Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve Day was a little hectic.  I will admit.  I hate it when this happens, but I didn't have enough time, with everyone being sick for four days, to get everything done!  I had Kelly making and taking our neighbor gifts, Kelly helping everyone finish their homemade gifts, and Kelly fanning me and popping grapes in my mouth... ha, just kidding about that last one, although she was my little rockstar through the whole week!!  I can't believe she didn't get sick, it's nothing short of a miracle, I don't know what I would have done without her!!  So anyway- we were a little frantic that day.  But we managed to squeeze in a "surprise" visit to Nate's work to talk to Santa.  For the last couple years we've not been sure we were going to go talk to Santa, so we've told the kids we can't.  Then when we decide to do it afterall, we surprise them with it on the way there.  So I think that they were expecting this kind of surprise this year when we told them that the FAA was cracking down on security and not letting kids in this year.  They really had decided not to do it until a few days before Christmas Eve, so we weren't lying.  We weren't sure it was going to fit into our schedule either, so we never did actually confirm it with the kids.  Needless to say, some of them were surprised when we told them where we were going, others were not so :).  It was still fun though.  I enjoy going to Nate's work and seeing the place.  It's fun to know where he's spending all of his time away from me :).  I got to see the cheap decorations his area had put up to make fun of the area across the hall.  Theirs were actually cute though :).  So anyway- the kids had fun talking to Santa.  He praised them and entertained them substantially :).  I loved watching Erika tell him her (very) rehearsed answer, "An American Girl doll and a horse to go with it".   And Noah's cute, "I don't know" when Santa asked him what he would do with a spy camera.  I got to take pictures of them talking to him this year- so that was new... guess I should get those on here.  

After that we hurried home to finish some things, ran to a store.  I grabbed the Semlor I made to surprise Nate, and we headed up to Grandpa's. The Semlor ended up being a little like casting pearls before swine.  Totally unappreciated.  I will have to make it again soon so that Nate can enjoy it without their uncultured comments.

I'm not really sure what happened this year, I thought I'd forgotten the camera, so no pics of the first part of the night.  Then I found my camera out in the car while getting a diaper!  So I brought it in, set it down and didn't even touch it until it was almost time to go... lame.

But it is what it is.  Here are the few pics I took of some of the people that were there :)

It was a little weird this year, to not have Brent and Sarah and their kids there.  Quiet. But I think we took care of the food they would have eaten... it was hard, but we did it.  There were shrimp leftovers though, that was a first :).  Just kidding, Brent :).  

We ate, talked, drove the kids nuts waiting to open presents... and then opened presents :)

Grandpa spoiled everyone pretty good this year!  

Jack got an airplane, truck and firetruck.  Erika got a Princess Anna plush and CDs for the gift Grandpa got all the girls- a karaoke machine! wahoo!  Noah got a snowcone machine with all the fixins.  Luke got the gift he'd been wanting most- a motor scooter!!  Bradley got a Snap Circuits kit.  Kelly got the Karaoke machine and some really pretty earrings.  Charity got an itunes gift card.  I got a new folding table and some really cool folding chairs that I've been wanting and Nate got....drum roll please.... Jazz tickets!!!!  Surprise surprise.  When you find a good gift, keep giving it... my dad's motto.  and he's right- you can't go wrong with Jazz tickets for Nate.

We got Grandpa some nuts this year- I don't think he likes honey roasted peanuts as much as cashews... darn it.

Then crocheted hats for everyone else.  Luckily I'd made one for Ashley because we ended up giving hers to Jauslin, Jauslin's to Steve, and Steve's to Dylan.  Kind of a bummer that I didn't just get the sizes right, but at least it worked out.  I wish Dawn had liked hers better too... oh well.  It's the thought that counts.  

So we overstayed our welcome and then loaded up the car and left.  I think it was only 10:00 when we walked out the door- which is pretty amazing for us.

We came home and threw on our new jammies- I was a slacker and didn't even wrap them this year- Kelly was the only one who expressed a disappointment with that feature.  She also wasn't in love with the long sleeves on hers... so we just cut them right off!  Over all, though, they all seemed pretty content with their new jammies!  That made me happy :)

And it was time to go to sleep so that Santa could come!! 

Columbia Elementary's Talent Show

Luke's class wasasked to perform a number in their school talent show as well.  This was a cute Japanese (Mrs. Beckstead served her mission in Japan, so she teaches the kids all kinds of Japanese culture and language, it's so fun!!) dance.  They all wore bathrobes and performed such a fun number.  Erika, Jack and I were so glad we were able to attend.  I just can't get over how much Luke loves performing in those things.  And with how nervous he gets :).   It's really adorable.  Erika, Jack and I attended this together and boy was it a crazy hour and a half!  The seats for parents were all taken within two seconds of walking in the room because of the previous show.  Kind of a drag, but after a little while we realized we could go sit on the floor behind the school kids- that was much more acceptable to Erika ;).  12-20-14

KJH Talent Show

Charity had a big cheering section at her Talent Show performances.  Grandma Hatch, Heidi, Nate, Erika, Jack and I were all there.  Rooting her on!  She was the best act of the whole thing by far!  It was so cool that MY daughter was such an amazing highlight of this assembly.  She was a star.  I was so proud of her and her courage.  We took lots of video at both performances.  We could tell she was more comfortable wih the second one, but she did so well both times.  It was a lot of fun to see the talents that were performed.  It was fun to know that Charity had been chosen out of so many singing numbers.  Just a fun, proud mom moment.  We went out to Wendy's to celebrate before rushing Charity back to school for third period :).  Good times.  12-18-14

NATCA Party

Nate's Union's Christmas Party was all about the kids this year!! (did you love my "All about the Base" reference :).  I don't know why but I love that song :) )

We got there and saw Santa, got in line to sit on his lap, then everyone started thinking and talking about how he's not the real Santa and they all chickened out!  So we ate instead.  Then while we were eating the kids noticed that when someone sat on Santa's lap they got to pick a prize out of the basket next to him, so guess who wanted to sit on his lap next!!!  You guessed it- all of them!!  (except Jack of course)

Kelly was our professional photographer

My kids will do anything for a cheap dollar store prize :)  haha.  Even sit on "Santa"'s lap!!  

After dinner and free prizes, we got to go out on the ice.  This place was really cool, I had never been there before.  It's a building called, NOAH'S, which is cool for obvious reasons, but they have all these rooms to rent for company parties and such.  There was a theater and kids room, and of course this awesome ice rink.  They had more than enough ice skates for everyone that you just grab out of a bin, and you're off!  It was so much fun!!  This was a first for all of our kids except Charity.  It was fun to watch them all experience it.

Erika was very brave and wanted to be skated around by Nate or I over and over again.  She had to take turns of course, but she got really good by the time we had to go.

Did my heart skip a beat when I saw these two hand in hand???  You bet it did!!  I love these sisters.  They were both really good!  I was impressed.  Probably all the roller blade practice.

awwww, my handsome man.  I love him :)

He's such a fun Dad.  I am so glad he caved and let us go to that party.  I know it's risky, mixing family and work, and especially with the experiences we've had in the past with work parties mostly involving drinking.  But he did!  I think he knows it was worth it :)

Bradley was really good at ice skating!  I was glad because the one time I tried to take him around I almost fell over!  That would have really hurt.... him!  He was pretty brave and got really good.  I think he was watching Noah :)

They didn't have skates small enough for Jack, but that didn't stop him from wanting to walk around on the ice- we did that lots.  He loved it!  And he loved the chips :)

Luke struggled a lot in the beginning and like with Bradley, I had a hard time taking him around.  He is getting too big.  But he stuck with it!  Didn't give up!  I think he even enjoyed it a little toward the end.  He got really good.

This is the only picture I got of Noah!  Yep, that's him, not even facing the camera- in the cammo coat.  He was amazing!!  I have to say he was the star skater that day- if I had to choose :)- He was so good!!  He was all over the ice!  Even skating into the splits!!  I think we need to get him into hockey asap!  The kid is a natural!  Those roller blades he bought himself last year have paid off!

Slowly the family scene started to end and it was opening up into the alcohol scene, so we made our exit.  I was glad they had something family-ish for us to enjoy.  Nate's going to be spending more time working with the union real soon here, so I'd like to at least enjoy some of the benefits :).  Good times.  And now we've been ice skating and know we can do it!!  Wahoo!  Rec Center here we come, I'm sure :)

Hatch Moving Day

I can't believe how quickly the Hatch's moving day came!  It was like one day we found out Brent had been accepted to PA school and then the next day they were packing up and leaving!!!  I can't help but be so excited for them.  It's really going to be such a great adventure.  I am almost a little jealous.  Not because I want to move, because I absolutely detest moving, but because I know they are going to have so much fun!  New sights, new scenery, it's like a big vacation.  I know it's going to be hard in some ways too and I'm almost a little jealous of that too.  When we moved out of state we grew so close to each other!  Made us stronger, I believe.  So anyway.  It's bittersweet.  I'm really going to miss them.  It feels a little like the last few years were years that we pushed each other away.  Not intentionally, but because of life and differences.  Makes me wish I'd made better use of the time.  I loved being with them when we were, I love their cute kids and their beautiful artistic talents.  I look up to Brent in so many ways.  It's fun to think about how much I idolized him when we were kids.  He really was IT.  He knew all, could do all, and really just paved the way for us younger kids.  I remember just being so proud of him.  Even hugging him in the halls in Jr. High :)  Although, that was probably more to embarrass him than anything- if I'm being completely honest... that's how I was.  Poor Brent.  I hope he knows how much I love him even though I am horrible at showing it.  I'm hoping I can show it over the long distances better than I have these last few years.  I do remember being pretty close when I lived in AK. We would talk on the phone for hours at night.  Especially when he was dating and thinking about marrying Sarah.  Those were memorable days.  They go down in the books of some of my favorite times with them.  I'll never for get, or stop missing the IMing days with Sarah.  She and I grew so close just through simple little messages.  It was so much fun to feel so close to the person my brother was dying to marry.  Made me feel like I was a part of it all even though I was thousands of miles away.  I always felt close to Sarah and no matter how seldom we saw them, it never felt like we'd missed a beat.  We could always talk.  I will miss that.  I will of course miss all their perfectly lit pictures at all the family gatherings to steal as well.  They are amazing.  I hope they can find lots of photography business in Paris, Tennessee.  

This is starting to sound like an obituary or something... basically, I hope they change their minds about Oregon and come back when PA school is over.    

At least we got to have some closure and helped them move :).  It was actually a lot of fun for some reason :).  I made friends with Sarah (Sarah's visiting teacher- same name), not that I'll ever see her again, but she was fun to hang out with for the day- and what an awesome visiting teacher!  She worked hard!!  I went down there around 7:30 and then Nate came with Jack and Erika around 9:00 once the kids had gone to school.  I still wish we'd switched the two so that he could help load the piano!!  Darn it.  I was helpful though, I can lift heavy stuff too ;).  It was nice to get to chat with them all a little too.  

As annoying as it was to have her taking pictures of everything- I was really grateful my mom shared them with me :).  Here are my favorites:

My brother is so cool- he created a little lego version of the truck and all the big furniture so that he could plan out exactly how to lay it all out and make it all fit in that size truck.  It was pretty sweet if you ask me- probably took a lot of work.  He's always been good at that stuff.

Makes me want to pack up all my stuff just so I can see my house clean again!

These pictures are out of order.  They were so brave to drive alone!  Very cool that they pulled that off.

There's something funny about seeing two kids do something to each other that you used to do to their dad :).  Stinky feet!!!

I'm going to miss these guys!!  Savannah too- wish I had a picture of her!

I'm trying not to cry again, but this is so sad!