Stuff Parents Need

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

The Doll with a Heart is Back! Raggedy Ann GIVEAWAY!!!

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I had a Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy doll when I was growing up. I remember how excited my mother was to give them to me, because she had very small Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, herself, when she was growing up.

But she was so convinced about how very special they were, that she didn’t really let me play with them. They sat in a curio cabinet for me to look at but not touch. Isn’t that silly? Sort of defeats the purpose of a doll, in my opinion.

Even though I couldn’t play with those particular dolls, I still really liked them. So I was very excited to hear that Aurora has a brand new Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy line. I thought it would be fun for Darah and Layah to have a doll, though I would be sure that this one wouldn’t sit behind glass!

I think this version of Raggedy Ann is really cute, and also soft and cuddly. She seems so happy and positively eager to play with children. I like her vintage feel, but remembering how my doll looked, she is also a bit updated.

Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy dolls are available in 4 different sizes and range from $10-$35 each, depending on the size. We reviewed the 16″ doll and she retails for $25. There will also be some special holiday styles coming out later in the year, so be on the lookout for those!

If you’d like to introduce your child to a beloved friend from your own past, Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy are ready to join your family!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Raggedy Ann or Raggedy Andy doll (your choice!).
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Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

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

Whimsical Art for Homes with Children (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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If you look around my house, it takes all of 1 second to realize I have kids. Toys and lessons and stuffed animals and blankets are found in pretty much every room of the house.

But if you were to look strictly at the walls of my house, it would not be as apparent that children live here (aside from our wall of family pictures). We could definitely do a better job of incorporating more free-spirited and fun pieces of art in our home; pieces that will delight children.

I was delighted when Nidhi Chanani, a well-respected artist from San Francisco, contacted me to see if I’d like to check out her work. She makes art that most anyone would enjoy, but I think she has a very special knack for pieces that will speak to children.

Darah and I spent about 15 minutes admiring Nidhi’s work, and Darah kept coming back to the print of the bear taking a shower. It made her giggle, and she said she’d love to look at it while she takes her baths. So now this print is in our bathroom for Darah to enjoy, and it certainly makes me smile to see it, too.

 

There were so many great prints from which to choose on Nidhi’s site. Here are the two honorable mentions for Darah:

I mean….how cute are these pieces?! I’ve definitely got Nidhi’s Etsy site bookmarked to return to when it is time for Layah to graduate to a “big girl” room from the nursery.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win Everyday Love Volume 2 (a 124 page art book for children!)

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

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

My DIY Applesauce Disaster and An Earth’s Best GIVEAWAY!!!

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Time for an embarrassing story about myself! Grab the popcorn and plop down…this one is a doozy!

A few years ago when we lived in Memphis, we had an apple tree in our front yard. It was an adorable little thing, and it made quite a few apples in the fall of 2009. At the time, Darah was just 2 months old, or so. I saw those apples and thought, “Oh my gosh! I can make and freeze some organic apple sauce for my daughter…and for FREE!!!” I put on my Betty Crocker/Martha Stewart/Crunchy Granola Mama crown and sash and marched out to that front yard with my bowl, returning inside with quite the harvest. I was about to ROCK THIS DIY SO HARD.

I found a recipe online…it looked simple enough, and I gathered all my ingredients. Darah observed from her bouncer, fascinated, I’m sure, to see her mom making something from scratch. I followed all of the steps and before long, I had something in my large pot the very strongly resembled apple sauce. And there was a ton of it. Oh man, I was going to enough apple sauce to last Darah for several months! So exciting!

As I continued along with the process, I got to the step where I needed to add some vinegar. I added it in, and immediately thought, “Eww, vinegar stinks even more than I thought it did. Hmm…well, whatever, I’m sure the smell will dissipate soon.” And about 2 minutes later it still smelled TERRIBLE. I gave it a couple of big sniffs and thought, “I don’t know…something’s a bit….off.”

Now remember, I had a 2 month old. I was a first time mom. I was running on baby grins and games of pat a cake, and was DEFINITELY sleep-deprived. So my old noggin’ wasn’t exactly in its sharpest state.

Finally, after inhaling this noxious odor for several minutes, it occured to me to review my ingredients on the counter.

And that’s when I realized that I put AMMONIA in my huge vat of organic apple sauce. Yeah I did. I added poison to my child’s food. And then I sniffed it. And sniffed it again. It’s a miracle I didn’t eat it, myself. If I had been more sleep-deprived, I may have just kept on cooking and freezed it. Who knows?

I totally cried when I realized that I ruined every single apple I had been waiting a few months to pick. And then I laughed so hard that I cried again.

Thank goodness this isn’t the only way to get organic apple sauce! I skip making it myself now (I just can’t be trusted, friends!) and rely on the quality and goodness of Earth’s Best Organic Apple Sauce. It only has ingredients I know and trust, and it comes in the perfect size containers for Darah’s snack time, or as part of her lunch. I have gladly relinquished my ill-fitting crown as chief cooking DIY diva and given Earth’s Best the title. It’s quality I can count on!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win Tiffany’s homemade apple sauce! Just kidding! You will win an Organic Apple Sauce prize pack from Earth’s Best!

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

Disclosure: 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.

Learning Math with Manipulatives! Hand 2 Mind Hands-On Teaching Guide Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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If there’s one thing that Darah’s Montessori education so far has taught me, it’s that learning needs to be multi-dimensional. All the senses need to be incorporated when learning a concept, and the more tactile stimulation a child can get while engaging in a lesson, the better.

Hand 2 Mind is a company that firmly believes in learning by doing, and they have created some outstanding resources to help teachers and parents promote academic success and true learning, not memorizing.

I have been perusing the Hands-On Standards Deluxe Edition Grades PreK-K book and have been creating some supplemental lessons for Darah at home all about math. Math is a subject I feared as a child and adolescent, and that fear continues in me even as an adult. I do not want the same fate for Darah at all, so I want to get past my own fears and make sure we talk about math and “do” math frequently at home!

This assessment book is perfectly designed for teachers, or for homeschooling parents or even for parents who just need some ideas for ways to teach match concepts without being abstract. I am REALLY enjoying reading this. Pinterest projects are great for getting some cool teaching ideas, but this is a very comprehensive booklet that teaches concepts that it never would have occurred to me to attempt or to know how to communicate, and in very tangible ways.

I love that this book also demonstrates the research that is backing this approach to learning. I’m a data-driven parent, which means I want to know why certain ideas in parenting and in educating our children should be considered. What studies have been performed to prove that these methods are effective? This booklet shows you, and I really love that.

While specific manipulative objects are recommended in the book, and can also be purchased through Hand 2 Mind, you aren’t restricted to these specific items. With a little bit of advanced planning, you can find excellent substitutes for what is shown in each lesson by looking around your house or planning a quick trip to the dollar store or the craft supply store. This book has 57 different lessons that teach the following concepts:

  • Count up and back
  • Identify sets of numbers
  • 1-to-1 correspondence
  • Ordinal numbers
  • Basic addition
  • Identify basic shapes in the real world
  • Sort objects by 1 or 2 attributes
  • Gather and record data
  • Order objects by height or length
  • Compare relative sizes of containers

I am extremely impressed with this book and I know it is going to go a long way toward helping me make sure that math is something we do and love, not something we fear. I would highly recommend hand2mind.com for their helpful kits and books designed to ensure your children stay engaged in learning, both inside and outside of the classroom. The book I reviewed retails for $49.95.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of the Hands-On Standards, Deluxe Edition Grades PreK-K book!

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Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Clear the Clutter in Your Pantry with YouCopia SpiceStack

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When we recently moved, we were faced with a much smaller kitchen (about half the size of our old kitchen, and about 25% as large as the kitchen we had in Memphis!). We did, however, get a walk-in pantry out of the deal. It required a great deal of thought and organization to figure out how to best store all of our dry goods and our appliances.

My mother-in-law worked VERY hard to put together a pantry system that made sense.  One of the things she spent a lot of time working on was spice storage She kept our most-used spices in the kitchen where we could easily access them. The spices that get less frequently used went in the pantry. While she was cleaning and organizing this area, she made some interesting discoveries. Most notable was the fact that I had SIX containers of nutmeg. Yeah, SIX!

We cook a lot in my house, and we like to try different things. So that means that we have A LOT of spices! And since we have a lot of spices, they are tricky to organize. The nutmeg overload is a perfect example of how many times in the last 2 years I have looked for nutmeg, declared that we had none, and bought some more. I know that I did a serious cleaning out of our spices before we left Memphis, so all this nutmeg overage occurred since we moved to Chattanooga.

What a waste of money and of cabinet/pantry space! My mother-in-law did an excellent job of getting the spices more in order, but I have to admit, I have seen our spice section teetering on the edge of disorganization again. It’s just so hard to keep everything looking nice and its hard to easily find everything when you have to layer your spices on a rack, putting some on top of others, and some things behind other things.

how to organize spices

But now our pantry has the SpiceStack from YouCopia, and now that I see how great having one is, I want two! I love how easy it is to grab the spice I need. The SpiceStack gives every spice its own specific home, and it comes with labels so that you won’t forget what goes where. You also can just read the labels and not have to open every shelf on the hunt for the spice you need. While this SpiceStack holds 18 different spices (or more if you have those short spice containers and want to double up), it comes with 48 pre-labeled labels and 48 blank labels, so you have many opportunities to switch up the spices you store!

The SpiceStack gives my pantry a more organized look and feel, and I highly recommend it anyone who groans every time they have to hunt through their spices while cooking. It retails for $27.99 and can be found on Amazon.

 

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you. 

Give Your Deck a Makeover for Labor Day with Thompson’s (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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You may recall that a little while back I showed you how Thompson’s helped us get layers of dirt off our deck and take it from grimy to gleaming. If you missed it, definitely check it out. You’ll be amazed at the before and after pics!

We just recently took the next step important step after cleaning the deck, and that is to seal it. Our deck is 5 years old and as far as we can tell, has never been treated. That means that we aren’t too far away from starting to see some rotting wood if we don’t take action! Thompson’s has a product that I LOVE LOVE LOVE because it seals and stains your wood all at once. It’s called Thompson’s Waterseal Waterproofer Plus Tinted Wood Protector. I’m all about products that do more than one thing for you, because the time we can devote to outdoor projects is a bit limited.

So, here’s our deck clean but untreated:

And here’s how it looks now:

I think the color is really beautiful! And I love how the wood grain isn’t at all covered up by the tint. Rather, it really pops! So our deck looks nice and new with its new tint, and it is also protected from damage by absorbing water every time it rains. Application was also surprisingly quick.

This project was absolutely worth the relatively short amount of time we put into it. We are now ready to snap up some end-of-summer patio furniture bargains and continue the transformation of our back deck from the junk yard to something that brings us a lot of pride!

Is your deck begging for mercy? Spend part of your Labor Day weekend giving it new life with Thompson’s products! And don’t forget to enter the Deck of Your Dreams sweepstakes. Someone is going to win big, and it might as well be you!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a cleaning and sealing kit from Thompson’s with the same products I reviewed (Oxy Foaming Action cleaner and Waterproofer plus Tinted Wood Protector).
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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.

Shopping For a New Stroller? Baby Cargo 300 Series Stroller GIVEAWAY!!!

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Ladies, I’m personally in the market for a new stroller, so I thought some of you might be, too! I’m bringing you the chance to  win a lightweight, full feature stroller? I’ve teamed up with several bloggers to bring you this great giveaway from Baby Cargo, an up and coming baby gear brand.
The Baby Cargo 300 offers many features of a full size stroller in a compact package. A stylish ride that is comfortable for baby is just the icing on the cake. The wipe-clean fabric is easy to care for, it is suitable for babies from birth, and it will fit kids up to 50 pounds. With great maneuverability for all your travels, whether you’re shopping, taking a stroll in the park, or jetting through the airport – the Baby Cargo 300 has all bases covered. Thoughtful details like the zippered back pocket and self-locking fold make travel a breeze! You can read the full review of the Baby Cargo 300 Stroller over at Eco-Babyz and see more photos.
Our Favorite Features: 
  • Comes with cup holder and rain cover
  • Luxurious, soft, easy-clean fabric
  • Adjustable footrest
  • Reclining seat, suitable from birth
  • Self-locks when folding
  • Weighs only 14.9 pounds
  • Holds kids up to 50 pounds
Purchase: You can buy the Baby Cargo 300 Stroller for $179.99. The Baby Cargo 200 is available for $149.99 and the 100 Series for $109.99.
Win One! Baby Cargo is blessing one of you with the Baby Cargo 300 Series stroller in your choice of Simply Taupe, Eclipse, or Blacktop.
Special thanks to Eco-Babyz, Dear Crissy, and Our Kids Mom for hosting this giveaway. Giveaway ends September 15th at 12:01 am, open to US residents, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Thank you!
Disclaimer: I received no compensation for this publication. Eco-Babyz, Dear Crissy, Our Kids Mom, and Baby Cargo 300 Stroller Giveaway Event bloggers are not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. 

Charge Your Phone Easily with Power2U USB Charging Outlet!

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A few months ago I started seeing some pins on Pinterest for an outlet that had USB outlets in them. I didn’t realize that I could swoon over an outlet plug until I saw these. What a clever invention that would save me time every other day as I frantically hunt down the attachment thingy I need to plug my phone or iPad into the wall to recharge. Tim and I are constantly moving that thing around, which means it is hard to find! I’m guessing that we aren’t the only family with that situation.

But it is no longer a problem at all because have now installed the Power2U outlet. This has the standard two plugs like you would see on most outlets, but it also has two USB ports for a direct connection with tech devices such as phones. Tim and I can both charge our phones at the same time! Also, I don’t have to unplug my computer to charge my phone, which is something I used to have to do frequently. It’s pretty much awesome, and it is something that has made life a little less hectic for us.

I suspect that as new homes are built, these types of outlet will start to become the norm. They make for a really cool way to upgrade your home now. I don’t think every outlet needs to be changed over, but now that I have one, I wish I had 2 or 3 more to put in other rooms of the house.

The Power2U comes with installation instructions (including a how to video). It took Tim about 30 minutes to get it installed.

Want one of your own? Power2U comes in white, almond, ivory and black and can be purchased for $24.95 (they are having a sale right now, too!).

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

Shoo Away Mosquitos Without DEET: BugBand Portable Diffuser GIVEAWAY!!!

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I’m sure you’ve seen the news reports about the large number of deaths in the United States this year from West Nile virus, which is transmitted through mosquitos. I believe the report I read said that the number was over 60 as of a few days ago.

That is scary stuff! While I don’t live in one of the areas that is most affected, I do live in an area where the mosquitos are rampant. On top of that, I seem to be extremely tasty to them. Our neighbors have some standing water in their yard, and as a result, our back yard is swarming (that’s only a slight exaggeration!) with mosquitos. I routinely get bit 2-5 times whenever I’m out there, and I’m only in the back yard when I’m headed to the car.

Mosquitos also get in our car while we are putting the girls in their seats. And so I get bit there, too.

Additionally, we enter the house through the back door, so mosquitos get in our house that way.

Basically, we have a pretty serious mosquito problem, which is annoying in and of itself, but with news of West Nile being a serious threat, our annoying problem has become something quite frightening to me.

While I’ll use something poisonous if I absolutely have to, I REALLY don’t want to. Applying DEET to my 3 month old child, and even to my 3 year old child, doesn’t sound like a good idea to me. I want the bugs to go away, but I don’t want to poison ourselves or our environment in the process.

mosquito repellent without deet BugBand is a company that offers a great line of natural insect repellents, and I am really loving their Portable Table Top Diffuser
. Lately I have been toting that thing around with me and I can tell you that it really works! I take it with me in the car, set it out in the back yard whenever Tim is out there cutting grass or working on the deck, and I use it in our home to keep the mosquitos who have made it inside at bay.

It runs on 3 AA batteries and comes with a refillable cartridge that lasts about 120 hours. It sends out Geraniol vapors that smell great to us, and terrible to mosquitos. They don’t want to be near it! The diffuser will keep mosquitos away in an area up to 300 square feet. So while it won’t necessarily keep them out of your entire yard, it will keep them away from the area where you are!

The diffuser is very light weight and easy to tote around with you. You can also take comfort in knowing that the vapor being released is totally safe for you to inhale, and it is safe around food and pets, too.

The BugBand portable diffuser is available for $19.95 and comes with one cartridge. You can purchase 6 refill cartridges for just $16.95. I highly recommend this product if you are concerned about West Nile virus or if you just don’t mosquito bites (who does?!).

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a BugBand Portable Diffuser!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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