Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Making Logical Mathematical Estimates: Estimation Station Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

· by · 88 Comments

Educational Insights is already one of the very best destinations for fantastic products that make learning so much fun. But I’m so impressed with how they just keep getting better and better. They have recently launched a fundraising program that I want to make sure you all know about. It’s completely free to join, and they offer 20% cash back on all purchases made by you and anyone you refer to them with a special promo code you will receive at sign up. It is an incredible way to earn funds for your child’s school, or even for an individual classroom! Get the full scoop here!

With the holidays fast approaching, there are so many wonderful options for gifts from Educational Insights. Today I’m featuring a product that helps promote math and logic skills. It’s called Estimation Station. What I love about this product (and what I’m consistently finding with most every Educational Insights product) is that it’s not a one-hit wonder. There are over a week’s worth of activity suggestions with this one product, including estimation, counting, place value, comparing and ordering number, making prediction, graphing, statistics and mathematical reasoning. That’s a lot of awesome concepts to derive from one toy!

Darah is still a bit too young to use this toy, as it is ideal for ages 5-9. When we introduce it to her, though, we can start with larger objects (like giant marshmallows!) and build up from there. I absolutely love this hands-on application of mathematical concepts. This can even be a really creative way to have kids put a little bit of work in prior to getting a special treat, like gumballs or jelly beans. Estimation Station retails for $14.99 and really does bring math to life in an exciting way for young children.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win Estimation Station!

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. 

The Ultimate Form-Meets-Function Company: Dreamfarm

· by · Leave a Comment

Every once in a while I stumble upon a company that seems to nail EVERY. SINGLE. PRODUCT. so perfectly that I’m left a bit dumbstruck by their awesome.

Today I have one of those companies to highlight to you, and I am SO EXCITED to share them with you so that you can go to their website and start swooning over their products, just as I have been for a few months, now.

The Australian-based company called Dreamfarm has the tagline, “growing ideas into inventions.” Their products solve problems and help streamline processes in the home and they WILL be used again and again. Also, their design has a certain aesthetic that draws you to their products. Form and function combine together to make some really beautiful and unbelievably useful stuff. I’m such a fan that I almost teared up at the end of this 90 second video about the company. Hooray for great design!

There are so many cool gadgets that this company has available (you can see some of my favorites pinned here). Today I want to highlight two products that we are using in our home and that rock so hard.

First up, the Membo. This handy dandy gadget lives on our fridge at Darah’s eye level, and helps her remember to feed our cat, Hattie (this is one of her chores). I really love having Darah take responsibility in the home, and feeding a pet is a great first chore for a child. Except for when they forget. And then it totally stinks for the animal being fed (or not fed, as it were). There have been quite a few instances where Hattie had to petition the adults to please feed her because Darah forgot. The Membo helps Darah remember by giving her a daily checklist that she can interact with. Every morning she goes to her Membo and flips over the day’s chart after she feeds the cat. It retails for $19.95 and comes with dog, cat, fish and generic check mark inserts. Hattie is super appreciate that we have the Membo!

The second product, which actually also lives on our fridge (now also known as the world’s coolest fridge) is the Gripet. I don’t even need to know you to tell you that YOU NEED THIS PRODUCT. Everyone needs this product. It’s degree of awesome cannot be measured.

Don’t be f0oled by its simple look. This thing is amazing. you simply insert your piece of paper/coupon/child’s art work/any paper object you don’t want to lose into the gripet and it holds it in place. And it comes out just as easily. Simply give the paper you want to remove a gentle tug and out it comes. I seriously want to donate every single magnet on my fridge now (and probably will do just that!) because the gripet can handle everything. It also looks so much more organized (even though it isn’t!). I am totally head-over-heels over the Gripet. I may write a love note to it, which it would gladly hold. 🙂 The Gripet is $24.95 and would be a most awesome holiday gift for anyone on your list!

So now the question is, “Tiffany, where can I get these crazy-amazing products?” I had the same question, myself! Hop on over to their “find a store” section of the website, type in your address, hold your breath, make a wish, count to three and then you’ll see your nearest retailer.

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

Getting my Kitchen Ready for Layah: Earth’s Best 1st and 2nd Foods (GIVEAWAY!!!)

· by · 88 Comments

Over the past week, I’ve been extra busy in my kitchen. I’m getting my freezer stocked up for Layah. She’s already 4 1/2 months old. My intention is to start her on solids at 6 months, but I want to be prepared sooner just in case she can’t wait that long. I will make the majority of the food she eats using my baby food maker. I’m also using product from our CSA share and from our own little garden. These fruits and veggies are organic, and that’s what I aim to feed Layah, as much as possible. Plus, when you make it yourself, it really is quite affordable!

I also made Darah’s baby food, so I can tell you from experience that when you are going to be away from the house all day (running errands, going on a trip, etc.) it is challenging to bring your own food that might not be shelf-stable. Just like last time, I’ll be reaching for Earth’s Best for those moments! I can’t believe it is already time to start buying these cute little jars!

 

Earth’s Best can help you get your little ones to love their veggies from the start by exposing it to them early and often! They have some wonderful vegetables that are in season right now on the shelves, and every ingredient is organic.

As your little one tries a vegetable for the first time (such as sweet potato or green beans), keep in mind that a common response is to spit it out at first. Don’t be discouraged! Simply try again the next day and the next. In most cases, your baby will be willing and even happy to eat it by the end of the week! It takes time for their palates to get on board with a new flavor.

Earth’s Best also has some great resources online to help parents navigate introducing their little ones to solid foods and how to introduce new flavors and textures in a way that will maximize the chances of you having an adventurous eater! I loved this article on infants’ unpredictable palates.

Do you have a baby eating solids (or soon-to-be eating solids?). Then I have a great giveaway for you!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win an assortment of Earth’s Best 1st and 2nd Foods – Seasonal Vegetables!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

I am a blog ambassador for Earth’s Best, and as such, I have received complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own

Two Products that Streamline Our Mornings: GIVEAWAY!!!

· by · 115 Comments

For those of you with kids back in school, have you found your morning rhythm? Does your household run like a well-oiled machine from the time your alarm goes off until the time you head out the door to take the kids to school or the bus stop?

Yeah, mine neither.

Some days we do great, and others, well…let’s just say my child has gone to school before with teeth that haven’t been brushed or with a tummy that isn’t as full as it should be.

There are two products that are helping us be more consistent with good morning routines, though. First, I’ve got some breakfast products from Van’s in my freezer, and they are frequently requested for breakfast by our preschooler. We’ve got waffles and english muffins, and Van’s Natural Foods are high in protein and whole grains, and they are low in sugar. So they are a healthy choice and give Darah the fuel she needs to get through the day, not a sugar high to get through the next hour. And I love these products because putting together a hearty breakfast is a breeze.

The other thing we are doing is taking a healthy habit with us in the car since we are pressed for time. Darah is learning how to floss her teeth with the help of Plackers Kids Flossers. These individual flossers are in cute animal shapes and the floss is flavored so that kids are motivated to keep trying! :-). I love that we can leave the packet in the car and she can grab one every morning and practice flossing while I drive. What a great use of that time! 🙂

Plackers and Van’s are helping to streamline our morning routine and they are also encouraging good eating and oral hygeine habits.

Is your morning routine in need of some assistance? Well friends, you are in luck!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a prize pack just like what is shown above (it also includes FREE Van’s product coupons!).
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Disclosure: I received a complimentary prize pack for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

My New Morning Ritual: Honey Maid Grahamfuls (GIVEAWAY!!!)

· by · 178 Comments

Darah LOVES graham crackers. She eats them with peanut butter and bananas. She eats them crushed up in her yogurt and oatmeal. And she eats them by themselves. They are definitely a go-to snack in our home.

Unfortunately, I recently took a moment to read the labels of a few different boxes of graham crackers, and noticed that they all contained high fructose corn syrup.

BOO!!!!

But did you know that Honey Maid graham crackers are made with 100% whole grain, contain real honey, and leave the high fructose corn syrup out of the mix?

YAY!!!!!!

But the news gets even better, folks. Honey Maid has just launched the perfect after school snack (or lunch time treat) for your kiddos. Its called Honey Maid Grahamfuls, and these are individually packaged graham cracker “sandwiches” that come in three varieties: peanut butter, peanut butter & chocolate and banana vanilla creme. And yes, these are totally free of high fructose corn syrup. That’s what I’m talking about!

Each box has eight individually-wrapped packages. I’m not a big fan of excess packaging, but I can see that these are packaged perfectly for sending in school lunches.

Darah absolutely loves these, and I’ll be stocking up on more, as they do make for a very convenient snack to give her after her afternoon “quiet time” (formally known as nap time…sigh…). Each box retails for $4.19.

I also need to buy more of these because Darah’s not the only one who likes them. I wake up REALLY early every morning so that I can get my blog and other computer work done for the day before my girls wake up. And I need a bit of fuel to get me through those first few hours. So this is my new morning ritual, and I love it!

Win it! One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a really fun prize: all 3 grahamful flavors AND a Honey Maid backpack!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.

My New Calorie-Free Sweetener: Nectresse

· by · 2 Comments

This post brought to you by NECTRESSE™Sweetener. All opinions are 100% mine.

When my BFF visited me last month, she told me that she had successfully made the switch from sugar in her coffee to something more natural. I was really intrigued, because I knew at that time that my coffee addiction was a significant barrier to my weight-loss, and all because I like my coffee to be sweet. 

There are LOTS AND LOTS of sugar alternatives on the market, and my head started to spin as I researched them to determine what I wanted to try. 

But one caught my eye in particular, because it was the only 100% natural sweetener made from fruit. To be more specific, it is made from monk fruit! (I've never heard of it, either, but it is a real fruit, I promise!). 

Check out NECTRESSE™Sweetener, which is made from the makers of Splenda. This product is 150 times sweeter than sugar(!) and has zero calories. Now that's refreshing! 

It comes in canisters as well as single serving packs. I make a pot of 6 cups of coffee each day (I know…but I do make my coffee weak, at least), and I like to pre-sweeten my coffee while it is still hot (remember, I'm an iced coffee freak, so my coffee needs to be cold before I drink it!). I decided to use a crazy small amount of this product to see how it tasted, fully assuming that I'd be adding more. I added just two individual packets to my 6 cup carafe. And guess what? I was pleased with the taste! Yeah, I didn't even need to add any more! But if you were to try it out and determined that you wanted another packet or two, go for it since that will add zero calories to your drink! 🙂 

Photobucket I like that my iced coffee has a naturally sweet flavor. If someone had served it to me like this I would not have guessed that it didn't contain sugar. Way to go, Nectresse!

For those of you who grew up with Channel One in your middle school and high school classrooms, you may well-remember the celebrated journalist and tv personality Lisa Ling. She is also a huge fan of Nectresse. Check out what she has to say about it!

I think you will really like Nectresse if you give it a try. But why not start out with a FREE sample of NECTRESSE™Sweetener? I think you'll be pleased! 

Visit Sponsor's Site

An Amazing Exercise Technique: Yamuna Body Rolling GIVEAWAY!!!

· by · 62 Comments

As you get older, are you interested in gaining any of the following physical benefits:

Improved posture
Increased range of motion
Improved alignment in all parts of the body
Increased muscle tone
Increased flexibility
Increased organ function

Me, too! I can still remember when it was no big deal for me to only get 5 hours of sleep and it was no big deal to have 3 hours of dance lessons back-to-back. But my body just doesn’t work like that, anymore! I find myself to be stiff more often now, and I’ve also noticed that my posture isn’t what it used to be.

I recently learned about a wonderful woman named Yamuna who has dedicated her life to helping others create positive changes with their bodies. Her practices compliment yoga (I’m a fan of yoga, so this intrigued me) and her system is highly portable, which is a big plus!

Today Yamuna wants to reach out specifically to Stuff Parents Need readers and offer a Pregnancy kit, which is complete with a DVD and gear. This kit retails for $86 and teaches you how to promote fitness and wellness in your body before AND after delivery. And even if you aren’t pregnant, there are many great techniques that are helpful for any and everybody!

Here’s a video of Yamuna demonstrating how to target a problem area. Can I just say that this woman looks AMAZING?! Clearly, she knows what she is doing!

Be sure to follow Yamuna Body Logic on Facebook and Twitter (you’ll get bonus giveaway entries below if you do!).

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win the Yamuna Pregnancy Kit! ARV $86.75!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Thanks to Yamuna for sponsoring this post and this wonderful giveaway. 

New Daily Deal Site for Moms (And a Giveaway!!!)

· by · 114 Comments

Are you a daily deal site shopper? I totally am. I probably purchase something from a group deal site once a week. It saves me a lot of money and enables me to get really cute stuff (especially for my girls) that I could not afford at retail prices.

Plus, shopping from home is MUCH more fun than having to get out to a store!

Today I want to introduce you to a brand new daily deal site that launched yesterday. It’s called Liam’s Loft, and every day (Monday-Friday) they will have one fantastic deal running. The deals go live at 7am MST and run for 24 hours, or until the limited quantity of the product is sold out, whichever comes first!

Yesterday’s deal was for a really cute scarf that was modeled on both a mom and a daughter. It bargained priced at 55% off retail. It’s hard to find scarves on sale at all this time of year, so I thought the deal was especially good.

Liam’s Loft wants you to be in the know about their daily deals so that when one comes along that is perfect for you or your little one, you can scoop it up before its gone! Here’s a cute example of the kinds of things you can find at Liam’s Loft, and this is also what the winner of today’s giveaway will receive!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to Liam’s Loft for sponsoring this post and this giveaway. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with Music (GIVEAWAY!!!)

· by · 25 Comments

Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month, everyone! Did you know that this month-long celebration takes place in the U.S. every year from September 15-October 15 (kind of fun that it touches on two calendar months!)? Your children are likely having lessons in their classrooms all about Hispanic culture and how it is woven into the fabric of America, and is becoming more and more part of our collective cultural identity every year.

To ensure that the fun of this celebration continues at home, I’ve got two newly released children’s cds that will get you dancing and singing, both in English AND in Spanish!

First up is the artist Mister G (he’s a former elementary school teacher, and I think his name stuck!). His album is called Chocolalalala. It has 11 different songs and they really are quite easy to sing along with in English and Spanish. I’ve been having fun with this opportunity to speak the language around Darah (I took several years of Spanish throughout high school, college and even grad school, but I’m admittedly quite rusty). Darah has even surprised me with her knowledge of a few Spanish words (credit goes largely to Dora!). We love having songs to sing in the car, and this is a cd that has made it into our vehicle, and is now requested during the morning commute to school! This cd became available on September 15th.

The other great new cd that’s out is Ozokidz from a very popular group called Ozomatli. This group has been spreading messages about justice and violence prevention since the 1990s, and now their important messages are ready for younger ears! The band is pretty awesome, I have to say. And they also gave a Ted talk/performance! Check it out!

Ozomatli has won Grammy Awards and have a sound that is uniquely theirs! I love the messages in the music and I think you will, too! This cd or the mp3s are available on September 25th.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of both cds featured here!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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