Hailey's Helpful Hints

I swear every cookie exchange I've ever been to, these tasty lil' devils are the rave of the party! There are many versions of this spectacular layered bar floating around but this one is the best in my opinion. The crusty outer and the gooey center makes for a killer combination. Be careful - you can seriously wolf down about 10 of these if you're not careful. An easy finger dessert for any party! ~Carmelitas~ Ingredients: 2 cups flour 2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1 cup melted butter 14 oz. pkg. light caramels, unwrapped 1/3 cup light cream 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9-inch pan and set aside. In large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, soda and salt and blend. Add melted butter and mix until crumbly. Reserve half of crumb mixture (about 3 cups) for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture in bottom of greased pan. In a smal...

Starting your back-to-school shopping early? Need to get some items at the mall? Make sure to bring these coupons along with you. Every little bit helps right?!? Click on link for printable coupons: - Banana Republic Factory Outlet - 15% off $100+ purchase Expires 2/29/12 - Barnes & Noble - 30% off select titles Expires 8/1 - Bath & Body Works - Free Signature Collection Body Care Item with Any $10+ Purchase Expires 8/14 - Children’s Place - 20% off $40 / 25% off $50 / 30% off $60 Expires 7/31 - Coach – 30% off purchase Expires 8/7 - Gap Outlet - 15% off $75+ purchase – Expires 2/29/12 - JC Penney – $10 off $25 – Valid 7/29 – 7/30 - JCPenney – $10 off $50 – Expires 8/10 - Justice - 40% off purchase – Expires 8/3 - Kohl’s - 15% off purchase – Valid 7/29 – 7/31 - Michael’s - 50% off regular priced item – Expires 7/29 - Office Depot - $10 off $50 coupon – Expires 8/2 - Office Max - $5 off $25 – Expires 7/30 - Old Navy - Facebook Exclusive $10 off $50 coupon - Sears –...

I love thousands of things but I only need about thirty. Thirty staples. Yes, I know people might say I'm not adhering to "staple" in the strict bread-and-water sense of the word, but whatever you guys. Be serious. On the top of my staples list is the Gilligan & O'Malley thong . Not the thong you put on your foot, the thong you put on your rear. And yes, I am being serious. :) My apologises if this picture of a woman's pelvic is offending you. I kind of feel weird posting it. I don't want it to seem pervy but I am passionate about you knowing about the best underwear in the world. From Target. Yep. These thongs are the most comfortable, invisible, awesome underwear I have ever owned. Forget any of those fancy brands promising "no lines and no seams," which invariably give you elastic pooch or wedgies. This underwear is cut just right and the wide fabric hugs your sides in the perfect spot. They are smooth and soft (93% Cotton/7% Lycra Spandex) a...

You've heard me say it once, and now you'll hear me say it again - do not, I repeat DO NOT drink your calories. Except of course when its a summertime cocktail. There's exceptions to every rule, right?!? Although delicious, margaritas and daiquiris are often loaded with sugar and unnecessary calories that leave you bloated and hungover so before guzzle too many pounds this summer, I thought it would be fun to highlight a few of the best low calorie, low sugar, low carb drinks. Thank you PageDaily.com for doing all the leg work for me. Whether your poison is a mojito or sangria, read on - one of these is sure to tantalize your taste buds! White Sangria adapted from NYTimes.com Combine fresh fruit and chilled wine to create a lighter version of traditional sangria, perfect for a hot summer afternoon. 1 small green pear or green apple 1 small navel orange 1 bottle cava, moscato d’Asti or other sparkling wine 1 3/4 cups apple juice 1 1/3 cups Cointreau 1 cup club s...

In my previous life, I was a Real Estate Agent. Consultant. Realtor. Whatever you want to call it. I honestly miss it. Will I ever go back? Possibly. But for now, I like to stay up to speed on the housing trends. Interest rates. The current inventory. Tips and tricks to get the most bang for your buck. A majority of Homeowner's, due to our unfortunate current economic crisis, are choosing to stay in their homes and do small home improvement projects with any spare cash. The problem is; most homeowners don't have the slightest clue on where to spend their money wisely. Here are some remodeling projects that will increase your home's resale value, improving chances for a speedy, attractive offer when you decide (or have) to sell. Do them now and enjoy the fruits of your labor while you're still in the home. Kitchen Improvements : As the hub of the house -- and its hardest working room -- the kitchen deserves special attention. New appliances and refinished or refaced cabi...

SCRUB (and I mean scrub) YOUR KITCHEN SINK. Especially the black rubber cover that sits down inside the ring. Yes it comes out. And don't forget about the metal drain stopper. I did this last week. OMG. Thoroughly repulsive. According to a study done by the Hygiene Council which was funded by Reckitt Benckiser, the company that makes Lysol, there are 567,845 bits of bacteria per square inch in your kitchen sink drain. Back in November I wrote a piece entitled, "Do you know what's cooking in your kitchen?" Go back and read it. I guarantee you'll make time to clean out your sink this week! Supplies you'll need: 1) Scrub brush 2) Old toothbrush (make sure to flip back the flaps on the rubber stopper. Beware - it will be gooey.) 3) Rubber gloves 4) Clorox Bleach (or a cleaner that you feel comfortable with that is strong enough to cut the grime)

Have you signed up to receive Mobile Coupons from Target yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Thanks to OC Deal Mama I just learned about this convenient new feature. Although I'm all about saving a buck, I'm not a "coupon-cutter" so this is right up my alley. These are Target Store coupons (that can be stacked with a manufacturer coupon on the same item for even greater savings) sent directly to your cell phone, via text message. If you would like to receive Target mobile coupons, text OFFERS to 827438 (Target), or sign up online . These are so easy to use. Simply pull the offer up on your phone at checkout, and have the cashier scan the bar code. That’s it! Request yours today!

How is something so simple, so hard??

I found these tasty looking treats on Homespunwithlove.com and thought YUMMMMM! These are the perfect after dinner summer treat that are bursting with flavors of pineapple, vanilla and touch of almond. Healthy too. ~Pineapple Yogurt Popsicles~ Ingredients: 1 Frozen bag of unsweetened pineapple tidbits {Trader Joe's} 1 cup Organic low fat Vanilla yogurt {Trader Joe's} 1 cup unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk 1/3 cup organic Agave Nectar Popsicles molds. {She used Dixie's 5oz. Bath cups and wooden ice cream spoons as sticks or the Crate and Barrel ones I love so much will work too!} Directions: Place all ingredients into the blender and blend together about 1-2 minuets. Place cups on a tray. Pour mixture in to cups. The mixture should be thick enough that the wooden stick will stand up in the cup. Place tray in the freezer. Makes 8 Popsicle's using the above mentioned cup size. I hope ends your weekend on a sweet note! xo

Craving something cold and sweet? Don't forget to print off these coupons before you head out this weekend to save you money!! ~ McDonald’s : BOGO Free frozen strawberry lemonade, frappe or real fruit smoothie (Exp. 7/31) ~ Pinkberry : BOGO Free Frozen Yogurt (Exp. 7/24) ~ Starbucks : Bring your morning receipt in after 2pm and get a cold beverage for $2 (Exp. 9/5) ~ Dairy Queen : Sign up for their DQ Blizzard Fan Club and get a Blizzard treat coupon .

Amidst a dinner conversation with some girlfriends the other night, a book was recommended that was relevant to the topic we were discussing. With our whirlwind summer trip just days away and no good book on the check-list of items to pack, I hurried over to Barnes and Noble today to pick up Shauna Niequist's "Cold Tangerines." Although intrigued by the title itself, I am anxious to learn how cold tangerines ties into the subtitle; "celebrating the extraordinary nature of everyday life." Found in the "Religion/Spiritual" section of Barnes and Noble, "Cold Tangerines" is a shameless appeal for celebration. The chapters are her stories or "love letters" to her own quotidian life that she hopes might possibly unmask the tiny glimmers of hope and redemption masquerading as normal life if your own personal life. As the back of the books states, Shauna gives us room to breathe, to break down and break through, calling us to our best possi...

Wrinkles. Puffy eyes. Discoloration. Dark circles. As a woman, it's inevitable that you'll be plagued with one, if not all, throughout the aging process. Having been asked multiple times about the best eye creams to tackle such problems, I'm always on the look-out for the best, inexpensive products that can help my readers. This is one I'm pretty excited to share with you. It's not necessarily new on the market, it's just one that I recently spotted that might be the answer to your imperfections and help cut your cabinet clutter in half. Let's admit it: We’re all guilty of having too many products. It’s hard to resist trying something new and before you know it, you have product overload. Summertime is a time for lightening up, so why not take the time to simplify your routine? Multitask the fight against aging on multiple fronts with Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Daily Moisturizer . Dark circles, fine lines, puffy eyes, loss of firmness, uneven tex...

In case you were wondering what's on my to-do list before August 4 th , I'll be hitting up Old Navy's incredibly fantastic STOCK UP SALE to replenish my supply of everyday basics. I was pretty stoked to see two of my faithful must-haves on the sale list; 1) The Perfect Rib-Knit Tank (originally $8.50, on sale for $5.00) and 2) The Perfect 5" Khaki Short (Originally $19.50, on sale for $15.00). Every girl's wardrobe should have a simple pair of black, white and khaki shorts. With those three colors, you can intermix a million cute shirts and tanks to have a plethora of outfits. And why you'd ever pay lots of $$$ on a basic rib tank is stupid. They all look the same and for the price, who cares if they only last you a summer. When mine become kind of ratty looking, they become a work-out tank. Forget high-priced Lululemon . You sweat in them for God's sake. To take advantage of these amazing prices on fabulous favorites you have until August 4 th . But why w...

For a foolproof 20 minute supper with less than 7 ingredients, toss packaged cheese tortellini with roast chicken, herbs, brocolli and/or cauliflower and dried tomato pesto. Top with Parmesan cheese. If your kiddos won't touch anything with veggies mixed in, this recipe is equally as good if you steam the brocolli/cauliflower as a side. Easy-peasy. ~Chicken Tortellini Toss~ Serves: 4 Start to finish: 20 minutes Ingredients: 2 - 9 oz. pkgs. refrigerated cheese tortellini 4 cups broccoli and/or cauliflower florets 1 - 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs 1/2 of a 10-ounce jar dried tomato pesto (1/2 cup) 1 9-oz. pkg. frozen roasted or grilled chicken breast strips, thawed Shaved Parmesan (optional) Directions: On the stovetop, cook tortellini according to package directions. Add the broccoli the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and return to pot. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato pesto, and chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until heated through. Garnish with Parme...

A few years back I received a gift set that included a floral designed tape measure, pair of scissors and a screwdriver. To be honest, I was stoked about the scissors. For some reason growing up my mom's scissors were always dull. It would drive me crazy. And to make my blood boil even more, she didn't just have one pair. She had five... Back to the gift set. If I was a betting girl I would have thought the screwdriver and tape measure would have gotten tossed into my husband's tool kit. Although I don't think anything floral would have lasted long. Instead I decided to throw them in my miscellaneous drawer for those times I didn't want to go into the dark, cold garage to rummage through that foreign box of tools. And boy am I glad I did. I had no idea that the screwdriver of all things would become one of my most used items around the house. For those of you with children, you know that you're constantly changing out batteries in toys, noise machines, etc. Sid...

...CLEAN OUT YOUR REFRIGERATOR. Unfortunately the refrigerator takes a lot of abuse. We stuff it full. We forget about leftovers. We leave spills until they've crystalized. Then we complain when there's even the slightest unpleasant odor that could make one heck of a "science experiment." Cleaning out your freezer and fridge means more than just a tidier-looking kitchen. Food kept too long or at improper temperatures can become contaminated with bacteria, which can cause illness. Most people, it turns out, don't understand the dangers of improper food storage. The American Dietetic Association found that only 40% of consumers knew that eating food that has been stored in refrigerators warmer than 40 degrees Fahrenheit can increase the risk of food-borne illness. Indeed, food poisoning and other food-borne illnesses are very common. Last year, there were an estimated 76 million cases of food-borne illness in the United States, according to the CDC. And about 5,000 ...

How sweet is this...I'M BACK!!! Long story short, my husband went out of town and I didn't have the expertise to fix it. Nor did I want to pay for someone to come out so I took a much needed, healthy break from the computer for the week. Try it - it's heavenly. Moving on to the good stuff - Red Velvet Brownies with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. Need I say more??? I found these brownies on How Sweet It Is and couldn't resist. One recommendation before making them; the white chocolate frosting is insanely sweet - almost too sweet - but by the next day, the white chocolate flavor seemed to blossom and the sweetness had diminished just a tad. Because of this, I highly recommend making the frosting a day or two in advance and sticking it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake the brownies; it will need to come to room temperature and will likely need a good stir before you’ll be able to frost. Whatever you do though, don’t wait another millisecond to make these. Y...

Although the names can be funny - pot belly, jelly belly, love handles, spare tire - excess belly fat is no laughing matter. In all seriousness, having excess abdominal fat is a risk factor for developing chronic illness such as heart disease and diabetes. To decrease these negative health risks, avoiding specific foods that produce belly fat is recommended. In the great quest for proper nutrition, it can be difficult to sort out all the garbage from the good stuff. Well, let me rephrase that: It can be difficult if you allow it to be. Honestly, the perfect diet to ban belly fat is simple. Eat fresh, whole, healthy foods with as few ingredients as possible. Translation? A whole, fresh apple contains one major ingredient: apple. On the other hand, apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal contains sugar, preservatives, additives, and a whole laundry list of chemically altered substances in addition to the tiny bit of apple flavoring and oats you may get. Now, which sounds better to you? Even so, I...

Eight years ago when I registered for my wedding I had no clue what I was doing; what I would need; what I would actually use. Little did I know that the 10-piece glass bowl set from Crate and Barrel would be my all-time favorite gift and must have in my kitchen. I am secretly obsessed with this bowl set hence why this is a HAVE TO HAVE in my book. I love this set because... ...it's the most complete set of bowls ever. I have a size for EVERY need/use. I am never left without the right bowl. ...the clear bowls match any dinnerware or linens that I may be using. ...they are very versatile. Pretty enough to display if you're having a dinner party but basic enough for your everyday. ...the large bowls are awesome for mixing and serving and smaller bowls are great for sauces - ketchup, soy sauce or spices. ...they look pretty on the counter filled with fruit. ...I use them everyday. ...they are dishwasher safe and clean well. ...they nest for easy storage and don't take up a ...

Everyone loves alittle time away for some R&R but with this tough economy, it's hard to justify shelling out hard earned cash for a vacay. But if you're itching to get away and want to make it feasible to do within your budget, try these 9 smart strategies for a less costly summer vacation. Lift off from a smaller airport: You can reap significant savings if you’re willing to put up with a bit of inconvenience. Often you can snag a better deal on airline tickets if you bypass the majors and fly out of a regional airport instead. For example, at press time, Real Simple magazine found that it was $50 cheaper to fly to New York City from the Akron-Canton Airport than from the Cleveland hub. Use the search feature on the easy-to-navigate Kayak.com to compare airfares near you. But bear in mind: Given the high, and rising, prices at the pump, the cost of driving to a more remote airport could wipe out some of your savings. Go to fuelcostcalculator.com , run by AAA, to estimate...

With tomorrow being a holiday, I don't foresee too many people on the computer so I wanted to wish you all an early happy 4th of July. And to please be safe on the roads. The 4th of July has repeatedly ranked as the deadliest holiday of the year - even deadlier than New Year's Day. According to Fox Business News, nearly 51% of all deadly traffic crashes on July 4th are related to alcohol. For your safety and those around you, please do not drink and drive. And because I love statistics almost as much as I love fireworks, here are some fun facts and stats on America's Independence Day celebrations to leave you with: -America will drink more soda on this day, than on New Years and Christmas combined. -This 4th of July, an estimated 150 million hot dogs will be consumed. That's roughly 1 dog for every two people in the U.S! -There are one in four chances that the hot dogs and pork sausages you are eating on Independence day will come from the State of Iowa. Indeed, in Marc...