Ju-Ju-Be HoboBe Bag: Transitional Diaper Bag of My Dreams (Giveaway!)

November 22, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 70 Comments

You know how almost every bride convinces herself that the bridesmaid dresses she picked out can have a life of their own, apart from the wedding, and that her bridesmaids will get plenty of use out of them? And how many of those brides are right? I’d say at best, 10%. And I may be being generous there.

Well, I think the same principle applies to the concept of using a diaper bag as purse. There are tons of cute colors and patterns and interesting shapes of diaper bags these days, many of which seem to come with the promise that it can be your purse AND your baby junk holder. And yes, technically, it CAN hold your wallet and keys, but who are you fooling? It’s totally a diaper bag.

But for the last week I have been wearing my diaper bag/purse sent to me from Ju-Ju-Be everywhere, and I’d most definitely argue that it is part of that very small minority of bags that honestly can be both. Check out the HoboBe bag!

This bag has all the bells and whistles that I need in a diaper bag AND in a purse. And the size is absolutely perfect! Is it perfect if you have newborn twins? Um, no. And it isn’t necessarily perfect for every outing, just depending on the needs of your child. But for me, having an 18 month old means that I don’t have to carry 3 changes of clothes and 6 diapers everywhere we go (shout out to the young infant moms….warrior on with all that stuff….you actually might need it!).

Yes, friends, there does come a point where you get to slim down the volume of stuff that must leave with you any time you step out of the house! The Ju-Ju-Be HoboBe, shown above in one of their fabulous new fall patterns (Scarlet Petals), gives me the ability to pack for Layah and her needs (yes, there’s space for a bottle or sippy cup!) and also take care of my own.

I have happily taken this bag with me places when I haven’t had the toddler in tow. And isn’t that really the ultimate test for a diaper bag that claims to be your purse? Will you take it somewhere without your kid (and I don’t mean that you take it simply because you didn’t have time to change purses. I mean that you WANTED to use it as your purse)?

Check out some of the inside features. Lots of pockets, and great material that wipes up really easily! The mesh pockets are a personal favorite because I can see what’s inside (and that’s where I keep the items I ALWAYS lose in other purses: my phone and my keys).

Basically, this is the diaper bag that I wish I had owned 4 years ago. I think it would have successfully made it through 2 kids! But since my diaper bag days aren’t quite over yet, I’ll squeeze as much use out of it as I can.

And even when I’m all done carrying diapers and wipes, I can promise you this: having a purse that can easily be cleaned will be an awesome feature for several more years. I have no illusions about getting to stop carrying around applesauce and crackers in my purse anytime soon.

Could you use a purse/diaper bag combo? And would you LOVE to have one as fabulous as the Ju Ju Be Hobobe?

Well then, let’s do this!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win the Ju-Ju-Be Hobobe bag in their choice of pattern (pending availability)! ARV $100!

And don’t forget to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page!

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How to Keep Food Hot in a Lunchbox

November 21, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Special thanks to Lava Lunch for partnering with Stuff Parents Need to teach us all how to keep food hot in a lunchbox! As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I pack a lunch for my 18-month-old to take to her Parents’ Day Out program twice a week, I’m always at a loss for how to keep food hot in her lunchbox. While her room at school has a refrigerator for milk and other things that need to stay cold, there is no microwave, and so if the food gets cold, it has to stay that way.

This is a problem for my little carnivore. One of her favorite things to eat at lunch is a cut up hot dog or chicken sausage. Other food favorites of hers include chicken quesadillas, broccoli with Parmesan cheese, and pasta noodles. Now, how many of the items I just listed above would you enjoy eating cold? Probably none of them. And some of them aren’t safe to eat at room temperature. Layah eats it cold because she doesn’t really have any other choice, but I feel really bad about it, because I know that a hot lunch (or at least a warm one) would taste so much better!

Lava Lunch to the Rescue!

Mother of two Melissa Zimberg asked herself what she could do to try to give her kids a hot lunch when they were away from home, and she developed a very clever solution that I’m so excited to be sharing with you today! Her first son had some food intolerances, and she discovered how tricky it could be to accommodate his healthy diet while away from home. Packing things up in more traditional food storage containers could work for a short period of time, but bacteria will start to grow on food that is cooked after a few hours. Keeping food hot keeps that from happening, so it does serve a purpose even beyond the taste factor.

Well, Not only did she find a way to keep food hot in a lunchbox, but she also found a way to make it stylish, sustainable, kid and earth friendly. Moms are so awesome, you guys.

If you send your child anywhere with a packed lunch, then you definitely need to check out Lava Lunch. Lava Lunch will keep your food warm up to 6 hours, and it totally changes the landscape of what you can pack for your child to eat at school, on a car trip, or pretty much wherever!

How Lava Lunch Works

There are two heat maintaining elements in the Lava Lunchbox. The first is the “souped-up” insulation of the bag, itself, which is great, but not enough to keep food hot enough for 6 hours. That’s where the Lava Rocks come in. These are rocks that will absorb heat energy from the microwave. Once the inside of the lunch bag falls below a certain temperature, the Lava Rocks start to slowly release their heat in order to bring the interior of the bag back up to the temperature needed to keep everything hot.

Can I just pause for a second and state what we all are thinking? That is SO COOL!!!!!

But wait! There’s more! All this crazy technology that has come together to make this awesome product has also left room for the environment. It is made of organic, plant-based material. Additionally, it has a super smart design in that it cannot leak, even if the bag is punctured! I don’t even know how that’s possible, but there you go! It is meant to be used and reused thousands of time, which is a refreshing change from so many products on the market these days that seemed designed to break fairly quickly. I believe the term is “planned obsolescence,” and it is terrible for the environment and for consumers, but great for the companies, who get repeat business from folks replacing what has broken. This is not the business model for Lava Lunch, which is so nice!

What About Cold Stuff?

Ok, so what if you want a cold drink with your hot lunch? No problem! Lava Lunch has a side pocket for just that purpose. And if you’d like to have something that needs to be cold or even room temperature, just remove the lava rocks. Remember, the bag itself is insulated, so if what you put in is cold, then it is going to stay colder than it will in a non-insulated bag or box. It also has exterior pockets for utensils or snacks, as well as two interior pockets.

HUGE Savings

So get this: if you, your child or your significant other is away from home during lunch, and you typically purchase food, making the switch to bringing your lunch (without having to eat cold food every day) could save you LOTS of cash. A family of four could save us to $100,000 over 30 years. That’s enough to pay for college at a private school, or to pay for more than one college education if you go public and/or get scholarships! All from making a simple switch to bringing your own lunch.

Sharing With Others

Please take a moment to check out the 5-5-5 program through Lava Lunch as well. It seems to be this fantastically smart program designed to get folks sharing yummy recipes that are perfect for Lava Lunch, and in the process of doing so, providing funding for charities all over the world working on childhood hunger issues. When you shop with Lava Lunch, you can see how much heart goes not only into the concept and design of the product, but also into having a positive impact in the world. Love it!

Lunches Packed with Love and Lava

So at the end of the day, I just can’t get over how cool it is to tote around lava rocks to keep your food warm. Kind of sounds like something a super hero would use! 🙂 I’m also exited about the world of possibilities that get opened up for lunch options. Sometimes I feel like I feed my child the same 3 things for lunch because I just don’t know what else to send that can safely stay at room temperature or that tastes good when it is cold. If you feel the same way, definitely consider picking up a Lava Lunch. They are available for $29.99 and it will be the last lunchbox you’ll ever need!

Too keep up with the latest happenings, and with special promotions, be sure to follow Lava Lunch on Twitter and Facebook. And for some seriously yummy hot lunch ideas, check out their Pinterest board!

Green Mountain Coffee Espresso Iced Latte: 5 Minutes of Vacation Every Morning

November 21, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

I can’t believe it has already been 3 full weeks since my amazing vacation with the husband. We had 7 incredible days of rest, relaxation and play.

It was bliss.

And now that we are fully re-immersed in our happy but messy lives back at home, those quiet mornings feel almost like a dream. Did they actually happen?

But I’ve found a way to connect myself back to those feelings during my work mornings back at home. I may be in front of a computer screen plugging away, but by my side, I’ve got Green Mountain Coffee® Espresso Iced Latte in Vanilla. And oh man, it takes me back to this:

Sunrise in the Caribbean. Candlelight calm. Fearless fun and laughter. I just close my eyes, take a sip, and I’m back (even if for only for a minute or two!).

Have you spotted this product on the store shelves yet? They are launching nationwide, so keep your eye out. And may I also suggest that you print this Green Mountain Coffee® coupon to have with you in your purse or wallet? That way, when you find it, you can purchase it for a discount. Sweet!

As you know, I drink iced coffee beverages all year long, and I am just tickled to see new products like this one popping up in the refrigerated section. I’m doing my part to keep them in business (trust me!) and I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one who likes her coffee cold! The Green Mountain Coffee® lattes definitely have a fancy taste. Extremely smooth, yet full-bodied in flavor. If you like iced lattes I’d venture to say that you are going to love this. I can’t get over how fresh it tastes!

And as for recapturing those moments of bliss, I’d love to hear about how you find a little serenity during your day. Is it during your cup of joe or tea in the morning? Afternoon nap time? Late at night when everyone else is sleeping? How do you bring yourself back to the calm in the midst of the chaos?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Whitewave Foods, makers of Green Mountain Coffee®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Best Buy: Why I Already Shopped There This Holiday Season

November 20, 2013 · 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. All thoughts and opinions belong to Tiffany, as always!

So last week my Toshiba laptop, which I purchased at Best Buy 3 years ago for the AMAZING price of $350, quit working. More specifically, the screen decided it didn’t want to turn on.

EVER AGAIN.

That laptop has been my partner in crime ever since I got it. We spent A LOT of time together, mostly working on Stuff Parents Need, but also watching our share of The Office and lately, New Girl and The Mindy Project. I was sad that it broke, and I was bummed knowing that I was about to have to drop some cash unexpectedly, but I wasn’t mad at the laptop. It put in its time, and it served me really well, especially for what I spent on it.

best buy joy with new tech toys

And I knew exactly where to go to get the immediate replacement. You see, in my line of work, without a computer, I have no way to get my assignments done. I couldn’t afford to wait for a new computer to arrive in the mail. I had to have a new one right away. And Best Buy is where we went. Why? Because I knew that the prices would be super competitive, but more importantly, that we would get great customer service on the spot. Between the Geek Squad and the folks in the blue shirts, all our questions would be answered and we could buy with confidence!

Best Buy: A Great Holiday Shopping Destination

Perhaps the best thing about the death of my laptop was its timing. The holidays are a fantastic time to get great deals on electronics! For example, right now there’s an exclusive offer (just for certain blog readers, like you!) for 15% off health & fitness, Mattel and Fisher Price tech toys (valid 12/1 – 1/15). Just use code bloggers15off at checkout. The code bloggers10off will get you a 10% discount on a wide selection of speakers and headphones! See? Aren’t you glad you read this post! Great is your reward! Here are some gift ideas that you can use the coupon above to save big on:

o Digital Barbie Makeover Kit

o Fisher Price Little People Apptivity Barnyard

o Misfit Shine

o Fitbit

o Jawbone Up

o Logitech Headphones & Speakers

You can find more gift ideas at the Best Buy Gift Center!

Additionally, there are over 100 products on the shelves at Best Buy that are completely exclusive to the store for the holiday season; you can only get them there!

And if you are looking for a laptop, like we were, you will find them to be a market leader in the selection of laptops, as well as of tablets, smartphones, gaming consoles and titles, wearable technology, health and fitness gear, mobile accessories and much more.

Low Price Guarantee

best buy low price guarantee

I really appreciate the Low Price Guarantee at Best Buy. You don’t have to freak out about what other sales might be happening at other stores. You can rest assured that you are getting the most competitive price possible at Best Buy!

I’d love to hear what tech items are on your shopping list? I’ve asked Santa for a remote control for my camera so that I can snap photos while I’m actually in front of the lens! Taking fashion/style shots is REALLY hard to do while the hubs is at work! 😉

Look What I Found for $5.99!

November 19, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Sometimes, when those days seem to stretch into eternity, with me covered in bits of banana and glitter and with countless hours logged in the bathroom, working tirelessly to convince my youngest to use the potty, I just need a break.

Specifically, I need a little retail therapy. But I can’t afford to go spend $100 on a whim. This girl needs some cheap thrills. Something to give me a pickup for less than the price of a combo meal at a fast food joint.

Perhaps something for $5.99?

599fashion.com is just the place, my friends! It is an online shopping destination for discount clothing and trendy accessories. And everything they have is $5.99 or less!

I was recently sent 3 items to check out. Two were hits and one was a miss. The miss was this yellow belt, which I can tell you really is cute in person. Unfortunately, it is meant for a VERY little person. 🙁 If you are very little and need a statement belt, this is one to snag! Too bad it didn’t work out for me.

Now let’s check out the big winners!

I’ve got some cute new black sandals tucked away for the first signs of spring next year. I love the silver beads on them, and I love the fabric backing. They are comfy and cute, and their price is similar to what I find at my local thrift store. Only these are brand new, of course!

I also found this adorable blue cardigan, which is so perfect for the days when you need long sleeves, but can go without a jacket.

Ladies, you are going to find some really cute cheap clothing on this site. You are also going to find some things that are probably not your style or your taste. This is definitely a site where you need to do a little digging in order to find your treasures, but the treasures are most definitely there!

It’s a fun place to head to when you have had a bad day and could use a little retail therapy, but also don’t want to spend much money! They have jewelry for $1.99, which is a great way to try out the trends without investing much in them, and they even have an under $20 outfit page, which I love for inspiration!

Take a look around the site and see if anything catches your eye. Any awesome finds for the price?

Shopping at Modnique.com: Room to Grow, But I’m Hopeful!

November 19, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

I was recently provided with the opportunity to do a little shopping on Modnique.com. Have you heard of it?

How about Totsy? Remember Totsy? Well, Modnique has a very similar concept (daily deals on really fabulous stuff) and they actually bought out Totsy earlier this year. While their focus remains on fashion for adults, they now carry great daily deals for the kiddos, too, typically from more upscale brands.

But for this shopping experience, I wanted to get just a little selfish and treat myself. If you are like me, you are always buying for your kids and often forget to buy for yourself. It’s often hard to justify the expense. But that was part of the joy of shopping at Modnique.com for me. They had so much really gorgeous stuff, and it was all marked down like crazy!

My New Boots

I first purchased something I needed (ok, “need” is relative). I pretty much live in my tall brown boots from November-March, and I thought they might appreciate having a partner in crime (and a break!) by way of a similar pair in black. Modnique.com had some really amazing boots, and some of them were priced WAY beyond my reach (Jimmy Choo boots, anyone? Yours for only $435!). But then I kept hunting and I found these:

I dig everything about these boots, most especially the price ($39!). In my basket they went!

My New Bling

I had a little money leftover, and since I already knew that Modnique had some amazing jewelry, I decided to spoil myself with something I totally didn’t need, but would love to have: a sparkly new necklace!

After searching and searching (with no ability to sort by price, and no ability to remove items that were sold out…two things I did NOT enjoy about my shopping experience), I landed on this pretty jewel:

Isn’t that pretty and fun? It is sterling silver and came with a retail price of $350. But Modnique.com had it on sale for 89% off! I got it for $39! What a great price on something fancy and fun! This piece is already sold out since it was such a hot deal, but you can find many other great finds with great prices on their site. And those rockin’ boots are still available in certain sizes, FYI!

Room for Improvement

As I mentioned earlier, I found the website to be lacking in some areas. I’m on a budget, and even if you have a piece of jewelry that is breathtaking and 83% off, if it is still $2,000 I just can’t buy it, so I don’t really want to have to look at it while I’m searching for a gift for a friend for under $75. I also personally found it frustrating to have to look at all the things that are sold out as I was searching for great buys. If they are sold out, why am I having to look at them? I can’t buy them, so at best you are wasting my time by including them in my search results, and at worst you are breaking my heart because I spot the perfect thing, only I’m too late. Either way, you don’t leave me feeling happy!

Why It’s Still Worth a Look

I still think that Modnique.com is worth a look, and I have confidence that the brand will evolve its website to better suit its customers over time. If you really like premium brands and can afford the occasional splurge on them, then this really is the place to shop, because the price is going to be much lower than what you will find by shopping in a store or on those brands’ websites.

You can also discover really fun finds that are on-trend but totally affordable (like both pieces I scooped up a few days ago!). Don’t be intimidated by the labels that you’ll find in Vogue…you, too, can snag something beautiful, even if those brands are out of reach for you (and they are most definitely out of reach for me, even on mega markdown)!

20 Days of Deals

One more fun thing of note: Now through November 27th, at 6am PST every day, new daily deals are revealed. And they are AWESOME (they also sell out fast, so log in during the morning to check them out!). You can keep up with the latest SUPER hot deal on the Modnique Facebook page or the blog!

Have you tried out Modnique.com yet? Tell me all about it!

$100 Visa Gift Card and a Clean 2014 with ARM & HAMMER!

November 18, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

One of my favorite things to do around the holidays is to find great deals and awesome giveaways for my readers. So when I had the opportunity to join a small group of bloggers and ARM & HAMMER (a brand I love and use all the time!) for a REALLY good giveaway, I jumped at the chance!

Up for grabs today is an ARM & HAMMER Seasonal Savings Gift Pack, and you are going to love it!!!

The winner will receive the following:

2-3 ARM & HAMMER products (from those featured in the picture above and based on availability). Possible prizes include: ARM & HAMMER™ Sensitive toothpaste, from the makers of Orajel™, Spinbrush: ProClean Sonic, Tooth Tunes™, ARM & HAMMER™ Ultra Power 4X Liquid Laundry Detergent, ARM & HAMMER™ Baking Soda, ARM & HAMMER™ Simply Saline™ Nasal Relief, ARM & HAMMER™ Double Duty Clumping Litter
$100 Visa Gift Card (to get you stocked up on more ARM & HAMMER products for a clean 2014!!

Go ahead and take some time to find out where you can buy ARM & HAMMER products (gotta get prepared for your shopping spree!). And you can stretch that $100 even further by signing up for the ARM & HAMMER Savings Center and score some coupons. Woo hoo!

Tim very faithfully uses this brand for his baking soda shampoo. The gift card in this prize package would buy him all the baking soda he would need for the rest of his life! 🙂 What about you? What are your favorite ARM & HAMMER products?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the side bar of the blog. Good luck!

Safeguard Your Family’s Skin with Baby Mantra!

November 17, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Review by Alanna Peters

Like Tiffany, I do my best to avoid chemical cleaning products in my home, especially in products used for my family’s skin and hair. I want to make sure that I’m not covering our skin with harmful carcinogens! I was thrilled when Baby Mantra asked if I’d be interested in reviewing their 100% natural skincare line. Baby Mantra is chemical-free, cruelty free, dye free, toxin free and made with organic ingredients. What’s not to like, right?!

Baby Mantra products are all Natural Products Association (NPA) Certified, and come in recyclable packaging. The products they offer are Newborn Shampoo & Body Wash, 3-in-1 Baby Bubble Bath, Shampoo & Body Wash, Calming Massage Oil, and Calming Lotion. Since it won’t be long before I’ll be cleaning my baby’s delicate newborn skin, I was sent a bottle of Baby Mantra Newborn Shampoo & Body Wash.

I tried the shampoo & body wash first on myself. To be honest, I wasn’t really impressed with the way it worked for me. First of all, I had a really hard time getting the pump to actually dispense the product. Once I finally got it started I put it on my loofah and could not get a lather at all. I had to keep adding more and more to be sure I was actually getting enough product on my body. The instructions say to use a quarter-size amount in your palm, so that may be the way to go rather than using the loofah.

I also tried the shampoo & body wash on my 3 year old daughter, and again, I was not impressed. I put it on her hair and felt like it wasn’t doing anything at all. I’ve heard that getting a lather is not necessary in order to get hair clean, but I sure feel like it helps. I have a hard time knowing what areas of the head have been washed if I don’t see a good lather! After my initial disappointment, I read the description of the Newborn Shampoo & Body Wash and discovered that it is advertised as a “low foaming” wash. While I wouldn’t recommend it for adults or older children, I do think it will be great to use on my newborn when she arrives. Since her body will be so tiny and she’ll have a lot less hair than my 3 year old, I can totally understand why a low foaming wash would be perfect for a newborn.

The wash itself has a nice, light scent. When I first smelled it I thought of Christmas trees but after using it in the bath I feel like it has more of a sage/lavender smell to it – love! I’m a huge fan of coconut oil so I also love that this body wash is moisturized by coconut oil and aloe. I will be putting the rest of my Baby Mantra bottle on the shelf until my baby arrives, but I’m definitely looking forward to using it on her! I’d also love to try the 3-in-1 Baby Bubble Bath, Shampoo & Body Wash to use on both girls once the little one gets a bit older.

If you’d like to give Baby Mantra a try, right now they are offering a 20% off coupon for all Baby Mantra products at Amazon.com. Use the code “RAD6BKJY” to get your discount! The code is valid from now until December 31st. To find out more about Baby Mantra, you can visit them online at www.babymantra.com. You can also find their products at Walgreens, Drugstore.com and Diapers.com.

Give the Gift of New Books for a VERY Low Price!

November 17, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

I am a member of Bookboard’s Blog Ambassador program. I am compensated, from time to time, with free products and monetary payments. Any views expressed in this post are completely my own.

We continue to love our subscription to Bookboard. This is a digital library subscription that provides access to TONS of new books for your children (perfect for kids from birth-age 12). I’ve blogged about Bookboard here and here if you want to read more about how the service works and why we are so nuts about it.

Bookboard is a very affordable service for all the book access you receive, and I’m really excited that they have finally made gift cards available, as this makes an outstanding gift to give to a child or even to an entire family. For $54.99, you can purchase the gift of reading FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR for a family with a tablet. I think this makes it one of the very best values for a gift I have seen this year, as it comes to just $4.58/month!

If you aren’t quite ready to jump into a year-long subscription for your family or for a family you know, then definitely try out their free trial. They don’t collect any payment information from you; it really is 100% free with no strings attached! We did the free trial ourselves and read 14 books before it was over…an impressive amount, if you ask me!

I hope this helps some of you out with your holiday shopping this year. The gift of reading is one of the very best gifts you can offer to a child, in my opinion! And this gift requires 0 trips to the mall! 🙂