Hailey's Helpful Hints

  JOMO [jo-mo] n. 1) An acronym for The J oy o f M issing O ut. Guy #1: I had a great day, went on a hike and didn't check facebook. Guy #2: Good day? Guy #1: Yeah pure JOMO. I came across this article in Parents Magazine and thought it was fitting to share. As a backlash against FOMO - aka Fear Of Missing Out - the term is a rebellion against saying yes to everything, and is about giving yourself the space to think and experience things without freaking out about what you 'should' be doing instead. My hope with this post is that you will be intentional about embracing the here and now with things that make you happy. Don't get sucked into the devil'ish world of social media that makes you feel like you have to be busier than you are. You all know that feeling. Enjoy your week and try to embrace those JOMO moments. The header read, "#JOMO is the new #FOMO because #YOLO. The constant barrage of parenting humblebrags, pin-worthy pedicures and perfectly posed ...

  ...to leave a charger plugged in when you aren't using it? I am notorious for doing this. Along with the majority of you I'm sure. But I learned in HGTV magazine, that while it's not a fire or safety hazard to leave your cell phone, laptop or camera charger plugged in, it is a pretty big no no. So what's the big deal? Count the number of chargers you have in your home. We have an iPad charger, a iPhone charger, and the Bose speaker charger all in the kitchen, We have a laptop charger on the desk and another in my husband's office. We have two iPhone chargers in our bedroom. That's seven chargers in a house with NO kids that have their own devices. Having just those devices plugged in 24/7 adds an extra $25 to my annual electric bill. Not a bank breaker but every dollar should count if you're being smart with your money. Now consider that there are 130 million homes in the US. According to Paul Scheckel, author of The Homeowner's Energy Handbook ...

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!

N o M obile P hone P hobia. You have it? According to NBC Miami's article today there is a the growing number of people who admit they have an obsession of staying connected. According to a study by SecurEnvoy , a company that deals in mobile phone technology, the fear of being apart from your cellphone is on the rise. It's called Nomophobia, as in "No mobile phone phobia," and 66 percent of the people surveyed said they have it. {Do you?? If I'm going to be real with you, I probably would fit in that bucket} That number is up from a similar study four years ago, where 53 percent of people admitted to a fear of losing their cellphones. {Fearful because it's annoying to loose all your stored contacts} Dr. Mitch Spero, director of child and family psychologists in Broward County, said it was common to see problems arise because of cellphone use. "Cellphones are tools that should be used to enhance our lives," he warned, "not to destroy our interpe...

Curious what tickled my fancy this week? The OTTERBOX Defender Series iPhone 4/4S Case . The case you need if you want to be careless, work in harsh conditions, are tough on technology, anticipate heavy use or are just plain clumsy. This case is a  must have for someone like me - a mom on my 4th iPhone due to carelessness. My husband keeps threatening that if something happens to my current phone, I'm done. Cellphone less. I call bull but I'm doing everything in my power to avoid that conversation. I'm hoping the Otterbox will be my saving grace. Yes this case is a little beefier and bulkier than most but it's design is made to protect. All those trendy, cute plastic one sided cases are crap. It has a robust 3-layer protection, built-in screen protector and port covers to keep out dust and debris. One flaw I see in the design is that you have to undo the bottom flap to plug the charger in. Granted it's a soft silicone so it's easy to undo but wi...

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...

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...

Ever wish you could compare an in-store item price with an online one to see which is cheaper? Or better yet - interested in what other's are saying about the product before purchasing? I know I have. Just last week in fact. After buying far too many toys that never get played with or fall apart, I've learned my lesson; check the reviews of what other mom's are saying before buying. With these fantastic new barcode scanning apps, I was able to do just that!! Talk about the perfect shopping assistant! Barcode scanning apps have revolutionized the way people shop. They have made in-store price comparison bigger than ever. Apps like RedLaser, Shopsavvy, Stripeylines, Sccopes and Thefind are all shopping companions for bargain and info hungry shoppers who want to ensure they are getting the best deal. These apps help users to search and compare products and prices, create product wishlists and favorites, listen to scanned CDs through iTunes and instantly download, purchase dire...