March Madness

spring break.

all the hatchs in town for a week.

tori and alex had their second gymnastics competition and did very well.

easter sunday.

ada gave herself a haircut and is now bald on top.

easter hike and 9 months pregnant.

quick trip to pacheco for a picnic with the family.

Happy

This little girl makes me happy.

Disappointment

There are people in your life that are supposed to be your foundation, your rock. People that you can depend on no matter what. To tell you what you need to do with hard situations. To keep a reasonable position and a level head. These are loved ones that are held to the highest esteem. Well, what do you do when that foundation is crumbling beyond repair and you are being disappointed from every side? What happens to your belief in good when those you look up to do not believe in it themselves? And when they let their own selfish desires trump all, even when it affects more than just you? When you feel you've been abandoned in your hour of need and they are not there, by choice. How is one to handle such a situation? I thought these people where rock solid and loved me to the end but over and over again they are proving otherwise. You can only get knocked down so many times before you can no longer get back up. I've been getting up over and over again since I was a teenager and now I am a mother and it is getting more and more difficult to get up. I thought family was supposed to be there for you. I thought no matter what, we stick together. I thought love trumps all. I guess I was very very wrong.

L.O.V.E.

I've always enjoyed napping with my babies. 

This is quality quiet time that we can snuggle.

She knows her days are numbered before baby #5 comes to town so I think she treasures these times as much as I do.

Love nap time.

February 2013

We celebrate every Valentine's Day by doing something special for someone in the family everyday of the week.  Everyone gets a day to be the recipient of the special mementos.

For Valentine's Day morning I made heart shaped chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream and pink milk.

Each child got a special HEART shirt and hair-do and a box of chocolates from Mom and Dad.

Not a bad way to start the day.

Garrett surprised me with roses and a homemade steak dinner with all the trimmings. 

I surprised him with a weekend get-a-way to a hotel, dinner and a movie.

Tori hosted a  V-Day party for all of her friends. 

We decorated cookies, played games, made a craft and watched a Charlie Brown Valentine.

Happy Valentine's Day!

January 2013

"Is there anything in my teeth?"

 Benton loves taking his little sister for rides every afternoon. They cruise up and down our street until the battery dies.

 New Year's Eve at Grandma Hatch's house.

Malia, Alex and Ada

 Happy 5th Birthday to Benton.

He got his CARS cake and a Monster Truck...every boy's dream.

 Then pizza and basketball for the birthday boy.

 Cupcakes at school for the birthday boy and his class.

 Little sister (Ada) and big sister (Tori) out for a bike ride.

 HAPPY 100th DAY of School.

100 days smarter.

 Third trimester of pregnancy with baby #5...a BOY!

Christmas 2012

This year we spent Christmas at home and enjoyed a small and intimate celebration. I was sick for the entire week of Christmas and could hardly get out of bed but that didn't stop the baking and watching the kids enjoy their presents.  This year we bought the kids a Power Wheels Ford Truck. Benton and Ada ride this truck all morning long, until the battery dies then they go right back out once the battery is charged again. It is so cute watching them cruise around together. We also invested in a family basketball court. We are still waiting for the cement to be poured but that hasn't stopped the kids from going out and shooting hoops until the sun goes down.
For New Year's Eve we were joined by Greg and Jayden Hatch and also the Randall Hatch Family. We ate lots of yummy food and watched the Ball drop in NYC on TV and played games while the boys prepared their tackle boxes for the fishing trip they would be leaving for in the morning. We brought in the new year with sparkling cider and poppers for the kids.
The next week Christy and I wrangled 9 kids by ourselves while our husbands fished. We woke up one morning to snow! It was so exciting and we bundled up all the kids for a day of building snowmen, sledding, snowball fights, snow angels, hot chocolate and soup. The kids had a blast.
The men finally arrived home 2 days late because of the snow/driving conditions but they all brought home ice chests full of fresh fish.