EVC Softball Champs 2011 Payne JR. High

One is NOT the loneliest number. haha.
c.j.
Allie Jo
Allie Jo Hancock---- c.j's bff!!
c.j. & coach G. giving a little celebratory hug after winning the EVC title for the 2nd year in a row.
the famous huddle after every win. I think over the past two years we saw this 18 times.
trying to get a picture of C.J. "bunting". She was usually at the beginning of the line-up and usually given the bunt sign. She is pretty fast, so could get to first without the out. If, of course she made contact.
I love the little cloud of chalk under c.j's feet- as she is "steeling" home.
C.J's softball team- 8th grade EVC Champs- this year undefeated AGAIN. coach G. was their coach again & I think she will be sad that all these girls are leaving her to go to high school.

My sister, my friend

Loreen Tryon Hoffman

Me, Russ, Dad, Mom, Jolene & James

Trevor & Sami
Dad, Mom, James, Russ, Jolene & Me
Josh & James Jr.
Russ & James

Where do I even begin. Last week I get a phone call from my mom at work on Tuesday, that my brother's wife has passed away. What, I don't even understand-- news like this, I can't even wrap my brain around this, my sister in-law Loreen-- is an AMAZING woman. I can't even begin-- I don't even know where to start---

Well, let me try to give you a tiny glimpse-- Loreen Tryon Hoffman is my brother James's wife, she is a mother of 5 boys- two are married- James has one little girl Ruby, his wife Emily is due any day with their 2nd daughter. Trevor & his wife Sami live in Las Vegas & they are so adoreable. Josh is their 3rd son & he is engaged to Carly, they are getting married April 9th, which from what I was told-- Loreen was helping Carly with wedding plans, because Carly's family is in Canada. Stuart is serving a fulltime mission in Guatemala, he has approx 8 months left & Greyson is a Sophomore in High School.

Loreen taught early morning seminary, she also, got her family up an hour every morning for their own scripture study.

When Val & I arrived in Denver to my brother's you could feel the love so strong in that home, it was amazing. The boys were so strong for their dad, James & Trevor were stepping up & helping him plan the funeral & making arrangements. I was very proud of them. It was pretty neat to get to spend some time with Sami & Carly as we worked together to make a scrapbook/signature book that could be signed the next day at the funeral. My parents, my sister & my brother were there & my sister's children were there too. Loreen comes from a large family, with all of her sisters and brothers & father in attendance as well. It was such a spiritual experience for both Val & I.

I know that Loreen is with our Father in Heaven, I know he welcomed her with open arms & I know that he is pleased with her work here. She was a true disciple of Christ. I am honored to have known her & I am a better person because of her.

A Chrsitmas Eve FEAST

Is it bad that your 16 year old daughter cooks a Turkey dinner before you? Let me answer that question before you... YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, for a while Kenz has been hinting to me that she wants me to cook more, so that is going to be one of my new years resolutions. But, for now-- As I explained on the post before this, with the homemade applie pie-- we had our Christmas Eve dinner at home this year & Mac cooked everything. She did an amazing job. it was very tasty.

Mashed potatoes!

yummy corn.
We also had cranberries, we had some yummy rolls & the homemade apple pie for dessert.

It was an amazing dinner. My hats off to the chef.

Homemade Apple Pie...

MacKenzie wanted to make a homemade turkey dinner this year for Christmas Eve. Every year for Christmas Eve, the tradition is that we spend it with my family. Last year we were in Colorado with the family & of course Lil Val. This year, of course we are home, because we will be talking to Elder Galvan on the phone. So, part of Kenzie's homemade dinner is she wants to make a homemade ApPLe Pie--- something I have never even attempted--- Of course--- I haven't attempted a whole lot, in the cooking department. So, the only thing she even asked for help with--- was rolling out the dough for the bottom part of the crust, that is where you see her DAD's hands--- hahahahahaha. seriously, what good am I???? UMMMM, I do come in handy, when she needs a baby gift for a teacher or a gift for a friend. :)

Here is the fresh apples in the homemade crust that Mackenzie made all by herself.

mmmmm. it was very tasty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! she really is a great cook!!!! We have loved everything she has made!!!!

My baby is 14 (well she was 9 days ago :)

so this year for C.J's birthday we did "Minute to Win It" themed party. We had a super fun time. (I know Stacy & I did) haha. Watching the kids was fun-- Val went to "jersey mike's" and got some subs for dinner. The kid's played some games from the show & went to the park & played 007. Than came back to the house for some amazing cupcakes from my friend April's cupcake shop. o.k. this is real blurry, but Gavin Wheeler & Zach Brundage are pulling tissues out of tissue boxes, with only one hand- seeing who can do it the fastest but of course- within a minute.

It was very funny, because their boxes kept falling on the floor- & it did look like it snowed in the house when they were done. This is Mikayla Neal & the game she is playing, you have to put vaseline on your nose & transfer cotton balls from one bowl to the next without touching them with your hands. Her teammates were helping by holding her hair back- that may have been a little "illegal" on the real show.

Bryson Varney, balancing a tennis racket on the table, with a tennis ball on top of racket, than you have to take a tic tac with tweesers & put it carefully through one of the holes & drop it into a cup. Mad Crazy Skills Needed. Do you see the focus on his face??

my guess is, you can't tell who any of these crazy kids are? hahaha.

MMMMMM. how yummy does that look??? Instead of a birthday cake, we ordered April's yummy cupcake's for C.J's birthday party. MMMM

What goes UP must come DOWN

Kenz, Brooke Myers & Breanna Neal-- and the Wahlin's dog. This is what the girls like to do for fun-- yea!!! They went to the Wahlin's to take pictures & found what were probably some newly raked leaves (sorry jill & rob) but, what do you do?? haha. How can you get mad at these cute faces? Rylee Warner is taking these pictures & is in a few shots later.

Rylee is in the middle- her & Breanna get some serious height on this shot. haha. White girls can jump!!!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE MacKenzie's friends---- I know these girls are the kind of friends that will be there for my daughter through thick & thin!!!! They love her regardless!!! I trust them, I trust her with them! In this time when there is so much to worry about out there with our kids, it is so nice to know that these girls are who my daughter is spending her time with. They are daughters of God. They know who they are & what they stand for.

Thanksgiving Day

mmmm. Deviled eggs, macaroni salad & pie!

Green beans, hahaha. easy peasy, lemon squeesy. this is what I get asked to bring----can't screw this up.

I am so thankful for many things, but as I was thinking about this day and what I was thankful for, my heart was so full, but it was a little empty too. I did find myself missing Val. When we got to Val's parents house & we were talking about him and how he is getting ready to leave the MTC monday for Nicaragua, it really hit me. He is leaving the country...MONDAY!! My baby is leaving the country MONDAY. But, I know my Father in Heaven has blessed him, he has blessed us that he will be safe.

My morning started off with an email to him, letting him know that we had received his letter with his schedule of his flight arrangements and we wanted him to call us when he reached Texas, so sometime between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Monday. Than of course I had to tell him of my BLONDE moment from Wednesday. I had gone to BASHAS grocery store- purchased 3 books of stamps, than I went to the UPS store & paid $30 to overnight them to him so he could have them before he left for Nicaragua. Of course, when I got to work, I was totally made fun of because-- he can't use U.S. postage in Nicaragua--DUH!!!! So, I had to email Val to tell him not to get toooooo excited about the big envelope coming on Friday. hahahaha.

Than we were treated with his email response a few hours later, their morning devotional for Thanksgiving was given by Elder Holland. WOW! He has had 5 apostles since he has been in the MTC the past 8 weeks. How amazing is that. I am so honored as his mother to have those 5 apostles teaching my son. Make sure you read what he wrote about him on his blog. http://www.eldervalgalvan.blogspot.com/

I do love Thanksgiving, but not for the food-- I love it just because, we get together with family & we see family we havent seen in a while. We were able to visit with Val's cousin Rich and his wife Anette and their two kids Rich & Celine. They are growing up so fast, it is so hard to believe that are kids are as big as they are. We laughed so hard at the table with Val's sister Kim-- I swear she could be a stand up comedian, I just love her so much & I am so happy that she is finally with a good man. She is engaged & you can just see her countenance is so different, she is soooo happy. We had a lot of fun, visiting with everyone! That's what I LOVE about thanksgiving!!!!!!! The food was fabulous of course too! Rhea is a wonderful cook, Kim helped her all day with everything. We contributed the green beans-- how hard is that for Terri to screw up(esp. since Val heated them up), Toni made some yummy deviled eggs, Sally brought the yummy ham, it was ALL good!!!!!

Something Val said in his email that was sad, he told us to remember all the people that will go hungry on Thanksgiving, how sad is that? But, it is so true? What can we do this holday season to make a difference?