review - Stuff Parents Need

Store Brand Diaper Makeover: Rite Aid Tugaboos Get An Upgrade!

June 14, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Rite Aid Tugaboos diapers. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Well, folks, we are on the road again. Tim and I decided to take the girls to a castle this weekend. Well, I suppose it it the American equivalent of a castle (we’re going to check out the Biltmore Estate in Asheville). Darah is talking nonstop about princesses and asking me if the people who work there will call her, “your majesty” while she is visitng. Kids are so hilarious!

I had to fight against the urge to just stay home, if I’m being completely honest. I love history and architecture and just seeing new things, in general, but this season of life (having very young children) is a really hard one for traveling, as being able to adapt our schedule (sleeping times, snack times, diaper changing needs) to a new environment can sometimes feel like more hassle than it is worth.

And for those of you with a child in diapers, you know that a blow out is not exactly high on your list of “must do” things while on vacation. So it may surprise you that the package of diapers I’m taking with us for the weekend looks like this:

You may have never even seen this brand of diapers before. They are a store brand (specifically, Rite Aid) and they are called . Store brand diapers often have the reputations of being sort of ok for day time use as long as you aren’t going anywhere and as long as you can change them more frequently than you would with a more premium diaper. They don’t ususally have the highest absorbtion level or the best leak protection, so you are a little more at risk for problems when you use them.

So why am I traveling with only these diapers for day time use? Because the Tugaboos line recently made some upgrades to their diapers, including faster absorbtion and increased leakage protection. They also offer hypoallergenic inner liners (very important for my sensitive toddler) and stretchy side panels that are great for little miss wiggle worm. I also appreciate that they have a soft, cotteny feel (as a primarily cloth diapering family, disposables can feel SO scratchy and itchy in comparison…these feel nice!).

So yes, we will be traveling to see the Vanderbilt’s this weekend, and we’ll be dressed in our finest, including Rite Aid Tugaboos diapers for Layah. They fit in our budget. leaving us with more money to spend on things like ice cream and tiaras.Both are important accessories for a princess, according to Darah. 🙂

I suggest you give Rite Aid Tugaboos a try. And through the end of June, every time you purchase Tugaboos diapers at Rite Aid using your wellness+ card, you’ll get an entry into a sweepstakes for a Vera Bradley Designer Diaper Bag! Now that’s an accessory fit for the moms of princes and princesses!

A message from Rite Aid:

For the month of June, all Tugaboos purchases will earn an entry into the Tugaboos and Vera Bradley Sweepstakes!

With every in-store purchase of qualifying Tugaboos products using your wellness+ card at any Rite Aid store between June 1-30, 2013, you will receive an entry for a chance to win one of (25) Vera Bradley Designer Diaper Bags filled with select Tugaboos products.

To enter without making a purchase, complete this entry form now:.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Rite Aid.

Food for Thought: The Fast Metabolism Diet

June 14, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/The Fast Metabolism Diet

So over the past few weeks I’ve been reading a very “interesting” book. Can I just pause here and ask if you have ever noticed that people use the word, “interesting” when they really mean something else altogether?

I suppose I do mean something different, although I did really and truly find The Fast Metabolism Diet to be interesting. I also found it to be ridiculous, amazing, confusing and exciting all at the same time. I talked out loud at the author, Haylie Pomroy, frequently as I read about her approach to weight-loss. Quite frankly, it was unlike anything I’ve ever read before. And as someone who has been overweight for a few decades, I can tell you that I’ve read quite a bit on the subject of weight loss!

Haylie has developed a 28 day regime of mostly diet, and a little bit of exercise, that she claims will revive a sluggish metabolism. She switches up the kind of food you are eating every few days, and has a list of foods from which you can choose for each segment of the week as well as sample menus if you want to keep things as easy as possible for yourself.

I have to tell you, I found the confidence of the author to be a bit jarring, and perhaps even borderline obnoxious. With that said, however, I think that her confidence comes from a track record of success. She has had countless celebrity clients and has helped thousands of people not only shed some weight quickly, but also set themselves up for future success by getting their metabolisms to speed up a bit.

I haven’t tried out the program, myself, but after looking over the foods on the list, I can say that I respect the food choices she suggests. She cuts out any and all “diet” products, and she also cuts out processed, refined foods, as well as caffeine. She keeps to what appears to me to be a “clean eating” menu, and that is something I have come to value.

I’ve actually come around to a place where I’m interested in giving this diet a try for a month. I’m glad I took issue with Haylie and really wrestled with some of her concepts. She gave me a lot to think about, and ultimately, I don’t think her diet suggestion sounds unhealthy, so I think it is worth trying out. I’m always skeptical of any plan that promises you can “eat your way to skinny” but I think in the end, that’s not what The Fast Metabolism Diet is offering. It is offering a way to set your metabolism on fire AND to change your eating habits for the better.

Has anyone else out there read the book? Or even tried the diet? I would REALLY love to hear from someone who has and can comment on the impact it had on how you feel, physically!

Are Mermaids Part of Your World? (Giveaway!)

June 12, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 99 Comments

Raise your hand high if you are constantly having to play “under the sea” with your child, or if you have to go on treasure hunts all the time, or if when your child is feeling grumpy toward you but still wants to play she offers to let you be Ursula (gee, thanks kid).

Just me? Somehow I doubt it! Darah’s interest in mermaids has been strong since she was just 2, and it shows NO signs of slowing down. She’s been asking for a stuffed Flounder doll for her birthday (which isn’t until August), and she’s been putting that request in weekly since, oh…I don’t know…JANUARY??

The request for a plush version didn’t transpire until her request for a real fish was flatly denied. And before you go thinking that I’m a mean mom who won’t let her child have a first pet, please know that when I asked Darah why she wanted a pet fish, she very matter-of-factly explained to me that they would take baths together every night. So you see, I’m really a fish protector, not a hater.

Darah plays with mermaids in the tub. She plays with them in the car. She pretends to be a mermaid at least 6 different times each day. And she LOVES knowing that there is a whole world of mermaids out there beyond the red headed Disney princess.

So when I showed her the beautiful line of dolls from Aurora called Sea Sparkles, she was elated. We spent 15 minutes pouring over the catalog of options and admiring each of the dolls in the collection. Darah finally decided she wanted to bring Marinna home to be her special mermaid friend.

Marinna is an excellent companion to Darah as she searches through caverns (also known as closets) for special treasures. She is soft, has lovely long hair that is fun to comb through with your fingers, and she even has her own special jewel as part of her outfit.

Aurora Sea Sparkles mermaids come in a wide range of looks as well as sizes (10, 18 and even 38 inches!), so you are sure to find the perfect friend with a fin for your mermaid fan! I can guarantee that your child will love playing with these sweet dolls from Aurora. I can’t guarantee that they will pose for pictures with them, though! (Does your kid do this, too?)

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win their choice of an 18″ Sea Sparkles doll of your choice! (excludes the holiday line)

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Summer is Here: Is Your Phone Ready???

June 11, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 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.

The first iPhone I had was covered in a really fun and very protective red case. I loved my little red phone and was able to keep it in great shape for over 3 years before we decided to upgrade our phones. And upgrade in phones meant that we needed new cases. I actually bought one through a Living Social deal so that I could get an even more customized look. My iPhone cover suits my personality and it rather adorable, if I do say so, myself.

BUT…this case is NOT as protective as my old one. And that does leave me feeling vulnerable. I’ve had this case for about 7 months, now, and I’m fairly certain that I will be replacing it soon. A cute case is fun, but not if it can’t go the distance and keep your phone protected!

I’m excited to see that BestBuy.com is currently offering 10% off a number of their Mophie iPhone cases for a limited time (use code mophie10 at checkout). Mophie is a brand that takes protection VERY seriously, and that’s a good thing to have from your iPhone case, especially this time of year, when anything from sand at the beach to an afternoon rain shower can be something your phone is faced with.

But Mophie also understands the desire to have a case that is actually stylish, too! They have a variety of colors and styles from which to choose I’m even mulling over going back to red, the color I loved so very much with my first phone!

Whether you go with Mophie or not, if you are looking for a new iPhone case, like me, then Best Buy has a fantastic variety of cases that you should definitely check out. Summer is going to be throwing a lot of fun at you, and you need make sure your iPhone is ready for it! 🙂

What does your phone cover look like right now? Do you love it, hate it, or are you indifferent to it? I’d love to hear about it!

A Pop of Color for Country-Chic Style: Joules (Giveaway!)

June 10, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 57 Comments

Even though I fell in love with big cities from the time I first saw Atlanta (I was 7 at the time), I was born and raised in a small town, surrounded by even smaller towns and lots and lots of farms. My roots are in the country, and that’s also the case for the British clothing company called Joules. It has been around since 1980 (me, too!) and has always held country styles at its heart, while striving to bring a little color and life to them. That’s what has made them so popular and once you take a look at some of their clothes, I think you’ll see that there is so much to love.

Darah and Layah were sent coordinating outfits which I absolutely adore. They aren’t matchy-matchy and they aren’t frilly and uncomfortable. They are simply perfect for a summer day spent romping out in our yard, which is something we do quite a bit of these days !

Layah is wearing the Baby Girls Summer Dress in Ribbon, which comes with matching bloomers. It is made of soft cotton and is so bright and cheery!

Darah absolutely loves her Dungaree Skirt (which I think we here in the states would refer to as a denim overall dress). She loves how the hook and clasp jingles lightly when she walks, and she loves how comfy it is. She asks to wear it frequently. Typically, I’m not really a big fan of denim overalls, finding them to be just a little too country in their overall look. but Joules has brightened these up beautifully and even I can’t resist!

I mentioned earlier about how these outfits coordinate without being too matchy. I just wanted to point out the trim on Darah’s dress so you can see what I’m talking about. The trim of her pockets, as well as the inside of the overall bib are made of the same pattern as Layah’s dress. So cute! Also note the rabbits on the buttons. The rabbit seems to be the symbol for joules clothing, and you can also see an embroidered version on Layah’s outfit. I really love when companies create good design all the ways down to the details like this.

Joules has a fantastic selection of bright and beautiful clothes. I am fortunate enough to own several pieces of children’s clothing from Europe thanks to my sister-in-law who lives there and passes them on, and Darah and Layah always receive compliments for having such different and fun clothes. If you are looking for something just a little bit different to add to your child’s wardrobe, Joules is a perfect fit! The clothes are casual so they are practical, yet they are also bright, fun and designed with an eye for fun little details. Check out what they have to offer in the girls clothing range, and don’t forget to look in their adult clothing section, too!

Win it!: One k Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Baby Grow outfit (up to 18 months) in your choice of style and size!

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

The Dishwashing Detergent That Also Cleaned My Dishwahser: #MyPlatinum

June 9, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cascade. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

I’ve mentioned before on my site that Cascade is the dishwashing detergent brand that I consistently find to be the one to beat. It cuts through grease and grime unlike anything else out there, in my opinion. So when I heard about a new product on the market called Cascade Platinum, I was really curious to see how Cascade, already the top dishwashing detergent performer, had improved even more.

First and foremost, I noticed that these pacs included Dawn, a brand known for its ability to cut through grease when you are hand washing. We always keep a bottle of blue Dawn on hand in our home. But we try to avoid hand washing dishes as much as possible simply because we don’t have time for all of that!

We also, unfortunately, don’t seem to even have time to get our dishes in the dishwasher. The sight of dirty dishes that have been sitting out for 24 hours with food stuck to them is not uncommon in my house. That’s embarrassing to say, but it is just the truth! Cascade Platinum, however, is designed for those of us who don’t like washing dishes by hand AND who don’t even seem to like to load the dishwasher in a timely fashion. It can scrub through that 24 hour stuck-on food, eliminating the need to pre-wash dishes (because let’s be real, people like me who don’t like to load the dishwasher also don’t like to clean their dishes before they clean their dishes!).

But there’s yet another great feature of Cascade Platinum: it also is designed to clean your dishwasher, in addition to your dishes. That’s SO awesome, because just a few weeks ago I was realizing that my dishwasher was due for its own cleaning, a chore I was NOT looking forward to doing. No need, now! Cascade Platinum is working hard for me now, keeping that water film build-up from happening on the interior walls of the dishwasher.

And it probably goes without saying that my dishes are sparkling clean, too! But to prove my point, allow me to show you my most recent load of dishes:

Let’s take a closer look at that bowl. It has inside of it 48 hour old baby food mixed with grains that is beyond crusty. Let’s take a closer look!

Honestly, when I put this in the dishwasher, I knew that I was going too far. This is the type of dish that needs to soak in the sink for a few hours in order for the food to dislodge. But I thought I’d put Cascade Platinum to the ultimate test, knowing it would ultimately fail, but curious to see just how much of the gunk it could get off before admitting its defeat.

This is what I saw when I opened my dishwasher:

Um….WHAT?!?! How about a closer look?

I was rendered speechless. And that’s really saying something since I’m a blogger!

My dishes have never looked better, and the only time my dishwasher looked this nice was on the day it was installed. Cascade Platinum is an amazing find, offering all the power of Cascade Complete with the added benefit of film prevention for the dishwasher, itself. I plan to use this product interchangeably with Cascade Complete in order to keep my dishes AND my dishwasher looking their best.

Cascade Platinum is more expensive than most other detergents, but after seeing what it could do to the most disgusting of dishes (which are a common sight in my house) I’m convinced that it is worth every penny. I hate to pre-wash, I’m bad about loading the dishwasher immediately after meals, and I never clean my dishwasher. I need the kind of help that Cascade Platinum can provide! Cascade Platinum is particularly nice to use when I’m photographing food, as I sometimes do for the blog. Even Top Chef judge and editor of Food+Wine magazine, , sees the power of Cascade Platinum and has partnered with Cascade to discuss why presentation is just as critical as preparation when it comes to food.

If you are on Instagram, then you don’t want to miss the opportunity to show how sparkly your food presentations can be with the My Platinum Instagram contest. For four weeks, you can upload photos related to a weekly contest theme and be entered to win a brand new Whirlpool dishwasher (two winners each week!). One lucky grand prize winner will get a Platinum kitchen makeover! EEEE!!!! Just be sure to check out all the rules, and use the #MyPlatinum hashtag and tag @MyCascade on your uploads. Here is a rundown of the weekly themes (note that week 1 ends today, so be sure to get your entry in!).

Week 1: (6/3-6/9) My Platinum Plate. Show us your best dish styled from the sparkling plate up!

Week 2: (6/10-6/16) My Platinum Bite. Show us your best bite and most creative use of sparkling silverware!

Week 3: (6/17-6/23) My Platinum Clink. Show us how you serve up creative concoctions in sparkling glasses. Cheers!

Week 4: (6/24-6/30) My Platinum Table. Show us your sparkling tablescape for your most special celebrations!

Good luck! Please let me know if you win one of the prizes!!!

Krill Oil: What Is It and Why Should I Take It? (Giveaway!)

June 7, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 68 Comments

I’m sure that by now you’ve heard all about how wonderful it is to take fish oil as part of your nutritional plan. And as someone with a huge bottle of fish oil pills in my fridge, I can tell you that there are MANY benefits to taking this supplement.

So when I was recently contacted by the folks at Everest Nutrition (now part of Viva Labs) about Krill Oil, I assumed that it was pretty much the same as taking fish oil. After all, Krill is just a tiny shrimp-like creature, so it likely has similar benefits to fish oil.

This is what krill looks like. I was curious, so I thought you might be, too!

But I was wrong! The list of health benefits associated with krill oil is HUGE! For example, a study published by the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that Krill Oil can reduce heart damaging inflammation. It was also found to be more effective than fish oil at reducing “bad” cholesterol (that’s LDL) and increasing “good” cholesterol (that’s HDL).

Other benefits of Krill Oil that have been confirmed by research include the following:

joint health support
PMS symptom relief
lower risk of cardiovascular incidents by up to 45%
improve brain health and memory function
reduce early aging lines in the skin
boost energy by 50%

These are some amazing health benefits! Not only am I glad to now be taking Krill Oil, but I also want to get some for my parents, and in particular, my father who has had some heart health issues in the past.

One benefit that isn’t as impressive as the list above, but when I am really enjoying day-to-day, is the fact that Krill Oil does not give you what are called “fish burps.” I know, that’s a strange and even gross term, but when you take fish oil, you sometimes will burp and it will taste like, you guessed it, fish. Kind of gross, especially when you haven’t eaten any fish that day! This just doesn’t happen with Krill Oil, which is a nice little bonus.

Have you tried Krill Oil yet? Viva Labs has a very good deal going on right now if you order 4 bottles at a time, they will give you two more bottles for free, as well as free shipping! The total for this value set is $119.80. Or you can just try one bottle for $29.95.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a bottle of Krill Oil, which contains a 30 day supply!

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

How I Save Money When I Shop Online With Zero Effort!

June 6, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 5 Comments

I’ve been a member of Ebates since 2007. In that time I have been sent checks totaling over $130. For what, you ask? For doing online shopping that I was going to be doing, anyway. It has been awesome! And honestly, I could have earned at least double that amount back if only I’d remembered to use Ebates every time I shopped. But now Ebates has a cash back app you can download that automatically alerts you and activates Ebates any time you are browsing a site that is an Ebates partner. They are making it pretty much effortless for you to save money! Woo hoo!!!

If you haven’t’ signed up for Ebates and you shop online (who doesn’t?!), you really need to get on this site! They have TONS of stores that you probably already frequent and they offer you cash back on your purchase, anywhere from 1-35% back, just depending on the store! They also have other store coupon offers for you to be sure to take advantage of, so that you don’t miss any extra percentage savings or free shipping offers while you are shopping. And of course, it is totally free to join. They don’t need any credit card information, or bank account information. Just a mailing address to send you your money! I’ve even been able to stack the Ebates cash back offer with online coupon codes to get really incredible savings. Ebates even has a list of currently available coupons at stores to help you stop hunting and start saving faster! Here’s a sampling of the stores I shop at and have saved big bucks from in the past:

Other offerings include popular sites like Diapers.com, Walmart, select sections of Amazon.com and Sephora. Oh heck yes, my friends, I know you are shopping online, so PLEASE let me help you save some extra money. Ebates makes is SO easy (especially with that new web app, which yours truly has already downloaded!).

Do yourself a favor and get signed up if you haven’t already. Look at all the money I’ve saved that I would have missed out on if I hadn’t joined Ebates!

This post contains an affiliate link. But I wouldn’t recommend this site if I didn’t know from experience that you really do get sent checks in the mail for your savings! I got my most recent check 2 weeks ago, which is what reminded me that I needed to spread the word!

Car Trip Tip: Get a 12 Foot Charger!

June 5, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Friends, will you be taking any road trips this summer? We have already been down to Southeast Alabama so far, and we have trips to Atlanta and Asheville in the works, too. Car trips with little ones can be challenging to say the least. Our youngest is still rear-facing in her car seat, which means she relies on her big sis to keep her company while she is awake. Our oldest doesn’t doze off very easily in the car, so she needs more entertainment options, especially while her sister is snoozing.

We are often using one of our iPhones as a GPS unit, which just leaves one free for her use. But her apps seems to drain our cell batteries so quickly! We’ve tried keeping the phone plugged into our car charger while she plays with it, but that totally doesn’t work, as it won’t reach to the back seat It has certainly created a dilemma.

And this is why I really love a new product from the Michigan-based company called Fuse (they manufacture cell and tablet accessories, in addition to a variety of audio products). If you poke around on their site, you’ll see lots of things you’ll love, but in particular, I want to draw your attention to their VERY clever invention, the 12 foot phone charger.

This charger makes it possible for your kids to play on your phone or your iPad in the back seat. And if you have a van, they can play with it in the very back seat while it is still charging, too! In fact, you’ll be surprised just how far this charger can really go. Take a look at this cute video the company put together demonstrating how it works:

Did you note that this charger also allows you to charge two phones at once? Woo hoo! I absolutely love that feature! Gone are the days when Tim and I had to take turns charging each other’s phones while on the road (which typically meant that one of us would forget to charge our phone and end up with a low battery at an inconvenient moment).

A 12 foot charger may sound a bit excessive at first glance, but trust me, if you have passengers in your back seat, and if those passengers like to play with your phone or your iPad, then this is a must. It will keep the good times rolling while your wheels keep rolling down the highway.

I am contacting you because I think our product line would be a great fit for the subject of your blog. A product that our parent bloggers love is our 12-foot car charger. It provides convenience and allows the parent to charge two devices while the kids play on the phone or iPad in the backseat. It is also heavy-duty in its design and build, which means that it is ready for whatever may be headed its way. And when you have kids, you just never know what that could mean!

I also want to add that this would be a great Father’s Day gift. A cool gadget that is also super functional AND affordable! This product is just $29.99! Don’t forget to follow Fuse on Facebook to keep up with their latest product releases and special deal offerings!

How do you keep all your electronic devices charged up while you are on the road? What do you think about the 12 foot charger concept?

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