Hoffman Returns!

i know we all read cougarfan religiously but i thought this news deserves extra celebration!

Ah, the holidays...

I ate baklava for breakfast this morning.

Merry Christmas

A small sampling of our Christmas fun (especially for Kim and Joe, since we will see everyone else soon):

'Nuf said

Current State of Affairs

This quote was given by J Reuben Clark (in the first presidency) June 9, 1940 in the tabernacle to the MIA (youth).  It was reprinted in the July 1940 Improvement Era.  In other words, this is not general conference scripture, but it is as close as you can get to that: first presidency and reprinted by the Church in its "Ensign" equivalent.
He was speaking of the Jaredites in Ether 14:1-2 (and later Mormon 1: 18-19; 2:10 about the Nephites).  These verses talk about the curse of the land that did not allow them to keep their riches.  I always assumed the earth somehow opened up and swallowed them, but he gave this explanation.

The quote:

“We are not given the step-by-step backsliding of this Jareditic civilization till it reached the social and governmental chaos the record sets out, but those steps seem wholly clear from the results. Put into modern terms, we can understand them. First there was a forsaking of the righteous life, and the working of wickedness; then must have come the extortion and oppression of the poor by the rich; then retaliation and reprisal by the poor against the rich; then would come a cry to share the wealth which should belong to all; then the easy belief that society owed every man a living whether he worked or not; then the keeping of a great body of idlers; then when community revenues failed to do this, as they always have failed and always will fail, a self-helping by one to the goods of his neighbor; and finally when the neighbor resisted, as resist he must, or starve with his family, then death to the neighbor and all that belonged to him. This was the decreed 'fulness of iniquity' (Ether 2:10).” 

I found this very interesting considering the current state of the world - almost prophetic. :)
And interesting to think where we are along that little timeline.

christmas song

Travel Plans

Okay, for those interested, we will be coming down on the afternoon of Friday the 28th until either the 1st or 2nd.  We can schedule les miserables or the hobbit for any day if you want - for those who haven't seen it.  Otherwise, we will just be there to party hard.  Thanks to Kirk and Christy for housing us during the festivities.  And no worries, because we will all be looking forward to a brighter 2013 without Riley and the pessimism he inspires.

Christmas songs

OK so I pay to get into the Dubai Christmas Festival thinking that it would be a lot of fun.  It cost 120 DHS to get in and I was thinking once you were in you could do everything there.  Boy was I wrong.  We got into the line to see Santa and found out that it cost an additional 20 DHS per child.  So I just told the kids, "Sorry we aren't going to see Santa today we will just see him in two days at the ward party".  That way I didn't have to pay a thing.  Then we go to jump in the snow globe line, and again 20 DHS for each child.  So after sitting in that line, we jump out of it and the kids weren't so happy this time. Bryar was OK when she saw she could get her face painted....yep just as you expected...20 DHS.  At this point I just told Bryar that I spent all the money coming in and didn't have anymore.  We distracted them with dinner and just walked around.  We got a balloon or two and some side samples and watched the lighting of the Tree before we left.  As we were leaving Bryar told me, "mom, next time we come to something like this just bring more money".  I just sighed inside...is it bad that I just don't want to spend so much money on a five minute jumpy castle or to sit for one second on Santa when they would do it in two more days for free.  I don't know but at least Joe still loves me.  Pictures below of what we did do.  

I lost Asher, (surprise surprise) and knew that I would find him by the train.  He just had walked in and gotten on while the attendant was helping another kid.  I don't know if it cost money or not but after Asher rode once, the other two kids jumped on and Asher just stayed on.  Nobody was asking for money so either they stole a ride or this was the one thing for free.

P.S. 20 DHS is about  $5.45 so it wouldn't blow a budget or anything I just hate to keep dishing out money for every activity.  Too much of my mom in me I guess.  

Tis the Season

Hope you enjoy this.  We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Season