Faces...

Cambree goes through stages where she does the silliest things. Lately she likes to scrunch up her nose and blow out of it. I wish I could explain it better, but it seriously is too cute. Just one of those things that makes me giggle every time she does it.

 

 

 

It's Official!

We have a walker! She started taking steps a month ago (13 months) but she really didn't push herself to walk. She would take a couple steps, fall and then crawl. Now she's pretty much walking every where. She still falls a lot, but she doesn't mind. It's so much fun seeing her little body walking around, I just love it!

 

When she would take a couple steps we would clap for her. Well now she thinks we should still clap for her, so if we don't she does it herself :)

 

Standing so proud...

 

Oh and she's got a tooth that has broken the surface. Finally her 1st tooth at 14 months, time to celebrate! I was getting a little nervous that she didn't have any! I felt her tooth for the first time a week and a half ago but it's still hasn't come up. I thought once it broke through the surface it would take only a couple days, maybe her teeth are stubborn? I must say though, I am going to miss this teeth-less grin!

 

Again???

We are moving again! We will have lived in Illinois a whole 9 months. I hope you all missed us because we are moving back to UTAH!!! It's the craziest thing. I honestly thought we'd be gone for 2-5 years, so this is as big a shock to you as it was to me.

We weren't looking to be relocated, someone had Benton's resume online and asked him if he'd be interested in doing an interview. Benton had taken his resume offline so we're not sure how they got it, maybe from when it was online? Who knows? So Benton had 8 interviews and they offered him the position. I really wasn't surprised because he is such a good interviewee, anytime he's interviewed for a job he has gotten it. The job is the exact same thing he is doing here (Data Engineer) just with a different company. Best thing is he would be a full time employee instead of a contractor, so to us that's huge because we will get all the benefits and perks that full time employees get.

Here's the kicker we are moving in 12 days! We found out last week so we have a total of 3 weeks to pack and move out. Unfortunately I am not motivated to pack. So what have we been doing?

Going to the pool...

 

Enjoying the lazy river (that's right it fits my mood perfectly, being lazy!)

 

To the splash park...

 

Anything but packing! But I must say I do have a lot of help...

 

 

 

Wish me luck!!! See you all soon!

Hodge Family Visits!

Last week we met my sister, Karly and her family in St. Louis, Missouri. They needed a break from driving and we have wanted to go explore St. Louis since it's only 2.5 hours away from us!

The town is pretty cute, I would have to say it's not as clean and nice as Chicago but it was still fun to see.

 

 

I was so excited to have Karly come and visit, sisters are the best! Here we are in St. Louis...

 

The zoo in St. Louis is free, except parking so we thought it'd be fun to check it out. It was so incredibly humid, it's hard to explain in words. It felt like we were walking in wet air, I felt and looked disgusting so we didn't take a whole ton of pictures. The zoo was really nice and had a big variety of animals.
There was a building that had butterflies flying around, here is Benton and Reid...

 

Cute Hodge family in the "rainforest"

 

The next day we all drove to Springfield to check out our state capital. We first stopped at Lincoln's tomb. Last time Benton and I went was in the middle of winter and it was freezing, it was the exact opposite weather, dying hot heat.

 

Hodge family in front of Lincoln's Memorial...

 

We also walked in Lincoln's home, it was fun to walk around in his home and see what it looked like when him and his family lived there...

 

 

Cambree and I outside his house...

 

We couldn't leave Springfield without eating their famous Horseshoes for lunch. We all got the Buffalo Chicken Horseshoe which is Texas toast, buffalo chicken, french fries covered with nacho cheese with ranch, so yummy!

 

Nick had a business meeting in Chicago so we took advantage and stayed overnight in the city. Benton had to work so he stayed home :( Our first stop was the Museum of Science and Industry, it's my favorite museum so I was excited to go back!

Cambree looking at the baby chicks...

 

The museum has the actual U-505 submarine which is the only German submarine in the United States.

 

Cambree getting shocked...

 

Jack and Reid as railroad workers...

 

Having fun with floating these balls in the air...

 

 

Jack copying this sailors face, I think it looks exactly the same, don't you think?

 

Talking a walk in the older version of Chicago...

 

Love these guys!

 

One of my favorite things about Chicago is how clean it is. Pretty much wherever you look there are people cleaning the streets. Downtown Chicago is full of pretty flowers all along the streets.

 

Dinner of course at Giordano's...

 

We walked around the city after we ate.
Karly and I next to the river...

 

The Hodge Family...

 

On July 15, 2011 the Marilyn Monroe Statue was unveiled in downtown Chicago, here are Jack and Reid standing next to her...

 

Since we had walked so much, why not stop by the Bean?

 

I love how pretty the city is at night...

 

The next morning we walked to Navy Pier. Everywhere you look is just gorgeous!
Karly and I at Navy Pier...

 

Me and my cute baby...

 

Afterwards we went shopping at ate lunch at the Grand Lux Cafe, such amazing food!
Reid and I playing around while waiting for our food to come...

 

This is what we've been waiting for, my chicken sandwich was delicious!

 

One morning we took the kids to Tipton Park which has a splash pad, they all had such a good time...

 

Big walker...

 

We ate dinner at our one of our favorite restaurants here in Bloomington, The Thai House. It's so nice that our husbands are such good friends, I think they talk on the phone more than Karly and I do.

 

We also went to McLean's County Fair! I've never heard Cambree so excited in my life. She laughed and screamed of joy the whole time. She loved all of the lights and stuffed animals. I wish we could have captured her reaction better.

 

The guys talking...

 

We had such a great time with this family. We love and will miss you guys, thanks for visiting!