In Other News...

Today could be one of those days were I could lay it all out there for you...work, calling, life...you name we got it. It's exhausting and makes me want to break down some days. But I can put that all aside because for the moment it's snowing outside...and no matter how many times I get to experience a first snow it never gets old. It's a puffy coat and hot chocolate day, a blanket and book day, basically a good day in my book. So lets focuse on that fact and perhaps fill you in on all the recent happenings....

We have a new member of the Hoffman brood: Introducing Bristow, our 82 Toyota Landcrusier.

This fire engine red addition can best be described by Roy, "It's like me... a little rough around the edges, but dependable". I think it fits in rather well with us.

Boring update: Roy talked to his paternal grandparents on his father's side for the first time. Really a cool experience to build those ties again! Also found out that the white trash gene goes deep.

The hair experiment: A first time for me.

Take a good look because this is the longest my hair has ever been, and probably ever will be. It's driving me nuts so I might just lose my determination one day a decide to chop it, however it does allow me to do some fun stuff for Halloween costumes...take a ganderThat's a Bendy original. Maybe I could handle girls after all.

New calling same as the first: I was released as 1st counselor in the YW and immediately put back in. Speaking again in 4 weeks...not so stoked about that.

New calling, New Scriptures: After 2 years of marriage, I finally got a set with the right name. I always forgot that my old scriptures had my old name. My yw would always point out the fact that my name wasn't Sullivan anymore.

New name...no problem!

I'm sure there is plenty more that I'm leaving out here, but that should do for now.

Cakes!

Some of the reasons why I think this person is pretty sweet!

She's tough...like run 26 miles tough.

She likes 70's music almost as much as I do.

She's got the best shocked reactions, trust me on this one. Sometimes we just do things to get a reaction from her.

She was a great visiting teaching partner. We had a girl we visited that had dozens of cats in her

house. Cake's hates cats....classic. Here katie katie katie!

For a Skier, she's a great snowboarder.

She's willing to pull her poor stranded friend with her ski pole so I don't have to strap out.

She makes great Sunday dinners.

She's willing to get up at the butt crack of dawn with me to go cheer Roy on.

She's very giving.

She comes from a Proud town.

She makes scary movies that much more scary.

She cheered me on at the hill.

She loves my nieces and nephews probably as much as I do.

She is patient

She is a great teacher

She is just a Fabulous person!

Happy Birthday Cakes!!

Sometimes all you can do is TRY!

Sometimes when you don't feel like enough

it's good to remember just to

TRY

"My dear brothers and sisters, don’t get discouraged if you stumble at times. Don’t feel downcast or despair if you don’t feel worthy to be a disciple of Christ at all times. The first step to walking in righteousness is simply to try. We must try to believe. Try to learn of God: read the scriptures; study the words of His latter-day prophets; choose to listen to the Father, and do the things He asks of us. Try and keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible—and that which seems only possible becomes habit and a real part of you."

Thank you President Uchdorf for reminding me

of this powerful truth!

Today I needed it, it has improved the day's attitude already, and

helped me focus on perfecting my many weaknesses.

I've resolved to just try and keep trying.

Gray Happiness

Today is one of those days when you wake up to the sound and smell of rain, and it's glorious! Living in UT, I crave these days. If I wasn't working I would bundle myself up in a blanket, grab a book and sit out on my porch just taking it all in. Man, just thinking about it makes me smile. But for now I'm just content to watch from my desk and listen as it pelts the roof. Ahhhh, beautiful, wonderful, cozy rain...thanks for making me so happy!

From The Archives

While getting ready for the "great carpet cleaning of 09" we were cleaning out Roy's room. I call it that because I don't go in it very often because when I do I have a strong desire to de-junk...I detest clutter! During the purge I happened across dozens of papers filled with Roy's thoughts, memories and the like. I read through them and determined that they would have to make an appearance on the blog because, although it is my blog, Roy is so very much apart of my life that it wouldn't make sense not to. So without further ado, here is the debute of the "Roy Papers"

"I remember lots of stories, and enjoying telling them. I find that I have had some unique experiences, as all of us do. I just enjoy sharing them and vise versa. One of my favorite scriptures is in 2 Nephi and it talks about remembering for that is the key to remaining faithful...remembering what you're doing down here. I think if we all remembered what we all came for things would be a lot different. But that would take all the fun of mortality away. Memory is tied like a web. Each idea is tied to another, so the more things are tied together the easier it is to recall...i.e. I have a hard time remembering music and even learning it. That, I believe, is because I have no way to tie it to anything. Were as if I can relate something to the gospel or to running I will never forget it. In fact I will think of it often. Always thinking, ever sharpening the mind and its reflexes. I remember a lot of things that I wish I could forget, they are dark and unpleasant, but if one learns to gain from these memories or events there is no loss only gain."

Ever Changing

For some reason, as I near my thirties, I'm finding that one of the most difficult things to get my mind around is the fact that I will make a pop-cultural reference and it's completely lost in the younger crowd. This concept has been magnified being in the calling I am. The poor young women are completely unaware of the all the coolness they have missed out on. Their universe revolves around the newest phone and face book quizzes. I do have one young women who does share an interest in 80's music, which I think is just fabulous. But beyond that everything is just blank stares. It's been great pulling out Roy's vintage Nintendo that has the original Mario Bro. and Duck Hunt. You wouldn't believe the stares we got when we pulled out the gray plastic gun the size of a shot gun. They were laughing in hysterics at the dark age technology that we grew up with. So yes I'm facing that moment where my references to life no longer make sense to those younger than me, and that makes me the tiniest bit sad. It makes me sad that these kids don't know about John Stockton, Mr. Rogers, The Cure, Bill & Ted's, Nintendo, etc. I guess it's just another one of those growing pains we all inevitably face.

In Preparation

For the coming wintry months we spent our Saturday cleaning carpets (and when I say "we" I mean "Roy"). Consequently, the house looked like this for most of the day.

But now we have fabulously clean carpets to enjoy in the interim. Thanks to Mr. Roy for usually going along with all my cleaning madness...next week...the windows!