We are having some trouble with our current blog page so we are setting up a new blog to replace this one. Go to House of Hodge's new site. Enjoy! Sorry for the inconvenience. Check out the new location!

Alissa

Should We Stay or Should We Go?

Good morning friends! I woke up today with some serious drive to just write you and give you an update. Where to start....

Well life here in Cookeville, TN has been great. My friendships have been growing and I am feeling closer to many of the women that I met shortly after moving here. Its been so good. I am so grateful for them and their sweet hearts and encouragement. Some of these women are Alicia, Lacy, Mandy, Sheffey, Kandice, Debora, and Sonya. They are sweet friends and I am thankful.

Tyler is also enjoying Cookeville. He has obviously been here much longer than I have but he is enjoying his job. He is now in the middle of thinking and processing what he wants to do next. Whether to stay here in Cookeville at his current job or find a new one somewhere else. To be an engineer or not to be an engineer. So well see where God takes us next!

Also we have been busy at work with Center Point Photography. Editing tons of sessions and scheduling new weddings! Its been fun but sooooo time consuming. Check my most recent work.

Thanks for reading. I hope to be on here more regularly.

Alissa

Times Are Crazy

I must explain my absence from blogging. I have been so busy with Center Point Photography! Which is a great thing, but is also very exhausting. Im so sorry I have not updated you but I hope and plan do it soon. So stay tuned!

Here are some example of my recent work...

Check more out at Center Point Photography!

The Hodges

Confessions of a Muffin Maker- Success

I made a darn good muffin this morning! It was Banana Cinnamon Muffins. It was awesome!!! I only used 3 bananas and substituted apple sause for the oil and added a streusel topping! YUMMY!! Tyler loved it! That is possible the first muffin he has really like! Im am saving this recipe!!! For a long time to come!!

Here is the recipe if you want to try it!

Banana Muffins

Food Network

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour -->I will use wheat next time.
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups smashed bananas (about 4 to 6 bananas) --> I also only used 3 bananas
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil --> I used 1/2c. apple sauce
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature --> This is very important for muffins and cakes!!! I learned this while baking at my previous job!
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt -->I didnt add this!
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract --> I didnt add this! Artificial flavors are not good for you!
• 3/4 cups chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly brush a 12-muffin tin with butter and set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk the banana, oil, milk, eggs, salt, and vanilla in a large measuring cup with a spout or another bowl.

Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into the center; then stir with a wooden spoon until the dry ingredients are moistened but still lumpy. Do not overmix the batter or your muffins will come out dense. Gently stir in the nuts. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin.

Put the muffins in the oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking. (Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin to check if it is done. Toothpick should come out clean). Cool muffins in the pan on a rack for a couple minutes. Turn the muffins out of the pan and cool on the rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Being the Helper when no-one is watching...

So I am finding it challenging to stay disciplined and motivated when I am home alone. Anyone else? We obviously dont have children and I dont want to get too tired of my hobbies. Such as -> Photography, painting, crafties, baking, and coffee shops. The only one that doesnt cost money is Photography, well thats if I dont decide to print the pictures.

So here is what my days look like, I do pretty much the same thing everyday...

I wake up Tyler, make him breakfast, see him off for the day, do my quiet time, clean our small little apartment (that without fail gets messy by the following morning) and maybe watch something on Hulu like Castle or Bones . But then what. I could get most of this stuff finished by noon if I wanted. But I just take my sweet time until my next main event which is greeting Tyler when he comes home and then make dinner.

Im not complaining about the stuff I do, but I am asking what do I fill the rest of my time with. Some of you will say reading, and yes I agree but for some reason I have to be in the mood to do. So how do you women that stay home, with no kids, use your time well?

But I just got inspired!

I just looked at Lacy Tatums blog and was encouraged. I think I am going to Hobby Lobby to find a fun new project to work on during the day.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be great!

Love

Hodge's

Confessions of a Muffin Maker

Okay my friends I must confess I have been a repeat offender! I tried it once and I just keep going back for more. Please please understand I am trying to work on this problem and would appreciate your love and support. This problem may not be able to be solved without you. Ok here is the problem.....

Muffins! Muffins! Muffins! I have tried at least 7 different recipes and none of them have met Tyler or I's preferences! We may sound picky and your probably right but we are trying to find a healthier (not necessarily the healthiest) recipe but still sweet and moist. You see I use to be the morning baker at my last job and well I made the famous muffins every morning. I know that recipe well but it just doesn't bake the same here at home. My oven is definitely just one step up from an easy bake (not really but I seriously has some temperature accuracy problems) and always comes out way to brown. I almost gave up at muffins 5 but decided to serve my husband and not give up on finding the best muffin recipe possible. You see its his favorite breakfast food and I have yet to deliver "THE MUFFIN". If it weren't for Tyler's love and support to keep pressing on, I probably would have already given up.

So why am I telling you all... I need some recipes! If you have links to online recipes, recipes stored on your computer somewhere, or you want to write me up one Tyler would appreciate it. I on the other hand will be forever grateful for your love and muffin recipe.

An Upgrade!

I can not wait!! We are finally zeroing in on making our new purchase!

Nikon D300s 12.1MP DSLR Camera

We have been hunting for awhile now and we finally decided this is what we want. It is a semi professional level camera that we feel will boost our quality so that our Wedding Photography business can do even better. If you did not know that we are wedding/all events photographers, just get on Facebook and check out Center Point Photography.

Anyways! We have been price hunting for a few months and have finally found the 2 best buy. Walmart. I guess we should have known. And newegg.com. Newegg.com has a lesser total because of tax. We found that if we ship it to Indiana it is cheaper. Walmart is $1556 and newegg is $1510. The only downside it I have to drive to Indiana to get it. So I also am calculating the shipping from Indiana to Cookeville. Just a few more things to check out and we will be ready to purchase.

I cant wait to purchase it and start shooting with it! We have 2 weddings next month and I need to know that camera well in-order for the days to go smooth! I will need subjects practice on so if you have time and are willing to get your picture taken! I like kiddo pictures or practice because they are so darn unpredictable! Well, Im doing some finally price matching and hopefully making the purchase today!

Oh Life...

O how we praise God for His goodness to us. Through trials and good we consider them all good. God we know that good does not always mean fun. So thank you Father for all you have done and are doing in the Hodge home! We thank you that You are sovereign over all of creation. Amen-

Hey Friends and Family!

Here's whats new:

I have been recently thinking and praying through my role as a wife. I found that I had a big picture view of being the "helper". This verse has caught my eyes:

Genesis 2:18
The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

So i asked Tyler what I could do to help him more. And we came up with a list of things that will help him out more. Then God began to press on my heart just the question of work? Is that where God wanted me to be? Is working, helping Tyler out? Why do I go to work? These are shocking questions to me because well I feel like that is what I am suppose to do.

About 4-5 weeks ago I went into my work place and told them that I was able to come back to work. ( I was out of work because of my surgery for about 9 weeks) There was some confusion. They didn't schedule me and then two weeks later I went back to tell them I was available to go back on the schedule. I wanted less hours than before, only 15. But I was then told there wasn't much room for me... which confused me because I was told my spot would be there for me when I returned. This situation only brought up more questions to God: " Do you want me to work?"

So...

Last week a co-worker came to me asked if I could cover a shift for him and after a long time of thinking about it I said I would. I was constantly asking the question "God what do you want me to do?" I then went to tell my boss that I would be covering for a co-worker and she told me that she did not think I should cover that shift. That I was not ready.

I truly feel that the Holy Spirit prompted me to ask, "Well, what is your thoughts on me coming back?" She then proceed to tell me that my availability is the exact opposite of what shifts she needed to fill. I just began crying. I felt at that point that God had given me my answer. I was not meant to go back to this job. When my work conflicted with my number one role of being a helper to my husband than that job is not for me. I hated leaving there because I loved working there so much. But at the same time I was so thankful that God had made it so clear.

Since all of this really is fresh Im still processing this. But at this point I am content to be praying and learning more about my roles... and executing them as the become more and more written on my heart. So I am currently trying to become a better helper, through waking up earlier to help Tyler get up, cleaning the apartment while he is gone for the day, reading my bible more consistantly and reading " Womanly Dominion" by Mark Chanski. Please pray for me to keep a good, joyful, and loving heart! (I need the prayer)

Also, Tyler is leaving to go on a school trip to D.C.. He is leaving Saturday April, 10th and he will be back on Wed the 13th. So if you get some free time I will be in Cookeville,TN all by my lonesome for a few days.

Just to update you on his schooling, things are going well. For him this semester is just creeping by and its been difficult and at times it seems that way to me too. BUT... He is almost done! What a blessing! He is doing a great job and is working so hard at work, school, and at home. He is super-husband. If you get time please pray for Him to finish this semester with excellence and to keep a joyful spirit.

So thats our lives right now! Thanks for taking the time to read our not so exciting lives!

Love,

The Hodge's

God has blessed us....

We are going to be having a refreshing and exciting week...

For those of you who don't know, about 7 weeks ago I had to have sugery. I had a tumor in my ovary. IT WAS LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER HEARD OF! The size of the tumor was 9" by 8" by 6". Just picture a melon or a football and that is about the size of the tumor. I have been in recovery for 7 weeks now. We had our follow up with our surgon this past Tuesday and we received GREAT news!!!! I have been cleared! He was so happy with the healing of the incision and how small it was. It was so encouraging! I started crying because I was so happy. I felt so relieved and full of joy because we had made it through this trial. It was hard but we really learned so much. God is sovereign over all, He is in full control of the womb, He loves us so much, and it lead us to praise Him all the more! If this isn't a good gift from our Father, I don't know what is. God also used this to pull, bond, and unite Tyler and I closer together. PRAISE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT!

Also...

TTU is on spring break this week and we are going on a mini vacation to Gatlinburg, TN. I am so excited! We have both been there before but this vacation is not about the "newness" of the destination but the getting-away! We are planning on getting some much needed time away from Cookeville. Tyler has been so busy with work and school and this break couldn't have come at a better time.

We are also going to stop by the Yeager home. Matt, Julia, and Bennett Yeager live in Knoxville, TN. Bennett was born in August and we have only seen him 1 or 2 times since. We are thrilled to hang out with them this weekend. They are just so dear to Tyler and I that it warms my heart just thinking of seeing them.

Well, as you can see it's going to be an amazing week!

Love,

The Hodge Home

About us now....

We were married September 12th, 2009. We're currently living in Cookeville, TN. Tyler is working at a church as the "Media Coordinator" and is pursuing an MBA. I am working at a local coffee shop, "Dolce Cafe" and I am loving being a wife. We attend Grace Presbyterian Church and we are loving the fellowship and teaching we are receiving at this church. We are also invovled with an amazing bible study. We are studying the purpose of family... "The 200 Year Plan". We are loving learning more about Christ and His plan for us. We Praise GOD for His goodness!!

Hey Friends and Family

So a friend of mine encouraged me to set up a blog. She said it has been a good tool to keep those that are a farther away..."closer". So here we go. Me and Tyler are gonna try to do our best to update this and keep everyone updated on our lives. I am so excited about this new venture and hope you are as well.