Hoffmanese

Birthday Tribute

2012-02-17T07:40:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday President Washington! Some art in your honor…

Totally abstract work by my Finn, but I still kind of dig it…. Oooooor is this another example of “a face only a mother could love?!”

LLCoolS

2012-02-17T07:39:00.000-08:00

Seamus channeling his inner LL Cool J circa 1992. ;)

A Promise Is a Promise

2012-02-16T07:33:00.000-08:00

The very first Valentine’s Day Hoffdad and I spent together, he gave me a bud vase with a single rose and a note stating he would give me an additional rose for every Valentine’s Day we spend together. As the years have passed, he’s kept his word…

And yes – you count correctly – it’s been a dozen years with my one true Valentine ;)!

February 14, 2012

2012-02-15T08:36:00.000-08:00

Images from our Day-O-Love

(Lunchbox art for my wee one...)

(Seamus passing out his cards at school....)

(Finn's class' Valentine's Day party...)

(The boys going through all their V-Day loot...)

(Opening goodie bags from Hoffmom and Hoffdad...)

(Finn's frilly Valentine's Day card for us...)

(Watermelon hearts for dessert...)

(Our annual carpet picnic dinner!)

Loved it all - every second!!! Hope you love your day, too!

Hoffamily Hallmark

2012-02-14T07:37:00.000-08:00

To some, Valentine’s Day is all about the romance, the special evening out, and the lovin’.

But for kids, Valentine’s Day is ALL about the cards!

Here are the ones we made for Finn’s classmates and teachers…

(Little Valentine's pins for all of Finn's buddies!)

(For his teachers, Finn employed 3-D embellishments during this year's card-making session...)

Seamus' class had restrictions on gifts attached to the cards so his were much simpler...

After this mega card-making session, Hoffmom is seriously in love with my paper cutter and spray glue :)!

Love to Decorate

2012-02-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

Hoffmom and the boys got into the spirit of the (Hallmark) season with a little heart-themed crafting…

Aaaaaaand then they turned it into a sport…

Happy Volleyballentine’s Day?!

On a side note, Finn must have really enjoyed this activity because Hoffmom woke up to this decorating the wall the other morning...

My Finn is such a lover.... Although I'm not sure if he's more into art or the family! ;)

Hit Me With Your Best Shot… or Three

2012-02-10T06:42:00.000-08:00

Finn scored a whopping three baskets at his final basketball game, making him the high scorer for both teams!

Hoffmom didn’t get video of the final basket because I put the camera down during Finn’s brick-a-thon before finally hitting one from the freethrow line!

Nice season my little baller – can’t wait until next year!

Three for the Road… or… er… Bike Lane, Rather…

2012-02-09T08:06:00.000-08:00

Yes, the Hoffamily has gone on bike rides together before … however this was the first time Finn rode his own bike during the journey!

(During the ride I saw this brown ibis-looking bird.... totally unrelated to Finn on a bike, but I thought it was neat...)

(Trying to catch up to Hoffdad and Seamus...)

(Finn is in the background walking his bike up the hill... we're still working on the concept of building up momentum...)

(Water break!)

(Finn and Hoffdad racing home!)

Watch out cyclist clubs… Finn’s hittin’ the road and he ain’t afraid to take up the both lanes as well as occasionally stop in the middle of the bike path… Consider yourselves warned ;)!

‘Bout Time

2012-02-08T07:29:00.000-08:00

The other weekend, the Hoffamily was finally able to check out one of our local farmer’s markets…

With music from a sitar and finger symbols (courtesy of local musicians) in the background, we tasted some of the fruit for sale…

Devoured a brick-oven pizza…

And Seamus couldn’t pass by the pickle vendor without one for the road…

With full bags and full bellies, we headed home…

As you can tell, this was no ordinary farmer’s market… especially being that, well, I’m pretty sure local farmers aren’t harvesting rainbow-flavored shaved ice ;)

Supermarket Score

2012-02-07T08:47:00.000-08:00

Free chocolate chip cookie at the bakery… free (day-old Superbowl) balloon from the florist department….. free sticker/pirate eye patch at check-out…

It was a good day running errands for my wee Seamus… ;)

Anti-Climactic

2012-02-06T08:04:00.000-08:00

Hoffmom had such high expectations for Finn’s first tip-off… ;)

I guess he can only go up from here… and by “up” I mean maybe he’ll actually jump next time ;)!

Sandbox Evolution

2012-02-03T07:38:00.000-08:00

Hoffmom and wee Seamus made up a new sandbox game to play other than Dig a Big Hole or Build Castles and Stomp On Them … It’s called Pirate Island and involves digging a trench around a “pirate island,” setting up your characters, then scouring the playground for bits and pieces to decorate said island. And if you’re feeling fancy, you build a bridge so the pirates can pillage the kingdom on the other side!

(Finn and Seamus piling up coconuts they found...)

(Flower pod cannons and berry cannonballs... and yes, I DID emphasize that all foraging for island accoutrements may not include stripping plants of parts....)

As we were leaving the playground, Seamus had to run back and destroy the evidence of Pirate Island…

Then again, perhaps he was just trying to squeeze in one last game of Build Castles and Stomp On Them before we left for home ;)!

P.E. Party

2012-02-02T08:03:00.000-08:00

At Finn’s buddy’s recent birthday party, the kids were led through a series of games in a field at a nearby park. The games included Doggy Doggy Where’s Your Bone, soccer, and Jump the Log

(The kids getting some instructions before the shenanigans begin...)

(The birthday boy going for it...)

(Finn's turn to take the leap....)

There was also some dodge ball/Star Wars hybrid game that involved chucking objects at the opposing team and getting saved by a “light saber” stick thing should you have gotten knocked out…

The highlight, of course, was the ice cream cake…

Thanks Ace, for the invite… AND the two extra large slices of cake ;)!

(And a special thanks to Ace's parents for tuckering my kiddos out -wink wink!)

Power Lunch

2012-02-01T08:04:00.000-08:00

Scene: Your typical business lunch establishment filled with folks on their computers or meeting with clients and colleagues…

That’s right…. Seamus is right there in the thick of things, wheelin’ and dealin’ some serious alphabet business!

Any “Community” Fans Out There?

2012-01-31T08:05:00.000-08:00

The other morning, Seamus decided to dress up as a new superhero – Kickpuncher!

Next thing you know, I’ll be posting videos of Finn and Seamus in the Moooorning!

(And if you're incredibly lost, either forget it or just Google it ;)!!)

Cloudy With a Chance Of…

2012-01-30T07:46:00.000-08:00

Scenario #1: Obi Wan, while on an intergalactic freighter, has suddenly found himself in a terrible pancake storm…

Scenario #2: The evil empire has employed a new weapon after the death stars were destroyed…

Scenario #3: Seamus discovered a new eating utensil - now we have forks, spoons, chopsticks, and light sabers…

Super Me!

2012-01-27T07:44:00.000-08:00

Every couple of weeks Finn’s class features a new student in a “Super Me” display… this January was Finn’s turn!

I don't know about you, but I think my kid is super duper for sure!!

Alphabet Lunch 3

2012-01-26T07:40:00.000-08:00

And we’re off and running from K through P…

(K: kangaroo, karate, ketchup, kick, and kite!)

(L: Legos, leaf, lollipop, lick/lips, ladybug, and love)

(M: money, music, macaroni, mouse, mustache, and mountains)

(N: nap, necklace, noodles, necktie, neck, nail, and nectarine)

(O: owl, orange, oval, octagon, ostrich, octopus, and olive)

(P: peacock, peanut, pear, pirate, and peas in a pod)

Proper Training

2012-01-25T08:29:00.000-08:00

He may have already been licensed for covertly transporting intergalactic contraband, but now my Finn is ready for the Star Wars big leagues…

(Below, the master Jedi shows off his moves before randomly selecting candidates for the training academy...)

(Let the training begin...)

(Uh oh - trouble's arrived..... but this is what they trained for!)

Seamus, on the other hand….well let’s just say that the second he caught sight of Darth Maul, the first thing he reached for wasn’t a light saber…

More Morgue Please!

2012-01-24T07:19:00.000-08:00

This guy is SUPER into his job…

At first, I couldn’t quite make out the license plate… until I read what the plate frame said: Toe Tags and Body Bags – Tools of the Trade.
This guy must be a thrill to have at dinner parties ;)

It’s MY Year!

2012-01-23T09:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Lunar New Year folks!
Hoffmom tried to pump up the celebration volume this year since it’s the year of the dragon!!!

We decorated a bit…

Made homemade jiao zi for the first time on my own…

(Wholly chop fest... I spent some serious time finely chopping cabbage, ginger, and green onions... Why don't I know more Chinese mommas who use food processors?!)

(Time to stuff, pleat, and seal... I haven't done this since I was a child jiao zi-ing with my mommah!)

(I must admit... kind of like riding a bike... ;)!!!)

(Why yes I AM still trying to use up disposable holiday plates and napkins...)

Tried a new noodle recipe and made a favorite Chinese New Year dessert…

(I don't know about you, but nothing seems more Chinese than reconstituting and finely chopping black mushrooms.... seriously - I really felt like I was tapping into my roots when I was doing this ;)!!!.)

(Oh - forgot to add leeks to my chop-fest list...)

(Fried sweet osmanthus, rose, and date rice cakes...)

The kids watched Kung Fu Panda 2…

And the kids received their red envelopes and other treats to celebrate the new year…

(Instead of new red clothes, Hoffmom went for new shirts with red dragons on them! Hoffdad got one, too, but he wore his on LNYE since the office dress code doesn't necessarily include dragon t-shirt ;)!)

Here's to 12 lucky months!!!

Shiver Me Timbers No More

2012-01-20T07:43:00.000-08:00

Seamus runs his pirate ships a bit differently…

Apparently “comfy and cozy” are part of my wee one’s pirate code ;)!

It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like…

2012-01-19T07:51:00.000-08:00

…Chinese New Year!

And this ain’t no Ranch 99 or Tin Tin #1, folks… we’re talkin’ average ‘ol American chain supermarket! And yes, this display is larger than what they’ve got goin’ on for Valentine’s Day ;)!

Sneaky

2012-01-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

(5 minutes prior)

Seamus: Hoffmom, can I play on your iPhone?

Hoffmom: No sweetie, you’ve played enough today…

(5 minutes later)

(Where's Seamus?)

(What are you doin' over there, buddy?)

(So, uh... what is it you've got there in between the ottoman and your chair?...)

(Seamus' last minute attempt to hide the evidence...)

(Seamus' hail mary attempt to hide the evidence...)

(Aaaaaand - BUSTED!)

Oh my wee Seamus, you must remember… Hoffmom was your age once so I've already attempted ALL your tricks!!!

Renaissance Man

2012-01-17T07:51:00.000-08:00

Finn's winter soccer season just started ... meet the Black Angry Birds... (Finn is #7).

And yes, you spy correctly...on top of everything else, my Hoffdad is a soccer coach, too!

Alphabet Lunch 2

2012-01-13T07:48:00.000-08:00

I know you’ve all been yearning for some sub-par Hoffmom art… so here it is ;)!

Glad to help maintain your sub-par art addiction ;).

Move Over Chewie… There’s a New Driver in Town

2012-01-12T08:15:00.000-08:00

As part of the Star Wars exhibit we recently visited, Finn had the opportunity to captain the Millennium Falcon…

(Below, Finn going into warp speed!)

For several guys out there, this experience is the real “5 Minutes in Heaven” ;)!

Vacation Far, Far Away

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Over the holiday break, we took the boys to see the Star Wars exhibit at the nearest children’s science museum (although there were more adult fans in attendance than wee ones). Hoffmom kept snapping photos of the displays as if we were actually among the real life characters…

(Hoffmom still has dreams of a Finn Solo/Seambacca Halloween...)

(Seamus is apparently feelin' the force here...)

(Darn Hoth snow monster....)

(Talk about making someone feel short....)

(This led to a whole slew of questions about what happened to Anakin, why the mask?, how did he go to the dark side, etc. ...)

(This was Hoffmom's favorite display!)

("An elegant weapon from a more civilized age." ... indeed!)

("Ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side" .... oh snap!)

Finn had a great time experiencing what it would be like to drive a hovercraft and design a space station…

Sweet, huh?! Wait until you see Finn drive the Millennium Falcon… stay tuned!

Les Poissons

2012-01-10T07:48:00.000-08:00

Les poissons

How I love les poissons

Love to chop

And to serve little fish!

Nothing like a fresh seafood dinner!
***
Seamus subsequently decided to cater to vegetarian clientele, as well...

And YES, he picked those cherries fresh off the trees all by himself!

Chilling

2012-01-09T07:27:00.000-08:00

Hoffmom LOVED doing this as a kid…

Thanks to Hoffmom’s sistah for introducing the world of contrived goosebumps to the boys! :)

Upgrade

2012-01-06T07:43:00.000-08:00

I wouldn’t say this was as much of an upgrade in the phone…

...as it was just an upgrade in the stylus ;)!

Disney on the Rocks

2012-01-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

What’s better than watching the Toy Story movies? Watching performers re-create the movies while ice skating, of course!

Seamus was particularly excited when the aliens did their number…

Apparently Hoffdad was, too! ;)

Inaugural Ride

2012-01-04T07:39:00.000-08:00

The boys’ Christmas morning PowerWheels ride went better than expected…

All in all it was a rather successful first time out - Seamus only ran into one pole and Finn only ran over Hoffmom’s foot once. ;)

Winter Invasion

2012-01-03T07:40:00.000-08:00

The boys were thrilled with their Lego Advent Calendar this past Christmas, and of course opened the last little door on the 24^th…

Unfortunately, I’m not so sure the snowy little town that served as the home for the various creatures, spaceships, and accoutrement from that old-timey, far, far away galaxy was just as thrilled…

Despite the preferences of said small, snowy town, the rest of us are looking forward to whatever may invade come December 2012!

Party Like It’s…

2012-01-02T07:55:00.000-08:00

Yep… this pretty much sums up our New Year’s Eve celebration…

Happy 2012, folks!

Finn’s Birthday 5.0 (The Final Chapter)

2011-12-30T20:38:00.000-08:00

On the evening of Finn’s birthday day, he had a pizza party with the family and a good friend who couldn’t make it to his Chipwrecked party… and, of course, the crown attended, as well ;)…

Then the boys had a marathon video game session…

Finn also got some birthday greetings from long-distance loved ones…

Finally, it was cake time! Finn’s request – a chocolate cake with strawberries…

And the birthday marathon has now concluded.

(Cue closing ceremony… aaaaandddd extinguish the flame… nowwwwww fade out. ;)

Finn’s Birthday 4.0

2011-12-30T20:37:00.000-08:00

For the morning of Finn’s 6^th birthday, he requested a breakfast celebration with a “pancake cake”… and his birthday crown, of course…

After the feast, he opened up his presents…

Aaaaaand now I’ve lost my son forever… or perhaps both sons…

8 Crazy Nights Boiled Down to 1

2011-12-28T07:54:00.000-08:00

Hoffmom’s friend hosted a Hanukkah celebration at her home to teach the kids about the Festival of Lights.

The kids learned how to play the dreidel game…

Next, we tried latkes…

Then, the kids shared what they learned about Hanukkah in school and television (Thanks Krypto the Super Dog and Clifford), and our hostess told us about her menorahs just before lighting the candles…

Thank you, Naida, for being such a fabulous teacher and hostess! Oh – and the kids send extra thanks for the chocolate coins!!! ;)

Finn’s Birthday 3.0

2011-12-27T08:14:00.000-08:00

For Finn’s birthday party this year, Hoffmom planned a day at the movies for the birthday boy and a handful of his close buddies!

After weeks of anticipation, the day finally arrived and we headed to the movies for some Chipmunk and cupcake fun! (Although - truth be told - most of the parents caught up on some much needed sleep in the theater ;)!)

(After going to 6 different bakeries/stores and finding NO Alvin & the Chipmunks cake options, I was forced to make something myself...)

(The theater roped off 2 rows for our party... Finn decided to wear his birthday crown from school again :)!)

After the movie, we got a tour of the screening booth, where the kids learned about old-fashioned movie reels and the new digital videos. They also got to put their handprints all over one of the camera lenses and screening windows…

Finally, it was party time and party favors in the theater lobby!

(Below, the kids smiling nicely...)

(Then it was crazy face time...)

(And finally, the show your muscles shot...)

You may not be able to count on Alvin, Simon, and Theodore for a thought-provoking flick, but they sure know how to party!!!

Finn’s Birthday 2.0

2011-12-26T09:35:00.000-08:00

Finn and the other late December/early January birthday kids were honored in their class on the last day of school before vacation. Finn was very proud of his crown, pencil, and certificate…

Later that afternoon, while Finn was wearing his birthday crown, Seamus decided to join in the fun and wear his birthday suit!

It's party party party here at Hoffmanese - all day every day!

Lovin’ Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T22:07:00.000-08:00

The Hoffamily’s holiday season started with love from family and friends…

Then there was love for Santa and his reindeer…

Christmas morning, Seamus wasn’t sure he was getting ANY love from Santa…

Hoffmom and Hoffdad got some love from the boys…

("Dear Family, I love you. Thank you for my breakfast [sic] and food. Love, Finn")

(An ornament from Finn and a potholder from Seamus.)

Hoffmom got some super shiny love from Finn…

Then the boys loved diving into their presents…

And they especially loved the surprise ending...

Hoffmom loved that Hoffdad and the boys made dinner…

(Seamus, of course, loved being silly…and gross.)

Hope you loved your Christmas, too!

Love, The Hoffamily

Face Time

2011-12-23T07:42:00.000-08:00

The boys got to spend a little time with the big cheese of Christmas at our friends’ annual Santa party…

Basically, all the kids get some time with Santa and once everyone has their gifts (like, 2 hours after start time), Santa gives the go-ahead to open the presents simultaneously. Hoffmom decided to capture the mayhem this year…

Paper cuts be damned – those kids just go for it, don’t they?!

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a Christmas Cookie!

2011-12-22T07:36:00.000-08:00

Hoffmom and the boys made Christmas cookies this week, although we limited our scope, compared to lastyear’s baking extravaganza, to just sugar cookies with sprinkles.

We started out with superhero cookies…

Then we launched into the more traditional, albeit flashy (read: OVERLY decorated), holiday shapes…

The boys did a great job channeling their inner chefs…

Seamus was channeling his inner Jaime Oliver, I think…

Keepin' Up With the Joneses

2011-12-22T07:34:00.000-08:00

The Hoffamily piled in the car this past weekend and went to gaze upon a local neighborhood's magnificent Christmas light displays...

Talk about some serious pressure if you ever wanted to move into this neighborhood... although, I wonder if they let just anyone in?!
Irregardless, Hoffdad was taking notes for next year... ;)

The Underside of Gift Giving

2011-12-21T08:13:00.000-08:00

With the holidays come presents… and with presents comes wrapping paper!

But what happens when the paper runs out? Looks like craft time to Hoffmom!

Alas… do the Hoffbrothers make spyglasses or instruments or just pain art? Sigh….

You better run, better run, outrun my wrapping paper roll gun…

Juuuust a Little Off Point

2011-12-20T08:50:00.000-08:00

Hoffdad’s mommah sent the boys this beautiful book that tells the story of the little baby Jesus…

And what did the Hoffbrothers take from the historical prose and stained glass artwork?

“Hey mom, did you say Frankenstein?”

“Yeah, mommy – I was Frankenstein for Halloween!”

This really shouldn’t have surprised me… ;)

Jingle Bells Batman Smells

2011-12-20T08:49:00.000-08:00

Leave it to Batman to help us keep it together this holiday season…

Or, should I really be saying, leave it to Seamus to keep us on our toes his holiday season…?!

While You’re At It…

2011-12-19T08:10:00.000-08:00

Finn was eager to get his letter to Santa taken care of…

Now, how to get it to the North Pole? Ahhh… Hoffmom – ever the multi-tasker…

Thanks, Zowen, for taking that back with you tonight ;)!

Finn’s Birthday 1.0

2011-12-16T07:25:00.000-08:00

Who is Hoffmom to deny my first born several birthday celebrations?!

The first celebration was held while cousin Arabella was in town and featured Chinese birthday buns and an army of inflatable dinosaurs…

(I ALWAYS thought these looked like little sunburned butts…. And yes I totally squeeze the red bean filling out along the crack – ha!)

Stay tuned 'cause the party's not over yet….

Burning Rubber

2011-12-15T07:54:00.000-08:00

Finn recently attended his buddy’s race car birthday party where they all took turns racing one another…

(The NASCAR party room.)

(Finn taking his turn at the wheel...)

(Finn and his partner driver were the orange Home Depot car!)

(Finn coaching his partner while he was at the wheel.)

(Finn and the birthday boy taking turns.)

(Even the snack room looked like NASCAR puked all over the place.)

And as a bonus – the boy’s bathroom was space themed with videos showing how astronauts pee in outer space :)!

This party place definitely knows exactly what appeals to their primary demographic!

Moola on the Mind

2011-12-14T07:44:00.000-08:00

Finn has been obsessed with money of late… First, he tried to open a store in the playroom and attempted to sell Hoffdad the train table for $100 in cold, hard cash.

Then, he had to bust open his bank to see how much money he had…

Then, he was obsessed with shopping in his school’s holiday gift fair…

Hoffmom thinks Charlie Brown would be a bit disappointed in Finn's "holiday spirit." Donald Trump, on the other hand - he would approve. ;)

Baller

2011-12-13T08:02:00.000-08:00

The smell of the gym... the reverberation of the balls bouncing on the floor… and the sound of screeching shoes as players run the court…. Hoffmom is back in the land of basketball!
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not joining any sort of women’s adult league, but basketball was my favorite sport when I was in school (well, aside from cheerleading… and keep in mind that this doesn’t mean that I was any good… but that’s beside the point…). So this winter, I registered Finn for a local youth basketball league!

Each week, the kiddos meet up at a local gym and each session stars with a clinic and ends with a game…

Now as you watch these short videos, don’t mind all the double dribbling, traveling, fouls, and complete lack of understanding of positions, offense, or defense…. :)

I may not have been able to get one of Finn’s soccer goals on video, but at least I captured his very first basket…. It wasn’t pretty, but two points are two points!!!

Beach Buddies

2011-12-12T08:11:00.000-08:00

Our latest visit to the beach was a HUGE success on the creature-front…

We saw beautiful sea anemones…

A slew of hermit crabs…

A starfish...

A couple tide pool fish…

Two crabs…

And – the highlight – an octopus!

And yes, that last pic is totally the octopus’ ink! Hoffmom is a bit sorry the cephalopod was scared to the point of employing defensive maneuvers… but still – so cool!

Watch Out For That….. Obstacle Course… or Three…

2011-12-09T07:11:00.000-08:00

Cousin Arabella, who attends a weekly soccer class, shared her love of a good obstacle course with the boys during our recent visit together…

First, they did an obstacle course at home…

Then they did an obstacle course at the beach…

THEN, they did an obstacle course while dressed as Seafarers…

I think these kids are ready for the next boot camp mud run!!! Booyah!

Seafarers

2011-12-08T07:26:00.000-08:00

During our visit with cousin Arabella, Hoffmom’s sistah had the bright idea to dress the kiddos up as Pirate Lords of the Sea and a Princess Mermaid…

The result – the boys taught cousin Arabella how to wield a sword to attack her loved ones and play dead…. You’re welcome ;)!

Houseguest Etiquette

2011-12-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

During a weekend visit with Hoffmom’s sistah, Seamus was able to show our hosts his best behavior... such as waking them up at horrendous hours in the morning and losing several Lego pieces down their heating vent…

But the highlight *really* came in the first 10 minutes of our arrival…

Thank goodness we’re family because otherwise, chances of an invite back would have been really slim...

Card Playing Tutorial

2011-12-06T08:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Finn’s tips for playing Old Maid.

1) Arrange your cards such that your opponent is compelled to pick the Old Maid…

(There's the ol' "stack all but one" hold..)

(This one's the "peek-a-boo" hold...)

(And finally there's the "leaning card of Pisa" hold...)

2) If your opponent does not pick the Old Maid from your stack, “accidentally” drop your cards…

3) If all else fails and you still end up with the Old Maid, initiate the "temper tantrum defense"…

But in all seriousness, how awful is the concept of the Old Maid game… the “loser” is the one “stuck” with the “old maid.” Why can’t the game be “Deadbeat Brother” or “Smelly, Incessantly Barking Dog”?

Superpower Interpretation

2011-12-05T07:59:00.000-08:00

The boys have a few little superhero figurines with which they have adventures during bath time.

Hoffmom heard the following announcement coming from Finn the other evening, “And here’s Spiderman – with WEB powers!... Ironman – with BLASTING powers!... Hulk – with PUNCHING powers!... AND Wolverine – with SCRATCHING powers!"

Although technically he’s kind of right on the money, I still feel as though Ol’ Woflie kind of got the short end of the superpowers stick…

Breakfast of Champions

2011-12-02T07:30:00.000-08:00

We had a battle royal during breakfast the other morning….

It was Team Oatmeal…

VS.

Team Breakfast Burrito…

Which side do YOU think came out on top?

It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like ….

2011-12-01T07:59:00.000-08:00

(The boys opening day 1 of their Star Wars Advent Calendar...)

Tis’ the season, folks!!!! (Insert squeal of excitement!)

Game of Chicken

2011-11-30T07:12:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else remember playing this game at the beach as a kid?

Do note that the boys lost their game of chicken with the wave and then spent the rest of the time at the beach in their underwear... losing over and over and over again. ;)

Miracle Revisited

2011-11-29T08:01:00.000-08:00

Not sure if you remember the Hoffamily’s 2010 Thanksgiving miracle, but we decided to try our luck again. You see, even though Finn already mastered the art of bike riding, he was too afraid to ride his new “big” bike and therefore it had been sitting in the garage, collecting dust, for the past 6 months…

Luckily, we were able to achieve our second annual Thanksgiving miracle!!! … Although Seamus seems less than pleased about having to pedal his own weight to and from the park.

Pilgrims and Natives

2011-11-28T09:23:00.000-08:00

Just in case you’re still basking in the warm glow of Thanksgiving, take a peek at the holiday program the kindergartners at Finn’s school put on for friends and family…

And just to put a cherry on top of that warm glow, when it was Finn’s turn to say what he was thankful for, he surprised Hoffmom by changing the target of his thankfulness from his toys, to his family :)! That kid totally earned his extra piece of pumpkin pie!!!

Gobble Gobble!

2011-11-23T07:01:00.000-08:00

Here’s to a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with good food, good company, and good will…

(Greeting card medallions.)

(Pilgrim Finn.)

(The back of Finn's medallion.)

(My wee turkey.)

(The back of Seamus' medallion.)

Or if anything, at least a good laugh! xoxo

WANTED: Turkey

2011-11-22T07:29:00.000-08:00

Okay folks, so now you know.... Now get out there and get you some turkey!!!

Alphabet Lunch 1

2011-11-21T07:05:00.000-08:00

Seamus’ new preschool requires the kiddos to bring a lunch from home..... Soooooooo – WELCOME to lunchbox art with Seamus!

For my wee one, Hoffmom will be doing alphabet art… well, at least for the next 26 lunches ;)!

Stay tuned for the excitement that comes with F, G, H, I, and J! ;)

Fall 2011 Soccer Season Re-Cap

2011-11-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

So the Hoffamily’s first foray into AYSO soccer was pretty successful – We all had a great time!

Here are a few videos of my boy doing his thing on the field… and a couple end-of-season traditions…

(Finn and his very first trophy at the end-of-season pizza party!)

(Apparently it is tradition to cut up the banner at the end of the game and distribute everyone's names as a souvenir of the season...)

Hoffmom thinks Finn now has a decent understanding of the game - He scored several goals (although despite my various attempts I just couldn’t get video of him scoring) and we’re pretty sure he’s got a future in defense – the kid had some serious skills hustling back to stop potential breakaway goals! Until next season!!!

Travel Treats

2011-11-17T07:46:00.000-08:00

Hoffdad has had to do a lot of travel for work recently… Although we missed him terribly, he’s come back with some fun goodies…

(From the M&M store in NYC)

(From the Bruin vs. Beaver game in OR)

(From Singapore)

(From Seattle)

And our “travel gift” to him…

Bunchaballoons

2011-11-16T20:56:00.000-08:00

A bunch of balloons =

A BUNCH of fun!

Easier Said Than Done

2011-11-15T07:43:00.000-08:00

For as long as we’ve lived in this area, we’ve seen this HUGE Ferris wheel every time we drive down the freeway… and every time, the boys say they want to ride it. Well, they got their wish the other night when we had dinner at the same shopping center with some friends…

Ummm yeah, I’m good. No need to do that again. Feel free to mark me off as one of those NON-Ferris wheel types.
I’m pretty sure you can go ahead and add Seamus to that list, too. ;)

My Boys Are Such Gems...

2011-11-14T07:11:00.000-08:00

Hoffmom decided to start a “gem jar” system with the boys to facilitate more positive reinforcement and the concept of saving up and working towards a goal.

In contrast to other gem jar systems, our system involves pebbles (which I though were a bit more manly than gems, not to mention matched our décor a bit better), and incremental visits to a treasure chest…

So far so good - I don’t think I’ve seen so much voluntary cleaning up of toys or kindness towards one’s sibling to date. Although I must admit, I AM a bit concerned about the fact that it is quite obvious my children already knew how to be helpful and loving… and yet they deliberately chose NOT to display these attributes until the right “motivation” was put in place…. (sigh).

Happy Little Cloud

2011-11-11T07:55:00.000-08:00

The other morning, Hoffmom was otherwise engaged for a bit while Seamus was watching some TV. When I went to check in on my wee one, I found him watching this…

I'm not too sure whether he was really captivated by the process of oil painting, or his standards for television programming are something to be concerned about…

Intergalactic Breakfast

2011-11-10T07:18:00.000-08:00

There are a million-and-a-half ways to make pancakes fun by just adding goodies to them (e.g., chocolate chips, bananas, caramel, blueberries). And although Hoffmom is no Jim, the other morning I did my best to make my kids’ first meal of the day their most memorable…

(Below is my first attempt at Yoda gone horribly wrong...)

Whaddaya think…. Next time – do chocolate Darth Vadar pancakes and add a bit of green to the Yodas?! ;)

Garage Art

2011-11-09T07:14:00.000-08:00

What to do… what to do… on a lazy Sunday afternoon…. Hmmmm – YES! Bust out the smocks and paints and let the kids’ creative juices flow…

Seamus mainly just put globs of paint on his brush and mixed it all together in his water cup… But Finn created a lovely boating scene, complete with fishes and a sunny day!

Hero Sandwich

2011-11-08T07:49:00.000-08:00

As you may recall, Hoffmom received some fabulous superhero gear at her work going away party. Well, I finally put those cookie cutters so good use… observe:

(Hero sandwiches in their secret identity “regular sandwich” form…)

(Time for the transformation – just punch and pop out!)

(It’s hero time!... And lunch time for that matter…)

(Seamus likes leaving Captain America’s cleft chin for his last bite!)

And what did Hoffmom have for lunch?….

Coincidence

2011-11-07T06:29:00.000-08:00

So Hoffmom knows Halloween is done and gone, but I couldn’t help but get a kick out seeing the Phineas and Ferb Halloween episode recently… (And I *swear*, we only just saw this episode via On Demand this past weekend…)

And of course it’s the talkative Ph/Finn-s who were the vampires and the silent but show-stopping brothers who are the Frankenstein monsters!

Substitute Steel

2011-11-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

Just as King Arthur needed Excalibur, Happy Potter needed the Sword of Gryffindor, and the ThunderCats needed the Sword of Omens, the Hoffbrothers need their daily sword fight.
While visiting Hoffmom’s parents recently, the boys quickly discovered zero swords in their home. In response, Hoffmom’s mommah employed her design skills (while my pops wielded his duct tape) to fulfill the boys’ hankering for some swordplay…

And just in case you were wondering, Seamus DID wear that pirate hat during our entire visit there!

Twiggy

2011-11-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

While playing at a park, Finn found a branch with two twigs coming out of the top and was inspired….

After admiring his handiwork, he then, of course, promptly use the twigs as weapons. ;)

Lunchbox Art 5 (The Final Chapter... for now...)

2011-11-02T07:44:00.000-07:00

Now that Hoffmom has Finn at home for lunchtime, I am no longer illustrating my kid’s lunchbox. I do, however, leave you with these final images of lunchtime love…

(That's right, Chinese leftovers for lunch today!!!)

(After watching Rio on DVD!)

(The HUGE-A$$ spiders are back again... so of course we watched one devour a mummified little bug while at the park...)

(YOGURTLAND!)

(Finn had been asking me to draw a picture of him... so this is what I came up with...- and those are freckles on his face, just in case you couldn't tell...)

(Then, of course, Seamus wanted a picture of himself, too... my sistah said this looked more like a crazy old lady... oops ;)!)

Stay tuned for next year when Finn is in 1^st grade and dining on campus again!!!

Rotten Teeth

2011-11-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

The boys worked very hard trick-or-treating this year! Seamus even kept up with the big boys, house-for-house, in his heavy ~~snow~~ Frankenstein's monster boots...

This was their take on the fruits of their labor…. (and yes, those are giant pixie sticks the boys are chugging down below....)

This is like how their dentist likely sees it…

Hope you had a ~~fruitful~~ candyful Halloween!

Frightening Food

2011-11-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hoffmom’s friend prepared THE most amazing spread of spooky Halloween food at her party this past weekend – I just had to share it with you…

Night of the Living Bread

Goblin Feet

Monster Toes

Pizza Mummies

Mini Candied Apples

Pumpkin Muffins

Forked Eyeballs

Mini Skeleton Bones

Bubbling Witches Brew (For the adults only… ;)!)

And a water selection of Dragon Tears, Wolfsbane, Eye of Newt, Verveine, and Witch Hazel.

So impressive! Hoffmom doesn’t take this much time or care to make ANY of my meals... in fact, this is the fanciest I got for Halloween lunch...

Mummy hot dogs, orange mandarin slices, orange mac n' cheese, and Halloween-y colored finger jello

Although, c'mon- that finger jello is pretty awesome, isn't it? Okay maybe not, but at least I didn't just throw a bag of Doritos and cans of orange Crush at my kids and call it a day ;)!

Halloween at School!

2011-10-31T13:19:00.000-07:00

Hoffmom survived my first elementary school Halloween parade and party...

Holy cow, between the throngs of parents jockeying to get a good view of the parade and dodging kiddie food allergies while distributing snacks at the party it was a genuinely spooooooky morning! ;)

Alternate Costumes

2011-10-31T07:40:00.000-07:00

Even though the boys answer “vampire” and “Frankenstein monster” when asked what they are for Halloween this year, they decided to go with pirate costumes during the various Halloween parties we attended this weekend…

(The boys going to a Parents' Night Out event with a costume theme...)

(Another party, but this time, they had pirate face paint!)

And since monster theme was off the table, Hoffmom decided to mix things up a bit as well and went zombie soccer mom to one shindig…

“Oh – watch that errant finger in your baggie of orange slices, my dear….” ;)

Of Course That’s the One You Pick

2011-10-31T07:39:00.000-07:00

So the Hoffamily has one of those trace n’ carve-style pumpkin carving booklets and Hoffdad let Finn choose which design he wanted on this year’s pumpkin…

Of course he chose the most intricate one – the snarling werewolf… I think Hoffdad did a very nice job, don’t you?! Perhaps I should have HIM do lunchbox art from now on, eh?! :)

Monster’s Night Out

2011-10-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

The Hoffamily debuted our monster-themed costumes for a slew of Halloween parties this past weekend…

Just in case you weren’t sure: Finn is a vampire, Seamus is Frankenstein’s monster, I’m their mummy, and Hoffdad is a ghost (AKA he was out of town this weekend for work).

Bag Lady

2011-10-27T07:31:00.000-07:00

For some reason, the boys don’t have official Halloween trick-or-treat bags. I don't know why or what on earth we’ve been using all these years, but Hoffmom decided to take her sewing machine for a spin and see what I could work out…

Finn came with me to the fabric store and settled on some comic-book style Batman and Superman material…

I took measurements from a bag I already own, incorporated extra material I had from past Halloween costumes, and had at it….

(After measuring, cutting, and pinning...)

(The final products - with different colored handles so we can keep track of whose bag belongs to whom...)

I also made them reversible, just in case they were feeling Man of Steel one day and Caped Crusader the next.

Please don't look too closely as there are several jenky spots, especially when I was sewing on the bases of the bags. But bottom line - I think they’ll hold the stash of loot the boys intend to bring home on the 31^st!

Making Faces

2011-10-26T07:43:00.000-07:00

The pumpkin patch had a ton of those painted scenes with the cut out faces, which the boys were really into this year…

I hope this trend continues because I need Seamus to make more “scary” faces for my entertainment…

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned earlier, we got into the spooky spirit of the Halloween holiday season by hitting up the pumpkin patch!

And holy cow were there a million things to do there!!! In addition to the face painting, we did the tractor-drawn hay ride…

Tractor racing..

Walked through the haunted house (which Seamus WAS NOT happy about)…

Did the carnival games (The bean bag throw and ring toss were challenging... but luckily everyone was a winner ;)!!!) …

Walked through the hay maze..

Rode the Halloween train…

And checked out how much we’ve grown…

Oh, and we picked up a couple pumpkins, too!!! ;)

A Facial First

2011-10-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

When we went to the pumpkin patch this year (post on that to come…) we obviously hit up the face-painting booth… Finn chose a pumpkin motif…

(Finn doing a scary pumpkin face!)

Then Seamus wanted scary ghosts on his arm…

THEN (and Hoffmom isn’t sure what moved Seamus to do this…) Seamus decided to get a ghost painted on his cheek!!! This, my friends, is my wee Seamus’ first real face paint job… ON HIS FACE!!! (And, of course, I’m NOT counting this time…)

Now that I think about it, why on earth am I so excited about this? I think Seamus’ pillow case just shivered in fear at the stains to come… ;)

In the “Neck” of Time

2011-10-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

With a flurry of travel taking up the first couple of weeks in October, Hoffmom had limited time to put together the boys’ Halloween costumes. To add insult to injury, I also had to learn how to use my new sewing machine. Luckily, however, the costumes the boys are wearing this Halloween are clothing-based and solely in need of a few key accessories…

Hoffmom did mess up Finn’s bow tie a bit by cutting it to fit his bare neck and NOT the shirt he’ll be wearing. Oh well... nothing a little extension piece couldn’t fix. And think of it this way, he’ll be ready whenever the next Chippendales-themed party invite comes our way ;)!

Haunted House

2011-10-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

While Hoffmom and Hoffdad were off gala-ing it up, the boys decided to get in the October swing of things by making a Halloween Gingerbread House with Hoffdad’s parents…

The truly spooky part was that the boys actually waited until we got home to see their haunted creation before they tried to eat it up!

“Boo!” In Bulk

2011-10-19T07:55:00.000-07:00

Hoffmom was inspired during a trip to Costo when I was presented with this scene…

Those palate separator sheets can be used for so many things - crafts, drop cloths, forts… or, in my case, as large art canvases! Specifically, Hoffmom made giant coloring sheets for Finn in preparation for Halloween…

Not quite sure what we’re going to do with these works of art now… hmm… I KNOW - if you’ve got a Halloween party coming up, let me know if you need any decorations ;)!

Pirate of the 18 Holes

2011-10-18T07:17:00.000-07:00

The brave Buccaneer Seamus recently selected “greener” pastures in which to seek out his fortune… Aaahhh – his keen pirate eye has spied some booty!

Time to wave his pirate flag to ward off other potential looters…

Hm… what treasure will Buccaneer Seamus be claiming today?

Who needs gold doubloons when golden golf balls can be found?!!!!! ;)

Festival of Lights

2011-10-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

The Diwali Festival at a local park proved to be a fun time for the Hoffbrothers. All the usual community park fun time activities were there - fun decorations, pony rides, bouncey houses, balloon animal artists, and arts and crafts…

Although not much of what the kids participated in was actually Indian in nature, we did take in a performance by the Bollywood dance students from the local senior center…

Everyone around flocked to the stage to watch these retirees get their Jai Ho on – their performance was definitely the shining light of the festival!

Sore Loser

2011-10-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

Hoffmom’s Dad decided to challenge Finn to an intense game of one-on-one soccer…

Grandpop was nice enough to lose the match… but unfortunately, his back wasn’t nice enough to forego the soreness resulting from sprinting around with a kid 60 years his junior…

Post-Work Work Trip

2011-10-13T07:43:00.000-07:00

Hoffmom recently had to go on a work trip… well, technically the trip was for Hoffdad’s work, but since I had to arrive at 8:30AM in business casual for a series of meetings, I’m calling it a work trip! Although it definitely wasn’t all work… especially being that it was in Boca Raton, FL and included perfect weather, beautiful scenery, a spa appointment, time to hit up the gym – including a turbo-kickboxing class with some real housewives of Boca Raton, and a lunch at the Morimoto sushi bar!

(Some local wildlife...)

(The resort's personal croquet field...)

(More wildlife...)

(A tasty lunch option!)

The highlight, however, was a black tie gala complete with hosted bar, dinner, dancing, a custom ice sculpture, and extensive dessert bar!

(Hoffmom and a friend lounging on the swanky leather couches surrounding the dance floor!)

Oh, did I forget to mention the mandatory prom picture we had to take in order to gain admission to the gala? ;)

Memorial...

2011-10-06T15:20:00.000-07:00

Hoffmom took some time today to visit a flagship Apple store in Palo Alto, CA...

... as well as Apple headquarters in Cupertino, CA...

The international outpouring of condolences and tributes has been amazing.... as are the products and brand the late Steve Jobs inspired and created...