Ports Discovery Children's Museum

We had planned to take a three day vacation up to Phillie, but with Taryn breaking her arm and the other crazy events of the past two weeks we decided just to do a manageable day trip. Lately I've been hearing from everyone how great the Ports Discovery Children's Museum in Baltimore is for my age children, so we ventured up for the day. We forgot to stop for a picnic so we decided on a car picnic in the parking garage. Good times!

The center of the museum is like a fun land, with games, a gigantic play center like the ones at McDonald's. Not very educational, but definitely entertaining for Garrett.

We decided to move on to the next floor were the kids LOVES practicing their cowpoke skills. Garrett was focused on roping the calf. With a little help from Mom, he had some success!

Kendall decided to learn from the video instructions. She followed them step by step, she even decided to add in sound effects like yelling, "Yaw-yaw!" Her Grandpa would be proud.

Although she wasn't trying, in the end the only thing she caught was Garrett.

Poor Tary-taryz was either too little, too much of a nuisance, or her cast could get wet, so she was confined to basically two playrooms in the museum. But she did love the balls, and games that were made available to her.

Besides the Egyptian room, the Water Works was the only other fun educational center in the museum. Garrett spent over an hour playing with these pipes. There was a small amount of water pressure so you had to channel all the pipes so that the water would flow the direction you wanted it too.

He was soaking wet, but had a great time.

He was so proud of his Water Works project. Garrett is going to love Science Fairs. I don't know how much I'm going to love them?

Next, Keith and Garrett decided to build a house with the Lincoln Logs. Garrett was quite proud of his creation, but.....

Taryn didn't quite have as much respect for the masterpiece. She's a Lincoln Log house's worst natural disaster.

Garrett wasn't too sad because Dad taught him how to launch logs across the room by making a catapult. I'm sure the attendent was loving that.

This one's for you, sis!

The purpose of this blog is to make my little sister feel good about herself. She recently posted the cutest picture of herself 25 weeks pregnant. You could barely notice her bump, and her arms and legs look great. Yes, I'm jealous, but happy for my sister. She works hard to look so cute. We were talking about our past pregnancies and the 'Hatch sister" view on pregnancy.

Which is, we, the Hatch girls, like to think that it's in our genes to be big pregnant women. Not true but it makes me feel good when people ask if I'm having twins or due next week. Nice! Anyways, most of us gain around 60 to 80 pounds with every pregnancy. I try not to complain to much, except for to Keith, about the weight gain, because we, are at least I, have easy healthy pregnancy, and happy healthy babies. With so many of my dear friends either not able to get pregnant to experience this choice blessing, or friends that struggle with difficult pregnancies and babies with health issues, I've decided to just to be grateful for this life in me and look up Weight Watchers in November. Wish me luck on that adventure.

So there you have it.

I tried the cute, sexy pose you used, which made Naomi, our babysitter, laugh while taking the picture.

My little Hatch girl!

Everything about Kendall screams, "Hatch". I see her make the same funny faces and say and do crazy things my nieces all did. Lately she has been cracking Keith and I up with the funny stuff that comes out of her mouth.

Like when she refers to Garrett it is never just, "Garrett needs a cup, too" its, "My Garrett, needs a cup, too." or "My Garrett, took my toy rat away" and "I like my Garrett." Taryn also receives the affectionate title of "My Taryn" and Daddy is "My Daddy" I'm never "My Mommy" thought. Huh!

Last Halloween she took to liking the rubber rat that I place out for decorations. He has now become her pet. She feed him, pets him, sleeps him next to her dolls, and snuggles with him. Like Garrett she has a vivid imagination, which she often plays make believe with the thin air. I love to catch her talking to herself.

She LOVES Max and Ruby. Often she'll ask to go lay on my bed and watch Max and Ruby reruns over and over again. Thank heaven for TiVo!

She is also in the, "I do it myself" phase of childhood. Which I should be grateful for but everything takes twice as long and twice as messy when they do it by themselves. I remember Garrett going through this same phase.

Like her Aunt Vonda, she has nice skin and the ability to make wacky faces. I'll catcher her in front of the mirror making faces at herself. Maybe this is a sign of a good self image.

Like any good Hatch girl, she also loves to dance and sing with me in the kitchen while we make dinner. Bring on the funk!

The SURGE!

Two years ago, our wonderful home teacher gave us his youngest sons bike to give to Garrett for Christmas. "The Rhino Racer" has been a well used bike. Due to Garrett's constant growth spurts, this spring Keith and I noticed that Garrett's knees were by his ears while riding the 12' bike.

With a long summer ahead of us we decided for Family Home Evening, we'd go to Walmart to buy "The Surge". It's that a great name for a bike! Garrett was so excited that he rode it all over the store and gardening department, when we went to put it into the car to take it home he said, "I wish I was bigger, so that I could ride it home." So when we got to our neighborhood, Keith stopped to let Garrett ride the bike a block home.

Keith hates giving the kids a big present for no good reason, so we told Garrett that this was his present for completing the first year a school, not that he is going to get a presents after completing every year of school.
My biggest worry is him crashing on our steep driveway. You'd think I'd worry enough to put a helmet on him, but no.

We let Garrett ride up and down our cul-de-sac to practice on a somewhat flat surface. But that wasn't enough, Garrett wanted to race someone. Keith gave him a run for his money, but in the end Garrett was triumphant!

The first thing the next day, Garrett got dressed to go outside a ride. This bike is going to be a lifesaver for me this summer.

The bird's nests are gone!

When the bathroom started to stink, and not just because of the functions that are preformed in the bathroom, Keith agreed that something needed to be done about those birds. So he found a guy on Craigslist that cleans air ducts dryers. He said he could take care of the duct over our bathroom for $75.00. This poor guy had no idea what he was getting into. When he opened up the duct not one but five or six bird's nests dropped out of the vent, along with a trash bag full of unmentionables. Thank heavens, Kendall had a field on the day he did this so I wasn't in the house. GROSS!

Those stinking birds had poked holes in the vent with their beaks. Poor Eleio had to clean out all the yuck, then completely replace the vent, and the flap that goes outside so that they could get back in. It took him 6 hours.

But in those many hours Keith came to find out that Eleio was a handy guy. So he tried to make the day worth his while by having him do a few other things around the house that Keith was never going to get too. Our good friend, Eleio, ended up spending three days at our house fixing the gate downstairs, hanging the medicine cabinet, actually cleaning out the dryer duct (his real profession), hanging a blind, and best of all, he put on the knobs in our kitchen and bathrooms, that we have had for over a year but just never found the time to put on. This was a big win-win for Eleio and Keith, Eleio needed the work and Keith came out the hero for getting my wish list complete.

She's armed with a lethal weapon.

Once again Thursday morning poor Mike and Linda Warner had to listen to my tears and complaining. I felt bad bothering Mike who is now retired from the crying pregnant lady business but had to listen to one more in the McDonald's parking lot.

Linda and I were supposed to go visiting teaching but Taryn wake up with purple fat fingers, and I couldn't get into the Orthopedic Dr., that the emergency room suggested, so I meet Mike and Linda at McDonald's were they helped me rewrap Taryn's arm because it was too tight causing the fat purple fingers. They suggested another Dr. that I could get into and sent to home to chill out.

My wonderful husband stayed home to work so that he could take Taryn to the Dr. and help with the X-ray. By 3:00, Taryn came home with a pink club. For the next 24 hours the only person who has cried because of Taryn getting a cast on is Kendall. Taryn, who has no control over the new object attached to her keeps accidentally waking Kendall.

There's a first time for everything.

And here's how our first time at the emergency room went.....

It's around 5:30 p.m. on a Wednesday night, I just finished cooking dinner and most of the kids are at the bar eating dinner, except for Taryn, who likes to sit beside me on the sofa and play with my hair. I'm just sitting there relaxing and watching TV, when Taryn lost her balance and went head first off the sofa onto the rug. Yes, a big fat padded rug. She started to scream, so I picked her up to comfort her, thinking this was just a normal fall and bonk your head fall. But after about twenty minutes of screaming I was starting to question if she was okay. Her arm looked normal but I could tell she was holding it differently. I gave her some ibuprofen and decided to give her a bath to see if she'd feel better, but as she was trying to go up the stairs I noticed that she was putting any weight on her right arm and was once again crying.

By this time it was a little after 6:00, Keith was at leaving work on his way to a church meeting, but I still called him for support. He suggested calling Mike and Linda, our dear friends and constant lifesavers, to come over and look at her. So I said a little pray, and called Linda, who was just sitting down for dinner with her husband and sister before he had to leave for the same church meeting. But of course, they dropped everything to come right over and help me.

They looked at and said what I thought I'd have to do. The only way to know if something is wrong with it is to have it X-rayed. And the only place to have it X-rayed at this hour is at the emergency room. So as Mike put it just decided when you want to go to the emergency room and spend 4-5 hours and go. Because you could go now, or at 3:00a.m. when she wake up in pain and I'm worried to death, or in the morning when she's still holding her arm weird. Okay if you put it that way. I guess now is a good time.

Sweet Linda and her sister stayed to put my kids and off Taryn and I went to the hospital. Fortunately the emergency room wasn't busy when we first went in so we didn't wait in the waiting room but five minutes, BUT then when they got us settle in a room four ambulances came in. Wednesday was the last day of school so everyone was letting their kids stay up late and celebrate, which leads to accidents. And much more serious accidents then a hurt arm. Nice! But Taryn and I had our own room with a bed and TV, so we laid around and watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Ever thirty or forty minutes a nurse, Dr. or X-ray tech. would come in to poke at her arm to make her cry. Fun!

The saddest was trying to X-ray her arm. Because I'm pregnant I could hold her or ever be in the room. It took three nurses to hold her down while they took the pictures. Even more fun!

The conclusion was that she buckle fractures her wrist, so they splinted it, and sent us home with instructions to go see a Orthopedic Dr. the next day.

A $100.00 bucks and four hours later we arrived back home. Besides the pain to my sweet daughter, which wasn't the hospitals fault, it wasn't that bad of an experience.

A happy primary moment

So I know that this is cheesy, but I have decided to document all the little milestones of my kid's life on the blog, even primary talks. We have invested some in our week into learning it and Garrett, as always, was excited to give his talk, so here's the talk.

This is my cousin Josh. For the past two years I have been praying for Josh every night because he had brain cancer. I know that Heavenly Father answered my prayers and the prayers of our family because Josh feel better. I know that when we ask Heavenly Father in faith, He answers our prayers.

Enos prayed all day and night for forgiveness for his sins and to preserve the record of his people. Heavenly Father answered his prayers.

"Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it." Enos 1:15

I know that when we ask Heavenly Father in faith, He answers our prayers. I say these things.....

Garrett did a super job!

After Garrett gave his talk, I had two of my friends comment, how much he acts and is starting to look more like Keith. Lucky boy!

Late reminder of Mother's Day notes

The pandas are a work of art by Kendall at nursery for me.

This is the note that Garrett made me during Sunday School. I love the picture

This one is my favorite. Garrett's teacher at school asked him to write down all the things he likes to do with his mom.

For those of you who don't read Kindergarten it says, "I like to cook. I like to have family home evening with my mom. I like to snuggle."

One of these kids are not like the others?

Can you guess which one is Kendall?

There is really only one rule in the Preschool Beginners swim class, "Stay seated on the second step!"
Kendall can't seem to obey this rule, but neither could Garrett, so I don't know why expected any thing different from Kendall. They just get so excited to be in the pool they want their heads under water the whole time.

She's an excellent floater, even with her skinny little body.

Put them by them chothers!

This afternoon Kendall came into Keith and I to ask for help putting the candy in the Pez dispenser. I agreed to be a helper by holding open the dispenser while she placed that candies down inside.

While we were working together Kendall said, "I put them by them chothers!"

Each + other = chother

End of the Year County Fair Party

This was an end of the year party like no other party I had ever been to. This party was like a real County Fair. There was about ten booths with huge prizes at every one. I could tell that we were going to be going home with more candy then we do at Halloween.

They start off by autographing each other's t-shirts, which was quite the mess trying to make all their names fit into a 12 X 15 box provided. We are working with Kindergartners here, who write 2 inch letters. Anyways, they thought it was great and made for a cute keepsake.

Next they munched on a hot dog, chips and punch while a they enjoyed a clown show. Of course, Garrett found himself a spot next to his favorite friend Rachel. I did find out from Rachel's Mom and Dad the the feelings are mutual. She talks about Garrett just as much as Garrett talks about Rachel. They were really cute to watch. We hope to have more play dates with Rachel this summer.

Garrett and I were the first to try the "Bubble Thing". This amazing little stick with rope make HUGE bubbles just by running across the grass. Garrett and I had a blast playing with this thing. I'm defiantly buying one of these for Garrett Birthday party.

The competitive side of Garrett couldn't stop playing the Bean Bag Toss until he mastered throwing all six bag successfully into the holes. Good times!

After playing all the other nine booths, Garrett decided what he wanted the face painter to make him into......a dog. Cutest little dog I've seen all day.
What a fun end of the year party. I hope Garrett's expectations have not been set to high, because I doubt of he'll ever have a end of the year party quite this big.

One down and about four or five more to go...

Yesterday while we were getting our handsome little man ready for Kindergarten graduation, I was thinking about my own experiences with graduation.

I remember graduating from Kindergarten, in the old gym in Joseph City. Mary Law, the world's best Kindergarten teacher, had us act out The Billy Goats Gruff. We sang songs at Mary pounded on the piano, while leading the music with one finger. I remember the excitement and thrill of having all my family watch me. I don't know if I was shy or a Ham like suspect I was, but our little Garrett tends to get a little stage fright. He tends to stare blankly, whisper the words to the songs, which I know he knows the words too and only do a few actions. So, you can imagine my great surprise when at last night performance, Garrett actually sang most of the words to every song and do most of the actions. He even stopped to smile out at his Mom and Dad. I was so proud.

Now if we can make it through the next four or five graduations in Garrett's life.

Kendall enjoyed every minute of the music and dance.

Garrett was so excited to wear the cap and gown. He was a little nervous when his name was called to cross the stage and get his diploma and hug from the teacher. He just made a beeline across the stage grabbed the diploma, bypassed the hugs from the teacher and opportunity for Mom to get a photo, and he headed straight for the door. O-well! We'll practice that for the next graduation in Jr. High.

Handsome Garrett in his black suit!

I love my man.