Hailey's Helpful Hints

Mother’s day is approaching fast (like next Sunday!) which brings with it the task of finding the perfect gift for Mom over the weekend. If your mom is anything like mine, she's impossible to shop for. Which got me thinking; why (and when) do all mom's become so hard to shop for? Do they really have everything ?? My boys will never have that problem with me. There's always something I want. Right!?! My hope was to bring you a personalized list of my favorite Mother's Day gift ideas (like I've done in the past under the "Gift Idea" section) but after this week - yeah, not gonna happen. But I didn't want to leave y'all hanging. I can't tell you how tickled I was to come across PageDaily's Mother's Day gift idea list. They feature lot of fun, new products that are sure to suit even the pickiest of mothers. Below is a list of unique and special gifts for every type of mom: 1. Foodie Mom: Gwyneth Paltrow’s New Cookbook – “My Father’s Daughte...

Last week I did a post on children and allowance . It was such a hit that I thought I'd follow it up with some tips on how to raise a money smart kid. If the idea of schooling your child in personal finance seems overwhelming, take heart. Instilling money literacy doesn't require a lot of planning or knowledge. Focus on the basics, like comparison shopping and the importance of planning and saving. When your child masters these concepts, they'll know more than many adults. In fact, according to a 2010 survey by T. Rowe Price investment company, fewer than one in five parents give themselves top grade for their understanding of fundamental savings and investment principles. The key is to start young and keep your talks kid-friendly. As parents, we have to teach our kids so many things, and as they get older, we realize a lot of what they learn, we don’t even realize we’re teaching them… they’re learning by watching us! If we have good habits, then that’s great, but if we don...

Last year my husband got a wild hair and decided he wanted to plant rose bushes. I agreed as long as he maintained them. Gardening is not my thing. But I do love coming home to an abundant bouquet of freshly cut white roses on my kitchen table. Unfortunately if I have anything to do with their lifespan, they barely see the light of day. If you too don't have a green thumb, keeping that beautiful bouquet of flowers alive may seem like a difficult task but with these simple tips and household items, you just might be able to keep them alive longer - no green thumb required. Aspirin : It’s a tried-and-true way to keep roses and other cut flowers fresh longer: Put a crushed aspirin in the water before adding your flowers. Other household items that you can put in the water to extend the life of your flower arrangements include: a multivitamin, a teaspoon of sugar, a pinch of salt and baking soda, and even a copper penny. Also, don’t forget to change the vase water every few days. Bleac...

I apologize for all the shoe posts as of late but there is no better way to celebrate the great weather than by kicking off those clunky boots and uncomfortable heels and slipping into the hottest summer footwear trends. With that being said, it's time for another splurge vs. steal, where I take an inexpensive trendy item and pair it up with a lookalike designer piece. Usually with the hope that I can show you that you don't need to spend a fortune to look fabulous. If there's one shoe that screams summer, it's the espadrille; ie - a casual flat, but sometimes high heeled shoe that usually has a canvas or cotton fabric upper and a flexible sole made of rope or rubber material moulded to look like rope. The jute rope sole is the defining characteristic of an espadrille. Here are two perfect examples: both in a sling-back, rope-wedge, peep-toe, flower-embellished style. Only one pair is from Andre Assous (at Neiman Marcus) and will set you back a whopping $155, whereas th...

As I was packing up Dave's office to make room for Lance's bedroom, I sat in disgust looking at my unorganized pile of gift bags, tissue paper and miscellaneous ribbon and gift tags. For as organized as I am, this is one area that I haven't tackled. My current system looks like this - the wrapping paper is shoved in the closet. And the tissue paper is thrown on the closet shelf. In a pile. And somewhat crinkled. And all the miscellaneous bags and gift tags are tossed into a large Nordstrom box. And Lord knows what's in that box. So I got to researching (of course I did!) ways to coral all these loose ends into one place. There were a million wall displays on the Internet but not everyone has a fabulously organized craft room let alone an extra wall to display wrapping paper and ribbon. As I got further into the depths of the Internet , I came across a chart topping idea in Better Homes and Garden that is a fabulously functional space saver. All you need is the back of...

Today - Good Friday - is the day Jesus suffered and died on the cross for our sins. As a Believer, I am grateful that Jesus took my place on the cross to give me a place in heaven. Amongst the hoop-la of the Easter Bunny, egg hunts and candy, please keep close to your heart this weekend that the true reason we are celebrating Easter is because He died for our sins and was raised to life so that through faith in Him, we may receive eternal life. Knowing that, my fancy is tickled. Have a wonderful Easter weekend friends!! "The joyful news that He is risen does not change the contemporary world. Still before us lie work, discipline, sacrifice. But the fact of Easter gives us the spiritual power to do the work, accept the discipline, and make the sacrifice." ~Henry Knox Sherrill ~

When you think of Easter candy what do you think of? One hint. Sugar coated marshmallow candies. Stumped? PEEPS. Duh. Did you know... -In 1953, it took 27 hours to create the first Peep. Today it takes six. -Each year, manufacturer 'Just Born' produces enough Peeps to circle the earth twice. -Each Peep Chick has 28 calories, and Bunnies have 32.5 calories. Both are fat free! (No veggie servings, unfortunately.) -After chocolate, Peeps are the next best selling Easter candy. According to the American Confectioners Association, each day, 5 million marshmallow chicks and bunnies are made for Easter. Peeps are actually very nostalgic for me as my they were Kelli, my college roommates, favorite candy of all time. Back in the day, I consumed a lot of Peeps. Now I think I'd rather decorate with them, than eat them. And yes I said decorate. In addition to the cute bunny ears on Easter cupcakes and cakes, there are a million ways to decorate with Peeps. If you are wracking your br...

Can Target get any better? Honestly? On the end cap of the aisle this week I discovered these fabulously packaged and wonderfully scented products (and on sale to boot!). Thanks to Chase lathering up his entire body - outfit and all - with the testers, I was able to soak in the delicious smells post Target. If you are unfamiliar with what I am talking about, here ya go. Target awhile back teamed up with Caldrea , longtime icon of design and style for the home, to offer an exclusive line of budget-friendly line of aromatherapy products including dish soap, countertop cleaner, hand lotion, hand soap, hand balm, all-purpose cleaner, as well as home ambiance items including candles and reed diffusers. Scents, priced from $5.99 to $19.99, include Citron Ginger, Herbs of Provence, and Olive Oil. Home fragrance items, priced from $9.99 to $14.99 come scented in Citron Ginger, Water Lily, Pomegranate Fig, White Birch and Cypress Sage. All of the scents have a very natural, organic, and have a...

I was recently in a convo about giving your child an allowance. Although I am years away from giving Chase any money besides the extra chump change I find at the bottom of my purse, it never hurts to start thinking about what I would do when the time comes. I always find it beneficial to talk with other veteran moms to see what worked for them to get ideas and then it makes for a great dinner conversation for Dave and I. Ultimately you are going to do what makes sense (no pun intended) for you and your family but below are helpful answers and tips to some of the questions you might be having if you're contemplating giving your child an allowance. According to Janet Bodnar, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance executive editor, and author of four books on kids and money including, Dollars & Sense for Kids, "an allowance is the best money management tool that you can give your kids." She claims that kids will spend unlimited amounts of money as long as it’s yours, but as soon a...

It never fails that after I make a meal in the crock pot, I ask myself - why don't I do that every night?? How heavenly is it to throw all the ingredients into the pot, press the desired time and come back 4-8 hours later to dinner that is READY!?!? This particular pork dinner pairs perfectly with my Cranberry Spinach salad . Again, great for a dinner party and the kids too! ~ Crock Pot Apple Ciger Pork ~ Ingredients: 3-5 lbs. pork loin 1 large sweet onion; sliced 2 apples; peel and cut up in slices 1 cup dried, mixed fruit 1 cup Apple Cider or Apple Juice 1/2 cup water 1 or 2 garlic cloves Salt & pepper to taste Directions: Throw all ingredients together in crock pot for 4-5 hours on high temperature. What a cinch!!! Just slice and serve. I would pair the pork with Near East's Toasted Pine Nut Couscous, salad or green beans, and focaccia bread. Dish d'lish.

Now this is my type of dessert - quick and no baking necessary. This is a perfect dessert to bring to the family gathering on Easter Sunday. Enjoy! ~Banana Cream Supreme~ Ingredients: 16 (2 ½”) graham cracker squares (approx 1 ¼ cups chopped) ¼ cup butter or margarine melted 3 tablespoons sugar 1 cup sour cream ½ cup cold milk 1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding 1 container (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed 3 medium bananas, sliced Directions: Chop graham crackers, add butter and sugar, and mix well. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of a spring form (cheesecake) pan. Whisk sour cream and milk together until blended. Add pudding mix, whisk until pudding is dissolved. Add whipped topping, mixing until well blended. Spread half of filling over crust. Slice bananas and arrange over filling. Spread remaining filling over bananas. Chill until set. I hope this ends your weekend on a sweet note! xo

Looking for something to do this weekend? Sure we'd all love to lounge around on our front porch swing and sip mimosas but it's time to get our butts in gear. There is always something to do around the house and now is the perfect time to do some of them. If you're dying to make a honey-do list then here are some home projects that will help you prepare your yard for outdoor living and freshen your home with a good Spring cleaning. 1) Yearly "Step into Spring" Deep Cleaning - Vacuum everything: Use attachments or the floor nozzle on the walls, furniture and baseboards. Empty the canister or bag for maximum effectiveness. Then throw everything—plastic toys, shower caddies, even sturdy knick-knacks—into the dishwasher for a once-a-year cleaning. 2) Take Stock of your Stuff - Start with the bookshelves: Clear everything off and give it a good dusting. Donate or sell any books you no longer want and replace everything in its newly clean space. Do the same for all vid...

Not too long ago I blogged about Spring's IT colors . There's no denying that this spring and summer is all about vibrant, bold, playful, and for some of you, daring, color. Makeup trends change directly proportional with fashion trends as makeup helps complete the look of any outfit, so keeping up with the latest makeup trends is as equally as important as keeping up with fashion. Choosing to be diverse with your makeup can help you constantly change up your look to still suit your personality as well as style. Because in order to match your makeup to your stylish new spring/summer 2011 wardrobe you need to know what's in and what's out, here are some of the most popular makeup trends from the spring/summer 2011 fashion podiums, so sneak-a-peek at the following hot looks: NATURAL MAKE-UP: It seems that makeup artists can't get enough of the natural. minimalistic look, as this type of makeup seems to maintain its popularity this season as well. Create a flawless ...

...I have oily skin. Hee hee, bet you weren't expecting that disappointing fact. Regardless if your skin falls under the dry, normal, or oily category, I guarantee that each and every one of you have experienced the mid-day shine. One of my favorite on-the-go remedies when I'm out and about is to use a toilet seat cover from a public restroom to remove the excess oil. The lightweight tissue works essentially like any oil blotting sheets; they soak up unwanted oil without removing make-up & give you a fresh, clean look. Ok that was a great fun fact but here's the real DID YOU KNOW... Although toilet seat covers in public bathrooms make great, oily blotters for that unsightly shine, their dispensers have been tested and proven to be some of the dirtiest surfaces in public bathrooms. How?? Besides having contact with nearly ever person's hands that comes through that stall, it is constantly sprayed with icky toilet water. When a toilet is flushed, it sprays millions ...

Babble recently did a survey of their Top 50 Mom Bloggers asking them to pinpoint their favorite must-have mom product. There were a wide range of answers from Aden + Anais swaddlers to baby wipes. But ironically there was one answer that popped up over and over, and it might not be what you’d think. Drumroll please.......the surprising #1 can’t-live-without mom product is - the iPhone! Yep, beyond baby swings and pacifier clips, modern moms are praising technology for getting them through their day. Most claimed they simply "can't live without it." And if it wasn’t the iPhone, bloggers claim that any cell phone or iPod Touch does the trick. I'll admit, I fall victim to being attached to my iPhone. Don't judge. It is what it is. I however haven't gotten to the point that I need to rely on apps to entertain Chase - and I personally don't know if I want to even go there. Barney on YouTube so far has been the extent of our cell phone entertainment. I absolute...

My mother-in-law was recently raving about her new best friend - the "Green Bag," a food storage solution that claim they are capable of keeping produce fresh for up to 30 days. Every heard of them? You may have seen them at Bed Bath and Beyond or your local grocery store. You can't miss the circa 1972 packaging. It's almost enough to make you NOT want to buy them. Regardless, both Debbie Meyer and Evert-Fresh are two companies that have a handle on marketing this plastic bag that contains zeolite that absorbs ethylene gas which they claim to be the major cause of fruits and vegetables going bad. Without getting too scientific, plants use ehylene as a hormone. One of its actions is to ripen fruit so if you can reduce the concentration of ethylene around an apple, for example, it shouldn't get over-ripe and mushy as quickly. So do Green Bags really work? According to my mother-in-law, yes. But I was still a little skeptical. After doing some research on the interne...

In celebration of the birth of my 'lil peanut, Lance Alan Dawson, I wanted to throw out a fave peanut butter dessert... But first, my apologies for going MIA the last few days. As I sat here blogging on Wed afternoon, I started to get gnarly shooting pains. After an hour of those take your breath away contractions, I kissed Chase off to the neighbors (balling), downed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and walked into Labor and Delivery 11 days early. Physically ready but emotionally unprepared. With a 4 hour, all natural labor the first time around, the Dr came in on high alert saying it's going to be "go time" before we know it. Sure enough. My water was broken at 8:30. Epidural came at 9:00 (PRAISE GOD!!!!) and after 2 pushes and only 3 hours from walking into those hospital doors, Lance made his appearance at 11:03 PM. Weighing in at 6 lbs, 5 oz and 20 inches long, he is such a Dawson and going to fit in perfectly. Alright enough about me; let's talk Peanut Bu...

I know I already blogged this week about shoes but I just spotted these and felt like you needed to know about my fabulous find. I'm usually not one to stop off in the Target shoe department but I came to a screeching halt today as the sandals on the end cap were insanely adorable and definitely try-on worthy. Holy cuteness, I'll take them in every color! For $15, why the heck not!?! The Merona "Emeline" braided flat sandal is a refreshing alternative to an ordinary flip flop and the bohemian "I have nothing to wear with you" lace up your leg sandal. You can find the Emeline sandal at your local Target store and online in six different colors; four of which (white, black, pewter and gold) will go with your staple outfits and two (orange and turquoise) are for those days you're feeling bold and beautiful! I guarantee these will fly off the shelf so you better get your shop on sooner than later!

Now y'all know I am not crafty but this might be one I'll have to attempt. Maybe. Ok most likely not. But for all you creative souls, Eighteen 25 blog showcased this fabulous decorative project that would be fun and inexpensive for Easter. What you'll need: Grey Primer White Spray Paint E6000 Glue Jars with lids Old candlesticks (Check out Thrift stores for old, funky ones. Mismatched is best!) First prime the jars and lids with grey primer (helps to cover the writing on the jars). Next spray paint the candlesticks and lids. Once dried, glue the jars on top of the candlesticks. Then fill with candy or knick-knack of choice. These are just too cute! The best part; you can switch them out with the different holidays & seasons or keep them out all year round!!

Yes, you heard right. It’s the flatform, not the platform! The flatform is really just a flat sandal elevated on a platform sole and it's said to be the "IT" shoe for Spring 2011. This geisha-inspired look is basically one of those styles that you either love or you don’t. And it’s another shoe that is trying to compensate for the painful high heels that have been so prevalent in past seasons. Women are asking for change. Women are wanting the height that the high heel gives but without the foot pain associated with them, so the shoe makers and designers are trying to come up with different ways to solve this problem and give women what they want…but in a stylish shoe. Key word - "stylish." I am by no means a fashion guru but these are light years away from stylish in my book. Glamour magazine however seems to think they are. But then again Glamour magazine doesn't always speak to the , around town girl that isn't trying to look avant-garde on a daily ba...

Attention SAN DIEGO followers!!!! Hailey's Helpful Hints is giving away two (2) tickets - valued at $70.00 - to "The Vagina Monologues!" Dave and I saw this back in Seattle a few years back and loved it. Yes men will like it too! It's one I will never forget. Both hilarious and dramatic, I give it two thumbs up!! Details~ When: Thursday, 4/7/11 Where: Birch North Park Theatre 2891 University Avenue, Suite 1 San Diego, CA 92104 Showtime: 7:30 What are "The Vagina Monologues?" What started as a play has become a national witty and compassionate phenomenon. Often coined "the Bible for a new generation for women," these monologues are heartbreaking testimonials from young women to stop violence against women. A poignant and hilarious tour of the last frontier, the ultimate forbidden zone , "The Vagina Monologues" is a celebration of female sexuality in all its complexity and mystery. Eve Ensler (Author) gives us real women's stories of i...

Thanks to my girlfriend Jodi I learned of this fabulous Paula Deen recipe. For the record; I personally usually steer clear of anything Paula Deen. Her name might as well be Butter Stick. Sadly I think she could bring someone to their grave with her high fat, Southern cooking but on Sweet Sunday, anything goes. Just don't come after me if you go into a food coma after eating a handful of these addicting little suckers. These are perfect for Easter or a spring/summer treat so remember this when you have to bring a dessert to a function. ~Lemon Blossoms~ Ingredients: Box of Yellow Cake Mix 3 1/2 oz package instant lemon pudding mix 4 large eggs 3/4 c. vegetable oil Glaze: 4 c. confectioners' sugar 1/3 c. fresh lemon juice 1 lemon, zested 3 TBS. vegetable oil 3 TBS. water Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2) Spray mini muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray. 3) Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil and blend well with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 m...

This week I had several things that tickled my fancy so I thought I'd mix it up and share them all with you... After almost 3 years, I finally got my act together and scheduled a professional family photo shoot. We got super lucky with an amazing night in Laguna Beach with Theresa from Lollipops and Slingshots . Seriously do you see that sunset?? This is just a sneak peek at what's to come but I am so excited to see what she captured. Isn't my little peanut a stud? ;) Last week I discovered that baby Lance was breech. I was so bummed about the news but my Dr. was very confident in his ability to flip him around. Versions statistically have a 60% success rate. I agreed to the procedure with A LOT of hesitation and anxiety. As I asked around to other moms, some said it hurt while others said it was slightly uncomfortable. I was a wreck anticipating the pain. And OH MY was it painful and more intense than I realized. The Dr. predicted that I'll have another "turbo...