Formerly know as Happy in Life, Young in Love...

Today I decided that it is time I do somethings to bring new life to my blog.

I felt like it wasn't really me anymore.

Don't get me wrong I am still feeling young (despite the aches and pains of pregnancy) and quite in love (despite the distance between my husband and I weekly).

I felt like with a baby coming truly any day now, I wanted this space to reflect our growing family.

I also wanted to simplify it a lot.

I worked on a new design, new name, and decided I didn't want to try to do sponsorship. 

Blogging is for me to enjoy, not to feel like it is a chore. 

You all are probably thinking, she does this all the time, disappears and comes back for like two days. 

And you would be right, but I want to get back in a grove.

You may be wondering where the new name came from.
It represents the two best things to ever happen to me on this earth:
My husband and my daughter (who will be joining us soon!)

I hope that you will stay with me as we continue this journey.

7 Questions? Link UP!

So I decided it would be a cool idea to link up for something totally different today with Gentry Lee for the 7 questions link up!


I realized after answering the questions, I am extremely indecisive and so I apologize in advance, but at least you get to see that side of me?

So here go guys! Grab the button, and the questions and join the link up too!


Funny PHOTO!
Yes, this is my dog Sox! He is a regular star around here. Today he makes the funny photo for world's messiest rice eater. Seriously Sox? Do you have to sling rice two feet in the air?

1. It's the first day of August- Are you savoring the Summer or ready to jump into Fall?
This is a tough question. I love summer and soaking up the sun, but sometimes I would rather it NOT be 100 degrees outside, If 'na wa I mean? {that is slang for "if you know what I mean"}. I think I need one more month of pool times!

2. You need a quick and healthy meal, what do you make?
Black Bean Burgers and Baked Sweet Potato Fries! My fav, Fast, and healthy!

3. You're at the mall, how do you shop?
I head straight for my favorite stores and browse. Then find the store with the best picks that season and buy it all! {Gap, Loft, Old Navy}

4. Would you rather buy a new house or renovate an old one?
Oh gosh! I would really want to renovate an old one to get the charm and to be able to put some cool touches to it, but I love some of the new homes too! I guess renovate if I had unlimited $$$!


5. Long hair or short hair?
I like super long hair, or pretty short hair.
I have had both recently because I cut my hair for locks of love.

6. Who is your oldest (not by age) friend?
My oldest friend is actually now my cousin by marriage and is also getting married this Saturday!! WooP WooP!! :) We became best buds when we played basketball together in middle school and we have stuck together ever since!

7. What is your favorite blog- currently?
This is a super tough question, but I guess I am really loving Jennifer over at One43 Blog
She is seriously so sweet, genuine, and I have made every recipe she has posted and they are all fabulous! She also is a really great yard sale shopper! You would be missing out to not be blogging buds with her!

A little Honesty, a Little Home Decor

In an attempt to be me to you in this thing called blogging, I must be honest and say that life gets you down sometimes.

Just when you think you have the plan figured all out, the plan gets ruined.

Ryan, was in a wreck on Sunday afternoon after my parents left.
GOOD NEWS: he was completely ok, but the old and not so great jeep was hurt.
We are waiting to hear the appraisal of the vehicle and damages, but it can't be much, and the chances of it being totaled are high.
Which leaves us with little $ and only 1 car.

God will provide, he always has, but I will tell you that before you think you have things figured out and plan in place, you should probably just plan for your plan to go wrong!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a 3 hour detour and many unplanned events, we finally got around to what we had planned on doing with our Sunday afternoon.

We turned a vintage calendar into wall art!

What do you think?

We hung them so they would be random and they are all in poster frames which are super cheap!!

I suggest this for a cheap decoration idea!

I hope you all have enjoyed your Tuesday and will have a wonderful Wednesday!

Happy Saturday Loves

Just wanted to stop in and wish you all a Happy Saturday!!!

It's 100 degrees here today so we are trying to stay cool and I hope you are too!!

Have fun!!!

We have some fun stuff coming at you this week!

A Home Tour

My Famous Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe!!!

Ryan the Duck Whisperer

AND MORE!!!! 

Thank You, You are the BEST!

In honor of almost hitting 65 followers, I wanted to give a big old thank you to the blogging world.

I started this blog Almost exactly 6 months ago and I never imagined it would be as therapeutic as it is, that I would meet so many wonderful ladies who would encourage me every day, and that I would have YOU reading my crazy thoughts and what I thought were boring life events.

I have been wanting to write a post about how blogging has changed me, and I think now is a good time.

1. Blogging has helped me see the positive. Since starting to blog and basically have a continuous journal I have realized how important it is to be positive and look for the opportunity to be positive. There is something about the thought of my attitude making my day un-bloggable that sickens me.

2. Blogging has encouraged my spirit. You all are wonderful and for that I am so thankful! You know how it says on my comment box that your comments make my day... Well they do!! You see, {honesty alert!!!} I have actually felt very lonely this past year when it comes to my local circle of friends. I have some beautiful christian friends, but I have also felt very lonely at times, but some of the friendships that I have made on here have encouraged me beyond what you may realize. THANK YOU!

3. Blogging has kept me busy going on adventures, looking for the next blog post, and making my hubby join in on the fun! {which he has actually become more and more a part of}. I love that it gives me a drive to be creative.

4. Reading your blogs has driven me to be healthier, more loving to my husband, resourceful, thoughtful, etc.. I guess you could say that you all have made me a better person! :D

Thank You! Thank You!

Want to Swap some Blog-Bling??

I am starting something new around this little blog!
And that would be a little Sponsorship-Partnership!

I am all about helping out the fellow blogger! I am still a small blogger, but we are growing, so this may be the right spot to put your button out for free and get some traffic if you know what I mean!

I would love to help your blog grow, so follow along, or tell your friend and we can work together!

I really love sponsorships though because they allow friendships to grow! I know that the first blog I sponsored was much bigger than my tiny blog but Breanna at My Beautiful, Crazy Life was so great to show me how to do so many things and never thought I was crazy! {At least if she did, she didn't show it haha} And for her I am thankful! I would have to say she was my first blog friend!! ;) Thanks Girl!

With that said, I will feature you in a an individual blog post and tweet and post about you on Facebook!

Right now I have 50 GCF, 20 Twitter Followers, 10 FB fans, and about 1,300 views per month.
{Small but growing, trust me, haha}

Email me at clara.hodgin@gmail.com and we will get you all set up!

What I will need:

200x200 Button

A Bio on you, what you blog about, who you are, etc.. ;)

A Picture of you, you and your family, you and your dog {you get the picture}

and any links you would like to include in the post!

What Google tells me...

So, I thought it might be funny to fill you all in on some of the more humorous sides of blogging overe here at Happy in Life, Yound in Love!

We all love Google.
It is truly our best friend.
And as a blogger we love google for the humor that it brings.

I check my stats about once a week for a good laugh at what people have searched to end up on my blog.

I will tell you that people are funny, assume that google has some serious spell check, and can read words that are not separated by spaces.

Here are some of my "hall of famers"

Orange spray tan ugly
Spray tan gone bad
I'm free graduation cap
50 dates in jar
Getting a locksoflove cut
Hipster dog (20 searches?!?!)


The best one!!!!
Help me I try to be submissive to my husband but sometimes I just can't

I hope you laughed as hard as I did at the last one atleast!

Happy Wednesday!

And by the way there are posts for most of those searches if you are interested ;)
Oh and .... Search On!!!

Someone Please Get Me INTERNET Fast!!

I am stopping in fast to say hey to all you beautiful people, because I miss you so much! 

I have a huge void in my life when I am not blogging on the daily, but we havent had internet access for a while now! 

We got moved in to our new place on Thursday and I LOVE IT!

I am sorry I have been so absent lately, but I will tell you what is working!

TWITTER  and  INSTAGRAM 

I would love you for you to follow along that way during this hectic time!

So thankful for all of you new blogging friends and all of your support and encouragement!!!