Hailey's Helpful Hints

Ahh, summer. We're so close to having some fun in the sun. As if you haven't heard this a ga-zillion times before, you need to play it safe and pack the sunscreen whenever you're outside. Not just on the sunny days. On those grey days too. If you have a cupboard filled with bottles from last season (or 5 seasons ago), it's proably best to toss them and get some fresh new bottles. I was overwhelmed by the amount of sunscreen choices this past week. Do I go for the most expensive to be the most effective? The highest SPF? Is a spray better than a lotion? According to Consumer Reports, the best sun protection money can buy turns out to be the cheapest which is great news for us budget-conscious. The magazine tested 22 sprays, creams and lotions, and for the second year in a row Up & Up’s Sport Continuous SPF 30 (a Target brand - but of course) is not only the best buy ($9.00/2 pack), but it's also one of the four most effective sunscreens as determined by Consumer ...

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, as well as the season of delicious fruits and light desserts. Although this particular one is Patriotic for the occasion, there are a million ways to make a delicious trifle dessert that are perfect for summer BBQ's and backyard pool parties. If you don't have a trifle bowl, you need to invest in one. You can find this Libbey Selene Trifle Bowl at Target for $15.99. ~Patriotic Berry Triffle~ Recipe courtesy of "Taste of Home" Yields: 16-20 servings Prep: 30 minutes + chilling Ingredients: 1 package (3 ounces) berry blue gelatin 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin 2 cups boiling water 1 cup cold water 2 cups cold whole milk 2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided 1 pint fresh blueberries 1 quart fresh strawberries, quartered 1 prepared angel food cake (8 to 10 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes Directions: In two small bowls, combine each gel...

The Giveaway results are in and the top store amongst readers is...drum roll please...TARGET!!! Every one of the readers who entered the giveaway listed Target in their top three stores except for one. To be honest, I wasn't shocked. What person doesn't love a one stop shop?!? Besides Wally-world, there aren't many other places where you can pick yourself up a bathing suit, a kid's birthday gift, laundry detergant, a new hairdryer, inexpensive picture frames and bread. I think all you Target shoppers will be happy to know that new reports indicate that although Walmart has built its entire retail brand around the proposition that it "always" offers the lowest prices, Target is now the lowest priced powerhouse!! According to a recent comparison that consisted of 22 common grocery goods such as milk, cereal and rice; 10 general merchandise products such as clothing and home furnishings; and three health and beauty items, Target's prices are now lower than th...

My mom is the absolute best when it comes to giving random, out-of-the-blue gifts. If there's one thing I've learned from her, it's to practice self-less acts of kindness. And not when it's only convenient for you. This past week, I heard Chase yell "Box Truck." Sure enough as I looked out the window, the UPS man was running across our lawn, jumping back into his "box truck." Chase opened the door to find a Crate and Barrel box on our doorstep. I thought, "Hmmm that's an interesting store to get a baby gift from." Surprisingly it wasn't a baby gift. It was a set of 6 Popsicle Molds (12.95, Crate and Barrel) from my mother. Just for fun. Because she thought Chase would love to make them. Lick them. Spill them. And make my house a sticky mess. I'm not sure what tickled my fancy more this week - my mom or the ear to ear smile Chase has when he opens up the freezer to find a "pop-a-cull" waiting for him? I'm thinking ...

The Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale for Women & Children starts today - May 25th - and lasts thru June 5th. Shop in the next 4 days (May 25-28) and Nordstrom cardholders who earn the standard 2 rewards points will earn 4 points per net dollar spent on purchases made at Nordstrom.com and in Nordstrom stores.

Food seems to be a blog favorite, especially those Chicken Enchiladas . Pretty freakin' d'lish right?? So here's a recipe from a fellow mom's club member that was prepared last week for our family. It was an absolute hit with Chase and definitely one I'll make again. And for all of you that are wondering how I'm still getting meals brought to me 6 weeks postpartum?? Between the families from our church - Grace Fellowship - and my local Mom's Club, it was truly a blessing to have home cooked meals 3-4 times per week for that long. I'm forever grateful for all the people that volunteered to do something so thoughtful. Florentine Mac and Cheese with Roast Chicken Meatballs Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray, 2007 (with a few motifications) Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 20 min Level: Easy Serves: 4 servings Ingredients: • 1 pound Rotini pasta • Salt • 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken • Black pepper • 2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped • 3 cl...

I grew up in a household where my father never wore deodorant. He sweat very little and he never ever smelled. Humph. Wouldn't that be nice?! For many years because my dad didn't wear it and my brother was too young, I thought deodorant was strictly a feminine product. So I used it - thinking it was part of being female. I'll never forget how shocked I was to see an entire aisle of men's deodorant. No joke. You would have thought I lived in the mountains completely isolated from any type of civilization. Between the rows of choices - deodorant or antiperspirant, gel or solid, spray or stick, white or clear - the selection of sticks on the market is enough to make you break out into a sweat just trying to decide. Where am I going with this?? I honestly don't know except for that it's a relevant story to this MUST HAVE post on deodorant. The last time I was at my mom's I was reminded how much I love MY deodorant. In a mad rush out the door, I rolled her gel ...