Hangin' with the Hofmanns

A sample of Austen's Writing!

2009-06-29T14:11:00.003-05:00

Sitting in my room, I hear whispering to me, as I play my soul for them upon. Playing my guitar, I pray for God to bless this very room. For it is truly my idol place to be. As speaking, it brings me joy to my heart warming. Which means to me a stress melting thrive. As I lay upon, my bed, with nothing but the wind's silence coming out of my mouth. I rest, as if powders of dust flutters through the arms of a angel to awake me, to take me on a quality vacation which pours into me and my fierce eyes living harmless in this cozy room. My happiness lights up like a starlit shimmery night. Cold breezes licking my face in my room, calls the wind to dance on my joy of peace.
My room is the heart and soul of my relaxation. Commotion outside my kingdom, can be let free, working the shadow's way of chatterboxes. Inside my kingdom different prizes will be revealed.

Photo Pillow

2009-06-05T01:00:00.004-05:00

I haven't had time for any of my hobbies lately. With the end of school year stuff, as well as moving, things have just been so crazy. A month ago my cousin Jessica asked me to make a graduation item for her son's school auction. I wanted to make a quilt wall hanging, then we found out about or temporary move. To make it easier, I opted to do a photo pillow. I went to this AWESOME fabric store in town called quilt haus http://www.creativesewlutions.com/. They have all my favorite fabric designers, Amy Butler, Michael Miller, etc. After much thought, I ended up with The Very Hungry Caterpillar fabric. It was too cute to pass up! Here are some photos of the finished product.

2009-05-04T00:03:00.002-05:00

Our future home!! We finished the design selections and our precontruction meeting is set for tomorrow! We are so excited.

My grandpa seems to be responding to the chemo. We'll find out more in the next couple of days. He is having tests done this week. I'll be updating. He looks so great.

The kids are out of school because of the swine flu. My son is having baseball withdrawl, lol!

I also wanted to post some Easter photos...

Lily and cousin Brit. I made Lil this Easter basket when she was a baby. She uses it every year!

I love this photo of my nephew Rylen

My kiddos!

Baby shower center pieces

2009-04-16T00:03:00.002-05:00

A few months ago my aunt asked me to help her with a baby shower for her grandbaby. Here are a few photos of what I came up with

grandfather update...

2009-03-16T19:03:00.003-05:00

My grandfather was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma. It's AMAZING how everyone in the family is helping with every detail to make sure my grandparents are taken care of. You can look at my grandmothers face and see every emotion she is holding in. She is holding up okay. She's trying to be strong for everyone. He is at home and receiving oral chemo. I don't want to get into too much as this is so hard on everyone in my family.

Lily and I joined my grandma and Aunt Yolanda to celebrate my great Aunt Estephana's 83rd birthday! She loved the gold clog type shoes Lil got for her. My mother and her were very close when my mom was growing up so she decided to name her first baby after her...Estephana=Stephanie! I love her dearly.

After being away from my family for many years it's so great to be able to be here in times like these.

My head is spinning...

2009-03-03T20:27:00.003-06:00

because we have been so worried about my grandfather. He had open heart surgery and appeared to be doing well. He was in a really nice and new nursing home doing rehabillitation. He was so strong and then fever struck him. He had a fever for 2 weeks and after being admitted to the hospital they discover cancer. The most devistating news yet. They are testing to see where it is. They looked at the stomach and colon which was negative tomorrow is more tests on his liver and they'll be taking some bone marrow.

Proud of Bob

2009-02-10T15:03:00.006-06:00

We have been busy, busy, busy. I was working on brainstorming for new ideas for hair accessories. I'll post some photos later.

Austen had a basketball game on Saturday and they lost pretty bad. He played against 3 of his classmates. He and his bud made a plan to get the mom's together for a meet and exchange of kids during his game. This friend is the first friend to share his love of music. It's so cute. They call each other and put the speakerphone on, Austen plays his guitar while Devon plays his drums!

They finally had a real jam session on Saturday. I realized, that day, how tolerant to noise our neighbors can be, whoa!

Bob has been in Phoenix a few days now for a company convention He called yesterday and told me he received an award for being number one in the company for volume revenue and received another award as well. He works for Convergint Techonologies. http://www.convergint.com/ He has a photo for me to post when he gets home. I'm so happy for him! He works hard, but still takes time to help coach Austen's basketball team and is going to coach his baseball team this spring. So proud of you hubby!!

We will be traveling to Brenham for Valentine's day for a guitar festival in Round Top

Papa took Austen, Bob, and cousin Jack last year. This is a first for Lil and me. Lily has really developed a love of music as well. I can't wait to see what happens with that!

I had some time this morning...

2009-01-29T07:59:00.002-06:00

so I thought I would talk about my babies. Austen played in his very first basketball game this Saturday. I was a little nervous for him, as was he. He's my little worrier. He didn't score any points, but had a few assists. He handled the point guard position well, and was surprisingly aggressive near the end of the game. Bob assisted the coach. I was very proud of both of them. Bob took a few people to motocross after the game. I don't have any photos of that, but they had a great time!

Bob talking with the kids.

My little point guard about to pass the ball to his new friend Cade.

THEY WON 17 to 16!

Lil is a busy body ALWAYS, when she's not mixing potions of my lotions, shampoos, and perfumes (she says she wants to be scientist or doctor) she's making messes elsewhere. I love her! She has such a personality and loves to take care of people, but she makes messes everywhere she goes. I just don't see how a little girl can create such catastrophic messes.

Brick wall, water fall, _______ thinks she's got it all

but she doesn't and I do so boom with that attitude

peace punch Captin Crunch I've got something you can't touch

bang bang choo choo chang wind me up while I do my thang

Reeses Pieces Seven Up mess with me and I'll mess you up

I said this in the kitchen one day after she told my dad about her day at school. She said there was a little girl in her school who "thinks she's all that". She wanted me to teach it to her so I told her one time, and that's all it took. I told her she wasn't allowed to say this in school. What do you know??? Yesterday, after asking her how school was, her response was "mom please don't be mad, but I had to say it because ____ was being mean so I just had to tell her, but I said it in the bathroom so no one would hear". That's my little rebel. We had a talk about hurting other people's feelings. I know in the end it was my fault for even opening my mouth.

Here is a picture of her and her friend she had over on Tuesday.

Coming Soon...

2009-01-28T22:16:00.003-06:00

Finally what I've been waiting for, a place to showcase my crafts! I've been making "stuff" for so long and have been holding out on making them in a larger scale, number one because of time, the time away from my first priority...my family. I've worked with people in the past and have had a few boutiques around the US ask if I would consider making some of my tutus for them to sell. I was scared. Scared of over extending myself where I wouldn't be available for my kids. Then a friend of mine who owns an antique shop in downtown New Braunfels suggested I put some of my "stuff" in the store. I thought about it, but just never motivated myself to take the time to work up a plentiful amount of inventory. Well a couple of weeks ago she suggested we go into it together...SHE will be my motivator! Another added bonus is she has two little girls herself. Her daughter and Lil met in gymnastics class a couple of months after moving here. They have become great friends and will be able to have play dates as we work.
I'm very excited to see what comes of this project. The store is called Red Rooster Cafe and Antique Co. It's an awesome store and is crazy busy in the summer.
Bob swears the blue cheese burger, in the cafe ,is the best he's ever had! http://www.theredroostercafe.com/
Thanks Lila for your friendship and motivation!!

I'm feeling sorry for myself today.

2009-01-26T08:04:00.002-06:00

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My grandfather had heart surgery on Wednesday. He's a very stong man, yet he has been livng with type 1 diabetes, insulin-dependent. In his older years the side effects of diabetes have gotten worse.
He was feeling sick, cold like symptoms, when he stopped eating and just didn't feel right so my mother and her family decided to take him to the hospital last week.
Many tests later they realized he had at least 4 blocked arteries and needed to have open heart surgery. They operated on him Wednesday. He did very well. They ended up having to unclog 5 arteries! The doctor later said he operated on a 52 year old man a couple of weeks ago that wasn't making as much progress as my grandfather (he's 74). It was a rough week for my grandfather, grandmother, my mother, and all his children.
What I learned out of this situation is that God is great. He is there for us when we need Him. We are His faithful servents and He will not abandon us in times like this.
I also can't help but reevaluate my health issues. I don't understand that out of 8 children and 23 grandchildren I had to be the one to have diabetes. ONLY ME!!
I've been ignoring it for the past year. I was diagnosed in July of 2007. I started excercising and paying attention to what I ate for a few months and then stopped everything and ignored it.
I haven't been feeling well and have been checking my levels and they just don't seem to go down even with starting my medicine again. Oh...and my husand has it was well. Today's not a good day. I'm going to spend my evening tonight reading and researching.

What I did on my birth DAY...

2009-01-09T01:21:00.003-06:00

Thank you sister for honoring my birthday on your blog even though I looked soo goofy in those pictures!
www.bringingupthree.blogspot.com!

I had a pretty good day yesterday. We didn't do much. Austen had basketball practice so we just grabbed a quick bite at Chilies. I really don't care for the place. We just went there because it was just around the corner from the Cougar's Den where his practice was held. Bob and Austen are taking me out tomorrow night!

The children bought me a silver tennis bracelette from Kay Jewelers. I love Brighton, but they wanted to go somewhere "different". I wanted Wii Fit. Bob searched many stores for it to no avail. I'm patient...I'll wait. He brought me the most beautiful roses ever!

Oh and today I took a wonderful picture of my sweet Lilly!

Here's a good one of Austen.

Birthday

2009-01-08T00:02:00.004-06:00

Well today I turned 35. The first person to wish me an early birthday was the pharmacist after refilling my benzoyl peroxide face cream...still getting blemishes at 35 (sigh).

I still feel young so no big deal.
Happy Birthday Comments

Our Holidays!

2008-12-10T21:03:00.015-06:00

This Christmas was one of the best Christmases I've had so far. I love being with family, friends, and especially seeing my kiddos faces light up! We decided to host Bob's office Christmas party. I did quite a bit of preparing. We moved here in December of last year and I tossed a lot of my old Christmas decorations. I decided to go RED!

We took the kids to see the lighting of the Riverwalk. We booked a room the the Marriott so we wouldn't have to battle the cold. How cold does it get in Texas? The cold is different here. It's a bone chilling cold. I guess b/c of the humidity. Colorado was a "dry" cold. Anyhow Lily tends to complain a bit, and I don't have a clue where she gets that from (batting eyelashes) so we got a warm room with a balcony. It was nice and relaxing. My mother and father in law made this trip with us which was quite a treat, because they never have a chance to break free from the farm. Here are a few photos of our night and how beautiful San Antonio is at night!

We had my family over many times and I captured a few memorable photos one of my parents in particular. I love the photo, it's a rare sight to capture my mom smiling while having her picture taken.!

The kids helped me do some baking. We made lots of sugar cookies. I tried two recipes for gingerbread and found one I liked, although I need to find one that doesn't use molasses, yuck! We even put together a gingerbread house. Austen called me on my way to do some Christmas shopping to inform me that he dropped the house that we just made 30 minutes prior! Needless to say he was very upset.

I hosted a get together for my grandmother we call her Mama, accentuating the A and not the M. She's a wonderful lady that only wants to have peace in the family. It's too bad some of the family just can't get a grasp on what peace means, but that's another story that I don't want to ruin the rest of this entry with. Anyhow the daughters and grandchildren were able to come make it had a great time we played a few games with prizes. My favorite game was a game where we formed teams of two, (which was perfect because we did mother daughter and I was paired with my grandma) we had to wrap a present with our inner arms around another so we each had to use only one arm. We used the little girls as judges on who did the better job!

We had a great time! Here is a picture of my aunt Bertha and her daughter Amanda.

I myself spent a lot of the Holidays shopping and wrapping a crap load of presents, helping out out my kid's schools as well as planning their parties.

Austen's wonderful teacher asked me the dreadful question of "Are you crafty?". Little does she know that I lose sleep over being crafty! She wanted me to make her a unique LARGE tree for the hallway of her room. This is what I came up with.

She loved it. When the day of the party came around I planned a gingerbread scavenger hunt the a gingerbread man treat for each child as the prize! It was a hit. The only thing I regret is how I should have figured out what to do with the other teams as they waited for their turn. That was one lesson learned! During the party Austen played his acoustic guitar for the class. I just can't understand that for such a shy boy he certainly loves an audience. He has played twice for his Papa's church.

Lilly's party was cute. They do a Happy Birthday Jesus theme. I read the story of the manger in the stable and they made baby Jesus. They stuffed a sock for the baby and used a shoebox filled with hay for the manger.

Overall, without a doubt, the best Holiday of 2008. Everyone is happy and healthy. Giving all Praise to the Lord above!