Hailey's Helpful Hints

Why hello!!!! Has it really been 8 months since my last blog post?!?! Unreal. Ok who am I kidding acting shocked. For those of you that have followed me in the past, you know this really isn't anything new. I get hot and post daily for a bit and then wham, it's like I fall off the face of the earth. In my defense, during this last hiatus, we built a custom home. You better believe this detailed oriented perfectionist had her hands in every last design decision. Luckily my husband and I are still married after the process and our four littles are alive and well. So between the building, the packing, the summer madnes, the school chaos, dealing with a traveling husband, shlepping around two year old devils, I mean twins, and now the holiday mayham, I'm lucky to even still be standing. But one thing lately that has kept me going...I joined a gym. It's been 4+ years since I've stepped into a gym. But this membership has nothing to do with getting back into the gym. I ho...

It’s almost that time of year again when you get to express your love on Valentine’s Day with these unique gifts for him. Here’s a knock-out list of gifts for every budget that are sure to show him just how much you love him. MR. FIX IT: HAND LIGHT Put a handy light right where he needs it most: on his hand. This is perfect for those tight jobs where holding a flashlight and doing the job might be hard to do at the same time. It frees up his hands so he can get work done and see what he’s doing. MR. HANDY: HAMMER/AX MULTI-TOOL With this multi-tool he’ll be able to do all sorts of things, and unlike most other multi-tools this one includes a mini-ax, so it’s just a little more awesome than the others. It’s not like he can chop a tree down with it, but it could definitely come in handy. MR. PARTY: BARWARE SET If he likes to make drinks let him do it with more ease when you get him this barware set. It has everything a bartender uses to concoct delicious beverages, and will let him...

  Stumped on what to give your dad or husband this Father's Day? All men loves tool and gadgets. And it's expected that all dads know how to fix everything. So it's only fitting that you buy him the most awesome pocket tool - The Leatherman Super Tool 300 Pocket Tool . This fun, efficient gadget has 19 tools in 1. And is currently on sale on Amazon . Orginally $87, now $65. And don't forget the protective cover - the Leatherman Sheath . Comes in brown or black for only $14.

How genius and functional is this water bottle? It's almost as cool as my iPhone card carrying phone case with an added bonus of carrying a key. It's products like this that make me shake my head and wonder - why the heck didn't I think of this? I'm smarter than that. Perfect for the gym, long bike rides or to carry with you all day as you try to get in your 64 oz of water. Which I can't seem to master for the life of me. Tomorrow I keep saying. But for today, I sit surrounded by wine glasses and Diet Coke. Sigh. To purchase, click HERE .

  I love the idea of Little Cuties. Translation: Fruit, custard, cream or meringue mini-pies baked in ½-pint, oven-safe mason jars. What a perfectly portioned treat. Just press the crust into the containers (available at Amazon, Walmart, even your hardware store). Choose a canned filling or whip one up yourself. Come dessert time, there’s no need to cut and serve. “People can grab a jar and dig right in,” says Shaina Olmanson, author of Desserts in Jars: 50 Sweet Treats That Shine . “They’re great for parties.” And your waistline - as long as you eat just one. Great as gifts too! :: 2 Crowd Pleasing Little Cutie Ideas ::   Mini Apple Pies: Who doesn't love apple pie!?!? Ingredients: 2 boxes refrigerated pie crusts 8 Tbsp. butter 1/4 C flour 1/4 C granulated sugar 1/4 C brown sugar 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/8 tsp salt 6 C sliced apples 1/2 C dried cranberries (optional) Directions: 1. Heat oven to 350° and set out 8 wide-mouth 8 oz jars. Cut...

  Give the sweetest present this year; yummy treats wrapped in pretty packages! :: Sweet :: Peppermint Bark  : 2 pounds (4 small tins) at $1.96 each Chocolate-Peppermint Cake Pops  : 48 pops at $.23 each Layered Chocolate Cookie Mix  : 1 jar at $7.33 each; 3 1/2 dozen baked cookies Marbled Walnut Fudge  : 4 dozen pieces at $4.01/dozen Mixed Berry Granola : About 6 cups at $1.98 per cup Cranberry-Poppyseed Biscuits : three 2 3/4 cup bags at $1.55 each :: Salty :: Chunky Salsa : Makes 10 cups at $1.53 Trio of Rubs : 1 jar (11 teaspoons) at $1.50 each :: Fast and Easy Gift Packaging Ideas :: Raid your pantry and drawers for these items to repurpose on the fly... Mason or other lidded glass jars: These are ideal for holding homemade candies, nuts and other small bites. Just sterilize with a quick boiling water bath first. A ribbon around the top makes it extra special. Brown paper bags: Use lunch sacks or cut apart large bags to make wrapping paper. Add a gin...

  Back in 2010, I jotted down a few gift ideas for specific people in your lives - the workaholic, the beauty queen, the movie buff. The list goes on. Sadly I'm sure there will be links that don't work and a few products that might seem "dated" or not even available anymore but reposting wasn't necessarily about the specific products but more to inspire your inner creativity to give something more thoughtful. Instead of just getting them something mainstream, think about each individual person. What do they really like to do? What is a gift they will keep and use, not toss in the drawer? Check out the post HERE . Happy Shopping!

When you need a last minute present or just simply don't have time to package and ship, the "Treater" app can't be beat! This free app (for both iPhone & Android) lets you instantly give any friend gift certificates from everything from movie tickets and massages to gourmet dinners. Simply pick and purchase a "treat" and send it via Facebook, text or email. Great for the holidays but a useful app all year round for those life events that sneak up on you!

No time to shop? Stumped on what to give a girlfriend that has everything? Give the gift of a re-occuring monthly box of high-end assorted cosmetics. Truly the gift that keeps on giving. For only $10-$21 per month (you can pick how many months you want the box delievered), the recipient will be able to try out in-demand, luxe skin creams, perfumes, makeup, and hair products. Here are a few beauty bento boxes to consider: Birchbox : Sidestep dissapointment by testing trial-size luxe beauty supplies that have receieved numerous thumbs-up. My favorite option from the list. $10/month. www.birchbox.com   Myglam : Not only does myglam offer it's four or five monthly samples in full or deluxe sizes, it also includes a cute makeup bag with every package. The website offers makeup tutorials too. $10/month. www.myglam.com Beautyarmy : This sampling program recommends makeup, fragrances, and more based on feedback from customer questionnaires. You can take user's advice or sel...

I don't know about you but I'm always struggling to juggle my money clutch, phone (god forbid I go anywhere without it), Target bags and a child's hand or two so whoever had the patent pending idea to manufacture a wallet that accomodates an iPhone, up to three credit cards and alittle cash is a genius in my book. The Q Card Case for the iPhone 4/4s and 5 are a practical gift for both men and women, even teenagers, this holiday season. At only $40, you could even slide in a small gift card or some cash into the pocket for a secret surprise.

I love the idea of a lunch box filled with a few extra goodies as a Christmas gift. I'm especially obsessed with Frecklebox's personalized lunch boxes ($29.95) that have a chalkboard inside the lid for those "I love you notes" you want to include.   They also offer a  "look like me" box ($29.95) that allows you to customize the lunch box with the correct skintone, hair color, and their favorite activity. And if you want to take the lunch box to the next level, you can personalize a Yubo box  ($39.95). Incredibly functional with three built-in food containers and a custom built ice pack. All dishwasher safe and BPA-free, phthalate-free, and lead-free. So much to choose from! Now fill it with little surprises and you've got yourself a super fun gift! Frecklebox also carries an entire line of personalizable items from chore charts, placemats, puzzles and binders. All so cute and affordable prices.

Stumped on what to get your sister? Friend? Babysitter? I know clothing is hard to give but the Bobeau Asymmetical Fleece Wrap Cardigan  makes the perfect gift. It lightweight so it can be worn year round. Flattering. A comfy throw on piece. And on sale! Currently marked down to $39.90 in the "Point of View" section at Nordstrom. Pair with a pair of earrings or a some nailpolish and you've got yourself a fashionable gift for under $50. Or if you want to bypass the mall chaos, buy online and get free shipping! Available in 13 colors.