Happily Ever Mock

I’m still here!

Good morning everyone! Just wanted you to know that we are still here and well! We’ve just been busy spending some family time together! Yesterday was the Husband’s birthday and we spent the majority of the day with him relaxing at home.  After work we took him out for a yummy dinner at the Cheesecake Factory! They were so nice! We asked for our cheesecakes to go, but they still brought a little treat with a candle for him to blow out!
This morning we got up early to go to Church for Ash Wednesday, then Hallie and I went to story time. 
Later it’s Pretty Little Liars Night! (We always watch on Wednesdays) Did you here the exciting PLL news??!! Big A will be revealed March 24th! Ah!!! FINALLY!!!!! 
I thought this was funny!
Anyway, just a little update on what’s been happening around here! 
Take care!
Kelly 

Hallie’s First Valentines Day

Happy Monday!! I hope everyone had a great Valentine’s weekend! We did! Here’s what we were up to!
Saturday Morning, Daddy had to work, which actually worked out because there was a lot of prepping still left to do for his birthday party! 
I got up at 5 to finish the heart cookies and Hallie joined me around 7:30.  She ate her breakfast!

 After Breakfast, we got ourselves ready and went to deliver Valentines to my parents!

                                     (Cleo and Sadie’s Valentines from the Day before)

                                             Valentine’s for my parent’s house

Then we opened Valentines with my parents

Hallie and Cousin Matt

 After spending the morning with my parent’s we went home to finish Daddy’s cake. Memi came over to play (kicking myself for not getting a picture of Hallie and Memi playing!! It was too cute!
Then we brought over some more Valentines to family! We then went over to Christopher’s Dad’s for his birthday party.

Hallie gave Memi her Valentine 

Since Daddy was at work when Hallie got up we exchanged Valentines when he got there!

Daddy’s Valentines

Hallie’s Valentines (I had to settle for Wizard of Oz because Romeo and Juliet was sold out) 
Hallie and Uncle Adam 
Happy Birthday Daddy!!!

It was such a fun day!
What did you do? 

Oh hey Friday!

Linking up with September Farm!

Hello all and Happy Friday!!! I hope you all have some wonderful Valentine plans! Hallie and I will be celebrating Valentines Day and Daddy’s birthday with family! Christopher’s birthday is on Fat Tuesday next week! Hallie and I have some awesome surprises ready for Daddy and we have some sweet surprises ready for Miss Hallie!

Yesterday we had Hallie’s play group Valentine Party and it was so much fun! All the babies were too cute and the Mommies went ABOVE and BEYOND to make sure the babies and Mommies had a great time!

(Excuse the crappy cell pictures) Hallie Made special Valentines for her buddies:

I brought my delicious Cookies which I think everyone liked.
and Hallie had so so much fun with her friends and made out with all kinds of Valentine loot!
On to my 5 favorite pictures this week:

Seriously this kid is getting too big! Happy Weekend everyone!!
<3Kelly

Famous Valentine Linzer Cookie Recipe

(Disclaimer to family and friends reading this: You will get your cookies in due time, but this batch I made for play group! There is plenty of dough left! Patience!)

Excuse my disclaimer! These cookies are just that good! As soon as someone hears that I have made some, a mob of people (cough…Dad…cough) are salivating and offering up the shirt on their backs just for a taste!!! For the Friends Fans out there…it’s like Monica and the candy!

So finally I am offering up this tasty recipe! It is one I found several years ago on Pinterest and have perfected over the years to make it even more delicious!
You ready?
Ingredients for 6 dozen (I know it sounds like a lot, but you can freeze the dough) 
-6 Sticks of Unsalted butter softened (yes my friends call me Paula Deen)
-2 Cups Granulated Sugar
-2 1/4 ts Vanilla
-2 eggs pre-beat
-7 cups of flour 
-1 3/4 ts salt 
-1 jar of your favorite jam (I use raspberry for Valentines Day, but have experimented with Strawberry, Blackberry and Lemon curd) 
-2 cookie cutters of the same shape one large one small
-Powdered Sugar for Dusting
I wasn’t kidding!!
Steps: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. In a large stand mixer or bowl (I mean LARGE) cream the butter and sugar together
2. Add beaten egg, vanilla and salt
3. Slowly add flour cup by cup mixing well after each cup
4.When thoroughly mixed start rolling out dough on a floured surface a little at a time (like I said you can freeze or refrigerate what you don’t use)  about 1/4 inch thick.
5. Cut out large hearts first and then cut holes in half of them using the small heart 
6. Add excess dough to unused dough 
7. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned 
8. Cool on wire racks
9. Add jam to whole cookies and top with the ones with hole in center.
10. Dust with powdered sugar

11. Chill until ready to serve.
12. Enjoy!
Hope everyone enjoys this recipe! It is a labor of love but everyone will go nuts over them…seriously! 
<3 Kelly

Currently February

Good morning everyone, sorry for my tardiness…we are all sort of down for the count here this week…it’s been a little bit crazy! Sinus Infections, allergies, sleep separation anxiety, car troubles..almost putting the babies yogurt in my coffee…yep that’s been my week! 
Aside from the troubles here is what we have been up to lately!


Reading: I have been meaning to pick up a book, but this month has been a little nutty and Hallie and I have missed out last couple story times! Any suggestions readers? (Not a sci-fi fan though…) 


Watching: Big Bang Theory and Pretty Little Liars! I am looking forward to trying out the new “Odd Couple”- anyone else excited for this? I just LOVE Matthew Perry!

Working on: Finishing up the Valentines! And prepping for the husband’s birthday! I have all of Hallie’s playgroup friends Valentines done, but I still have to do my homemade valentines for friends and family! Especially my 2 buddies whose birthday’s fall around/on the holiday! I also am planning on making my Linzer cookies tonight! Oh and I need to get Christopher a birthday gift and bake his favorite chocolate cake!!!!
Last Year’s Homemade Valentines!

Looking Forward to: Feeling better, car being back to normal and for things to quiet down! Also excited for Hallie’s Play Group Valentine party tomorrow! 


Loving: That my baby girl said “Momma” this morning! She can also say “Hi” and “Hey”…on those bad nights we had recently where the sleep anxiety was at it’s worst and Momma was feeling extra icky, we let her sleep with us…and for a whole hour she would tap us and say…”Hi! Hey!” I love that she is learning…I just wish she would pick a better hour! lol

10 years!

Today marks 10 years that Christopher and I have been together! In so many ways we have grown up together.  We met so young and have stayed together through the many struggles and triumphs of becoming adults.  Finishing school, job changes, losing loved ones, buying a home, getting married, and the birth of our daughter, we’ve seen each other through thick and thin.

Today I want to thank my sweet husband for being a great friend, boyfriend, husband, and now father to Hallie! You are always my rock and I love you so much! Here are to many more tens! 

Valentine Books

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Ours was filled with a lot of errand running and a sleepover with my big girls at work.  Also I seem to be getting the sinus crud that everyone else has had! Thank GOD it is not contagious…granted I have always wondered how so many people get it at once..oh well the Dr says it’s not contagious! Anyway on top of having a stuffy head I am running on very little sleep today.
Hallie is going through another bout of sleep separation anxiety.  So last night instead of finding a paci when she woke in the middle of the night and going back to sleep like usual, she screamed for me.  I would go in put the paci in and assure her I was there on and off for about 20 minute intervals until she finally fell back to sleep…then it would take me about 20 minutes to fall asleep due to the pressure in my head! Just in time to wake up and do it all again! Ah!

Anyway I didn’t mean to vent, but darn that felt good! Today’s post is really about the books! I know I shared with you 2 of the books that I got Hallie for her Valentines Bag from Mommy and Daddy! Weeeeell….I got a bit carried away and purchased a few more! I mean what else do you get a baby for Valentine’s Day, right!?

1. The Day it Rained Hearts-

2.  Hug You Kiss You Love You-

3.  We Belong Together-

4.  You Are My Cupcake-

5. BabyLit- Romeo and Juliet-

Do you give your little’s Valentine’s gifts? What are you giving them? Have any more ideas of things I could give Hallie in her bag? I want to hear them!!!
Happy Monday! <3 Kelly 

And the winner is….

Thank you everyone so much for entering! I was blown away with how many of you participated, and I am so pleased to be able to share such an amazing product with you!

Another few cheers and thanks to the sweet folks at Freshly Picked! Hooray!!!!

I am so happy to announce our winner today:

Jennifer W from Adventures in Mommyhood!!!

Jennifer please email me today at Kelhof87@gmail.com to claim your prize!

And thank you all so much for playing! Please stay tuned as I hope to be able to announce some more fun giveaways soon!

Happy weekend!
<3 Kelly

Last Day To Enter Giveaway!

Hey, Listen up! Hallie has something that she wants to tell you! Today is the LAST day to enter our giveaway! Get your entries in by Midnight tonight CST.

For today’s entry I invite you to head over to Freshly Picked’s website, take one more look at all of the cute Moccs and decide which color and size you would get if you won! If you aren’t sure on sizing, check out the handy sizing guide they have on their site! 
Comment below with the Color and Size and cross your fingers!
The Winner will be announced tomorrow morning! 
Good Luck Everyone!
<3 Kelly and Hallie

Leverage + Giveaway Entry

Today’s post is titled “Leverage” because it is dedicated to all of the things my daughter uses as leverage to pull herself up to standing.  Time to baby proof much?

It used to be that whoever the closest person was became leverage for her to use to pull herself up to stand, and now she will use just about anything!

Her Kick and Play Piano,  I saw it as a fun toy, Hallie saw it as motivation.  
Her crib, yes both inside and outside has been come a fun tool to use as leverage to stand…time to drop it!
Probably her favorite item in our house. Not only can she pull up on this, but she can walk around it.
Even toys as low to the ground as our Elephant here are used to bear weight!
Here I thought I was being smart. Put her in the basket with toys so that I could fold laundry without her unfolding it along the way….until she figured out she could stand up in it!
Doors and walls!
Our Bumbo is now used as a walker that she can push around the house…which I have also seen her to with a box of diapers!

Boy are we in trouble!!!
When did your little ones start walking?  I can feel it…we don’t have much longer!

Now I bet you’re wondering about our Giveway! I am blown away with how many are entering! Today to enter, go back to the Original Post and tell me your very favorite thing about Freshly Picked! I’ll go first: “The amazing people who work for the company!” If you haven’t tried FP yet, tell me what you are most excited for! Can’t wait to see what you all have to say! Don’t forget, tomorrow is your last day to enter!
<3 Kelly