An update by pictures

It's been months since I've blogged. Ya know why? Because I write Rachel a letter every week, and honestly, I don't want to do it all over again on here!!! But I shall try.

The parents went to Niagra Falls (here they are in their raincoats for the Maid of the Mist) and then through Canada. My mom would travel until the day she dies if she could. They love it. Oh, they drove too!

Amber Lamber (My name for her) got married. Couldn't be happier for her!

Dax thinks my cabinet of fabric was made for her. Lucky duck.

She also thinks she can somehow get inside that tree to eat the birds that live there. Yeah, not happening.

We had Halloween! We hosted the yearly Hodgson Christmas party this year and it was a blast. Most of the pictures are on facebook if you'd like to see more.

The wolf and his kitten :)

Care packages for my missionary

Us on Halloween. freezing!

This is what happens when you forget about a bunch of potatoes in the basement. They grow legs.

Still in bliss being married to this hunk ♥

24th Fireworks. Two days late, mind you.

Our family is notorious for being late, and we always live up to that title! We bought fireworks weeks ago for the 24th (maybe even the 4th?) and didn't do them until tonight. All the fireworks were short lived and lame except the sparklers. So I got most of the pictures from those! i finally figured out the settings on my camera to get a good sparkler trail, so have a look see!

This amazingness is my handy-work, just so you know :)

Christmas 2009

I didn't do very well this holiday season with taking my usual 2-3GB of pictures. too busy I guess. but at least I got some right?

Our tree in terrible lighting. It really did look good. I promise.


The sibling + pets lineup. Classic.


Randy Carter & Becky. Our living room is getting SO packed at holidays now! It was fun having them over on Christmas. Oh and Randy proposed to Becky later that night. She said yes, and they're getting married April 2nd. Wahoo, another sister! becky is awesome. She's like me, but cooler. We even have the same camera and get the same pants at Lane Bryant. Soul sisters.


Becky's gift to me. A "penguin books" version of pride & prejudice. The coolest book cover ever! I LOVE IT! She said she stalked my blog to find out what to get me. That's cool, because I blog stalk her too. Again, soul sisters.


Rachel is one for faces if you can't tell. The bow on her head was on the gift I gave her. She knows she loves it. Can't you see it in her face?


The necklace that Michelle made me and all the other girls in the family. She soldered these and made the chain herself. I can't imagine how long it took her to make these. i couldn't believe she made it herself, so cool!


Rachel's child. If you touch it, she WILL bite you.


The gift I was saving up for because I didn't think anyone was going to get it for me. My parents surprised me and got it. Have you guys seen "Julie & Julia" the movie? It's AMAZING and I want to be julia. I'm tall enough already, now I just need to brush up on my french cooking skills. Pastry city, here I come.


Miles was rubbing his belly for the longest time. Such a funny kid. Soothing I guess. We should all try it sometime.


Michael and his Victoria's Secret Gift. Actually it was a cat poop scented air freshener from Randy & Becky. Our cats have often dragged their bums across Michael's bed and no one elses in the family. Maybe they love him more?


Mom and the embroidery Rachel sewed for her. Rachel worked for months on it and has never done a cross stitch or embroidery before. She prety much taught herself how to do it with a little bit of coaching from me. Very impressive!

Ah, the green-ness of it all

This weekend we planted plants, pulled weeds, played with dogs, and planted a tree. This is one of the bulbs out front. I think it has chicken pox.


This is the first bloom in my garden this season. Oddly enough the plant it grew from didn't have flowers last year. The bees are messing with my plants' DNA. Also this picture is my entry for The Creative Wall photo blog that you should all join!


This one is actually a weed. But a pretty weed. A pretty weed that was promptly killed after the shot.


About a week ago I planted some dahlia bulbs in a section of dirt that had no other plants in it. Fast forward to yesterday. I go outside and find this specimen. Wondering what the heck they could be seeing how I didn't plant anything else, I decided to pull them out.


Answer to the mystery? My mom and another one of ther practical jokes. Last year she put a full grown store bought radish in the ground where I had planted seeds a week before. She's an odd one :)


Me and my bountiful harvest. Actually, they were full of that powder candy. My mom saw them at All a Dollar with my sister Michelle, and they schemed in on it together.


Why so much green you ask? St. Patty's day!!! here we have green jello, green punch, green koolaid, and green sour cream.



Wouldn't be the green day without corned beef and cabbage (or as we make it, New England Boiled Dinner)


Always cook the cabbage last or in a seperate bowl, because it takes half as long to cook as the other veggies. Secret ingredient? Caraway seed in the veggies and meat.


Oh, another green thing. Green rolls.





All the veggies. Carrots, red potatoes, turnip, parsnip, rutabega & onions. I totally forgot to take a picture of the meat. We always get flat cut corned beef. never buy point cut, it's covered in fat and hard to eat. Pay extra, it's worth it.


And of course, my holiday sugar cookies!! Ok, they flattened out a bit because the butter was too soft, but you get the idea.


MMMmmm, sugar............




Oh, random note, karly Spencer is married! I had no clue until I saw her new name on facebook. She was in so many of my classes all through elementary school. we also went to the same singles ward for a while. Isn't she a beautiful bride? Marriage is definitely the IN thing to do right now.


Photo & all other wedding phtos from here. Her new hubby is an amazing phtographer as well over at
Craig Tovey Photography.

It's now snowing and will be raining most of the week. Sadness.

Adios Amigos!

Singles awareness day

What do two single girls do on Valentines day while their parents are out celebrating their coupleship? Eat every sugary thing in sight of course! It had to be classy mind you. No shoveling raw sugar by the cupfuls. We actually made something that went along with the holiday. And Rachel, don't even get mad at me for posting this. It's 2 days after Valentines, you never post to your blog, and it's my camera anyway. pffft.

What does one do with boring cereal around the house? Make it delectable!


Just a bit o' butter


Some puffy mallows to make you happy,


And some pink to make it festive


Today's treat brought to you by, the cookie cutter hearts pink and red. Couldn't have been done without them


Our amazing creations. Actually, she did most all of it. I just took pictures and ate them.


Two hearts are always better than one



That's mine. Sad little broken heart with no one to love it. Cry for me.