked on a link that was from a friend of mine, and then I hesitated, and realized that the sender wasn’t my friend at all. But even if I had clicked, Norton would have been there for me to stop the problems before they started.

Simply put, Norton Security goes far beyond simple anti-virus protection. And they offer this sophisticated technology while simultaneously providing a seamless user experience. I found the software to be very easy to download and start using. I receive alerts any time there is a potential issue or if a scan fails for some reason (for example, this morning a scan failed because I closed the laptop in the middle of a scan). When something like that happens, I get a notification so that the problem can be addressed ASAP and we can be back on track.

10 Devices Covered

It’s also really easy to add devices to your protection plan. Norton Security knows that in today’s home there are typically several web-based gadgets and gizmos. You can have up to 10 devices all on one plan and for the same fee. I think that’s incredible!

Password Vault

Another feature I am LOVING is the Enhanced Identity Safe. This is a password vault where you can very securely store your usernames and passwords to the sites you like to access. We all know by now that it’s a bad idea to just have 1 username and 1 password that you use everywhere, but if you are like me, you are constantly forgetting which sites have which of your handful of passwords, and which ones require a capital letter and a number, etc. I seriously have to change a password due to forgetting what I entered about once a month. This is a problem of the past, though, thanks to Norton Security.

App Intelligence

Have you ever downloaded an app and then worried about if it might be leaking personal information? Norton’s Mobile Insight is looking out for this type of problem and will keep you protected. It also alerts you if you have an app that is using a lot of battery or a lot of data. This can save you big bucks!

24/7 Support

Customer support is available online and by phone for free for a period of one year. If you’ve got a problem, Norton Security is there to help you out no matter the day or time.

Get $30 Off

Norton Security is currently available through ShopAtHome.com for $30 off! Just in time for the holidays, Norton Security wants to give you the gift of protection AND the gift of savings!

You Will Love It, Guaranteed

Norton Security is sure that they have made a gift you are going to love. They are so confident, in fact, that they have offered a 100% guarantee to refund a user’s money if they fail to remove a virus from a PC or Mac. That really says a lot to me! So this year, give the gift of Norton Security to your family. You just might get a reaction like this on Christmas morning (trust me…you want to watch it!)

Easy Homemade Gift Idea: Peppermint Bath Salts (with Candy Cane Stripes!)

December 13, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Thanks to my essential oils mentor and friend Kayla for teaching me this easy homemade gift idea! Affiliate links included, and I only promote what I love!

Friends if you are like me, you have been faithfully seeking out and purchasing holiday gifts for several weeks now, and yet you still have a few people not checked off your list. It’s crunch-time, and your wallet is also probably starting to be in pain, so let’s go for an easy homemade gift idea that will impress and delight your hard-to-buy-for friend or family member.

How about some refreshing peppermint bath salts with a twist…or should I say, with a stripe? 🙂

Ingredients:

epsom salt
baking soda
Young Living peppermint essential oil
pink himalayan salt
cute glass jar (my favorites are the glass milk bottles and the small hinged jars).

Directions:

In one glass bowl mix
1/2 cup epsom salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2-3 drops peppermint essential oil

In another glass bowl mix
1/3 cup pink himalayan salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 drops peppermint essential oil.

Alternate layers of white and pink salts in a cute glass jar to make candy cane striped bath salts!

Isn’t that cute? And as someone who is not highly skilled in the craft department, I really appreciate how easy it was, and how well-received I know it will be.

With your leftover epsom and himalayan salts, you can experiment with other essential oils to make other great bath salt varieties! If you’d like to read more about why I recommend Young Living essential oils, please check out my post on trying essential oils as a skeptic. I’ve been using these oils since February, when I honestly believed essential oils couldn’t do more than smell good, and I’ve been in love ever since!

If you are looking for other great DIY recipes with essential oils, check out the DIY shower disks for congestion and Kayla’s DIY sugar scrub and DIY bath bombs!

The Hottest Ineractive Toy (As Chosen by Kids): Zoomer’s Interactive Dino

December 12, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Thanks to Walmart for partnering with me for today’s post on hot toys for 2014. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

I have been having such a blast covering the hottest toys of 2014. And my kids have REALLY been having a blast! If you’ve missed the previous posts, here are the reviews for the Sew Cool Sewing Machine, Palace Pets Magic Dance Pumpkin and the Razor Scooter.

This week we are getting interactive! Let me introduce you to Zoomer’s Interactive Dino, one of the most beloved toys from the perspective of the kids who tested them out, and certainly one of the very hottest toys of the season.

This dino is actually a robot, or more specifically, a toy (a point I have had to make to Darah numerous times to keep her from climbing on top of the couch in fear every time the dino “gets mad”).

I think she was so scared at first because honestly, the dino’s moves are quite sophisticated. It’s not like any other “toy” I’ve ever seen. You really need to see it to understand. Check out this 1 minute video!

Darah seems to be the most interested in keeping this little dino happy. So she pets him a lot and plays sweetly with him. I think she has a very mild-mannered dino on her hands!

But when little sister gets a hold of the controls, she frequently pushes the “angry” button because she loves to see him spin out of control!

The remote control requires AAA batteries, so don’t forget those! And you do need to charge the dino through a USB cord. We just hook him up through the laptop, since that’s always out, anyway.

I think this toy will be a big hit with children who love to be a little bit wild, as well as with children who like the idea of training something. He’s $79.98 at Walmart, and that’s the best price I’ve seen anywhere for him! But guess what? If you download the FREE Walmart Savings Catcher App, you don’t have to worry about whether or not Walmart has the best deal in town: they will check for you! If they find an advertised better price in your area, they will refund you the difference in the form of a Walmart eGift card.

Take a moment to check out all the interactive toys at Walmart to see if there’s anything you need to round out your Christmas shopping list. In fact, you should check out the entire Chosen by Kids List!

Baby’s First Christmas: Making Memories with Happy Family

December 11, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Happy Family Products for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hf_logo_hires_300_px

It was just 2 years ago that my baby was really and truly a baby, and celebrating her first Christmas. Look at that little doll!

Oh she was such a bright light that year! All grins and slobber and full of energy! She’s 2 now, and while she is SO different in so many ways to that Christmas 2 years ago, that doesn’t mean that some things haven’t remained the same. For instance, my little girl still LOVES with all her heart to get squeeze pouches and tasty snacks. Happy Family products are a favorite of hers, so here’s a sneak peek at what Santa will be dropping off this year (I’ve got the inside scoop!).

I really love those squeeze pouches, too, because they are just perfect to throw in my purse when we will be out and about, and they are packed with great ingredients that I can feel good about offering to my child. If you haven’t had the chance to try them out yet with your baby or toddler, I want to personally recommend them to you based on our experience with Happy Family products over the years. AND…I bet you would enjoy a $1 off coupon for Happy Family baby food pouches. That’s just a little gift from me to you! 🙂 And if you’d like more information on the great selection of products Happy Family offers, visit the Happy Family website to learn about organic baby and toddler food.

Giveaway!

Who couldn’t use an opportunity to win some great gifts to add under the tree? I know I could! Be sure to Join Happy Family on Facebook and enter to win during December’s #TistheSqueezin giveaways!. They are giving away cool prizes every single day this month. You can’t win if you don’t enter, and if you do enter, you just might win! 🙂