review - Stuff Parents Need

My First Visit to Pep Boys and My Improved Fuel System

August 25, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This post brought to you by Pep Boys and Techron. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hosted by imgur.com I like to consider myself a person with varied interests, and with a love of learning. And since I have two little girls watching my every move to learn how they should act and what they should be interested in, I'm especially keen on showing them that it is ok to step outside of your comfort zone and learn new things.

And that, my friends, is why I recently walked into a Pep Boys for the very first time in my whole life!

My mission? To pick up some Techron Fuel System Cleaner. This handy product is design to do some pretty incredible things, I have to say! It helps keep your engine clean, which maximizes power, lowers emissions, and maximizes fuel economy! I've been driving for many years now, and I have never ever used a product like this. No time like the present to start! Here's some additional information to help you understand just how it works:

To ust the fuel system cleaner, we waited until the gas gauge was very close to empty, and then we took the product with us to the gas station. We pulled up to the pump, open the gas tank, and first poured in the techron fuel system cleaner.

We then filled the tank with gas.

It was just that simple! Now we are on our way to a cleaner engine, and I learned something new! I feel very empowered because I learned that just doing something very simple like using Techron Fuel System Cleaner can help me keep my vehicle running better. And that's a good thing, friends, because this little car is PAID FOR, and I'm not looking to start making car payments again any time soon!

If you've never used a fuel system cleaner, there's no time like the present to get started! Find a Pep Boys Near You

Grandparents Day: You Forgot, and I Can Help!

August 24, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Grandparents Day is on Sunday, September 8th. That is 15 days away. And you forgot, didn’t you?

It’s ok. I forgot, too, until approximately 3 minutes ago. And then I panicked for a moment about what in the world I could send to the grandparents that would actually be special. They ALWAYS ask for photo gifts. I’m not a crafty girl, not by a long shot, so having a handmade scrapbook with photos of the grandchildren isn’t going to happen in this lifetime!

So you may be surprised to hear that I’ll be putting together a printed and bound photo book filled with pictures of the grandbabies for the occasion.

– And that I can put it together in about 5 minutes.

– And that I can have it mailed straight to them (hooray for not having to go to the post office!)

– And that you can do the exact same thing for free.

Did you not catch that? Let me say it again: FOR FREEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Free Photo Gifts

If you have a smartphone, just download the FREE Groovebook app, and then you easily click through and choose up to 100 photos that you have taken with you phone and that you want them to print and bind in a beautiful photo book for you. Then you tell them where to ship it.

HERE’S THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP

To get your Groovebook 100% free, enter coupon code GROOVEPARENTSNEED at checkout. While you will be asked for your credit card, YOU WON’T BE CHARGED (I promise, I’ve been through the whole process myself just to make sure!). If you want to order more than one book, that’s absolutely no problem, and any extra book is just $2.99. That’s it! AND…if you want to continue receiving one Groovebook each month, just continue your new subscription and you’ll be ready to go. I’m a bargain shopper and I’ve never been able to get photos printed for 3 cents each, and even when I have found great deals close in price to that, I’ve had to drive to the store to pick up my photos. And they’ve never been bound in a pretty book (each picture has perforated edges, just in case anyone wants to hang one of the photos on the fridge or in a frame, by the way).

If you want a little more info on exactly how the process works, check out my first post on how to print pictures from your phone.

Groovebook is fast, but you’d better go ahead and jump on this if you want the book to arrive by Grandparents Day. I can pretty much guarantee you that this gift is going to be a major hit with the grandparents!

I am a Groovebook affiliate, as well as a super satisfied customer.

Adelina Madelina “It’s a Breeze” Backpack Review

August 24, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

I knew right away with this pregnancy that I would be wanting a new diaper bag. I didn’t have to search for one for long, thanks to Adelina Madelina! Adelina Madelina is a new line of diaper bags for the modern mom on-the-go. I received a complimentary “It’s a Breeze” Backpack to try out and review, and I love it!

With my first baby, I was sure I was going to love my old diaper bag. It was red, so what’s not to like, right?! It had everything I thought I’d need, and I was super excited. However, once my daughter arrived and I realized how much stuff you actually have to tote around for a tiny little person, I started regretting my diaper bag choice. I could never get everything I wanted in there. (Not to mention that the pretty red fabric was filthy after daily use!) I knew I was going to need something a little more roomy this time, especially with a preschooler AND a newborn.

A friend of mine had a backpack-style diaper bag, and I was always jealous of how easy it was for her to throw her bag on her back and still have her arms free to carry her baby and carseat. I was very interested in trying this backpack style for myself so I was thrilled to find that Adelina Madelina offers a backpack-style diaper bag. I chose the “It’s a Breeze” Backpack in Night/Night. It’s so fancy! (In hindsight I do think I would have preferred one of the patterned designs they offer rather than so much glossy black, but I do think the solid black bag will be great for my winter baby.) And the best part? It is going to be SOOO easy to wipe clean. No more stained fabric!!!

Adelina Madelina is a new company, founded in 2013, and they aim to make a mom’s life easier through versatility, organization, and style. Sounds great, right?! Their bags are available in four different styles and several different patterns. You can purchase them online (they offer a $5 flat shipping rate!) or exclusively at Babies R Us. The price point is $74.99-$85.99, which is a bit more than I would normally spend, but I do think it’s comparable to some of the other high quality bags out there. Another great thing about Adelina Madelina is that they give back to the community, making a difference in the lives of others – for each bag sold, they donate 1% to the Autism Research Institute, which is a non-profit organization that advocates for people with autism. Awesome!

Some of my favorite things about my new diaper bag are:

Adjustable straps – Not only can this bag be worn as a backpack, it can also be carried over the shoulder or cross-body!
Stroller clips – a must for when you’re out and about.
Easy to clean – and PVC free!
Lots of pockets, inside and out, with several zip, velcro, and magnet closures to keep things from falling out. It also has a large flap over the top for those days when I need to just throw things in and flip it shut without worrying about zipping or snapping.

Just a couple things I think could be improved on the bag are:

No bottle pockets inside – As a breastfeeding mama, I like to keep a couple cold bottles inside with an ice pack. I’m afraid that storing my bottles on the outside will let them get warm. (Though my daughter VERY rarely ever took a bottle, so this may be a non-issue anyway for some!)
Not quite big enough – While this bag is bigger than my old one, once I stuffed it full of onesies, receiving blankets, bottles, diapers, wipes, etc., it was still pretty darn full. When the interior pockets are filled it really cuts into your space in the large compartment. But while it was snug from side to side, I did have a few inches of room on the top to add more, which is definitely an improvement from my last bag!
The front magnet is a little hard to close – The front flap closes easily, but it’s not very easy to actually get the magnet closure to clasp. It’s not a big deal if you throw the bag over your shoulder or clip it to the stroller, but I’d want to make sure it was secured if I was wearing it as a backpack.

Overall, I think this is going to be a great bag. I’m excited to use it! If a backpack is not your style, they also have a tote, a hobo, and a satchel. Check out the other fun colors and patterns they offer! Which one would you choose?

Thanks to Adelina Madelina for providing the diaper bag for review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Mirari myPad and Zig-Zag Xylo Train for Toddlers (Giveaway!)

August 23, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 169 Comments

Got a toddler who is always after your smartphone or your iPad?

Yeah, me too. It is really cute, but only for about 10 seconds, and then it starts to freak me out. Layah is quick to run off with my electronic gadgets, and I’m always afraid she is running straight to the toilet to see if it will sink or float. And I don’t know about you, but replacing my iPad is totally NOT in my budget for this month, or any month in the forseeable future!

iPad for Toddlers: myPad

So I was thrilled to see this great new product come to my doorstep from the company Mirari called the myPad. It has the look and feel of an iPad, or a larger version of a smart phone, with pictures, buttons and fun sounds. And all Layah really wants to do with my phone and tablet is push buttons and smack the screen. She can do that ALL DAY on the myPad; it is built to withstand plenty of “love” from little ones aged 12 months and up.

And just to show how much she loves it, note that I wasn’t even able to snap a stand alone photo of the product without Layah photobombing. She couldn’t keep her hands off it from the first second she saw it!

The myPad is a toy that I reach for when I need to keep Layah in one place for a handful of minutes (like when I need to take a shower). I try not to keep it out constantly so that she doesn’t get too used to it. This way, when I do reach for it, she is very excited and ready to engage with it every time!

The other product that was sent was so clever, as it combines two classic toys into one: check out the Mirari Zig-Zag Xylo Train! This xylophone unfolds easily to become a train that can be pulled all over the house. On the box, the recommended age is 18 months plus, but I can tell you that my 15 month old absolutely loves this toy and plays with it most every day. Currently, she seems more interested in the pull toy aspect of the train than the musical capabilities, but she’s starting to bang on it a bit more in the last week, so it won’t be long before I’ll be hearing xylophone concerts on the regular! 😉

I loved the toys from Mirari that we were sent for review, and I also loved learning about the company. Mirari comes from the Latin word which translates to mean, “wonder.” They are all about creating products that promote classic play in innovative ways, without overwhelming children with unnecessary features. I definitely like and appreciate that approach, and I think that these toys are right in line with that idea!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win your choice: either the myPad or the Zig-Zay Xylo Train!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Affiliate links may be included.

I Let My Husband Pick Out the First Day Of School Outfits! (Giveaway!)

August 20, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 181 Comments

This post on back-to-school fashion for girls may contain affiliate links.

Yesterday was Darah’s first day of school. She’s in year 2 of the 3 year cycle at Montessori school, but if she were in a more traditional classroom, this would have been her first day of preschool. I was aware of this fact, and as a result, I teared up more than once while taking pictures of her in the morning.

I thought I was going to hold it together, but I just couldn’t get over how grown my sweet baby looked. Her outfit was beyond adorable, and her socks…well…those sent me over the edge. Yes, I cried at the sight of her adorable socks!!

My friends over a Gymboree were kind enough to send me a gift certificate to get our back-to-school shopping started off right. I was so happy to work with them, as I order things from Gymboree fairly often (who can resist with all those Gymbucks offers, am I right?). But I decided to do something a little different this year: I gave Tim FULL REIGN over picking out something for both Darah and Layah to wear on the first day of school.

Did I lose my mind? Oh no, friends, this was a very strategic move on my part. You see, Gymboree makes is SO easy to find coordinating pieces, since they create entire collections around one theme. I knew that Tim would have to really make an effort in order to get something that wasn’t absolutely adorable. Gymboree makes that really hard!

The socks shown above were just part of the “so cute I cried” outfit he chose for Darah. Wanna see it???

I think she caught on to how cute I thought she was in this colorblock dress, because the model attitude started coming out early on in the photo shoot! She’s 4 going on 14….heaven help us!

And while Layah wasn’t starting a new year in school today, she did go to her Parent’s Day Out program, and I wanted her to take part in the back-to-school festivities, so she also got an outfit (the flower dot sweater dress). And Oh. My. Word!

I just love how the dresses are completely different, and yet those stripes pull them all together for a coordinated look. The dress is a soft sweater material, which I know will be comfy for a on-the-go toddler like Layah. And those sleeves! The little poof in them! Makes me swoon…

Tim reported back to me that he really had a lot of fun picking out clothes for the girls. He said he loved the selection at Gymboree, the ease of finding outfits that coordinated without being too “matchy-matchy” and he also loved that there were so many options that weren’t pink! 🙂

I think he rocked it out. Do you agree?

Win it!: Gymboree wants to celebrate the start of a new school year by offering one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader a $75 gift certificate to Gymboree!!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Six Flags Over Georgia Shockers

August 17, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 6 Comments

About a month ago I went to Six Flags Over Georgia with my family. Six Flags is known for rides like this:

Seriously amazing stuff. But, um, not so much for toddlers and preschoolers.

Six Flags Super Moms and Two Shockers

So why the heck was I there? I have joined forces with Six Flags Over Georgia as an official Six Flags Super Mom for the next year. Check out the video that Six Flags put together with me telling you more about what I’ll be doing this year as a compensated ambassador and some of the surprising things I learned about the park!

Shocker One: Six Flags Really Is Fun with Little Kids!

I’m going to be honest with you (like always!) and tell you that when I was preparing for my visit to Six Flags Over Georgia, I was open-minded about what I might discover, but quite skeptical about how appealing the park would be to parents of young children (think 10 and under…or really any child who wouldn’t want to ride a roller coaster). I mean, what is there to do at a park known for its roller coasters except for maybe a handful of kiddie rides?

Well, it turns out that there is a TON of stuff! The Looney Tunes characters, for one, have an entire section of the park dedicated to them and to all of their shenanigans. You can meet and greet the gang, watch some fun live shows, and ride several different rides that are intended for the little ones. But this is by no means all that there is for young ones to do!

Skull Island

My kids had a very decided favorite in the park, and it is something that I’d never seen before: a splash/water zone right inside the park, itself! It is called Skull Island and it is where my husband and the girls spent most of the day while I toured the park with the other Super Moms There are some great water slides and plenty of fountains and waterfalls for the young and young at heart to splash around and cool off in. I think it is an absolutely fantastic addition to the park and can help ensure that anyone who isn’t a huge fan of roller coasters (or who just isn’t tall enough to ride them, yet!) can still have an AMAZING time at Six Flags Over Georgia.

Shocker Two: The Food is GREAT!!!

Theme parks and good food don’t typically belong in the same sentence, but here goes: Six Flags Over Georgia has delicious food! We were served lunch while we toured the park, and every single thing we sampled could be found in the park for purchase. We tried turkey burgers that were REALLY good (no…really….moist, flavorful…not like any turkey burger I’ve ever had, and I eat turkey burgers regularly! Best ones I have yet to taste!). They even had taco salads (a personal favorite! What a treat!) and gluten-free brownies. And let me tell you, if brownies made without wheat can taste this good, then wheat no longer has any business being in any brownies from here on out. They were out of this world, you guys.

Six Flags also offers burritos, wraps, and other outside-the-themepark box offerings. And do you want to know why? Because they do a FANTASTIC job of listening to their customers! Six Flags wants to offer what people want to eat, and as food trends and dietary restrictions change, they want to make sure that everyone can have an delightful experience in the park, not only while enjoying the rides, but also while enjoying the food! I also saw an employee preparing by hand some amazing looking caramel apples in one of the shops. Don’t those look delicious?

And just in case those apples aren’t enough for your sweet tooth, just turn around and see if you can find anything else to tempt you!

I captured about 10% of the candy in this particular store. What a fun place to take your child for a special little treat! 🙂

I was expecting Six Flags over Georgia to be a fantastic place to take tweens and teenagers for a vacation or even just a break from the usual, but I was truly shocked to discover how much fun it is with young children. And I was shocked by easy it is to find food on site that won’t give you indigestion or leave you feeling totally gross. I will be heading back to Six Flags in the next few weeks to take a closer look, and I have a feeling that the park with surprise and delight me even more the next time around.

Have you ever visited Six Flags Over Georgia or any other Six Flags parks? Have you been with small children before? Do you have any questions or concerns about planning a trip to Six Flags, either with young kids or not? I’d love to share your thoughts with the park staff!

How I Set Sound Free: Jabra Solemate

August 17, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 4 Comments

Last month I attended my first blogging conference in a year in a half, called Reviewer’s Retreat. While I was there, I was introduced to Jabra. Jabra is a company that makes innovative headset and speakerphone solutions, with the aim of empowering customers to accomplish amazing things, on their own terms. After conversations with the company representative at the conference, I learned that Jabra is truly passionate about being a leader in what they do, and they work extremely hard to make sure their customers’ lives are made easier with the use of their product.

Making my life easier is totally speaking my love language! So I knew I had to bring Jabra to Stuff Parents Need and tell you all about them. The company sent me a product that they thought busy parents would L.O.V.E. and they were spot on!

Friends, let me introduce you to the Jabra Solemate.

Can you see the wires for the speaker? No? That’s because THERE ARE NO WIRES!!!! This is a completely portable, completely wireless speaker set. We used it last week while we were outside playing and washing the car. We had some fun music keeping us company, and it sounded AWESOME!

So where was the music sourced from if the Jabra Solemate isn’t a radio? In this case, the Jabra Solemate was playing music from Pandora, sourced on the iPad, which was still inside the house. Pretty awesome, right? The speakers can link up with any device that is bluetooth enabled (your phone, your tablet, probably your computer). I’m not tech savvy, and yet even I can get my speakers going with just a few simple clicks.

And the Jabra Solemate is so light and small…very easy to take all around the house, and even on trips. Our current favorite use of the speakers is to crank up the quality of sound when we are watching movies/television shows on our laptop. Yes, my laptop speakers work, but the difference in sound quality is night and day. Plus, we can strategically place these speakers in our room to get more of a “surround sound” effect, which rocks!

The Jabra Solemate comes in black or white, and has a very unobtrusive look that I love. Clean, simple, really quite lovely (especially for a speaker!). And best of all, NO CORDS!!! There are so many reasons why this is huge. First, I have a toddler who loves to yank on cords. I’ll let you guess how many different objects have been broken as a result of this favorite pastime of hers (pretty much no matter what number you guessed, the answer is MORE THAN THAT!). Second, I have a cat who likes to bite through cords, which has cost us far more than the $100 adoption fee we paid for the cat in the first place. Jabra Solemate is bringing us great sound, hassle-free. It is making life easier, and definitely more fun! So now instead of yanking on cords, Layah has moved on to new pursuits. Like eating bubbles.

Have you had the chance to try the Jabra Solemate? Would you like to set sound free? Wanna see a giveaway for Jabra on the site? Let me know!!!

OMGuac Your Lunch and Win Big!!!

August 16, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Thanks to Wholly Guacamole for partnering with Stuff Parents Need to get the word out about this contest!

Wholly Guacamole….you’ve tried it, right? I buy it regularly at the store. It is such a smooth, creamy, delicious treat, and it tastes SO fresh!

If you are already a fan, or even if you need a little nudge to give Wholly Guacamole a try, I’ve got good news for you. The brand has recently launched the OMGuac One Lunch, Two Ways promotion and photo contest, and you are definitely going to want to enter, because the prizes are SWEET!!!

Check out the Wholly Guacamole site for some great ideas to help make your kids lunches (and your work lunches!) OMGuac-tastic! Once you are inspired and have a fun lunch idea ready, register for a chance to win a $100 gift card with FREE Wholly Guacamole products! There are 3 winners every week through September 27!!! And don’t miss the $1.00 off coupon for any Wholly product while you are on the site. For complete contest details and rules, visit Eatwholly.com/omg.

Do You Need Life Insurance If You Stay At Home?

August 16, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 5 Comments

This post on life insurance is brought to you by Genworth and Brandfluential. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Tim and I recently had our annual meeting with our life insurance agent. We meet every year to review our current financial situation, our goals, any major life events on the horizon, and to make sure that our insurance coverage is sufficient to meet our needs should either Tim or I not live to see the next annual meeting. While the thought of this happening is very sad, indeed, I find that these meetings aren’t as much of a downer as you might imagine. They actually feel very reassuring in many ways, because we are taking just a little bit of time to make sure we are on track and covered in the event of the unthinkable. Because let me tell you, if my husband dies, the very last thing I want to be thinking about is how I’m going to keep paying our bills. And Tim feels the exact same way.

Life Insurance for Stay at Home Parents?

While I work from home and do generate income, it isn’t a full-time income. So does it really make sense for us to be spending money on a life insurance policy for me? Oh heck yes it does. Genworth has been a great resource for helping us stay educated on this issue. What we have realized is that if I pass away, while there may not be very much of a direct financial impact in terms of the loss of income, other losses will be very significant and require some cash inflow.

While my husband has a full-time job with benefits, do you really think he wants to report back to work the week after he buries his wife? Or two weeks after? Or two months after? Honestly, probably not. And who will be watching the girls? He’s going to want to be with his kids, loving on them, healing with them, and just trying to find any hints of normalcy that he can. In order to take a significant amount of time off of work and to eventually arrange for new care options for the girls, he is going to need some help. That’s where a life insurance policy comes into play. There’s a terrific article that outlines even more examples of why stay-at-home parents need life insurance.

Determine What You Need

I want to encourage you and your partner to take a little bit of time to meet with an insurance agent, or at least go online to get some help determining how much insurance you need to have for each of you in order for financial devastation to not be part of the aftermath of a loss. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by some of the rates you can find for policies that meet your needs, too. In my own personal opinion, the peace of mind these policies provide are well worth their monthly expense.