Held for Ransom

“…Look here buddy, I will hold all my love from you for the next day... no make it a week, unless I get a warm super-sized, extra cream milk bottle ...you have one minute to comply or the deals off…”

If only we could know what a baby is really thinking…lol. Yet, it sure makes it fun to mess around with what they could be saying in some pictures.

One Sticky Snotty Situation

We got some disney stickers in the mail and Ryan gave them to Madi to play with. Madi put them all over her chin, so it looked like she had a beard out of stickers. Well Madi wanted to share with Avery so she started to put them all over Avery's head and face. SO with Avery's runny nose and stickers she looked pretty darn funny! That's my girl!!

March 26, 2008

Easter

Easter is one of my favorite times of the year. I know that Jesus Christ died for me and for all of us, that we might have a way to return back and live with him again. He gave his life for me, a sinner, but by his teachings I learn how to be like Him. I am forever grateful for His Atonement, that I can be forgiven of my sins, and live as how he would want me to live, and be resurrected some day to live with Him again. I know that He lives.

However, the Easter bunny and his eggs, came a few days late this year for the Hodges... We had gone up to my parents house in Rexburg and planned a nice Easter dinner and Easter egg hunt for Madi. Yet, it didn't work out totally like we planned...does it ever?? We still had a nice Easter dinner that my mom prepared for us, with all of us kids chipping in some to make it a nice evening as a family, but the egg hunt never happened. Madi was really sick for one. (Notice the red mark on her face, that was the result of wiping her nose and spreading it across her face...gave her a rash). The other reason is we woke up too late to do it before church, and during our easter dinner, (which was SO good! thanks mom!) Madi fell asleep while eating her food. It was really funny...poor thing, she was so tired! So we never got to do an egg hunt with the whole family. Oh well, there is always next year! Here are a few pictures of the night before Easter, dying some eggs with Madi. She at least enjoyed that...so Ryan and I are not total slackers, right?

Madi and her Eggs! We did an egg hunt when we got home two days later when Madi was feeling better...

"I hiding in Mommy's shoes"

Madi likes to hide. Typical toddler thing to do I guess...I didn't know where she was, and our apartment isn't that big, so after calling for her, I could hear her laughing in our bedroom. As I walk into our room I could see she had piled and was still trying to pile more shoes on top of her. I tried to act like I didn't know where she was, and called out, "Where's Madi at? I can't find her." Then she calls out, "I hiding in Mommy's shoes!" She thought she was pretty funny and it was cute to see her little feet poking out and wiggling at the other end of the pile. I had to go and get the camera! So silly!

Packing up Madi!

"Where's Madi....Where did she go?" Madi opens the lid on the box, pokes her head out and gives mom a cheesy smile as she shouts "I hiding!" This picture really surprised me because she rarely smiles! It's not often I get a picture of her and a cute smile to go along with it!

Ryan and I, along with our family, have been praying to find a house with a yard for Madisen to be able to explore, grow and learn new things. We really wanted this for her mostly and also for a place for Mom to do her crafts and keep her sanity. Going on 6 years of apartment living and moving 9 times since we have been married, we really felt like it was time to get a modest home (to rent) for all of our needs. Well after a few months with no success, Ryan and I kind of gave up on the wish to get a house we could afford with the things we needed. Just a few weeks later we heard of this home, went and looked at it and it is perfect for us! We were so excited about it! It's just the thing we had been praying for. Ryan and I just needed to have more faith that Heavenly Father is watching out for us and always has. We have been humbled and we truly feel blessed and grateful for so many things in our lives!

Elbow Injury!

So last night Ryan and Madi were playing around in a maze of boxes that has grown out into our living room. Ryan made sort of a fort with a path leading to the bookcase. Madi really enjoys hiding like every toddler, but it was time for bedtime. We gave Madi a few more minutes to play then it was bedtime. As time was up she threw a fit and didn't want to stop playing. Ryan went over to hold her hand to help her out of the small area around the boxes, when all of a sudden Madi started crying really hard, and screaming, "I hurt, I hurt!" Ryan and I looked at each other puzzled wondering what had happened. Madi was holding her elbow in her other hand. We still weren't sure what had happened. Just thought she hit it on the bookcase or a box, but she was crying way to much for that. Then we noticed she didn't want to use her arm. As she was crying she kept telling us, "I need a bandaid...I need a bandaid..." (over and over again).

She had popped her elbow out of the joint a little over a year ago and we realized that's what had happened again. Ryan tried to pop it back in himself, getting trained how to do it the last time it happened to her. (I guess it happens a lot to kids). But after just 10 minutes or so, which seemed a lot longer, he realized he wouldn't be able to do himself and would have to take her to the ER. She was so brave Ryan said, as the doctor popped her elbow back into place. The nurse there brought her a little bear and Ryan had blown up a doctor's glove into a ballon for her. And the one thing she wanted most was a bandaid for her hurt...lol, which the doctor so happily put on her elbow! This is a picture of her wrist band from the ER....but her bandaid fell off before I could get a picture of it! Anyway the story turns out that she survived! Phew! ;)

Bosom Buddies

When the girls are sitting together watching a movie or watching Sesame Street in the Morning, Madi sometimes grabs Avery's hand and holds it. She loves Avery and is always watching out for her. Avery doesn't seem to mind holding Madi's hand either.

Morgan's Surprise Shower!

Me-Morgan-Sarah

Surprise! Sarah Hamilton and I threw a little surprise party for Morgan Johnson. We had the party at Dairy Queen. Many ladies from the ward came and had lunch, played games and opened presents. We wanted to spoil Morgan before the twins arrive! Yep twins! Morgan is pregnant with twin girls, her due date is April 24th but if the twins don't come on their own by April 4th then that's when she will be induced. Morgan is such a fun positive person and I enjoy being around her and I am grateful for her friendship! March 8,2008

"What a Mess!"

Madi used to say, "Uh oh! What happened?" I had come home from school one morning and this is the mess I found! Haha...Ok so you are probaly saying to yourself, "what's the big deal, it's not that bad, my kids do the same thing all the time," but when I left that morning it was totally spotless. A little more than two hours later...was it a tornado, earthquake? Nope...just Madi! Isn't it amazing what incredible things kids can do! ;) Usually I would have been a little frustrated, but I just had to laugh! Ryan would say I am kind of a neat freak....ok so I totally am! Yet, we just left the mess like this for almost a week before I couldn't take it any longer! March 3, 2008

Picture Perfect

AveryEve~

This picture describes Avery perfectly! She is such a happy baby. Nine out of ten times when she wakes up from a nap she just plays in her crib and coos to herself before someone comes in and gets her. And when we come in the room to get her she looks back at you and gives a huge smile every time! We just love her so much and she has brought so much joy to our lives!

Two little Monkey's...

Madisen plays so well with Avery. For the most part she is always very soft and sweet with Avery. She likes to hold Avery and laughs when Avery tries to pull on her hair, grab at her face or when Avery tries sucking on her hands. Madisen also has become quiet protective of Avery and Avery's things when other kids are around.

I hope the girls always remain close sisters and best friends!

I'm "Wild" About You!

Madisen loves animals! If you ask her if she wants to play with babies or dolls, she says no and then brings you her animals to play with instead. She loves all kinds of animals, especially WILD animals like; giraffes, elephants, zebras, lions, tigers, ligers...(hehe jk) and mostly horses and dinosaurs are her favorite. Yes, she is probably not the typical little girl. We see her being an animal doctor someday or a vegetarian. Don't ever ask her or tell her you are going to eat a cow or pig, she might just cry! Grandpa Newman made that mitake at Chuck A Rama once and we almost had a melt down!

Pile it On

Recently one of Madi's favorite things to do with Avery is to gather up all her blankets and pile them on top of Avery. Madi just gets a kick out of it as Avery struggles, finds an opening and pops her little head out. Avery is such a good sport about it all and usually has a huge smile to go along with it that makes Madi just giggle like crazy. It's cute to watch them play but sometimes Mom has got to step in and help Avery out or she's a goner...

Here we go!

Hold on to your seats! Here goes our first family blog! I have been relentlessly threatened by my friends and family (just kidding!) to start a blog, but with dial-up internet I thought it would be pretty difficult to do and I have been waiting for the day when we could get high-speed. Come to realize that day is far in the future from now, so I thought I would give it a try anyway! Who knows...I might actually enjoy it! ;)

This family picture was taken in November of 2007...but it is the most recent family picture.