Projects!!

We are knee-deep in projects at our house right now. Steve has been working on painting Cambry's room, which is so exciting!! We were wanting a light, soft pink color. We headed out to Lowes to get some swatches and there were a lot of great choices (so we thought). We decided between 2 to get samples of to try on the wall and woah, they were bright! So, we went with 2 others--got 2 more samples to try on the wall & they were way too bright also. We were a little frustrated b/c what was showing on the swatches was not coming out on the walls. How hard could it be to find a "soft pink"?? My mom suggested trying Sherwin Williams where they can custom blend paints. We finally found our paint after they blended a couple together. YAY!! So, Steve has been working hard on painting and he is also replacing the baseboards in there, too. It's coming together though!!

In the midst of all this, we are also having wood floors put in our formal living & dining room. This has always been something we wanted to do, but there has always been something ahead of it. We decided now is the time to do it before I quit working and before Cambry is here. So, it kind of just all came together and they came out on Monday to start working on it and they finished yetserday afternoon! We really like how it turned out!

I'm going a little crazy with all the projects & out-of-place things in our house, but I know that it will all start coming together soon! I guess you could say there is a little nesting going on at the Hodgson house! :)

Catching Up

It's been a while since I posted last! I thought I would have all this time to post over my 2 week break from teaching, but apparently I was busier than I thought I would be! So, the next few posts will be catch up posts! Beware, its long!!

Pregnancy Update

As far as pregnancy is going, things are still going good. I have been having some lower back pain pretty regularly, which surprised me b/c I didn't think she was big enough yet to be causing that, but apparently she is! My doctor says everything looks great though, so it just must be good ol' pregnancy back pain. Cambry is a little over 1 pound now (according to books) and she is kicking away. Steve has been able to feel her and see her move, which has been so neat for us both! We decided on our bedding and furniture over the Christmas break and it should all be here around the end of February. We are anxious to start working on her room! So fun!
Below is a 23 week picture of me. One of my close friends and college roommates is pregnant too, so we took a preggo picture together when she came in town from VA!

Laura & Halie


Happy New Year!!

We have a yearly tradition that started in 2000 (we think) with my college roommates & our husbands/boyfriends to all get together and have a fondue dinner! We usually try to do it over the winter break since we all live in different places now. This year it worked out for it to be on New Year's Eve. Katie's parents started the tradition for us and have always hosted it at their house, but this year Sarah & Wade graciously hosted it at their new home in Keller and did a wonderful job! We enjoyed a cheese fondue, salad, a meat & veggie fondue, and then a chocolate
fondue for dessert! Delicious! It took us about 5 hours to get through all the courses, but it was a blast and we always treasure this sweet time together. They are some of my oldest and dearest friends and I am so glad that we have a time where we are all together again, even if we don't live near each other. Love you girls! We missed you Cindy & Matt!!

Steve & I just after midnight


The Girls! Katie, Laura, Traci, Me, Sarah


The Guys! Alex, Wes, C.J., Steve, Wade


Christmas

We had a great Christmas this year with family! We spent Christmas Eve morning with my family at my parents house. Then, we headed to Conroe that afternoon for Christmas Eve evening and Christmas Day with Steve's family. Then, we went out to Henderson (East Texas) for another Christmas with some of my extended family. Here are a few pictures of our time together!

Vinson Family...excuse the roughness, it was early in the A.M.!


On top of the piano, my mom always has a nativity scene out. As you might notice, there is a random dog in it. Growing up, my crazy dad always would sneak this dog in the nativity scene and my mom would always freak out and she would move it. It somehow always made its way back. After 29 years, it is still there! Gotta love my dad.

Sisters sporting our new slippers!

Cambry got a present for her room from "Pops." My dad just knew we were having a baby girl from the beginning and always referred to her as "Little Princess" when he would ask how she was doing, etc. So, it was just fitting that he got this for her! Precious!! Yes, I cried.

Family Portrait with The Hodgson's


My nephew, Clayton & I wrote a letter to Santa & his reindeer with some cookies and milk! He was so excited about leaving his letters for Santa!!


Clayton was helping Uncle Steve open a gift! What fun!!



Gaylord Getaway

Steve took me on a little weekend getaway to the Gaylord the weekend before Christmas. We had a blast! We got dressed up and enjoyed a nice steak dinner at the Old Hickory Steakhouse in the hotel. We also went to the ICE exhibit they have there. Man, was it cold (9 degrees), but it was amazing to see all that people created with ice! We enjoyed getting away from the hustle & bustle of the holidays and enjoyed the Christmas atmosphere there together! Thanks for a fun weekend, hubby! (I'm not sure where these pics are...I'll have to add them later)

Lifegroup Christmas Party

In early December we had our Lifegroup Christmas party. We ate at this yummy pizza restaurant in the new Watters Creek shops in Allen, but I can't remember the name of it. Then, we headed over to Tom & Aubrey's for our annual ornament exchange for the girls and white elephant exchange for the guys. It was wonderful celebrating the Christmas season together, as always!

The Gals! There are 5 of us pregnant...can you figure out which ones?!?

The guys sporting all their white elephant gear!