Snow day after day, after day...

Snow Day #2.

What makes the snow day more significant is the fact that school was to begin yesterday after our two-week Christmas Break. (I can call it Christmas break instead of Holiday break because here in Arkansas we don't have to be so politically correct - you can call things exactly what they are without worrying about offending anyone - and people here are not so easily offended.)

Back to the snow day(s). I am allowing liberal use of the XBOX 360, the Wii, the playing of WOW, and the overconsumption of Top Ramen noodles. Will it earn me the Parent Of The Year award? No. Will it help keep the remaining marbles in my head from being completely lost? Perhaps.

When we lived in California, I had such a romantic view of the snow days that I saw on the news.
I envied those families, homebound, who were undoubtedly drinking cup after cup of creamy hot cocoa, snuggled up reading books, watching snow fall while sharing a togetherness that could only be achieved in a winter wonderland. I failed to see the piles of snowboots by every door, the wet socks, gloves, hats, mittens littering the house IN SPITE of the basket by the door labeled, "GLOVES & HATS". The parade of neighbor children in and out and out and in and then in and then out again. Hot chocolate splashed across the kitchen that I seem to clean about 10 times a day. . . good times.

Weather forecast for tomorrow? SNOW. Really. I've got to go now - WW3 has just broken out upstairs...

Alright. I know. It's been just about a year since this blog has been updated.
Why the neglect of this family record?
Why the failure to update our comings, goings, celebrations and milestones?
Because in 2009, 24 hours in a day was simply inadequate. If I had been able to
invent some way to function without sleep, perhaps I could have downloaded a picture or two, journaled about Evie learning to walk, Michael's graduation, Griff's baptism. So I approach 2010 penetantly, with hat in hand, asking for a chance to try again. To keep some sort of record of this hurricane, this whirlwind, this tornadic event that is otherwise known as, "MY LIFE."

Goodbye 2008!

For the Hatch family it was a year of ups, downs, storm, sun...you get the picture. We sent one daughter off to college and welcomed another into the world. We survived one tornado- (although much of our property did not). Michael totaled his Jeep, but John has added 2 more rusty, old...I mean CLASSIC Jeep Wagoneers to his current collection of 3. We celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary - and realized we won't be alone until our 38th!

Every day is another story of challenge, survival! and through it all, JOY. Yes, life is crazy. Yes - there is rarely a quiet moment; no - the laundry is never completely done; of course - there is too much to do and not enough time to do it all. And yet the constancy that remains is the underlying feeling of joy that through all the messes that life creates is the foundation of peace through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This peace allows us to face each day and say "Bring it On!" Because when all is said and done, all that matters is our Faith and our Family - and how blessed we are to have both.

Griff's First Grade Christmas Program

Makes me wonder what his future holds!

Holiday 2008

A Poem of Fabulosity

Oh, the FABULOSITY of my life!

See this happy, smiling face of a high-school sophomore

Who only two hours before called his mother from the school,

Informing her that he had to have an edible representation of a cell

- due by third period.

See the kitchen which is now covered with cake, frosting and chocolate pudding,

Which represents the nucleus - of course.

See the happy, happy mother.

The FABULOSITY of my life!

Okay - a little girl is a lot more fun to dress up on Halloween then boys who just want to wear black robes, carry huge, medieval-looking weapons, and of course, paint plenty of blood dripping down their faces. Evie was a sweet, little Woodland Sprite, with no black, blood or instrument of death to be seen.Connor got to spend a little time with Evie before we went to the 4th grade class party

where he gave a 20-minute presentation to the class with his Tarantula. Really.

(The whole family gets to participate when mom is the room parent!)

Evie channeling her inner and outer girl.

She loved being surrounded by flowers and tulle.

Thank heavens for little girls!