review - Stuff Parents Need

Home Hack: How to Change an Air Filter

March 23, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Complimentary subscription service provided for review purposes. All thoughts, opinions, and disgusting air filters are my own. Affiliate links may be included.

So I learned something new last week that relates to household maintenance. I knew that the main air vent for heating and cooling systems had an air filter. And I knew that it needed to be replaced. But I had absolutely NO idea that it is supposed to be replaced every 3 months. And truth be told, I never think about the darn thing, anyway, so I can’t even tell you that I remember to change my air filter annually.

This has traditionally been my husband’s domain, and he takes care of it whenever he remembers. That’s good enough for me! But as the mother of two impressionable little girls, I want to set a good example for them and show them that household maintenance tasks are not to be ignored, nor are they to be feared/solely the domain of one person. FilterSnap.com is an air filter subscription service that is helping me take some initiative and complete this important chore in a timely manner.

Take a look at a video I filmed over the weekend to see just how easy it is to replace your air filter. This is seriously a 1 minute chore!

My dear husband requested that I set the record straight about something mentioned in the video. I thought we had NEVER changed the filter in our current home, and while I have never changed it, Tim actually has, though he isn’t sure when he last changed it and can only tell me that it was somewhere between 1 and 2 years ago. But to be fair, the nastiness you saw wasn’t 3 years of accumulation. Still, we clearly aren’t good about remembering to change the filters anywhere near as often as we should. And as a household with 2 cats and with allergy sufferers, we are doing ourselves a tremendous disservice by not staying on top of this.

This is exactly why I love FilterSnap.com. I have filled out the information they need about the size filter we have (it’s easy to find out…just look on your current filter for the dimensions). I don’t have to remember what size I need from here on out…FilterSnap will take care of it. Their prices are competitive with what you will find in the stores, and a new filter will show up on your doorstep every 3 months, and that’s your cue to replace the old one!

FilterSnap offers 3 different grades of air filters so that you can choose the right one for your budget and for your particular household needs. And as for the quality, I really enjoyed reading up on the intention behind the FilterSnap designs. It seems to me that these are high quality products that will rival if not best what you will find in the stores.

So how often do you change the air filters in your home? And have you, yourself, ever attempted the chore? Can you even believe how ridiculously easy it is? Let me encourage you to take a moment to change your filter as part of your spring cleaning. And if you are like me and never think about doing it, go ahead and get signed up for FilterSnap.com so that you don’t ever have to think about it again!

The Search for Fab Kids Shoes Starts at FabKids

March 22, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Shoes provided for review purposes. We are happy FabKids.com members!

There’s a rule at my girls’ school that I have always appreciated: the kids must wear slippers inside the classroom. This helps keep the floors in much better condition (which helps keep the costs down). A bonus for the parents is that it also tends to help keep the shoes that the kids wear to and from school in much better condition. So really, everybody wins!

But I just learned that the rules change in the lower elementary building. Starting in the fall, Darah will get to wear the shoes she came to school in all day long. I’m sort of bummed about this changed, but Darah is PUMPED. I guess to her, wearing your shoes all day long is oh so very BIG KID AWESOME.

All this is to say that we are likely going to be going through shoes at a faster pace, so I need to keep my eyes open for cute finds that are reasonable in price. This month, I finally got to try out the awesome shoes that FabKids.com offers. I looked through the offerings and saw quite a few different options that I knew Darah would love, but there was one pair, in particular, that had her name all over them.

I present to you, the pink leopard sneaker.

These shoes are positively gaudy. I can’t even lie about it, people. But this is EXACTLY what seems to be in style now (and I can’t really judge…I was a kid in the ’80s so whatever kids these days are wearing, it can’t possibly be any more strange than the stuff I was rockin’ back in the day…). Darah loves animal prints and she loves pink and she loves sparkles. So this is pretty much her dream shoe.

It’s also her first pair of lacing shoes. Since she’ll be headed to first grade in a handful of months, it’s time for her to start learning how to tie her shoes. Having a super cute pair to practice on will help her stay motivated. If she wants to wear these to her first grade classroom, she has to know how to tie and untie them!

She absolutely loves them, friends. They were a major hit. They are priced at $19.95 for anyone with a VIP membership to FabKids, and I think that’s a fair price to pay for something that is going to be so well received by my child. And I’m guessing I’m not the only parent out there with a kid who would rock these in a hot second if given the chance!

How to Buy These Shoes

Ok, so there is definitely a way to buy shoes the right way on FabKids. First, you need to be a VIP member. This means that you are signed up to get a special email from FabKids on the first of every month, at which point you will have 5 days to either select an outfit you’d like to purchase for $29.95 or to skip the month. There is no penalty for skipping the month, no charge if you notify them that you are skipping, and no hassle. It’s a simple button you press online and it isn’t hard to find! 🙂

So you’ll want to be in VIP so you can get a better price to start. Then when you see a pair of shoes that you really want to get, go ahead and pair it with an outfit so that you can buy enough stuff in one shot to score free shipping ($50+ gets you there). And before you check out, head over to their sale section to see if there are any great buys that you want to snag for now or even for the next size up for you kiddo. These are the strategies I use to get the very most bang for my buck on FabKids.com! AND…if you are new to the site and sign up through my referral link, you can get your first outfit for just $15 and snag free shipping…but you might want to check out the shoes, all the same, before checking out!

If you order something let me know what you get! 🙂

March Beauty Box 5 Review: 3 out of 5 Stars

March 20, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Complimentary box provided for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always. Affiliate links included.

Yesterday my March Beauty Box 5 showed up, and I confess that I was stalking the mail man to get my hands on it. That’s a pretty good sign that I like this subscription service! If you are new to Beauty Box 5, I think this is one of the very most affordable beauty subscription boxes out there (as low as $8.75/month if you buy a year subscription!). You get a combination of full size and deluxe sample size products (always 5, total) and you also get a combination of drugstore-type brands and higher end brands. I like it because it reflects my budget and the way I shop for beauty products…I like lower prices if I can get them, but I’m not afraid to splurge if something is really worth it!

Previous Reviews

If you want to see other reviews I have done to get a sense for what the boxes are like, check ‘em out!

July’s Beauty Box 5

November’s Beauty Box 5

December’s Beauty Box 5

January’s Beauty Box 5

February’s Beauty Box 5

March Beauty Box 5

So the theme for this month was Hustle, and it was a theme that resonated with me as a “mompreneur” (I’m not so sure I like that term…can’t decide…). Anyway, I liked the idea of having some excellent skin care products as your base and a few bold beauty products with easy application to get out out the door fast and looking great.

Here’s what you’ll find in this month’s box:

And let’s break down the contents, starting with what I didn’t love.

1. Eslor Introductory Collection

If you’ve read my other reviews, this is no surprise. I never like getting skin care because I stand by my previous statements that deluxe samples of skin care products don’t last long enough for you to determine if you actually like the product. It’s just a principle matter with me. I’ll always give a thumbs down to the skincare stuff. That’s just me!

2. Elite Therapeutics Rosemary Eucalyptus Body Cream

For a body cream, I thought the sample size was a bit too small, personally. Also? The smell that they claim to be “divine” is…not so much. It is a very mild scent, but not at all pleasant. I blame this, of course, on the fact that I have fierce essential oils collection and the oils I have are unmatched in quality. I think my nose has become an essential oil snob!

3. Scandalous Thickening Mascara by Nanacoco

I was pleased to see this product because I use mascara pretty much every day. This is a drug store quality product, retailing for $4.99. And it’s not the best mascara I’ve ever tried. But certainly not the worst. I think the formula is on the thin side and the wand is lacking. I have to apply several coats for my lashes to look thicker and longer. But I do eventually get there. Don’t love it, but I like it!

4. Laugh Out Loud Lip Gloss by Nanacoco

I was surprised to see 2 products from the same brand in this box. I’d personally prefer to get all different brands, if possible. Looks like the colors people receive for this item will vary. My color is desert trip. It veers a tad orange for me, but it blends well with other colors and I love the high level of shine.

5. Styli-Style Line & Seal Twist Mechanical Eye Liner

This was the big winner for me. Again, the colors receive will vary. I got raisin, which is a deep purply-brown and I super duper love it. The liner is creamy, goes on smooth, and doesn’t need to be sharpened. It’s a perfect shade for spring and I can also see it pairing well with certain eye shadow shades in the fall. LOVE it!

I’m hoping to see a lip liner in the mix in the next month or two from Beauty Box. That’s something I haven’t yet received. If you haven’t tried Beauty Box 5 yet, you can get it for $12/box if you go month to month, but I say spring for the whole year for just $99 because that makes each box $8.75, and even if you only like 2 out the 5 products each month, in that case it’s likely still worth the money. But I think most months you’ll like at least 3 out of 5 things, like me! Also, if you click through my link and use my referral code (HALFOFF) you’ll save 50% on your first box!

Keeping Your Baby Safe During Car Trips (and in style, too!)

March 20, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for GB. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and to thank me for my participation. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own!

When it comes to travel safety, there’s not much more important than a good car seat for your baby! We have a couple fun vacations planned this spring/summer that are going to have us in the car for several hours at a time, and I want to make sure my little ones are safe and comfortable for the whole ride.

If you’ve done any research on infant car seats you know that there are many options out there. I want to introduce you to a brand that I’d not heard of before – but I am definitely a fan now! GB has been manufacturing car seats for over 25 years. They also make strollers and travel systems (which are gorgeous, by the way!)

GB has taken protection to the next level with the FirmFit System on the GB Asana35 AP car seat! This special set of features offers protection like I’ve never seen in an infant seat before.

The first FirmFit installation feature is the Load Leg. This thing is really cool, you guys! When I first saw it in photos I had no clue what this bar sticking off of the seat was. Once my husband (easily) installed the car seat base though, it made immediate sense. The FirmFit Load Leg descends from the car seat base and sits on the floor of your vehicle. It provides extra stability and support for your baby’s head, neck and spine in the event of a crash. I was very interested to learn that this feature has been used in Europe for many years and now GB is finally bringing it to the US! The Load Leg is height adjustable to fit in most vehicles.
The second FirmFit installation feature is the FirmFit Arm. This lever in the center of the car seat base allows you to tighten the belt MUCH tighter than you would be able to on your own, providing much more security. Once we snapped that baby down there was NO play at all with the base. I’ve never gotten a seat so snug before! The FirmFit Arm actually provides an additional 20 lbs of force when securing the base.
The third FirmFit installation feature is the FirmFit Harness. Most other car seats I’ve seen require the rethreading of the straps to adjust the shoulder height. No more with the GB Asana35 AP! All you have to do is pull on the strap in the front to make the harness snug and it automatically conforms exactly to your child’s height for the perfect safe positioning. So easy! The headrest moves along with the harness so there is always perfect side impact protection as your baby grows.

We absolutely love the GB Asana 35 AP! It definitely looks and feels like a high-end car seat. This thing is classy, you guys! We received the Fuzion Red color and it looks great in my husband’s sporty black-on-black car. (He is such a guy about keeping his car looking “cool”. And even he won’t stop talking about how much he loves this seat! He reports that Katrina loves riding in it too.) But beyond the color and the style, here are some of our favorite highlights:

It has a nice, deep seat and the padding is cushy, comfy, and supportive.
The shoulder height adjusts very easily – no strap re-threading needed. It automatically conforms to baby’s height!
The car seat base is much more secure than any other seat we’ve tried. The FirmFit Arm lever in the center of the base tightens the belt another 2”-3” beyond what you could do on your own.
The FirmFit load leg keeps the base tight and balanced with no play at all. I am confident that my baby’s head, neck and spine would be well-protected in the case of a crash.

I have absolutely no concerns about my daughter’s safety in this seat! My only complaint is that it doesn’t come in a convertible version for when she outgrows the height limit on this one. (sniff!)

Interested in buying the GB Asana35 AP infant car seat? It’s available at ! If you’d like to see a little more about how the FirmFit features work first, you can check out a demonstration here:

Follow GB on social media!
GB website: http://gbchildusa.com
GB Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GBChildUSA
GB Twitter page: @GBChildUSA
GB Pinterest page: https://www.pinterest.com/gbchildusa/
GB Instagram: @GBChildUSA

meQuilibrium: 14 Days to Cooler, Calmer and Happier (Book Review)

March 10, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Book provided by Blogging for Books for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

There’s a cloud on the cover of this book that has the following sentence on it: “The clinically proven plan to banish burnout.” This got me very intrigued. When I saw “14 Days…” I was sold. Yes, I would love to be able to change my life in 14 days! I will read this book and amazing things will transpire!!!

You know where this is going, right?

I’m sure your mama taught you that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Mama’s right. meQuilibrium is not going to radically change your life in 14 days, especially not with 15-20 minutes of your time each day, as the book also promises.

Now, that’s not to say that this book doesn’t have very sound advice, and that it doesn’t lay out many different very real stress triggers and some great ideas for ways to diffuse those little ticking time bombs. But the amount of time that they suggest you might need to “fix” these problems strikes me as ridiculous. I actually found myself getting all stressed out after I realized that they were suggesting that I learn how to correctly identify, categorize and then appropriately diffuse my emotional triggers all in one day. Seems like quite the lofty task! Do you struggle with sleep issues? Don’t worry, you’ll fix that in day 2. All you have to do is stuff that you have probably tried 100 times before like do a little yoga, not eat too much before bed, etc. It will fix itself in one night…aren’t you excited?

Ok, I know I’m being a little grouchy. So I want to state what is true again: this book really does do a nice job of uncovering stress trigger points and giving you some long term as well as some short term stress relief ideas. But I think that the promise of being able to radically transform how a person deals with stress in 14 days, 15 minutes at a time, is not realistic, and frankly, it encourages folks (or at least me) to just put the book down and walk away. Why not be honest about the fact that changing decades old habits is just going to take time, but that working slow and steady on making those changes is going to be worth all of the hard work (because it IS hard work…it isn’t 15 minutes of your time work).

Is it worth the read? I would say yes IF you are super stressed out and you can’t even put your finger on what the heck is wrong. If you are lost, this book will shed some light on what might be happening with you. But if you want to be cooler, calmer and happier in just 14 days and with minimum effort, I’m not convinced that this book will help.

DazzlePro Advanced Sonic Toothbrush: Are Electric Toothbrushes Better?

March 9, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Product provided for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Ok, so electric toothbrushes have been around for long enough that most people are at least familiar with the concept. We even own a set and my husband faithfully uses his, while I have fallen off the bandwagon for some reason. I think I felt the need to at least use up all the manual toothbrushes that I collected during my couponing days when I could frequently get them for free or really close to it. While I knew using an electric toothbrush felt nice, I suppose I thought that I had a duty to use up what I had stocked away, and I wasn’t really sure if electric toothbrushes were necessarily better, anyway.

So DazzlePro asked to send along their Advanced Sonic Toothbrush for me to check out and I decided that since my manual toothbrush supply was pretty much tapped out, this was the perfect time to give electric toothbrushes another shake.

I did a bit of reading about how the toothbrush is designed to work, and I shared some of my initial thoughts on Youtube. Take a second to hear more about the features that impressed me, as well as the ones that left me a little confused!

Anyone out there a big fan of massaging your gums? Care to educate the rest of us about why we are supposed to be doing this? I’m all ears!

Ok, so I have been using the toothbrush for a few weeks, and I have even compared setting a timer for 2 minutes and manually brushing vs. using the Advanced Sonic Toothbrush for the 2 minute session just to see if I could tell a significant difference. I came away with 2 conclusions:

1. My teeth felt cleaner than normal using the manual toothbrush simply by setting a timer and adhering to it.

2. Still, there was no contest about which toothbrush seemed to perform the best in that 2 minute cycle. My teeth felt freakin’ awesome after using the DazzlePro Advanced Sonic Toothbrush. There’s just no other way to put it! I have been thoroughly impressed.

I’m going to have Tim start using the DazzlePro since there are other toothbrush heads that come with the base. I’m curious to hear from him if he prefers his old unit over the DazzlePro, or if he prefers the DazzlePro, or if he feels that they preform pretty much the same.

70% Savings!

Um, woah! I was sent a 70% off coupon just for my readers to use to try the DazzlePro Advanced Sonic Toothbrush. I just went to the website to test it out and make sure it wasn’t a typo. It’s legit! The Advanced Sonic Toothbrush retails for $179.99 but if you use the coupon code SONIC4TM then 70% comes off the bill and it drops down to $59.99 plus tax. Very impressive! If you haven’t tried out an electric toothbrush yet, I can’t think of a better time to take the leap, friends. I am really enjoying the toothbrush and do not have plans to go back to the manual style, myself. At a price like this, it might be time for you to do the same!

Honest Company Lunch Box: An Honest Assessment

March 7, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Affiliate links included. I love the Honest Company and I was not provided with complimentary products for this review. I always give it to you straight! 🙂

I’m someone who subscribes to the Honest Company bundles (though I recently eliminated my diaper bundle…three cheers for the end of potty training!). As such, I’m always paying attention to the emails I get from the company announcing their new products. So when I recently learned about their lunch boxes I knew I wanted to get one right away, especially since my husband had recently commented to me that our kindergartner’s lunch box was getting “kind of gross.” Yikes.

There are 4 designs currently available, and I’ll be honest and tell you that I’m not wild about any of them, in terms of their prints. I ultimately settled on the tribal stripe print. Here’s what it looks like:

And I will say this about the print: I like it more in person than I did on the website. Or perhaps I was just impressed with the overall look of the lunch box. It looks sturdy and of a good quality (which is much more than I can say for the Honest Canvas Tote!). It just looked well designed, so now that we have it, I really quite like it!

Here’s a peek at the inside of the lunch box:

There’s a place on the inside to put your child’s name, though at our school, identification has to be on the outside of the lunch box. Darah really loves the shiny, silver inside. I really love that the lunch box comes with a detachable insert, which makes cleaning it much more simple to do. This will help this lunch box last longer before it, too, becomes “kind of gross.”

Now for the price: if you go to the Honest website and just purchase this one item, it is going to cost you $29.95 plus tax and shipping. And as much as I like the lunch box, I think that price point is a smidge too high. Here’s what you need to do to get the price down and to score free shipping.

1. Sign up for the everyday essentials bundle if you aren’t signed up already. It is, indeed, an auto ship program…BUT…you can switch your delivery date effortlessly online. You are NOT required to place an order every month and there is no hassle to be had for moving your date around. You do have to call in to cancel the service, but I can tell you from personal experience cancelling bundles that this is also not a pain in the rear and that the reps you speak with are wonderful and happy to help you.

2. Once you are signed up for a bundle, pick out the items you want for your household for that month. Not sure what to get? I can help you! I have an extensive list of the Honest Co reviews so you can learn what is worth buying, what is worth skipping, and exactly how to place things in your cart to save the most money. Some things are best saved for the 3 bonus items you are allowed to tack on to your bundle order for an extra 25% off! 🙂

3. The lunch box should be one of you “+3” items. You are not allowed to count it as one of your bundle items, but you can score 25% off if you add it on. This will bring the price down to $22, and it is absolutely worth $22. Once your entire order totals $50, your order ships free, and adding this on to a bundle will take care of that for you!

If you haven’t ever ordered anything from The Honest Company, you should actually start with your free trials, though. I’ve got the inside scoop on how to get free Honest Company products for you. .Start there, and then move on to your super smart bundle orders! 🙂

February Beauty Box 5: I Love the Improvements!

February 21, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Complimentary box provided for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Hello sweet friends! I hope you are having a lovely weekend. It is absolutely dreary here in Chattanooga, which makes it the perfect day to stay inside and play with my makeup a bit. 🙂

Today I’m showcasing the contents of the February 2015 Beauty Box 5 subscription box. This is a box that I highly recommend because of it’s budget-friendly price tag (as low as $8.75/month!) and for its really nice selection of offerings at several price points. Basically, this box contains products that I would actually buy as well as a few surprises from brands that are totally new to me.

Previous Reviews

If you want to see other reviews I have done to get a sense for what the boxes are like, check ’em out!

July’s Beauty Box 5

November’s Beauty Box 5

December’s Beauty Box 5

January’s Beauty Box 5

February’s Beauty Box

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s inside (notice that SWEET $20 gift card!!!!). For a detailed look, click play and I’ll tell you everything, darling!

Girls Fashion Trend Alert: Sparkly Jeans

February 12, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

I received a complimentary outfit for review purposes. Affiliate links included. I am a very satisfied FabKids.com customer and love spreading the word about this great company with convenient service for busy parents!

I’ve got a super cute trend alert for you today: sparkly jeans!

fabkids pink sparkly jeans 1

FabKids.com has just released the only, and I do mean ONLY pair of denim that I have been able to convince my oldest to wear in her life. The kid just doesn’t like jeans! She and I are so much alike in every way, but not when it comes to jeans. I LOVE jeans. What is wrong with this kid?!

Turns out if you present her with pink jeans and then throw in some shimmer, she’s willing to try them out. If you make them comfortable to really jump around in, then she’s sold! Really, kid? That’s what it took? Well, good thing Mama shopped at FabKids.com this month and decided to take a risk on that glittery denim for her little sparkler.

FabKids.com, if you are unfamiliar, is a site where members are presented with an adorable selection of clothing for girls (and boys!) at the start of the month. You have 5 days to decide if you want to get an outfit (outfits are $29.95, which is quite reasonable!) or if you want to skip the month. If you skip by the 5th there is no charge to your card. So there’s really nothing to lose. I have had months where I have purchased multiple outfits, and I have had a few months in a row where I have skipped due to simply not seeing anything that I couldn’t live without for my girls.

It’s EASY to skip. No hidden buttons or need to call in like you’ll find at lots of monthly subscription type places. I have always especially loved that about FabKids. They aren’t trying to pull a fast one on you. They just want to offer you awesome clothes for your awesome kids and at an awesome price.

Have you tried them, yet? If not, let me be the first to encourage you to do so. And actually, I’ve got more than a word of encouragement for you. I’ve got a DEAL! You can snag your first outfit for $15 with free shipping. Why are you still reading this? Scoot!!! Those awesome pink sparkly jeans aren’t going to wait, friends!

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