Stuff Parents Need

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

Michael Angelo’s Frozen Meals Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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When I think of the holidays, I think of baking special treats in the kitchen, and even making a few special meals. I also think of to-do lists that can make a grown woman cry and the stress that comes along with trying to do it all. That’s why in this season of extra special cooking and baking, I actually stock my freezer with yummy convenience foods. It may seem counter-intuitive at first, but I promise, it is an important strategy for helping my family take care of all we need to get done so that we have the time and energy to bake those cookies!

Lately, we have been REALLY enjoying Italian meals from Michael Angelo’s. You’ve likely seen these products in your frozen food section, as they are found all over the nation. It is a family-owned and operated company with a serious dedication to producing the highest quality Italian food. They want their frozen foods to meet the same standards for flavor and quality as any other meal. That’s a tall order, I think. But I can tell you from experience that they are successful!

We’ve tried a few different products from the line, but the one that had us totally flipping out is their meat lasagna. On a particularly stressful weeknight, I took care of dinner by popping a family-size lasagna in the oven. I was honestly expecting it to taste, “just fine.” Actually, it tasted really incredible. Tim and I both commented that we would have been really proud of our end result if we had made this from scratch. And of course, we didn’t have to go through all that work at all! It was so nice to have such a delicious meal on a day when it would have been completely impossible to have a decent home cooked meal (I’m thinking we would have had cereal…it was that crazy of a day).

I really appreciate that Michael Angelo’s products address some of my chief concerns with buying frozen foods. Their products do not contain any artificial colors, flavors, fillers or chemical preservatives! Their food is also shipped to stores within 36 hours of being created. If you’ve ever wondered just how old the frozen food is you are eating, the answer for Michael Angelo’s products is, “not old!”

Michael Angelo’s has a line of products available at warehouse stores, and an extensive selection of foods in natural food stores. But here’s a list of products you can find in more conventional grocery stores:

  • meat lasagna
  • eggplant parmesan
  • vegetable lasagna
  • chicken picatta
  • italian-style sausage and meatballs
  • chicken alfredo
  • chicken paremesan
  • four cheese lasagna
  • lasagna with sausage
  • manicotti with sauce
  • shrimp scampi
  • stuffed tilapia
  • chicken cannelloni
  • baked ziti & meatballs

I very highly recommend that you get some Michael Angelo’sproducts to have on hand for your next stressful day. Let the professionals take care of dinner while you take care of other things!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win the following:

  • One family-sized meal voucher, valued at $9.49
  • One single-serve meal voucher, valued at $4.99
  • One single-serve meal voucher for our Natural Line, valued at $5.99

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Slim Fast 3-2-1 Plan: What a Treat!

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This post brought to you by Slim-Fast. All opinions are 100% mine.

As you know, I’m currently expecting. That means that this little lady is NOT on a diet. At the same time, I’m trying (some days more successfully than others) to not let my pregnancy serve as an excuse to eat anything and everything. I do have quite a sweet tooth, and I’m trying hard to keep that in check. I get hungry frequently, and there’s no harm in me eating when I feel the need. What I need to pay attention to is WHAT I’m choosing to eat. Am I going for some delicious grapes when I crave sweets or for a double-stuffed oreo cookie? Either way, I’ll be hungry again in 45 minutes, so it’s best if I can avoid the food that brings zero nutritional value to the table!

I recently had the opportunity to try out a new line of products from Slim Fast. I want to stress that I am not using their products as meal replacers, as I need extra calories in my current condition. However, I have found that these shakes make for delicious extra treats, especially when I  to get the urge to make an entire pan of brownies and eat  them all by myself! In those weak moments, I’ve been reaching for a milk chocolate shake from Slim-Fast, instead. They are easy to make, taste rich and creamy, and also have 10 grams of protein and 24 essential vitamins and minerals. This makes them a fine choice in my book! Plus, I feel like I got to totally indulge in something super chocolaty!

If you are looking to shed a few pounds, the Slim Fast 3-2-1 plan is a great option that includes some flexibility so that you can create the best plan for you. You get 3 snacks each day (Slim Fast 100-calorie bars, or fruit, or nuts are some examples of options), 2 shakes each day to serve as breakfast and lunch (flavors include creamy milk chocolate, strawberries ‘n cream, french vanilla, rich chocolate royale, and cappuccino delight), and then one 500 calorie balanced meal each day. This is definitely something I’ll consider trying once I have weaned the new baby and take stock of how my body has naturally responded to postpartum life. It’s likely I may need a little extra assistance getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight, especially since this will be my second baby.

Want more info about Slim Fast and the 3-2-1 plan? Check out the Slim-Fast Facebook page to get the skinny (tee hee!). You can purchase these great products at your nearest Wal-Mart, Target, Safeway and Kroger, and you can also find them online at Amazon and the Slim-Fast 3-2-1 Store on Facebook!

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Last-Minute Gift Idea for Coffee Lovers: Godiva! GIVEAWAY!!!

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If you have someone on your Christmas list that that you just can’t think of a gift for, and you know they drink coffee, then I’ve got the perfect gift idea! Buy them something extra indulgent for their morning pick-me-up and go with Godiva Coffee. If you want to really go all out, pair this gift with a package of Godiva chocolates (one of my very favorite surprises to find under the tree, by the way!).

Godiva has an outstanding selection of delicious coffees, but their seasonal flavors are particularly wonderful. I promise you that any coffee enthusiast would be tickled to receive them! First up is Peppermint Mocha, which is inspired by Godiva’s Candy Cane Bark (SO yummy!). I’ve been sipping on this blend in the morning, lately, and find that rich chocolate taste combined with a kick of peppermint to be such a great way to get the day rolling.

Also be sure to check out Cinnamon Gingerbread Truffle. Didn’t your mouth start to water just at the sound of it???. Truffles are the heart of soul of Godiva chocolates, and this one is a seasonal favorite. Bless this company for taking a taste that is so delicious and adding it to coffee. That’s absolutely brilliant, my friends.

Godiva coffee products are available at most grocery stores nationwide, as well as at many Wal-Mart and Target locations. To find your nearest store, just click here! Be sure to look for the gift packs they are offering for the holidays, which include several smaller bags of seasonal coffees. I think these are the absolute perfect choice for many people. In fact, a few folks on my list will be getting them!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win both seasonal flavors I reviewed from Godiva! Merry Christmas, indeed!

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Great Chuck E. Cheese Holiday Promotion and GIVEAWAY!!!

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A few weeks ago I took Darah up to North Carolina to visit my BFF and for our little girls to have great “cousin time” together. One of our adventures was a trip to Chuck E. Cheese. It was Livy’s very first trip to the place where a kid can be a kid, and the third time for Darah, who is by now a HUGE fan.

We visited the Durham establishment, and were excited to hear that they had just received a shipment of brand new games that morning. It was so much fun to be some of the very first people to get to play! We placed an order for our pizza, got some milk for the girls (which I very much appreciate seeing on the menu), grabbed a booth and grabbed some tokens to go play.

Except that the girls didn’t want to go play games. That’s because this Chuck E. Cheese had a full animatronic band and they were mesmerized from the start. After we ate our yummy cheese and pineapple pizza, the girls finally started to notice the room full of fun games, and we were off to play. The girls especially loved the games and rides that took their pictures as part of the fun.

I really appreciate that each and every game costs just one token. Leslie and I had a bit of fun of our own, spending quite a few tokens on Deal or No Deal. Here you will see some shots of us gambling playing for tickets for our kiddos. Sometimes we did awesome. Other times, not so much!

This holiday season, you can give the gift of fun and laughter by purchasing a Chuck E. Cheese gift card for another family or for your own. The best part is, you don’t have to go to Chuck E. Cheese to pick one up! You can find them at participation CVS, Target and Walgreens stores and can load any amount on them. That’s definitely something I’d love to find tucked away in Darah’s stocking this year. Are you listening, Santa Claus? You know you need to make a Target run this week, so pick up this gift card while you are there!

 Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to get a super fun guest pass from Chuck E. Cheese, which includes a 1 topping pizza, 4 drinks and 30 game tokens. A few hours of fun, on the house!

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Tumble Bee by Laura Veirs Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Today I’m featuring Laura Veirs, an artist who has just released a children’s album, Tumble Bee, which has a  very folksy vibe. Bela Fleck makes an appearance, and for  you mega hipsters out there, you may recognize Jim James from My Morning Jacket.

Tumble Bee is a cd that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to. Every single song (truly!) captivated my attention and made me want to hear it all the way through. If you are looking for a children’s album that feels anything but, this is your best bet.

I will say that I find the melodies and the lyrics, for the most part, to be a little too advanced for my toddler. She doesn’t seem to be too drawn to the music at this point. I was bummed, because I was hoping it might be our new favorite. Sadly, it seems to be just my new favorite. But I’ll learn some of these songs on my own, and start singing parts of them to Darah so that she becomes familiar. And then after a while, I’ll be able to play the cd again, and likely with success.

So while I can’t recommend this cd for the youngest of your brood, I still think it is most worthy of a listen. Laura’s voice is absolutely haunting, and her music shows a level of sophistication that is very hard to find in children’s music.

Buy it!: You can purchase Tumble Bee online right now for the sale price of $11.99!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Tumble Bee by Laura Veirs!

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Maternity Monday: Boppy Cuddle Pillow Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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When I was pregnant with Darah, I tried a few different things to stay comfortable at night with my growing belly. First, my mother-in-law sent me a Boppy Wedge, which is a really fabulous and quite compact pillow that you place under your belly while sleeping on your side (starting around 20 weeks, you really have to start sleeping that way for the safety of the baby). It worked great for most of the pregnancy, although toward the end I found that I really needed something to wrap my legs around, as well. We purchased the cheapest body pillow we could find, and it worked ok. Tim definitely felt the loss of the space, though, as that thing took up, well, about as much space as another body!

Recently, I started to feel the need for extra tummy AND leg support again. Both of us groaned at the thought of using the body pillow for this long (22 more weeks!). Fortunately, the same company that makes the wedge I enjoyed using has a mid-size pillow option, as well. It’s called the Boppy Cuddle Pillow, and it is helping me quickly escape to dream land each and every night!

The Boppy Cuddle Pillow is a terrific option for any expecting lady who is having some trouble sleeping (I have yet to meet one who never has sleep problems!). But it also doesn’t take up the whole bed, which is nice for your partner. We have a queen size bed and want to keep it that way!

When I first took the pillow out of its packaging, I laid down on the bed just to try it out. I really and truly almost fell asleep while I was giving it a test! I intended to initially lay down with it for 2 minutes, and it turned into 20. My tummy felt supported, and so did my legs, which helps the pain in the sciatic nerve that I have been getting. I love that the pillow really hugs your body, and in all the right places. This is a big contrast to a standard body pillow which just lays flat and you have to contort in order to make it helpful. And of course, once you move, it messes up and you have to do it all over again. With the Boppy Cuddle, I haven’t had to wake up and readjust the positioning of the pillow once!

Buy it!: The Boppy Cuddle Pillow gets high praise from this pregnant lady. It can be purchased online for $42.99.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a Boppy Cuddle Pillow! Get ready to sleep tight!

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Dolphin Organics Shampoo and Conditioner GIVEAWAY!!!

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Dolphin Organics is the end result of lots of love, hard work and dedication from the husband and wife team, Nigel and Ayo. They made a commitment early on to eating as much organic food as possible, but later on realized that they weren’t being as careful about what they put ON their bodies as they were about what they put IN their bodies.

Being dissatisfied with the number of organic and natural skincare options for children on the market, they decided to solve that problem by making their own. Dolphin Organics was born, and now has a line of excellent products that you can let your entire family use with confidence. 

We were sent two products to try: the Baby Shampoo & Body Wash (just one product!) and the Hair Conditioner. I really love the shampoo & body wash product. Three cheers for a product that does double-duty and reduces clutter in the bathroom! I have found the product to effectively clean Darah’s body and hair without leaving it feeling too dry (a tough thing to do now that winter is approaching!).

The conditioner is a new product for us to be using on Darah, and I don’t think she needs it every time she gets her hair washed. It gets used about once a week, and I do notice that it adds some extra softness to her hair. I’ve actually used the product as well and found it to do a nice job. It also smells lovely!

One other thing I love about these products is that they very clearly list all the ingredients, and even show you which ingredients are organic, and which are natural. They have a column for designating artificial ingredients, but none of their products contain any, so that column is always empty!

Dolphin Organics is offering a special deal each day for the holidays, so be sure to check in and see what you can snag for a bargain!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Dolphin Organics shampoo AND conditioner set! Yay!

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Happy Scarf Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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I love fall and winter the very most in terms of fashion choices. Comfy sweaters, stylish boots, cute jeans, and my favorite of all, SCARVES!

Scarves are seriously the saving grace of a girl on a budget. They can take a plain Jane outfit and make it chic in about 10 seconds. Trust me, I know, as I have a closet full of plain Jane clothes (or at least clothes that aren’t at the height of fashion at the moment). But I have a fantastic selection of scarves, and I get compliments on my “outfit” every single time I wear them. But I know the truth…the scarf is what really pops. The rest of the outfit is completely forgettable, but with help from the scarf, it gets transformed into something worthy of a compliment!

And today I want to highlight a store that has an AMAZING selection of scarves that really pop, and all at price points you are going to love! It’s called Happy Scarf, and let me just show you the beautiful pieces I have from their collection.

First up, for the holidays I got this too-pretty-for-words red scarf that is wide enough to be used as a shawl, also. It is SUPER soft and makes me feel totally cozy. It is absolutely striking and will be part of my Christmas outfit for sure. The first time I wore it out, Tim was actually stopped by a gentleman and told that he had a beautiful wife. Um…let me think about the last time that happened. Oh yeah, I remember…NEVER! It looks and feels so posh and it keeps me warm, too. I will be hanging on to this scarf for years and years! And the price tag is a fabulous $15.99!

Next, I have a casual blue scarf that is so soft and delicate, but adds visual interest to my outfits (and looks so nice with jeans!). I find the design to be so pretty. I love that muted look…so calming! This new addition to their collection can be yours for $19.20.

Don’t miss the $12 scarf sale that is happening right now…LOTS of pashmina on clearance and simply a ton of holiday bargains, either for yourself or a friend.

Simply put, Happy Scarf is a major online find, and a place where you can snag some serious help for your wardrobe at bargain-basement prices. I would highly recommend checking them out. I know you will be really impressed with the quality of the products you receive! They also have a free shipping, free exchange and free return policy. You can’t beat that!!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need winner will receive a scarf of your choice from the New Arrivals category! Lucky!!!!

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Wet Ones Holiday Survival Kit GIVEAWAY!!!

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Since Darah has started Montessori school, she has been really interested in doing more things all by herself. It is really exciting to watch her independence and self-confidence develop.

It’s also REALLY messy. For example, she has NO interest in drinking from a sippy cup any more. She always wants a “big girl” cup, and we are happy to oblige. But we’d better have our cleaning cloths ready, because some sort of spill is going to happen. It’s just the price we have to pay for her to learn how to drink from a cup without spilling. She is improving, but this is certainly taking patience and quick reflexes on our part!

Darah also likes to carry things by herself, be it from one surface to another or from one part of the house to another. She likes to help me unload the groceries (especially if there’s ice cream in one of the bags). She also likes to sort through things, in particular, mommy’s makeup. She’s mostly good about not opening containers, but sometimes she just can’t help herself! Let’s just say that I’ve lost a few things in my makeup collection to her curiosity.

It’s for all these reasons above that I’m glad to have some Wet Ones on hand. Wet Ones are antibacterial wipes that can help you contain messes and clean up sticky fingers and faces. But perhaps even more importantly, they also wipe away harmful germs. This is especially important at this time of year, when cold and flu germs are at their peak.

The travel wipes have also come in handy as we traveled through airports last week. There are SO many opportunities for Darah to pick up germs, and I’m be glad I had those wipes handy for regular cleaning! I kept the travel-sized packets in my purse. The canister stays in our kitchen/dining room, which is basically in the center of our house. I really appreciate that Wet Ones not only offers a truly helpful product, but they also offer it in different packaging for different needs.

As you prepare for the holidays, whether you are heading out of town or staying put and welcoming others to your home, be sure to get some Wet Ones to guard everyone from not only spills, but also those pesky germs that love to party when people get together!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Wet Ones Holiday Survival Kit, just like pictured above!

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