An update! Don't get TOO excited though.

I have had some mild requests/complaints as to why I am not updating my blog regularly anymore...I am assuming by these requests/complaints that my "reader satisfaction level" has gone down...drastically. Kidding! haha! I don't know why I haven't had the desire to blog or to even be on the computer as much. I have lost that "lovin' feeling" and need to get it back. I was thinking in many ways it's a good thing I am not on the computer as much. Yet, the more I think about it, I still managed to get nothing EXTRA done around the house or any new/old projects completed! One would think given all my extra time away from the blogging world that I would have created food masterpieces that even the Chef Ramsay would be impressed by! But sadly, I haven't done much of anything. So the question remains: What have I been up to then?

Well, making two babies of course! That's taken a lot of work, right? Sleeping a lot- taking naps, also thinking a lot. Yes, thinking and reading. I figure once the babies are here, I won't have time to use my brain much too just, think. I will be on auto-pilot doing the same things over and over again; feeding, changing diapers, laundry and cleaning up messes. That being able to think and read will become a thing of the past. And those certain parts of my brain will lay dormant for the next few years until one day all the kids will be able to fend for themselves and I will once again be able to pick up a book. So I am trying to savor the time I have to just think.

Last night I got the chance to talk to one of my best friends from high school, who's birthday is TODAY! (Happy Birthday Kimberly!!!) I was telling her that I have been feeling a lot better lately, in that I haven't been nearly as sick. I was also telling her that I haven't thrown up in two weeks! Except that track record was broken this moring... as all of a sudden as I was feeding Avery breakfast, I coughed and the next thing I knew I was standing over the garbage can, throwing up. Gross I know. Sorry if I made your breakfast come up. I still have moments where I feel nauseous, but it really is nothing like before! So I am thinking I am done with the whole sickness part of pregnancy, which I am so thankful that it went by fairly fast. Yet, I am always tired. I feel like I am always in a state of yawning. So, if you are talking to me and I start yawning, please don't be offended, I am just...tired. Just talking about yawning, makes me yawn, in fact in writing this post so far I have probably yawned over a dozen times at least! That's not a good sign...

Now that I have mastered THREE incredibly boring paragraphs, and have put most readers to sleep, especially those that took an interest in my 'lack of blogging' I suspect, won't be complaining about that ever again! :) Thanks for caring and enjoy reading my thoughts from my brain, however pathetic they might be.

Ok now to the picture of the growing belly... (I actually did my hair for once!)

There you have it. An Update!

How well do you know your husband?

Here's a chance to see how well you really know your husband. Cut, paste and fill in the answers, then forward . . . shoot, you know what to do. The real challenge is to send it to your husband to see how right you really are.


1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen? Football

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? Basalmic Vinegerette (sp?) or Italian

3. What's one food he doesn't like? Meatloaf and cooked carrots

4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order? Sprite

5. Where did he go to high school? Colorado Springs Air Force High School...??

6. What size shoe does he wear?12

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be? Books

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich? he doesn't like sandwiches- but if he did eat one it would be a triple decker peanut butter and jelly sandwich with chocolate chips throughout.

9. What would this person eat every day if he could? steaks

10. What is his favorite cereal? Captain Crunch berries or lucky charms

11. What would he never wear? A skirt :)

12. What is his favorite sports team? Boise State Broncos

13. Who did he vote for? McCain

14. Who is his best friend? Alan and Brady

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do? Go crazy about keeping the house picked up. -ditto!

16. What is his heritage? He is part german, Irish??

17. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake? he is not a big cake fan, but if I did it would be anything with chocolate and ice cream together

18. Did he play sports in high school? Soccer, tennis-one day! ;)

19. What could he spend hours doing? playing his computer games

20. What is one unique talent he has? He helps around the house even without me asking! It's great! :)

**My husband read this after I was done and said I got two wrong...number 5 and16. 18/20...not bad.

Correct answers for those:

5. Air Academy High School ...close enough!

16. Scottish, English and Welsh...can't believe I got that wrong after hearing so many stories of their family! geesh!

-TAG-

The TAG is to upload the 4th picture from the 4th folder in your picture file and talk about it...

Born April 21, 2005

This is a picture of Madisen five days after she was born. She came exactly 6 weeks early and weighed 4lbs 15 oz., and had to stay in the NICU for two weeks. This picture is of me holding her and gavage feeding her -through her nose. She was too small to drink from a bottle or nurse so every three hours (or as much as I could) went up to the hospital with Mom Graf to feed and change her. Then depending on what was going on we either headed back home or waited another three hours to do it all over again. Luckily, the hospital was only about 5 miles away from where we lived so we could easily go back and forth to be with her. And it wouldn't have been possible without the help of Ryan's mom! We only owned one car at the time, so she was able to come up with Grandma Gilmore's truck and take me back and forth from the hospital everyday. Madisen had jaundice pretty bad- as you can probably tell in this picture and had to be on oxygen for over two months. But I will always remember that she got to come home on Mother's Day!

I tag anyone who wants to do this!

Potty Pros...well soon to be!

(I blurred out the pictures to give the girls some privacy)

About a month ago, Ryan suggested that we get out the old potty chair that Madi used when she first started potty training to see if Avery would catch on before the twins are born. (We really don't want three kids in diapers!) Avery follows Madi everywhere, so everytime Madi went in to go potty, Avery would follow her in there. The last month Avery has been sitting on her potty chair...just with her clothes on. We kept praising her and would also give her an M&M or half of a licorice each time she sat on her potty. But then it got to the point where Avery would just go and sit on the potty every five minutes just to get an M&M...smart kid. (Hey, if that's how I get candy, then sure, I will sit on this thing all day!)

A few times I even caught Avery wiping her pee pee with toilet paper then trying to wipe Madi down. Madi would start laughing so hard while then making Avery bust up!

The past two weeks I thought ok, let's try taking her diaper off now and seeing if she will go pee pee. She has now gone countless times on the potty and I am so excited! Of course we still have a long way to go to train her, but she getting the jist of it down pretty quick and I hope we can get her to be a pro before the twins are born.

You're as Cute as a Button

You're cute as button everyone knows,

from your tiniest curls to your chubby little toes.

You're cute as a button even when your bad,

and when your angry, tired or sad.

You're cute as a button every single day,

everything you do and everything you say.

You're cute as a button it's easy to see,

your attitude and looks from daddy and me.

Author: Angela Taylor

Our sweet lil' Avery

Can you tell one of her Idol's is Cindy Lou-Who from the Grinch?

Ryan thought it was funny that her skirt hiked so far up after church

Imitating the Joker??

Giving kisses.

Avery is such an affection child, always giving hugs and kisses!


What a smartie!

What'z up?

Avery is such a happy baby! Ryan and I were just talking the other day about Avery and how happy she always is. The only time she does cry is when she is hungry or tired. She is always flashing us her cheesy grins and her little, "I'm going to get you" walking crouch and teasing eyes, as she is running towards us. We are grateful for her and her happiness and being such a good baby/toddler for us. Hopefully when the twins come she will remain so, and be a big helper!

A Day and Night in the 'Burg

This Saturday, Ryan and I drove up to Idaho Falls and met my parents for dinner at the Outback. We had plans to go to dinner with them and then go to the temple. The past few times going to Idaho Falls I have ran into several different friends, either from high school or elementary school. I ran into my good friend, Heather from 2nd grade! It was so fun to see her and her cute family and get caught up a bit with life happenings.

The food was delicious as well! I know you don't care what a ate, but I am going to tell you anyways...I ordered the $16 Atlantic Salmon. It was so good.... GOING down! Yep, you got it....not so good coming back up, especially paying that price for it, only having it go down the toliet. Lesson learned, again: When PREGNANT and eating out, buy the cheapest thing on the menu!

My goofy parents...

Madi being silly

Avery also being silly

After dinner we switched cars with my parents and they took the girls to their house, while Ryan and I proceeded to go to the temple. Only to find that both Idaho Falls and Rexburg Temples were closed for cleaning. We found out the Rexburg temple had just closed that day. We were quite bummed. Yet, as my dinner was not agreeing with me, maybe it was a blessing in disguise, as I wouldn't want to be the first person to throw up in the Rexburg temple, or in any temple. I wouldn't want that on my record!

We spend Saturday night playing games with my family and had a great Sunday with them, and got home late last night. Thanks for a fun weekend in Rexburg!

Who gets you dressed?

With being sick a lot lately, Ryan has been such a great help in getting the girls ready for the day. As much as I appreciate his willingness to help out with the girls, I think, however, he lacks the eye for fashion. This is how I found the girls dressed after he had gotten in their dresser drawers...

at least the top and pants are both of the purple hue...?


showing off her tummy...as usual.

hmm... something looks strange? Summer already?



yikes! Hopefully not a new Hodges' fashion trend.

I have always wondered if there was some sort of signs or stickers that you could buy and place on a child's back when going to the store that say something like:

"DADDY got ME dressed today..."

OR

when your child finds some crazy outfit and puts it on by him/herself:

"I got MYSELF dressed today!"

That way mother's across the world won't feel so embarrassed or guilty when they go to the grocery store and they get a million and one stares, as their child looks similar to these previous examples. You can just simply point to the LARGE sticker/sign on the back on their shirt and shrug it off. And everyone will nod in understanding.

Hmm...new invention possibly?

New due date and ultrasound pictures

I had an ultrasound appointment on Thursday and I am happy to say I have a new due date, not that it matters all that much because with twins and having Madi and Avery early I am sure I will go much earlier than my due date, but it's nice to know I have less time than I actually thought. My due date is August 9th, but the ultrasound tech said they would probably be born July 9th or earlier. Four kids in four years...Crazy. And I thought life was crazy now, I have no idea what it's going to be like in just 5-6 months! Anyway here are more pics...

Baby A...Baby B...

Both A and B...(haha, it's funny calling our babies by letters in the alpahbet but for now that's what they are called. I should come up with something a little more...creative.) Anyway, this is a top view of both of their heads just chillin' side by side. My mom and Ryan were both there with me during the ultrasound because they, along with me, still couldn't believe there were two! They are each only about two inches long, but they were wiggling around so much, that it was weird to not be able to feel a thing! It was definitely fun to watch and ask the Ultrasound technologist lady questions about everything.

Some Goodness

How to eat a bowl of Macaroni and Cheese

By Avery

First you have to get rid of the spoon. Yep. Just toss it aside. Why? Because the spoon just slows you down. Take it from me, you can get more macaroni in your mouth without it, in less time too!

Then don't be affraid to go head first into your bowl. At first it seems... well, unnatural. But really it's the only way to go.

Once you get the hang of it you can really get a lot by tipping the bowl up and getting right into the middle of the Goodness! "The cream of the crop", that's what I like to call it!

However, make sure you don't forget to take a moment and reflect upon the goodness thereof, by savoring the delicious flavors of both cheese and noodles mixed together so gracefully. Mmmmmm, so good! (eyes rolling into the back of my head)

And lastly, if you have any left over (which is a hard thing for me), it is always nice to offer to share with others...

So there you have it, boys and girls! The RIGHT way to eat a bowl of Macroni and Cheese. Now, hurry and go get you a bowl!!!

Thank you...

Dear Friends,

I was going to leave a comment and comment on all your comments but I want to make sure everyone knows how appreciative I am for your kindness, your concerns and your love. (Watch out, this post might get mushy!) I am deeply humbled that so many of you want to help in any way you can. I am grateful to all of you, for your kind words of encouragement, offers to bring dinner, take my kids, and even clean my house! I have gotten many emails, comments on here and on facebook, phone calls, and even visits from you, and I feel truly blessed to have such amazing friends and family that care so much about me and my family. So many of you expressed heartfelt sympathies and concerns for what I am going through, but I have to say I am also a bit embarrassed, as that was not my intention in writing that last post- to get sympathy. (What did I expect after complaining? ...I guess I wasn't expecting the outpouring of love that you all have shown me in more ways than just your comments. That just shows you what wonderful friends you are!) So I hope you don't think I am ungrateful for your kind words and your willingness to want to help. I am TRULY grateful! Just you-letting me know that you are there to help, if I need it (unless of course you have a cure for pregnancy sickness :) is all I could ever ask for.

It's a hard thing to do, to ask someone for their help. Everyone has their own families to look after and we all have busy lives, so it's extremely hard to ask for help. But it's humbling to know you all want to help in any way you can. I know when I find, make or am given an opportunity to serve others, that is the part of me that I like best. Finding, making or given a chance to serve, is finding and bringing out the person who I want to be and who, I hope the Lord wants me to be and is molding me into the person I need to be. This is true for all of us. I love the feeling when I am serving others and I always walk away feeling like it was more of a blessing for me than it was to the person I had the chance to serve.

I have never been good at asking for help, (I sure I can say, most of us feel that way). My mom has told me from time to time, "you need to let someone help you". In the last few weeks since finding out we are having twins, I have felt a little overwhelmed. Can you blame me? This is a lesson I am going to need to learn; To ask. And it's not going to be easy. I know when they are born, I will need all the help I can get; and asking for it is going to be one of my biggest challenges. I am not really sure why either. It's not that I feel I know everything (cuz wow...I really have no clue about anything!) or that I feel I am too proud to ask for help, it's more because I feel there are so many others MORE in need and that my little struggles aren't anything compared to some. You know what I mean?? I also feel that I have so many neighbors/friends that already do so much for me without me asking, that to ask for more help would just be...well, I don't know...??

Anyway, I didn't mean to turn this into a essay paper. (Now I need a conclusion paragraph. haha. just kidding.) What I want to say is, Thank you. Thank you for your willingness to serve. Thank you for your love that you have shown me. Thank you for your dear friendships. I am so blessed to know each of you. I love you!

Random thoughts from a pregnant woman...

I am due for a post (probably a few), and today's been a good health day for me, which is rare. So I have been thinking I should take advantage of this day while I am feeling, for the most part fairly well and write about what else but being pregnant. Hey, now there's a HOT topic! Especially for all us women that are either pregnant right now, have been pregnant and have 1 or more critters (That's what a nurse called my kids when I went in for my first checkup. She said, "So how many critters do you have?" uh, critters??) or those that just had a baby, and jokingly say, "I never want to that again!" and we all know what happens... before you know it, you’re pregnant again! :)

Some of you know my issues with pregnancy. Let's just say I am not a BIG fan. Sure the outcome is wonderful, and even the process of a baby developing is a miracle in itself! I found this picture and thought it was perfect. Children really are a gift from God.

So, I don't want to complain but I do want to talk about it and maybe someone else does too. Everyone goes through different things during their pregnancy (ies) and delivery, some worse than others, but we all have a story. So I thought I would share mine.

First of all, I do feel extremely blessed that the Lord would allow me to have two sweet girls to raise and that I can be sealed to them even after this life. They are such a joy in my life. My life would not be complete without them. They do the cutest things.... and also the grossest, but I try not to recall THOSE to memory if I can help it. haha. Though it's not always easy to raise kids, it's MOST definitely worth it. Just a moment ago, Avery walked into the room and pronounced that she was hungry by yelling, “giggle, giggle, giggle!!!" Which always makes me laugh! (Read down to previous post if that doesn't make sense to you.) And today Madi had a conversation with Ryan as he was heading to school that just made my heart melt.

Madi with much enthusiasm said, "Dad, I have a great idea!"

Ryan: "What's that Madi?"

Madi: "Well, how ab'ut if you stay home from school today and stay here with me. Isn't that a great idea, Dad?!"

I really do have so much to be grateful for that during my days of endless throwing up I try and think about those blessings. But believe me, it doesn't always work.

Monday was a really rough day for me. I threw up well over ten/fifteen times, lost count after awhile, and after one session of throwing up, I was laying there on the bed trying to catch my breath, blow my nose, wipe my eyes and grab a piece of gum to get the flavor of....well I shouldn't tell you that, you might want to barf yourself, let's just say it was gross. Nasty beyond all description. But as I was lying there I thought, I just want to die! (Of course not really! Don't worry, I wont.) But at that moment, death sounded a heck of a lot easier! I even recall telling Ryan, "I just want to die!" when I was pregnant with Avery and had thrown up 25 times in 3 hours, and I remember him saying, "No, don't say that, you'll be fine." But under his breath I am sure he was saying, "but I know I would, if I were you..."

Thankfully, I didn't die that day. :) And was just hospitalized with three IV's and medication that seemed to be a gift right from heaven. Nor did I die this last Monday (obviously;). I have been able to take Zofram. It's a pretty expensive drug, usually costing somewhere between $50-$80 a pill. They now have a generic kind that's only $22 a pill so that's been a blessing, as we have had to pay out of pocket for them. Zofram is a drug they use for people that have cancer and get really sick with Chemotherapy treatments. They also give it to pregnant women who, like me or worse cases, can't help but loose 5- 15 pounds during the first three months of pregnancy because of throwing up and the lack of wanting to eat. I have always had 5- 10 pounds to lose since having Avery, and could never get it off, until recently. So I am grateful that I am finally down to what I was. Of course it won't last long as later in my pregnancy I seem to gain double in the 2nd and 3rd trimester and eventually will look something like this poor woman:

Ouch.

So for the moment let me just rejoice in my weight loss, even if it's just for a moment AND even if it’s not the way I would actually want to lose the weight. But it's the little things that matter right?

It's funny as I am sharing my thoughts, feelings and stories or maybe more like complaining about them, (I hope not too much) I can picture my dad with his littlest violin playing the saddest song for me. haha! Sorry dad! Actually my dad is one of the most compassionate people I know, but he also has an attitude that says, "Forget yourself and get to work!"

-Intermission-

4 hours later:

I started writing this post and then realized I better go and make dinner as Ryan will be home soon. However, as I was making dinner I got nauseated so I decided to take a Zofram before I started throwing up, only I should have waited, as I threw up but ten minutes after taking the pill, there goes $22 down the toliet, literally.

Anyway, I also wanted to take a moment and embarrass, brag, thank- whatever you want to call it- and tell you how wonderful my husband has been to me and the kids the last few weeks. He has been home from school the last four weeks from a break. And the whole time he did everything around the house; changed Avery's nasty diapers, did dishes, swept floors, kept up my overly obsessive vacuuming behavior for me, did laundry and much more! He played with the girls all day everyday which was wonderful as they love being with their dad but sad for me, as they are both daddy's girls now!

Sorry for this long and boring post, the pregnancy made me do it! hehe. I did forwarn you in the title, "Random thoughts from a pregnant women" so what did you expect? haha.

CHrIsTMaS!

For all those(2 people) that were wondering, "How did the Hodges spend their Christmas?" Let me tell you the tale...

We had Santa come a day early to our home, (yes, you can have the BIG guy come to your home early if you put in a special request) that way we could have an extra day to spend with my brother, Adam and his wife, Genn and their little boy Colton. They were flying out the day after Christmas to be with Genn's family. So to make sure we had a day with them, Santa came early to our home. So here's just a few pictures of the girls on Christmas Eve morning opening their presents. Madi was very excited to see all the presents Santa brought. Avery's favorite gift was a baby that giggles and shakes. She loves it and giggles right along with it.


After cleaning up Christmas, we took off to Rexburg to spend the rest of the week with my family. And this was a typical day during our week in a nutshell...

We (Ryan, Josh, April, Adam, Randy, my Dad, and Celeste) built this awesome sled ramp off the roof of my paren'ts house to sled down. I didn't add any contribution to the construction of this amazing sled hill/ramp with being sick but it was fun to watch everyone else on it!
Here's Madi with Uncle Randy sledding down. They went easy with her and didn't go clear to the top of the roof!

Aunt Celeste and Madi going down

Madi enjoying the snow with her aunts, uncles and grandpa! (I don't know how many pairs of gloves I have bought her and they have all gotten lost...to many to count!! So socks were the next best thing.


We played ROOK, Settlers of Zarahelma, and Scum most of the week. We love board games and card games in my family and we are all very competivite. Too much sometimes, it can get pretty scary-! :)
We also chowed down on delicious food all week! My mom is a awesome cook, and if it wasn't for all the throwing up I did because of the pregnancy, I would have easliy gained ten pounds!
My family got Guitar Hero for Christmas so there was lots of noise going on...here's Madi jammin' out.
There was also plenty of lounging around and watching movies. Here's Avery getting a full body massage on my dad's massage chair. She really enjoyed that!

And what's a better way to end the FUN day, then a nice hot relaxing bubble bath? (well, minus the relaxing hot-bubble-part. Instead add LOTS of splashing done by Avery while Madi gets mad.)

We hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Christmas this year!!!