Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Master Lock dialSpeed Electronic Combination Lock GIVEAWAY!!!

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Just in time for back-to-school (and back-to-lockers for many kids!), Master Lock has brought forth an innovation in combination lock security. It is my pleasure to introduce you to dialSpeed Electronic Combination Lock.

Electronic combination lock…what the heck, right?! Well, there are lots of handy dandy things this cutting edge product can do!

It offers an electronic interface which makes it quicker and easier to use than a standard combination lock.

It comes with a resettable primary code and the option of creating 3 additional guest codes. If you share a locker space with someone at the gym, for example, you can both access the locker without having to memorize the same code! That’s especially cool if the code you use happens to be used elsewhere for you.

There is also a permanent backup master code at masterlockvault.com for your device. This means that as long as you can get online, you won’t be locked out forever if you forget your code!

This lock comes with a CR2032 battery that has an estimated 5 year life span before it needs to be replaced. There’s also a low battery reminder so that you aren’t ever surprised to find a dead bolt (snort! snort!) on your hands.

I just got my dialSpeed in the mail, and it looks pretty darn slick! I’m impressed with this new way of approaching how to work a combination lock. I think the generation of kids currently in high school would really love it, too! It speaks to their electronic sensibilities!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a dialSpeed from Master Lock!

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

Disclosure: I am a member of the Master Lock Live Secure Safety Squad, and as such, I receive complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own, however. 

 

Diploma Frame Makeover: It’s Not Too Late! Scholarship Opportunity and HUGE GIVEAWAY!!!

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When I graduated from my master’s program, my parents purchased a beautiful frame for my diploma. I couldn’t believe that they would fork over close to $200 for something like that, but I had to admit, it did look rather fetching, and I was very proud to hang it up in my office.

In fact, shortly after beginning my professional career, I decided to make the investment in getting my bachelor’s degree framed, as well. Since I already had experienced what a positive feeling I had when I saw all my hard work beautifully framed, and since I worked for twice as many years to get my bachelor’s as my master’s, I decided it needed some recognition, too. I never regretted spending the money on the diploma frame.

A handful of months later, I asked Tim if he wanted his bachelor’s degree frame. He said he was completely uninterested. No big deal to me; I dropped it.

Then, in 2007, he earned his master’s degree in city planning and was employed as a planner. He had an office and everything. It was time to let his degree shine! I brought up the issue again, and once again, he shot it down. He just didn’t want to spend the money, plain and simple.

I decided not to drop the issue this time, and put on my “frugal gal” thinking cap and came up with a plan. You see, that same year, he earned the student of the year award in his department. He received a framed certificate. The certificate was the same size as his diploma. I decided I could just switch out the two certificates and then he’d have a free framed diploma! When something is free, you can easily overlook the fact that the matting is a horrid burt sienna color, right? RIGHT!!

So my DIY version of a framed diploma worked for about 3 days, and then the diploma itself started to move around inside the frame. I kept telling myself that I needed to take it off the wall and fix it. And fix it, I would! Someday…

Someday turned into 3 years, and for 3 years, Tim’s diploma sat in a very ugly frame, CROOKED. It looked absolutely terrible, and never even got hung up!

Then, a few months ago, it was time for us to move. I put it on the bed to wrap it up, and left it there for a few days, during which time our rather large cat decided it was the perfect place to sleep. She totally broke the frame with the weight of her body!

So now Tim’s diploma was ugly, crooked AND broken. What a tribute to all his hard work and to the degree that helps him provide for our family!

I decided enough was enough, and started my research on the best company for quality diploma frames. Church Hill Classics (also known as diplomaframe.com) had a spectacular selection, as well as a reputation for excellent customer service. Furthermore, this company offered several different choices for what a diploma frame for University of Memphis (Tim’s alma mater for his master’s degree) could look like. I believe we had 11 choices! I was extremely impressed with the options.

On top of all the frame selections, you can also customize the mouldings and mattings to get exactly the look you want. I think this is just fantastic, and is a far cry from Tim’s DIY frame that quickly went from thrifty and smart to ridiculously bad.

Tim selected the silver engraved medallion frame, and it has the emblem of the school at the top, along with the University of Memphis embossed along the bottom of the mat. The wood frame has a deep, rich color. It’s really quite spectacular. Check it out!

 

 

 

 

Do you have a high school or college degree that has never been framed, or that is framed but honestly looks really bad? It’s NEVER too late to put all your hard work proudly on display! Church Hill Classics can help you show off your diploma in style, whether you are graduating next year or gradated 20 years ago! Once Tim saw his diploma in this beautiful frame, he had to admit that it looked great, and he said that he wished he had done it a long time ago. Learn from our follies and get your degree framed properly!

I also want to point out that Church Hill Classics has a scholarship contest that will be launching in the fall, the “Frame My Future” Scholarship Contest, and they will be giving away $6,000 to 5 lucky winners! Details on the scholarship can be found at http://www.framemyfuture.com. To sign up to receive notification of when the giveaway will begin, click here. This is a really fun way to help pay for your education, so don’t miss out on the chance!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a diploma frame OF YOUR CHOICE!!!!!

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

Disclosure: I received a complimentary frame for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Earth’s Best Organic Formula: GIVEAWAY!!!

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When Darah and I were having trouble with breastfeeding, starting when she was about 6 months old, I really panicked. I didn’t know anything about formula other than the fact that I didn’t want to give it to her.

But if you’ve ever seen your baby be hungry and seen your body fail to produce what is needed, you quickly get over yourself and figure out what your options are to feed your baby. So I started doing some research online on different formula types and makers to determine what would be the safest choice for Darah.

We had already introduced solid foods at that point and I was feeding Darah exclusively organic products, such as Earth’s Best organic rice cereal. I was interested in finding some organic formula for Darah, as well. Earth’s Best was the only company I could find at that time that was offering such a thing. It wasn’t offered for sale at any grocery store near me, so I had to order the product online. I would actually order it from Diapers.com by the case, and by ordering in bulk, the price per can dropped significantly so that it didn’t cost much more than name brand traditional formulas. I used the product in the red can, seen in the photo below.

So why go organic for formula? The dairy ingredients found in Earth’s Best organic formulas come from cows that have not been treated with growth hormones, steroids, and antibiotics. The other ingredients are also organic, meaning that they were produced with pesticides and made without genetically engineered organisms. These things were important to me, since I was already working to avoid these pesticides and GMOs in her solid foods. It gave me a lot of peace of mind to know that I wasn’t introducing her to those elements through her formula, either.

Earth’s Best has introduced a new organic product for parents who might have a fussy baby. It’s called Earth’s Best Organic Sensitivity Infant Formula, and it is the first FDA approved infant organic formula that has lower lactose levels to help ease fussiness and gas.

If you are concerned about introducing harmful pesticides to your infant, but need to use formula for whatever variety of reasons, I highly recommend that you try out Earth’s Best. And if your baby has sensitivities, Earth’s Best now has an option for you, too!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a can of Earth’s Best Organic Sensitivity Formula!

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

Disclosure: I am a blog ambassador for Earth’s Best, and as such, I have received complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

 

So Many AWESOME Discounts from Educational Insights and a GIVEAWAY!!!

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Educational Insights has got to be one of the very best online destinations for educational materials that kids will really love.

I’ve mentioned before Hot Dots and how much Darah enjoys playing with them. Thanks to these cards, she is learning logic, patterns, sequencing, letter recognition (uppercase and lowercase) and basic science. I’m so excited that there are so many different types of Hot Dots cards for her to use as she gets older and is ready for more complex concepts. We recently snagged some cards that I’m going to keep in our game closet for about 6 more months before trying them out with her. I haven’t even told her about them, because I know she’d want to give them a whirl right away if she saw them! But since she is still working on mastering her sets that are already open, I think we should just stick with those, for now.

Educational Insights has a really impressive selection of Hot Dots cards, and I very highly recommend them for kids. We have certainly enjoyed the Hot Dots, Jr. sets, and look forward to continuing to use the Hot Dots sets as she grows. And before you know it, Layah will be using them, too!

I also want to point out that Educational Insights has a Pinterest page, and it is loaded with great ideas for kids educational activities. In the future, they are going to be holding Pinterest exclusive giveaways, so be sure to follow them there so you don’t miss out!

But wait, there’s more! You can earn $10 off an EducationalInsights.com purchase just be filling out a SUPER short (4 questions!) suvey here: http://www.educationalinsights.com/category/id/119977.do

May I suggest what you put this fabulous credit towards? Some Hot Dots! Now through August 11th, you get a free Hot Dots pen with the purchase of two card sets! That’s an $11 value! Enter code HOTPEN at checkout!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win the Hot Dots pen as well as two card sets of your choice!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Kindle Fire and Two Diamond Candles GIVEAWAY!!!!

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Bay Area Mommy

Bay Area Mommy is celebrating her first blogiversary with a giveaway for a Kindle Fire (or $200 Amazon gift card) and two Diamond Candles.

Kindle Fire is open worldwide but the 2 Diamond Candles are only open to folks in the US only since the company doesn’t ship outside the US.

The giveaway runs from July 25, 12:01am EST to August 15, 11:59pm EST. I want to see a Stuff Parents Need reader win! Good luck!

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Disclaimer: This blog is not responsible for prize shipment.

Milk Nursingwear Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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I’m not one of those “on the go” moms who runs errands every single day with baby in tow. I actually plan rather strategically so that I can do most of my shopping and other outside-the-house tasks done either by myself, or just with Darah while Tim stays with Layah. I’m not afraid to go out with her; I just know the tasks will be completed much faster without a baby.

But there are times when I simply need to be out for a long time, and my entire family is with me. For example, when we went to Atlanta for a mini-vacation a few weeks ago, we had several things we wanted to do during the day before heading to the hotel (a trip to Ikea, which I’ll blog about later, a trip to Trader Joe’s, and a trip to the Varsity for some dinner). I wasn’t going to let the fact that I needed to breastfeed Layah multiple times during that trip spoil it for me.

All I needed to do was dress appropriately so that nursing her would not be too difficult. Milk Nursingwear had the perfect top for me to wear during our marathon day, and I have to say, it made breastfeeding a breeze. It also made me feel stylish, which is a HUGE accomplishment for nursingwear.

Here I am at the Varsity enjoying my meal. Layah enjoyed her meal afterwards! Ha!

To get a better idea of what the shirt looks like  and how it works for nursing, here’s a image from the Milk website:

The cowl neck nursing shirt is really soft, and I love the color. I wore this all day, and probably fed Layah 4 times while wearing it. I was never uncomfortable and never had a hard time feeding her on account of my wardrobe. It was really quite refreshing! At home I just wear whatever, and often have to completely remove my top to feed the baby. That’s fine if I’m in my own house, but it actually gets kind of old. I’ve started wearing this shirt at home for convenience sake, and if I’m out with the baby, I almost certainly am wearing this. It’s my favorite nursing shirt!

Milk Nursingwear has the best selection of affordable and fashionable nursing clothing I have ever found. The company is also founded by a mother of four. Elisa knows first hand how important it is to have modern styles that support breastfeeding. She’s done a wonderful job with her company, I think!

I also want to point out the sale section of the site. That’s a great place to find a bargain! 

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a $35 gift certificate to Milk Nursingwear!

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

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Who Needs $500 Paypal Cash?! Enter NOW!!!

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 Summertime Cash Giveaway Bash

Welcome to the Summertime CASH Giveaway BASH hosted by MamaNYC! I’m part of a great group of bloggers bringing you a HUGE CASH prize giveaway! This event runs from AJuly 23-August 12, 2012 and is open to residents WORLDWIDE! Keep reading below to find out how to enter this giveaway!

One lucky winner is going to receive. . .

$500.00 PayPal CASH!

Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below in order to enter this giveaway. Open to residents WORLDWIDE; 18+. Winner must have a PayPal account in order to claim this cash prize.

All entries are optional… but the more entries you complete — the higher your chances will be to win this prize! This giveaway will end on August 12, 2012 @ 11:59pm EST. Winner will have 48 hours to confirm winnings or the prize will be forfeited and a new winner will be selected.

Please note that you only need to enter this giveaway ONE time since we are all using the SAME Rafflecopter widget code. Look for the Summertime CASH Giveaway BASH button if you are unsure. 

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Disclosure: This giveaway is a self-sponsored group collaborative effort in order to provide a cash prize. Each participant has provided funds in order to present this giveaway. This event is in no way sponsored or affiliated with any company or other individual(s) other than those included within the Rafflecopter widget.

 

Keep Little Snackers Out of Your Pantry: FishClip Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Lately I have been noticing some unusual things happening in our pantry.

It seems that we have little elves who are going into our pantry during the night and opening up our food.

Or perhaps we just have a toddler whose fine motor skills have reached the point where she can open up the food items on her level.

We need some reinforcement to keep food off limits during the day! But not just any old chip clip is going to get the job done, as Darah knows how to get those off in a heartbeat.

We’re gonna need some FishClips.

Sure, they are cute, but don’t be fooled…they hold on to rolled up bags like a piranha! Check out how they work with this short clip:

Darah actually really likes to play with these, but she is not yet able to successfully use them. I know the day will come when she will be able to open them, but even then I’ll be glad to have them around. They do a really excellent job of keeping our food in bags fresh!

You can also think beyond a bag of potato chips for these clips. Try them on your coffee, with frozen food, or even to hold small cords in place! FishClips also have magnets on their backs so that you can put them on the fridge! 

Buy it!: FishClips are available in packages of 3 for $6.99. They are really useful and also make great gifts! They are available at many retailers online, including Amazon.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win two sets of FishClips!

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

Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This post does contain an affiliate link. 

Elizabeth Grant Eyeshadow and Lip Gloss Review and GIVEAWAY!!

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Elizabeth Grant is a Canadian makeup and skincare company that I have featured before. They have exceptional products and some of the most clever packaging I have ever seen. I think of them as the Carrie Bradshaw of skincare…bubbly, fun, and putting up a really good fight against aging.

Recently I was sent two of their new makeup products, and I love them both!

First up, their new lip gloss line called Light Up Your Lips is AWESOME!!! I’ve never seen packaging like this before, and it makes me smile every time I put it on. As you twist open your gloss, an LED light comes on at the base of the applicator. There’s also a gold mirror attached to the cube. You can easily reapply your gloss in any setting this way. It is SO COOL! This line of lip gloss offers high pigment, lots of shine and deep hydration. It isn’t sticky, which is great, because that’s one of my pet peeves about most glosses. I have the color Natural and I think it is really beautiful. Light Up Your Lips retails for $20.00.

The second product I have been trying out is the Beautiful Colours Liquid Eyeshadow, which retails for $18.00.

The product actually looks very similar to a lip gloss in terms of how it is applied. I was a bit nervous about this, as liquid eyeshadows can be overpowering, and also can crease very easily. This was not the case for the Elizabeth Grant products. I found the color (Vienna Roast) to provide sufficient color so that I look put together, but it didn’t go on thick, as I expected (and feared). The shade is quite beautiful, and absolutely perfect for the summer. I also found it to have good staying power.

Elizabeth Grant already impressed me with their skincare products. Now I’m a fan of their makeup as well. I highly recommend them!

Also, be sure not to miss the HUGE giveaway on the Elizabeth Grant site! In honor of their anniversary on The Shopping Channel, they are giving away over $5,000 in products! All you have to do to enter to win is provide your name and email address! Easy!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a lip gloss and eye shadow from Elizabeth Grant!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This post may contain affiliate links.