review - Stuff Parents Need

How to Wear It: Polka-Dot Jeans

November 4, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Affliate links may be included at no cost to you.

Nobody was more surprised than me when late this summer I threw a pair of polka-dot jeans (similar, here) into my cart while shopping at Target. I’d seen the polka-dot trend popping up, and I have to say, typically, polka-dots just remind me of the early 1990s, and not in a good way.

But something about these jeans was piquing my curiosity. It probably didn’t hurt that they were marked down to $12.50. And that they were SUPER comfortable.

It’s always the right idea to spend as little as possible on the really trendy stuff, and since I actually liked these pants, they came home with me.

Now the question became, what in the world to wear with them?!

I’ve actually found quite a few ways to wear them, but today I’m showcasing the way that took me by surprise. I rocked the polka-dot-on-polka-dot look this week, courtesy of eShakti, who supplied the top, and I thought it was adorable!

Thought my concrete jungle photo could use a little flower grafitti 🙂

The trick here, is to go with inverse pairings. I had very similar colors to start with, and then kept one set of dots light, with the other set dark. I think it totally worked!

Now let’s take a closer look at this top from eShakti, shall we?

It has a very flattering cut, and I think the tie at the front adds some interest. You could turn it into a big bow if you want to draw attention to that part of your body. For my body type, leaving it long to elongate my torso was the way to go. I also like the colors in the top (chambray is very in right now) and I’m finding that it can go casual or dressy quite easily. Those are my favorite types of pieces to have in my wardrobe!

eShakti merchandise moves REALLY quickly, so unfortunately, this top is already gone for the season. But I promise you, you will find absolutely no shortage of gorgeous dresses, tops, skirts and jackets there. And as if their fantasic fashions weren’t enough of a reason to shop there, here’s the real gem: eShakti offers customization of their clothes for a nominal fee (just $7.50 extra). I have a few custom pieces from eShakti in my wardrobe, and I always feel great in them because they fit me exactly like they should!

Sound Off

So I want to know…what do you think of the mix-and-match polka dot outfit? I’m not fishing for compliments, but I’m also not fishing for folks to tell me that I look like a moron, so keep the feedback constructive, please!

And would you ever try polka-dot jeans? Any ideas on how else to wear them? I’ve got a few of my own (other posts brewing in my mind….) but would love to hear your thoughts!

And finally, have you ever tried the awesomeness that is eShakti? I mean, seriously, I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU to go to their site and not find 15 things that make you swoon. Just sayin’.

Easy Italian Dinner and a Free Trip to Italy

October 29, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This post brought to you by Michael Angelo’s. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’m hoping that I caught your attention by promising an easy Italian dinner, but even if it took “free trip to Italy” to get you to click over, you won’t be disappointed by what you find below. But before we jet-set, let’s fill out tummies with something yummy, ‘k?

Michael Angelo’s® is my family’s personal favorite brand for convenience Italian foods. We love this brand because the food tastes fresh and authentic. I think they achieve their great flavors thanks to making their food in small batches, using the best ingredients possible, and leaving out junk like preservatives, additives and fillers. When you take a bite out of a Michael Angelo’s® dish, you get to enjoy great Italian family recipes made with love. Want to learn more about the people behind the brand?

So how about that easy Italian dinner? Sam’s Club is now offering one of my all-time favorite Italian dishes, Parmesan Crusted Stuffed Chicken Breasts, in packs of 6, which is so perfect for busy families.

My family eats at home most every night of the week, largely due to how expensive it is to go out to eat. But sometimes I am not able to spend the time it takes to make an awesome homemade meal from scracth, so I let Michael Angelo’s do that for me. My family gets the best of everything: delicious food that tastes homemade, and more time for me to work on other projects!

Ok, so now how about that free trip to Italy? Every single year, Michael Angelo himself, along with his mom, Sara, give away a trip to Italy, and they come with you! You get to go on a culinary tour and enjoy amazing food and learn more about the inspiration behind the brand. What an opportunity of a lifetime! Entering is very simple, just click here and you are on your way. Buona fortuna!

Will You Be My Saturdate®? TRESemmé at Walgreens Event!

October 29, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Special thanks to TRESemmé and Resourceful Mommy Media for including me in this sponsored opportunity. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

About 20 minutes ago I called my hair stylist and begged her to find it in her heart and in her appointment book to squeeze me in for a hair cut and eyebrow wax before Friday, when I leave for a cruise with my husband and NOT with my kids.

You don’t have to tell me. I already know how obnoxious the previous paragraph was. But it is the honest truth! And I’m all about keeping it real with my readers. Most of the time that realness looks like me getting poop in my hair, but today it actually looks like me getting to prettify myself before a week long date with my husband. I’m in a happy place!

And while it may not be in your immediate plans to sail off into the sunset with your love, that doesn’t mean you can’t still look fan-freaking-tastic by giving your hair a little TLC! And I know just the place for you to go to get started!

There’s something extra fun happening near you next weekend, on Saturday, November 9, and it is the TRESemmé Saturdate® with Beauty at Walgreens event. From 10-5pm that day, trained Walgreens Beauty Advisors will be handing out samples (holla!) and giveaways (sign me up!) so that you can experience products that are salon-quality, minus the salon price tag.

And while you are there, be sure to use your Walgreens Balance Rewards card to make the already great prices of TRESemmé products even better. Deals include the following:

Buy two participating TRESemmé products, and get 1,000 Balance Rewards points
Get two for $8 of TRESemméhair care base collection with Walgreens Balance Rewards card
Get two for $10 of TRESemméhair care expert collection with Walgreens Balance Rewards card (my personal recommendation!)

And don’t think I’m going to send you over there without a coupon on top of it all, friend! Here’s $1 off TRESemmé Keratin Smooth and Platinum Strength hair products exclusively atWalgreens. Even though I might be living the care-free life for the next week, don’t think that I don’t know how to stretch a buck!

If you want to get more information about how much TRESemme rocks (and win more PRIZES!!!), then be sure to join the Twitter party with @ResourcefulMom on November 7th at 8pm ET. You can join in simply by following and using the #TRESemme Chic hashtag.

Now go get that great hair (and if you are like me, also that haircut for which you are long overdue!).

Gluten-Free Snacks from CVS: Gold Emblem Baked Rice Crisps

October 28, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Thanks to CVS for providing yummy gluten-free snacks for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

My mother-in-law is in town, (which is an AWESOME thing!) and whenever she is with us, I try to make sure I have some gluten-free snacks on hand. She has a wheat allergy, and has been diagnosed with one for quite some time now. She has told me that the last few years have been SO exciting, as the number and quality of wheat free and gluten-free products on the market has exploded.

I really enjoy finding new products that she hasn’t tried yet, and I have a terrific one for her this time around! CVS stores have their own house brand of food products called Gold Emblem, and they have just launched a line of gluten-free crackers called Gold Emblem Baked Rice Crisps.

These crisps are bite-size and so perfect to have out on the table as an appetizer or just an afternoon snack. They come in two flavors: sea salt and barbecue. And they are priced nicely at $2.49/bag. My personal favorite is the barbecue flavor. The crisps aren’t drowning in barbecue, but have just enough of that flavor to be pretty darn irresistible.

I like to serve the barbecue chips with cole slaw as the dip. Cole slaw and barbecue, after all, are a marriage made in heaven!

If you are on the lookout for gluten-free snacks, or if you just want a fat-free, light snacking option that tastes yummy, definitely swing by your nearest CVS and try out the Gold Emblem Baked Rice Crisps. My family loves them, and I bet yours will, too!

Creating Fun Fall Memories and Drinking Some Seriously Good Coffee

October 25, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 200 Comments

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!! Yes, I know it isn’t Christmas. And I’m not even talking about Christmas (although that is, in my opinion, the second most wonderful time of the year). I’m talking about FALL. In Chattanooga, this is the time of the year when it is just absolutely gorgeous outside, and so the weekends are jam-packed with festive and fun activities, like heading out to a farm to visit a pumpkin patch. Tim and I both were almost giddy about getting out there with out two little girls, and seeing them run around, laughing and playing together. What we got looked a bit more like this: Ok, fair enough. I suppose it is a rather strange ritual. So I can understand my daughter’s failure to be super impressed. But lest you think that she is overly sensitive to doing things that are a bit unusual, consider this: Girl had NO problems getting into a pit of corn and rolling around. It isn’t normal, but it should be! Now “4,000 bags of corn kernels” is on her Christmas wish list so she can recreate the moment in the comfort of her own home. As for me, I have a few rituals of my own for this time of year. We start with a fantastic scent of the season. I put my Spiced Pumpkin candle next to the pumpkin we hauled home from that wacky pumpkin patch thing we had to do. And while I would NEVER switch out my beloved iced coffee for a hot beverage, I do switch up my flavored creamer. Currently, I’m going back and forth between Coffee-mate’s Pumpkin Spice and Spiced Latte. And just so you know, they are every bit as good as they sound! Also, just a FYI, if you are watching those calories this season, the Pumpkin Spice flavor is available in sugar-free. I’m going to try it next to see if I love it, too! In fact, the Pumpkin Spice quickly became such a favorite of mine that I felt sad limiting my consumption of it to just coffee (don’t judge unless you’ve already tried this creamer, and if you have, then you totally empathize!). I whipped up these Individual Swirled Pumkin Cheesecakes, and oh. heavens. YES!!!! Let me tell you, friends. If I’ve got a great cup of coffee in my hands, I’m ready for all the pumpkin patches, 4-year-old eye-rolls, and corn pits you can send my way. And if I’ve got a yummy treat to enjoy with my coffee, well then, there’s really no doubt that it must be the most wonderful time of the year, indeed! Be sure to snag these yummy seasonal flavors from Coffee-mate before they are gone from the shelves…they are only here until December! After that, well, you’re just going to have to choose one of the other 25 AMAZING flavors Coffee-mate offers. 😉 Happy fall, y’all! Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a fantastic prize pack from Coffee-mate. It will include the following:

3 full value Coffee-mate product coupons
1 set of Coffee-mate recipe cards
1 French press
4 glass coffee mugs
1 seasonally scented candle

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, however all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Introducing MomFeeds: Bite-Sized Read for Busy Moms

October 23, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 41 Comments

This post is sponsored by Weight Watchers and The Motherhood. However, all opinions are my own.

Next to my dresser in my room, I have a stack of unread print magazines that I subscribe to. I love to read magazines, but finding the time to get all the way through one is really hard to do. Can you relate?

7 magazines just waiting for me to read them! What are the odds that I’ll get through them all before the next batch comes in? Not good…

So I was very intrigued by the idea of an all-digital magazine that is available to read on my tablet, FOR FREE. But isn’t it the case that you get what you pay for? So I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from MomFeeds, which is the new publication from Weight Watchers. Would it be full of ads, just like a print magazine? Hard to navigate? What if I only have time to skim the titles? Can I highlight articles to read later, or not so much?

MomFeeds

Let me tell you, I was REALLY impressed with MomFeeds. First and foremost, I have never ever read a magazine that had SO many articles that were so timely and relevant to my life. After quickly flipping through the headlines, I selected 18 articles that I wanted to go back and read. What’s the last magazine you read that had that many articles that spoke to you? Bet you can’t think of one. And even if you can, I bet that magazine wasn’t free!

What I’m Reading

The content for MomFeeds is always being updated, but here are some of the articles that I’m the most excited about right now, just to give you a sense for what you might find if you take a peek!

Tastes Forbidden (but it’s not): Easy Fried Rice
4 Rules for a Clothing Budget
Mom’s Weigh In: Back on Plan After Baby #2
Mom Makeover: Fab Hair Tricks That Make a Big Difference
Instant Mom Energy – Blackberry Peach Smoothie

I am really impressed with this curated list of recipes, tips, style advice and news, all packaged in a way that I can easily access. I can select the articles that interest me now, and add them to a list to read as I have the time to do so. And since it is on my iPad, I don’t have to add another magazine to “the pile” to get around to one day. Also? I get to skip past all those ads that seem to take up 50% or more of print magazines.

How You Can Find It

I’d love for you to check out MomFeeds, and it is really easy to find! Simply visit weightwatchers.com/momfeeds. If you don’t already have the (FREE) Flipboard app (which is such an awesome app, but that’s a topic for another day…), be sure to download it, as that’s the app you’ll need to use to read MomFeeds. Be sure to subscribe to MomFeeds so that you get the fresh new content delivered to your Flipboard and you don’t miss a thing!

Sound a little confusing? No worries! Weight Watchers has put together a video tutorial to show you exactly how you can start checking out MomFeeds. They know we don’t have time for anything that is complicated in our lives (we have enough of that, already!) so they want to make it as easy as possible. And it is, I promise!

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers has really impressed me with this publication, I have to say. They are once again showing themselves to be, in my opinion, a true leader in helping individuals make healthy lasting changes in their lives. For over 50 years, Weight Watchers has helped millions of people lose weight. I have heard from many friends about the Weight Watchers method, and just how effective it can be. I have actually decided on my own to try out Weight Watchers for the next 3 months (3 month online trial subscription provided) and see what I can learn about making choices that are good for me. It’s not just in an effort to change the numbers on the scale, but also in an effort to shift around some of the mental roadblocks that are holding me back a bit, and causing me to reach for food when life gets hard. If a company is willing to provide something like MomFeeds, absolutely free, in an effort to help me on that journey, then I think that speaks volumes about them. I’m on board and excited (and yes, nervous!) about what’s to come!

Win it!: TWO lucky Stuff Parents Need readers will each receive the Weight Watchers Ultimate Chicken Cookbook, provided by Weight Watchers. It has 250 of their most fabulous recipes for chicken. Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dixie Stampede and Parrot Mountain: Family-Friendly Pigeon Forge

October 23, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

I wanted to share a few more attractions we visited during our recent stay in the Pigeon Forge area. If you missed the recaps of our visits to the Titanic attraction and to the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, be sure to go check them out. They were both incredible places to visit, even with kids!

As part of our trip, we were provided tickets to two family friendly attractions, the Dixie Stampede dinner show and Parrot Mountain and Gardens. While I think anyone would enjoy checking out both locations, I think they are particularly great for families with kids.

Dixie Stampede

This dinner show, which is owned by Ms. Dolly Parton, is so much more than a meal! Guests are allowed into a saloon an hour and a half before dinner actually begins, and can get yummy specialty drinks (like frozen slushes or fancy soda combinations…no alcohol here) and some popcorn. And you get to listen to a tremendous 3 piece band play songs that you are pretty much guaranteed to know, which makes it easy to sing along.

Darah was completely mesmerized by the banjo player (he serves as Dolly’s banjo player when she tours!). We weren’t supposed to take photos of the performers, but I snapped one of Darah in her trance!

After the pre-dinner show, we were ushered into the arena where the main event would take place. Everyone had assigned seating, so there was no actual “stampede” to get inside, which I appreciated. And once I saw the arena, I realized that there wasn’t a bad seat in the house. The tiers between rows are quite large so that views aren’t obstructed, and the performers in the show do a fantastic job of going all over the performance space so that everyone can get a good view. Once again, no photography was allowed once the show started, but here’s a shot I snapped before that time.

Throughout the show, we were served our delicious meal, which included a really yummy creamy vegetable soup (my personal favorite!), a whole rotisserie chicken (yes, a whole chicken per person!!!), a hickory smoked bbq pork loin, corn on the cob, a homemade biscuit and a herb-basted potato. For dessert we had an apple pastry that was quite yummy, and we also had unlimited Pepsi products, tea or coffee throughout the meal. To say it was a feast would be an understatement! And I appreciated that they offered doggie bags so that you could take home your leftovers.

I haven’t even told you about the show, yet. It is a very playful competition between the north and south, and includes some truly incredible trick riding on horses, great audience participation, and fun songs. It was REALLY GREAT entertainment, and our 4-year-old was on the edge of her seat the whole time! This experience, in my opinion, is really a must if you visit the Pigeon Forge area.

Parrot Mountain and Gardens

This is a very unique attraction, friends! Parrot Mountain and Gardens is basically a bird sanctuary. It is a must see for any bird enthusiasts, or even for anyone who wants a bit of a break from the hustle and bustle of most other Pigeon Forge attractions. This attraction is much more secluded in its location and its feel.

Parrot Mountain and Gardens is the largest bird park in the Southeast, and there you will find toucans, horn bills, magpies, and countless other birds. Additionally, you will see tens of thousands of flowers and plants. It is a really beautiful area, I have to say! We particularly enjoyed our stroll through the secret garden, where many different types of birds are flying freely.

There is an entire section of the park where you are invited to feed the birds. You can buy a handful of birdseed for just 25 cents! That was the best quarter I spent on the entire trip, friends!

I asked one of the attendants there which of the birds there was the friendliest with children, and he brought out this adorable bird, who is so docile that he will let you hold him like a baby!

I even tried to get Layah in on the bird petting fun, but she was content to just admire them.

Parrot Mountain and Gardens had so much for visitors to take in and enjoy. I thought it made for a very unique experience, and that it was just great for families with kids! Definitely worth taking a detour off the beaten path to see this place!

Have you ever been to either Dixie Stampede or Parrot Mountain and Gardens? And have you ever seen a parrot who would curl up like a baby??? 🙂

Vintage Style from Shabby Apple: Truman Dress

October 19, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 6 Comments

For several years now I have admired the vintage clothing looks that are offered by Shabby Apple. I even own a few pieces, and they provide very distinct looks in my wardrobe, always having a nod to decades of the past, which I think is fun.

I also find that Shabby Apple garments, in general, tends to have a more modest look to them. They are less revealing, but still full of design details that make the pieces very interesting.

I recently had the opportunity to try out the Truman dress, which is in many ways an excellent dress option for the fall and winter. My dress does need to be hemmed to have quite a few inches removed in order to hit me at the right length, so do keep that in mind when checking out the photos!

Based on the reviews online, I went a size up from my normal size for this dress, and I’m glad I did. While it feels a bit large in the sleeves, I feel comfortable in the dress, overall, and like I can use the belt to accentuate my waist, rather than just having tight fabric clinging to my body. That would NOT be a great look for me, personally, but more power to you if you can rock it!

I absolutely love the cowl neck, which is one of my very favorite necklines to wear. This one doesn’t dip down nearly as low as other cowl necks that I own, though, which makes it different.

shabby apple vintage clothing 2

The sleeves hit me a bit lower than I think they should (remember, I’m only 5 foot 1, and I’m sure the model on the Shabby Apple website was something closer to 5 foot 10). And the sleeves, altogether, do leave me a little unsure about the overall look. I’m just not used to wearing sleeves that hit so far down. Basically, there’s a lot of fabric here, and it is such a departure from the normal look for me that I am having trouble discerning if I’m wearing the dress, or if the dress is wearing me, know what I mean?

I did really enjoy pulling out my vintage screwback earrings that I bought at an antique store for my best friend’s wedding 8 years ago. They are from the 1950s, and they add a pop of shine that I think the outfit needs. I also think this is the type of outfit that pairs well with a bold red lipstick. I think a dress that is modest in its nature really helps bring attention up to one’s face, so it is a good time to wear that power color (but just one…don’t go crazy with your lipstick AND your eyeshadow!).

Here are my little models-in-training out with me on the shoot. They are getting very used to heading outside in the morning to “take some pictures for Stuff Parents Need.” They are such cuties, and I often laugh about the impression I give them of what it means to go to work! As my blogging friend Brandy says, “Blogging makes your life weird!” But I adore it and get a lot of joy out of being a “real life, real body” clothing model for you guys!

So friends, I’m curious, what do you think about this outfit? Is it interesting to you, or just too much dress? Should I get it hemmed and rock the look this year, or is this a style better left to a different body type (i.e. much taller)?

Want to see more from Shabby Apple? Be sure to follow them on Instagram and Facebook!

Truvia® Snack and Sharing a Sweet Future

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

This post brought to you by Truvia® Natural Sweetener . All opinions are 100% mine.

Lately I’ve been indulging in this mid-morning snack:

This is my very necessary iced coffee, and its companion is some plain yogurt with a few banana slices.

I have quite the sweet tooth, so the banana slices alone aren’t enough to make this yogurt yummy to my tummy. But by adding a packet of Truvia®, the no calorie sweetener that I also added to my coffee, I’m in business!

The snack idea is super easy to make, but it isn’t the real reason I’m writing this post. I want to talk about Sharing a Sweet Future. This is a charitable initiative that Truvia® has launched, and it is poised to make a huge difference in the country of Bolivia, where 2/3 of the population lives below the poverty line, and where every single day, 40% of Bolivian parents struggle to meet the most basic needs for their children.

As a parent, that statistic sends me reeling. Nutritional deficiencies are rampant in Bolivia, and so are health problems associated with smoke inhalation from primitive stoves that are used to prepare meals.

Truvia® has partnered with World Food Program USA, and they have already made life sweeter for so many in Bolivia. To date, 37,405 children in Bolivia have received more balanced school meals, and 68 fuel efficient stoves have been distributed, which have allowed more than 3,500 students to eat in safer environments.

Truvia® wants to do so much more, though, and they need your help! you can Learn even more about the Truvia® brand’s initiative here and then spread the word like wildfire! The Truvia® team created a video series that details the life of some of the Bolivian citizens they are seeking to help. Please consider helping Truvia® get the word out about their #SweetFuture campaign. Share the Truvia® brand’s video to support their Sharing a Sweet Future initiative. $1 feeds 4 kids. You can also Share the Truvia® brand’s video on Facebook to support their Sharing a Sweet Future initiative. $1 feeds 4 kids.

You can also Follow Truvia on Twitter to stay updated on all the latest with Sharing for a Sweet Future. Who knew that using a zero calorie sweetener could have an impact like this???