honk if you love me

In Mexico there are obviously many differences.

The one I would like to elaborate on is the "door honk" as I call it.

Some people, especially those you don't know very well, will cautiously enter a yard, careful not to leave their vehicles and HONK to get you to open the door.

Or they will HONK until you open the door.

You then have to come to their car window to find out what they want, which isn't going to happen if I don't recognize your vehicle...or face!

We don't have drive-thru's but we have "door honks."

Those that do not own vehicles will yell, outside of your gate, until you figure out there is a commotion going on  and open the door.

Both these methods drive me NUTS!

I don't know about you but, I do not respond well to being HONKED or YELLED at.

I get enough of that with 4 kiddos.

If you want to talk to me, be hired by me, or collect money from me...

PLEASE...FOR THE LOVE...

come to my door and graciously KNOCK!

Chances are you will be greeted with a smile...instead of a scowl.

{starfish}

My kids LOVE the water.

The second the outside temperature reached 85 degrees, they jumped for the pool.

Trent now has a pool in his back yard so our kids need to learn how to swim.

2 of my 4 are waterproof. 

The Hatch cousins got lessons on how to dive...float like a starfish...and make the biggest splash.

Next time we are out in the states we will cover their basic strokes. 

I'm sorry, but the "doggie paddle" isn't considered swimming in my book!

I have sisters-in-law who can all swim well and one who is a  water-polo star.

We can out swim all of the Hatch men...easily!

Soon, our kids will be able to as well. HA.

It probably doesn't help that the water has to be in the 90's before any of these men will consider getting in.

It is officially swimming season!!!

Tangled

I took my girls to see Disney's latest movie.

Ever since we've been counting down the days to be able to own it.

I pre-ordered this movie.

It is easily my new favorite of all times!

Once the movie came out we made a special trip out to the states to get our mail.

(Not really but the kids think so.)

The movie gets watched at least once a day.

One day I found my frying pan on the couch.

Two seconds later Alex came running in, wearing this blonde wig.

She was all set to watch Tangled.

Now, this is the only way they will watch the movie.

They dance and act right along with Rapunzel.

sad...but true

Last week Garrett hired a man to work for him on his Mountain Orchard.

The man only worked for one week.

They next week he didn't show up for work.

He was missing...

so was his wife...

and baby.

A few days later 3 bodies were found on the side of the Mountain road.

It was this family.

They had been shot and dumped.

The baby had been dismembered. 

The Government Soldiers questioned Garrett's uncle as to how we knew this man.

He learned that he had a shady past and was trying to escape it.

The baby had been tortured by some bad men to try and get information from this man.

A family was destroyed because of 

greed

money

and drugs.

I am sad to say that we were connected to this story...even from afar.

My heart broke to hear this grizzly story.

You just cannot get mixed up with "those" people...AT ALL!

angels from above

This is still hard for me to write about. The feelings are still raw. I am emotionally drained.

I hope this NEVER happens to anyone.

I hope that you, too, have angels watching over you and your families also.

Whenever we get together with family there are a LOT of us.

It is usually chaotic and everyone is going everywhere 100 miles an hour.

Our morning started our early...and we were tired from staying up late the night before.

We had a graduation to attend for Berkley.

We all ate lunch at the Olive Garden.

Garrett and I loaded up our car and ran a few errands.

By this time we were all ready for naps and running on LOW.

I still needed to grocery shop so Garrett offered to take all the kids home to nap while I ran to the store.

That sounded good to me.

We pulled up to the house and everyone got out.

At the last minute I offered to keep the baby so he could rest.

I assured Garrett that it was fine so he headed in the house with the other three kids.

Once I reached Albertsons I had to search for a good parking place.

The guy next to me parked crooked so I squeezed out of my door and headed into the crowded store.

It was record highs...middle of the afternoon...and BUSY!

I grabbed my cart, my mile- long- list and my newly acquired stack of coupons.

I was set.

My mind was set on what I needed...what was on sale...what coupons I held in my hands...

My cell phone rang. It was Christy.

She was going to meet up with me so we could shop together.

Once she arrived we chatted and shopped around for awhile until she realized that she forgot to pick up Malia.

She high-tailed it out of the store and I continued on my way down the aisles of food.

All of a sudden I got a sharp pain in my chest and I realized my milk was coming in.

It was time to feed the baby.

THE

BABY!

The blood drained from my face.

I dropped my list...purse...left my cart...and

SPRINTED

out to the car.

My heart was racing.

I was praying...holding back the tears...hoping I wouldn't find my baby laying still in her car seat.

Once I reached the car I could hear a faint, weak cry.

My heart broke and yet I rejoiced at the same time.

She was still ALIVE.

I undid her car seat as fast as humanly possible and rushed back into the cool...air conditioned store.

She was red...her body was saturated in sweat.

I collapsed in the nearest chair...ripped open my shirt, so she could nurse and rehydrate...

and I WEPT!

I cried...and cried...

how could I be so irresponsible??

How could I be so blessed??

The day could have ended so much worse.

I thanked my Heavenly Father that she was okay.

I recommitted to protect my beautiful children to the very BEST of my ability

and not let the everyday nuisances get in the way.

Every time I hold her I have a new appreciation for her.
Her every sound...and smile.

I know angels were watching over her.

Trouble

Being 3 is rough. 

Benton had an especially rough night.

We had a lot of family in town and there was a lot of action going on 24/7.

Benton was wrestling with his older cousin on the bed and fell into the corner of a dresser, giving him a split open and black eye. 

Then he slammed his fingers in the door.

Later on that night I ran my girls home to get their PJ's on so the could have a sleepover at Grandmas. 

I left Garrett at Grandma's with the baby and Benton. 

Everyone was visiting in the front room while I ran home.

Benton came up to his dad and asked where Mommy went. 

Garrett said, "She went home."

Pretty soon he disappeared...meanwhile, I get a knock at the door.

I open the front door to find my crying, 3 year old!

It was 8:30pm and he had walked home...ALONE...in the DARK!

Two seconds later Garrett and Randall came sprinting into our yard....
Grandpa was searching his yard with a flashlight...
and

Travis (who was sick) went driving around in his van.

Everyone had divided and was searching for Benton.

I am glad to say he only went missing for a minute before the adults realized he was gone. 

He safely made it home...but so many things could have happened to him on his little walk home.

Needless to say, we had a nice LONG talk about NOT walking home alone...especially in the DARK!

great scott

We found the most beautiful, blue Great Dane on our doorstep one day.

We looked for the owner with no luck.

We took this dog in as our own.

She was magnificent with our kids.

She was loyal and protective.

She wouldn't let strangers into our yard.

The time came for her to be breed-ed with so we found another blue Great Dane to mate with.

She was one week away from having puppies...

then someone stole her!

We thought she'd gone away to have her puppies.

Weeks went by...no dog.

No puppies.

Two months later one of our friends heard that some Great Dane puppies were for sale.

She found out they were the same age as our puppies would have been, and they were all BLUE.

The mother was "conveniently" being held at a different location.

No one would let the mother be seen, even if a puppy was being sold.

I know that is our dog!

We fed her...loved her...someone else took her to profit from her puppies.

Garrett is convinced that she will be dumped again once the puppies are sold.

Not many people can afford to feed such a HUGE dog.

I am sure they waited for her to get pregnant...they watched her...they timed it perfectly.

Then they came and took their dog back.

That is one theory.

Most people are afraid to approach such an intimidating dog...unless they knew her.

We are heart broken...and they just want her for the $$.

We hope our dog comes back to us.