New Art Blog

As some of you know, I had an art website. It just got too expensive to keep so it no longer exists. However, I did just create a blog. So erase myinfiniteart.com and go to rhoffmanart.blogspot.com

THANKS!

Give me a sign....

Okay. Admit it. You are just like the rest of humanity wishing for some sort of sign to tell you what to do. I'll admit that I am from time to time. Sometimes a sign comes when I don't even ask for it....

If you know me fairly well, you'll know that I love quotes and have many signs and knick nacky things on my walls with sayings, phrases and words. Today, I was in the local pharmacy, Drier's. They always have awesomely neat things. I happened to walk down an aisle that was all clearance. (I love clearance shopping!) I walked 3 steps and saw a wooden sign and fell instantly in love (no pun intended...you'll understand the clarification in a few seconds) "All you need is love [and then in smaller type under] Love is all you need". It was the coolest looking sign with dandelions and crackled paint. I loved it and it was only $10. Did I need it? No. Did I really have the extra $10? Not really. But I loved it! I stood in my spot for 5 minutes (no exaggeration) trying to figure out how to justify this purchase but couldn't come up with anything.

Feeling a little deflated I picked up our prescriptions and walked out the door. Then the most peculiar thing happened. On my way out the back door I saw a sign, literally. They have a wall of neat signs some vintage, some wooden but all cool. There right above the door was the sign "Simplify". With the one word, the wind was brought back into my sails. I didn't need the much desired sign to remind me about the importance of love, nor would my walls suffer because of its absence. "Simplify" seemed to be the message I needed in general for life at the present time.

So, while I don't encourage anyone to request a sign from Heavenly Father, I will say this...if you keep your eyes open you just might see the sign you didn't know you were looking for or even needed.

Growing up...

A week ago, Fiona came home from school super excited. She handed me a yellow sheet and said, "Can I go? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssseeeeeeee?!"

It was for cheer camp. The first day was Friday (two days ago) after school for two hours. No biggie. However, they had to go on Saturday (yesterday) from 1-5pm. I tried to explain to her how long that was going to be and that I didn't know if she could handle it. Her reply:

"But Mom, I'm growing up and it's good for me to do new things."

I couldn't argue with that. She went and had a great time and now gets to perform on Tuesday during the varsity basketball half-time.

Kids. Where do they come up with this stuff?

Catch up...

Okay. It's been awhile. I had every intention of posting more once my classes were over the second week of December.


Once classes were over, I was busily preparing for my dad and Charlotte to spend Christmas with us. It was soooo much fun! Charlotte was so sweet and let my dad come a few days earlier than her. (She couldn't get off of work until the 23rd) My kids had so much fun and are still asking about Papa Max. The bedroom that we set up for them downstairs is officially Papa Max's room to Gryffin. The other day, Porter saw a car that looked identical to the rental Dad and Charlotte drove while they were here and he announced, "There's Papa's car". We love it when they are here and hate to see them leave.




My classes have started up again today. So, the postings will again be sparse. We are alive and well and so extremely grateful for family!

Boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do you get when you cross two mischevious boys & a featherbed topper? An entire room (and boys) covered in feathers.

They never cease to make me wonder about their thought process. First, they were in the spare bedroom in the basement - a room they weren't supposed to be in in the first place. Second, when they intially popped or ripped the topper, you would think that they would realize they had done something wrong. Third, why did it seem like a good idea to roll in and toss the feathers everywhere. Fourth, they came upstairs giggling and eager to find me and tell me what they had done.

Thinking it would be a punishment to make them clean up the mess, I swept the feathers in a big pile for them to put in a garbage bag. Immediately I realized this was not going to be a punishment. They were giggling at all of the feathers, and dancing as they took turns putting them in the bag. Sidenote: I was proud of them for remembering to say please and thank you as they took turns opening and holding the garbage bag. As they continued to get sillier and sillier, I had to pull out the big guns and threaten what I promised myself I would never threaten: "If you guys don't straighten up and stop making these messes, I will call Santa and tell him to keep your presents at the North Pole." This brought some somberness to their mood and I think they got the point.

Once they were done cleaning their part, I let them go upstairs to play. I told them to stay out of the (food) cupboards. Where was the first place they went? They are not quiet, even when they are trying to be quiet, they are not quiet. I heard them open the cupboard where there is some candy. Then I heard Porter "whisper" for Gryffin to hurry. So, I quietly crept up the stairs and stood in the living room waiting for them to see me. They both started to run to the bathroom and ran into me. With fists full of bubblegum the only thing they could think to say was, "What?"

I love them sooooo very much but seriously. I'm going gray here! I know for a fact Heavenly Father is getting some good laughing at my expense. :) I should have taken a picture but I was a bit upset at the mess.

Life in general

Woohoo! I finished my killer 8 week class on Friday. I turned in my 10 pg paper at 11:20 pm. Probably could've written it a bit better but this professor kept giving us more books to read and discussions to write. Oh well, it's over now.

Today was our Primary program in church. The theme this year is "My Eternal Family". As a teacher in the primary, the songs and parts sometimes become commonplace and I miss out on their meaning. Today, as the kids sang, I got a bit choked up. One of my favorites is "The Family is of God". Some of the words are:

Our Father has a family. It’s me! It’s you, all others too:
we are His children. He sent each one of us to earth,
through birth, To live and learn here in fam’lies.

Chorus: God gave us families
to help us become what He wants us to be—
This is how He shares His love, for the fam’ly is of God.

I’ll love and serve my family and be A good example
to each fam’ly member. And when I am a mom or dad,
so glad, I’ll help my fam’ly remember:
(Then back to the chorus)

Of course, I still can't make it through "Families Can Be Together Forever" without getting a bit vaclempt. I want so much for these sweet little spirits, I just hope that they know how much we are all loving and pulling for them. The world is a pretty crappy place sometimes and as our Bishop said we need "to protect their innocence". They grow up so quickly.

The sweetest thing I saw today happened between Fiona and her cousin Brooklyn. They are fortunate enough to have Great-Grandma Carol as their primary teacher (and it's just the two girls in the class!). Midway through the primary program, they had said their part and the two of them were getting a bit tired of sitting there. Fiona laid her head on Grandma's shoulder and Grandma rubbed her back. A moment later, without really looking, Brooklyn scooted closer to Fiona laid her head on Fiona's shoulder and then Grandma rubbed her back too. If I had a camera (and it wouldn't have been totally inappropriate), I would have snapped a shot right there in church. Moments like these will mean so much more 10 years from now when the world starts to get to them. Knowing that you are loved, deep down inside, makes the choices a bit easier or, at the very least, more meaningful.

Cute giveaway

A friend of mine directed me to her friends blog. She has some really cute things and is doing a giveaway. Check it out.
cuteasafox.blogspot.com

Farm Heritage Days

Saturday was the 3rd (I think) annual Farm Heritage Days in Gresham, Wisconsin. This day equals the excitement of Christmas for Porter. There is always a tractor parade, they throw candy, animals, and a drawing for model tractor (toys). My kids really lucked out at the tractor drawing this year; Kennedy, Fiona and Porter all won a tractor. Gryffin was a bit upset but when the other three said they would share he perked up. They are expensive - to be looked at and not played with tractors, so I convinced them to let me put them back in the box. (They will thank me later...) The bargain invloves me going and buying a tractor from Wal-mart. Thought I'd send some pics. I think Porter's favorite part of the day was being able to climb on all of the tractors.

Fiona and Kennedy by the animals - this is where Fiona spent her whole day

Porter watching the tractor parade and Gryffin checkin out the tractors

Porter test driving - the second picture cracks me up!

Gryffin, Porter and Cousin Dallin

Thought I'd do a quick update on how the family is doing...

At the end of August, I started my Master's program from NAU. The madness started right away. I had to register full-time to keep a scholarship. This is not that bad part. The bad part came in when I discovered that one of my classes is an 8 week course; the other two 16 weeks. Why is that bad you ask? An 8 week course is 16 weeks worth of work crammed into half of the time. Needless to say, things have gotten pretty interesting here.

To try and manage my time a little better, I've started waking up by 5:30 am. The theory being that I would get some quiet time to do some work. The boys have some mischievious intuition and have started waking by 6am. So much for quiet time.

The kids are doing fine in school and are finally adjusting to the schedule. I get to watch my 7 month (that's right isn't Shel?) nephew on Monday's and Friday's, and take Porter to speech on Tuesday's and Thursday's. This week we will throw the schedule a loop and start dance on Thursday. Things have been stressful (that's an extreme understatement....) but we've tried our best.

After family home evening yesterday, we had our family scripture study. Sometimes I wonder what the point is. Porter and Gryffin are usually giggling and rolling around while we're reading. Last night for whatever reason, Porter was listening intently and repeating phrases. This is amazing for 2 reasons, one - the fact that he paid attention to catch anything and two - that fact that he was putting the phrases together. This is his second year of speech and very rarely do I get an actual sentence.

My posts will probably be very sparse, but I will do my best. Until next time, have fun!

Praises of Family Home Evening

Our Monday has not been the best. There has been fighting, whining and crying...ALL DAY. By dinnertime I think we had all had it. I even had to start yelling. That is something I don't like to do - it make me too cranky. Don't get me wrong...I'm pretty good at it. If it were an Olympic sport I would be a returning champion many times over...but, I digress. We were supposed to have FHE but I was not in the right frame of mind and knew the lesson I had planned was not the one that needed to be given.

**For my wonderful friends who are not LDS, we have been counseled to set aside one night a week (Monday) as family night. We have lessons, sing church songs and even have a treat.

Everyone took their baths/showers and got ready for bed. We calmed down and listened to Fiona practice the piano. Once we all got in a better frame of mind and mood we sat down. Our lesson was how we talk to others and how that makes others talk to us. Our challenge (and I mean everyone!) is simply to remember to say "Please" or "Thank you". Each time I hear one of these wonderful things I will put a check mark by their names. It was so nice to close by singing "Families can be together forever". Almost immediately following the lesson a wonderful change of air blew in. And, by the end of our closing song, we all felt much more peaceful. Porter said the closing prayer and he made sure to remind us to be friends and to "say please to play with my tractors".

I'm so thankful for the inspiration and revelation of FHE. It is one of the quickest ways to bring all of us back to where we need to be. Now, I don't need to accept my earlier nominations of meanest mom ever and most likely to pop a vein in my neck while yelling.... :)

Happy Birthday Porterman!

On Wednesday the 5th, Porter turned 4 years old! Time flies...when you don't have time to realize it's flying by.....(think about that one for awhile...)

We had his party today (Saturday). He is our John Deere lover and we did our best to please him. I made him a frontloader cake (that had an odd resemblence to Mater), and another smaller cake with the John Deere logo on it. He recieved many articles of JD clothing, as well as some fun toys and Thomas the Train books and stickers. He had so much fun and was surprisingly patient. We didn't give him any presents on his actual birthday and told him he had to wait for Saturday. He didn't complain once!

Here's some pics of the party.

If this is boring what is exciting to you?

Growing up, I once heard a woman say that motherhood can be boring and uneventful. In retrospect I think that either:
A. She didn't really have any children
B. She didn't pay attention to her children
C. She was an absolute idiot!

Yesterday, Fiona came walking slowly to me with a terrified look on her face. Apparently, while she was holding Doodles - our cat- she was having a hard time holding on to her dime. To say Fiona is a money miser is an understatement. So, rather than set her money down (...where someone might pick it up...)she thought it would be a good idea to put it in her mouth. Now, I have yelled at my children many times not to put money in their mouths. I realize it's a choking hazard, but I personally can't get past the germ factor. Needless to say, she swallowed the dime. "My throat was so dry, I swallowed and I didn't mean to." I talked to the Dr.'s office and we (and of course I mean me) have to watch for the dime to make its exit. This morning Fiona informed me that the dime was like Dora because it was getting to explore lots of places. Where do they come up with this stuff?

Then, tonight, as I was trying to get everyone cleaned up and ready for bed, I left my freshly bathed boys in their hooded towels in the living room. I went to get their jammies and came and heard Porter yelling, "I'm a superhero, I'm a superhero!" He and Gryffin were running around with their hooded towels on with arms stretched wide open, flying around the living room. The only part of their bodies covered was their head.

I was then trying to fold clothes, put them away, and finish the dishes when I discovered Gryffin needed a dry diaper (sidenote: any potty training tips for a stubborn almost 3 year old?!). I sighed and was ready to change him when Kennedy offered to do it. "It's okay Mom, I've got this one." 8 going 18.

Life is crazy. Life is stressful. Life is unpredictable. Life is very entertaining....and I wouldn't trade with anyone....