As a cloth diapering mama, I certainly have my favorite type of products. I tend to favor diapers that are super easy to use, and in the past, that has meant that using prefolds was not my favorite thing to do. Prefolds are larger swatches of material (usually cotton) that you fold in a certain way and either lay inside a diaper cover or stuff into a pocket diaper. Let me be clear: using prefolds isn’t hard. It just requires more effort than an all-in-one diaper, which is every bit as easy to use as a disposable diaper. So they just weren’t my go-to.
Prettiest Birth Announcements I’ve Ever Seen!
Birth announcements have come a LONG way in the past 5 years. I’ve seen such an amazing growth in creativity, color schemes, and photography styles. But when I was recently asked to check out the offerings on minted.com, I was really surprised. I’ve never seen birth announcements as beautiful as these. Take a look!
I mean….c’mon. These birth announcements are GORGEOUS!!! And lest you think they all of their designs are girly and flowery, here are a few other options that caught my eye!
Minted.com offers some fantastic customization options, allowing you to alter the specific shape, size or layout of each design, which means you have endless possibilities. Or, if you are like me and lack that creative gene, just go with what the design staff at Minted has dreamed up already, because what they have to offer is perfection, already!
If you are on the hunt for birth announcements that will stand out from the crowd, Minted.com is the place to beat. Oh, and just to make your life as a new parent a bit easier, Minted.com offers FREE recipient address printing with your birth announcement order! 🙂
I received complimentary cards in exchange for sharing my honest opinions, which I have provided. This post contains affiliate links.
How We Study the Weather and the Calendar (Giveaway!)
What morning rituals does your family have these days? I’d like to show you one of ours that Darah (my almost 4 year old) is really enjoying and that creates great moments for learning. Check out the Funky Monkey Forecast!
Learning Resources has this set of 60 magnetic pieces available on their website. It comes with a jumbo monkey and 28 different accessories to dress him in, depending on the day’s weather. There are also 6 weather icons and 3 weather words. Every morning Darah looks outside to see what the weather looks like at the moment (sunny, cloudy, etc.) and I also check the forecast online to get a sense for the daily temperatures and if any special weather conditions are headed our way.
After Darah dresses the monkey for the day, she has a better idea of how to dress herself, too! This helps tremendously once we head upstairs to pick out an outfit. She used to choose things that were seasonally inappropriate and not understand why she would be much too hot or much too cold in them. Now she gets it, and she edits her options accordingly. And as you likely know, drama over wardrobe is GREATLY reduced when the child gets to make her own choices. So the Funky Monkey is helping us not only with weather comprehension, but also with the practical life skill of dressing oneself.

Darah dressed this moneky for a warm day at school. Note the backwards shoes and the lack of pants. Darah finds pants to be an annoying component of wardrobes, to be avoided if at all possible.
Additionally, I’m starting to work with Darah on the calendar aspect of the Funky Monkey set. It comes with the 7 days of the week, as well as the 12 months of the year. Darah is starting to associate the days of the week with the different activities we do on those days (such a school on Monday and Wednesday during the summer, or Daddy being at home on Saturday and Sunday). She isn’t yet able to identify the words by sight, but the magnets are helping us practice and improve in that area.
I’m really pleased with this fun new tool that provides my child with a morning ritual to get her day started right. And I also LOVE that it comes in magnet form, which means it takes up very little space. Three cheers for that!!!
Buy it!: The Funky Monkey Forecast is available for $29.98 through the Learning Resources website, as well as through Amazon.
Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Funky Monkey Forecast!
Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.
I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This post contains an affiliate link.
4 Reasons to Buy Organic Clothing, and A Great New Store! (Giveaway!)
I have talked many times over the last few years about striving to purchase more organic products for my family, and in particular, for my children. There’s no doubt about it: buying organic and eco-friendly products, in general, can be pricey. But I believe making a few key investments is completely worth it.
The trouble is, I don’t know WHICH products to choose and which ones to pass on. It can get really overwhelming to try to research EVERY. SINGLE. THING. that will touch your baby (clothes, diapers, baby wash, toys, bottles, etc.) and honestly, there have been times when I have just decided to go with whatever is the cheapest, or whatever I can find the fastest. And any time I take either of those roads, the end result is often that I DON’T get the product that was truly the best fit for me and my family.
Buying Organic and Eco-Friendly Products on a Budget
So what to do? I want to make a good choice, but now that I have 2 kids, I have even less time to spend hours and hours researching products. This, my friends, is exactly why I am really loving Organic Treasure. This is an online eco-boutique run by Vivian, the mom of an 8 month old infant, who has decided to put her passion for and knowledge about all things eco-friendly to work for other parents who want to make great choices for their children, their homes and their gardens. She has great picks for every family, whether they can purchase an entire wardrobe of organic cotton and an entire nursery of eco-friendly toys, or if they can only buy one thing. Organic Treasure has already done the hard work for you, and each item in the boutique has been hand-selected as being truly outstanding amongst its competitors. On the site you will even find a baby registry to help make the process of preparing for your new baby easy, as well as a great registry checklist. I appreciate that it is a bit more streamlined than many of the checklists I have seen, and sticks more to the basics; what you REALLY need!
At Organic Treasure, you’ll find brands such as Aden & Anais, Baby Soy, Miyim, Green Sprouts, Under the Nile and Finn + Emma. You will also find that Organic Treasure was awarded the Green America Bronze Certified Business Seal. This award comes after a rigorous certification process, and is presented to small businesses that show a clear commitment and dedication to positive social and environmental change. Vivian shows her dedication to environmental stewardship not only in the products she carries, but also in how she runs her business, right down to running on 100% wind energy and using recycled paper products and soy based non-toxic inks. Organic Treasure is truly a model for what the future could look for all businesses!
As I was perusing the site, I also read a great article that listed several reasons we should all strongly consider purchasing organic clothing. I wanted to share some of them with you today because they are really eye-opening!
4 Reasons to Buy Organic Clothing
1. Bamboo is a great alternative to cotton, as it is VERY sustainable (the fastest growing plant in the world!). This product also grows easily without pesticides or fertilizers, and it is naturally antimicrobial. It is the perfect choice for people with sensitive skin! And if you have never worn it, let me tell you…it is super soft!
2. Conventional cotton is the most widely sprayed agricultural crop in the entire world. Washing the fabrics only eliminates a fraction of the toxic chemicals found in the clothing made from it. I personally have actually researched how to get pesticide residue out of clothes and the short answer is this: you can’t. 🙁
3. Organic cotton is free from these toxic chemicals. It is also not treated with formaldehyde (all conventional cotton contains this nasty chemical, which gives the cotton a smooth finish and color). This chemical is known to absorb into the skin. Yikes!
4. As demand for organic materials increases, so will the supply! Businesses and farmers will change farming practices and switch over to more sustainable products as more people start purchasing them. We are voting with our dollars!
I found Organic Treasure to truly be a treasure trove of fantastic products and helpful information. I also love that it is run by a mom with a real passion and desire to help other parents make great choices for their families. You will receive impeccable customer service from this company and can even reach out to Vivian with any questions you may have about which products to choose for your family. She would be delighted to help you!
Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win one item of your choice from Organic Treasure with a value of up to $35!
Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Special thanks to Vivian at Organic Treasure for partnering with Stuff Parents Need for this post. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own, as always.
bamboo photo credit: Stuck in Customs via photopin cc
Van’s Offers Great Gluten-Free Snack Options for Summer (Giveaway)
Gluten-Free Snacks
One of the reasons I’m particularly fond of these snack options from Van’s is because they pack so much nutrition into products that are very fun to eat. I think that’s a big improvement over things like popsicles, which are of course also fun to eat, but typically just full of empty calories.
What are you serving up for snack time over the summer? Any suggestions to offer to others as they make their grocery lists?
Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win 2 coupons for free whole grain snack bars and 2 coupons for free whole grain crackers (ARV $14.96)!
Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.
I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Free: 21 Disney Octonauts Coloring Pages for a Quick Summer Activity!
Darah has been all about the Octonauts for about 4 months, now. She already has amassed quite a collection of Octonauts toys. I am summoned almost daily to play Octonauts. But now that summer is officially here and she has longer stretches of time to be at home, I need to have more independent play activities ready to go for her.
That’s why I’ve printed off several different Octonauts coloring pages for her to enjoy over the summer. And all it cost me was paper and ink from my printer!
I thought some of you out there might also have little undersea explorers in your home, ready to Explore! Rescue! and Protect! just like the Octonauts. Here are links to some free coloring sheets you can use when they are getting cabin fever and need something new to do!
21 Disney Octonauts Coloring Pages
Friends are Found on a Merry-Go-Round
Captain Barnacles’ Old Time Band
The Octonauts Find a Happy Pearl
I’d love to hear if you have an Octonauts fan in your home! And have you found any other great coloring pages (Octonauts or not!) that your kids love? Interested in any other coloring page round ups???
I didn’t create these awesome coloring pages; just sharing what I found with you! If you found this post helpful, will you share it with your friends (buttons on the left side for Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and StumbleUpon!).
On Traveling, Diapering Choices, and Overnight Diaper Rockstars
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Parent’s Choice Overnight Baby Diapers. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Last week we traveled down to south Alabama to watch my (much) younger brother graduate from high school. Tim and I both had to get a lot of work done before leaving home for a few days, so I got us all packed and ready to go very quickly. I’d say I spent a grand total of 20 minutes packing us, actually.
But no big deal. I’ve been traveling a lot, lately, so I’m getting pretty skilled at being able to whip together a packing list and to get my hands on everything that is necessary for a trip. We left our home around 5 pm and drove 6 hours to get back to my hometown. The girls slept about half that time, which was what we were hoping would happen. I had packed a few diapers in the diaper bag, and the rest were in the suitcase. I knew we would change Layah into her overnight disposable diaper once we arrived at our destination.
Only, when we got there, I realized that I didn’t have her overnight diapers in the suitcase. In fact, I didn’t have ANY diapers in the suitcase! I left them all at the house! We had precisely O diapers. So much for being an awesome packer, right?!
It was 11:30 at night. We were exhausted. But we had no choice: we left the girls with my mom and headed to Walmart. For this particular trip, we were only going to stay overnight twice. So I could have gotten away with just using regular disposable diapers (which I needed to buy, anyway) and not special overnight diapers. In fact, when I looked for the overnight disposable diapers I currently use and enjoy, I realized that they could only be purchased in a 74 pack.
I bought them anyway. Does that clue you in on how great they work?!
I am using , available exclusively at Walmart. A package of 72 diapers in size 4 cost me $12.97 (Layah wears a size 3 but these adjust for her just fine and I have NEVER had a leak with them). That comes to 18 cents/diaper and that is a bargain for clean pajamas and clean sheets every morning!
As your baby gets older and starts to sleep through the night, you will definitely need to find a diapering option that can really go the distance. We have had MANY different products fail the test, but these diapers are winners. And their price point is excellent, in my opinion. I’m glad I bought the large box of diapers, even in the midst of traveling. It served us well during the nights, as well as on the car trip home!
are availble in Size 3 (86 count) for 16-28 lbs, Size 4 (74 count) for 22-37 lbs, Size 5 (62 count) for 27+ lbs, and Size 6 (54 count) for 35+ lbs.

love the sleeping bear on the dipes…helps ensure you know you are grabbing an overnight diaper from your stack!
What diapers are you currently using for overnight protection? Please share your finds! And have you tried Parent’s Choice Overnight Diapers yet? What did you think about them?
A message from the sponsor: Night time protection for babies is an important consideration for parents as their little one grows. Ordinary diapers may not have enough absorbent capacity to handle multiple voids over long periods of time with older babies. When wet mornings become the norm, parents start looking for more protection to guard against overnight leaks.
are super absorbent for overnight and long-trip protection. This is an overnight diaper at prices that everyone can afford!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Parent’s Choice Overnight Baby Diapers.
Does Your Baby Suck on Wipes? Yeah…Mine Too (Here’s How We Deal)
Any diaper changer can tell you with certainty that all baby wipes are NOT created equal. I’ve actually written on this topic extensively because I have such strong opinions about which wipes rock and which ones don’t. I’ve talked about the worst baby wipes on the planet. And I’ve talked about the best value in wipes (hint…purchasing in bulk helps). I’ve even talked about the best baby wipes for Darah.
So you’d think I would be all set with wipes for Layah, right? I mean, this girl has done her research! And then I realized that my precious second child was different from her big sister in one important way. She does this:
And she does it EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. She is really good at getting wipes packages open and at pulling out 27 wipes at a time and then licking/chewing/sucking on every one of them in mere seconds. If I put them on the edge of the table, she can now reach up and knock them back down. She is highly skilled and determined.
And that, my friends, is why Layah uses Earth’s Best Chlorine Free Baby Wipes. Edit: they are no longer available on Amazon, so if you shop there, I suggest going with water wipes!
These wipes are scent-free, chlorine free, and the “lotion” contained in the wipes is a gentle blend of aloe vera and vitamin E. Perfect for wiping up messes OR for an afternoon snack! 🙂 All kidding aside, I swear that I work diligently to keep her from munching on her wipes all day, but it really makes a big difference to my peace of mind to know that when (not if) she gets to the wipes, they will be Earth’s Best.
What kind of wipes are you using on your little one? And does your child also love the delicious taste of baby wipes??? I’d love to hear!
I am an Earth’s Best Preferred Blogger, and as such, have received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts, opinions, and wipes-loving children shown here are strictly my own. This post contains affiliate links.
What I’m Doing Today: Working this Tea Sale!!!
It’s a lazy Saturday for my crew. We just got back from an out-of-town trip to see my MUCH younger brother graduate from high school. And now we are just getting caught up on life back at home.
But I’m stealing away a little bit of time to take advantage of the SWEET sale happening at Tea Collection (also known as my favorite brand of children’s clothing!). It ends on Monday, May 27th, so if you are around, now is the time to check it out. The sale features $15 Girls Dresses, $12 Girls Leggings and $12 Boys Tops. Now is the time to stock up on comfortable and durable tops for boys. Mix and match adorable girls’ legging and dresses for endless outfit combinations.
Don’t miss your chance to take advantage of this amazing sale from Tea Collection!
Happy Shopping!
What are you up to today? Vacation? Usual weekend shenanigans?
This post contains affiliate links. I only sign up as an affiliate for a company when I’m totally in love with them! 🙂
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