Birthday Friends & Fun!

Gifts for Carson & Micah!

Carson & Micah's 2nd Birthday Party

This was Micah and Carson's very first birthday party. Last year we just celebrated with family since their birthday came when my Dad was in the hospital. We reserved the city pool because it has not only a pool, but also a splash pad with neat water fixtures to run through and dump water on you. We invited all of our friends from Pam Pam's (preschool) and also friends from church. The party was scheduled for Monday, July 30th (yesterday). We went with a Thomas the Tank Engine theme since the boys love all things transportation.

We arrived at the pool for fun and fellowship (and so did our friends), but unfortunately the weather had other plans. As the lifeguards arrived, the thunder began to roll. Friends began arriving and huddling under the cover by the concession stand. The skies opened up and dumped tons of rain and eventually thunder's friend lightning decided to crash the party. The natives were restless and claustrophobia began to set in.

Lucky for me, my school was adjacent to the pool and my boss was at the party. He was gracious enough to let us move the party to the school gym. The children were bummed about not getting to swim but ready to burn some energy nonetheless. Some of our friends decided to head back home (I can't blame them) but most followed us over and played in the gym. The little ones had a blast just running around, jumping rope, shooting basketball, and throwing football. (See slide show)

The boys received lots of fabulous gifts and couldn't wait to get home to open some of them. All things said, the party went pretty well. (See slide show above of boys opening gifts)

Corbyn was supposed to have her own party alongside the boys. She had invited some friends for a "back-to-school" swim. The girls made the best of it and still enjoyed a few laughs.

Thank you to all of our friends and family who came to the party. Thank you parents for getting out in the weather to attend and bring your children. I appreciate your willingness to celebrate with Carson and Micah even if it means weathering a storm. We appreciate you making the best of the situation. We are blessed to have friends like you. We missed those of you who were unable to attend. We appreciate all of the gifts and well wishes.

Special thanks to: Robert and Laura Scheffer who are priceless when the going gets rough. You two are mind readers who instinctively know what needs to be done and you never mind always lend a hand. Thanks also to Laura for taking photos while the boys opened their gifts. Also to Erin and David for grabbing anything possible and transporting it over to the gym. I appreciate your willingness to step up and help. You always seem to have my back. Louise, I can always count on you as you just do whatever needs to be done (and with a smile to boot). You are always able to calm me down. Chip, thanks for the use of the gym as a back-up plan and thank you Pam Pam for getting the boys ready and loving them every single day.

Nana, you are my lifesaver (always have been, always will be) - I love you for always being there!

Meet our Dogs!

"Cisco" is an American Eskimo that I purchased after college. I have had him since 1995. This dog has been with me through thick and thin. I got him so that I could have a companion when I moved home and lived in an apartment on my own. Little did I know that puppies are a LOT of trouble. I wasn't sure if I would survive the puppy year(s). He chewed up everything! Twelve years later, here we are! Cisco has endured the addition of Randy (a new master with LOTS of new rules), Corbyn (a baby that pulled his hair) but has always thought the world of him, the adoption of "Hope" (a new boss in town), and now the twins. Cisco has changed houses 5 times in the span of 12 years. He is a great dog that takes any affection that he can get and is content in taking a backseat to everything else going on around him.

"Hope" is our blue doberman pinscher and is obviously a good sport. Randy says that this photo is demeaning to her. She didn't seem to mind at the time that Corbyn was dressing her up (again). We adopted Hope on Corbyn's 3rd birthday from the Knoxville Humane Shelter. They had already named her Hope. We didn't think it fit at the time but it has stuck anyway. All they could tell us about her is that she had been picked up several times since her owners only used her to breed puppies. Her ears are not clipped in doberman style so she doesn't look as intimidating as she could. I was actually at the shelter looking for a kitten of ours that went missing and stumbled upon her. Randy had always wanted a large dog and she had the sweetest face. She took to me right away. While Randy "thought about it", I would go to the shelter everyday and take her for walks. We brought her home on Corbyn's 3rd birthday and treat that day as her birthday as well since they estimated that was how old she was. "Hope" is a handful only because she wants constant attention. She worships the ground that Randy walks on and obeys all of us (even the boys). She is a chronic licker and a presence to be reckoned with simply for her size. She let Cisco know from day one that she was in charge and he has reluctantly allowed her to be for obvious reasons. Hope is great with Corbyn and the boys but when she makes sudden movements (playful of course) it startles the boys. They will have to get used to her spastic ways. We love them both and enjoy having them as parts of our family.

Scheffer Sunday School Class Social

The Scheffer Sunday School class had a social yesterday (July 22nd) at the home of Jason & Julie Brewster. Thank you so much for opening up your beautiful home and yard for all of us. Everyone had a wonderful time visiting with friends, swimming, jumping, and EATING. There was so much great food. Thanks to all who participated. It was great seeing the children getting to know one another and enjoying the day. The pool, trampoline, and inflatable were all hits! I am thankful to have such an amazing group of people as friends and fellow Christians. I hope our class continues to grow and serve Him as best we can. We missed all of you who were unable to attend and look forward to the next social. Thanks again Brewsters!

Scheffer Sunday School Class Social

Hoffmeister Dance Party

Corbyn and the boys love to dance. Carson is a little more conservative but Micah will dance for days. I took some footage of Corbyn dancing but was afraid she would be mortified if I shared it. I'll see what she thinks about publishing it and get back to it later. Enjoy!


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Go Micah, its your birthday! Micah loves to dance especially when Corbyn does this little chant. Every time he hears this song he starts dancing.


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Everybody dance now! It is pretty rare for Carson to let loose and show his moves!


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Kingston City Park

The kids love to go to "Nana's Park" (Kingston City Park). Corbyn likes to climb on the jungle gym, swing, and help entertain the boys.

The boys LOVE to play basketball (see Micah above). The goals there are extremely high but that doesn't curb their enthusiasm.

Carson and Micah have big dreams and shoot away. Every time they miss they say "ahmose" (almost).

Rubin and Nana came along for the fun.

Sweet Dreams

All of our children are such a gift and from time to time I can't help but go into their rooms at night and watch them sleep. It is such a beautiful and peaceful time. Here are a few snapshots of one of those evenings of sweet dreaming. The boys love their Elmos. (cheat: Carson has the purple pacifier and Micah's is yellow) PS - I usually capture shots of Corbyn as well but she was being a night owl and was in on the photo shoot with me this time.

Corbyn meets Junie B. Jones!

Back in June, a tour bus with Junie B. Jones on board came to Barnes & Noble in Knoxville. Nana took Corbyn to meet her favorite book character from the famous Junie B. Jones book series by Barbara Park. Corbyn got to see Junie B. Jones perform several skits as well as meet her and Mr. Wu the bus driver. She also got to see the "Stupid Smelly Bus". Upon meeting Junie B., she was able to get a couple of her books "stamped" (autographs would take too long since there were hundreds of people there). You had to take a number and wait to get your books stamped, but Nana was a trooper and mission was accomplished.

Play Day at Nana's

My day began as a typical class day at Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) where I am finishing up my graduate degree (EdS - education specialist). Here is a photo of my partner, Erin, and me at the end of the day. We are so glad to be going home. We only have one class left to go - woohoo! It has been a long year in graduate school, but we consider ourselves survivors.

After school I picked up the boys and headed to Nana's house for a visit. She has been in Gulfport, MS all week on a mission trip and we have missed her. We are so proud of the work she has done for others this summer. This was her second mission trip. Anyway...

The boys and I got to Nana's and they were eager (as always) to play basketball. They also played outside on the swings and got to pretend drive in Papa's truck and Nana's van. Sissy played outside and helped keep everyone happy. Corbyn and the boys also enjoyed spinning in Nana's office chair. There seem to be no rules at Nana's house.

Eventually bath time came around and as you can see from the videos below, it was big fun...

Bath Time at Nana's

This is bath time at Nana's house. The boys like to play in the bubbles and drink the water as it pours into the tub...


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Carson continues to drink water!


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Micah decided to help out by washing his face. Carson follows Micah's lead and then shows us where his nose and eyes are, but guess what happens when we ask about his ears?!


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This is Micah's reaction to the uproar that ensued after Carson said his ear was up his nose. We tried to see if Micah could locate his facial parts but he was super silly. Carson finally found his ear after locating Micah's ears. Its all relative I suppose!


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Bath time is so much FUN!!!

Worship Camp - First Baptist Church 2007

For the past two summers, First Baptist Church has hosted a Children's Worship Camp for grades K-5. The purpose is for children to come for a week (similar to VBS) and learn music theory, different instruments, creative arts, worship dance, and several different songs. I have had the pleasure of being on staff (in charge of snacks since my musical talent is extremely limited) for this awesome camp and experienced the amazing love for music that is transferred to the children. Corbyn has participated as well and had so much fun learning music appreciation. Last year the theme was "We're All In This Together" from Disney's High School Musical. We put a Christian emphasis and application to the meaning behind the words of course.

This year our theme was chosen for similar reasons and was "Push It to the Limit" also from Disney. The camp staff challenged the children to push their servitude to the Lord to the limit and always praise Him for his mighty works. The children also learn at least 5 other amazing songs and enjoy performing them for the church family on the evening of "Picnic in the Parking Lot". The boys enjoyed watching the show.

Since "Push it to the Limit" was a movie about jump-roping teens (double dutch), the opening act was a dance number that included children jumping rope. They held try-outs for the jump-roping spots and Corbyn (who loves to jump rope) was chosen. We were so excited. Unfortunately, I videotaped the performance on my VHS camera instead of my digital so I don't have any footage to share. Corbyn was very nervous about her jumping debut but when her turn to perform arrived, she truly shined. Her cousin, Elijah, made her night by saying she was the best one.

The 2nd grade group also had a number where they did sign-language to the song "Shout to the Lord". It was beautiful. I took a few photos of Corbyn performing in this song.

We are so thankful that the children get this opportunity to learn a love for music and different ways to worship the Lord. The week is always a blessing and everyone has lots of fun!

Happy 8th Birthday Corbyn!

Corbyn's 8th birthday was on May 25th. We had planned on having a birthday party at a local pool on June 7th. I was notified on June 5th that the pool was not going to be open by the time of the party. I called all of the parents that I had phone numbers for. We decided to move the party to The Cove at Concord Park since it had a beach area for swimming as well as a playground.

Randy's parents (Grandma & Grandpa) drove over from Hickory, NC to visit for a couple of days and attend the party. Grandma brought "Lucy" (Grandma's cane) along and the boys were mesmerized. Grandpa played in the water with the boys and Grandma handed out treats. Corbyn played in the water with all of her friends and had a great time. After swimming and sand time, we ate hotdogs and snacks, then Corbyn ripped through her presents. She was thrilled to get spending money to take on our beach trip.

Corbyn served her friends birthday cake. Her party theme this year was puppy dogs. I failed to take a photo of her cake this year but it was really cute! The children snarfed it up and the adults didn't even get a piece (I don't even think Corbyn got a piece). After swimming more, the kids moved to the playground. All in all, it was a great party!

Thanks Nana, Grandma, Grandpa, and Alyssa for helping me prepare for the party!

Thanks to all of our friends for coming! Corbyn was thrilled that so many of her friends were able to come.

We missed those of you who couldn't attend, but we appreciate your cards, wishes, and gifts.

Aunt Sandi, Corbyn used her birthday money to buy some "Littlest Pet Shop" collectibles and a new bathing suit to take to the beach. Thank you so much!

Enjoy the slide show below from Corbyn's party!

Corbyn's 8th Birthday Party!

Myrtle Beach Vacation 2007

Hello all! I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome you. My friend, Laura, introduced me to this website and I think it is so neat that I wanted to participate too! I decided to create a blog in order to stay in touch with some of our family and friends that aren't able to visit us very often. So many of you are such a vital part of who we are and we're just unable to keep in touch as well as we would like to. It is my hope that by sharing this blog with you, you will be able to see what we've been up to lately and see how quickly the children are growing. Corbyn is 8 years old and becoming a beautiful young lady while the boys will be turning 2 soon and are such a joy! We've recently taken a trip to Myrtle Beach so I thought that would be the best place to begin sharing.


We left on Sunday, June 17th (Father's Day) and stayed a week. My mom (Nana) went with us and was am amazing help with the children. We chose to leave on Father's Day to alleviate the sadness of Daddy being gone.

Anyway...we all had a great time at the beach and pools. Corbyn enjoyed the swimming pools more than the beach until...we purchased her a little net to catch fish with. She loved standing in the surf and trying to catch fish. Had I known that Randy would enjoy the fishing net as much as he did, I would have bought two of them. There was a storm drain outfall next to our hotel that emptied into the ocean and Corbyn and the boys liked to play there since the fish were abundant and the waves (for the boys) were minimal.

Micah and Carson really enjoyed all of the airplanes that flew over the ocean with advertisement banners behind them. We had amazing weather and no one got sunburnt since Nana was the sunscreen supervisor.

We stayed at an awesome hotel called Monterey Bay. It was on the north end of Ocean Blvd. and so much quieter than the south end. I will most likely try to stay at that end from now on. Each day began with a yummy free full service breakfast at the hotel and was followed by our exodus to the beach. We had tons of stuff in tow as you can imagine. The hotel only had two (very slow) elevators to cover 18 floors. When the Hoffmeisters got on the elevator, we pretty well filled it to capacity (imagine the double stroller and multiple beach bags, buckets, surf boards, etc.).

Corbyn, Randy, and I went to play miniature golf and Randy dominated. Corbyn gets better every time she plays. She feels the need to shout out every stroke you make by counting them loudly so all the world will know when you're flubbing up. She had a great time and Randy and I got very hot (we had fun too). Corbyn talked Nana and I into taking her again the next day. We all got a hole-in-one, but mine was the "mystery hole" of the day so I won another free game. I graciously gave it to Randy to take Corbyn for a third trip (heehee).

Back to the beach...the boys loved digging and playing in the sand. Nana and I looked for any reason at all to speak to Lifeguard Chris (kidding). Nana rented us an umbrella and beach chairs on Monday but we were so busy going back and forth between the beach and the pool, it seemed a waste to pay the rental fee every day. I wasn't especially anxious to get into the ocean since I have a primal fear of sharks. It didn't help that fishermen were in front of our hotel every morning catching baby sharks and reeling them in for me to see.

Carson and Micah also loved the pools. The hotel had an indoor pool which was the temperature of bath water so I felt pretty yucky when I was in it (don't germs like warm, moist places?). It also had a lazy river that Corbyn enjoyed and a baby pool (1 ft.) with overhead buckets that dumped every few seconds. The buckets kept younger children from getting into the pool so it basically defeated the purpose of having a baby pool. The hotel also had an outdoor pool on ground level that we visited throughout the day. We kept a path between the pools and the beach. It also had a rooftop pool that was outside of our room.

All in all the weather was great. We only had rain on Wednesday afternoon but had a full day of playtime in the morning before it came. We filled the time by playing peek-a-boo and riding the luggage cart in the hallway (desperate times...desperate measures).

By the end of the week, the cramped quarters were beginning to take their toll on the grownups. Corbyn had caught several little fish (minnows) and some live baby clams and was keeping them in one of her sandbuckets. They were to be released the morning we left. Nana went into our bedroom to get something and noticed a very large wet spot in the floor. You guessed it, one of the boys dumped the fish and other wildlife into our bedroom floor. Luckily, it had just happened and we were able to save the fish. Randy and Corbyn took them immediately down to the ocean and freed them. Never a dull moment!

The car ride to the beach was great but the car ride home seemed endless. We were all exhausted and anxious to be home. Nana was a trooper as she rode in the very back of the van with Corbyn and behind the boys. That is basically the details of our trip. More than you could ever want to know...