False endowment # 3 completed

Well, as David put it - the arm of flesh was again lengthened in another ceremony of pomp and circumstance - we still enjoy the opportunity to reflect on the accomplishment of graduation. Dad and Sherry Hoffman were able to make the trip up which was awesome. We ate a fun dinner at Los Hermanos. Thanks to all those who provided moral support and prayers as David did this. The highlights were when #2 and I ran into Elder L. Tom Perry in the parking lot and got to have a quick discussion and when David got to shake his hand, have a quick discussion on a conference talk, and get congratulated by him. Here are some of the pictures from the day. (1) Us with Elder Cecil O. Samuelson and his wife. (dumb "professional" cameramen) (2) David with his chair and the dean of the department, Legrand Richards (grandson of... duh). (3) Us.

He is already itching to get back into the classroom... maybe it will pass. S&I denied his request to attend Stanford for the 09-10 year for a Doctorate. Not that it is needed, he can fill any position in S&I now with his current degree, with the only exception of Ivy League type institutes. To teach at those, one must have an Ivy League (or similar level) doctorate or the students do not respect the instructor enough to come and strains relations with the institution itself. (That's what we've been told). It therefore does not make sense - because of the time away from family and money spent - to get a Doctorate unless it would be to further his career at such a school. (Bonus! I like him at home :) ). So, he's continuing his learning addiction without the formal education structure for a while.

Tune in (UPDATED)

We found out how to upload links to a smattering of our favorite songs. You can silence it at the bottom of the site, or you can listen and enjoy. The player allows you to pick songs you want to hear, you do not have to just listen to the one playing! They are now organized by genre so you can pick a style you enjoy and listen for a while. Enjoy everything from #1's favorites "peanut butter and jelly" and "Defying Gravity", to David's favorite modern classical pianist - Christopher O'Riley. If you leave the site open there is about 4 hours of our music selections.

Coach

David is coaching #1's soccer team - the Wildcats! The first practice went very well! We are looking forward to the first game later this week.

Why I cannot do school time.

Today I tried to help Melissa with #1's schooling. That... was... painful... Today's workbook lesson was "the same and opposite". We were trying to help #1 understand the subject. After some massive failings on examples, we got to this part of the conversation.

"What is the same as glad?"
"Sad"
"No, that is a rhyme, not the same. Let's try this again. I am a boy. Who else is the same, a boy? [as I look at #2].
"Some of my boyfriends are boys."
"What the crap?!? Boyfriends...?!? Wait one second - Some of...?!?"

[At this point Melissa is crying from laughing]

Then #2 pops in and says,
"I'm taller than you."
And #1 says,
"Actually, I'm five years old, so you are not."

Crap, crap, crap.

I can't take this - I'm gone...

Family Portrait

We got a new family portrait. It will be available for download at the bottom of the page for a week or two. Character-atures are available via the Simpsons movie webpage.

The Look

A little while ago, we had family home evening on the Word of Wisdom. At the conclusion of the lesson David went to Smith's and we played the "what's okay" and "what we don't put in our bodies" game while picking out a treat. We taught #1 how to look on beverage containers to see if things we do not drink (Alcohol, Tea leaves, coffee beans, harmful drugs) are in the drink. She became very good at it. We had to put a stop to the game as we got to the checkout and the burly tattooed biker in front of us was carrying a case of beer and the mother behind us had enough unacceptable liquid to fill a bathtub... it's not nice to point kids!

In a slightly related story, on Tuesday, one of our friends told us a story about how he was able to finally kick a habit he had for years and how much better he felt about it. While drinking an interesting beverage, #1 looked at him, squinted her eyes, and cocked her head to the side. He said that the Spirit slapped him, and he went cold turkey on the spot. Sweet.

Under Construction

Stage 3 of the playroom is in full construction mode, with mudding, taping, and dreams of sugarswearing fairies dancing in our heads. We are improving with time at our effectiveness.

All aboard.

Props to Lisa and Jennifer for jumping in on the reading train. In other news, what graduate degree would not be complete without some painful stupid horror story to strike fear into the hearts of future attendees? BYU informed me that I would not be able to graduate unless I paid them about 600 bucks. When we got to the bottom of the pile of... laundry, we learned that I was being charged for their secretarial error. But I should have known that because it was an eight-point-font footnote at the bottom of the 300 page graduate handbook, which they told us we didn't really need to read... After two appeals they cut the charge in half. Ye-ha. Another thing to tack on to the list of lessons learned from this degree: you can always pay for other's mistakes.