Tag: Deal Dash blog

Baby Talk: What Should Parents Have Waiting for the New Baby?

 

Having a baby is such a joyous occasion, sometimes new parents (or parents of older kids) forget what they should have waiting for the new baby when they come home from the hospital.

There are many things that you are going to need to make a new baby feel comfortable when they get home from the hospital. I’ve compiled a list of some of the things that I have found essential when I’ve brought my babies home. You might not need or want all of these items, but I found each and every one useful.

 

 

 

The very first thing you are going to need is non-negotiable. If you live in America and you are going to be driving your new baby home you absolutely need an infant car seat. There are some car seats made for just infants, and there are “convertible” car seats that can go from infant to baby to big kid. It just depends what you prefer. Be sure that you are buying a NEW car seat, used car seats are just not safe, especially if they have ever been in any kind of car crash. Also, car seats have expiration dates on them that you really need to pay attention and heed the warning sticker. When you are picking out your car seat make sure that you also pay attention to the weight limits on the seat. Make sure that you get a seat that will keep a baby as small as 6 pounds safe, you never know what the weight of your baby will be!

 

I’m sure that if you are expecting a baby you are probably well stocked with baby clothes, baby blankets, diapers, wipes, and bottles, and a crib, but have you picked up a bassinet or play yard that has a bassinet attachment yet? These items are extremely handy when the baby is 0-3 months, especially if the new Mommy plans on breast feeding. My daughter slept next to me in the bassinet for the first 3 months of her life, and it made it so much easier to tend to her needs during the night rather than have to go into her room down the hall. It might sound lazy to you, but she was a very bad sleeper, waking up 9+ times every night. As with the weight of your baby, you never know if you will have a good or bad sleeper, and it’s better to be prepared. If you choose the play yard with bassinet attachment then when the baby has outgrown sleeping in the attachment then you can take it off and you have a great playpen to stick the baby in while you are showering or cooking.

 

 

Another item that I found very useful was a baby swing. My kids only liked it up until about 6 months or so, but it was really very handy for calming them down when they were upset, or entertaining them for a bit so I could eat or get housework done. There are a few different styles, but they all have the same basic functions of swinging as well as playing music. Some are battery powered and others use a wall cord. If possible I would go with the wall cord option, my old swing took 4 D batteries at a time, and they really didn’t last very long when powering the swing, especially as my kids gained weight.

 

 

After reading this article I hope that you have a better idea of what types of things that new parents should have waiting at home for their newborn. How about getting some of these essentials on DealDash? They have all types of items in many different categories there, check out the Toys, Kids, & Baby section to find some awesome products. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

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12 Weeks Until Thanksgiving, Time to Get Ready

It’s only 12 weeks until Thanksgiving! As a first-time Thanksgiving host for my family I have already started my prep, and I have learned a few tips along the way.

The first thing that I noticed when I began my Thanksgiving prep was that I just didn’t have the right tools to get the job done. I definitely needed to get a roasting pan for the turkey itself, but I was also in need of a selection of different sized casserole dishes to put all of my sides in to bake and serve. After all, what’s Thanksgiving without the green bean casserole and the sweet potatoes? Luckily for me, DealDash has a great selection of kitchen items.

 

Speaking of delicious casseroles, here are a few recipes that you might like to try if you are going to be hosting your family’s Thanksgiving this year.

 

Classic Green Bean Casserole – This is probably the exact recipe that your Mother or Grandmother got off of a soup can 40 years ago.

Ingredients:

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk 
1 teaspoon soy sauce 
1 dash black pepper 
4 cups cooked cut green beans 
1 1/3 cups French’s® French Fried Onions 

Directions:

1- Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

2- Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling.  Stir the bean mixture.  Sprinkle with the remaining onions.

3- Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

You’re done! Even people who don’t normally like green beans usually enjoy this casserole.

Another favorite around the Thanksgiving table is another seasonal casserole, the Sweet Potato Casserole. If you aren’t familiar with Sweet Potato Casserole, it’s based on sweet potato pie, a favorite in the South. This famous Thanksgiving side dish has a delicious history. The marshmallows were added by Janet McKenzie Hill, the founder of the Boston Cooking-School Magazine, in 1917, when the marshmallow evolved from a specialty confection into an everyday treat. If you’ve never had it you should definitely give it a try this year. Here is a quick and easy recipe.

Ingredients:

4 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes 

2 tablespoons butter 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cooking spray 

3 cups miniature marshmallows 

Directions:

1- Preheat oven to 425°.

2- Place sweet potatoes in a shallow baking pan lined with foil. Bake at 425° for 1 hour or until tender. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

3- Peel sweet potatoes; place in a large bowl. Add butter and next 3 ingredients (through cinnamon); mash with a potato masher until pureed. Spoon potato mixture into a 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.

4- Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Top with marshmallows; bake an additional 10 minutes or until marshmallows are lightly browned.

That’s it! If you don’t tell the kids what it’s made of they will be sure to tear into the marshmellowy goodness.

If you are going to be hosting your family’s Thanksgiving this year be sure to check out DealDash. There are so many things there that you will be able to use for Thanksgiving dinner, but also be able to incorporate into your everyday use as well. Some examples of things you might want to look for in the kitchen section are: knife sets, pot & pan sets, cutlery, baking items, and much more. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

 

That’s My Pet: Cat

Did you know that over 60 million cats are owned in the United States, and that 30-37% of American households have a cat? It’s estimated that over 60% of American households have at least one pet.

In this DealDash Blog series we are highlighting different pets, give some basic facts about pet ownership, and hopefully help you make informed decisions about your new furry, feathered, or finned family member.

Today’s pet is the cat. Unlike some more unusual pets, everyone has owned or at least know someone who has owned a cat. However, it’s said that you never own a cat, you just share a home with them, feed them, empty their litter box, and if you’re lucky, occasionally get some affection from them.

I was just joking above, but it’s no laughing matter that a house cat needs it’s owner to survive.  Indoor cats are totally dependent on their owners for all their needs — food, water, medical attention, exercise, shelter, and even companionship. For many people the benefits of cat ownership outweigh the daily grind of chores, but for others, their lifestyles make it impossible, especially for people who like to travel for more than a long weekend.

Before you make the commitment to bringing home a new cat or kitten please keep in mind that they will not only need to be spayed or neutered, they will also need a variety of shots, the suggested core vaccines are feline panleukopenia (distemper), feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, and rabies. In addition to shots it’s also advised that you apply a flea medication to them monthly. If your cat doesn’t ever leave the house or associate with other animals (such as a dog that goes outside to potty) then you might be able to get away with skipping the flea treatments.

Cats are relatively simple in their needs inside the home. Here’s a quick list of things that you will need for you new pet as well as a few bonus options.

  • Food & water bowl
  • Food
  • Litter box, litter, litter scooper
  • Scratching post (optional)
  • Toys (optional)
  • Brush (optional)
  • Cat bed (optional)

I hope that this article has helped you understand a little bit about what is involved in owning a cat or kitten. If you are in the market for cat beds, cat toys, a pet store gift card, or any other pet-related items head on over to DealDash‘s “Other” section and see what they have up for bid today. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

That’s My Pet: Freshwater Fish

 

“Mom, Dad, can I have a pet?” Is this a familiar question in your house? It certainly is in mine, and we are in good company. It’s estimated that over 60% of American households have at least one pet.

In this new DealDash Blog series we will highlight different pets, give some basic facts about pet ownership, and hopefully help you make informed decisions about your new furry, feathered, or finned family member. Let’s get started!

Today’s pet is the Freshwater Fish. As a person who spent a few years working at a pet store, and also as a pet owner I would say one of the best pets to start a younger child out with is a freshwater fish aquarium. You can spend less than $40 to get a basic freshwater fish aquarium going with everything you need, or you can go as big and as fancy as you would like for more money.

 

There are a huge variety of different aquariums that you can get for your first set-up, most people find that the easiest thing to do is to get a kit that is already pre-assembled. However, if you would prefer to pick up the pieces yourself, here are the very basics that are recommended for a freshwater fish aquarium:

  • Fish tank or aquarium
  • Gravel
  • Light source
  • Filter
  • Water conditioner
  • Air pump with airstone
  • Thermometer
  • Fish food
  • Heater (perhaps not needed if you are getting goldfish)
  •  Plants, rocks, decorations (optional)

Other than those items everything else such as a background, live plant, or pirate chest decoration is completely and totally optional and can be added at a later time if you so choose.

The size and type of aquarium that you purchase can determine the type and quantity of fish that you choose to put in your new aquarium. When people first start out with keeping freshwater fish they usually go 1 of 3 ways – Betta fish in a tiny aquarium, community fish in a medium-sized aquarium, or goldfish in a medium to large aquarium. Of course, there are many many many more types of freshwater fish to choose from, but these are the most popular options for beginners.

 

My personal favorite of these 3 options is the community tank. Most people use a 10-29 gallon aquarium for their community tank, and stock it with fish such as Mollies, Guppies, Platys, Tetras, and algae eaters. There are SO many more community fish to choose from, but those are some of the most popular options that should be easy to find in your local pet store.

Setting up your aquarium can be a easy or complicated as you would like to make it, depending on what look you are trying to achieve. Here are the basic steps:

  • Put your aquarium on whatever surface that you will be keeping it on long term, be it an actual aquarium stand, a dresser, table, desk, etc.
  • Rinse your gravel and put it in the aquarium sloping it a little bit up towards the back
  • Treat your tap water with a water conditioner and add it to the aquarium, leaving a few inches unfilled at the top
  • Install your heater, filter, and thermometer
  • Add any decorations that you would like
  • Finish filling the water to the top
  • Plug in heater and filter
  • Wait 24-48 hours before adding any fish

 

As a general rule you can add about 1″ of (Full Grown fish length) per gallon of water. For instance if you have a 10 gallon aquarium you can add 10 fish that will be 1″ long when they are full grown. Don’t be fooled by the size the fish are when you buy them, make sure that you do your research to see how big your fish will be when they are full grown.

I hope that this article has helped you understand a little bit about setting up a freshwater fish aquarium. If you are in the market for an aquarium, pet store gift card, or any other pet-related items head on over to DealDash‘s “Other” section and see what they have up for bid today. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Baby Talk: What Should a New Mom Bring to the Hospital?

No matter if you are a first-time mom or a mom of many (or a dad or grandparent!) it’s smart to be prepared with a bag packed to take to the hospital when it’s time to deliver the new baby.

There are many things that you are going to need to pack into the bag to go to the hospital, but the very first thing that you are going to need is a bag, of course! I suggest using a duffle-style bag instead of a suitcase. I feel that a duffle bag is much easier to store when you don’t need it anymore, as well as being useful for many other things such as for sports/gym, trip to the beach, etc.

 

 

The first few things that I would advise you to pack in your hospital bag are some comfortable PJs or nightgown, robe, thick comfortable socks, and slippers. Of course the hospital will provide you a hospital gown to wear while you are there, but they are thin, scratchy, and uncomfortable. And besides that, you aren’t sick, you’re having a baby! There’s no reason why you can’t be cute and comfortable in your own clothing instead of the hospital-issued ones.

 

 

The hospital will also provide a hat, blanket, and tiny gown for your baby to wear. These items are great keepsakes, and very serviceable for your baby to wear while you are there. You might want to pack a special outfit for them to wear to leave the hospital, though, especially if you know the grandparents will be waiting with the camera to take a bunch of pictures.

Speaking of pictures, it’s a great idea to bring a digital camera and camcorder to the hospital with you. Most people have cell phones to take pictures and video, but I find that the quality is just not as good as  a full-sized digital camera and/or camcorder can provide. Trust me, you will take tons of pictures and video, and you will want to cherish these memories forever.

 

 

You may or may not want to bring your own toiletries. The hospital will provide them for you, but they are definitely not high quality, and I was very glad that I packed my own toothbrush/paste, hairbrush, lip balm, and deodorant. If your baby’s father is going to be staying the night with you at the hospital be sure that he packs toiletries, too!

 

After reading this article I hope that you have a better idea of what types of things that a new mom should be bringing to the hospital when she gives birth. How about starting your hospital bag shopping on DealDash? They have all types of items in many different categories there, check out the Toys, Kids, & Baby section to find some awesome products. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

DealDash