Summer Times 2010

We've had lots of fun this summer with Baseball and our pool. The pool was given to us by Mitch and Maria's Aunt Kim and Uncle Greg - they got a bigger one, which means in a couple years we may just inherit another, bigger pool!!! We've had evenings with the neighbors while the kids swim, I've been able to read a couple pages in a book before the kids need something, and we're all getting nice tans even though we're going through sunscreen like crazy!

Aunt Lisa and Uncle Steve are home for a few weeks from Cairo, Egypt, so we had a Hoffman Clan gathering and even had some extended family from Canada at our house! Marlene and Pat are Chuck's aunts who flew in from Washington DC/Maryland and stayed for 10 days to hang out with all of us - we always have a great time and they are hilarious! The kids had a great time playing with cousins Thomas and Natalie who have been in Egypt for the last school year and also Neil, Jake, Kyra, and Kylie who brought the pool. Cousin Dan came down from Brainerd for the afternoon to see all of us too! Brother Chris was working at his show "All Shook Up" at Lyric Arts theater in Anoka, so he made it down later; however, Allie made it down early to help set up and watch kids...and she got to have a good conversation with Grandpa Gary!

I've been working on coordinating my 20 year class reunion for CFHS with my high school friends. I've been looking forward to it all summer!

Dad and Chuck have tickets to Brainerd International Speedway to see the Drag Races, so we are all heading up to Brainerd for a few days to enjoy sun and swimming - let's hope the weather cooperates! Mom and I have been saving puzzles and other goodies in case we have some rainy days! We return and I go back to work full time. It's been nice to have time off to see friends, go to the zoo and the park, make appointments, and not have to worry about getting up and ready to go in the mornings with the kids! Mitchell starts 1st grade on September 7th and Maria will be attending PreSchool and spending time with Grandma and Grandpa a couple days a week...lucky girl!

July

Taking the dead tree down...kids watching from inside. Maria says, "Dad pushed the tree down!"
Another year of successful swimming lessons! Both kids are jumping in the water and swimming under the water! A big step from last year when Mitchell would not put his head in the water!
Maria had 4 evenings of Dance Camp and loved it!
Mitchell plays on the Nationals, the red Mites team, on Monday nights at the dumps (the ball fields have a formal name, but I'm not quite sure what it is now days). He is looking forward to his last game so he can take us all to the Dairy Inn for a treat to celebrate the season! Grandma and Grandpa are his biggest fans!

June!

Mitchell turns Six!

6 years ago today our baby boy was born! Amazing he is. Reading. Laughing. Growing. Loving.

Cabin Fever!

We celebrated Valentine's Day with a dinner at home prepared by Chuck and the kids. I got home and they pampered me and kept bringing me little surprises all night! The kids got some yellow Silly Putty and I find it in all kinds of places. While Mom and Dad were touring Texas we spent plenty of time at their place sliding and playing games and Wii Mario Kart.
We are excited for Spring!

January 2010

Meet the Four Fish! Mitchell's two are Ginger (a boy) and Halle. Maria has two she named M&M and Fooziah (I think that is short for Mathusila). While I went to see a show with Chris, Allie came down and set up an aquarium for the kids to have a couple little gold fish.
Mitchell wanted to set the timer on the camera, so we took a few photos when the kids were in their matching Hanes! Chuck is back in school Tues-Thurs, so we think of things to keep us busy!
At Christmas time Mitchell got on a "handsome clothes" kick and one evening we went to Country Kitchen for dinner and he ordered Hot Coacoa. I had to send the photo to Mom and Dad as he looked like a little professional!
Today we had an early release due to the snow with more to come! Yeah - Chuck may get a chance to snowmobile this year...if he finishes his homework!

Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Welcome to the Hoffman Times blog. We had a tough time picking out the photos we wanted to include on our Christmas card, and we also thought inviting more friends and family to enjoy our blog might keep you updated on what we’re doing since lately (ever since the kids were born) I have been a poor correspondent!

Chuck should really be the one writing this as he just finished his Writing II course at Metro State University with an “A” – darn good for a man who hasn’t been in college since 1985! He took two courses this fall and he earned A’s in both of them. I should have realized he would be an overachiever in college! He has registered to take 3 courses starting in January and working towards his Bachelor degree in Science for Management. He is still working at Norwood Promotions in Red Wing, which works out nicely with his college schedule.

Chuck’s oldest son Chris is 24 and continues to work full time at Epiphany church and school in Coon Rapids and refers to himself as their gravedigger! He is the stage manager at the Lyric Arts theatre in Anoka – www.lyricarts.com. He doesn’t make a lot of money doing that yet, but he is building his resume and enjoying himself! This August Chris moved in with his girlfriend, Allie Lenton, in St. Paul. Allie is a manager of a group home in uptown and has become part of our family over this past year. They graduated from Coon Rapids High School together and reconnected last year. We all enjoy the time they spend with us.

Mitchell turned 5 years old in May and started kindergarten this fall. He loves his school days and his teacher, Mrs. Townsend. Grandpa got to go on a field trip with Mitchell’s class this fall to the Children’s museum and both of them had lots of stories after that. His favorite place is still Grandma & Grandpa’s house. He has started inviting himself to stay overnight there, and they are happy to have him and Maria. We are lucky they have grandparents who want to take them so often!

Our little girl, Maria, celebrated her 3^rd birthday in April at Grandma & Grandpa’s house with her best friend, Mitchell. She likes to tease and Mitchell takes her so seriously that they often have little quarrels, but they are learning how to be friends. They sat for a while the other day and Mitchell helped Maria play Go Fish with him. She enjoys singing & baby dolls, princesses & dressing up, and coloring. She is always making sure we include everyone, especially Grandpa!

This is my third year as the school counselor at Cannon Falls High School. I enjoy working with the students and have some great friends – at work and in the community. I really enjoy being back in the community where I grew up and I am happy to have the opportunity for my kids to grow up here too!

We look forward to the holidays with family and friends and good things happening in 2010!

Chuck, Kirsten, Chris & Allie, Mitchell and Maria