27. Dine at Hackney's... if Guy liked it, so can we!

Oh Hackney's... what a fun little experience. I could leave it at that and let your imagination wander... but I'll give your creativity a break and entertain you with the details of our experience at this restaurant. We knew that we would need somewhere to eat in Chicago after attending the temple last weekend so I jumped online a few days prior to our trip and checked out some Man v. Food and triple-D places in/around Chicago. There were quite a few but Hackney's happened to be right down the road from the temple and they sent me a little $10 off coupon so it was kind of meant to be. I love convenience and good deals... probably too much, I'm such a cheapskate sometimes.

Upon arrival we came to discover that there are actually two Hackney's within a few blocks of each other... one seemed like a lunch/cocktail place while the other one was more like a dinner/pub place. We went to the latter of the two... haha yes, with our child... since it was less busy. Turns out we made the right choice because it was the original location as well as the location featured on triple-D. This is what we found... Hackney's on Harms in the middle of a neighborhood.

Do you see the restaurant?? We sure didn't... the one up the street was kind of a big white colonial house so we didn't know where to go. Walk into the building on the left and get mistaken as a (ham)burglar?? Or open one of the doors to the brown building on the left and get trampled by a wild horse? Okay so it didn't really look like a barn, and even if it was it probably wouldn't have a wild horse in it... haha anyway... we chose the brown building and were relieved to see a big old "Hackney's" rug in the doorway. Phew.

On triple-D they featured the Hackney's Original French Fried Onions and a couple different varieties of The Famous Hackneyburger... so that's what we got! I went with the original and a 1/4 loaf while Todd got the Blue Cheeseburger.

This little loaf of onion rings was only a fourth of an order... a full order would have been like 5+ onions worth! I ate most of this sucker by myself. Not because I strive to eat unhealthily, although my past month of posts may prove otherwise, but because it was delicious and sometimes in order to eat something truly truly truly delicious you just have to be a fat kid. I also just about downed the whole thing because Todd isn't much of an onion fan. He also wasn't afraid to remind me of his lack of onion love as we were headed to bed that night. "Did you brush your teeth?" he asked... psh, yes I brushed my teeth... with Aquafresh Extreme Clean too... but apparently Mr. quarter-order was still a lingerin'. Sorry babe, I'll go through a car wash with my mouth open next time. ;) Needless to say it was so worth it (nothing Listerine can't fix!) and I really enjoyed the thin onion slices that were ever so lightly fried in a sweet batter. Yum. The burger was also tasty. I got the original Hackneyburger with swiss on a pretzel bun. My favorite part was probably the melted gooey swiss and definitely the pretzel bun. Seriously though... the bun was so excellent. The meat was meaty... I usually can't tell a huge difference between various qualities of meats but it was nice to find out that their butler actually grinds all of their own meat. Unfortunately the burger was on the very rare side of medium and they forgot to put everything else on the burger... ya know, the colorful stuff... tomatoes, lettuce, and anything else that was in the picture on the menu. Once we got everything assembled though it was a very scrumptious burger. For dessert we went with some bread pudding. I'd never had bread pudding before but they always make it on Chopped and Todd likes it so I figured what the heck, why not? So did I like it, you ask? Yes I did, thank you. The texture of the soaked bread with the toffee sauce made for a delicious dessert. Todd says it gets even better with ice cream so it looks like I'm going to have to try it again... darn. ;)

Overall, this place was fun and cozy. It made me want to become a regular because it seemed like everyone there knew each other. I decided that once Todd and I get all old-like that we need to find a place to become regulars at. My first thought was Wingers... mostly because I love the place a ton and I miss it (someone please send me a gallon of special sauce!) and because once upon a time I actually was a regular there with my good friends Shaely and Juliann. We used to go after mutual for the water w/ lemons and asphalt pie. We always sat in the same booth and had the same waitress, Marci. She was very nice and would give us extra lemons and made these cool twisty sculptures out of our straw wrappers. I probably didn't tip her very well at all... sorry Marci, if you're out there just know you were a cool waitress and I was a silly naive teenager.

These were the only two pictures that I could find from our Wingers days... they're probably the least embarrassing ones, too. 

p.s. I found and entire CD worth of Wingers pictures... there are some pretty golden* ones but you're gonna really have to want to see them for me to post them on here...

*frightening, embarrassing, may-not-show-my-husband-ever, etc.

p.p.s. if you're reading this, Todd, I love you so extremely much and thanks for letting me tease you multiple times in this post even though I didn't ask if I could. ;)

4. Visit the temple every other month: Chicago, IL

I am absolutely thrilled about to-do #4. Pretty much this to-do comes straight from our New Year's resolutions. Initially we made it our goal to attend the temple together every other month. After listening  to a temple attendance/family history themed ward conference today we decided to shoot for once a month. I think it'll work out great, especially since we have quite a few temples that we want to attend. These temples include Chicago (IL), Nauvoo (IL), St. Louis (MO), St. Paul (MN), and Houston (TX). I have always loved temple trips and to have the chance to go to multiple temples in four different states this year seems so cool to me. I realize that I lived in Utah before coming out to Wisconsin and I was completely surrounded by temples there but something about the road trip and sight-seeing makes these upcoming temple trips a little more new and exciting.

As I mentioned, we are in Wisconsin now... which means we are no longer living 1.94 miles from the Provo Temple. We were extremely blessed during our undergrad days to be so close to the temple and we defnitely miss the convenience of having it right up the road. We are now in the Chicago, IL temple district and a 1.94 mile trip has turned into a 156.43 mile "trip." We used to be able to attend the temple together whenever we wanted since it only took us all of 30 minutes tops to decide to go, drive there, and get inside. Now we get to drive 2 hours and 50 minutes... dang, what if we still attended the Provo Temple?? That's 1351.26 miles... a 19 hour, 53 minute drive! Okay now I'm just getting carried away with MapQuest haha. Anyway, with Peter being not so newborn-esque anymore we think that our new goal is definitely do-able even if it will take a little more planning.

This past weekend was our first trip of the year and we had the wonderful opportunity to visit the temple in Chicago! We hit the road on Friday night making only one very important stop... free dinner at Papa John's! Woo! Both Peter and I called heads and won the Superbowl coin toss... our winnings included two free one-topping large pizzas. I love free food... it's like I'm still a college student. Will I ever dislike free food?? Probably not.

I was trying to do the same face as Papa J... haha.

Once arriving to our hotel merely blocks from the temple we hung out and went to bed way too late... which was a good thing (not!) because Peter screamed maybe all night long. Phew, it was a doozy.

After the long night we all got up and I got to go for a much needed run... for some reason I just about hate treadmills but I love exercising when I'm staying in a hotel. Weird, I know.

Since Peter has joined our little family Todd and I have had to take turns on the few temple trips that we've made with the baby. Today we took turns doing sessions and although it made for a semi-long day it was 100% worth it. Todd got to do a Spanish session and I got to do a session, period... it was so awesome to be in the temple with all of it's peace and quiet. I long for those moments when everything is absolutely silent and somehow those moments tend to only come when I'm in the temple. Man, I wish I could go every day of my life... that'd be so nice for my sanity. Seriously, if you are looking for that last push to get to the temple... go for the silence. It is so silent you can... well... I can't think of anything more silent. You can hear your neighbors stomach digesting their breakfast? You can hear your nose hairs waving in the breeze of your own steady breath?? Yeah, I think you get the point. Even as I sit here in my apartment in "silence" I can still here the fridge running, the clock ticking, the humbumbling of the neighbors downstairs... the silence of the temple is so peaceful and calming, I love it. I was able to get some really good, thorough thinking done in the temple and left feeling very refreshed and at peace. 

.

My trip was made even nicer when after my session I got to visit with a friend, Rebecca, from the ward and her two adorable little boys in the waiting room. She and her husband were doing the exact same thing that we did for our last trip: sitting in the waiting room trying to keep the kid(s) reverent while the other one did initiatories... easier said than done. Somehow kids know when they are confined to a small and quiet space and all they want to do is move around and be loud. Haha, oh well... it usually works out, right? Once Todd arrived we drove down the road to check out a restaurant that was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives called Hackney's... also on my to-do list so keep an eye out for that post. Post lunch... dinner... linner(?) we made great time driving home... after feeding Peter in a Staples parking lot, of course. Turns out the back seat of our Kia is not as big as I thought it was... especially if you're wrestling with your 2'2" child and trying not to flash the busy road in front of you. The things we do...

Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, today we had Ward Conference. Wonderful talks and lessons were given by our stake and ward leaders and the theme for the day was temple attendance and family history. How perfect is that?? The messages shared renewed my testimony and understanding of the importance of temple attendance as well as family history. Maybe by the end of the year I'll have some of my own family names to do... that would be pretty neat. I am so excited to hit the road again next month on another temple adventure with my little family. Dey are da best, I love dem. (to be read in a Nacho Libre voice)

26. Enjoy a hot cup of cocoa at Sjolinds Chocolate House on a really cold day.

As you may or may not have found out from my previous post, I was let down by a really good friend a few weeks back. His name is chocolate and he came to me in the form of Choffee (brewed cacao beans). I was very excited to see him... it had been so long since we had spent quality time together (not really haha maybe 12 hours, tops). I had never experienced this good friend in brewed form so initially I was thrilled, yet nervous, that he had yet an additional form that I could consume him in. Sadly, he did not taste like I had hoped and I was sorely disappointed (no offense, Melisa! My husband likes it enough for the both of us!). Yes, my husband loves the Choffee... you could say it is most definitely his "cup of tea." Fortunately, my little teacup made a new friend yesterday at Sjolinds Chocolate House right here in Mount Horeb. Sorry Choffee, we're just not meant for each other.

I visited this little chocolate house last summer for the first time with some fellow Mt. Horeb folk, Amber and Maren. I treated myself to a delicious cinnamon roll, one of many delicious looking and tasting treats sold at this Norwegian based shop. It was a very hot day and I was very pregnant so hot chocolate was the absolute last thing on my mind. However, I had heard from multiple resources that their cocoa a la hot was thee best thing to get on a cold winter day, especially a cold Wisconsin winter day. Today was one of those days. Fresh snow from overnight was blowing every which direction and the wind chill resulted in negative temperatures. Now, let me go on a little tangent here...

I don't necessarily like the super cold but I can handle it... especially after growing up in Idaho and going to school in Provo (go cougs!)... both of which included walking to school. That's 8 years of trekking to school in some pretty nasty winters! And it's not even humid there! So yeah I can handle the super cold... but possibly the main reason why I don't like the super cold isn't because it's super cold... it's because of the hot and sweaty ick that overwhelms your body once you get inside and have all of those crazy layers on. Especially when you still have to hike up 4 floors to get to your office... danged Tanner building. Or when you have to wrestle with the car seat and lug it into wherever you're headed. My point is... hot chocolate warms me up (big surprise, right?) and I don't want to drink it if I'm already sweating up a storm. Today, however, was an interesting combo because it was super cold but I didn't bundle up, a very stupid yet very smart decision all at the same time! The tricky transition from the car to the cocoa house was taken care of by my "wise" outfit decision and I did not break a single droplet of sweat. By the time I got inside I was definitely ready for some hot cocoa to warm my soul and toesies. Remember that next time you go out for hot chocolate... don't wear a lot of clothes (haha)! You'll thank me for it! (:

This time I ventured to the chocolate house with Amber, Erika, and all of the kiddos--they're all super cute. (: We took over the kid corner, it's got the coolest of toys, and sipped our various hot drinks and munched on yummy baked goods. My big ol' mug-- or teacup, if you will --was filled to the brim with 16 delicious ounces of Norwegian chocolate blended with peppermint hot cocoa, topped with a thick layer whipped cream. In the words of the wise, and parenting expert, Erika, "You can't come to this place and get an American hot chocolate!" So I didn't, and it was exactly what I needed. I was warmed up quickly and got to hang out with some of my favorite people... what more can you ask for?? Oh I know... another trip to the chocolate house! Let's go again soon, yes?

Yes, those flowers on the table are real...
in February... this is seriously
the cutest little place.

20. Attend the library's 8th Annual Death by Chocolate Bake Off.

About a month back I found out my husband was going to be out of town on Valentine's Day. At first I was a little bummed because I really enjoy Valentine's Day... the sappy yet sincere love letters, the ridiculous amounts of chocolate, the soon-to-bloom flowers... I love it all! After the initial bummed-ness that lasted a healthy amount of minutes I decided there's no harm in celebrating a day or so late. And celebrate a day or late is exactly what we did! Saturday ended up kind of being our Valentine's Day... minus the flowers, cards, chocolate, etc. that he showered me with on the 14th [I feel like I've been writing a lot about V-Day lately... so I apologize if, unlike me, it's your least favorite of the holidays]. 

On Saturday morning we did a whole lot of nothing, which for us is wonderful because we tend to do too much on Saturdays. After waking up and doing the blissful nothing we did some Kenpo-X (hep! hep! hep!). I then made a tasty dinner fully equipped with homemade French bread, lasagna, and not-so-home-made blueberry pomegranate juice, although that woulda been pretty cool. Dinner ended up being a hit and afterwards we dropped Peter off at the neighbors [thanks Maren'n'Dave!] and headed over to the public library for their 8th Annual Death by Chocolate Bake-Off. It. was. heaven... in a library haha. Everywhere you turned there was another table covered in FREE chocolate desserts! The categories for the competition included cheesecake, cake, cookies, brownies, hodgepodge, and professional. 

We started out at the cake table and sampled all 8 entrees. Todd's favorite ended up being the 5-Spice Chinese Chocolate Cake and I voted for the Choc-A Lot Cake... although the 5-Spice was a close second.

Todd then moved on to the professional table where my visiting teacher, Melisa, was competing with her Choffee. It's like coffee because of the way it's made but instead of coffee beans they use cacao beans. When I first tried it at a mutual friend's house a few weeks back I thought it would be like drinking melted chocolate... wouldn't that be awesome?? But instead it was like drinking watered down chocolate... makes sense once you know how it's made but unfortunately I was a little let down. It's just not my cup of tea... or Choffee... anyway, Todd loved the stuff. 

My second table was the cookie table. Most of the cookies were banana/raspberry/sugar cookies with chocolate chips or chocolate flecks on top. Pretty much there wasn't enough chocolate going down for a "Death by Chocolate" competition. As my faith began to waver in my decision to select the tasty-sounding cookie table a miracle happened. The heavens opened... and an entire chorus of angels began to sing as I approached [more like floated to] the dark chocolate macaroons. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on them that they were going to be de. lish. us. And they were. They were amazing. So amazing. I only got one and it could very well be the best chocolate cookie I have ever eaten in my entirety of living. It melted in my mouth and was very comparable to a mini beacon hill cookie. Obviously I voted for the dark chocolate macaroon and I am totally going back next year to eat the entire tray. Oh man... can you even imagine that?? Some crazy lady showing up and scooping the whole tray into her purse? Haha watch out cause that's so going to be me next year. 

See it?? Right there in front...
the cookie from the gods!

I also want to enter the competition next year. Todd and I almost did this year but didn't get around to it. Turns out the winners [one in each category and two over all] get a cash prize and a ribbon/gold [plastic] goblet of awesome! Do you know how accomplished I would feel if I won a ribbon?? Or a TROPHY?!! Okay, that would be so cool!! Anywho, I'm really looking forward to next year. I for sure won't be entering the cookie category though because we both know who is going to win that one every year for the rest of forever. Oh man... I just want another dark chocolate macaroon! Phew... I am really getting worked up about this cookie. 

They did a pretty good paper-mache job
with this little chef dude, huh.

Overall, Todd and I had a great time tasting all of the different desserts. We didn't stay for the award ceremony due to Peter's bed time but I'm pretty sure I know of at least one entry that won. (:

17. be cool like my old bosses and have a Chobani for lunch.

The story behind this to-do comes from a couple years ago when I worked for the Marriott School at BYU as a receptionist. Two of my bosses almost always had a "Chobani" for lunch. This was before Greek yogurt became trendy [in Utah that is... because we all know Utah is usually a little behind] so really I had no idea what it was. I thought it was something super fancy that only "bosses" could afford and stuck it on my list thinking it would be a luxurious moment for me once I tried it. 

Whilst grocery shopping this week I broke the bank [$1.27... phew!] and finally treated myself to a black cherry Chobani and broke it open for lunch on Valentine's Day. I'm a party animal, I know.

Now, I've tasted plain Greek yogurt and at the time I felt like I was eating a spoonful of sour cream... not a delicious yogurt from the gods as expected. The "mix in" [if only I had been eating a Culver's concrete mixer] of black cherry did not help this poor yogurt's case. I love the black cherry Dannon Light'n'Fit that I usually get so I figured this would taste pretty similar. Pretty much I felt like I was eating a spoonful of sour cream... swirled with black cherry yogurt. Whahdoyakno!

It was okay, I'm not a huge fan though. Especially after seeing the state that the yogurt was in before mixing the yogurt and fruit. It looked very comparable to a carton of sour cream that hadn't been opened in a week and needed mixing... all watered down and close to unpleasant.

Conclusion: Chobani, or just Greek yogurt in general, is in all actuality sour cream packaged in an appealing stout container with a nationality change.

How many times do you think I can manage
to post a picture of my v-day flowers?? (:

a season of firsts.

It's crazy how many firsts you experience during the initial 6 months of your life... and you don't even know what is going on! Total bummer, right? My poor little Peter is accomplishing all sorts of cool things right now and he wont even remember a single one of them. Luckily I take more than enough pictures of him so when he is older and having his own kids he can finally appreciate all of this firsts... hahaha yeah probably not, but at least I'll feel good about it. (: To demonstrate... here are a bunch of Peter's firsts. Don't worry, I did not include his first blow out... although it may or may not have been documented because of it's ginormity... danged up&up diapers!

First time being held by mommy, 

first minutes of life, 

first time breathing air via his lungs,

first time outside the womb,

first hospital visit,

first hat. (:

etc.

First time hanging out with daddy.

First time being held by Aunt Marysa.

First time being held by Aunt Emily.

First grandma time! Oober precious. 

[okay so this wasn't the first time but the picture is just so cute!]

First outfit... a super darling one at that!

First family picture.

First car seat experience,

first time coming home... 

and first (definitely not last) nap in the car seat.

First thumb sucking session.

First time being embarrassed by me.

First bath.

First BYU football game.

First time going to church.

First general conference... and loving it! That organ is just so hilarious.

First time realizing there is a mobile on his swing... fascinating!

First Canadian Thanksgiving... kind of, he slept through the whole thing.

First Halloween as an ewok... I was Princess Leia and Todd was Han Solo of course.

First time hanging out with grandma and grandpa Hall.

First bow tie... and most certainly not the last.

First double chin.

First thanksgiving.

First experience with the Johnny Jumper.

First time sitting on Santa's lap... cool as a cucumber!

First Christmas present.

First friend, Lisi Mae. [his head is so round!]

First time trying rice cereal. Possibly the last time, too.

First time rolling over! Woohoo!

First Valentine's Day card... thanks grandma Lisa!

Our little guy is almost 6 months old now and he has really slowed down his pace. Firsts don't happen every day like they used to but I'm sure he'll be crawling, getting teeth, and walking soon enough (but not too soon, pretty please... I like this immobile baby stuff). Now to pitch the idea of "first shirts" to Carters so they can add to their "first holiday" line... the possibilities are endless! 

thanks for sharing your day with us, St. Valentine.

I really hope love has found you all today. Whether it be from your spouse, grandma, child, roommate, or that deep bag of delicious Doritos... you deserve to feel some love.

Valentine's Day is one of my most favorite of all the holidays. Even when I was single I enjoyed giving out valentines, eating bunches of treats (of course), and finding little ways to show those around me that I cared for them. Now that I'm not single I'm having even more fun treating my husband like the king that he is to me. 

This year we get to stretch out our Valentine's Day celebration since Mr. H (hahahaha... get it? Reba?? haha) is out of town until tomorrow. We are planning on attending our Village's--yes, we technically live in a village--"Death by Chocolate" competition. Can't wait! Man, being married to Todd has turned me into a real deal chocolate lover! So yeah, who wants to babysit for us?? K, seriously though... it's moments like this that I wish I lived next to my mother. Her and my dad love each other tons but let's face it... she'd take an evening with little Peter over my dad any day, right?? ;) 

Whatev, we'll find someone. So Todd is in Reading, Pennsylvania doing a "go-live" and doesn't come back until tomorrow evening. How safe is it that I just put that information on the internet?? Anywho... just don't tell any crazy people. Fortunately my husband is absolutely wonderful and he has been spoiling me for days already. First of all, his very existence just makes my little heart go pitter patter all day long as I await is arrival evening after evening. So really that's enough but since he is super extra wonderful he does other super sweet things too. Yesterday after dealing with a very grumpy baby I wasn't in the best of moods... until I got a very lovely card in the mail... that was in Spanish of course and it completely made my day. Then later on someone showed up at our house with a delivery. Now let me set the scene for this moment... we live in an upstairs corner apartment and in order to even get into the stairwell you have to be "buzzed" in. This pleasant buzz comes out of little box hidden behind our lip gloss stained garage sale lamp shade... it is loud, frightening, and could wake a sleeping baby from 3 miles away. So when it's dark out and you're alone and that buzz fills your apartment during a quiet moment... you're lucky if you don't have to change your pants once you deal with whoever is at your door during the forsaken hour of 6 p.m. So, that is what happened while I was ever so lightly snacking on Valentine's treats. I answered the door--after hiding the bag of conversation hearts and M&M's so whoever it was didn't think I was a complete fatty--and it was a kind delivery man with a bouquet of red, pink, and white tulips. Somebody loves me! A lucky girl I am indeed. After that moment I figured I'd just treat yesterday like it was actually the 14th and made some chocolate dipped cinnamon bears (you have to try it!). Unfortunately... like super unfortunately, I melted too much chocolate so I had to dip a variety of other foods into the chocolate as to not waste the deliciousness. Probably ended up being the worst part of my day... maha. Luckily I got sugared out pretty fast and obviously went to bed feeling a little guilty for indulging in the large amounts of chocolate... or melted chocolate flavored almond bark. Same thing. Pretty pathetic, nonetheless, haha. 

So that was my February 13th... now for my real February 14th. So far it has been just as lovely. Peter has been a gem (as soon as I typed that Peter woke up from his nap, I kid you not) and someone named Shari sent me her berries... baha jk Todd sent me chocolate covered strawberries from a business called Shari's Berries. They came to the door as I was having a chocolate covered banana leftover from last night's events (Give me a break! I have to eat like 3000 calories a day to keep up w/ exercising and breastfeeding!) Anyway... we're not talking sissy berries here... these are some fancy shmancy chocolate covered strawberries with nuts and white chocolate and little mini chocolate chips and oh man... a whole lot of delicious! I've eaten two of the twelve... you're more than welcome to come over and help me finish them... and the cinnamon bears... and bananas... and sugar cookies (yeah I haven't mentioned those yet, have I). I should mention that Peter also got a cute little card from Grandma Lisa and Grandpa Wes in the mail today that he was actually very interested in until he realized he couldn't quite eat it. Thanks guys!

So here we are now... about two hours away from bedtime when I will put Peter to bed and spend my evening with American Idol and The Wedding Planner on ABC Family. I may be on my own this evening but I feel very loved and I am so blessed to have people in my life that love me despite my flaws. I really hope that I can reciprocate that love and be a good friend, mother, sister, daughter, and most importantly the wife my husband deserves. 

Happy Valentine's Day, I ♥ YOU all!