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I Only Read One Book A Year: What I Picked for 2013

April 12, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 13 Comments

When I think back on the last 15 years of my life, I spent a good chunk of that time reading. I was in college, and then on to graduate school. It was very normal for me to average 200 pages of reading material every night during that time of my life.

And ever since my 3 1/2 year old was born, my time to read anything longer than a blog post or a magazine article has completely diminished.

To the point where I usually read one book EACH YEAR.

In 2010 I read The Help. This was such a great read! And a powerful story about what can happen when women work with each other instead of against each other. Also….that pie!!!!

In 2011 I read Brene Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection. I saw Brene speak at a conference and in that 20 minute talk she gave, I learned several important lessons that I STILL remember and think about at least every week. The book was a great follow-up to her talk.

2012 was a banner year, because I read TWO books! Good Enough Is the New Perfect and When Did I Get Like This?. By this point, I was fully immersed in reading about balance, just how impossible it is, and the struggle to find a new way as a modern mom. I highly recommend both works.

For 2013, I have selected my book. I even pre-ordered it!

My choice?

Carry On, Warrior

This is written by Glennon Melton, who is the voice behind my all-time favorite blog, Momastery. She writes about just how brutiful (that’s brutal and beautiful) life is, and how we can do hard things, and how love wins. She makes me cry, but they are really fat, healthy tears. She is living her life unarmed and unashamed, and she is SO inspiring. If you aren’t familiar her and would like to hear more about her perspective, I recommend that you subscribe to her blog. If that’s too much of a commitment, then just read one of her most famous posts, “Don’t Carpe Diem“. That piece changed my life, people. Not exaggerating!

Glennon even made an adorable birth announcement for her book. And she didn’t say it was her baby. She said it was OUR baby. Love that!

image credit: momastery.com

Are you like me? Do you only have time to read little snippets of info here and there? Is reading a book a HUGE accomplishment for you in this season of life?

If you can only read one book this year, let it be Carry On, Warrior. If I don’t get to read anything else this year (and I likely won’t) I know I will have picked the best possible read for this season of my life.

This post contains affiliate links.

LED Lights Bring Dazzling Shine Back to Yellow Teeth (Giveaway!)

April 11, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 118 Comments

As we get older, most adults find that their pearly whites have become yellow teeth. Perhaps it is due to drinking a lot of coffee (raising my hand for this one) or perhaps it is simply due to the overall effect of time. But I think most all of us experience it on some level. My smile is one of my very best physical assets. I have naturally straight teeth and a nice smile. So to be honest with you, it has been especially disheartening watch my megawatt grin start to fade.

Since my teeth are a point of pride for me, I don’t mind giving them some extra attention and putting a bit of money into efforts to whiten them. I’ve even priced having them professionally whitened at a dentist’s office. I was quoted $600 and up. Yeah….I don’t have $600 lying around, wishing I would just go ahead and spend it, already!

But expensive options aren’t the only effective options. Over the past few weeks I have been using the LED Teeth Whitening System from Smile Brilliant. I can use this kit, which is currently available for only $39.95, in my own home.

Now, I will tell you that when I use this product, it isn’t exactly the most comfortable or attractive 20 minutes of my day. See?

But I keep my mind off the fact that I have a tray and a glowing light in my mouth by doing this in the evening while I’m unwinding and watching a show on Hulu or Netflix.

How it works is really quite simple:

First, you take the gel pen and paint over your teeth.

Next, you insert the protective trays into your mouth.

Finally, you insert the high intensity ultra-blue LED activating light (batteries ARE included with the kit). After 20 minutes of letting the gel and the light do their thing, you are all done!

Are you wondering why I’m sticking an LED light in my mouth? The light speeds up the whitening process, giving me better results faster.

I used this product daily for the first week that I had it, and now I’m just using it one or two times each week. I think that for the price, it works REALLY well! I’ve also been really impressed with the customer service of this company. A few days after my first kit arrived, I noticed that my light kept turning itself off after just a few minutes of use. When I contacted customer service, they stated that they found this problem to exist in about 1 out of every 200 units, and it was their policy to not only replace the light, but to send a entire new complimentary kit when a customer experienced this problem.

Are you noticing that you have yellow teeth? And do you think those gross (in my opinion) whitening strips are the only at-home option? Check out the Smile Brilliant System. It is affordable, effective, and they offer a money back guarantee!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win an LED Teeth Whitening System!

Be sure to enter to win 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.

Celebrate the Best of Procter & Gamble (Big Giveaway!!!)

April 10, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 256 Comments

When it comes to beauty, grooming and household care products, I get REALLY easily overwhelmed. The shelves at my local stores are always packed with different options in all these categories, and it can be tough to know which products will really work well for you for the money you will spend on them.

Procter & Gamble, which is the parent company over MANY different brands on the market, recently shared with me a box of some of their most loved products. And when I say “most-loved” I’m not saying that just P&G loves them! These products have won in total hundreds of awards and recognitions from leading magazines over the years. They are stand outs in their fields, and today I’d like to show them to you. Here they are!

Here’s the breakdown of awesome:

Bounty Basic Paper Towels
Cascade ActionPacks
Charmin Freshmates
CoverGirl LashBlast Volume Mascara
CoverGirl Outlast Double Lipshine
CoverGirl Perfect Point Pencil Eyeliner
Dawn Hand Renewal with Olay Beauty
Febreze Car Vent Clips
Gillette Fusion ProGlide Irritation Defense Shave Gel
Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power
Gillette Hydrator Body Wash
Olay Total Effects Body Wash
Pantene Classic Care Solutions 2-in-1
Pantene Hairspray Flexible HOld
Swiffer Dusters 360
Tide PODS
Tide To Go
Venus Olay Razor

There are quite a few items in this package that I haven’t yet tried. I’m especially looking forward to trying out the Dawn and the CoverGirl Lipshine. I’m already a big fan of the Tide To Go and the Gillette Fusion products. What about you? See anything on this list that you already own? See anything you’d like to own?

Be sure to join the Twitter Party happening on April 18 at 9pm EST for your chance to win some of these fantastic P&G products. Simply follow the hastag #PGmostloved. You can follow along more easily through this custom tweetgrid: http://bit.ly/XXeAIX. Be sure to follow @PGeveryday on Twitter, as well.

That’s one chance for you to win these great products. Here’s another!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win all of the products featured above. Woo hoo!

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received complimentary products through SheSpeaks.com in exchange for sharing this information with you. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Replacing an Air Filter: How To and My Replacement Choice

April 10, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 6 Comments

So this week I decided to get educated about a car maintenance issue and work on replacing an air filter in my car. It was the PERFECT way to dip my toes into auto matinenance because it was ridiculously easy. No, seriously. It was!

What prompted me to do this? My allergies. I live in one of the top 12 WORST cities in the nation for allergies, and I am definitely feeling that right about now. The inside of my house is not too bad thanks to the air purifiers we have, but I also spend a fair chunk of my day in my car. The air in my car is just as pollen-filled as the outside air. But FRAM, a company that makes air filters, has just released the FRAM Fresh Breeze cabin air filters, made with Arm & Hammer Baking Soda that are specifically designed to help keep pollen particles, as well as road dust, out of the air you are breathing while inside the vehicle. And all this for right around $17. Heck yes!!!!

But I had a second motivation for replacing an air filter, as well. As a mother to two girls, I think I am especially sensitive to instances where I see stereotypical gender roles being enforced or played out. After having a great conversation with my daughter about what boys can’t do (grow babies in their bodies) and what girls can’t do (NOTHING!), I was feeling pretty darn smug. My daughters are going to be SO independent!!!

And then I realized something: while I’m being a good role model to them in theory, I am making some BIG mistakes in practice. There are certain chores or problems that I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS leave for Tim to fix. Now, I’m mature enough in my views of how to run a household that I know a division of labor is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes it is just more efficient to know that you are in charge of x and someone else is in charge of y. But some of these tasks that I never do aren’t because I’m just trying to be efficient. It is because I don’t know how to do them, and I assume that Tim, as a guy, does. Car maintenance is one of those chores.

SO LAME OF ME!!!!

I recently spent some time hanging out in an aisle I don’t think I’ve ever visited before in Walmart, and I found the exact air filter I needed to help me breathe a little easier. If you’d like to see my full shopping experience, check out my Google + album.

Once we got it home, Tim and I installed the air filter together. And now I’m going to show you how we did it! Please keep in mind that every car is somewhat different. We have a Toyota Corolla, and here’s how it works on our car:

1. Remove the glove compartment. I didn’t even know this could be done! But all it takes is unscrewing a few screws. So simple.

2. Remove the old air filter. All you have to do is pull it out. You will see it just sitting there. Think of removing it as similar to taking food out of the oven. Just slide it out!

3. Get grossed out by how nasty your old air filter looks.

4. Get even more grossed out when you take a closer look.

5. Insert your new FRAM Fresh Breeze air filter. Again, it is just like putting a pizza in an oven. Super simple.

6. Put the glove compartment back in. All done!

Taking just a few minutes to change out our air filter is already making a difference. Everyone in my family seems to have allergy problems (even poor little Layah!) so I’m relieved to have fresher air in the car while we travel in it.

My plan is to replace it once a year. It should be replaced every 15,000 miles, and that isn’t quite how many miles we usually put on the car in a year (we live close to where we work and go to school!). But I’ll just go ahead and replace the air filter every spring now, as soon as I start to feel the effects of all that pollen in the air. That will be all the reminder I’ll need to take action! And hopefully the air filter won’t look as nasty as the one I just replaced. We’ve had our current car for almost 3 years now, and we’ve never replaced the filter. And who knows how long ago the previous owners replaced it, if ever! GROSS!!!

Right now FRAM is offering a $3 mail-in rebate off the purchase of a Fresh Breeze air filter! I’ll certainly be filling it out! Don’t forget to print your form, too. And be sure to follow FRAM on Facebook to keep up with other great offers they have to help keep your car in great shape.

Confession time: Do you know how to change your air filter? Did you even know you had an air filter? How long has it been since yours was changed???

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and FRAM #cbias #SocialFabric. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

One Seriously Fun Place to Shop Online: 10DollarMall.com (Giveaway!)

April 10, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Since I work from home and am rarely in a situation where I need to look super polished and trendy, my clothes and accessory shopping habits are much different from when I had a 9-5 job. While I still like to look cute, I buy roughly 80% of my clothes at my favorite thrift store. And because I have 2 small kids, trips to the mall are not only difficult to coordinate, they are also not much fun, so I rarely go. The up side to this season of life is that I am saving quite a bit of money!

But isn’t the internet amazing? I can shop online for cute and trendy clothes that my wardrobe might need to lok more updated, and I can do it at 4am when I first wake up and have a bit of quiet time to myself. LOVE THAT!!! I do love to shop online, and I’m always looking for places that have killer deals and reasonable shipping costs. I think many of you are always on the lookout for the same thing.

That’s why I’m so excited to share a great find I’ve made for clothes: 10dollarmall.com. This place has a ridiculously huge selection of trendy clothes and accessories for men and women, and even some things for kids, and NOTHING is more than $10! Many things cost less! I also appreciate that the shipping is very fairly priced. If you spend $50 or more, then shipping is simply 10% of the subtotal.

I recently had the opportunity to spend $75 total on the site, which means that I found $just under $70 worth of stuff, and used the rest of the money for shipping. I was shaking my head in disbelief at how many awesome things I put in my cart. And honestly, after I submitted my order, I said to myself, “Yeah right. I’ll believe that I actually got that much stuff for $75 when it shows up on my doorstep. Not holding my breath.”

But it really DID show up, and it is SO much fun! Here are some of the highlights:

Totally adorable shirt that is perfect for spring! I’ve also got on some cute dangly earrings that match!

girls' hair accessories from 10dollarmall.com

TONS of clips and hair ties for my girls!

An unbelievable amount of jewelry!!!

In addition to the items pictured above, I also got some really cute crocheted gloves that I’ll use next fall, and I got an athletic cut shirt for my husband that looks fantastic on him. It is a really cool deep teal color. Love it! He loves it, too, because it is super soft.

What else can I say, folks? 10dollarmall.com is an AMAZING resource for fun jewelry, dresses, shoes, and all sorts of other stuff. Yes, of course, there are some things that are probably not going to be your style. But it is worth spending a little extra time on the site weeding through all the options, because you WILL strike gold if you keep digging! And you can sort by size to help you hunt faster, too!

If you are on the hunt for online clothes bargains, and especially for some trendy stuff to bring your wardrobe up to date, please check out 10dollarmall.com. And want to know something REALLY awesome? If you refer your friends to get signed up and they spend at least $10 on the site, you get a $10 credit back to the shop. There’s NO limit on how many credits you can earn! So spread the word and earn some spending money!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a $50 certificate to 10dollarmall.com!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

I received a complimentary gift card for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This post may contain affiliate links.

White Cloud Introduces the GreenEarth Line (Sweepstakes Announcement!)

April 7, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This post brought to you by White Cloud. All opinions are 100% mine.

I'm a big fan of going green, especially when making the switch to something more eco-friendly doesn't present a hardship to my budget.

That's why I'm absolutely thrilled to hear that White Cloud, a paper products company sold exclusively at Walmart, has just launched the GreenEarth line. All the GreenEarth products are made with 100% recycled fibers and have been ceritified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Be sure to check out the White Cloud GreenEarth products page for all the details on this new line.

I'll be headed to Walmart tomorrow, actually, and I have these products at the top of my list (I need to buy new toilet paper since 2 weeks ago I accidentally purchased single ply stuff…it has been NO fun trying to use that stuff up!). White Cloud is a brand I already know to be affordable and to also be quality, and now they can add eco-friendly to the mix. That's the perfect trifecta for me! Click here to Find a Store Near You!

Since April is the perfect time of year to think about how your family can go green, I thought I'd share with you a few ways we reduce, reuse and recyle around here, all without overly burdening ourselves or our pocketbooks.

1. Switch to recycled and recyclable disposable products. We use mostly cloth diapers, but I'm not interested in giving up my toilet paper, personally. But I can make the switch over to more environmentally responsible choices with ease thanks to White Cloud's GreenEarth line.

2. Recycle your food containers. We go through a LOT of cardboard boxes, aluminum cans and plastic containers, all of which held food we purchased. Almost all of them are recyclable. Get a large plastic tub to hold your recyclables while you wait for the next curbside pickup or while you wait until you next head over to the recycling center. Committing to doing this only takes a few extra minutes every few days. We've been doing this in earnest for the last 6 years, and while it requires dedicating some additional space in your home or in your garage to garbage collection, it has substantially reduced the amount of trash we are putting in landfills.

3. Talk about the changes you are making with your kids. You are already setting a great example by your actions, but make sure your kids really understand the impact of your decisions by explaining it to them. This will also help them get more excited about what you are committing to as a family. Our oldest goes out with dad to transfer our recylables to our larger bin outside, and she LOVES to watch the recycling truck pick up our items every other week. It is so important for the next generation to have environmental stewardship engrained in them at a young age, as that increases the likelihood that they will continue (and hopefully improve upon) the practices as an adult.

In addition to sharing about the ways my family is going green, I also wanted to share something I know you love: a great sweepstakes! Check out the White Cloud “Living the Green” Pinterest board and then follow the White Cloud Pinterest page. Then you just need to create yhour own "Living the Green" Pinterest board and repin at least one pin from the White Cloud "Living the Green" board back onto your board. Be sure to use the hashtag #Livingthegreen in your pin's caption so that White Cloud can find you! Finally, you'll visit mywhitecloud.com/promotions and complte the sweepstakes entry form. Click here for Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Ends 4/30/13. Click here for Official Rules.

There are a lot of fantastic prizes up for grabs, and I want Stuff Parents Need readers to win them! Good luck, everyone!

The Very Best Shoes for Early Walkers: pediped (Giveaway!!!)

April 7, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 118 Comments

Paying a premium price just to have a name brand is totally not my style. And paying for quality isn’t even always my style, especially if we are talking about something that is trendy or that will be worn out very quickly.

But when it comes to shoes for my kids, that is an exception. The name brand still isn’t important, per se, but the QUALITY of the shoe is absolutely critical. Little feet are growing feet, and they need really good support. This is especially true for the early walking stages.

And that’s why my little girls exclusively wear pediped shoes as their first shoes.

You can see Darah’s first pair of toddler shoes on this post.

And you can see the shoes that Darah wore and wore and wore and wore all this year at school here (they were perfect since they had velcro…she could take them on and off herself!).

And now I’d like to show you Layah’s first pair of shoes:

Our little walker is CONSTANTLY pulling off her socks and we don’t even dare to try shoes. But on Easter morning, I put these on her feet and she happily kept them on for 3 full hours before even attempting to take them off. That is a dream come true, I tell ya!

I used the fantastic baby shoe size guide for pediped to select the shoes. I’m so glad I used it, because my assumption would have been to get the size M (12-18 month) shoes for her since she’s almost 11 months old. But it turns out, the size S (6-12 month) shoes would fit her with some room to grow!

Layah is modeling the Daphne shoe from the Originals line. If you aren’t familiar with this line, here’s some additional information about what makes it such an excellent choice for standing and walking babies:

“Perfect for beginning walkers, all pediped® Originals feature leather soles for ultimate flexibility and lasting quality. Our updated Originals® soles feature a diamond leather tread that is more slip resistant yet still crafted completely of high-quality, non-toxic leather that allows little toes to move, grip, and feel the floor.”

I have been singing the praises of pediped shoes for a few years now, and I continue to believe without a doubt that they are worth much more than their cost (the Daphne shoes are $37, but there are other models in the line that are less expensive). They are the best foundation for little walkers! They also happen to be having a spring pediped sale right now! Go check it out!

And if you have ever thought yourself, “I wish I could have some shoes as thoughtfully and beautifully made as these!” then yo uare in luck! Check out Brian James Footwear, the new women’s footwear line from the founder of pediped. Woo hoo!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win the sponsor’s choice of shoe model in the Originals line, and you get to choose if you want a boy or girl style!

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Princess Sofia: Our Top Pick for Disney Princess (Giveaway!)

April 6, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 85 Comments

A few weeks ago, I surprised Darah with an introduction to Pricess Sofia by way of the movie Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess. I captured her reaction to seeing this new princess for the first time:

Pretty cute, right? But really, think about it. ALL of the Disney princesses that are so popular are adult, or at least teenagers. This princess is young, so she really speaks to the young crowd. I’m not alone in thinking this, though. There is proof! Sofia the First, who also has a television series on Disney Junior, is the #1 cable tv series among both boys and girls ages 2-5!

I haven’t had the pleasure of watching the television series yet, but I really enjoyed the movie. It has enough wit to hold the attention of adults without losing sight of its main viewers: young children. I also really like the qualities that are emphasized in the movie: honesty, generosity, and kindness are lauded as characteristics of a strong person.

I highly recommend this movie, and if you have Disney Junior on your television but haven’t yet seen Sofia the First, be sure to find it and watch it (or record it on your DVR). We will most definitely be watching out for more episodes that we can access, and we’ll be keeping an eye on the Disney Store, which has an entire line of Sofia the First apparel and toys available.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win bring Princess Sofia home through a copy of Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess!

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a complimentary DVD for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This post may contain affiliate links.

What Will Your “Emotional Will” Be to Your Children?

April 4, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

This post is authored by and brought to you by my friends at PassedOn. What an amazing and unparalleled service this website provides. I’m truly blown away by it and I believe you will be, too.

When Marc Oparq, 32-year-old Dutch entrepreneur and father of two, boarded a plane with his wife toward a sunny vacation getaway, they were expecting a relaxing journey consisting of much-needed sleep and in-flight entertainment.

At thirty-five thousand feet, however, things quickly took a turn far from peaceful. Rattled out of his seat, Marco awoke to oxygen masks and carry on luggage crashing down from overhead. The plane had hit a nasty patch of turbulence, and the contents of the cabin were at the mercy of the wind’s violent uproar for what felt like an eternity.

Enduring several minutes of extreme disorientation, Marc was able to distill one clear thought amidst the chaos: his family – most notably his son Santi and daughter Indy (ages 3 and 5).

In that moment, Marc had a startling revelation: “If something were to happen to me today, how would my children possibly know how I felt about them? How will they discover what I have experienced watching them grow up? I have so many things to tell them, but they are too young to even know who I am right now.”

Thankfully the plane escaped the turbulence, and with his new-found idea in mind Marc created PassedOn (www.passed-on.com) – his answer to the unpredictability of life’s everyday deviations.

PassedOn is the world’s first multimedia “eWill” (Emotional Will) service. Through the simple creation of a free account, the user can effortlessly begin to save photos, videos, messages and more into a privatized eWill to be given one day to a Loved One. The user can choose to either release their eWills on a specified date or wait until their time has come.

To Marc and his wife, PassedOn is the perfect service for parents to document their most cherished moments spent with their children. It has allowed them to save and immortalize their interactions, recollections and sentiments raising their son and daughter. Day by day, they add their simple thoughts or observations to these eWills.

For a better illustration, take a look at the following video to see how Marc’s wife applies PassedOn to motherhood:

If you’re still unclear about the benefits and creative potential of using PassedOn, here are some ideas to get you started:

Ten Things Every Mom Must Share:

A before pregnancy photo and memory
A during pregnancy photo and how you felt during pregnancy
A memory about the day your child arrived
A video of either your child’s first steps and/or the first time saying “mom” or “dad”
Fun times with siblings
Your child in their “element” – dancing, singing, playing and just having fun
Artwork from school
Generational/extended family photo
Your own awkward preteen photo
Your child’s favorite song or story

So readers, tell us, what would you add to this list when you create your PassedOn account? Maybe a cute photo of your child with their favorite stuffed animal or pet? Or how about the time you went on a family vacation? The possibilities and memories are endless.

While there is no way to prepare for life’s uncertainties, with PassedOn you can make sure to let those who made a difference in your life know you will never forget them.

Start today and take control of your moments.