THE HODSONZ

Say cheese!

2011-09-23T08:21:00.000-07:00

We finally did it! It's about time, and it was quite the miracle. With a husband who is rarely home, a baby that has distracted us for almost 6 months, and about a bazillion other reasons why there just isn't enough time...I can't believe it happened. Major meltdowns before hand. Sad to admit it was the only 2 girls in the family that lost it. When it was all said and done, it went amazingly well! The kids could not have been better. Studio pictures scare me, but my kids were a lot less distracted compared to when we do them outdoors. This picture was one of the last ones we took! So funny. I had to throw it in there just to give you a taste of what's coming. Thanks for the recommendation Emma! :)

2 gone, 2 at home

2011-08-30T13:31:00.000-07:00

And what do I do with the other 2? Since Bubba was more sad than I was that sissy went to school, I will have to make it up to him by playing lots of cars. :) For the most part, he and I get to play with this happy, drooling, sleepy baby.

Kindergarten...YAY!!

2011-08-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

Having Kindergarten start a week after the rest of the kids is torture! It was a very long week for this little girl, but now it's official. No tears. Pure excitement...for both of us. :)

Birthday, School, and a Baptism

2011-08-30T13:13:00.000-07:00

These are the order of events that have kept our month crazy busy! Kael turned 8, so I begged him to have a low key party since I was busy with so many other things. He got to float the river with his cousins, and just when I thought I was off the hook, he requested a pirate cake at the last minute. The highlight of his birthday was his Jimmer jersey. He had to wear it the first day of school. He started school a week later, and this weekend we had his baptism. It was a great day!

I had NO choice

2011-06-20T15:29:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when the ice cream truck stops right in front of your house. The kids literally thought he stopped for them. It was a very exciting moment for them, and I could not say no. He roams our streets everyday, so I had to give in at some point. The ice cream man lived up to his name. He was as creepy as I imagined him to be, but my kids were happy to see him.

Our little Graduate

2011-06-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

Aliyah graduated from preschool last week! She woke up the next morning wanting to know if she was going to Kindergarten that day. She doesn't quite understand that Kindergarten won't start for a few months. I have a feeling it's going to be a long summer. :)

2 months

2011-05-31T20:54:00.000-07:00

Just nibblin' on some of this. CANNOT get enough!!

3 weeks old

2011-04-24T12:16:00.000-07:00

My days have basically consisted of laying with this yummy little man. I could hold and love on him all day. I rarely let the kids hold him because I get jealous. I want him all to myself! He sleeps SO much, that on the rare occasions he is awake, we all fight over him. He's been out exactly 2 times, and I have no intention of sharing him with the world yet. It's too cold and much too germy for my little precious angel. :) I did manage to get a picture of the kids on Easter, and I just realized this is the first picture of all 4 of them. Love my kids!! I'm one lucky Mama.

Someone turned 5

2011-04-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

She thinks she is SO big. Yes, she's 5, but she still weighs as much as a 2 year old. I love my little cutie girl. She insisted on a Tangled birthday party, so I delivered. I am embarrassed to post any pictures of her pathetic tower cake that FELL over right before she blew the candles out. I know...ghetto. She loved it though, so that's all that matters. Her birthday was complete with her coveted American Girl doll named Kanani (Aliyah's middle name). How did I get to have a 7, 5, 2 & 2 week old? Oh yeah, I'm old, that's how.

Krue has joined the Crew!

2011-04-09T15:44:00.000-07:00

Wow, nearly a year since I last blogged. I'm sure all my followers have lost hope, so this is for Grammie and Papa. I was induced on Monday, and we welcomed a sweet little boy at 12:44 in the afternoon. I'm still convinced that he did not want to come out, but we're happy to have him finally here and healthy. The labor and delivery is on the top of my list for being one of the best experiences of my life. It was a very calm, exciting, relaxing, spiritual, and FUN (yes, I said fun) moment in my life that I wish I could freeze and remember forever. Maybe because this chapter in my life has come to a close? Maybe because the epidural was more AMAZING than I had remembered it being? For what ever reason, it was wonderful, and we now have this little guy to love on.

Krue Kekoa Hodson
7 lbs. 6 oz. 18 inches

More catch up

2010-05-11T15:25:00.001-07:00

A Mother's Day afternoon after church, an obsession with a fedora hat, a spring dance recital, and another goodbye to Grammie and Papa as they leave for another mission to the Philippines.

Catch up

2010-05-11T15:03:00.000-07:00

A little David Archuletta at a Blaze game, Easter, and Kohen as a girl? I had to post this one because I think he really looks like a girl. :)

I'm keepin' this one!

2010-04-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, this picture is for real! This was taken last summer while we were in California. Here's proof that they really do love each other! Priceless.

Fun in the Sun

2010-03-29T12:04:00.001-07:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I've been putting off this post, because it means I have to go through all the pictures and only wish I could be there again. We finally went on a cruise, and we can't wait for the next one! It's been on our to do list for quite sometime, so when you get a good deal...you do it! Thanks to my sis. :) Marc and I went with our good friends Shellee and Mike. We flew to Florida earlier this month, and our cruise went to Key West and the Grand Cayman. Um...there are no words. So much fun, so many memories, and I'm so glad we did it. Well, I could have left out swimming with the stingrays, but I need to live a little. We took a boat out to the ocean to a location called stingray city. Let me preface that these stingrays still have their stingers, we had to sign a death waiver, and our tour guides were island boys with missing teeth! As we pull up, many of the excursion boats made their passengers wear lifejackets, and they weren't allowed to hold or kiss the stingray (for 7 years good luck). Ours on the other hand put them on our back...even if you were scared out of your mind like me! He tells us we can scream as loud as we want, just DON'T JUMP UP AND DOWN! If you had a slimy stingray rubbing up against your leg with his "snake-like" tail, you would want to jump up and down too. And when you have a 6'3" black guy from "the hood" (literally) screaming and grabbing your arm, your butterflies only intensify. It was by far the scariest 10 minutes of my life. Poor Shellee fed one of the stingrays and it made her bleed because he sucked so hard! The only thing going through my mind is RIP Steve Erwin, RIP! So on to better stories. Snorkeling was so fun, the water was clear blue, and being away from snow and cold was a nice bonus. It was a much needed break from the craziness of our life, and I miss every minute of it. Back to laundry, time-outs, whining, dishes, and the bitter cold of the winter. I love my life!!

Leprechaun Obsession

2010-03-17T07:52:00.000-07:00

Kael is obsessed, and he won't stop talking about them. I had to blog what he told me when he woke up. "Mom, I am going to catch a leprechaun today, duct tape him to the wall, and steal all his gold! And you know what I will buy with the gold? A ladder, and a mustang. I will be rich!!" He is so random, but I love his excitement for holidays. The boy will not stop talking about leprechauns. I think he believes in leprechauns more than he believes in Santa. He spent all afternoon outside yesterday setting traps to catch one. Send one our way if you catch one. It will make his day.

Disneyland 2010

2010-03-12T10:21:00.003-08:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Somebody turned 4

2010-03-10T07:34:00.000-08:00

Can you believe she is 4? I can't! We celebrated her birthday with a "cooking" party. The girls made their own pizza, decorated their own cupcake, played pin the chef hat on the birthday girl, and all in their stylish hats. Aliyah is finally the proud owner of zuzu pets. Her wish list consisted of zuzu pets, legos, and a barbie CAR. Can you tell she has 2 brothers? She LOVES birthdays, and keeps asking me if it is still her birthday.

A glimpse of Disneyland

2010-02-25T07:16:00.000-08:00

Too many pictures. I will have to make a long boring video. In the mean time, is there anything greater than making your little girl happy? (In my case, yes, because she is a grouch 75% of the time.) Here's a picture of her running to the castle when we first got to D-Land. Then, waiting in line to meet Minnie Mouse. She literally was giddy. Love it!

Comet...it makes your mommy mad!!

2010-02-01T19:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, I was wasting my time on blasted overstock looking for a new rug. Once I realized I had drowned out the noises of my children, I suddenly become aware of a swishing sound. I look to my left, and then to my right. Heaven forbid me to get off my booty! This is what I found. The swishing sound was him rubbing his hands back and forth through the powder (as you can see). And not an ounce in his mouth. I guess we'll never know if it really does make your mouth turn green. We have our hands full people. Even my 6 and 3 year old were appalled at our discovery. "We would never do that mom! Bad Bubba!"

Birthday Boy!

2010-01-12T15:38:00.000-08:00

Our Bubba is 1!!!

2010-01-12T15:19:00.000-08:00

I can't believe he is 1. All day I just wanted to hold him and baby him, and take it all in. Of course he had other ideas for how he wanted to spend the day. Why do they grow up so fast? My baby is no longer a baby. Happy Birthday Kohen! Stay tuned for Birthday pictures.

December

2009-12-29T08:14:00.000-08:00

We've been busy! You can tell by my lack of blogging. Here's the month of December in a nut shell. Santa...of course! Christmas jammies, Aliyah's dance recital, a night in Salt Lake at a Hotel (kael thinks the robe is his star wars robe), and Kohen's first Christmas. Here's a few pictures to get you started.

Halloween '09

2009-11-06T09:13:00.000-08:00

A Witch, Captain Rex (star wars guy), a Sumo, and a Geisha. Pictures of the turtle coming soon!

Finally...San Francisco

2009-10-09T15:55:00.000-07:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We went to the bay area in August. We finally got around to visiting Akoni and Kim! It was lots of fun. We took the kids to Santa Cruz, Great America, the boys went to an A's game, and Marc and Akoni caught up on A LOT of NBA live. We also took the kids back to Dublin, where Marc grew up. All I can say is hi Johnny's donuts!!!! We then ventured to San Francisco in true tourist style. We rode BART, caught a trolly ride, and walked, and walked, and walked. Not such a great idea with 3 small children. The trip was complete with a fun night stay at Circus Circus. No more carni trips for the Hodson's. If I buy one more bag of cotton candy, see another spongebob ride (seriously almost puked), or wait in any more lines, I will SCREAM!! We do it all for the kids, right? :)

Our little ballerina

2009-09-25T07:51:00.000-07:00

We put Aliyah in a ballet/jazz class and she is starting to love it. Notice that I said, "starting". I think it's the fact that it's a morning class, and we all know my kids aren't morning people. :) It still takes the first 15 minutes of class for her shyness to fade, but any little girl would snap out of being shy when pink butterfly wings and fairy wands are involved. I need to take a video camera one of these days...it is SO cute. And her leg warmers definitely add to the cuteness. :)

Kohen can count to 6

2009-09-21T08:23:00.000-07:00

The kids get a kick out of this picture. I didn't even realize he was doing it. I just found the picture and started laughing. The kids ran over to see what picture I was laughing at, and I told them Kohen was counting to 6. They giggle every time I show them this picture.

First day of school!!

2009-09-07T06:33:00.000-07:00

He is officially a Kindergartner. And yes, I really did let him wear a star wars shirt on his first day :). I was one of those parents who followed him in his classroom and snuck a picture of him sitting at his desk. For those of you that can't tell, that is totally his nervous smile. So cute!

Two come out...two come in

2009-08-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention that the same exact week Kael lost his first two teeth, Kohen GOT his first two teeth. So fun! I tried to get a picture of them together, but babies are not cooperative when it comes to showing their two bottom teeth. I randomly noticed his teeth showing in this picture, so this will have to do.

Many Milestones to Mention

2009-08-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

In just a few short weeks, he lost his first tooth (the second one was punched out by a cousin :)), celebrated his SIXTH birthday, and in less than a week, he will officially be in Kindergarten. Man how time flies. We celebrated his birthday a little Star Wars style. Jedi robes and an appearance by darth vader was the highlight of the party. Besides needing some advil after the party, I can't resist going over the top for my kids' birthdays. It's all worth seeing how happy it makes them. Happy Birthday Kael!!

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary...

2009-07-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Meet our surprise zucchini that grew by the foot in the middle of the night! I also had to take a picture of the lettuce because it was so pretty. Yes, I just called lettuce pretty. It made a yummy summer salad too.

Summer Fun!

2009-07-29T07:50:00.000-07:00

Swimming at the pool (every day if we could), karate moves in the lazy river, banana water tubes on the lake, cousins that come to visit, cute little tans...we love summer!

Where to begin?

2009-07-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

He's accomplished so much in just a few weeks. He eats...he sits up...he crawls...and now it looks like he wants to stand!! Seriously, what are we going to do with this little guy? He is so busy, that he even falls asleep in his high chair. He's still as happy as can be, considering he's cutting his first two teeth. Just don't take a piece of paper from him, or he'll really show you who's boss. But really, who could resist those little sausage fingers?

So much to BLOG about

2009-06-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

Time to catch up! We've had a busy couple of months. We took the kids to Lagoon yesterday. It was a perfect day, and we really lucked out. Considering it's been raining here all week. My parents came for a visit last week. They recently returned from their mission to the Philippines. It was so good to see them, and of course I put them to work. The kids had so much fun helping papa in the yard and getting our garden ready. I got a picture of them just watching him work in the garage. So cute! My mom and I have been busy with the kids rooms. She added her special touch by painting flowers in Aliyah's room. The skateboarder, however, is a decal. Kael loves it. We hung shelves, refinished a bench, and I spent the whole week picking her brain for ideas. We're still not done, so hopefully they'll be back for a visit soon.

Kael graduated from preschool and is more ready than ever for Kindergarten. (me too!) He also just finished swimming lessons, and has become a good little swimmer. As for the last picture, my cute friend surprised me with this banner as I drove home from doing my first triathlon. The triathlon was fun, but a lot different from a marathon. I'm just glad I didn't drown. :)

What can make your 3 year old this happy?

2009-06-01T21:34:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post this picture for a while. I found it the other day, and couldn't resist. Now, why in the world would my 3 year old daughter be this happy? Was it Christmas morning?...no. Was she being chased by a dog?...no. Were we bribing her with candy?...no. Disneyland?...not even close. I just so happened to snap a shot of her as she was running to the slide at McDonalds. Gross, nasty, germ infested McDonalds. I guess that's what you get when your mom only let's you go there on your birthday.

Why do babies grow up so fast?

2009-05-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

This post makes me so sad. First, he found his feet. Then, he holds his head up and reaches for toys. Now, he's rolling over!! He doesn't give me enough time to just enjoy him before he's off learning a new trick. He's such a happy baby. A pleasant surprise since his early days were pure grouchiness.

Cool tricks

2009-04-23T10:23:00.000-07:00

Of course my daughter would like the weirdest cartoon on TV called Yo Gabba Gabba. They have a section called cool tricks that she gets these ideas from, and this is one of the tricks she learned. I was literally holding my camera when she said, "Look what I can do Mommy!"

Cabbage patch head

2009-04-23T10:19:00.000-07:00

First of all, yes, he really is THAT white. Our little babe needs a tan. Please disregard the fact that he is 1/4 Filipino. Anyway, I was cutting up some cabbage for dinner one night, and I couldn't resist.

An inside joke

2009-04-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

We have a little inside joke with the kids. Kael and Aliyah are obsessed with mustaches. Ever since they saw the Grinch where Jim Carey has a mustache as a baby, they have hoped ever since that Kohen would have one too. Well, daddy made their dream come true. He brought home fake mustaches for all to enjoy. Too funny. I had to post this picture of Kohen.

A Blast from the Past!

2009-04-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

What do you get when all 5 siblings meet up for a weekend getaway? Way too much fun. We all met up in Portland to attend a cousin's wedding in Washington. All 5 of us + Kohen, piled in Aaron's SUV and headed north. It was a 4 hour drive, so you can imagine the conversation that went on. So many memories, and lots of "Remember when...?". In addition to the constant laughter, we enjoyed yummy food, and catching up with relatives we haven't seen in years. Especially an uncle that reminds me so much of my own dad, it's scary! It was a trip to remember, but it was good to come home to my cute little family anxious to see me and the babe. After all these years, we all have separate crazy lives. It was fun to go back and be reminded of where I came from. I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for the example of my 4 older siblings. Love you guys!

Spoiled little babe

2009-03-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

To think we've shared our bed with him for 10 weeks! I know. Don't judge. I'm so lazy. It's just so nice to have him in our room. He somehow seems to always end up in bed with us at some point. I had to take a picture of the first time he slept in his crib. I put him in it this morning for a little nap. It didn't last long. He quickly realized I was no longer holding him. He's so spoiled.

Soap Box

2009-03-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

Long and sleepless nights, strep throat, tonsilitis, strep throat...again, everyone in the house gets a cold, Kohen get's an ear infection, Kohen goes on meds. for acid reflux, and now to top it all off, Kohen and I both have trush!!!! A week and a half later, I I figured something was wrong. I won't go into detail, but the pain is so severe, that the thought of no longer breast feeding crossed my mind. I'm off to the pharmacy to go get yet another prescription. I want to cry, I want to scream. Longest 10 weeks of my life. It's a good thing I love the little guy. Now I will get off my soap box.

She's officially 3

2009-03-05T07:28:00.000-08:00

Aliyah turned 3 yesterday, and I can't believe it. It was a fun eventful day with donuts for breakfast, mac and cheese lunch, and McDonalds for dinner. MMMMMMM! The cuisine of choice from a 3 year old. Only allowed by the mother once a year.

Pinkalicious Party!!

2009-03-02T13:04:00.000-08:00

If any of you have a little girl, you most likely have this book. And if any of you know Aliyah, you know that she pretty much has it memorized. So, what kind of a birthday party does my soon to be 3 year old want? A pinkalicious party, of course. If you're not familiar with the book, it's about a little girl who eats too many pink cupcakes and turns pink as a result of it. So to recreate it, I made the cupcakes from the book, and had a plethora of pink candies for everyone to enjoy. I decided to just do it on Sunday since everyone was at our house anyway. If I could only capture how happy and giddy she truly was in the pictures. While we set up the party, she was upstairs with her girl cousins letting them "Pink" her up. They managed to squeeze her in a 6-12 month size pink princess dress! And it was as if they prepped her on how to act at her party and pose for the pictures. She also demanded for us to sing to her 3 times! It was quite the party, and everyone left on a sugar high. She also opened her new obsession...Purplicious (as of this morning, already memorized)!! I just can't believe she is going to be 3!:(

Baby Blues?

2009-03-02T12:57:00.000-08:00

I know it's too early to tell quite yet, but I think Kohen's eyes may be blue. I needed to post a recent picture of him. It's been a while. We're working on the smiling thing now. The kids and I are determined to get him to smile for daddy. He doesn't know he's doing it, but he does it for us when daddy is at work.

STOP KISSING YOUR BROTHER!

2009-02-15T16:41:00.000-08:00

Now there's a phrase you never thought you'd tell your child. Not in my world. If she's not kissing him, she's either poking at him, squeezing his cheeks, pulling his ears, or using any other excuse just to get her hands on him. She is now to the point of flat out lying when I say, "Aliyah, are you touching your brother?" She quickly responds, "I'm not Mom!" I'll sneak up behind her and quickly catch her in a lie. I mean, you can't blame the girl for wanting to love on her brother, but seriously, I'm going to lose it if I have to yell at her one more time. So now I'm posting a picture of what I go through every hour of my day. And no, she's not giving him CPR! This is literally what she does to the poor little guy.

Is he? Or isn't he?

2009-01-31T08:32:00.000-08:00

I swear, swear, swear Kohen is sleeping in this video. I have Amber as my witness if you don't believe me. Marc still doesn't. Anyway, our baby is possessed, and he sleeps with his eyes open. He is so funny when he sleeps. The video is kind of long, so you don't have to watch the whole thing. You'll get the main idea in about the first 30 seconds. So the answer to my title question is...HE IS!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Kohen's arrival

2009-01-27T13:17:00.000-08:00

It's about time I post about Kohen's birth. Most of you know the details, so I'm posting the short version. His actual due date was Jan. 19th, but the doctor said he would induce me on the 15th. Well, he fooled us all and decided to come on the 11th. For those of you that know me, I'm not a spontaneous person, so surprises are not happily welcome in my world. I endured the contractions for 2 days, and then all of a sudden the contractions became unbearable Sunday night. It hits a point where you just know it's time. I "tried" to pack my bag, along with an overnight bag for my kids to stay with Grandma. There is a reason they tell you to pack ahead of time. Marc's parents quickly came to get the kids, and we were off to the hospital at about 7 PM. We were the only ones in labor and delivery having a baby (unheard of in Utah), so we got star treatment. I got my epidural at 7:30, and he was born at 8:33. It was so fast, and the whole experience felt so surreal. He weighed 7 lbs. 11oz. and was 20 inches. I can't believe I'm posting this picture of me, but this picture says it all. This is how he is. He doesn't cry all the time, he's just a feisty little guy. He knows what he wants, and he's very vocal about it. VERY different from my other two. His middle name is Ikaika, which means strong and powerful in Hawaiian. We named him that becomes he was so active when I was pregnant with him, but who knew he would live up to his name when he came out?! We are so happy he is here, and that he is healthy. He is a sweet baby with terrible sleeping habits, but we're working on it. We're also learning that we may need to have restraining order put on Aliyah. The intensity of love that she has for her brother is a little questionable and scaring at times. We're all adjusting, and doing well. We're very blessed to have a new little one in our family.

Seriously??!!!

2009-01-23T14:02:00.000-08:00

Just when I think I can't handle my 3, I see people like this. Could you imagine?

Sneak Peak

2009-01-22T15:15:00.000-08:00

Blogging has suddenly fallen to the bottom of my list. Kohen is now 11 days old, and still no post about him. Life is crazy! The scary thing is, I expect it only to get crazier. All I have time for is to post a picture. More to come. We're all doing well. Especially the proud big brother and sister.

Hallelujah!

2009-01-07T20:37:00.000-08:00

I know. I know. I finally changed my blog background. My one and only New Year's Resolution. Enjoy! I promise not to have this one as long.

Christmas '08

2009-01-03T08:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas Jammies, and a new obsession. The only thing I have on the DS is the authority to take it away! Needless to say, we have had a VERY obedient son the last week. We'll see how long that lasts.

Crazy Cowboy

2008-12-29T08:28:00.001-08:00

I have lots of Christmas pictures to post, but I had to quickly do this one. After Christmas sales, and my son wants a new pair of dancing shoes. We're just lucky he didn't sprain his ankle.

Sunday Chirstmas Outfits

2008-12-22T11:43:00.000-08:00

Here's a little photo shoot with the kids in their Sunday Christmas outfits. I also added a picture of Kael's school program. He sang some cute songs, but I may have to record him singing them at home because I couldn't get a good enough shot of him.

Santa Claus is coming to town!

2008-12-14T11:33:00.000-08:00

Every year we go see this Santa, and this Santa only. He is by far my favorite. So cute, so sweet, so authentic, and who can resist the "bling" on his fingers! Don't laugh at us, but believe it or not, you can only find him at Cabela's of all places. Of course that's where his reindeer want to visit, duh. The kids were so excited. Parents were asked to stand beside their kids, but we were separated by a rope. I thought Ali would freak out, but she was so brave. She stood in line holding Kael's hand the whole time just staring at Santa. I got a shot of Ali telling him she wants a horsie and jeep. (Don't ask me why a horse? She's been saying it all month) I also got a shot of her little hand wrapped around Santa's finger. And if that doesn't melt your heart, he tells the kids he loves them when they get off his lap. So cute!

Gone baby gone!

2008-12-09T13:34:00.000-08:00

We are no longer owners of an impractical 2 seater sports car (can you tell I'm sad?). Although it's been fun, Marc's speeding days are over. We thought we would trade it in when it was time to buy a bigger "family" car, but we tried to sell it on our own and sold it in basically 7 hours. The guy who bought it came to see the car shortly after I posted it. Who would have thought a sports car would sell in this economy, in the winter, and the day before we had our first snow???? We are very blessed.

Ali

2008-12-05T09:12:00.000-08:00

Another cute picture of Aliyah. I couldn't resist. I'm blog happy today.

mmm, a cupcake shop

2008-12-05T09:06:00.000-08:00

I took these pictures for you sis. MMMMMMM! Wish you could've been there.

Catching Up!

2008-12-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

Ali's new hair cut, and a trip to Rexburg for a good friend's wedding. Marc and I left the kids and went back to the place we first met. Weird to be back, but it was lots of fun.

He loves me? He loves me not?

2008-11-11T12:19:00.000-08:00

He DEFINITELY loves me. Marc and I had a gym date. I'm a crack of dawn goer, and he's a late night goer. So, I was pretty excited to go with him for once. I glanced at the class schedule and noticed a spin class at the time we would be there. Running on the treadmill is not so fun these days with my belly. Do I dare even ask? So I crossed my fingers, held my breath, closed my eyes, and asked if he wanted to go to the class with me. Of course his first response was no way. Not because it was spin, but because classes are for girls. Then he said, will I be the only guy in the class? I think after going back and forth a couple times trying to convince him, he gave in. YEAHHHH! He liked it a lot, but he may need to invest in some padded shorts. Thanks honey, it was fun.

HaLLoWeeN

2008-11-04T13:26:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2008. Batman & Cat woman. Juno. Halloween carnival. Trick or Treating. Too much fun! The end.

Jazz vs. Trailblazers

2008-10-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

You know your husband supports your blogging addiction when you send the camera with him so he can get a picture! Marc and Jim took Kael and Grace to the Jazz game last night. From what I hear, I missed out on ice cream, hot dogs, and coke! Kael also says to me, "Mom, they had good dancers! A boy danced too, but I'm a better dancer than he is." Oh no, mommy wasn't there to cover his eyes for the pretty Jazz dancers. Who knows what they were wearing. But, once again, my son shows his not so humble side. I need to get it on video, but he has all of a sudden found a love for dancing. It's a cross between hip hop and break dancing. Yeah, you heard me right. I'm still trying to figure out where he learned it, but it's SO hilarious to watch. Sorry, Jim. The picture of you a Grace did not turn out. It was black, and you couldn't see your faces.

So humble!

2008-10-23T08:25:00.000-07:00

I had to post this picture so my belly was not the last post. This picture is too cute not to share. It was his last game, and this was his reaction to a goal he had just made. So proud, and wanted everyone to know it. Love this little guy!

Ewww...I hate pregnant pictures!

2008-10-22T13:28:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I am posting this, but it's for you TINA! It was taken about a month ago by my 5 year old, so that's why the picture is at his height. Anywho, here it is.

Salt Lake Soccer Game

2008-10-20T19:49:00.000-07:00

Saturday night, we headed up to the new Professional Soccer stadium in Utah to watch a soccer game. The weather was perfect, and we had so much fun. Kael was asked to play in the half time event and shoot a soccer ball in the goal against Leo the Lion. It took some convincing, but he did it! The game was very exciting, and it will definitely be something we will do again. The best part was the stadium has seats. NO bleachers. A pregnant lady's dream sporting event to attend. Very comfy.

If only...

2008-09-28T17:57:00.001-07:00

Once in a while I will come across a picture that I want to remember forever. I had to post this because I love this living room, and I didn't want kitty litter to be my latest post. I guess you can say I'm big into this kind of architecture and simplicity of decor. Call me plain Jane mom, but I love it. If only it was mine.

Are you kidding me?

2008-09-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

Ok, I frequent the allrecipes website. Once, if not 5 times a day. I came across this recipe and about died! Are you kidding me? It is the nastiest idea for a cake. The title of the recipe is "Kitty Litter Cake". EWWWWWW! I can't believe I'm posting about this, but I was bored.

Take me here

2008-09-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

One year ago this week, Marc and I were in Hawaii, and I cannot stop thinking about it. I want to feel the soft white sand in my toes. I now know why my sister is obsessed with traveling. You can't stop dreaming about where you've been. MMMMMMM!

My 1st pumpkin treat of the season!

2008-09-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

I have officially had my first pumpkin treat of the season. Pumpkin Muffins from Costco. MMMMMMM. The only thing it was missing was chocolate chips, but it was worth every bite.

A little glimpse-

2008-09-18T14:11:00.000-07:00

A field trip to the fire station- accompanied with an obsession with a new hat.
Chocolate mint patties- that somehow made it on Ali's eyes.
S'mores face- proof that we went up the canyon and were "campers" for an hour.

Neglecting or ignoring?

2008-09-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

Maybe a little of both. It's been one of those mornings. Busy from the time the alarm goes off. As I run around the house from one thing to the next, I simply reply to my children as they tell me they are hungry, "just a minute, let me finish and I'll make you breakfast." As far as I know, I think I only heard them ask 2 times, but I could be wrong. As I finally find my way to the kitchen, I find 2 hungry children scrounging for food. Both stools are pushed over to the counter with them hovered over the toaster waiting for their breakfast to pop up. I then make my way over to the other counter, 2 plates. His and hers. Ali chose the elmo plate with 3 sectioned places for her food to go. In one section, a banana, mashed and bruised, but still in the peel because she was unable to open it. The other section, a cookie, at 9 in the morning. And last, an empty section waiting for her pop tart. They were so cute, that I had to let her have the cookie. My children are already learning to fend for themselves, because who knows how responsive mommy will be when 2 becomes 3! And yes, Aliyah does and always will eat more than her brother.

Martha, Martha, Martha

2008-09-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

My current obsession. Always is, but the holidays make me feel even more Marthier. While searching her website yet again, I would like to pick two things that caught my eye. Fall Fever! You don't have it? Go to Taipan. Love this time of year.

Recipe of the day. Probably won't make it, but drooled when I saw it. Of course I would, it said Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies. She also had a recipe for pumpkin ones. MMMMMM!

Mathematics

2008-09-03T20:50:00.000-07:00

2 + 1=?

4 + 1=?

3 + 2=?

Answers:

2 + 1= 3 people I will call my kids

4 + 1= 5 people I get to feed & dress (yes, I sometimes get to dress Marc. He's colorblind)

3 + 2= 5 people in our family. 3 Boys, 2 Girls

It's official. We will soon be +1! Marc and I are going to be out numbered. Our car needs to magically grow into an SUV (with free gas). Our grocery bill has doubled due to frequent purchasing of toilet paper (I go 2 times in the middle of the night). It has also gone up to accommodate my regular pregnancy cravings: PB & J sandwiches, cereal, and milk (am I a kid again?) We are THRILLED to announce it is a BOY. Marc said if it was another girl, we were done. One sweet "Bipolar" angel is all we can take right now. Hopefully she grows out of it so we can talk daddy into one just like her! The little guy will join our family in January. Now all we have left to do is teach Aliyah how to correctly pronounce her K's, or everyone will think her brother's names are Dale & Dohen. Most of you know about the pregnancy, but I had to post for those of you that don't.

Birthday Bliss

2008-08-25T12:31:00.000-07:00

August is a crazy month for us as far as birthdays go. Last weekend we celebrated 4 birthdays, and had 3 parties on the agenda. Cake, cake, and more cake! We kicked it off with Kael's "Splish Splash Birthday Bash"! All I can say is 8 boys is quite a handful. They were basically OUT OF CONTROL! They had a fun time though. The Birthday party was complete with water balloons, slip n' slide, water guns, relay races, pizza, and cake. Oh, and not to mention the blue Kool-aid that I think was the culprit for the craziness. As a first time Kool-aid maker, no body told me it had 1 cup of sugar in it!!! I even put in less than a cup. Kool-aid is no longer allowed in my house, yuck. I had to post pictures of "the cake". I hope you can tell it's a scuba guy. We also celebrated Christy's 30th birthday. As the assistant to her husband, I had lots to do. It turned out great, and she was really surprised. I'm only posting one picture so I don't embarrass her. (If you want more Christy, I have lots!) Then came Sunday, his official birthday. Come on, we had to celebrate on the actual day. We just threw in the Hodson birthdays in the month of August and hosted a little party at our house. It was a fun and busy weekend, but I was pretty exhausted. If Kael had his way, it would be his birthday every day! I'm just glad it only comes around once a year.

Where has the summer gone?

2008-08-06T19:51:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else feel like the summer has escaped them? Although we've had many mindless days stuck inside trying to fill our day with "constructive"(thanks mom) activities, our summer has gone too fast. The only thing left that I HAVE to get done before the summer ends (besides finishing my back splash, our yard, installing kitchen pulls, and, oh the list still goes on) is potty train our little midget who I swear will fall and get swooshed down the toilet if she is left without supervision! We just finished swim lessons, and now on to soccer. I soon will have a 5 year old! How old am I? (Don't answer that) Marc's calling has kept him busier than ever. Youth conference, overnight camping trips, temple trips, and Wednesday all nighters in our basement with the boys. So, here are some pictures to catch you all up. I need to give a shout out to Kael for scoring 2 goals at his first soccer game! It's amazing what a difference a year makes. Last year we had to bribe him just to go out on the field. He's a go getter, and growing up right before our eyes. I'm so proud of him.

Let's get away!

2008-07-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

We were able to get away to St. George for some much needed R&R. It was HOT, but well worth it. We'll make any excuse to go boating. We found some "treasures" on the boat that have been hiding all these years. Couldn't resist showing both pairs of glasses (one of them has made a come back), and the shot of Ali in Grandma's hat. As for the rock. Although I don't have proof, Marc and I swam to the rock to jump off. Marc jumped solo when I ran the other way as I hear him yell, "SNAKE"! If you know me, you know I'm deathly afraid of snakes, and Marc will stop at nothing to tease me about it. It didn't help that as I look away, I saw a lizard. He still doesn't understand why lizards don't bother me. Hello! It's because they have legs and arms!

Ali + Lagoon= Best Day Ever!!

2008-07-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

A quick little shot before my video ran out. She loved being in a car by herself, but she just couldn't get the steering down. So, she just went in circles the whole time. She could care less.

Sweet Summer Corn

2008-07-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

Kael & Aliyah obsess over corn on the cob. No butter, no salt, just good old corn. While fighting over the last one, I suggested they share it. Now I know sharing is possible. No fuss. Just giggles and fun while they shared the coveted corn on the cob. They are so cute!!!

We're Jammin'

2008-07-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

MMMM, nothing better then homemade strawberry jam. Homemade bread anyone? I'll bring the jam. The only thing that would make this project complete is if I grew my own strawberries, huh Dad! Maybe next year.

Quote of the Day

2008-07-02T20:44:00.000-07:00

Kael frequents the bloody noses on hot summer days. He's a pro at what to do and has mastered the head tilt. However, he'll sometimes leave the evidence of a bloody tissue. This morning, sissy found the evidence and this is what she said word for word.

"Nasty Dale!(for those of you that don't know, that's what she calls him) Throw your bloody away in da darbage."

Thank you Dora?

2008-06-18T18:36:00.000-07:00

Kael: Mommy, are people who speak English blind? (random, I know)

me: I proceed to explain to him that we speak English, and people in other countries have a language of their own that we don't speak or understand. As an example, I tell him that people in Mexico speak Spanish.

Kael: Oh, do they talk like this? He then recites to me in Spanish 1-10. I'd write it out if he recited it in German. I think I'm the only HS student who didn't take Spanish.

The sad thing about this is I did not teach him that. I'm not even sure if he learned it in pre-school. The only other explanation is Dora. The funny thing is he gave up Dora about 2 years ago. He REFUSES to watch it because she's a girl. Go figure.

We're Back!

2008-06-16T15:39:00.000-07:00

We've been back from San Diego for a week now, and it's taken me that whole week to catch up on my laundry, download all my pictures from the trip, not want to throw up when I drive by a fast food restaurant, and last but not least, have a desire to blog again. Regardless of the recovery, it was a fun filled week with much to mention. We headed to San Diego to stay in a time share with all of the Hodsons. With a year in the making, not even gas prices would stop us. ! 4.65 a gallon for all of you Utahans. We had lots to accomplish on the itinerary, and only a week to do it. The beach (of course), Disneyland for some of us, Sea World, a session at the San Diego temple, more beach and pool time, U.S.S. Midway, Padres game, surfing (again for some, it was way too cold), and everything else in between. And to top it all off, we had matching shirts! The highlight of the trip was when we got to sit in the front row of the dolphin show and got drenched. Kael was loving it, and the animals were so amazing to watch. Although we had a great time, it was nice to come home. No more vacations are planned for the summer, so we had to get it in while we could.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

27

2008-05-30T08:13:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, it's taken me an entire week to finally admit that I turned 27! I'm normally not such a grouch when it comes to my birthday, but ever since I turned 25, I put oscar to shame. 30 for other people still sounds so young to me, but 30 for me is REALLY hard to swallow. The closer I get, the sicker I feel. For the most part, it was a pretty good day. Every mother MUST get a babysitter for their birthday. If you don't, you will see how quickly your kids take the "happy" out of happy birthday. Trust me on this one. I'm a weirdo who enjoys shopping by myself every once in a while, so that's what I did. I met Marc for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and enjoyed even more shopping in the mall while we waited 65 minutes to get a seat. The food was great, but the waiting and the crowds may cause me to second guess returning any time soon. We ordered cheesecake to go and brought it home so the kids could sing to me. They LOVE birthdays, so I was showered with lots of hugs and kisses on my special day! 358 more days until I do it again.

A conversation with a 2 year old

2008-05-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

me: Aliyah, do you want peaches or applesauce?
Ali: Um, peaches!
me: Okay, here you go.
Ali: No! Oatmeal.
me: We don't have oatmeal, peaches or applesauce?
Ali: Applesauce.
me: Okay, are you sure, because I'm not going to put it in a bowl if you won't eat it.
Ali: Yah, applesauce.
me: Here you go.
Ali: NOOOOOOOOOO! Peaches mommy. (As she sees me put the peaches away) No applesauce. WAHHHHHHH! (Flood gates open)
me: Aliyah, I'm not going to play a guessing game. When you've decided let me know. Exit stage left.
Third party enters (Kael)
Kael: MMMM, I want some applesauce.
Ali: No Dael!! My applesauce. WAHHHHHH! (Flood gates reopen)
me: What's the problem? Aliyah, Kael can have applesauce. You can't even decide what you want.
me: Do you want applesauce like Kael?
Ali: Yes. And peaches.
me: Okay, you need to get your hands out of your mouth (new habit when she cries, so gross, who knows where her hands have been), stop crying, and be a happy girl.
Ali: K.
She then proceeds to eat all her peaches and applesauce, and in the end asks for more. What a wonderful start to our day.

The silly things kids say

2008-05-18T20:03:00.000-07:00

As I'm changing Ali's diaper, Kael rummages through his drawer looking for something to wear for the day.
The next thing I hear is this, "Mommy, do I have to change my underwear today? Please say yes, because my
underwear is stinky and I need a clean pair." Ahhhh, music to a mother's ears. He knows the concept of keeping
clean. I've taught him well.

Sign language song

2008-05-18T17:23:00.000-07:00

Should I? Or Shouldn't I?

2008-05-18T15:08:00.000-07:00

For MANY reasons, I have FINALLY come to a decision of whether or not I should send Kael to Kindergarten. So many pros, so many cons, so many sleepless nights, and too much contemplation on my part to the point of going MAD! If you can help it, never have a late summer baby. This has been really hard, but I am not going to send him. I'm going to cross my fingers, hold my breath, and say a little prayer that it is the right decision. I truly believe he is ready and would do fine if I sent him in the fall, but I believe even more that he will succeed leaps and bounds if I wait one more year. Kael already suffers from the, "Why can't I do that?" syndrome. So hopefully this will solve many future frustrations. Sports, driving, dating, mission, the list goes on, but we're certain we made the right decision. This is my sweet boy on the last day of preschool. Little does he know he'll be back in the fall. Thankfully for him and me he will go 3 days a week instead of 2. Trying to convince him that school is over for the summer has been a hard one too. He just doesn't get it. I can't wait, 3 months of the same question over and over, "mommy, do I have school today?"

Yes, I am alive!!!

2008-05-14T12:24:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd do a quick post to let you all know that I do still blog. I have some new pictures to post of Kael's end of the year preschool program, but I'm too lazy to download them right now. The past few weeks have been crazy busy. Due to my Spring fever, I finally have an itch to start some projects. After 7 months of being in our home, I finally painted my kitchen. Drum roll please... and you can't even tell. So one project leads to another. Now I want to glaze my kitchen walls to make them darker. Along with painting my kitchen, I have attempted to do a back splash as well. After 2 days, I am 3/4 of the way done. Now if only I can get my hubby to help me cut the tile for around the 10 outlets in my kitchen. Yes, 10! Had I realized that before I started, I may have second guessed doing a back splash at all. Next on my list was the shower curtain. We finished our basement recently, and I have been on the hunt for the perfect shower curtain. So after three weeks of looking and 20 stores later, I stop at the fabric store for a quick peek at some fabric for some curtains I want to make (another project on my list). I pass the 50% off section and immediately get sucked in. As I skim through the fabric, I see one and think, "that would make the cutest shower curtain." So instead of just buying a pre-made one, I spend 2 hours of my morning making one. WHY? Why do I keep piling more on my plate? And now I am avoiding doing all the things I've neglected since I've started my projects. Off I go to clean the house, do laundry, feed the kids, yada, yada.

Breakfast of Champions!

2008-04-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

So having cocoa in the morning is a given, however the newest addition to the breakfast ritual are toaster strudels. I bought them once because I can't resist a sale, and now it is a grocery list must! The other morning, my sweet son says, "Mommy, I love toaster strudels and cocoa in the morning. It makes me happy!" How can I resist? P.S. Notice the costco size in both products. I'm such a sucker.

I'm gonna try and sneak out ...you get the car mom!

2008-04-16T08:01:00.000-07:00

We were at Target this weekend and Ali spots a pink tricycle. She threw a fit when we told her it was time to go, so we walked away to see what she would do. Not a care in the world. She just kept on riding. I got out my camera and couldn't resist.

Too many Costco Dogs??

2008-04-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

Marc had the bills sitting out on the counter the other night, and I heard Ali say something that sounded like the word Costco. I turned around to see why and grabbed my camera. It's sad when your 2 year old daughter recognizes the word costco on a bill. I think daddy drags us to costco for hot dogs way too many times.

MMMMMM...frozen hot chocolate!

2008-04-15T12:39:00.000-07:00

Since the closest Dairy Queen is in Provo, we've been deprived of their yummy frozen hot chocolate. We discovered this place called Smart Cookie, that has it. MMMM, all I can say is call me when you want to go!

Ali's new Kicks!

2008-04-15T12:33:00.000-07:00

Grammie and Papa sent Ali these shoes from the Philippines and now she finally fits into them!
I had to get a picture with her Dora socks on with the shoes. It completes the look.

St. George

2008-04-15T12:25:00.001-07:00

We went to St. George a couple weekends ago and had tons of fun!

2008-04-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

This post is for my nephew Kaden. He wanted me to make sure Uncle Marc saw it. Oh, and as you can see, Ali is a little embarassed to show her face, Daddy. She didn't want to be the one to tell you that she's actually a Blazer fan. Sorry.

"Mom, our seats can be used as a flotation device!"

2008-03-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

Who knew that the emergency airplane instructions could be entertaining. So colorful for the kids to look at. I hurried to sneak this shot. It was so funny!

Rainy Day in Oregon=Chuck E. Cheese

2008-03-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

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The kids were dying to get out of the house, so we headed to germ infested Chuck E. Cheese! They loved it, of course. Kaden used 35 tokens in 3 minutes. I still think Disneyland is cheaper. What do you get when you add Spring break+ 6 birthday parties going on+ rain (big surprise). You do the math. Kid overload!!

For Grammie & Papa

2008-03-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

So here you go! The many sleeping positions Kole has to offer. I took plenty of pictures, but I sifted through for the good ones. I could not give this little guy enough kisses. He's so yummy, and I miss him already. Enjoy!

Ride 'em Cowgirl!

2008-03-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

Southworst!

2008-03-19T19:18:00.000-07:00

All I have to say is Southwest airlines no longer does preboard for families with children. Try telling that to a mother who stood in the preboard line with two squirmy kids. I'm annoyed, mad, and now I'm off my soap box! Just a word of caution next time you book your dream vacation...beware of Southworst.

Product Endorsment

2008-03-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am dying...this product is AMAZING!! If a water softener is not in your budget, and you have hard water, I promise water spots can go away. I am a freak about water spots, especially on the shower door. Yuck! Well, I bought this stuff for my dishwasher and decided to give it a try on my shower door. I have used everything known to man and nothing did the job. Just use 1/4 cup of this stuff with 16oz. of water in a spray bottle, and KAZAM! No kidding, they disappear. I need to be in a commercial or something. You definitely need some kind of a scrub brush to agitate the spots, but I swear by it. If you can't get it to work, I will come to your house and do it for you. They also have a website of other uses. It's called lemishine, and I found it at walmart. It's lemishine.com, and you won't be let down. Happy cleaning.