Christmas Pictures 2010

December 2010

Ryan and Julee are 26 years old :)

This year we continued our old traditions and hopefully made some new ones. We got together Christmas Eve with the Cassidys and Christmas Day with the Hoffners as always. We exchanged gifts and of course ate too much :). Then on Sunday the 26th we had a family dinner with our kids at our house (hopefully a new tradition). Check out the picture of our new entertainment stand under the tv. It is soooo awesome!!! It really heats, and has different settings for a simmering fire or a blaze, with a remote control included!!! Thanks to David, Ryan, Julee, Kevin and Kristen - the best kids ever!

Another change, that I hope can become a tradition, was that we got together on December 11 at AhSo (a teppanyaki restaurant) ate a wonderful dinner, and then went to our house and opened presents. I love that we were ready by then and I love being able to spend time with the kids without the pressure of having to be somewhere else at the same time.

Today is our David's 28th birthday!! I am getting really sentimental about some of the memories I have of him. Being our perfect first-born, when he was 6 months old we decided this parenthood thing was so good we should have another :). Well it took a while and we really enjoyed him all by himself for a while.

One thing I remember him doing was always asking about things. I didn't really have to worry about him getting into trouble because if he came across something new he would ask what it was.

I remember him saying da with three different pronunciations; long a for david, short a for dad and shwa a for dog (our dog was named Dixie).

He said "MacMacDonalds Aunt Dawette (Charlotte)"

I have a tape somewhere with his voice at bedtime telling little brother Ryan about monsters on the floor of their bedroom! I would never have guessed this perfect little boy had that in him!!!

I remember him being Student of the Month in September when he was in Kindergarten.

I remember him winning the class spelling bee and going to Arizona Christian Schools to compete against other first graders, second graders, and third graders (I can't remember what year he didnt go and who beat him out). In first grade he went out on the word vane, or was it vein, or vain? Poor 6-year old :(

I remember senior year baseball when he said, "I just want to play baseball!" I was hurting so badly for him because he had been in a car accident and couldn't finish the soccer season and now because he was getting a C in honors English he was ineligible to finish the playoffs with his team and his brother. I am sure he learned something wonderful because I know God has a plan for everything, but I was really sad at the time.

Now he is this wonderful young man who has made his parents so proud of him.

God Bless you David!!! We love you very much!!!

Okay, I know I have officially retired from teaching but, I can't seem to stop. I am thoroughly enjoying spending Wednesdays with Al's niece's first grade class. Their day is one hour longer than anything I experienced in PV and it goes so quickly! There is a fabulous group of 28 six year olds who call me Aunt Judy :) They are feasting tomorrow and I just have to say that I am so thankful for every one of them. Also, that Julie Wagner is one GREAT teacher. Thanks for welcoming me in your lives!!!

On Thurs. Nov 11th I got to have lunch with some old friends. I mean old because I met them 31 years ago. They are some of the staff members from my very first teaching job, and they are anything but old! I enjoyed listening to stories of their children and grandchildren, and all they've been doing since their retirement. Fascinating! Apparently we will meet every other month and I am so blessed to be a part of the group.

Kristen had her first "Hoffner" birthday on the 18th. So glad to have her in our family.

Looking forward to getting together with family on Thanksgiving. Going to miss the Cassidys, Shepherds, and Tucson Hoffners.

Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Hoffner - 4 years later

Today is Ryan and Julee's 4th anniversary. Here are some photos that I've collected over the years. Congratulations kids!! Have fun in Las Vegas :)

We had Teda, Dane and Jett over on Sunday and Teda, once again, proved that she is smarter than me. On our drive home she and Dane saw Jump Street less than a mile from our house. They were so excited and Alan thought we should go there on Monday. But it couldn't have been Jump Street because Google said that there was only one and it is in Chandler. I thought maybe it was a place like Jump Street and that they kinda knew what they were saying. But NO! Teda is even smarter than Google!!! We had a blast bouncing on the trampolines and in the jumpy house at Jump Street less than a mile from our house.

September 17, 2010

Congratulations Ryan!!! Julee had a small party to celebrate Ryan's finishing his Bachelor's Degree at Grand Canyon University. We are so proud of both of them!!