review - Stuff Parents Need

My Very Favorite Liquid Mineral Foundation: Advanced Mineral Makeup (Giveaway!)

March 4, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 86 Comments

Have you hopped on the mineral makeup bandwagon yet? If not, what in the world are you waiting for? Do you not believe that it is worth the hype? I can’t speak for every brand of mineral makeup, and I’ve purchased enough different types to know that they are not all created the same. But some of the brands produce really good results. Today I want to showcase my absolute very favorite liquid mineral makeup. It makes my face look flawless!

These are the results I get when I wear it, and I am SO pleased! My skin doesn’t suffer from acne, but it is very splotchy, and sometimes what I would call “every day wear” foundations just don’t cover it, and the end result is ok, at best. Not Advanced Mineral Makeup! Just a small amount provides very full, very flawless coverage and it lasts all day.

The Liquid Mineral Makeup is also 100% Vegan. My experience with Vegan cosmetics, in general, hasn’t been overly positive, so I’m thrilled to find one that I not only like, but that has become my very favorite foundation. Based on my experience with this product, I now have the Loose Powder Foundation on my wish list for later in the year.

available shades of liquid mineral makeup from advanced mineral makeup

Advanced Mineral Makeup products come in 7 shades. Creme Brulee was the shade I chose, and it was absolutely perfect. But this product does more than come in a complementary shade. It also contains ingredients that boost the function of the skin by stimulating cell growth. In other words, while you are wearing it, your tired skin is being rejuvenated!

Additionally, the formula is ideal for sensitive skin. My skin is on the sensitive side, and I have never had any problems when wearing this product.

The price point for the Liquid Mineral Makeup is consistent with department store cosmetics, retailing for $44. That’s higher than what I would normally spend for foundation, personally. But now that I have tried it, I can tell you that it is worth it. I’ll be saving my Liquid Mineral Foundation for times when I need to look my very best, so I won’t wear it every single day. That will help me make it last a little longer. But when it runs out, I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase it again. Seriously. It is that good!

If you are looking for a liquid mineral foundation that provides flawless full coverage, look no further. Advanced Mineral Makeup is sold in a limited number of stores, but thanks to the internet, you can buy it online from wherever you are!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win Liquid Mineral Foundation in the shade of your choice from Advanced Mineral Makeup!

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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.

Our Weekend Breakfast Experience: IHop Griddle Melts

March 3, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 4 Comments

Every once in a while, we like to do something a little bit special for a Saturday morning breakfast. Sometimes that means going out for doughnuts. Other times it means making delicious fruit smoothies at home.

Today we ventured out to IHop for a morning meal. We left home just before 7 am. Yes, my children make absolutely no distinction between weekdays and weekends. I cannot remember the last time I slept past 6 am. I’m sure it happened at some point. And I’m sure it was before my oldest was born. Sigh…

Ok, so we headed over to IHop in Chattanooga. While I’ve been to IHop establishments all over the country, this was our first visit to our local place.

The inside was very clean, but I wish there had been a sign at the entrance letting us know if we needed to wait to be seated or not. While we were waiting for a host to seat us, we spotted the signage for the new hand-crafted Griddle Melts. They looked REALLY good!

After waiting around for a minute and not seeing a host, we seated ourselves. I’m still not sure if that was the right call, because we waited almost 5 more minutes before someone acknowledged that we were there and gave us menus.

I noticed on the menu that IHop offered iced coffee. I was so excited! That is my drink of choice any time of day, folks! I ordered that, and Tim got some orange juice while Darah had chocolate milk. That wouldn’t be my first choice most of the time, but the whole weekend breakfast experience is a bit of a splurge, so chocolate milk got the green light from mom and dad.

I will say that I was really confused by the menus. Tim and I had two different menus and it took us a little while to figure that out. Turns out, I was given a late night menu. But neither menu had the Griddle Melts on the list. When I asked our server about them, he first just pointed to the sign on our table. But the sign only had a picture of one of them. Then he realized that our menus didn’t have any information, and left and returned with a third type of menu that was focused on the Griddle Melts. Confusing!

We made our selections (Western for Tim and Spinach, Roasted Pepper & Cheese for me). And Darah ordered a smiley face pancake. When they arrived, everything looked yummy! I was a little surprised by Darah’s pancake. I thought it was going to be a chocolate chip pancake, and not a chocolate pancake with chocolate chips. And to be perfectly honest, it didn’t taste very good. Very strange for IHop to have a pancake “miss” on their menu.

After I had a few bites of my food, I realized that my roasted peppers were completely absent. What a bummer! I flagged down my server and let him know, and he whisked away my entire plate. 🙁 I know he meant well by getting me a whole new dish, but when you are dining with an infant and a preschooler, every minute matters. It took close to 10 minutes for my new plate to come back out, and by that time the kids were really restless. I ate a few bites and then had to ask for a to go box.

So, the dining experience at IHop was…well…not so hot. But the Griddle Melts, themselves, were REALLY good. Tim ate his entire sandwich, and I will be finishing mine for lunch today. Let me tell you a little bit more about them in case you’ve got an IHop in your town.

Spinach, Roasted Pepper & Cheese: this fluffy egg omelet has sauteed spinach and is topped with roasted red peppers (make sure they are in there!) melted Provolone, Parmesan and Pepper Jack cheese. All of this is on sourdough bread.

Western: this has a classic omelet containing ham and peppers and onions. Then it is topped with sliced ham, American cheese and served on sourdough bread. I had a bite…delish!

Ham & Egg Melt: didn’t try this one, but it has sliced ham and melted Swiss and American cheese over an egg omelet on sourdough.

All of the sandwiches are served with your choice of hash browns, French fries or seasonal fruit.

Have you tried the Griddle Melts at IHop? Which one do you think you’d like best?

What does your family do for special weekend breakfasts? Do you dare to even attempt breakfast at a restaurant with little ones?

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

Under the Rainbow Giveaway Hop Featuring Unique Natural Products Gift Basket!

March 1, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 197 Comments

Welcome to the Under the Rainbow Giveaway Hop, hosted by the Blogging Mamas Network!

From March 1st-17th, you’ll have the chance to win plenty of prizes from over 50 bloggers to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!

So after you enter my giveaway, make like a little, green Leprechaun and hop around to all the other blogs participating in the Event!

What will YOU find Under the Rainbow?!

Here’s my contribution to the hop! I have up for grabs a FANTASTIC gift basket from Unique Natural Products! We are really committed to using natural cleaning products in our home, and I always enjoy giving new (or at least new to me) companies a try. I have been really impressed with the high quality of green cleaning products that have come on the market lately…a notable improvement from even 3 years ago, I would say!

So today I want to showcase Unique Natural Products. Basically, what you are buying in these containers is a bunch of bacteria! These bacteria LOVE to eat dirt and stains. They are sort of amazing, actually! I have been using the wine stain remover (which also works on other food stains like ketchup!) on Darah’s clothes and have been getting terrific results.

We’ve also been using the pet odor eliminator. It is never exciting to have to reach for it (because it means that Hattie threw up…AGAIN…and usually on the carpet). But it is very effective, and I am totally at ease using it, even with a crawling, drooling, biting, licking, putting-everything-possible-in-her-mouth baby crawling around. I know I’m not actually even using chemicals! Everything is safe for humans and pets.

But perhaps my very favorite item of all is the Super Digest It. Drain openers are one of the most toxic items in most people’s homes. They are also HORRIBLE for the environment. I very strongly dislike them, but have found myself buying them in the past when I didn’t know that I had any other choice. Super Digest It bacteria eat the organic matter that is clogging up your pipes. No chemicals needed! Just nature doing its thing! Isn’t that awesome????!!! We are using it on our pipes once a month, now, just as a preventative measure to ensure that anything that is building up gets taken care of before it becomes a problem. And since I shed hair like a cat, this is especially helpful in our bathroom drain!

You can order products from Unique Natural products online or find your nearest retailer here! I very highly recommend them and have made a note of where I can go pick up more in Chattanooga once my supply dwindles!
Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a gift basket from Unique Natural Products containing the following items:

Pet Odor Eliminator Ready to Use (24 oz)
Super Digest It (1 qt)
Carpet Shampoo (1 qt)
Unique Complete (1 qt)
Wine Stain (4 oz)

ARV for the items is $58.20!

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Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page. Disclosure :According to Jenny, So Easy Being Green, the Blogging Mamas Network, and the Under the Rainbow participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations. I received complimentary products for review purposes from Unique Natural Products. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. Linky:

Intentional Shoe Design = GREAT Shoe Design! Tsukihoshi Shoes (GIVEAWAY!)

February 28, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 146 Comments

When a company has been around since 1873, they are clearly doing something right.

Such is the case for a children’s shoe company that hails from Japan, called Tsukihoshi (in Japanese it means Moon and Star). This company has seriously impressed me with its thoughtful design. Shoes by Tsukihoshi have several fantastic features:

Solid half sock board and solid heel counter provide stability in the heel area, which is especially important for children, as they have a tendency to over-pronate (land on the arch side) when walking.

Molded Cup Insole that is designed for children’s arches, which have not yet fully formed and need special care.

Flex-Joint Outsole that helps children’s feet to bend along the line from the joint of the big to to that of the little toe. This is a great feature because children’s feet, being not yet fully developed, are not able to bend and kick forward very well.

Space in the toe area to keep the child’s toe in an unrestricted position, which helps control the common problem of excessive inward tilting toward the arches when walking or running.

The Cup-Insole is coated with Green-Tea Polyphenol which deodorizes the smell in shoes.

Tsukihoshi shoes are machine washable and can be air dried.

Darah is LOVING her style 28 child’s shoes (also called Wheel). I love the fun color combination, and I am very excited to see how easily she can get these on and off all by herself. That saves me some hassle and makes her feel more independent! I’ve asked her if her shoes feel comfortable to her feet, and she has given me a good report. I haven’t seen any blisters, either, as sometimes those appear when we get a new pair of shoes. Not this time!

When I used the store locator on the Tsukihoshi website to find my nearest retailer, I was excited to see that a local shoe store just 8 minutes from my home carries the brand. I’m already planning a trip to go look at more styles! Where is your nearest Tsukihoshi retailer?

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a pair of Tsukihoshi shoes! Winner gets their choice of style from the Spring ’13 line!
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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.

An Amazing Opportunity: Rodan + Fields (GIVEAWAY!)

February 27, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 4 Comments

Today I’m just thrilled to be sharing a fun giveaway with you, courtesy of a lady that means a whole heck of a lot to Stuff Parents Need: the blog designer!

Marina is the brains behind Penny Lane Designs and she has some crazy-good computer skills. I love my blog, and that’s thanks to her great work! This is a pic of Marina and her sweet family. Notice her GORGEOUS skin…

In addition to being a blog designer extraordinaire, Marina is also a passionate and dedicated independent consultant for Rodan + Fields, which is a clinical skincare line created by the doctors behind Proactiv Solution. These products are focused on aging and sun damaged skin. Formerly sold only in high-end retail, R+F earned a solid reputation as the number one clinical selling line at Nordstrom (before it became exclusively available through consultants like Marina). Beauty editors are obsessed with R+F! Check out what they are saying here. These products truly deliver results. See for yourself by viewing a few amazing before + afters here.

Marina set up a special website just for Stuff Parents Need readers. And oh my word is she spoiling you guys! She is offering you 10% off your purchase, free shipping, and if you order before March 8th as a preferred customer, you get a $20 rebate. Oh heck yes!!!!

Additionally, Rodan + Fields is so confident that their product is going to blow you away that they offer a risk-free 60 day money back guarantee. So if you aren’t satisfied, you can get a refund. But you WILL be satisfied! 🙂

Marina also talks on the website about how she got into this business. I was really struck by the things she said, and I could relate to her as someone who wanted to be able to spend more time with her family, but who always thought direct sales was not a good idea for her. It really sounds like Rodan + Fields actually has a lot to offer, even to those who have shied away from direct sales opportunities in the past. Definitely check out what Marina has to say about it!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a full sized REDEFINE Multi-Function Eye cream (ARV $59!) Please note that current R+F customers and R+F consultants are NOT eligible.
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Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

I did some old fashioned bartering with Marina in exchange for hosting this giveaway. One lucky reader is going to “get a little work done” on their eyes courtesy of this fantastic cream, and my blog is going to “get a little work done” as well, courtesy of Marina’s skills! 🙂

Best Buy Recycling! Sending Old Friends to a Better Place

February 23, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Do you have an old friend that still lives with you, and that you can’t bring yourself to kick out because of all the great memories you share together?

I’m talking about an old friend that looks like this:

This was my first iPhone. I got it just 2 weeks after Darah was born. It reminds me of how many ways my life has changed since that day, and not just when it comes to technology!

But, alas, my phone is very out of date now. It won’t run many of the apps that are currently out and that I’d like to use. And so, it is of no practical use to me. But throwing it in the garbage not only seems cruel, but it also seems not very eco-friendly.

Best Buy actually has a solution for those beloved but outdated gadgets filling up junk drawers in your home. Check out the Best Buy Recycling Program. This is one of the greatest recycling efforts in the entire industry, and it is 100% free! On average, Best Buy is recycling 387 pounds of electronics EVERY MINUTE that the store is open. This is such a huge help for our environment, as technology is the fastest growing type of waste on the entire planet. I, for one, really respect Best Buy for taking ownership of the need to provide technology recycling opportunities since they are one of the largest retailers of this technology.

So how does it work? It really couldn’t be more simple! Bring your old electronic item to Best Buy, hand it over to an associate, and it will be recycled and/or disposed of in a safe and responsible way.

Will Best Buy recyle REALLY old electronic stuff, like my Gameboy from 1994 or even my Atari joystick from 1979? Yes, indeed!

Will Best Buy only accept items I purchased from them? Not at all! It doesn’t matter where or when you acquired the item. If it is an electronic item, they WILL recycle it.

Tim actually has a box of older electronic stuff that we will be sorting through today and carrying over to Best Buy for recycling. The environment wins because these items will be properly disposed of and we win because we will reclaim some space in our home and stop fretting about what to do with all that junk!

Thanks so much, Best Buy, for serving as a hub for recycling electronics. I encourage you to gather up your old technology items that are just gathering dust in your home and haul them over to Best Buy! While you are there, don’t forget to browse through their extensive line of Energy Star certified products, as well. That’s right…you can upgrade that energy-draining fridge you have to one that is much friendlier to the Earth and to your monthly energy bill! Best Buy has you covered!

I have been compensated in the form of a BestBuy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Teaching a Child How to Read a Tape Measure (GIVEAWAY)

February 21, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 78 Comments

A few months ago, Darah asked, “How do you read a tape measure?”

Hmm…an interesting question! She can read the numbers on the measuring tape that her dad uses around the house, but she has figured out that the numbers mean something more than just a simple number.

I thought perhaps the best way to help Darah learn how to measure objects and how to read a tape measure would be by getting one just for her that she can use. Learning Resources has an excellent child’s tape measure!

A tape measure is actually an incredibly useful teaching tool. You can learn increments, fractions, and of course, measurements with it. You can also work on comparisons for the younger kids.

Here’s what we are doing to work on the skill of learning to read a tape measure.

When we are having a “measuring session” I get out a piece of paper and serve as the note taker. Right now we are learning about the foot measurement. The tape measure we have goes up to 4 feet. So we hunt for things that are less than one foot, greater than one foot but less than 2 feet, greater than 2 feet but less than 3 feet, and up to 4 feet in length. It is so cool to see Darah using her critical thinking skills and her estimation skills before the pulls out her tape measure to investigate length. She will often make a guess about how long an item will be. She isn’t often accurate, but this will improve with time, I think. Plus, we try to teach her that it is perfectly fine to be wrong. Better to take a stab at a problem and not get it right than to not try at all!

Does anyone have any tips on how to teach children the concept of inches? I’m not sure how long it will be before we are ready for that task, but I’d like to be prepared once she is!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a simple tape measure from Learning Resources!

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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.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! Safari So Good Book and DVD Review

February 20, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 98 Comments

Did you know Dr. Seuss’ birthday is coming up on March 2nd? Many schools participate in Read Across America day in celebration of this author who produced so many outstanding books, and whose company continues to publish delightful tales.

I want to celebrate his birthday today by introducing you to the latest book and DVD combo that has come out of the Cat in the Hat Learning Library. Darah and I recently read Safari So Good and it was such a fun read! We were able to go exploring together and on every page, we learned interesting facts about African wildlife. The book is available for $12.99 at Walmart, Barnes & Noble and online.

The DVD by the same title was an excellent compliment to the book, as it expanded upon what was shown in the book through music and a bit of humor. Martin Short is the voice of the Cat, which makes it all the more fun for the grown ups, I think! The DVD retails for $10.95 and can be found or on Amazon for under $10!

Darah loves the Safari So Good DVD, and I have watched it with her and definitely give it two thumbs up. But the book is her real treasure. Can I please show you the page she keeps turning to and asking questions about? It’s this one:

Yes, she wants to know ALL about why baby cheetahs play with elephant poop! It is completely fascinating to her! The Cat in the Hat definitely has his finger on the pulse of what will get a kid’s attention!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of the DVD, Safari So Good!

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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 affiliate links.

March On and Stone Soup DVDs (GIVEAWAY!!!)

February 19, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 68 Comments

Scholastic has just published some great new DVDs and I’m excited to be sharing them with you today!

First up, we have Stories About African American Heritage Featuring March On. This is a FANTASTIC 3 DVD set that commemorates Black History Month. In the set you will find 13 award-winning stories that run a total of 3 hours. You will see stunning illustrations and hear narrators such as Phylicia Rashad (one of my childhood idols…this is Claire from The Cosby Show!), James Earl Jones, Samuel L. Jackson and Forest Whitaker. I would say that this box set is a true treasure, and a must not only for schools, but also for personal collections. This set retails for $24.95 and can be found here.

In addition, Scholastic is celebrating Chinese New Year by releasing Stone Soup And Other Stories from the Asian Tradition. Stone Soup is actualy one of my favorite folktales because of what it highlights: when people pool their resources, the sum is greater than the parts! Three other stories are also found in this collection, and if you are a Law and Order: SVU fan, you will recognize the voice of B.D. Wong. This DVD is 43 minutes in length (that’s the perfect amount of time for a Saturday afternoon “movie” viewing experience for my 3 year old!). It retails for $14.95 and can be purchased here.

Our Scholastic DVD collection is one of our prize possessions in our home. If you haven’t had the pleasure of owning any of their titles yet, let 2013 be the year you give them a try. You will love them, I absolutely know it!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of March On, and one reader will win a copy of Stone Soup!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.