Happily Ever Mock

Must Have Monday Fall Preperation

Happy Labor Day Everyone!  With school started and Labor Day come and almost gone, Fall is around the corner! (Well in Dallas, maybe around the corner and down the street!) 


So for today’s must have Monday, it is all about Fall Fashion for Mommy and Baby!


Here are some of our favorite Fall staples for Hallie:


Carters Ballet Socks


































 I love that these Carters Ballet Socks come in a variety of colors that will match so many of our sweet Fall outfits! Plus Momma was a dancer, so maybe baby will follow in my footsteps!






















Long Sleeved Onesies










This one is my favorite! It is the “Who needs a prince! (I have Daddy)” Onesie and jegging set from Carters! 


I knew when I saw it that it was a must have for my little princess this Fall! 





This Giraffe hat and onesie are from Gymboree and we are so obsessed with it for Fall! Christopher and I both LOVE giraffes, and Hallie has a lot of little giraffe things in her nursery, so we needed to have a Giraffe outfit to her Fall collection! This one was given to us by the girls I nanny for and their sweet parents! 
























Columbia Fleece Jacket

We LOVE this Columbia Fleece Jacket for Fall and cannot wait to get some use out of it!  We have it in Purple (our favorite!!!) but it comes in a variety of colors!





























These are my Must Haves for me this Fall (Though I am still a bit behind on shopping for me! Still hoping to lose the last bit of that baby weight before making my purchases!)

Varsity T-Shirt-
I got a really similar one to this at Old Navy.  Mine is plain in front with black stripes on the sleeves.

Gap Jeans

Gap Skinny Jeans are my absolute favorite! I am hoping to fit back into mine from last year that I bought just before I got pregnant, but…I am thinking I’ll have to buy a size up




















Jamberry Nails 





I am loving all of the new Fall designs from the Jamberry Nails Fall/Winter catalog! I can’t wait to stock up! This Glam nail wrap will be the first design in my shopping cart!!! 




















What are some of your favorite Fall Must haves? Please share some with me below! 
<3 Kelly

Liebster Award

I have recently had the honor of being nominated by one of my favorite blogger Mommies Liz at http://simplycomplexmom.blogspot.com/ for the Liebster Award!!




According to Liz (and previous bloggers):

 “My understanding is that bloggers with followers under a certain threshold (somewhere between 200-2000) are nominated.  It’s a fun way to share a bit about yourself and learn about other newer bloggers too.  This is a cool and supportive venture; a way for the blogging community to show each other some love!
Here are the rules for receiving this award:

  1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves

  2. Answer the questions from the person who nominated you and create 11 new questions for those you nominate

  3. Nominate 5-11 of your favorite bloggers and link them in your post

  4. Go to their page and tell them

  5. Thank and link back to the person’s blog who nominated you”




I am so excited to accept this nomination! What a fun little way to learn more about my favorite mommies and tell you more about me! Thank you, Liz!!!


 Here are my responses, nominee requests and questions to pose:


11 Facts About Myself:
1. My husband was my only serious boyfriend.
2. One of my favorite breakfast combinations growing up was a blueberry bagel with chive smear…don’t ask! 
3. I tracked down my favorite local artist to paint a picture of my husband and I at our favorite local coffee shop for his 30th birthday.

 


















































4. My parents moved from Texas to Mississippi when I was 16, and I stayed behind to live with my mom’s friend until I graduated.  
5.My husband and I went to London for our Honeymoon, I HATE British TV, but I prefer British novels to American ones!
6.I never learned how to ride a bike
7. I competed in Miss Texas Teen All American Pageant in High school. 
8. I love watching the food network…but I am a REALLY picky eater! I don’t eat fish, beef, or pork (yes even bacon)! 
9. I can’t stand Sci-Fi! If it couldn’t actually happen…I am not interested! No Harry Potter, Star Wars, Twilight or Hunger Games for me…no thank you!
10. I listen to Christmas Music year round…it makes me happy! 

11. Whenever I go on vacation, I take “Flat Joyce”- Joyce is my best friend and it started as a joke so I “wouldn’t be alone” when I took a solo vacay to San Fran. It’s a play on Flat Stanley an Elementary school book/project. We keep joking that I need to make her a teeny tiny passport!























11 Questions from Liz
1. If you could have chosen your name, would you have picked a different one, or kept 
   the one you had? Why/why not?
Yes! I don’t think my name is very fitting! I always thought I looked like a Samantha as a kid.

2. What is your favorite physical characteristic about yourself?
I like my eyes! Especially now since I have passed them on to my daughter!

3. If you could have any super power, what would it be, and why?
Levitating Objects! It would make housework so much easier

4. What is your ultimate pet peeve?
When girls pretend they are dumb to get attention! Grr..

5. What is your favorite dessert?
This one is hard because I am SUCH a sweet tooth! I would either say warm gooey cookies or s’mores.  Or Pie….Or Brownies…lol

6. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be, and why?
Hands down San Francisco! It is my favorite city of all time! 

7. Who is your favorite role model, famous or otherwise?
Either my Nana- the most loving mother and grandmother of all time or My husband’s Aunt Mary….seriously this woman is the most faithful woman I have ever met in my entire life. 


8. What is something special that you currently want to buy?
I am DYING to buy Hallie’s fist Halloween costume…but I am waiting because she is SO tiny and I am not sure what size she will be by Halloween!

9. What is your favorite song, band or album?
Another hard one! Local Dallas band Monkeyshyne that played our wedding! Favorite song: “I know what love is” 
Other faves: Goo Goo Dolls, Counting Crows, Katy Perry, Gin Blossoms, Nora Jones, etc

10. If you could be an animal, what would it be, and why?
Stella, my mini aussie…because she is the most spoiled pup ever!

11. What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?
Read British novels with a steaming cup of coffee!

I would like to nominate the following wonderful blogs for the Liebster Award:
1. Katie from: http://www.katiedidwhat.com/
2. Sarita from: http://itsagirlgirlworld.blogspot.com/
3. Courtney from: http://www.apluslife.net/
4. April from: http://www.firsttimemomanddad.com/
5. Jessica from: http://www.floatonblog.com/


Your questions:
1. What is your favorite movie?
2.Why did you start blogging?
3. Who was your first best friend? Did you keep in touch?
4. What was your favorite subject in school? 
5. What is your favorite restaurant? 
6. What is your dream vacation?
7. Do you have a favorite quote? 
8. Is there a holiday that is most special to you and why? 
9. If you had to live on only 1 meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
10. Favorite place to shop?
11. What do you want to be remembered for? 




Thank you so much Liz for the nomination and the fun questions!  Can’t wait to see if these other bloggers accept the nomination! I would love to learn more about them and see who they nominate as well! 

Friday Fun: Blogmopolitan Quiz!

Happy Friday everyone! I have been seeing this fun quiz all over, and I thought I would give it a go! 
If you would like to participate in this fun quiz, you can find a blank copy here.  Don’t forget to link your post into the comments, I would love to see your answers!!!
<3 Kelly

Nursery…Finally!

I have been meaning to post pictures of Hallie’s nursery for some time now! My sweet Aunt Jane came just a few weeks after Hallie was born to take pictures of Hallie and the nursery, and I have yet to share them! So here we go! She wasn’t being very cooperative that day, so here are the best ones mixed with a few I have taken as well

Here is the view to the right as you walk in.  Here are some of the details that I love:1. In the left corner are 2 cross stitchings made by my mother, Hallie’s Nana.2. The black and purple finger paintings were made by Cleo and Sadie (the girls I nanny for) when they were younger.  They match great though and I thought it would be a nice touch to have something special from them in her nursery.3. My best friend Joyce and I modpodged the letters of her name with scrapbook paper and added the little flowers and tulle.4. The beautiful quilt was made by Hallie’s Godmother, Jennifer.  This side has ballerinas and the other side has a bunch of different colored fabric and Jennifer and her brother’s (Hallie’s God Father) hand prints in the middle with a cross. between. So beautiful!
The changing table is from Babies R Us.   

The little purple baskets I got at….hold your excitement…The dollar store! SERIOUSLY! 
I keep socks, hats, and shoes in them.  

Diaper Genie, available Here






Best idea ever for her hairbows.  I got a little candy jar from Target so that
 a.) I can display them nicely.

b.) I can see what I am looking for…this kid has a ton of bows! 




 I love the pattern of Hallie’s changing table pad cover.  It can be found at Land of Nod.














I got the glider from my cousin and we bought new cushions for it which was super nice.  (You can kind of see the hand prints on the quilt in this picture)



Looking back at these pictures makes me realize how BIG she has gotten!















My mom bought the curtains from Land of Nod, but sewed them to fit our window.






 I fell in LOVE with this bedding from Land of Nod before we found out Hallie was a girl, and it made me want a girl even more than I already did!!!

The crib was given to us by a family I previously nannied for…so sweet of them!

My mom, mother in law and I painted the tree, butterflies, birds and flowers.  You can read about that here. 
 


Jennifer and I made the mobile, and you can also read about that here.
http://www.happilyevermock.com/33-weeks-birthday-maternity-pictures.html
















Last but not least is her little Ikea bookshelf…though I already need another because our toy and book collection keeps growing!!!

The Madame Alexander dolls and the dolls on the bottom shelf belonged to me when I was young and the Monkey was Christopher’s, which he named Mr. Peepers….love him! 





And That’s Hallie’s nursery! It’s my favorite room in the house! 
I love seeing nursery pictures! Share yours with me in the comments pretty please!!!
<3 Kelly

What’s in my Bag?

I have watched so many other bloggers dump their bags and purses and each time I am itching to see what other mommies carry with them on a daily basis! So I finally decided to dump my diaper bag and give you a look as to what is on the inside! 

First off, when I decided to do this, I kept thinking about this scene from HIMYM and couldn’t stop giggling! 





So First, you may already remember my bag, from this post:

It is an older design that I found new on ebay.



The Coach Peyton collection diaper bag can be found Here.



I love it for SO many reasons!!! But my top 2:

1. It is purple

2. It has a TON of pockets!

Don’t believe me? Check out all the things I can jam inside!

 First off are my basics…the things I need no matter where I go, diaper bag or not!

1. My Juicy Wallet…it’s a little old, but one of my favorite things Christopher gave me while we were still dating.  You can still get one here.

2. As you can see I am a big fan of Ebay…I bought my Juicy Sunnies when they were brand new from the Juicy store, probably 8 years ago.  About 4 years ago I lost them and was super sad because it is hard to find Sunglasses with a good fit for my teeny head…so I went on Ebay and bought the same exact pair…only me, I know! Now it’s coming time for replacement again….and I CANT FIND THEM! 🙁 Still unsure what I will do!

3. My keys…duh!


 4. Chapstick…another necessity

5. Travel Tissues…I work with little kiddos and you have no idea how many times one of them has sneezed a huge snot bomb and I am scrambling to find a Starbucks napkin or something….these are a must

6.  Bath and Body Works Hand sanitizer…see number 5!

 7. An extra blanket.  This one is from Target, and though Hallie is not a fan of being swaddled in it, it’s perfect to lay on the floor for her to play on whether I am at work or a friend’s house



8.  A toy…Freddie the Firefly is our favorite right now because it is black and white on the back and Hallie loves the contrast.  



9. A book…My girls at work just love to read to Hallie, so I always have a book on hand.  Love this Sandra Boynton one….love everything she writes!

10. A burp cloth…this cute one was made by one of our friends.

11. paci wipes…Hallie is really good at projectile spitting her pacifier across the room onto the floor. 

12.  A spare newborn onesie…yes…my tiny little baby is still in Newborn clothes and probably will be forever! This one is from an adorable 5 pack from Dillards! So cute!

13.  Little Tummies Gas Drops…my poor baby has the worst gassy tummy!

 14.  If you are an avid reader of my Blog or know me well, you know I have an emotional attachment to my planner…and if you are a crazy organizer like me, you MUST HAVE THIS PLANNER!  



15. A purple pen..my signature color



16. My cell phone charger for work…in case I am in the red



17.  My business cards

 18. My AMAZING Water bottle



19. A healthy snack





20. Changing pad, diapers and wipes.  We use Pampers Sensitive Swaddlers  



21. Spare Pacis…These are the only ones Hallie will take…despite all the cute ones I bought and was given.









Can you believe all of that fit in my bag?! What’s in your bag.  Tell me or show me in the comments! 

Meeting the Mock/Miller Clan

We had such a great weekend, despite the beginning being a little sad.  


Friday Night: 
We went to my Nana’s Viewing and though sad, it was lovely.  Hallie got to meet my Great Aunt Paula, Nana’s sister. She is one of my favorite ladies ever!   

Saturday Morning: 
Christopher and I ran around the house frantically packing for our trip to Houston, since we had to be at the Church for my grandmother’s funeral early.  
The funeral was lovely and it was the first time all of the cousins on my mother’s side were in the same room!
After the Burial:
Christopher and I high tailed it to Houston and made it in time to have dinner with his mom. She and I had a much needed margarita! Then we went to Christopher’s sweet Aunt Melissa’s house to stay for the rest of the weekend.  They are always so sweet and accommodating! 

Sunday:
Christopher’s Mom and Aunts planned an adorable party to celebrate him getting his Masters and for all of the Houston family (Millers/Mocks) to meet little Hallie.  
Here is what our little fashionista wore:
 This Carter’s Fish Print Dress is available Here! 
The party was so wonderful! Hallie got to meet Christopher’s aunts, uncles, cousins, cousin’s little kids and Grandma and Grandpa Mock! So much fun!!! Hallie is the first Mock Grand-baby to be born with the Mock name, so it was extra special!

Hallie and Memi (Christopher’s Mom)

Hallie with Grandma and Grandpa Mock, Grandpa loved her!
Here is Hallie with Grandpa, Grandma some of the other great grandchildren! (Hallie is the only brunette here, but there are only 3 brunette great grandchildren of the 12! 
After the fun party we went back to Melissa’s house and had a little cookout with some of the Millers! It was such a fun way to end such a great visit! Wish we could visit more!



Hallie and Taylor

  Me and My baby girl!

Hope everyone else had a fantastic weekend! 
<3 Kelly 

2 months old

Hallie Anne is 2 months old today! I cannot believe my baby girl is 2 months old! She is getting so big and so smart each day! She is constantly learning and I am always amazed at the things she can do! Her neck is so strong, and she can hold her head up for almost a whole minute during tummy time! She coos and squeals and talks to her toys! She is beautiful and I still can’t believe she is mine!


Here are some pictures from our 2 month old “photo shoot”

We are heading to Houston this weekend for Hallie to meet Christopher’s Grandparents and his family there and couldn’t be more excited! Can’t wait to share pictures of her with her cousins!
<3 Kelly 

Being Mommy

I was approached yesterday by one of my favorite fellow bloggers/new mommies. (http://www.katiedidwhat.com/ if you haven’t read it, do! She’s awesome!) She is writing an article about new moms and asked some fellow bloggers to give her experiences and thoughts we have as new Moms.  


So I thought I would also share with you, my thoughts as a new mommy:


1. I have never felt more love for my husband than the moment I saw him first hold our daughter. That love grows continually each time I see him cuddle her or play with her.

2. Somehow  my daughter is always cute as a button aimmaculately dressed and most days I’m a hot mess. ..sweats, a pony and no makeup is my usual mommy uniform, though it’s hard to care when I look into my daughter’s eyes. 










































3. People always say that being a mom is the hardest job they’ve ever had…to me it just feels natural,  like it’s what I was always supposed to be doing. ..I don’t even mind the lack of sleep (most days)
























4. I never slept while she slept except at night… mostly because I couldn’t stop staring at her. 



5. At the end of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” when the Grinch’s heart grows 3 sizes,  that’s how I felt when I saw my daughter.  I’ve never experienced this kind of love before.





What are your thoughts about being a mommy?
<3 Kelly