Stuff Parents Need

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

Hot Dots Jr. Alphabet Cards Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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We have a FANTASTIC new educational toy at our house, and I’m so excited to share it with you! It comes to us from Educational Insights, an online store that is packed with really great games and toys that help children learn important concepts.

Hot Dots, Jr. is an interactive set of flash cards. We received the beginning alphabet cards. You use these cards in conjunction with a special talking pen that helps children know if they have solved the problem on the card correctly, or if they need to try again. Darah has Kat, and they also offer Ace the dog. Kat’s eyes turn green and she purrs when Darah selects the right answer. She meows when Darah needs to try again.

The cards in the beginning phonics set have various problems that need to be solved. Darah is just now mastering the set of cards that has her match upper case and lower case letters. We are now moving into the cards that also have her match upper and lower case letter, but offer more options and seem to be a bit more difficult. Darah absolutely LOVES to do these flash cards, and she does not get discouraged when she misses the answer. She remains very focused and also practices the sounds the letters make while doing her work. Its really pretty awesome to watch!

I will most definitely be getting more of these cards for her to work with because she has responded so well to them. I also like that they come in a compact case with a velcro lid and a canvas handle for easy storage as well as easy access by Darah. She can pull these out on her own and put them away on her own, which is really nice.

Hot Dots, Jr. card sets retail for $14.99 each and the talking pens retail for $12.99 each. I highly recommend these products as a way to keep the learning that is happening at school also happening at home.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Hot Dots Jr. card set and a talking pen!

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Get Ready for Spring with Havainas Flip Flops! GIVEAWAY!!!

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Here in Tennessee, the weather is starting to get downright gorgeous! The high yesterday was 72!!! I’m starting to pack away my boots and to unpack my sandals and flip flops!

If you are doing the same thing, you may be noticing that some of your spring/summer footwear looks a bit worn. Maybe it’s time for an update! And have I got a CUTE one for you today! Check out Havaianas flip flops. They give a whole new updated look to this casual style! They have bold, fresh colors and patterns that will make your feet look great, even if you are in desperate need of a pedicure (That’s me! My toes are screaming for some TLC!). I’m currently swooning over these lace pattern sandals! How cute!!

You are sure to find something that makes you swoon in their collection, but even if you don’t, do not fret, because at Havaianas you can make custom sandals suited to your individual preferences! I tried it out and made the cutest purple and green sandals with just a little bit of bling on them. They are so me!!

Aside from the amazing style selection, what I really love about Havaianas is that this company is all about social responsibility. From their site, “Havaianas stands for style, comfort, affordable luxury, and positive energy. As a part of this positive energy, Havaianas, along with its parent company, Alpargatas, believe in social and environmental responsibility. We participate in many programs and contribute to organizations ensuring that we do our part to support society and our planet.” In addition to supporting conservation programs, they also practice what they preach in their factories by using sustainable business practices that ensure the health and safety of their workers and their local environment. Love it!

Win it!: Just in time for spring, here’s your chance to win a pair of flip flops of your choice (up to $40) from Havaianas! Woo hoo!

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Elizabeth Grant’s The Socializer Skincare Collection: Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Recently I came across Canadian Skincare company Elizabeth Grant. I’d been hearing glowing reviews about her products from some other moms on a few chat boards about how great the products were for brightening, tightening and giving your skin an all-around tune up!

When I checked out the site, I was drawn to The Socializer Skincare Collection. These products are specifically aimed to help you look refreshed and awake, even after a LONG night. Their marketing strategy is a very interesting one, as it seems focused on women in their twenties and thirties who rock the board room during the day, and rock the club at night. It’s sort of that glamorous Sex and the City type of life. Sounds fun.

It also sounds a million miles away from my own life. I rock the work-at-home mom routine during the day, balancing blog posts, grocery trips and increasingly frequent doctors appointments since I’m getting close to my due date. Night time for me is spent tossing and turning in a desperate attempt to find a comfortable sleeping position. Two months from now, I’ll be doing awesome to get 3 hours stretches of sleep, so its going to get even worse.

While my days and nights are not as sexy as what is projected by The Socializer collection, the end result is the same. I look TIRED, and yes, even a bit older than I should. I need some specialized skincare products that can really help out, and I can tell you that Eliabeth Grant’s products are doing a fantastic job. I’m so pleased! Here’s what I’ve been using lately:

Bright Lights and Late Nights: This product has two tubes for different needs. You apply late nights just before you head to bed (or perhaps during one of your late night/super early morning wake up sessions with baby) and it helps to reduce the puffiness that you know is coming. The Bright Lights tube is meant to be applied in the morning, and it literally helps brighten the area under your eyes, helping you go from looking haggard to looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. This product retails for $40

Porefection: This is a product designed to help with the “extra dull” look overtired skin gets. It helps stimulate exfoliation, reduces the look of pores and adds a boost of hydration to your skin. You apply it in the evening so that it can work its magic while you (finally) sleep. The retail price is $22.

Spotlight Exfoliator: This product is designed specifically for an area that is a trouble spot for most women: the t-zone. It is a very gentle exfoliator that helps reveal more radiant and healthy looking skin. I use it in the shower about twice a week. It retails for $26.

Can You Keep a Secret? This might be my very favorite product in the line. It has two components: one size of this tube has a gentle vibrator as part of the applicator, and you apply it to your lips in order to remove the dead skin on them and reveal a MUCH prettier smile! The other side of the tube has a deep conditioning balm with anti-aging properties to help keep your fresh lips looking kissably soft. This product retails for $38.

I’ve been very pleased with the results of using The Socializer products from Elizabeth Grant. I can definitely see some improvement in how I look, despite the fact that I most certainly don’t FEEL any more rested (on the contrary!). So even though I don’t need to look my best for an important meeting, and even though I wasn’t out until 3am partying hard, I still suffer from the same struggles as the Carrie Bradshaws of the world, and The Socializer products really help out!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win two products of your choice from those I reviewed in the post!

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Clean + Green Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Our family cat, Hattie, has a very special place in my heart. We’ve had her since 2004, and she was, in some sense, our first baby. She does not reciprocate my affection, though. Her love is for Tim. I am like an annoyance she must endure most of the time. The time when she was the most loving toward me was when I was pregnant with Darah. She would lay on top of my belly and purr. In hindsight, I don’t really think that was an act of kindness! She didn’t want me producing any heirs! Ha!

But I love her, anyway. What I DON’T love is cleaning up after her. She is a long-haired cat, and LOVES to eat her hair as she grooms herself. As a result, we get some killer hairballs left as presents for us around the house from time to time.

And since she is an indoor-only cat, we also have a litter box. Tim is in charge of that, thank goodness. We try to go for the more eco-friendly litter options, but they just don’t handle the odors as well as the other stuff.

For the past 2 weeks, we have been trying out some cleaning products that are green and are specifically designed to work with pet stains and odors. Clean + Green is the name of the company, and we tried the following products designed for cats and dogs:

  • Carpet & Upholstery Stain, Odor Eliminator, Cleaner & Stain Remover
  • Wood & Tile Odor Eliminator, Cleaner and Stain Remover 
  • Litter Box Odor Eliminator and Cleaner

I have found every single product to be very effective. And I love knowing that it is non-toxic. I have no worries using them as a pregnant lady or using them around Darah! The carpet cleaner works great on those yucky stains left behind by hairballs. And I like that you don’t need to saturate the stain with the product in order for it to work. This product can also be used on the insoles of shoes. I am constantly wearing flats without any socks, and the end result of that combo doesn’t smell like roses. So it is awesome to have this product on hand, and to know that it is perfectly safe for my twinkle toes!

We don’t have any product that has been designed to be particularly safe on wood floors, so we are really enjoying the Wood & Tile product. Previously, we’ve just been mopping the area with a vinegar/water mix and hoping for the best.

And the litter box product is AWESOME! As a pregnant lady, it is actually not safe for me to clean out the litter box (one of the few perks of being an expecting lady). There are times when I find the litter to be quite smelly, but it’s the middle of the day and Tim won’t be home to deal with it for several more hours. This product makes it all better, as it really does eliminate the odor! I also learned that I can use this same product on our toilet bowl if I think it is smelly as well as in a diaper pail. Very cool!

Buy it!: Clean + Green products can be purchased online and you can also click here to find your nearest retailer!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win the Green+Clean product of your choice!

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Instrumental Dreamland: A Soothing, Sleepytime CD! (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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The “to do” list I have as we get closer and closer to our baby’s arrival is getting pretty out of control. The stress level in my house is being kicked up a few notches. To add to the stress, everyone in my house is getting really sick! Just when I thought we were going to get through the winter without any major illnesses…

To help calm my nerves, I’ve actually been borrowing heavily from Darah’s music collection. Go ahead and judge if you want, but she’s got an album that is absolutely perfect for helping me take a deep breath and just relax. It’s called Instrumental Dreamland, and it is my ticket to calm!

This is the first all-instrumental album from Putumayo Kids, and after listening to it, I can tell you that they are really on to something! The album features songs you already know and love (What a Wonderful World, Brahm’s Lullaby) as well as plenty of music that will be new to your ears, but equally as soothing. Songs feature such instruments as the harp, piano, the acoustic guitar and even an instrument I did not previous know, the kora.

Just as I have enjoyed every single album I have received from Putumayo Kids, this one is definitely know exception. I’d say it’s getting the most play time of them all, actually! You can pick up a copy for yourself for $14.98.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Instrumental Dreamland!

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Freschetta Rally for Real Pizza: Win Free Pizza!!!

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My favorite frozen pizza company, Fresc hetta, is currently hosting an AWESOME giveaway on their facebook page and you are most definitely going to want to go enter!  From now through March 30th, fans can take a stand for Fresch pizza. No more blah frozen pizzas that lack flavor. Take a stand and pledge to serve something Fresch!

All you have to do to enter the giveaway is submit a photo on the Freschetta facebook page. Each week 100 fans will be drawn to each receive 5 free pizza coupons from Freschetta. Oh yeah!

But wait, it gets better. At the end of the contest, 10 winners will be drawn and will each receive a one year supply of pizza (in the form of 26 free product coupons). How wonderful would it be to take a night off cooking twice a month, free of charge??!!!

Um, why are you still reading this? Get to the Freschetta Facebook page NOW!

Disclosure: By providing this information, I’m entered into a drawing for a cash prize or for free pizza coupons. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Refreshing Styles, Organic Fabrics for Baby: Finn + Emma Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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After checking out a local consignment sale last week, one thing became abundantly clear: if you want to dress your baby girl in pink, there is NO shortage of opportunities. There’s even quite a large selection for you if you want to dress her like a little diva or princess.

But what if you don’t? Well, your options are decidedly more limited, then. I have no problem putting my girls in pink (though I’m not so fond of diva/princess stuff). But I’d prefer that this color not dominate the closet. I imagine that I’d feel the same way about the color blue if I had a little boy. Why confine ourselves to these colors? Are we terrified that someone will think they are the opposite sex? I can tell you from experience that people will make the wrong guess no matter how much pink/blue you put your kid in. Darah’s had her ears pierced since she was 6 months old, and that didn’t stop people from guessing that she was a boy, either!

If you, like me, are always on the hunt for clothing that is a refreshing change of pace from the norm, I’ve got a delightful company to share with you today. It’s called Finn + Emma. The clothes all have such a sweet vibe that make them precious for babies, but they do not look like what you might find at a Carter’s store or even a local consignment sale. The designs are different and absolutely delightful. And if that’s not enough to get you to take a closer look, you should also know that Finn + Emma clothes are made from organic material. Hooray!

A few weeks ago I received a sweet little baby girl romper that made me squeal when I saw it. The flower detail and the slightly puffy sleeves give this outfit such a feminine feel without beating you over the head with the, “I’m a girl!” message. The soft purple is so pretty (purple happens to be my favorite color). It is going with us to the hospital in the event that our baby is large enough to fit into 0-3 months clothes from the start. As simple as it is, I think this outfit is cute enough to be a “going home” outfit contender!

Finn + Emma is the type of company that breathes new life into the baby clothing industry. Their sustainable and fair trade practices also make them the type of company I want to support as a consumer. Their clothing is also constructed out of very high quality materials, which means that it will last through several babies, and potentially even several generations!

Buy it!: The romper I received to review retails for $37.00 and can be purchased here.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win your choice of romper for a boy or a girl from Finn + Emma!
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(Maternity Monday) Preparing for Baby Bath Time with Ahmelie Hooded Towels (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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At my first baby shower, I received a Tigger hooded towel for Darah. Hooded towels are totally adorable and also serve a great purpose in that they help keep your baby warm from head to toe after getting them out of the bath. This is especially important when they are tiny and can’t regulate their own body temperatures very well.

I also like hooded towels because the larger, more plush versions can grow with your child, as opposed to the tiny hooded towels, which Darah outgrew by the time she was 6 months old (and she was a small baby!). The Tigger towel is just now starting to be a little bit small for Darah.

As great as it has been, I can’t say that I’m going to miss having a big orange towel hanging out in my bathroom. It honestly was just unsightly and it clashed with everything. I guess that’s probably going to be the case with many character print towels.

But Ahmelie, who you saw featured for her stylish burp cloths, has an alternative that you should check out. Her hooded towels are GORGEOUS! No seriously. STUNNING. As in, I want one in my size. Many of them are made with Amy Butler towels. Amy Butler is known for her gorgeous prints, and these towels are certainly no exception. They are also organic. Just take a look and see the cuteness for yourself!

We received the Woodfern Grey hooded towel and it matches our bathroom perfectly. I LOVE seeing it hanging up in the room; what a refreshing change from bright orange! Darah also thinks it is beautiful and loves being wrapped up in it after her bath. The towel is very plush and absorbent. It feels like one of those towels that you get to use when you visit a wealthy relative. Ha ha!

For the next little peanut on the way, I’m completely skipping over those thin infant hooded towels, and I’m bypassing character towels, too. On my wish list is another Ahmelie hooded towel that will get used over and over again for several years. I predict Darah won’t outgrow hers until she is at least 6! These towels retail for $32.00 and given how beautiful and soft they are, and how long they will last, they are absolutely worth the price! Plus, you can use code STUFF10 to save 10% off your purchase at Ahmelie.com!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a hooded towel in your choice of available prints!

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Itzy Bitzy Designs Klippie Klub (Clip of the Month) Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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If you have a little girl who loves to wear bows, then you need to read this post very carefully, because it has some really exciting information in it!

The company Itzy Bitzy Designs (founded by mompreneur Michelle Ruesch in 2007) has just launched a Cip of the Month Club called, appropriately, the Klippie Club. It is a very fun and VERY affordable way to receive exclusive hair accessories for your little one.

Every month you can receive a collection of new hair accessories at a 60% savings. You read that right! Additionally, when you sign up for a 6 month subscription, you get an additional $65 in free products (your first monthly kit that retails for $40 is free and you get a hair accessory and travel bag that is worth $25 for free).  What a smokin’ hot deal!

A monthly subscription is just $15.99, which is less than it costs to swing by a fast food joint for your family. And the accessories wear much better than an extra cheeseburger, I promise! 🙂

 

If you aren’t quite ready to commit to the Krazy membership (6 month commitment, minimum) you can still experience great savings by becoming a Kasual member. You’ll get the same great products for $18.99 month with no commitment.

We received the complimentary kit that comes with a 6 month membership, and Darah and I both have been extremely impressed. The quality of the bows is absolutely top notch. They have no-slip grips that help hold them into place, and the designs are fashion-forward. We also LOVE having the travel kit. I haven’t previously had a safe way to pack her hair bows for travel, and this is a great solution! You can also simply leave it hanging up in your bathroom by your mirror to use as a bow holder. I think this is a VERY fun gift idea for the little girls in your life. How fun to get a shipment of new hair flair every month, and how fun for the person who buys it to get so much bang for the buck! I highly recommend checking out the Klippie Klub!I also want to point out that Itzy Bitzy is a company that STRONGLY believes in giving back. They proudly support and donate a portion of sales to benefit children with Treacher Collins and other facial differences, as the founder’s daughter has this condition and she knows from experience that money going to help with research and with the needs of affected families is a true blessing!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a one month membership to the Klippie Klub!

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