Hailey's Helpful Hints

The product: L'Oreal Studio Secrets Professional "One Sweep Eyeshadow" The concept: Three shades of contrasting eyeshadow and a one sweep brush for application to create an easy, simple, fuss-free eyeshadow look! It’s basically a single contrasting shadow look in a single compact sans the need of major skills for application. I think L’ Oreal had in mind that this would appeal to a market that isn ’t quite sure of proper application but still wanting a fabulous eyeshadow look. Granted, not everyone can blend well, apply eyeshadow, and create an overall fantastic eye look (I know I can’t) and the idea behind this was to make it happen with as little fuss and application know how as possible. How does it work? Pretty simple. L’ Oreal provides you with a large curved sponge applicator. The sponge is designed in a way that it’s supposed to mimic the curve of your lid and eye area. You simply swipe the applicator onto all three shadows (upwards for your left eye and down...

Thanks to post-pregnancy hormones, my hair is a hot mess. It's falling out in clumps and is so limp and lifeless. In desperation I reached out to my sister-in-law, Leigh Dawson, a fantastic hairdresser at Gene Juarez in downtown Seattle (plug - go see her!) and she recommended I try Bumble and Bumble's "Surf Spray" to add some volume. During my frantic quest to track down a salon that carried Bumble and Bumble before my trips, I spotted - to my surprise - that Target is now selling Bumble and Bumble products. I know this isn’t exactly hot off the press news but after talking to some girlfriends this was news to them. While I didn't find the Surf Spray in stores (yes, it's sold online ), I did spot a BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE deal on Bumble and Bumble's Seaweed Shampoo and Conditioner, Creme de Coco Shampoo and Conditioner and their popular, go-to Styling Creme. Unfortunately I could only find these 2-packs in stores but it's not like you won't be there...

CARVE OUT SOME TIME BEFORE BEDTIME & READ A BOOK TO YOUR CHILD. (And make it part of the everyday routine!) Your child is never too young or too old to be read to. It seems to me that reading 15 minutes before bed is the one thing that gets cut out of the bedtime routine. In my opinion, there's nothing better than that precious cuddle time. Put on the pj's and get cozy away from distraction and noise. Translation: Take your phone out of your pocket and go in another room away from your computer. Build this time up with your child as your "special" time. Pick books that relate to whatever your child is into these days and they're guaranteed not to resist. And keep in mind, that although they may pick the same book to read night after night and it might be boring to you, it is doing your child a world of good. Eventually your child will memorize the text and be able to "read" it to you. When this happens, they are learning about language structure, bui...

Before I make your mouth water, I wanted to apologize for my inconsistent blogging efforts. I've been on a whirlwind travel adventure for the past 2 months to some fantastic places (Australia and Thailand to name just a few) and to be honest, blogging hasn't even crossed my mind. But because I was feeling guilty, here's a Sweet Sunday post coming at you all the way from Bangkok (where it's actually my Monday)... This is the perfect fall dessert and one you're going to want to make now so you can easily whip it up over the Thanksgiving holiday! This dessert has a few steps but it's really simple to make. A doctored up store bought yellow cake mix with toasted pecans or walnuts is used for both the crust and topping to give it a nice texture and flavor. And sandwiched between the two, is a layer of creamy pumpkin filling that has a nice balance of sweet and spicy. This dessert is a cross between pumpkin pie and a pumpkin bar. The buttery, caky topping makes this ...

...FIND A WAY TO SAVE $25. Now I know money is tight as it is but I can almost guarantee that you're spending money here and there that you don't need to. Brew your own pot of coffee at home. Forego the 'Value Meal' that sets you back $6.00 and pack your own lunch. Paint your own nails instead of going to the nail salon. (That's $20 right there!) Buy a bottle of wine from the grocery store instead of hitting up your after work Happy Hour spot. Meet your girlfriend for a walk instead of coffee. Use up the beauty products in your cabinet before rushing out to buy brand new. Buy generic, not name-brand. Don't give into buying the overpriced goodies at the concession stands at sporting events. If you can get in the habit of doing this on a regular basis, you'll be amazed at how much the un -necessary items add up. And how much more money you'll have to spend on things you do need! If you're like me and need to visibly see your work pay off, put the mone...

Did you hear that Nordstrom is now offering FREE online shipping and FREE returns all the time for orders of any size? Loveth! As if Nordstrom wasn't already the leader in making your shopping experience as easy as possible. It used to be that the free shipping minimum was on $200 or more. While usually too steep for my one or two TBD shirts, I did find their in-store pickup option extremely convenient. But since having two kids, it's hard to find the time to swing by customer service to pick it up. Hence why I'm loving this great news that I had to share with you!

Is it just me or does it seem like everyone carries their cell phone with them everywhere ? The one that gets me the most is taking it to the bathroom. Or what about the email chirps or text message dings that have become the background music during family dinner? I'll admit - I am guilty of having my cell on me most of the time. Ok all the time. But I'm trying to get better about being more "out of touch" especially when spending time with my kids. While intentionally not browsing on my phone while waiting in the Doctor's office, I came across an article in Parenting magazine that was oh so fitting. Technology has created a world of both wonder and worry for the modern family. I'll never forget when I got my first email account. In college. I felt like I was a character on the Jetsons. Sadly now email is almost a thing of the past. And what about doing research in the Encyclopedia? Man, I am really dating myself. But it's true. Snail mail. Going to the li...

...CHECK OUT PINTEREST - http://www.pinterest.com/ So I know many of you have heard of Pinterest. And most of you, if you've spent any time on the website, have become "Pinterested" aka OBSESSED. After my mother-in-law emailed last week asking if I'd seen this awesome new site, I realized not everyone is wasting away their free time glued to the "pinboards" of fabulous ideas and motivation. Although I haven't become an addicted "Pinner," I do believe Pinterest is the most productive and efficient way to organize images from the web to create virtual bookmarking. What people use to store on their internet favorites and in folders on their hard drive or cuts outs in a binder, can now just be “pinned” to their pinboards for easy categorization and at-a-glance inspiration. How (p)interesting right?!? Wondering what the heck Pinterest is? According to the Pinterest website: "Think of Pinterest as a virtual pinboard — a place where you can creat...

Wondering what to slap on the BBQ this Labor Day weekend? Fret no more. This Southwestern recipe from Eatingwell.com is a light twist on a normally heavy meal. They are great for larger groups because you can stretch the meat without feeling like you are skimping. Serve with corn on the cob and you've got yourself a fantastic low calorie meal. ~Steak & Potato Kabobs with Creamy Cilantro Sauce~ Serves: 4 Total Time: 40 minutes Ingredients: 8 - 10-12 inch skewers 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, minced 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar, or cider vinegar 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream 1 small clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon chile powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided 8 new or baby red potatoes 1 1/4 pounds strip steak, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 2 poblano peppers , or 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large sweet onion, cut into 1-inch chunks Directions: 1) Combine cilantro, vinegar, sour...