2012 Saddlers in Review

I realize that I'm one of the "slackers" :0) but I figure better late than never. Truthfully, this holiday season, and the entire year have really flown by. Our family has hit a pretty crazy stage of life, full of lots of changes and new adventures. I'm not sure that I'm ready for all the changes but... they keep coming just the same. Here is a quick list of some of the things that have happened to us this year:

1. McKenzi graduated from high school.
2. Heather was accepted into the Elementary Education program at Weber State.
3. Kade turned 10 (our last child to hit double digits).
4. Ryleigh started Jr. High, and Drew started High School.
5. McKenzi moved out in August (Kade took her room to seal the deal) and began school at Utah State.
6. I turned 40. (gag!)
7. Brian is serving as 1st Counselor in the Bishopric
8. I finished the first of 3 levels in the teacher ed program...just one year until my student teaching.
9. Kade started tumbling lessons (he LOVES it...and has some talent there...who knew?)
10. Ryleigh continues singing.
11. Drew had his first date...and handled the "Dad" meeting VERY WELL.
12. Everyone 12 and older went to Martin's Cove for trek (an unforgettable experience)...Kade got to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa Campbell.
13. We all went to Nauvoo for the Petersen family reunion.
14. I got called to be Young Women's President.
15. We got a new puppy (Koda) on Thanksgiving (why NOT throw a puppy in the mix?!?)

Having a house full of tweens, teens, and children learning to be adults makes life interesting to say the least.

With McKenzi moving out, I've really begun to appreciate the times when we are together. Time is flying by and I'm afraid to blink anymore. ;0) As we have been working with Koda on not mouthing, jumping up, etc., the conversation actually moved to the fact that he will be around when I become a GRANDMA....(what?!?!) Do you see now why I'm reeling a little? CRAZY!

Now to the serious part of my message. I know that with Brian being self-employed and me being in school full-time, our time and finances have not allowed us to visit as often or as long as we would have liked. We've been in survival mode the last several years and I've not been as good as many of you at keeping in touch. This is no reflection on how much you are loved or thought of. You are all daily in our prayers and thoughts.

I am so grateful for our family; for the service Ben and Jesse and their families give for our country, for Josh's kind thoughtfulness toward my kids as he travels the world, for Mary and Brandon and their sweet and sassy family (they are all sweet...but the sass makes it fun! ;), for Amy and Jon's examples of pursuing an education and the creativity they encourage in their kids, for Lacey's desire to stay in touch and make sure we know her sweet Etta, and for Mom and Dad and their example of service, testimony, and obedience. These are just a few things I love most about our family...and the humor.

This holiday season I am grateful for the gospel in my life and for all the blessings that I have in my life because of it. I'm grateful to have the blessings of the priesthood in my home, and for the opportunity to be sealed as a family. I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior.

I hope you have peace and love in your home this Christmas season!

Love you always,


Your Sis (Daughter)
Heather

Here are some fun pics of 2012!

Nauvoo Trip - The Hyrum Smith Farmhouse (the temp was 104! ugh!)

Graduation Day for Kenzi - with Grandma and Grandpa

Roadtrip Fun! We all survived...including the suburban...yeah!!

 Drew, um... enjoying a drive through Nebraska (haha!)

 Koda and Ryleigh... we love our puppy!

 McKenzi and Drew square dancing to prepare for Trek

 Kade's Pinewood Derby car

Continuing the tradition...

 ... gingerbread houses at Christmas!!

 Ryleigh and me at the Carrie Underwood concert

Brian and Kade think they got #1 in our Iron Chef Family Home Evening! (not so fast boys!!)

Hodges Family 2012 Christmas Update

Well, it's late, but here it is. :)

This year has meant a lot of changes for our family.  Paul graduated from CWI, got a job, we got a new car and a puppy...just to sum it up.

Paul - In June, Paul started his new job as a Systems Engineer for Compunet Inc. and ranked 5th in the nation at his Skills USA competition.  He is loving every minute of his job and is learning a TON!  There is so much room to grow at this company and we hope that it will be somewhere he stays long term.  They have really enjoyed what Paul is bringing to the table and they are starting to allow him more opportunities to expand and learn more.  Paul also serves as the 11 year old Scout Master and has so much fun hanging out with the guys Wednesday nights.

Lacey - I have been going to school and trying to keep up.  This semester has been a lot more than I thought it would be.  I found out I HATE economics!  I am going to be taking a break from school for a little while after this semester.  With Etta getting older, she's so smart and I want to be able to concentrate more time on her education as well as take some time to just relax with her.  I have recently been called to serve in the Young Women's as a Beehive Advisor and it is so much fun.  The girls LOVE Etta and are always offering to babysit.  As part of this calling I had the opportunity to attend the Youth Cultural Celebration the area put on for the Boise Temple Re-dedication.  It was amazing to be able to be in the presence of the prophet President Monson.  It was also neat to have Mom and Dad sitting right behind me and the girls I was chaperoning. :)

Etta - Well as you all know she is the center of our lives. :)  I don't know what I did for entertainment before Etta came along.  She is so witty and makes me laugh every day.  I feel so blessed to be her mom.  She is such a blessing in our lives.  Some of my favorite Etta quotes are:

[While watching something with the minions from Despicable Me] "Minions.....you look like......tater tots!"

Famember = Remember

Cortilla = Tortilla

Shiber me timbers = Shiver me timbers....as if to say oh my goodness with her hand over her face. [I don't know where she got this one.]

Etta has loved having more family around this year.  Being able to see most everyone has opened her eyes to all the wonderful people we have in our family and she loves all of you.  She talks and asks about you all daily as well as prays for Ben's safety in every prayer she says.  She LOVES church and asks every morning if we get to go.  She has started making friends in her class and just the other day one of them held her hand when I went to pick her up and said "I don't want you to go!"

After looking through videos and pictures it's crazy to see how much Etta has grown this year.  I don't know when she became such a big girl.  It makes me sad that she's not in that toddler phase anymore, but it's SO much fun to see the awesome little girl she's becoming.  She is smarter than I even understand and am fighting just to keep up with all the new things she's learning.  She read her first word "Bed" a little while ago and I'm hoping to teach her more this coming year.

Below are just a few pictures of the year. (ok so a lot) :)

We love you all so much and miss all of you that aren't close by.  Hopefully next year we'll be able to make some visits. :)  Merry Christmas!

Love, The Hodges

BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE A FULL VIEW :)
In the pictures below we did the "Beat Coach Pete" 5K, Etta sat snuggled with Grandma and Papa Campbell during General Conference and she helped me paint the family room.  She's also found frequently playing with my Kindle Fire. :)

In the pictures below: Etta had a great time with Carsey when she came to visit, she organized her Halloween Candy, loves helping Grandma do dishes, had Papa Campbell make her chocolate milk, thought her child's toilet cover was a swimming floaty(I just had to take a picture...and then a she had a nice long bath), she wanted to go trick or treating again for more candy after putting on her fairy wings, loves to ride her horse "Person" at the Hodges, Papa Campbell made her a Scotch tape mustache, got a new puppy named Penny, loves to go to "Wunch" with Daddy and helped me put together Penny's kennel and decided to climb in afterwards.

These are some photos we had taken in October of 2012

Just a "homework break" video I took with my phone a few days ago.