Hailey's Helpful Hints

Mindful: adj - attentive, aware or careful. The "season" is officially upon us. Which season you ask? Oh, you know exactly what I am talking about. The HOLIDAYS. Deep breath...now sigh. It's the infamous time of year where all bikinis and bets are off. Where we come up with every excuse in the book as to why we can't exercise. It is a very dangerous time for the health-conscious and waist-watchers. It first starts with those addicting, festive, pumpkin-flavored lattes (with a sugar content similar to that of a King size Butterfinger ) and then the true beginning of the madness begins: Halloween. Halloween is that super sneaky holiday. You think it's for the kids but it's just as tempting to us adults. Those cute, bite-size, harmless treats become so irresistible . One leads to five and next thing you know, you’re shoveling your way out of a mountain of wrappers. Don’t get me wrong. I am not painting sweets to be the devil. I love candy. And so does the baby in...

As I threw the last items into my luggage this morning, it dawned on me that I never followed up to the make-up bag comment in the "Weekend Warrior Challenge" on conquering your toiletry chaos. In my drawer I pointed out that my everyday makeup is nicely contained in a makeup bag. All day. Everyday. Why not organized in the drawer you ask? I'm all about the Grab and Go method. In other words - when I'm in a hurry I want to be able to grab it, shove it in my bag and go knowing that I have everything I could possibly need. I apply this same philosophy with the things in my purse. Nothing is worse than changing your purse in a hurry to match your outfit and you forget your lipstick that was buried at the bottom. To eliminate this problem, I carry two wallet cases; a pouch that holds my cash, credit cards, receipts and gift cards and the other that can hold lipstick, gum, feminine products, my checkbook, iP hone , camera or whatever else I can fit in. What I love about bo...

Last night we had BREAKFAST for dinner - one of my all time favorite meals growing up as a kid - so I thought this post would be fitting for today. How appropriate after I just ranted about eating healthy in my previous post right? I grew up on Australian Toaster Biscuits, Eggo Waffles and Fruit Loops. I'll be the first to admit that I'm intimidated at the thought of cooking gourmet breakfasts. Gourmet meaning anything fancier than sliced fruit and oatmeal. As I grabbed for our staple Egg Beaters and Spray Butter at our local Vons , I was lured by the novelty of this pancake batter dispenser (a la Reddi Whip) staring back at me. My first reaction - GROSS. This has taken processed to a whole new level. I'll admit the garish mustard and ketchup colored graphics on the container ( nevermind the unfortunate name itself) only served to heighten the Blaster’s aura of indecency. So I walked on. Paused, walked some more, doubled back, picked a can up and read the label. Surprisin...

Piggybacking on yesterday's "Fight the Fad" post, I thought I would share how I personally beat the bulge while fighting the fads. Fad diets that is. Bear with me, this is a long one but so worth the read... One of my favorite sayings is "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." Think about it. It’s true. When you are thin, you feel amazing. You can be more active. You don’t get tired as easily. You have more confidence. You love to shop more. You want to be more social. But how we go about getting thin is what matters most. I’ll confess – My closet is filled with size 24 jeans that I frankly couldn't get my left butt cheek into these days. Yes, I’m pregnant now but they hung unworn for quite some time beforehand. I would shimmy into them and spend far too long doing lunges around my house to loosen them up. All that work and I still couldn't breathe. We've all been there. But sadly I beat myself up mentally over the fact that they didn't fit. I ...

For as much of a health nut as I am, I can't believe it's taken me this long to blog about the topic of health & fitness. I definitely will not have any problem giving you my two cents on the topic throughout the life of this blog. Bear with me on this one - I can already tell it could be a long one. I get asked all the time how I maintain my petite frame. It could be part genetics although my family isn't made of skinny- minnies . I honestly think it's my will power. I've made it a lifestyle. I am a purist when it comes to maintaining your body. This doesn't mean I eat super "clean" and am a Vegan. When I say purist I mean I have very little tolerance for people that actually believe in any quick fix miracle diets. Specifically - FAD DIETS. Low carb , detox diet, HcG diet, cabbage soup diet, juice diet, grapefruit diet, Atkins, South Beach, The Zone, Flat Belly Diet, Master Cleanse. I even put diet pills in this same bucket - carb blockers, fat ...

I'm always thinking about what's next to do around the house. Fortunately I have a very helpful husband who for the most part willingly embraces my "honey do" lists with a smile. And ladies, if you don't have a honey-do list for your husband, he is getting off way too easy in the home department. The one area however that's all me is the decorating. He likes to think he has a say but what man really does??? :) Last week I was dead set on getting a new bedroom set. After 7 years of the same ol ' same ol ' I was sick and tired of it. Oh my gosh, I'm kinda embarrassed that I just admitted that. 7 years of the same bedding? We kinda take the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" to the extreme. I set out on a mission during Chase's nap (my luxury when my husband is working from home). I had 3 hours to tear through as many home stores as I could. I like to make sure I know what's out there before I settle on the one. And you bette...

According to the American Academy of Periodontology , 50% of people say that a smile is the first feature they notice about someone. Sadly 80% of people are not happy with their smile. I however am part of the other 20%. I spent six long, embarrassing years in braces during my fragile junior high/early high school years so you better believe I like to show off my pearly whites. But I can't give the braces all the credit. Like most things in my life, I am anal about my brushing habits. I went to the Dentist on Tuesday and heard nothing but rave reviews about how white and clean my teeth were. What's my secret? ULTRABRITE ADVANCED WHITENING TOOTHPASTE. A major STEAL. You've probably never noticed Ultrabrite on the shelf at the store. It's usually on the very bottom shelf next to the fire red Close-Up gel due to it's ridiculously low p rice. Naturally people would overlook a $.97 toothpaste but in Ultrabrite's defense, it's owned and manufactured by COLGATE...

My mom just called from Tacoma, WA and was excited to report that she found the Jane MaxLash 2 Mascara & Primer at RITE-AID!!! Unfortunately in CA, I searched two Rite-Aids by my house and still came up short. The Jane Cosmetic website shows that the two stores I went to should be a Retailer of Jane products too. Weird. I'm also not convinced that all Walmarts carry the Jane line either. Had I known this would be this hard, I would have not got you so excited about it. Sorry. Click on this link and you should be able to find a Store nearest you that carries the Jane MaxLash - http://www.janecosmetics.com/index.php/store.html If you still can't find it and you are set on trying out the Jane MaxLash over the alternatives I provided in my 1st Primer update ( L'oreal or Revlon), you can purchase it on the Jane website - http://www.janecosmetics.com/index.php/products-1/maxlash2r-waterproof.html - for $12.30 ($6.35 + $5.95 shipping). Which is close to the same as what ...

I am a jean girl. Seven For All Mankind are still - hands down - my all time favorite. I love their versatility. They look equally great with a hot stiletto or a Converse sneaker. I think at one point, I had like 20+ pairs of jeans (Heavens not all 7's). Of course however I had my 4 favorites that I wore over and over again. They began to feel like sweatpants they were so soft. But now that I'm a big girl and my mom doesn't pay for my shopping sprees anymore (tear) , I got a little more realistic on how much I am willing to spend on a pair of jeans. I found this awesome brand, VIGOSS , in the BP section at Nordstrom . They have a fabulous selection of different styles and washes and you can't beat $58.00 for a pair of jeans these days. I think I even saw online that some are on sale RIGHT now for $27.90-$35.90. Get on that!! http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/vigoss?origin=brandindex Sadly since we've moved to Southern California I don't get to wear my jeans as much ...

I was recently with some girlfriends that had never heard of the quick and easy G uacamole packet. I was literally tongue -tied so I thought I would blog about this in case you too are missing out. If you're a "Foodie" and prefer to have all fresh ingredients from the local Farmer's Market, this may not be the Quick Tip you are looking for but trust me, in a pinch this too could become your best friend. Now I know summer is over but who doesn't love chips and guacamole any time of the year? It seems like everyone I talk to has some A- mazing g uacamole recipe. But who honestly has all those ingredients laying around? Especially when you get a random knock on the door from the neighbors that just popped by to say hi. Of course you are going to invite them in and then stress the entire time that you have nothing to serve them. Fret no more. The G uac packet to the rescue. All you need is a few avocados (and yes they are available year round) and the packet. I b...

As I made my list last night for today, I thought this would be the perfect blog for a Monday. Everyone sets out each week hoping to reign in their crazy, busy schedules. Some rely on their Outlook reminders. Others look to their Personal Assistant. If you're like me, you make lists. I'm not talking about big lofty bucket lists (i.e. things you want to accomplish before you die). I'm referring to the daily lists that keep you on track to be productive and less stressed. I grew up in a household of sticky notes. My mom would post them everywhere - "Don't forget..." "Remember to..." They drove me crazy. They were too all over the place. In hindsight, those pesky notes made me appreciate the benefit of writing things down. Once I moved out of the house, I missed my mom's daily reminders but I knew that wasn't the method that was going to work for my demanding schedule. I'll never forget what my golf coach at the University of Washington said...

I apologize to y'all that went on a hunt trying to find the "Jane - MaxLash 2 Mascara & Primer" I raved about in my mascara post. Can I tell you how happy it makes me that you're 1) actually reading my blog and 2) taking me up on my advice! I felt so bad after I received a few "I can't find the Primer" emails that I set out on a wild goose chase, with Chase (my 2 year old) in tow. Unfortunately I discovered that Walgreens has stopped carrying Jane products. After a quick stop at Rite-Aid, CVS Pharmacy, Target and Wal -mart, I am sad to say that Walmart is the only retailer that carries Jane products. Good news is that it's actually CHEAPER at Walmart ($4.24) . But what isn't cheaper at Walmart ?? I snagged the last one on the shelf today so that tells me others LOVE this product as much as I do. If for some reason you refuse to walk into Walmart or just don't have one close to you, there are a few other alternatives at your local dru...

Is your morning routine, or lack thereof, making you start your day off on the wrong foot? Are you digging through drawers of 'stuff' to find what you are looking for? Are you constantly late? If you answered yes to even one of those questions, you could benefit from this Weekend Warrior challenge. I know everyone is "busy" but there has got to be at least one hour you can carve out of your weekend to conquer your bathroom chaos. Trust me. You do it once and maintain it (*key word - MAINTAIN), and you can kiss goodbye the morning outbursts of frustration. Ok so let's get your mind right and tackle this... First, take ONE drawer at a time. Or better yet, one section of the huge pile that has taken over your vanity top. If you try to take on too much at one time, you'll get frustrated and want to give up. Grab the garbage can and start to weed out the stuff you don't ever use. Like those stupid samples you just can't seem to toss but have never used. ...

Duh. MASCARA. It's the one thing that I apply if I have to run out of the house super quick. If you follow me long enough you will learn that I am not going to pretend to be someone I am not. I don't buy super high end designer things. I don't enjoy buying one item when I know for the same price I could probably buy 5 somewhere else. I am very basic when it comes most things. I am a minimalist. Maybe too much of a minimalist. I don't buy what I don't need. I shop around for the "deal." I don't believe that name brand is better...although sometimes you do get what you pay for. I am not going to act like I am some expert on applying makeup cause I'm not but I do know that mascara frames out your eyes and makes them POP! So what exactly do I look for in a good mascara? First, no clumps! A mascara that clumps your eyelashes all together does not look natural and to be honest - looks cheap. And, the worst part is all day little pieces of mascara will fa...

That a light switch in your home can contain as many germs as a trash can. Yuck. How often do you think to wipe those down? Ummm . Never. To eliminate the spread of germs around your house, I suggest grabbing a handful of Disinfectant Wipes - one of my fave must-have cleaning products - and go around your house once a week and wipe down the switch plates. While you are at it, wipe down the doorknobs as well. I know you're thinking, "I can barely find time to shower, how the heck am I gonna be able to squeeze in cleaning my light switches?" Seems lofty but wouldn't you rather take 5 minutes than be in bed sick with the flu for 10 days? Being the Costco fanatic that I am, I prefer the "Kirkland Signature - Household Surface Wipes" over the "Clorox Disinfectant Wipes." Having tried both the Kirkland Signature & the Clorox brand, I can attest that name brand doesn't mean better in this situation. Besides the fact that they smell better, Kirkla...

The first thing to remember is that the changing table isn't solely for diaper changing. It's the place where you might lather your baby with lotion after a bath, where you put his/her clothes on, where you apply medicine, where you could possibly cut their toenails. The changing table is a place where you will want all the essentials handy. Being the Type A person that I am, I need my essentials to not only be handy but ORGANIZED. I personally am not a fan of a basket. I think a basket screams chaos. I like compartments. I don't like to dig around. I like things to have a place. And for that I recommend the "Prince Lionheart - Dresser Top Diaper Depot." This organizer is lightweight, takes up limited space on the dresser top and is clear in color which matches with ANY nursery theme. It's also inexpensive in price but not cheap in quality. The Diaper Depot includes 2 roomy diaper compartments that will hold up to 16-20 disposable diapers. What I love about th...

I understand your husband's concern - he doesn't want to roll around town in this flashy new sports car with a clunky, colorful Graco . Understandable. What he needs is something sleek. Something that says luxury. Something that blends into the backseat. You need to look into the RECARO series. Big advocate of this brand. Recaro is known the world over for its specialty seats - found in planes, high performance vehicles, and boats. The company is close to celebrating its 100 th birthday - and their reputation in the industry has never been better. For your particular needs of your preschooler, I would highly recommend the ProBOOSTER . The ProBOOSTER features a lightweight, ergonomic design, while incorporating premium comfort and safety features exclusive to Recaro . As advocates for Side Impact Protection in child safety seats, Recaro designed the ProSERIES collection to protect the five main vulnerable areas of a child's body - the head, neck, face, torso and pelvis....