maiden voyage

When Saturdays are open (as they so rarely are), and the air is nasty and thick with polution, we try to find ourselvs out and up to cleaner air. We trudged our way through yellowfork canyon on saturday taking my new snow shoes on their maiden run. It was so nice to get out of the inversion in the valley and do something outside. It cleared our minds and hopefully our lungs as well.

Roy's amazing skills and form

Looking a little surley, but also happy to be outside!

So as much as I'm looking forward to some spring, we might as well enjoy what we have at the moment.

.good for the soul.

i'm digging this new tune! Thanks jojo.

love me some dave matthews

.stars are dancin on the water here tonight, its good for the soul when there's not a soul in sight.

Projects

Last weekend as we welcomed in a new year, I welcomed in a cold. I'll be honest I didn't accomplish much more than putting myself together to go to the temple with my sisters and Grandma. I'm such a slug when I'm sick. I think this stems from the fact that I have a tendency to be a little lazy already, so when you take away my energy you can imagine the outcome isn't all that pretty. Consequently, Roy carried my butt this weekend. I left to go to the temple leaving the house in post holiday dumpiness and returned to a completely cleaned house (i.e. dishes done, clothes being laundered, tree taken down, floors vacuumed, swept and mopped...immaculate). On top of the hours put into cleaning the house Roy stuffed me in the car and off we went to home depot to gather supplies for much needed home repairs that we had been putting off. The main one being the entry way tile:

The tile job that we have is crap, but we lack the funds to completely redo it so we will just have to be happy with our fix it job.

This doesn't appear to be the first time this has happened. The previous owners however just threw a little bit of glue on the back of the tile. Roy couldn't believe the crappy fix they did as he was chiseling off all the old cement.

We improvised with the tools we didn't have.

No trowel...? No problem, we just used Roy's spare concealed weapons permit with some other dude's picture on it. Glad we kept that around...you'll never know when you might need to use something like that.

On top of the tile fix, Roy also repaired the carpet guard that goes from our kitchen to our living room, purchased and assembled a coat rack (which I love), and put up our new TV. After all was said in done I felt so much better, not only because there was once again order in our house, but also because I had done a little more than just putt around the house all day. I'm grateful for Roy and his driving force. That is why I have decided that this years project is going to be me taking control of my life. Roy shouldn't always have to be the one doing the driving, and I imagine he is very tired of driving...so I'm going to be using my time more effectively to not only better myself, but others as well. So there it is folks...my commitment!

Winter Goodness

Time seems to be slipping out from under me...where did December get to? December was good to the Hoffman's; we got a lot done and we were exceptionally blessed. The following is just a few of the things we've filled December with.

- After a 2 year hiatus, I got to use my board again. Spent the day with Jess re-learning the finer points of snowboarding..Jess gearing up

-Enjoyed nieces and nephews!

Tom totally stoked about the bouncy ball the size of his head

-All things Sullivan Christmas (which always includes the live nativity).

Roy the Sheppard and his flock (Tom & Cooper)-Stressing about handmade gifts.

Picture I drew of my father roping chickens as a child...proof that if you don't use your talents you can loose them.

-Visiting old friends and remembering our yesteryear's. The sisters Child...Colette and Carla

Even without kids of our own December and Christmas were wonderful. Here's to hoping the new year brings as much progress and happiness!

The Long and Winding Road

Only one week until Christmas and where do I find myself.....only half way through the list that needs to be completed. On top of the stress of the Holidays, our computer took it's last breath. Not really sad to see that thing go, but it just adds one more expense to the pile. So last night we brought home our new computer...nothing fancy, but a whole lot better than the stone age relic we were using. So the Hoffman's are for the second time this year re-connected to the world. It's a strange thing though, because last night after spending more than we should have on the new computer, I wasn't stressed about our finances. I just felt that we were ok and that we would manage to make ends meet. As silly and as insignificant as that sounds...that's just how it was. I figured we would just continue to hunker down and work like we always do. But today we received a wonderful monetary gift from Roy's work and it literally made me cry...not because I was so excited for the money, but because my peace was re-affirmed. So now I realize that it's not just us making the ends meet...it's our father. It's beautiful how some of life's seemingly insignificant events can make the impact that they do, isn't it?

Holy Snow Batman

A winter wonderland greeted us this morning. I was planning on driving this morning until Roy pulled back the blinds and said, "Maybe Jill should drive this morning."

What usually takes 5-10 minutes took 25 today, and everybody looked defeated. Jill turned up the heat and the tunes as we crept into work.

Day's like today remind me of my childhood. Those mornings when you would wake early and turn on the radio wishing beyond all hope that the snow had bought you freedom from another day of school. And when those days came it was magical; a day free of teachers, math problems, English theory, and all other school nonsense. You were free to bundle up, trudge out, and play. It was those unexpected days of freedom that brought a little extra light into the cold winter months. So now I sit watching the flakes being blown every which way, and in the back of my mind I think maybe it will snow so much that we will have to go home. We will have to go home, change into some comfy flannel Pj's, bring the water to a boil, and grab a good book. I know it's wishful thinking, but maybe just maybe....

Easy Silence

My goodness what a fabulous week its been...dare I say blissful. Turkey day was spent with friends and family and thoroughly enjoyed. We were up at 5:30 putting flags out with the scouts. This isn't the norm for Thanksgiving, but when your making up for Veterans Day you do what you can. Turkey Bowl convened at 9:00 and Roy and I returned to our ol' singles ward stomping grounds. Many a Thursday evening were spent transversing Brown's Meadow park playing ultimate Frisbee, and pick up games of soccer and football. It was fun to be back there if only for a few hours with old friends. With all the wonderful food that was indulged in, Roy and I decided that perhaps we should give a new work-out regimen a try. (Well lets be honest, I thought it would be a good idea. Roy is being a good sport and doing it with me). We are making our way through the first week of the P90X. If you can get past how annoying Tony Horton is and the fact that you can't quite do everything they are doing...it's a great workout! It's kicking my butt and I think even Roy's a little.

I don't know if this workout routine has anything to do with how wonderful this past week has been or if I'm just in sync with something deeper, but whatever it is I'm not wanting it to end.

So if I've been silent for awhile now, it's because I'm enjoying the happiness of life.