Cave People

Ooga Booga.

We Cavemen for Halloween. We like Candy and Tricky Treating. We have Party. Eat food Play Games. Many People come and eat doh-nuts and drink Was-sail.

Living a Party in Erie!

We have had so much fun with our friends here in Erie. There seems to be a party almost every week. Just last week over 20 of us gals had a ladies night out at a friends house. I got to leave my baby home with Dan for the first time in 2 months and enjoy some well played Mofia and delicious treats. In the picture is some of my friends at a terrific Halloween party we went to on the night of Dan and Benjamin's birthday. The next week on Halloween night we had a party and over 60 people showed up. It was really fun - we had hot wassail and donuts for all - but I didn't take any pictures of it. We have fixed up our basement (painted and put down carpet) and bought a foosball table and ping pong table and put them down in our now "party palace". (If only it were as big as a palace!)

Yesterday, I found an awesome bargain - a trampoline in fabulous condition for just $25! So I bought it, of course. The only trouble - it also snowed half a foot yesterday and Dan will have to stand out in the cold for a loooong time to take it apart. But come 6 months from now - it will so be worth it!!!

Snug as a Bug in a Rug

I have become a big fan of swaddling! I don't know how I raised Benjamin without doing this!

Pre-Baby Delivery PARTY!

When we found out I was going to be induced the next morning to deliver Nathan, I decided - hey - lets throw a party to celebrate! We played games and stayed up till past 11:00 p.m., at which point, I did have to bring it to a close so I could get some sleep so I could have a little energy left in me to deliver Nathan the next day!

To dress him in it I had to cut the back right down the middle to put it on. The numbers on the front is his birthday - ahh, aren't I cute? Ha.

Nathan's Halloween Costume - Too Small Too Soon

I made a Prisoner costume for Nathan, but he grew so fast, by the time it came to put his shirt on, he had grown out of it. At least the pants and hat still fit! But it all worked out, cause I made a caveman outfit for him later.

Crazy Story.

Dan likes to have pie for his birthday and it's been a tradition to go out for pie. We always order a whole pie and then get to enjoy some later.

Well we went to a place in Erie called Eat-N-Park originally, but something unusual happened.

Eat-N-Park has a front part of the restaurant that sells whole pies and cookies attached to the regular family restaurant. We went in, looked at the pies in the fron and told the hostess that we wanted to buy a certain one and go into the resaurant and eat it. Well, the manager of the establishment happened to walk buy and the hostess asker her if we could buy a whole pie and eat it in the restaurant. She said that it was against their policy, but if we wanted to buy slices of pie we could eat inside. We said we were here to buy a whole pie and she basically told us that we could leave with one if we wanted.

We left without a pie.

This is a picture at Bob Evans down the street, where we had a whole pie without any problems.

Benjamin's Birthday Party

This is Benjamin's 4th birthday party. we had a lot of fun and Benjamin wanted to have a dress-up party. Benjamin was a police officer.

Halloween

Meet the Hodson Cave-family.

We have an Ugh of a time at our ward halloween party.

I can't wait to get our family photos back from JCPenny's. yep that's right, we dressed up in our halloween costumes for a family photo.

baby weight 8 lbs 7 oz

patient Benjamin

Benjamin took really well to hospital life. He loved ordering room service. maccaroni and cheese and Pizza were his favorite.

Here is big brother Benjamin with Baby Nathan

Benjamin said, "I love babies because they are sooo fun!"

This is the first time Benjamin held his brother Nathan in the hospital all by himself.

Sept 10, 2008

moments after birth

Nathan Alexander Hodson

Born September 10, 2008

at 1:06 pm

8 lbs. 7 oz

21 inches

in Erie, PA

Dr. Daniel Hodson

Graduation!! Hurray!!!

We had the BEST weekend in Des Moines celebrating Dan's graduation!

We can't believe he's finally finished, it feels so good. This morning, he started studying for Part III boards which he takes in June for his Penn. residency, and Benjamin let him know that studying was not allowed anymore because he had graduated! He'll have to prepare in secret, now, I guess!!

Dan the LumberJack

Dan was a lumberjack for a day. He cut down 8 trees (and thankfully not his own hand) in our backyard. I was a nervous wreck watching him work 40 feet above the ground with that chainsaw. I thought for sure he was going to cut off his hand and end his future surgical career!

We've having a ...

There is only one way we can make 'em... and that's BOYS!Emily went in for her 20 week ultrasound today and we are very excited about the news. Benjamin started telling complete strangers in the hallways after he found out that he was going to have a baby brother.

Happy Reunions!

This picture was taken back in October when Dan and I rolled back into town (Des Moines) after our five month exodus on the road during rotations. Bonnie, Brenda, Leslie and I all got together at the WDM playground one last time and let our kids have a party together. I miss everyone in Iowa SO MUCH!!

I had a wonderful reunion this January with my great college roommate, Yvonne, and some of our friends from college. Yvonne is the one with the adorable baby. Talk about an amazing group of women. We hated to say goodbye! (Man do those girls make me look like I'm two feet taller than them!)

Dan ends APMSA Presidency

Dan got to be in Des Moines last week and has officially ended his year as APMSA President. I'm looking forward to having him home more often now! But I guess I am no longer the First Lady of Stinky Feet!

On Sunday morning, he missed his plane flight my minutes (his airport shuttle was late and he characteristically set the alarm too late). Then, due to the bad weather, the flights kept getting delayed. So, instead of flying into SLC at 11:00 a.m., he didn't arrive until early the next day. He was happy, though, to get some fun time in with Uchenna and the rest of the Chukwurahs while he waited for the next flight out!

Benjamin's Pirate Ship Bed

Benjamin's ship arrived a few days after Christmas 2007. His Dad built it in the garage and was able to reconstruct it in Benjamin's room after many sleepless nights! We also added a Ships wheel on the upper deck. If you look closely you'll see a cannon made from scrap parts and black pipe that actually works!

Dan was highly motivated to build this bed - with every nail he hammered, he knew he was that much closer to getting Benjamin out of our bed!

Chin Theater

I don't think that many future doctors spend their Saturday mornings doing this, but then again, we've always known Dan was a little 'different'!