Always, Katie


Monday, February 6, 2017

Some Favorite Photo Challenge Entries So Far!

My Valentine's Day photo challenge on Instagram is in full swing, and I'm loving all the fun pictures I've seen so far! I'm going to share a few of my favorites - stop by and visit some of the accounts and leave them a little love. :-)

And it's never too late to join - you don't have to have been in on it from the beginning or enter every day. We'll just be glad to have you as much as you'd like to participate... and who knows, you may be the lucky one who wins my dragonfly earrings!


Tuesday, January 31, 2017

How to Use Instagram's New Draft Feature (It's a Game-Changer!)



I mentioned in my announcement for Capture Your Season that I love Instagram's new draft feature, and surprised a couple of people :-) Here's how you use this fabulous new feature (totally making third-party draft apps obsolete, in my opinion):


Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Announcing the "Capture Your Season" Photo Challenge (Valentine's Day Edition)!


I am so excited to announce that I am going to be hosting my very first photo challenge on Instagram, starting February 1 and running through Valentine's Day! The prompts all have a Valentine-y feel to them, but can be interpreted in numerous different ways that aren't necessarily lovey-dovey and romantic. :-) 

I'm offering a prize for this challenge, a pair of cute little springy/summery dragonfly earrings, handmade by me! (A rarity nowadays... I don't get to make nearly as much jewelry as I used to make.)

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

8 Free Ways to Support Your Friend's Small Business


I love supporting small business, as do many of my friends and family and most of you, dear readers. :-) I respect the makers using their skills to support or supplement their families, and I know the hard work that goes into these businesses, so I love to encourage those efforts and know my purchases are making a difference to a family instead of being a drop in a corporation's bucket. :-)


Saturday, December 31, 2016

My 2017 Word of the Year - Confident

Several bloggers I follow have, for the past few years, chosen a "word of the year." I love this idea, and decided this year that I wanted to join in. 

It gave me the opportunity and motivation to really think about who I want to be and what I want to embody this coming year, and I feel oddly prepared for 2017. 

The word of the year that I've chosen is "confident." After a strange couple of years of feeling a little "off" with all of the changes in my life, I have resolved to tackle the coming year with confidence. A couple of close runners-up were "balanced," "powerful," and "secure," which I decided all feed into this idea of confidence.



I am choosing to focus on finding a balance between my housewife and stay-at-home-mom duties and my need to be creative. I'm choosing to project power as part of this confidence - I am capable in many different fields, and I am choosing to keep that at the forefront of my mind and my attitude as I approach this coming year's challenges. And I am choosing to lean on and stay rooted in the security that comes from having a happy and supportive family life, and the security in knowing who I am as a daughter of God.

This year, I will be confident. 

Have you chosen a word of the year? What will you be?


Friday, December 23, 2016

Merry Christmas from the Hodge Family

We took some fun Christmas-y pictures at our beautiful cabin in Gatlingburg this autumn, thinking we may end up using them on Christmas cards. We did end up hiring a duo of professional photographers (with good lighting, ha!) for Christmas card pics, but these pictures are too cute to not share anywhere! 

Merry Christmas, friends! Ethan, Abbie, Sam, and I hope that your Christmas season is full of peace, joy, and fun, and that 2017 brings abundant blessings.

"Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:11)"





Monday, December 12, 2016

7 People on Your Shopping List Who Would Love a CARE Donation for Christmas

This post is sponsored by CARE but the content and opinions expressed here are all mine, as always. :-)

One of my favorite things to give as a gift is a donation in that person's honor, especially when I find a charity that I believe in and that I think the recipient would love as well. :-) So often around the holidays, trinkets and knick-knacks feel like they're taking over, and materialism threatens to overtake the warmth and love that the Christmas season should really be about. 

But donations are awesome, no-clutter gifts to give so many people in our lives! For example...

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Tea. Earl Grey. Soap. (With Bergamot Essential Oil by New York Biology)



One of the items I’ve crossed off my 30 by 30 list is “make soap,” and it has been such a fun little hobby! A fun little hobby that has resulted in our household having way more soap than we’ll ever be able to use ;-)

My first batch was super-basic, just trying to learn the process itself, but for my next three batches, I’ve played around with additives like scent and exfoliants.  The second batch, I added peppermint and lavender essential oils, and ground oatmeal, and the third batch was a fun, seasonal apple cider soap.

The most recent batch that’s finished curing in my morning room is one I’m especially excited about – a soap made with earl grey tea and extra Bergamot essential oil… the Star Trek nerd in me has decided to call it “Tea. Earl Grey. Soap.”

Monday, November 7, 2016

Traveling with Toddler Twins: Pt 1: Planning Ahead




We recently returned home from our first vacation with our twins (Gatlinburg, TN!), and we had an amazing time! I have several posts planned about different aspects of our trip over the next few weeks, and today I’d like to start by sharing some of the ways you can plan ahead to have a successful, relaxed trip… it’s totally doable, even with year-and-a-half-year-old twins! 

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Life Lessons from the Photos I Didn't Take


Last night, on my way to my twin mom board meeting, I had just gotten on the interstate when I caught a glimpse of the sunset out my passenger side window. It was one of those amazing, orange and pink, sky is on fire, makes you wanna pull over and gawk sunsets. Simply stunning.

And then blogger mode kicked in and I wanted a picture of that sunset SO BADLY! But I was driving, didn't have a passenger I could delegate the picture-taking to, and wasn't about to attempt it myself at almost 70mph. I knew by the time I reached my destination, the sun would've finished setting and the colors wouldn't be nearly as knock-your-socks-off, and I was frustrated. May have thrown a tiny tantrum in my head.

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