Big Family, Little Table...

Our little table, look at how full it is.

Adriel to the right of me.

Mathias to the left of me.

Yummy meals, feeding our bellies.

And our hearts.

Wow, everyone who can walk is now crammed at our little round table. The twins have finally graduated from using high chairs to eating at the table with the family. Though still in sitting in there high chairs we no longer use there trays. The high chairs are now used as booster seats/ chairs. It's interesting to see how they have grown, developed and changed. It's also impressive to see that they are now trying to babble a bit and attempting to master spoons and forks. Though both still a work in progress we are working on it. The twins now use there own kid size plastic plates to eat off of and most of the time keep there food on it, sometimes if we don't pay attention we end up with more food on the floor then the table. Guess that's what we get for not paying attention.

Its awesome in the morning to sit down and talk with the twins while Elijah is at school and at lunch to be able to talk with Elijah about what he did at school today. But my most favorite time is at dinner when we are all at the table together. Sometimes even our little Ellie joins us for a meal. I think this will bring us together as a family. Our table may be small but we all fit perfectly and our table is full of love and joy as we grow, share and learn together as a family. Were a big family who sit at a little table.

The Monday week/ Bathroom disaster.

Our Bathroom Counter with his and her's sinks. Elijah pained to streaks across the front of it, still don't know how to get the nail polish off of it.

Josh's own private shower, gets used by me and the kids sometimes. Elijah painted the floor in it.

My beautiful garden tub, until you get closer.

The front of the Garden tub, Elijah's unwanted artwork.

The inside of the tub, with Elijah's unwanted art work, you think it doesn't look that bad. This picture doesn't do the disaster Elijah created justice.

I had a doctors appointment, so Josh, Ellie and I headed to Tacoma while our babysitter stayed at home and watched the kids. Normally we come home to a house that has the normal disasters, juice on the kitchen floor, toys everywhere, things like that. But this night we came home to something out of a horror film. Our bathroom was covered in nail polish, half of my jewelry was strewed out and our night stands had been rubbished through. How could one 4 year could make this much mess you ask.

Well mean while down stairs our babysitter was dealing with one of the twins who had decided to poop his pants and then dig it out and wipe it all over his high chair, tray and body, while she was cleaning him up. Her son had an explosive poo in his diaper that went up his back and down both legs. Elijah of course being our brilliant master mind and knowing that he could mess with stuff while the babysitter was pre - occupied had plenty of time to plan his brilliant artwork and creatively dig in mommies jewelry and move it from one container to another.

We came home and needless to say I was very upset. I after seeing the mess frantically ran to my great Grandma's ivory crosses and the porcelain rose jewelry to see where they were. I couldn't find them and was searching all over the house. Well thankfully Elijah had shoved them in another box. So it was all there just all thrown into various boxes. I imagine Elijah was getting into this stuff when our babysitter caught him.

Well knowing I had to clean up the bathtub and it couldn't wait because I needed a bath. I began the clean up. I went to Wal - Mart and got a whole bunch of stuff to take the nail polish off of the bath tub and the shower. The tile was easy, the bath tub not so easy. We couldn't use the same chemical on the tile as the bathtub. So I had to scrape the bath tub with a special " no scratch" putty scrapper. After doing that and yes admittedly drinking wine. Josh thought I needed a break. Not to mention the nail polish remover had a very toxic smell and we both agreed it wasn't good for me since I was nursing Ellie to be exposed to the chemicals in it, because they might be able to transmitted through the milk to her.

Anyways after 2 hours of cleaning and being up until 1 AM in the morning. We finally had it clean. I took a bath in the bath tub we had scrubbed on all night and of course passed out shortly there after. Needless to say the next time the babysitter watched him. We took him with us. This nest time around though she will definitely know to watch him like a hawk lol.

Trying to be like Daddy!!!!

Sometimes the house is a disaster and that's okay because it allowed me to catch these photos. Josh had left his shoes lying around in the living room and as I was folding laundry the twins discovered them. Mathias was the first one to put the shoes on and began to walk around with them. Soon after brother was to follow. A cute timeless photo. Though I couldn't get either of them to look at me. It's still cute... I love to think the boys are just trying to be like Daddy.

Everyone calls them Amazing, I just call them my daughters.

“I Just Call You Mine”

I pinch myself sometimes to make sure I'm not in a dream
That's how it seems
I close my eyes and breathe in the sweetest moments I've ever known
It feels like home
And here I am I want to be your everything
There you are
Turning winter into spring

And everyone that sees you
Always want's to know you
And everyone that knows you
Always has a smile
You're standing ovation after years of waiting
For a chance to finally shine
Everyone calls you amazing
Yeah
I just call you mine

I fall apart
Just a word from you just somehow
seems to fix
Whatever's wrong
Oh, you reach into the weakest moments
And remind me that I'm strong
You've got to know
I'd be a fool not to see you even worse
To forget that you're more than I deserve

Cause everyone that sees you
Always want's to know you
And everyone that knows you
Always has a smile
You're standing ovation after years of waiting
For a chance to finally shine
Everyone calls you amazing
Yeah
I just call you mine

Nothing makes sense when you're not here
As if my whole world disappears
Without you what's the point of it

Cause everyone that sees you
Always want's to know you
And everyone that knows you
Always has a smile
You're the dream that I've been chasin' after years of waiting
For a chance to finally shine
Everyone calls you amazing
I just call you mine
Everyone calls you amazing
I just call you mine

Song dedicated to Akalaya and Ellie.
I love you my girls.

Picture perfect!!!!

A smile so big she looks like she could laugh

The smile that looks like she could just talk your ear off about something.

The satisfied happy smile.

That beautiful glow of happiness she has in her face when she looks at you.

I've waited for 11 months to capture this photo and I finally did. This is our Ellie's smile the smile that brightens the room, makes the clouds go away and the sun shine. The smile that feels my heart with love and joy. I was so happy to finally capture this.. Definitely plan on framing it. Ellie is such a bubbly, emotional little sweet heart. I'm blessed she's my daughter and even though she's only a few months old I'm so very proud of her already. Lord knows I will always love my boys. But there's something special daughters bring into your life and I have too. This picture perfect smile reminds me to slow down and enjoy life. The picture perfect smile.

Comparison of the bond Akalaya and Elijah.

These are photos of Akalaya with Elijah at a very young age. Again you can see a bond between them and that bond is still there over miles and miles. Akalaya still talks about Elijah asks about him and even makes things for him all the time... She loves her baby brother very much.

A bond that can't be brocken...

Every parent often fears how things will be for there kids when a new baby arrives in the family and like every parent my fear was for all three of our boys. Mainly for my oldest due to his sensory. But much to my surprise the connection between our youngest daughter and oldest son is amazing. I sat and watched these too connect here in the dinning room floor while I was cleaning the twins up from lunch. Elijah loves his sister so very much and these photos show exactly how. I'm so glad to see there connection and love how protective Elijah is over his sister. These photos remind me of a time when Akalaya did the same thing with Elijah, Leaned over and stared at her brother. Moments like this are so rare and fleeting... I'm so glad I actually caught a photo of it.

I don't know how you do it?

So I'm often asked or hear the comment " I don't know how you do it!" or " How do you do it?" When referring to our kids and the close ages.The thought that often comes to mind is either" Because I have to" or "On a wing and a prayer." More often the " On a wing and a prayer" comment. Definitely a lot of prayer.

From the outside we often look like a well constructed and put together family. Our children often seem very calm and well behaved. Our house organized and fairly clean.But people often don't see the other side of things. The things that make the comments and questions other people ask and say seem like very logical comments and questions.

Days like today!!!! The morning started normal, busy as always. But as the day seemed to progress it become more evident this was definitely a Monday. After a long wait, we found out we were denied for a car loan. We searched other options with no luck, after finding the perfect mini van for us, if there is such a thing. Anyways then after the horrible let down of our inability to get a vehicle until probably July, I decided Sonic was a good food item for depression. So we go up to get the kids and serve there supper and much to our dismay we found Mathias playing in his poop, despite our attempt to prevent this by duct taping the diaper on. Too bad we can't do this around the legs!!! Would probably leave a rash. But none the less playing in his poop. Josh and I worked together to clean him up. After that we went to Sonic. We got there and things seemed to be going our way, we got an extra soda and didn't have to pay for it. Score!!!!!

We got home and thank God Ellie slept so we could eat. Ya the Monday came back into the day. Even my depression food was ruined. Josh's hamburger had stuff that we requested not be put on it, my hamburger looked like someone stepped on part of it and Josh's corn dog was burnt. Okay so ya know shrugging that off we proceeded to put the kids down for bed, a bit late but none the less down for bed. Ya!!! Adriel had played in his poop and smeared it all over his high chair. Then to make matters worse, Josh remembered he left our upstairs window open without a screen in it, in the twins room. So I frantically ran upstairs to prevent Mathias, who Josh had turned loose moments before, to find him standing in the toy box dangling partially out the window saying "who who". I jerked him back in and quickly closed the window. Collapsed on the floor and proceeded to have a heart attack. After recoving from the heart attack. I decided to come back down stair and try to take a break. Again Monday reared it's ugly head again. The baby has colic..... Thus ends this blog so I can pace the baby. To be truthful reading all the events of our Monday. I don't know how I do it!!!!!! Definitely alot of prayer.

Less then the best, not quiet proffesional, but who we are.

The other day we made an attempt at a nice photo of me with the boys and Ellie.We thought since the twins were sleepy it would work well, we found out pretty quick it wouldn't. After several failed attempts the above is what we got. The photos reminded me of something you would see from a old black and white comedy reel or possibly the photos you would put with the nursery rhyme about the old women in the shoe. We all had fun though and if the kids ever ask why there wasn't more photos of all of us together, I can definitely explain why with the above. Go figure, I should of known with a 4 year old, two 2 year olds and an infant we wouldn't be successful. So this weekend we will be going to let the professionals fight with it *lol*. The kewl part is they have more time, specialize in it and if they don't give us a successful photo, they don't get paid. So we will see what happens. We are hoping for a gorgeous photo... But I won't sit my hopes too high and will love whatever we can get. Because a perfect family photo, doesn't always reflect the true family. But photo's like the ones taken above reflect all of our kids unique attitudes and personality. I should frame these and put them up on our wall as a border. Make a cute border and get some laughs.

The one who made me a Mom.

The other day I recieved this photo of my oldest daughter Akalaya. I was truely amazed to see how much she's grown from that bubbly four year old I use to know, to this beautiful little women I know today.Akalaya is a straight A student, is sassy, sweet, and caring. She wants to be a vet and wears her heart on her sleeve. Anyone who knows Akalaya would agree, when Akalaya walks in a room she shines. Since the day she was born Akalaya has always been my only sunshine. She makes the world brighter for anyones life she touches.Unfortunately I'm unable to be with her but carry her in my heart everyday she will never truely know how much she means to me and how thankful I am she's my daughter.

But thankfully Josh and I are able to influence parts of her everyday life even from a distance away. Grandma was telling me the other day that Akalaya would often ask who I was as a little girl and seemed to wanted to be like me. As a Mom I feel honored that my girl wants to be like her Mommy. It's every Mommies dreams. I just hope she leaves out the bad parts. It also amazes me how forgiving she is. I've not seen her in four years and did some stupid things when I was younger that will effect her for the rest of her life, but she doesn't love me any less for it. I'm not there with her and she often will say " Your the greatest Mommy in the world". Comments like this really make me feel good, it may sound funny and though she's only a kid. This one small comment left a smile on my face for the rest of the day.It seems like when I talk to her if I make a suggestion, "Like she needs to sleep in her room", she seems to follow it. I'm glad in a little way I'm able to help raise her, and Grandma is doing a great job with her too.

I don't know why God gave me this precious little gift, especially since I didn't treasure it to start with. But I'm glad he did. Akalaya is the one who gave me the title of Mom. She is my oldest and there is a special place in my heart that will always be hers. Akalaya in a sense saved me from myself. I thought I knew what I wanted to be or what I wanted to do with my life and though she came at a bad time she truly showed me what I wanted to be, a Mom. I didn't realize it to start out with, because I was too immature but I realize it today.

I fell in love with her the moment I heard her heartbeat and that love only grew stronger as time went along. The day she was born I can still remember that it felt like there was no one else in the room but me and her. I remember just being amazed by this little bundle of joy lying across the room from me in a little plastic bed. I was terrified and didn't know how I could be a Mom. I was so young and just a kid myself, how was I going to raise one, but look at her today.
My daughter.
The one who made me a Mom.

Thank you Akalaya.

A Dramatic Check up.

So I took Adriel and Mathias to there 2 year check - ups and lets just say that was an adventure. They no longer fit in there strollers so I had to attach kid leashes to them to keep up with them. Adriel was not impressed with the leash, he would try to walk further then the leash would allow, when he discovered that he couldn't go as far as he would like he plopped down on the ground and proceeded to have a temper tantrum. Mathias on the other hand didn't seemed fazed by it, he would go to the end of the kid leash and just pull harder. I just laughed the whole time. It was better then crying. Though I'm sure everyone in the waiting room at the doctors office thought I was crazy. I was laughing while Adriel was sprawled out on the ground crying and Mathias was bouncing back and forth on the end of the kid leash like a ping pong ball. Thank God they took us back quickly. At least I thought that initially.

We got back to the waiting room and I thought it would be smooth sailing from there. Not so much the moment we walked through the door after there weight and height both the boys just started screaming. I was instructed to strip them down to diapers and lets just say that was a challenge. While stripping Adriel down Mathias was trying to cling to me and while stripping down Mathias Adriel was climbing up me. They screamed through out the whole appointment. They finally calmed down, but go figure it was right before the shot. The shots were administered and they cried for a few minutes and that was it. Ironically enough they cried more waiting for the shots then they did after them. They were fine after a few minutes of cuddling. We got our stuff together and left. Lets just say at times I felt like a shepherd herding a small flock of sheep.

Thank goodness both of the boys health wise are fine!!!
Adriel is 29 lbs and 34 inches tall.
Mathias is 28 lbs and 34 inches tall.

Boy amazing to think that once upon a time.
Adriel was 4 lbs.
Mathias was 3lbs 12 oz.

This was definietly a dramatic appointment and all that drama for one stick lol...

The Twins Easter.

The twins were by far the funniest to watch hunt for Easter eggs. After 2 fun failed attempts at decent photos of the twins with Josh and I. We decided to go upstairs and let the hunt begin.

Due to it being dark outside when we did the twins egg hunt and again Washington's wonderful wet weather we decided to do the Easter egg hunt inside. We choose to do it upstairs so our baby girl could nap downstairs and not be disturbed by the excited noisiness of the hunt. The twins quickly attacked the eggs that were scattered out all over the hall and our bedroom floor. They had fun trying to figure out what to do with them.

Adriel didn't really know what to do with the eggs. He would pick some up and run around with them vigrously shake them, toss them down and grab a few more. He didn't seem to notice his basket nicely sitting at the base of our bed waiting for him. We tried to spur his interest by digging in and showing him toys. But he had no interest and kept on picking up and throwing down eggs. He did have fun though and it was cute to watch.

Mathias on the other hand quickly gather a few and figured out how to open them and spent time opening each one. Thankfully he didn't realize that the items hidden in the eggs were candy and just mainly played with them. From time to time Mathias would get up and toss the eggs down the stairs, run back to his pile and throw more down the stairs. Mathias to our excitement also blurted out " egg" several times. Mathias also would shake the egg to hear it make noise and then kiss the top of the egg. Mathias much like his brother showed no interest in his basket, though when prompted stole an egg out of the basket leaving everything else in the basket just to sit and shake the one egg he snatched from the basket.

It was very cute to watch them run around excitingly gathering eggs. It was very funny and interesting to see how there interest changed from last year. I enjoyed watching them dig in and have fun and though it was a lot of work I enjoyed it. It turned out to be a wonderful Easter. We all had fun and went to bed with full happy tummies.

Elijah's Easter.

We sat Elijah's basket up in his corner. We had wanted to sit his basket and egg search up outside but unfortunately the weather wouldn't permit this. So we made due and hid eggs in the house.

Elijah thankfully loved his basket and dug in not leaving one item in the basket untouched. Then off to the egg search. We hid eggs in his corner and in the dinning room.

He looked for them high and low and proudly as shown in the above photo found everyone of them. He was really excited to open each one and see what was inside. It took Elijah a whole 10 minutes to find everything and be done searching. He had fun though..

Ellie's First Easter.

Ellie of course couldn't really do much for Easter. But we still made her up a basket and dressed her up like we did the boys. She looked beautiful in her dress. Daddy got it for her, her basket was filled with a new outfit for this winter, her first dress shoes, her first bunny and very first book. She looked like a precious little doll.

She of course wouldn't keep her shoes on, but for what time they were on they looked beautiful on her. Not a very exciting Easter for her. She spent most of it sleeping =-) .

Our Hodges Family Easter.

Elijah's Basket

Adriel's Basket

Mathias's Basket

Ellie's Basket

This Easter is the Josh and I's 6th family Easter. Yes even our 1st in "2005" was a family Easter. I was pregnant with Elijah. Anyways this Easter went like many before it. Josh and I spent the weekend preparing everything for Easter. Josh prepared the meal and I prepared the Easter baskets for the kids. I made up 4 baskets, one for each kid and Josh prepared Ham, deviled eggs, stuffing, green beans and much more. Our fridge is packed full of leftovers and the meal was wonderful. The baskets were gorgeous.

Mommy and Mathais's outing.

So Mathias and I went out together. The first time I have taken him out by himself just to go out,shop and hang out. The only other time I've taken him out is to doctors appointments. I was so excited to take him out by himself, I wanted to see who he was without his brother around, that and he seemed like he was feeling ignored. So I accomplished two things at once. Anyways we had fun, it was cute to hear him talk to everything. When we left to go to the store he even blurted out "car go bye". I loved to hear him say that. I love my goo so much, think I will be doing this alot more.

Check ups!!! Oh My!!!!!

So March 31st was Elijah and Ellie's well baby check up. I was nervous about taking them out together, though I had did it the weekend before with no troubles. But this was to a check - up, with shots involved. I was more concerned about Elijah and being unable to hold him down for the shots, especially with a baby.

So Elijah was the first one to get checked out and to get shots. The check up went well, he stood on the scale happily and got his height measured with no problem. The finger stick to test his iron level was another story. He screamed and kicked and loudly pleaded with the nurse " Don't stick me". After the stick he was fine for a while until they came in with the needles for his shots. He willingly got on the table but I'm sure he would of done otherwise if he knew what was coming. They had to call in another nurse to hold his top half while the nurse on the bottom half stabbed him with the needles. Normally with Elijah I'm fine when he cries, but I almost cried this time with his shots. He was just begging so pitifully " No more pokes, No more pokes." But as much as I didn't like it, I know it's whats best for him and all and all he did well, he even got a sucker and sticker after all was said and done. I was amazed to see how much he had grown from his last check - up. He's now 38lbs and 41 inches tall. Amazing he started out at 7lbs 12 oz and 21 inches long. They grow so fast!!!

Ellie was the second to get her check - up. Of course hers was less dramatic and alot quicker, also less painful. They weighed her and gave her one tiny shot, which she screamed about but quickly recovered, of course with help from big brother. It was so cute to see Elijah showing Ellie his boo boos and reassuring her " The doctor is gone now sis no more pokes, I will protect you." Ellie of course has also grown quiet a bit and now weighs 8lbs 11oz and is 21 inches long. My precious babies are growing so fast.

My sweet Elijah bug and Ellie Belly Bugga Boo.....