The Year in Review

Year in Review (Borrowed from Rachel's blog... thanks for the idea)

January
1. How did you bring in the New Years? We played games at Judd and Amy Brooks' house.

2. Was there a lot of snow? I don't think so!

3. What is the geekiest part of your music collection?Hmmm... I would probably have to go with my collection of 1940's swing. I think other people would classify it as geeky but I love it!

February
1. How did you spend Valentine's Day?We just went to Judd and Amy's to let all the kids exchange Valentine's with each other. Nothing very exciting since I had foot surgery the next day.

2. Did you get any gifts for Valentine's Day?I'm sure I got something. My husband is so good at that but I can't remember what exactly.

3. Did you see the a Groundhog?Nope. I get too busy to pay attention to things like that!

4. What do you eat when you raid the fridge late at night?I usually want sweets but their not usually in the fridge... I'm more of a cookies, brownies, chocolate kind of girl!

5. What is your secret guaranteed weeping movie?Hmm... I would probably have to go with the Notebook.

March

1. How was your St. Patty's day?Good question. I'm sure I remembered to wear green because I'm pretty good about that.

2. Any roadtrips this year so far?No, I'm quite certain there weren't!

3. If you could have plastic surgery, what would you have done?Breast lift/reduction surgery.

4. Do you have a completely irrational fear?I am terrified to heights, snakes, and mice. My husband classes all those as irrational.

April
1. Favorite thing that happened this month.Jerob came home from his mission and I got to go to Billings for my Grandpa's 75th birthday.

2. What are your feelings on the rain?I love it. I miss the crazy rainstorms from my mission.

3. What is the little physical habit that gives away your insecuremoment? I think I bite my lip and have problems making eye contact.

4. Are you a pyromaniac?Not even close.

May
1. Did anyone send you flowers this month?No.

2. Do you have too many love interests?Nope. Adam is enough for me!

3. Do you know anyone famous? No way!

4. Most eventful thing that happened. My birthday and Mother's Day. I got a Wii!

June
1. Have you seen any concerts yet this year?Nope - Adam is the concert goer in our family, unless the youth symphony counts, then yes.

2. About how many movies would you say you've seen so far this year? A lot. We love Netflix.

3. Describe your bed:Amazingly comfortable, a blue and white quilt & shams, and now a beautiful log headboard/footboard.

4. Spontaneous or planned? Such a planner!

5. Favorite item to snack on from a gas station.White cheddar popcorn.

July

1. How was your 4th of July?So fun! We went to Choteau like always. The entire Hatch clan was together for the first time in forever. Adam, Carson and Jerob entered the wild cow milking at the rodeo. It was absolutely hilarious. They got the rankest cow in the bunch. She even bloodied the nose of the guy trying to help them get the halter on her!

2. Would you say July was the hottest month?No.

3. What is a weekly ritual that you kept all year long so far?Going to my mother-in-law's house every Sunday. I can't remember last time we missed!

4. Who should play you in a movie about your life?I have no idea... Nothing in my life would be that exciting to make a movie about!

August
1. Have you gone swimming yet this year?Oh yes! Although not as much as the year before due to the cooler weather and my beached whaleness (pregnancy).

2. Any near death experiences?No.... I think that's why I'm married to the man who's had far too many...

3. Any traumatic events so far?My sweet little boy's birth and all the hullbaloo that went with it!

4. What do you carry with you at all times? A diaper bag.

5. What do you miss most about being little?The absolute magic of Christmas. It's just not as fun to be the adult!

6. Are you happy with your given name?Yes, I like Melissa, even though those who know me best don't call me that!

September
1. Have you won any prizes so far?No.

2. Did you get any injuries this month?Nothing other than the usual bumps and bruises!

3. How much money would it take to get you to give up the Internet. I would say a lot but I don't know. I don't use it all that much except for blogging, emailing, finding recipes, and now Facebook.

4. What color is your bedroom?Oh so white.

5. What was the last song you were listening to? Jonah was a prophet - from the Veggie Tales movie that my kids are watching!

October
1. What were you for Halloween?A big fat mama. If I'd been more daring, I'd have painted a Jack O' Lantern on my big belly but I was far too miserable by that point!

2. Did you eat any candy?Absolutely!

3. Most expensive purchase this month.Do groceries count?

4. Have you ever been in a play?Only when I was little in a roadshow at church!

November
1. Has it snowed yet?I'm sure.

2. What did you do for Thanksgiving?We hung out at Adam's mom's house so he and Skinny could work on the remodeling while she was in Arizona.

3. Did you gain any weight?Probably!

4. Any regrets this month?Nope.

5. Favorite highlight of November.Sarah being born!!!

6. Do you talk a lot?I've been known to!

December
1. How was the snow?Tons and tons of it in a very short time!

2. How many Christmases did you attend?Technically two.... one a few days before in Billings with my fam and then the big day with Adam's fam in Fairfield.

3. Favorite Christmas gift.My new log bed that my amazing husband made!!

4. Did you sing Christmas Carols?Not as many as I'd have liked!

5. Did you see any old friends who were home for the holiday?No... but I saw some before the holidays!

6. How many Christmas parties did you attend?The one at church... we are so boring sometimes....

7. Do you like yourself and believe in yourself?I do, amazingly enough!

8. Do you consider yourself to be a nice person?I think so!

9. Do you spend more time with your girlfriend/boyfriend or yourbest friend? My husband is all of the above... I'm so lucky!

10. What is your ideal marriage location?Billings Montana Temple.

11. Which musical instrument do you wish you could play?Someday I want to learn to play acoustic guitar.

12. Something you love and hate?I LOVE to cook but hate to do dishes. How's that for a paradox?!

13. What are some things people would never know about you?That is such a good question... I don't know.... Anybody have any ideas?

14. Do you drive stick? or drive at all?I can drive stick... Though I'm sure there are those who wondered if I'd ever learn!

15. What's one trait you hate in a person?I have a difficult time with snobby people.

16. What are your current hobbies that you tend to obsess over?Quilting!!!

17. Who are your top 5 favorite family members, and why?My kids, husband, and probably a tie between my mom and sister Nicole.

18. Do you have any weird habits?I tend to count things when I'm bored.... why, I don't know, I just do!

19. Who are your top 5 favorite buddies and why? I don't really have a lot of "buddies" at this point in my life although I do enjoy spending time with LaNeige, Teri N., Crystal, Carrie and my mom in law.

20. Who will write back to this?It doesn't matter... but let me know if you do this too!

Life...

So life around the Hatch house has not been incredibly exciting lately. Porter has managed to be sick almost constantly since before Christmas. First he had flu-like symptoms off and on for about 2 1/2 weeks now he has a croupy cough and spiking fever. I'm not feeling sorry for myself. I just wonder about all the old ladies at church who admire my children and tell me to enjoy every minute. Did they really enjoy the sick days and cleaning up the mess that comes with them, including all the laundry?! I doubt it but maybe they're further along the path to perfection than I am. =o) In spite of everything, I have managed to stay enough on top of things that I found time to start working on a quilt a few afternoons. It is a denim/flannel rag quilt. It's the first one I'm actually making just for myself. It will be so fun when it's done! Oh it makes my heart so happy to create!

Funny Paige

Paige is funny. My sis-in-law Carrie says that every family needs a three year old just because of the funny things they say and do. Here are a couple of gems from the last few weeks:

Just after Christmas I was wrapping two more Christmas presents for our nephews that would be coming to visit over New Year's/be here for the baby blessing. Paige is in the "why?" stage. (You know, the one where they ask "why?" after EVERYTHING you say!! By the way, I asked Adam the other day if he thought it was possible for someone to go crazy by being asked "why?" all the time and he said it must be because he'd seen it happen to his wife!) Okay, so back to my story.... I was wrapping Tanner and Connor's presents and Paige wanted to know who they were for so I explained that they were for her cousins, Tanner and Connor. She wanted to know where they live so I explained that they live with Uncle Mike and Aunt Jodie in Washington. She said "Oh, yeah..." then continued helping me with the presents. A little later in the day she was looking at the family picture of Uncle Mike and Aunt Jodie and boys and she asked me who all those people were so I explained again. She wanted to know where JC, Jordan, Tanner and Connor live AGAIN, so I said "With Uncle Mike and Aunt Jodie!!" She sighed and said "Oh yeah.... in Washing Machine...."

A few days ago I was doing something with baby Sarah. She has been slightly congested so the bulb syringe (booger sucker) has been getting a fair amount of use at our house. Paige saw me with it and asked "Mom, what are you doing with Sarah's booginator??"

The Amish Front Flip

Anyone who knows the Hatch boys knows about the crazy ideas they come up with. With all the snow we've had, they've had to use the tractor to plow out the place a few times. Jerob used the tractor to make a ramp and asked Adam to pull him with a horse with he snowboarded. They christened it the Amish Front Flip.

Sarah's Blessing

Here is sweet baby Sarah in her blessing dress.

We really filled up the chapel for Sarah's blessing! Adam's mom along with all his brothers and sisters with their kids (there are seven kids in his family) except is brother Carson were there plus my mom and dad and Andrew, Chad & Fam, and Nicole and fam. It was somewhere around 40 people!

Jordyn (Chad and Shawnna's little girl )loves climbing in cupboards. It didn't take her long to find mine!

Jordyn found this in the cupboard she was climbing and played Peek-a-Boo with it!

(Please excuse the picture orientation... I got a new camera and haven't completely figured everything out yet!!)

Christmas Morning

Porter got outfitted like a true cowboy. Note the boots and rifle. He also got a hat and a real rope. He will wear no other shoes and wants his "wope" everywhere he goes!
This pistol came with his stocking. He was so excited he didn't care that it was still in the box!

Paige loves to be a princess. I don't even bother to get her dressed first thing in the morning anymore. She also prefers to be called "Sleeping Beauty" over Paige.

Porter is starting his Jedi training early.

(Does anyone think Adam is living vicariously through his son? Just wondering...)

Christmas with the Oblanders

We celebrated with my fam the weekend before Christmas so we had a big dinner for "Faux Ho-Ho" and opened gifts. (A big thanks to Rachel for the term "Faux Ho-Ho... so creative!)

Here are all the Oblander grandkids in front of the Christmas tree at my mom and dad's house. (Note how severly outnumbered Porter is - poor kid!)

Porter is actually wearing three shirts in this picture because he had to put on the ones he got for Christmas!

Paige had a major meltdown when Uncle Chad didn't hand her the exact present she wanted first.
She recovered pretty quickly once she got into the swing of things!

I don't think Haleigh liked her dress-up, do you?

Random Christmas Pictures

Here is Paige holding Sarah in her super cute pink and brown stuff! (Thanks for Grandma Jo Bean for the clothes and Aunt Shawnna for making the headband!!)
Jingle Bell ornaments make the cutest earrings, don't you think?

Adam cut down mini Christmas trees for Paige and Porter to decorate in the hopes that they would leave the big tree alone. Here they are after decorating them. (It didn't really work by the way. I had a lot of ornaments brought to me - "Mom, this ornament fell off the tree!")

Facebook miracles!

I'm the first to admit that I'm a bit behind the times these days. I'm too busy taking care of kids all the time to be up on the latest stuff. My sister-in-law Crystal taught me how to use Facebook on Sunday and I've now found two dear long lost friends. I'm SO excited. It's really a post-Christmas miracle for me. Hooray for new technology!!!!!

Sarah's "First" Bath

So I forgot to take pictures of my Sarah's real first bath so I decided that I'd better take some pictures of another bath just so we'd have some sort of record. (Oh the poor neglected 3rd child!)