Where did summer go?

    Summer is winding down and I find myself trying to get my last minute moments of warmer weather in! This summer seemed to pass by especially fast.  Summer is my favorite time of year! I love everything about it: the sun, freckles that re-appear, warm summer nights, shorts, flips flops, the beach...just everything.  

The Hoffman kiddos! And yes I am the only brunette.

    Looking back at summer I realized we did pack a lot of exciting moments into a few short months. This July we packed up and went to Michigan to celebrate Chad's brother Chase getting married.  We were so excited to welcome Lindsey into our family; she is the perfect addition to the Hoffman clan! It was such a beautiful wedding and everything about it was perfect. Also one of the most fun wedding parties; zipping around on golf carts was certainly a highlight.

Sunset at Laguna Beach

    Chad and I have been trying to find some time to get away and relax after a very busy and stressful couple of years.  We wanted to celebrate my paperwork FINALLY going through and having that craziness over with.  We packed up the car and took a last minute trip down the coast to California! Chad had never been before, so we were able to check off more states on our "states we've been to" list (we have both visited over 1/2 of the 50 states).  We had so much fun and welcomed the HOT summer weather that we had both been missing.  We squeezed in a lot of fun into our 8 day trip (including driving days). We went to Disney, In-n-out, Hollywood, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach...and more. We were able to attend the Jimmy Kimmel show (which was really fun to see how it all comes together), and watch some of the red carpet for the "Expendables 2" (Chuck Norris, Sylvester Stallone...and a few others!). California has this way of being super awesome and makes you want to say forever.
     As this summer comes to and end I am thankful for all the fun memories it brought. I am looking forward to fall and all the cozy moments it is bound to bring.  Whenever I think of fall I think of a few of my favorite things it has to offer: boots, apple picking, reading with a hot cup of tea, and changing leaves. So savor the last bit of summer as fall is quickly approaching!! 

Why is North America so big?!

As big and beautiful as North America is, sometimes I think its WAY too big! Today is one of those days.  For the last week and a half we have had the pleasure of hosting my side of the family (excluding my younger brother) for a visit!  It was so wonderful!  We squeezed into our two bedroom apartment for a few nights (all 6 adults and two kiddos!) and then headed to Seattle for a few nights! Our visit was filled with lots of giggles, flamingos (plush and real),princess waves, shopping, cupcakes, tea parties, zoos, squirrel, ducks, splashing and racing in the pool, and so many more.  It is a visit that I will treasure forever.  I love my family!

Living so far apart is not my idea of fun.  If I could think of a way to pick up the two provinces and one state that we all live in and make them right next door to each other I would do that in a second!!! Hopefully someday we will live closer together so we can see each other more than just once or twice a year. 

Chad and I live apart from both sides of our families.  It was not our plan or something we sought out to do.  We have just been following God's plan and call for our lives, and that plan right now is to live on the west coast. Hopefully someday we will live close to at least one side of our family, or maybe somewhere in the middle of both!

As I sit here on my couch missing my family and a bit lonely, I am choosing to be thankful for my family's visit! I am blessed with a wonderful family x2! I am so thankful for each of them! AND in a month the Hoffman side of my family is welcoming a new member, I am so excited for Chase and Lindsey's up coming wedding and to have another sister-in-law!   This summer is full of family and fun!!

enjoying the space needle!