Happily Ever Mock

Valentine Playlist

I just love February! This month is jam packed with cookie baking and Valentine making.  While we are busy spreading the love, we’ll be rocking out to an awesome Valentine Playlist! The right music makes everything perfect! So, today I am sharing some of the tunes we will be listening to all month long!

In addition to Valentines day, Christopher and I are celebrating 13 years of love this month!  I was sure to add some of our favorites like Jack Johnson and Ben Harper.  Do you have a favorite love song? What to I need to add to our playlist?

Kid Valentine Ideas

Love day is almost here! Hallie and I enjoy creating the perfect Valentine each year to share with her sweet friends! Today I am sharing all of the Kid Valentine ideas we have made in the past, then a cute idea for 2018.

Finger Painted Valentines:

When Hallie was a baby/toddler, I put a few drops of paint on thick paper.  Then I let her go to town finger painting.  After her artwork dried, I cut hearts out of it to let her hand out to family and friends.  This is a hit, personal and so very easy!

 

Heart Shaped Crayons:

For Toddlers this is a fun Valentine to make and to receive! Purchase a heart shaped mold, similar to this one.  Sort broken crayons by color, remove from wrapping, and fill molds just over halfway full.  Melt at 350 for 10 minutes (or until fully melted) in the oven.  Wait until fully cooled before removing from mold.  Hallie loved sharing these with all of her friends!

Donuts and Milk: 

This was the Valentine we shared last year and it turned out so cute! I just bought milk bottles, paper straws and dipped mini donuts in sprinkles.  I let her friends choose between strawberry or white milk and it was a total hit! You can print the Donut Tags we made here.

Ice Cream Valentines:

This year since we have school friends and Playgroup friends to share with, I needed an easy and cost effective idea! I got some adorable valentines from Raeannekelly on Etsy. (Which even if you don’t want to go with the ice cream theme, she has a ton of adorable ideas.) Then I ordered color changing spoons from Amazon.  I am going to attach the spoons with a hold punch and some ribbon for the next time our friends eat some ice cream! You can even attach a free ice cream coupon from chick fil a or Baskin Robbins if you want to add a little something extra to it! Hallie can’t wait to hand out these treats this year!

What kinds of Valentines are your kiddos sharing with their friends this year? I can’t wait to hear!

BrightBox- The Best Galentines Gift

Galentine’s Day is coming up, and you want to show your girlfriends you care! You don’t want to spend a fortune, rush from store to store or stand in line at the post office. I got you girl! Enter Brightbox! Brightbox is a $5 goody box that is sure to show your friend how much you care!

You pick an inspirational quote, a darling box, a goody and a sweet treat.  Then you type out your message to your deserving gal, and BrightBox takes care of the rest! In addition to being adorable, it’s a fast and affordable way to share happy mail with everyone you know! I can think of a million reasons to send someone a Brightbox! From Bad day at work to Galentine’s Day, Brightbox is the perfect treat to send to all of your friends!

So, be sure to hop on their Website today! Or check them out on Facebook and Instagram!

Hallieisms February 2018

Holy Bananas you guys! It has been so long since I have written a Hallieisms post! Our girl is constantly killing it in the funny department, so there’s a ton to share!

  • You might remember her BFF, Bowen. (Or as she used to call him, Bone-in) Hallie and Bowen are in the same class at school. On the first day, I asked her “Did you sit next to Bowen?” Without skipping a beat she said “NO! Bowen sat next to me!
  • While in Florida our Hotel was down the street from an ice cream parlor. She had gone with my Mother in Law earlier in the day. Before bed that night, she was trying to sell us on going out for ice cream. “Mom Dad, There’s ice cream, right by! Dad, they have chocolate your favorite!” We couldn’t turn down our little saleswoman!
  • Grocery shopping on day, and we pass the wine and beer aisle and she screams, “There’s your favorite soda Dad and Mom!” We are totally rocking this parenting thing!
  • One day we let her pick out a treat at Market Street. She happily picked a Unicorn Cupcake.  I left her in the kitchen eating it for maybe 2 minutes.  It was seriously ALL GONE when I returned.  I asked her where it went and she rubbed her tummy and said “I throwed it in the Hallie trash can!”
  • Hallie likes to wrap herself in blankets. One day she looked at me all wrapped up and said “Mommy look I’m in a raccoon!” I had to laugh and explain to her that it is actually a cocoon
  • One night we went to dinner. As Christopher was getting her out of the carseat she started pointing across the parking lot screaming “Mom, this place is right by Target!” I taught her well! 
  • When Hallie first started Karate, the instructor asked her to kick her in the tummy. Hallie looked  right at her and said “But I like you!” Sweet girl!
  • Hallie had insisted I buy raspberries at the grocery store. Even though I didn’t think she liked them, I bought them anyway.  I put them in her school lunch twice during the week and both times they came home uneaten.  Finally I asked her why she asked for them if she wasn’t going to eat them.  She laughed and said “Oh, I put them on my fingers!” Kids!
  • Christopher and Hallie go on “Daddy/Daughter dates” to the coffee shop every now and then.  They play games and he gets her hot chocolate.  One day they were playing connect four, and an older woman was talking to them, trying to help Hallie choose where play her pieces. Finally Hallie looks at her and says “Can we play by ourselves now?”
  •  Hallie practicing her dancing, finishes a Grande Jete, then tells me, “I’m a natural!” 
  •  One day a song comes on the radio that I didn’t think Hallie knew, and I asked her “You know this song?” She says, “Yes, I have my remembory on!”
  • While shopping on day. I was frustrated because they were out of product I needed to make a recipe and Hallie starts singing “You can’t always get what you want! But if you try sometimes, you get what you neeeeed!!!”
  • A Hallie original song: “Hey hey, something’s different in the world today, if you try sometimes, you get a unicorn and a horse!”
  • Hallie has things figured out for sure. One day she told Daddy, “Go to work, get all the money’s so I can get an Audi!”
  • Before Christmas I asked her if I was on the naughty or nice list.  She told me the naughty list because she had to go to time out earlier.  Later, I asked again, and she told me “Almost!” 
  • For New Years Eve, I got sparkling grape juice for midnight. Hallie loved it. The next morning when I asked her what she wanted to drink with breakfast she said “Happy New Year Juice!
  • My Godson is 18 months old.  One night we had him over to play and he was throwing around all the toys in Hallie’s kitchen. Probably the most typical toddler behavior.  Hallie started yelling at him, “Declan stop! You are making a mess!” She came to me sobbing “Mom! Boys are messy!!!” You got that right girlfriend!

The Pajamas Every Mom Needs

As a busy Mom I pretty much live in pajamas or sweats! Which is why I am so glad I discovered Hello Mello.  Hello Mello makes the cutest mix and match Lounge Wear that every Mom needs. The fabric is butter soft, and the packaging is picture perfect!  Not to mention they are super affordable.

 The items come packaged in a cute reusable tote and are so cleverly labeled.  The totes are equally soft and give you a small taste of the comfort you are in store for!

I couldn’t wait to slip them on, and as soon as I did I wanted to live in them! Thankfully coming from a Mom who works from home, I never have to! 

The adorable patterns come in both pants and shorts. No matter what kind of gal you are, there is an option for you. Not to mention the equally comfortable lounge tops! These are perfect for lounging as well as running all our your busy Mom errands in!

 If you are looking for a gift for a new Mom these sleep masks make for a perfect addition to the lounge wear.  I can’t imagine a more functional item for a Mom with an infant at home, sleeping at odd hours of the day.  

Whether you’re a stay at home mom, a mom who works from home or a mom who can’t wait to come home and slip into the most comfortable pajamas at the end of a long work day, you will adore Hello Mello Lounge Wear.

Check out their website or find them on Instagram and Facebook.

Currently January

Happy Weekend friends! I can’t believe January is almost over! This month has gone by so quickly, that I haven’t had much time to share about what we have been up to! Here’s a little peek on what we’ve been up to.

Reading:

Hallie had a book fair at her school and we on a whim picked up this book called Dear Girl. Seriously every girl Mom, put this in your Amazon cart IMMEDIATELY! It is all about teaching your girls to love themselves the way they are.  It’s empowering and helps girls grow into brave, important and powerful women.  Hallie loves it and I love the message!

Watching:

I have plans to start The Marvelous Mrs Maisel tonight! Is it worth it? I love Amy Sherman Palladino!

Eating:

DFW friends! There are 2 places you NEED to go ASAP! Wow Donuts and Drips and Chelles Macaroons! They are both amazingly delicious spots for my sweet tooth pals!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Working on:

For me this year is all about growth.  I want to grow this space and my instagram and facebook pages to be a place where Moms like me can unite and lift each other up! To share dreams and goals and tips on motherhood.  I would love any tips from those Mommas that have created their unique corner of the interwebs. Drop your tips and ideas in the comments!

Looking Forward to:

Everything this year will bring! The growth of my brand as well as our business. Watching Hallie grow and learn new things! Watching our family grow (no baby yet, but we definitely want to give Hallie a sibling) and change.  My Dad’s Wedding is in March and I love that we are joining our two families! It’s going to be great year!

Loving for Mommy:

I am living in these socks! They are so soft! Bonus they come in MANY colors. Double bonus they are $4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loving for Hallie:

Hallie is into everything Unicorn right now. She definitely needs this shirt.  Ps can we talk about how good Cat and Jack is?

What are you up to? I want to hear!

 

Valentine Kid Style

“Love is in the air, everywhere you look around!” Don’t mind my jam session, I am just so excited that Valentines Day is around the corner.  All the pink, red and hearts in Hallie’s wardrobe have me swooning!

Today I am sharing some of the adorable pieces I am adding to Hallie’s wardrobe so that we can celebrate LOVE all month long!

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The June and January pieces are so versatile! We have the swing dresses and knit tights in so many amazing colors so we can mix and match for every occasion.  If you are a new customer click here to get 20% off of your first purchase! Also don’t miss the exclusive Valentine pieces they are dropping tomorrow!

The Turbans for Tots bows are so well made and come in the most precious prints! And who doesn’t love sparkly shoes?

The little kitty dress is Hallie’s favorite and she insists on wearing it once a week! You are in luck because it is on sale for $10 RIGHT NOW!

What are your favorite Valentine pieces? Let me know what else I need to add to my cart!

Shop Share and Giveaway- Memory Joy Co

You know you all have a ton of hand print crafts and Popsicle stick creations stacked up and collecting dust.  You have great intentions to get organized and save the precious prints and finger paintings. However time can be an issue and so they remain collecting dust. Memory Joy has solved that problem for me!

Memory Joy has a wide selection of well made memory boxes adorned with your child’s photo, name and age.  Inside is plenty of room for precious mementos and keepsakes.  I am able to now save all of Hallie’s school artwork, karate certificates, and ballet photos while keeping things organized by age.

Before Memory Joy, I had Hallie’s artwork collecting dust on the desk and refrigerator.  They were becoming more crinkled by the day! I knew one day I would eventually pack them up in a storage tote, and put it away in a closet.  However, this seemed time consuming and I wouldn’t be able to easily look at her adorable creations .

With Memory Joy, all of Hal’s 3 year old mementos are tucked away, yet easily accessible. I love that they are organized and safe, and Hallie loves that she can take them off the shelf and look at them whenever she wants! 

The amazing folks at Memory Joy want to gift one of my readers a Memory Box of their very own! How cool is that? To enter Follow the rafflecopter steps below, and be sure you are following them on Facebook  and Instagram.

The giveaway is open to US residents only and will run until January 18th 2018.  Winner will be notified by January 19th 2018.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Few of My Favorite Things- January

January is all about new beginnings. For me, it’s about setting and achieving goals, that is when I am not hunkered down in my Pjs.  Today I am sharing some of my favorite products for work, for play and for hunkering down in said PJs.

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For Work: Erin Condren makes the BEST customizable planners! I prefer the vertical layout because there is plenty of room to keep track of everyone in the family.  And the dual tip markers are perfection!

For Play: Obsessed with these open front cardis! I have them in a few colors! Bonus, select colors are on sale now. This lipstick color is love for this time of year!

For Rest: I can’t get enough of these super comfy pajama pants! It’s the kind of love where you are incredibly bummed on laundry day to have to take them off to wash. Know what I mean? Also if you don’t have an Ugg Blanket, you are missing out! They are the softest warmest throws to wrap up in on a cold January day.

What are some of your favorite things?

2018 Goals and Resolutions

I feel like this is going to be a BIG year for the Mock family! Now that we are a week (and then some) into January, It’s time to jot down some goals for the year.

  1.  Get organized- I am hoping that by the end of the year we will be in a new house, so I want to make that move an easy one on us. I am planning on boxing up baby clothes and keepsakes and keeping things as simple and clutter free as possible.  Stay tuned because I have a review on a product coming soon that is sure to help with this!
  2. Live Healthier- I need to be more active this year! I also plan to eat a little healthier too! I want to make sure I add more fruits and veggies into my diet.  Coming from someone who doesn’t like fruit unless it’s baked into a pie, this is going to be a tricky one for me.
  3. Grow our businesses- Most of you know that my husband Christopher is opening a new store here in the Dallas area. Between that and the blog I am hoping that if we put in some hard work, by the end of the year we will definitely see immense growth.
  4. Spend more quality family time- Our little family of three could definitely benefit from more quality time.  Especially before we think about growing our family.  What are some ways you spend quality time as a family? We would love some ideas!

What are your goals for the year?