Hailey's Helpful Hints

As I was fidgeting around the house this morning, picking up the same dang toys for the gazzillionth time, a random question popped into my mind - what's one item in the house that has given us the most bang for our buck? I honestly didn't have to hesitate. I've got two very curious boys and they always like to see what's going on, open all things by themselves, and prop themselves up inside the sink so naturally the best $7.99 I've spent is on the Ikea "Bolmen" step stool . Don't let the plastic fool you - it's sturdy. And I love that you can easily whip it down quickly and it's ok if left outside. Which is where I find it most days as the boys stand pulling on the fence gate string. Another reason I like the plastic is because it's lightweight. The boys can easily move it from room to room to get things without having to ask. Note to self; hide all candy and chemicals out of reach. The Bolmen step stool can be found in t...

Between now and the holidays you might feel more inclined to save magazines to be inspired, discover new trends and find the latest fab products. But I have a better idea - download the no-fee Google Catalogs app to your iPad or Android tablet device and say goodbye to piles of clutter while making catalog shopping more engaging, social and creative. The Google Catalogs app features digital versions of catalogs across many popular categories, including fashion and apparel, beauty, jewelry, home, kids and gifts. They’ve partnered with a variety of top brands including Anthropologie , Bare Escentuals , Bergdorf Goodman , Bloomingdale's , Crate and Barrel , L.L. Bean , Lands’ End , Macy’s , Neiman Marcus , Nordstrom , Pottery Barn , Saks Fifth Avenue , Sephora , Sundance Catalog , Tea Collection , Urban Outfitters and Williams-Sonoma , just to name a few of the over 400 catalogs. In addition they have over 100 top brands including; Barneys , Tory Burch and Trina Turk (Fashi...

Alright Jana, this post's for you - and all the other mom's that are pulling their hair out at the sight of their kid's toys and need a toy storage solution. Jana asked: Do you have any suggestions for toy storage?   Namely, do you prefer big baskets/ toy chests, etc. that hold a lot of toys, or do you prefer smaller boxes or bins that you can use to sort based in type of toy?   I would imagine that this would lead to more work when cleaning and putting away, but may be worth it for the organization? My response: I personally prefer smaller baskets or bins sorted by type. My observation with my two boys is that if it's too messy - aka a hodge podge of random toys all thrown into one big toy chest or closet - they won't touch it. It's too overwhelming and the toys don't look nearly as inviting. While the clean up might save you time in the short term with a big chest, it will cost you more time in the long run as they are bugging you to help them dig around...

CLEAN YOUR CHILDREN'S TOYS. There may be a few surprises lurking in your child's stuffed animal, bath toy or train set. Think dust mites and molds that can trigger allergies and asthma, and infectious germs that spread viral illnesses. "We know that the majority of cold viruses are transmitted on objects and hands, for instance," says Dr. Clifford Bassett , medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York. "Your child can develop a rhinovirus within 12 to 24 hours of contact." Clearly, cleaning our kids' hands, house and toys is good for their health. Here's how to do it right and help keep allergies, asthma, colds and flus at bay: 1) Choose toys carefully. Look for washable toys and throw out items that won't come clean, says Dr. Bassett , who is also vice-chairman of public education for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology ( AAAAI ). Where possible, avoid porous, stuffed or otherwise difficult-to-scrub items. 2) Wa...

Looking for cheap fun in the sun? My little sis mailed Chase this Beach Ball Sprinkler and he spent hours running through it this past week. All you have to do is inflate the beach ball, hook it up to a hose, and then water flies out of four sprayers on the ball. Children can roll and chase the ball around on the grass or fill pouch in the bottom of the ball with water to keep it stationary. For $10 at Walmart, this is a must-buy if you're looking for an activity to keep the kids cool and occupied on a hot summer day! Available at Amazon.com , Walmart and Target. Have anything that tickled your fancy this week? We'd love to hear!!

With Spring break and summer travel soon approaching, it's time to talk travel. I like to think I'm a seasoned veteran on the subject being that we've traveled for months on end with my ' lil guy since 3 weeks old. Only time will tell if I'm as ambitious with two in tow. In addition to mentally preparing for any trip, it's important to have appropriate gear to make the trip as headache free as possible. Who am I kidding - is there such a thing?? 1) CARES If you're not into bringing the carseat on the plane (me!), then the CARES Safety Restraint ($69) is a genius alternative to give your little ones that extra protection. The Cares Restraint is the only FAA-approved and adjustable child restrain harness other than a car seat, and can be used for toddlers over 22 pounds. 2) GoGo Kidz Travelmate Back in December I blogged about this already but if you prefer to take your carseat on the plane but don't want to lug around both the carseat AND your st...

Here's a last minute must-buy if you are traveling this holiday season with small children. Or are stumped on what to get your world traveling relatives. The Gogo Kidz Universal Car Seat Travelmate converts your car seat into a stroller. No more having to lug a bulky car seat through the airport while trying to maneuver a stroller (and the kid who keeps dropping his juice every 50 feet). Talk about GENIUS. The Travelmate is super easy to use - it has a quick-release strap that allows the Travelmate to be attached or removed within seconds to the backside of the car seat. What's even more convenient; you can just release the handle down and strap the seatbelt around the Travelmate if you bring your car seat on the airplane. No detaching or finding a place for it in the overhead bin. Although I am not a huge fan of bringing the car seat on the plane, the FAA actually recommends that all children under 40 lbs. sit in a car seat during a flight. The Gogo Travelmate can be attached...

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....