HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA!!!!!!

Today is my Papa's birthday! I so wish that he was here with us to celebrate this day. Although it has been almost four years since his passing, not a day goes by that something doesn't remind me of him or make me think of him in some way or another. There are so many times when I stop what I am doing and think to myself "What can I do today to make him proud of me." I looked up to him in so many ways and miss his guidance. I wish my boys could have known him and learned from the example that he set. He was a TRUE GENTLEMEN in every sense of the word.

Grandma and Papa with Newborn Baby Troy!
My little Troy was given my Papa's name (Kenneth) as his middle name.

This picture means so much to our family. My brother Cody served a mission in Honduras 2002-2004. He was really nervous about leaving because my papa wasn't in the best of health. Before he left, my papa promised Cody that he would still be here when he returned and HE WAS! My Papa passed away just months afterwards.

I love you very much Papa and miss you terribly. I am so thankful that I was brought up in the church and that I have been taught that we will be together again.

3...2...1...CAMPING!

This past weekend, we went camping up at the Spruces with my parents! Clint made a reservation over a month ago because he knew that if he didn't we would not go (things just always seem to come up).




On Saturday, we took the kids on a hike up Brighton Ski Resort. We hiked up to Lake Mary, which I guess is about a two mile hike. My boys have never seen a ski lift before so it was all new to them.


On the way up to the lake, Troy would have to stop A LOT but he never really complained. I thought it was because of his asthma. Thanks mom for waiting with me and Troy the whole time.




My dad finally decided that Troy needed to be carried the rest of the way up. Thanks Dad!

Well, it comes to find out that Troy had a double ear infection. We brought him down to Insta-care on Saturday night and got him on a medication. The doctor took one look in his ear and said that he should have been screaming for three days now and that he was "One Tough Cookie." Troy got a kick out of that. He wasn't going to let being sick stop him from camping, so we headed back up there right after.



There was a no swimming sign posted up by the lake. Tanner didn't understand why you couldn't hold your arm up like this by the lake. CRAZY!! Tanner got a kick out of it standing in front of the sign and saying "Look I'm doing what they say not to do."




I think that the greatest part of camping is the fire at night! So, I was thankful that it was CHILLY! Carter was being Carter hanging out around the fire.

Only Here!

Only here, do you wake up on Saturday Morning to find cop cars in front of your house trying to herd cows to go home. My mom and I were laughing so hard watching Twiddle Dee (officer #1) and Twiddle Dum (officer #2) trying to get these cows to leave the park. A lady from the animal shelter showed up with a trailer and was trying to get these cows into it by throwing grass into it. The cows would start to walk the direction of the trailer and then take off running again. That's when Twiddle Dee would clap and tell the cows to get in and Twiddle Dum would just kind of follow them with her hand on her gun. Finally after what seemed like forever the cows headed off down the canal road to who knows where.
If things were always this entertaining in the early morning hours, I would get up more often.

Carter Carter Carter

I feel bad about posting about Carter's little incident the other day. He really is a good kid, you just have to keep an eye on him. Today when I put him in the bath this was our conversation:

Carter: "Mom, I need some pink medicine."

Mom: " What's wrong?"

Carter: "I sick"

Mom: "What hurts on you?"

Carter: "Me feelings."

Mom: "Why do they hurt?"

Carter: "Because Gandpa is not home and I want to see him!"

Oh Carter, you really are a tender heart! Mommy loves you like crazy!

AHHHHH!

I need some motherly advice. PLEASE!

Today, Troy and Carter were playing downstairs in our unfinished basement. Troy runs up the stairs laughing saying "Mom, you have got to see this. It is so Stinkin' Funny!"

I follow him downstairs to find Carter just pulling his pants up. He had pooped on the cement. YUCK!

I asked Carter what he was doing and he just looks at me and says "I didn't mean to."

Seriously, What's a mom to do?

Nightly Routine

Every night Tanner will ask if I will come lay down with him until he falls asleep. Tonight being no different, I head into his room and he says his bedtime prayer. Tonight his cute prayer was directed toward how much he loves his two new cousins Bentley and Benson. We climb into his bed and I try to get him to go to sleep.

As we are lying in the dark, this is our conversation:

Tanner: "Mom, I'm amazed I have a bed."

Trying not to laugh because I have never heard him use the word "Amazed" before. I asked "What do you mean?"

Tanner: "Aren't you amazed that you have a bed to sleep in, warm blankets, this house, and a body that moves?"

Me: "Yah buddy I am"

Tanner: "So am I Mom. We have so much."

Wow! It's funny how a 7 year old can make you stop and think about all the things you should be grateful for. I love being able to lie down with Tanner at night, oh the things that go on in that little head of his. I am so thankful for my three little boys and all of the joy they bring into my life.

My little Man Starts 2nd Grade!

Today is an exciting time for Tanner. He started 2nd grade today. He is growing up so fast and yet he will always be my baby. When we got to school today, his principal was there to greet us. She told me to send Tanner off to the second grade playground and his teacher will be able to find him. Tanner not knowing who or what his teacher looks like, grabbed my hand and asked if I would stay with him. I walked him to his class room after the bell rang. He was ok after we got there because one of his good friends from last year was in his class. And his teacher seems like a really nice teacher. So I was ok about leaving him there.

It's scary how fast life seems to be racing by. Last night when Tanner was getting ready for bed, he asked if I would come lay with him. I told I would be up in a minute, I was trying to get all the last minute things together that he needed for today. Luckily he was still up when I got in his room, so I laid down with him. He turned to me and said "Mom, I wish I could make a robot of you so you would always be with me. I know you are busy, but I love you being with me." I looked at him and with tears in my eyes and told him I loved him very much. Next thing I knew, Clint had come in to lay down with us. Needless to say Tanner went to bed with a smile on his face. When I was waking him up today he was saying he couldn't believe how lucky he was to have mom and dad sleep with him last night. What a sweetheart my little boy is. I am so proud to be his mom. I love you Tanner!

Utah Lake, Here we come!

Yes, it's true! We finally decided to take the family boat out of storage after two years of not being used. We went down to Utah Lake for the day and had a blast. It was really hot outside and the water temperature was perfect!

We even got Grandma and Papa on the tube with the kids!

The lake is so big, that once you are on it you rarely saw another boat. Papa taught Tanner how to drive the boat.

Carter's favorite thing to do on the boat was wave the flag when anyone fell off the tube and eat beef jerky!

By the end of the day, the boys were pooped out! Carter and Troy took a little snooze on the boat.

We were on our way home when it started to rain. Do we have PERFECT TIMING or what?

Go Skin!

Last night, Tanner wanted his dad to shave his head to look more like an Army Man (we are kind of obsessed here). So Clint took him outside and shaved his hair off, which lead to Carter's head and finally Troy's. I have seen Tanner and Troy with shaved heads before, but never Carter. To tell you the truth I was all teary eyed watching his hair fall to the floor. I had to save some of his curls in a baggie.

My little Bald men!

Bentley Cody Hofhine

Baby Bentley arrives!

Finally the day is here, Wends! And of course you are lookin' great.


What a special moment between a daddy and his son.

What a darling family!

One Happy Grandpa!

Bentley finally arrived and only one day before his due date. Wendy delivered him natural with help from the Hypno birth techniques that her and Cody have been learning. She had about a six hour labor. Lucky! Her doctor and the nurse at the hospital told Wendy that she did such a great job that she should have her own book out. What a compliment!

Bentley weighed 8 lbs. 10 oz. and was 21 inches long. He was born with so much hair, you would think he had a wig on. What a cutie!

We are so excited to have two new nephews in our family. My parents now have a total of six grandsons. We have our basketball team.