Mom and Dad Spoil us All

Since nobody has posted here in a while and it's driving me CRAZY, I decided to say a public THANK YOU to mom and dad for how amazing you are to all of us!! As I keep telling dad, one of these days I will have you guys over without working you to the bone. I know Garrett and I are pretty pathetic newly weds and need a lot of help, and your kindness, caring and contributions to our new life is appreciated more than I can form words to say. But, thank you. You are the epitome of great parents, and you give us all an example to live up to while we are raising your grandchildren.

New Background

Since I am the only one who has admin rights, mom asked me to change up the blog. This is the background that she chose. Hope you all like the changes we have made.

ok here it is what I did at ranger challenge

THANK YOU

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! TO MOM, DAD, SKYLER and MIKAELA for all your help for Garrett and I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And to Heather for holding down the fort at home and taking care of all the animals so they could come. You all helped more than you know. I can't thank you enough! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

SUPER Dad!

This has been a very long summer. Mikaela and I have been in school for most of it. First it was spelling camp, then it was catch up from what we did not finish by the end of the school year.

Poor Dad has been left to do most of the work around here by himself. Heather and Skyler have helped to some extent.

So far this year (besides the Cemetery), Dad has worked hard on the office. Sanding off all the rust and then painting the office a cream color (the can read it was Case White for those who are tractor buffs). We still have half the office to do. Dad cut off the tops of the poplars, still lots of work there to do. I want to take out all the poplars and replace them with lilac bushes. We put in a well, which meant digging ditches to get the water to the house. Does anyone remember digging the hole for the pool? Well there was about 20 feet of solid Basalt. So Dad and Brad (mainly) with the help of some others, spent 3 days chiseling away at the ROCK. I might mention that it was more like a jack hammer and then a bobcat with and rock breaker on it to get the job done. Finally they broke through all of it! Now it was what are we, going to do with all of this rock. As it ended up Brother Steinbach invited us to dump it on his place in a gully. Thank you Brother Steinbach! Then it was off to the Cemetery to get dirt to take the place of all that rock they took out. So Dad and I worked at hauling off the rock and then hauling in all the dirt. When most of that was done Dad was off hauling in several loads of gravel to put in our driveway. Then Brother Joe Norman stopped by and needed some help burying a dead animal. So Dad took the time to go help him. Some vacation! Today is Sunday so Dad gets to rest. But tomorrow it’s back to the grind stone. Brad is leaving and we still have to finish filling in the ditches, painting the office plus Dad wants to repaint the house (Case White), the shed needs to be painted and the trim on the house. We are tearing down Grandpa’s Dodd’s okie shack, and rebuilding it here and there are some shingles to replace on the house, the shed, the garage, and some hay to haul. We may not have enough summer. It’s too much for one man to do! For as old as Dad is he can still out work and complain less than anyone of his kids. By the way Jim is on our well also. Jim is planning on moving this fall and we hope to be buying his place. More work to do.

Everyday, I am more grateful for my dear Husband than I was yesterday. How blessed I am!

I am planning surgery this fall on my left knee. I was thinking the first of October would be when I would do it. Then I thought the middle of October after the weather gets a little colder and I can't go carting as much. Now I am thinking that the end of October I need to do grape juice. So now I am undecided as to when to do it. We go through a lot of grape juice, and we only have about 4 cases left from last year. That means we have gone through about 8 cases this last year. So whenever grapes are done I’ll do surgery.

I use to think that when I got older and did not have all the responsibilities of children I would have more time. I am finding that it is not so. I can’t hobble fast enough to get everything done. I do not know how your Dad does it. Maybe it’s just that I am moving slower.

I am impressed with how kind, caring, and giving your Dad is with each one of his children.

Regardless of how onrey you kids get. Dad is always looking out for you. Worrying and wondering how he can help you out. What he can do to make your life a little easier.

Mom

Activity Girls Day Camp

It's over!!!! We worked hard and played hard and it was GREAT!

My girls learned to dance the Virginia Reel and then they performed it for their Mothers and then the girls taught it to their Mothers. Mikaela tried to get me to dance with her, like all the other Mothers were dancing with their Daughters. But my knees are to far gone to walk let alone dance.

We had pine wood derby races, we made pillows with the 6 Be's and the young Women value colors, we made tile pictures with the girls' face among the faces of other children standing around Christ. We made refrigerator magnets with canning lids and pictures of the girls. We made good deed wands. We learned to make raspberrie ice. We leaned about music and how to conduct it. Our list goes on and on. Now it is over and I have asked for a release. No surprise to the Primary President. She said that she has known for a month. That was before I knew it. I have really struggled with this decision. But with Dad's request that I give up my calling, I had to give it serious consideration. It made me feel really good when one of my Girls said that she was really, really going to miss me. I told Sister Thornton that I wanted to stay in until the end of September so that we could have our Parasol Tea.

Then it will be off to surgery for me in October. The Doctor told me that it will be a 3 month recovery time for each leg. So I am hoping to do the other leg in January. Then it will be time to think about my back, as my rupture has collapsed. The holidays will be interesting this year with me being laid up. It sounds like a homemade Christmas to me. Tuesday I go in for a cortisone shot in my other knee. I am hoping for the same energy rush I got with the last one. I made major dents in my messy house.

So while I wait for October my goal is to halter break my colt. Then I will be off to driving my horse as much as I can until October. Speaking of my colt his name ended up being Trigger. He has shedded his baby coat and he is now such a dark brown that he is almost black. He is really pretty.

Our (H2O) Well is finally completed. DAD, BRAD, Skyler, Heather spent the last week working their way through about 20 feet of solid basalt. Brad kept wanting to get explosives. But that was not allowed and they went through 2 jack hammers and a Bobcat with a rock breaker on the front of it. Three days later and several equipment break downs, they made it through. Now we have our own water and 65 lbs. of pressure at the pump and in the house. That 65 lbs. of pressure includes all of the water spickets in the yard turned on full blast. At last we will be able to do laundry and dishes and showers all at the same time. No more taking a week doing a days worth of laundry. An no more $75.00 a month water bills.

Good night to all!!!! And the beginning of a new ERA!

Garrett is married and it was great. We have the sweetest new Daughter (in-law). We are just plum Proud. Brad did the slide show for the wedding and then embellished it before he left.

WEEKS AND WEEKS LATER

Okay, I am not as good as I thought at computers. I have been fighting with this blog for what seems like forever. Heather finally helped me and got me started again.

Back Garrett and Leslie.

Yes we are very pleased with Garrett's choice of a wife. If I were to describe her it would be AWESOME!!!!! She is absolutely wonderful. She is kind, caring, giving, she worries about others. She treats Mikaela like a little princess. Skyler, Well when he is in his bad mood. Leslie just grabs him and makes him, let her love him anyway.

Leslie has great visions of the things she wants to accomplish in her life. It will be great fun to watch accomplish her greatest desires.

Okay, now about me. I have finally returned to the Doctor only to be told that I have bone on bone. It is time to do something about my knee's. That will happen (I think) in October or November and then again in January or February. When that is done then it will be on to fix my back. Where my ruptured disk is now collasped. I hope to be up and going strong by April.

Dad and I are starting to think that it is time to start to slow down and do some of the things that we want to do, and not have to do. So as soon as the truck is paid for, I think we will be done in the Cemetery. I am selling some of my horses, (I hope). And as animals go away they will not be replaced. Except maybe the pigs.

Maybe will move.

Jody and her husband have moved away and Jody's parents have moved back along with their son John and his significant other and kids. They sold their place back east and have come home to stay.

I am not sure what we are doing. I do know that some things are going to change.

Update Carol had her legs amputated. Although this did not change her life expectancy. She has severe calcification in the veins and arteries of her heart. They say she only has about 6 months of less. We have loaned Dad's van to them so that they came make the best of the time that she has left.

Hi Everybody!

Well, its almost time to hear those wedding bells!

Garrett and I are really excited. Everything is coming together beautifully in the last couple days until the wedding. I'm getting all packed up for this weekend and then for our trip to Disneyland. I am almost just as excited for Disneyland as for the wedding!

Cher bird is tons of fun, although I am very allergic to her. My eyes are all bloodshot and itchy. But I just love her so much! She is cute as cute can be. You guys will love her so much, and she will you.

I started moving my stuff into the apartment today. And, I am getting a lot of my own kitchen stuff off the registry. Today I got towels and a toaster in the mail. So much fun! I am feeling all "growed-up!"

Well, I can't wait to see you all on Friday. Kat, John and Baby Brett... we will miss you.

Love,
Leslie

Two post in one day WOW, miracles do happen.

We are down at Kathlen and Jon's having a great time with our Grandbaby. Brett turns 1 on the 4th. We are leaving tomorrow and so we are celebrating his birthday today.



Lindsey (Thompson) Hayter and Tristan (Higham) Hayter came by the first night we were here. They came to pick up plants that the Thompson's had sent down for them. When they saw Brett, they commented that he sure looks like the Hodgson side of the family. See if you agree.

Treasure and Baby

For all who have not see Treasure and her Colt. This was taken just hours after he was born. He was kind of clumsy. Now he tears around the pen like it is a race track. He is a great deal of fun to watch and play with.

We put a large ball in his pen to play with. It is an absolute blast to watch him kick it around the pen. He tries to bite it, but just can't seem to get his teeth to sink into it. I like to see him try and stand on it. When he does the ball goes one way and him the other.


We still do not have a name for him. But it looks like it might end up being Ernie. However Skyler is still fighting for lighting.

Today is Sunday and I am in the Cemetery, as is common this time of the year. I have walked the grounds so many times the last couple of day, that my knees are complaining.

Everyone else (Family) is in church, so it is pretty quiet. So I will finish my horse story. To answer some ???. Ernie is the name of the Vet. that came to rescue me when the little guy was born and Treasure had not yet figured out what part of her Anatomy was for. Ernie Sudated Treasure so that the colt could nurse. When Treasure came out of the sudation she was okay with the colt nursing. And now it is like she never had a problem. Snookum Jo (I misspelled in the first entry) came from my childhood. A Baby was often referred to as "cute little Snookum". Mikaela wanted to call him Snick. I am not sure I want to reuse that name, so Snookum Jo is close but not to close. And lighting comes from the flash marking on his side. Skyker is calling him Lighting and Mikaela is calling him Ernie.

We are still waiting for Carmel to foal out. I wish she would just do it, she driving me nuts with this waiting game.

Treasure's colt is a great deal of fun to watch as he plays with his ball, that we through in the pen. He likes to kick it around the pen. Occasionally he tries to stand on it, one day he reared up and fell across it and it rolled him into the filbert tree. He is a hoot to watch. I will try to get a video and put it up for everyone to watch.

Mom

Okay Gang, All of you know that I stay busy. But this month has been above and beyond busy.

Dad is starting to complain about being over worked. He is mainly over worked, because he is married to me. So I have decided to sell the 2 stud's that I just bought. And I am trying to do more of my own work. I am also going to work on the books to see how soon we can quite the Cemetery. Or at least subcontract out the closings. I think that sitting around all winter is telling stories on us. So I believe that something needs to change.

Most of you know that Treasure had her foal last week. He is Cute, Cute, Cute. We have not named him yet. Here are some of the names that we have thought about. Ernie, Snookim Joe, Lighting,. Any suggestions?

It's 9:00 p.m. and I am dying on the vine. I'll tell you more later, if I remember how to get on.

Mom

lets hope for the best

Ok so if i pass all of my finals this coming week, i should be home the beging of june. If i don't pass i will be here another month to two months so lets hope that i pass. I think im going to need all the luck i can get.


Heather R Hodgson

Brett Loves Bath Time

Brett loves bath time so much that he splashes alot. I have proof on video and pictures. His hair is also getting to a point that when I am done drying it, he resembles Albert Einstein. Or Jon When he was still in school. So here is the picture, and I will up load a video of his splashing soon. Notice the Dark blue spot on Jon's shirt?

prom

the prom was good. i had lots of fun, i had to much that some thing happened. they were good. Kate and are in the first me. and Jessica. and the last one is my date Mandee.

the formal

the formal was great. Katie and i had lots of fun. we surprise our dates with a limo and yea. thats all i am going to say.

Happy Birthday NEANEA!!!

So yesterday we finally celebrated nea's birthday!!! And we got a few pictures for your enjoyment.
Yes that is a Taper candle, I don't happen to have any "birthday candles" so that is what she got! At least she got a candle. That sucker was hard to get into a cupcake, the cupcake started to fall apart and so I held it together with frosting!! Smart thinking, if I do say so myself.

This was a perfect birthday present. 52 weeks of recipes!! No more beef stroganoff for heather. We told her that she has to make us one recipe a week for the rest of her time with us. Maybe we can get her a little more "domesticated" as her classmates call it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE NEANEA, WE LOVE YOU!!!!

I am Grateful for the Sabbath!

I am so glad when Sabbath comes. Then we can RR (rest, reflect) from our busy life. Dad is wanting to slow down. I am trying to figure out how that will happen, and when.

Yesterday we were suppose to go help Grandma move. Mikaela had a meeting at the Hanson chapel in Kennewick. So I took her to Crandal's at 8:00 a.m. for a ride in. On the way home I decided to check on the Ponies at Diaz's. All of the horse were at one end of the pasture eating except Carmel (Mikaela's horse). I scanned the pasture and saw Carmel was laying out in the middle of the pasture, I could not see her breathing. I panicked as I feared the worst. Immediately I started to try and figure out how to tell Mikaela that Carmel was dead. I flew to the end of the pasture where the gate was, by the time I got out of the car, Carmel had gotten up and was heading toward the other horses. I felt a wave of relief. While I was there, I decided to go out in the pasture and check the horse. When I put my hands on Carmel's neck I realized that she was foundering. Which meant I had to get her moved off the pasture and into a dry paddock. I went home and put everyone into motion to move the horses. We brought the ponies home and moved the big horses to Diaz's. After a hour Leslie and Garrett were on the road, and we were on our way to Grandma's ( an hour late).

We got Grandma moved, and then we had to get Skyler home and ready for his formal dance at the Richland Stake center. Of course we had errands to do while we were in town. We finally got Sky home with just enough time to get ready for his date. Dad went to Pasco to pick up fencing for the horses and I went to get Mikaela at Glodo's. When I got home we took Skyler to Nieman's for his date. I must admit he cleans up pretty good.

Skyler spent lots of time putting this date together . Between Ben Nieman and Sky they put together a pretty cute date. Skyler's date for the evening Katie. Sky worked for Sister Glodo to earn money to make this date happen. He went to McDonald's to get a happy meal box for Skyler's dates corsage in. The boys went to goodwill to get shirts for their dates to wear during their meal, as they were having boneless ribs. Then they picked up their dates in Nieman's van (which had been decorated inside with garland and lights). They went to a park in Tri-Cities and was invited to go boat riding on the river while they waited for Bro. & Sis. Nieman to cook the ribs. Then to think that we get to do this again next week for prom at the High School. This time his date will Be Mandy Boyle.

Happy Birthday Heather! I guess a day late is better than not.

Love to all! Mom

Today is a big day in Kat and Jon's life .Jon graduated from B.Y.U. today.We were not able to be there so we watched it on the internet.I wished I could of been there to share in the moment.I know that they are both happy that this part of Jon"s schooling is over and now it is time to move. To Michigan to start a new chapter in their lives . How fun that will be .
We are also counting down the days until Garrett& Leslie's wedding. What a wonderful young lady Leslie is ,I think that Garrett Has found the cream of the crop in Leslie.I think she will be good for him.
Heather is also getting ready to graduate from her Message thearpy school. That will happen at the end of May at which time we will go down and pack up all the kids and send them off in their many different direction.
Bradley is still at B.Y.U. Idaho he had life guard try outs today from the sound of it He had to rescue the try outs . Some of them weren't sure what to do. and kept ask him question about what to do next. he likes his life guard duties. He is also doing well in his studies. his grades for the last semister were better then he thought.

The Hodgson's at Snoqualmie Falls

Fall City

Well ya'll... Garrett will finally be off your hands. He's moving to Fall City this weekend. :-D Oh... don't you worry though... we'll be back to visit a LOT. He'll be living in the apartment that is attached to the house, and then when we are married, I'll move in there too. He has no idea what he is getting himself into... life on the Cook Farm is insane... so, hopefully he can cope and I am hoping he will bring another element of "fun" to the family here. Not to mention we'll have another slave! Mwahahahahaha. He'll be mowing lawns, doing stalls, maintenance and all sorts of fun jobs to earn his keep.

I also hope to get Garrett to be a fully capable horseback rider by the end of the summer. He claims to love horses, and to love riding... so we'll see if he'll crack or not. :D

So, make him feel good, and make him feel like he'll be missed. ;-)

Love you all!
-Leslie

Brett's Weight Check!

I took Brett to get a weight check, and today Brett weighs 20lbs 2 1/2oz. Which puts him in the 38th percentile!!! He is 28in. long, which puts him in the 33rd percentile. While we were there I decided to have the doctor check him out. For the last couple of days, Brett has been so cranky. Which as some of you might know is not like my baby! When we took him to the after hours clinic a week ago, the Physicians assistant said that Brett had a 30% ear infection. When Dr. Jensen checked his ear today, he told me that Brett had a full blown ear infection. For a full blown ear infection, my little boy isn't that cranky. Luckily we got some antibiotics for him so he should be feeling better soon. He is such a good little boy, Jon and I are so blessed. What we did to deserve him, I don't know.

the fat cow ran fast

but the butcher ran faster

MY DAD IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!

Like I said my dad is amazing!!!!!! He is working so hard to learn this blog thing.

Trip to Fall City

Yesterday we left for Leslie's home. When we neared the top of Snoqualmie the signs for road conditions were flashings. So we tuned in and the highway crews were doing avalanche control. So we got to set on the freeway for almost an hour. When they finally released traffic it took 10 minutes for us to get moving, and there was traffic a few miles behind us.

Upon arriving at Leslie's we visited for awhile and then it was off to Snoqualmie falls. We had to hike it, of course. A STEEP hike, both ways. At least it felt like it! My left knee feels like it is done for. My Ortho. doctor would of had a fit if she would have seen me. However the trip to the falls was beautiful.

14 DAYS and COUNTING!!

Can you tell that I am very excited about graduation!! When we first moved to Provo, I remember telling myself that we only had three years. That seemed like a very long time! Anytime something crazy happened I would tell my self, only two years left.......Now we are down to MONTHS!! I am so excited to be moving(I am not that excited to pack!) to a new place and to meet new people. Oh the places we'll go! Right now we are weighting our options for grad schools. We went to the temple yesterday seeking answers and we decided that we really need to get more information and weight our options. We might have an answer soon. Either way we will have plenty of adventures. If we go to Penn State we will be close to DC, New York, lots of US historical sites as well as church sites. If we go to Michigan we will be close to family and friends, the Upper peninsula of Michigan which I hear is just beautiful. There is also a community college close so I might be able to finish my schooling. We would also be closer to grandparents. Who knows, we are not basing our decisions off of any of that, so it should be intresting to see what we come up with!! Wish us Luck!

Brads early/late birthday gift

hey look. It fits brad perfectly. I made that just for you brad.

Brett Walking

Funny Story

Brett has become more curious everyday and so now all the doors in the house have to be shut after us. Jon and I were getting ready to go to the temple. Heather was still at school and when she going home she was going to watch boo, while we were gone. I watched Brett while Jon got ready. I started doing my hair and I closed the bathroom door behind me. I thought Jon was watching Brett, needless to say Brett crawled into our Bedroom and was just playing around. Well it got quiet, in fact too quite. So I went out to see what he and dad were up too, and there was my boo. Next to dads night stand, sitting in a pile of muscle rub. Brett had managed to twist the lid off and squeeze it all over himself and the floor. Luckily for us he didn't put any into his mouth, but I bet his hands felt funny. We gave him a quick bath as a precautionary measure. We are going to have to watch him close from now on. Jon thought that I was watching him, I guess we need to make sure the each of know who is watching him. What could have been a scary situation, luckily turned out to be just a bedroom that now smells like Bengay.

Home on the Farm

~ CARMEL ~

In February 2008

Okay Gang, here is what is new................... We went from 5 horses to 13. Mikaela bought a mini and has named her Carmel. She is a real sweetheart. I wish my horses had Carmel's temperament.

However all the horses have had a huge attitude change since they have come to live with us. Even Carmel ran like a scared rabbit when we first tried to catch her to bring her home. Now she will run across 5 acres to see us. Mikaela is thrilled that her horse will run to see us and we still have to chase the others. Mikaela's little Carmel is only about 36" tall. She is not so little sideways though. She should deliver a little critter soon, or at least we hope. Any woman who gets as large as Carmel is would be begging for deliverance. So everyday we go down to Diaz's to check on her, but no baby yet.

Leslie actually owns 3 of the 8 new horses. So Brad you can breath. Plus I am getting rid of my old woman. Heather is planning on moving her horses. (Our pasture really needs a rest.) I have Treasure plus 3 of the new ones here at the house. We have three down @ Diaz's including the old Woman. I have one (believe it or not) @ Riedinger's. That leaves Tessie here on the farm. Skyler wants to keep her and learn to train her. So When we are done I hope to only horses in the round pen, and none in the pasture.

Okay, so my news isn't all new. However everyday we make a little more progress then the day before. Patches (Mikaela named her.) is learning that I want her head not her rear end. I think she will be really awesome once she calms down, and begins to trust a little more.

Love you all.