SLEEPOVER

Last night we had a sleepover with our friend Stephanie.We got lots of pictures so you can see how wild we are. Emily was so tired- but that meant more pranks! Anna and Steph broke out the traditional pillowfight after the ketchup. Stephanie kept the action going till 3 in the morning with off and on naps, finally getting to sleep while playing with our new phones. Poor little Missy was in the room we were sleeping in -so she's also sleep deprived this morning.

3 New Phones!

Today Mom and Dad took Anna, Me, and Isaac to a really fancy restaurant for a back-to-school lunch. We had 2 courses when Mom just had to let us open the "little back-to-school gift" she and dad had gotten for each of us. When we were expecting a little thing, we all opened up our own Juke phone!!!!!! They are so cool! I would post pics of them but I have to go! I have red, Anna has Turquoise, and Isaac has Navy Blue! It's GREAT!

-Luv,
Emily

Happy Birthday Isaac!

Isaac and his "long-lost twin" had their family birthday party yesterday. Levi's family came over and we we had a fun Bar-b-Que before going up to our lot to roast marshmallows. We had a fun night all together and afterward Isaac and Levi had slept at the lot in their tent. They also convinced us to leave the four-wheeler with them that night... uh-oh! Two 14-year old boys + a four-wheeler in the woods = NO GOOD!!!!! Oh, well, it's their birhtday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISAAC AND LEVI!!!!!

Handsome Isaac back from Trek

We found some pics of Isaac going off to Trek a couple weeks ago and thought he made a handsome pioneer! It was so neat to have Isaac get a microscopic sampling of the Mormon pioneer experience (small amounts of rather bland food, lots of walking and wagon pushing, chicken catching, killing, and cooking, etc...) before we hit the Mormon trail ourselves.

Fun in the Rain

Peacuful night...Reading Scriptures-in our pajamas and ready for bed...BOOM!FLASH! All the sudden, rain started pouring down like crazy. Dad jumped up and declared with fist in air- LET'S GO PLAY IN THE RAIN! All of us stampeded outside and danced in the rain. Dad started lots more fun by holding each one of the kids under the rain gutter, which was like a raging waterfall. When the kids had laughed so hard that their stomachs hurt Dad shouted through all the rain, "TO THE TRAMP!" With that, they were all gone in a second to the trampoline, which was soaked and slippery. What fun! The funniest part was when Dad and Calton started doing Irish Dancing in the rain! What a sight! Breaking all the rules, we got on the cars and slid down the hoods, denting them just a bit (lol). After doing headstands and a family pyramid in the rain, everyones inside...another round of eight dry pajamas. Into bed. What a great night. Also, there are pics of the girls with all their stuffed animals. We just thought it was kinda cute.

Isaac's New Fourwheeler!!!

Exciting day! Today as the boys (Isaac and Levi) were eating a birthday breakfast, the girls decorated a poster that said "Happy Birthday Isaac!!". We put the new fourwheeler in front of the door to the garage according to our plan. When Isaac and Levi were done eating breakfast Mom gave the cue. All the girls ran into the garage and sat on the fourwheeler, holding the birthday sign. Mom said to Isaac, "I am so sorry to have you do a job on your birthday but I really need this garbage taken to the garage. Then she grabbed the video camera and followed him out. Right as he opened the door the girls yelled "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISAAC!" And to his suprise, he saw the fourwheeler and jumped on, already knowing how to drive it. He flew around the yard and the kids have been on it all day. Even little Zoie would scream "fasher, fasher" as we were already going at almost full speed. What a fun birthday suprise!

Fun with Marisa and Puppy!

This week with Marisa has been so much fun! From going to the mall to riding the horses-we've had a blast!

We didn't catch any pictures of the mall, but we got lots at the barn. Marisa was a natural and she was very good at riding! Belle is still very pokey and will only go if someone is leading her- but with Marisa that was different. She got Belle up and moving within 5 seconds after she got on!

We gave Esther and Zoie the chance to ride Belle and they both rode her without anyone leading the horse or holding on to them. They were both very happy to be able to do that. Everyone had so much fun-including mom and dad- who jumped on the horses at the end and rode for a little bit. Serendipity is a BEAUTIFUL little baby and we can tell that she will be an excellent girl when she gets older- as she is right now. After the week with Marisa was over, we drove a 5-hour drive down to Washington, D.C. to pick-up Isaac from his national leadership conference. He'll have to write about that later. We were all so tired from driving that we decided to stop at a water park and get all our energy out. Then we drove 2 hours down to the Maxwells to switch Marisa back for Mikela and Kate. We got up the next morning and drove the 3-hour drive back home- so glad to finally settle down again after all those trips! Today we decided to have a little fun and dress Missy up-she was actually a very cute, furry baby!

Fun with Marisa and Horses!

FUN FAMILY VACATION!

These past 3 weeks have been filled with memories and fun- from driving all the way out to Utah, down to Navoou, Illinois and back to having family reunions on both sides! These weeks have just been packed with adventures! Anna and Emily got the very lucky privilage to fly out to Utah themselves , and a week before everyone else too! They stayed with different cousins and family for a week before the rest of the family drove out to meet them. Isaac participated in TREK, a reenactment of pioneer life as they crossed the plains, three days before leaving to Utah. That made driving the same trail they took (I-80) seem like a piece of cake. We stopped at the Winter Quarters visitor center, the place the pioneers stopped for the winter after it took them 4 1/2 months to travel from Nauvoo, Illinois to Omaha, Nebraska because of mud. We felt such DEEP APPRECIATION for the trials and hardships they faced and for the deep commitment to truth that urged them forward. When we arrived in Utah 3 days after beginning our journey, we were thrilled to BE WITH FAMILY!!! Carla and Jef were GENEROUS hosts for the week, offering swim parties and food to all! Clayton and Emily's wedding was SO WONDERFUL!!! What great joy for all of us! We celebrated our pioneer heritage with the parades and fireworks! Then came the Hoffman Family Reunion! We went to Jordanelle and rented a boat, kneeboard, tube,waterskis, and 2 Jet Skis. We had a blast! On Sunday we went to G&G Hoffman's ward where so many friends are - it was really great! The Hoffman family week was wrapped up with a family fireside. Every Hoffman sibling stood and shared their feelings concerning family, church, and other treasures. Thanks for all!!! Early Monday morning we left for the 20- hour drive down to Nauvoo, Illinois for the Cooper Family Reunion. What a TREASURE to be together in such a life changing place. Our days were packed full, from going to historic brickhouses to playing Pioneer games and dressing up like the pioneers. We saw lots of plays and got to see the wonderful Nauvoo Pageant! The most moving places were Carthage and the Smith cemetary where Joseph, Emma, Hyrum, and Mother and Father Smith are buried. We felt we could not be on more holy ground besides the Savior's birth and death place. Going to Nauvoo for a few days definitely made our testimonies of the gospel strengthen and grow as we learned so much more about the trials our ancestor pioneers faced, all they were willing to give up, for this precious gospel as they kept moving on toward Zion. We came home changed, better! And to continue all the fun, we swapped Mikela and Kate for Marisa, who is our sweet 11-year-old cousin, this week - Emily and Anna are really enjoying that! Don't worry we'd NEVER give them up for long - we'll be switching back Friday, when we go to the Maxwells to play. Happy tidings and we love you all!!

-The Hoffman Family-