Puppy madness!

This is Chuck!  He was Danny's birthday present this year.  Yes, he is cute and yes, we love him BUT... he is maddening.  I have loved animals for as long as I can remember.  I have sometimes felt closer to animals than people.  And in all honesty the only issue with this dog is that he's a PUPPY.  He will get older, he will be better, and he will be my love muffin, just like Bones is now.

  I just have to make it to that point!  I have learned, in my life with animals, that perseverance and patients will win out.  Unfortunately the same doesn't apply for kids.  LOL  I think I could wait my whole life and my kids would still be trying me in every way!  The difference between them and the dog...I have always loved them unconditionally.  The dog I have learned to love and I still love my kids more!  :)

  So until the barking lessens, and the understanding grows, I will perverse and keep you undated!

P.S.  Danny does a great job taking care of him.  I 'm not left to do it all!

Growing Family

  No, the title does not mean we are having another Hatcher.  Ha!  It just means the ones we have are really growing up.  I have to admit that it's hard not looking around and seeing a baby crawling around or picking a little one up to cuddle, but those days were hard too.  The whole baby thing is an internal struggle I have.  I think no matter when I would start transitioning into this "no baby" phase it will be difficult.  I love the freedom I have to go to the store or gym with no meltdowns.  They are all in school at least three days a week and they LOVE it!  Sometimes I just wonder, "Where does that leave me?".  I'm wanted still, just in different ways.  Instead of all night feedings or diaper changes, they need encouragement with their homework or one on one time with me.  To be reminded that I still love and see them.  Then they know they are unique and not just "one of my boys".  The thing that makes it all hard is that it's not as often.  As a mom you get use to the first years of life and they NEED you for so, so much.  Then they become more independent  like you want, but then you feel a little less needed.  Then you have to go back to discovering more about yourself again.  Remember what you like to do?  Me either!  It sounds fun to try and rediscover all of that, but it's not really.  

  Why?  You ask.  Because it has to be something that you can do and still be mom.  It's a delicate balance of what I love and want and, being there when the kids need you.  So a full time job is not ideal.  One, I don't need to work, and two, I like being available for the kids.  Sewing has never been my thing.  I can do it and I will sometimes, but it's not the thing that gets me excited.  I have some friends that it does and that's so awesome!  I am in the process of (attempting) to write a book.  I constantly have stories and ideas running through my mind.  Putting them on paper helps the back log!  LOL  I'm in a transition and I'm trying to figure out what works for me.  

   As for the boys they are growing like mad!  Isaak is in cub scouts now and loves every minute of it.  We were convinced he would hate it, since he's always had issues with "the outdoor world"  as he's called it for years.  But he can't get enough.

  Brett is in the 1st grade and really excelling.  He's a bright kid that loves to draw and color.  He is my big helper.

  Jack is still a pill!  Always trying to make everyone laugh or having a meltdown, there is no in-between.  Being in preschool is the best thing about his day.  He adores being like his brothers and going to school!

Fast Photos

I am always thinking of this blog.  I think about the things I can put on it and say.  But then, like us all, life happens and other things take priority.  Here is a fast photo update of the happenings in our lives lately.

While Danny was out of town in Miami for work I decided to cut the grass, and burned my hand in the process. It is the worst pain I've ever had!

Danny and I got to tour the ATL aquarium at night while at Dragon Con.

While at the aquarium my favorite thing was the frog exhibit.  These looked fake to me!  But I love them!

The same day I burned my hand I also cut the snot out my finger...yes on the same hand!

Jack wanted to have his Da-da cut one strip out of his hair...he thought it was hilarious.

I put this picture in because Isaak is so long and skinny!  Just looking at his body is crazy.

Brett and Isaak are always taking pictures of themselves with Isaak's iPod.  We have "the cloud" that syncs all our devices so I'll go looking through them sometimes and find photos like this.  Makes me laugh!

Here is one of the nutty ones I found of Isaak.

And we can't forget that Jack started preschool this year!  He loves it and is excited to go each day I take him.  He gets out of the car on his own and walks into his classroom!  I am so proud of him and sad at the same time.

The last days of summer

I know I have been completely horrible at keeping up with my blog!  But I haven't been a total slacker.  We have been doing some great things since we've been here in GA.  Oh, goodness where do I start?  You all know that we love our neighborhood pool so I don't have to talk about that.  But one of the bad sides of the pool is that Jack loves it too much.  I'll explain.  When Jack was 1yr he had tubes put in his ears...no big deal.  Kids have that done everyday!  What I didn't know is how lucky we are...we should play the lottery!  LOL!  Apparently there is a 1% chance that when your child's tube falls out it will leave a permanent hole in the eardrum. Guess who that luck 1% percent was?  Jack's right ear!  So from about 2-3years old we tried to watch his ear and see if it would heal on it's own. No such luck.  So last year in VA, Jack had a procedure done to take fat from him earlobe and put it in the hole in his eardrum.  Then some mesh was placed over that, in the hopes that his ear would finally be able to heal.  And it worked!  Almost completely.  A small slit was left and hasn't healed up and we don't know if it will.  So he still has to be treated like he has a tube in his ear.  What does this have to do with the pool?  Well guess who loves to swim and gets swimmer's ear and horrible, painful ear infections?  We have decided to invest in a real ear plug you get from the ENT.  Since they won't do the next procedure until he's 8yr I want one.  I'm not doing this ear thing for 4 more years!  So that's one thing we've been doing.

 The more fun things?  Well, they would include going to see friends in Athens and visiting the art museum!  The boys really loved it...and so did I!  The things I love and want to do are very, very different from that of my boys, and Danny.  So I don't get to do them often.  Art is one of my great loves.  And not just photography.  I have enjoyed drawing and painting for most of my life!  I could have stayed at the museum all day looking at each piece of art.

  This week will be the most fun!  Our friend Kristen from VA (who now lives in Idaho) is coming to visit tomorrow!  She will be here until Sunday and we are so happy to have her come!  While she's here my girlfriend Alicia will be staying very shortly.  She has a plane to catch on Saturday morning. So she's going to stay Friday evening and I'll take her in the morning to the airport.  Then that same day we are taking the boys Lego-land in downtown ATL.  No it's not just a Lego store it is a huge place the boys can place and do all kinds of fun stuff with legos!  All kinds and sizes of legos!  We are really excited!

  Thursday we have open-house for the boys at their school!  We'll get to meet teachers and see classrooms!  The first day of school is always the hardest for me.  I want them to enjoy it and make new friends! 

  So for now that's all I've got!  I have been working like mad on Danny's family history and I'm loving it!  The part I'm not going to love it plugging all the info into New Family Search to get the work done!  But that's another day and we'll deal with that later!  Love to all from the Hatcher Hunks!

Simmering Summer

I say simmering cause that's how I feel when I have to go outside for more than a minute!  But I have to admit...we have fallen in love with GA!  The funny thing is that we have avoided moving here, like the plague.  Danny had taken a, "Leave and never look back!" approach to moving when he left GA for college.  He loves his friends and family but had a personal reason for never looking back.  Me...I was raised in AL and it was traitorous to move to any other Southern state and love it.  LOL  But really, my thoughts were, ATL basically takes up the whole state and it didn't seem like a "family" kind of place.  So we both too a leap of faith moving here last month.  And it paid off!  Our time here has been so great and living so close to friends and family has given us the boost we need.

  Even though the time we have been here has been filled with Dr. Appt. and paperwork, we have loved it.  Our neighborhood has a pool, something new for us, and the boys and I are there regularly!  The boys are getting ready to start back to school and Jack is going to pre-school this year!  We are all really excited about that!  Think of it...I will get to workout and shop without any kids.  It will get done in a reasonable amount of time and I might actually not have a headache by the end of the store trip!  Also, I might actually get home with the things on my list instead of giving up and telling myself we can live without that...right?

  So all in all the move went well and our time here has been great.  We hope are feet our planted here now, but time will tell.  As for moving, I hope I never have to again, but I've learned swimming against the current is harder than just doing what you should.

Georgia peaches

  Since moving to our new home in GA I have yet to have a peach.  I know, crazy!  As everyone who really knows me, knows I despise cooked fruit.  I think it should be outlawed but that's a whole other post.  But fresh peaches are so yummy and Georgia is suppose to have the best!  I look forward to getting some.

  In other updates Isaak turned 8yrs and we all headed off to AL to celebrate with my family!  Being closer is so nice and it was the first time I've seen all my family together in a while.  I loved spending time with them all.  

  I thought I would jot down the things that the boys love about our new place.  Family being closer is the number one thing.  Isaak, loves the wifi throughout the house.  Brett loves the pool in our neighborhood, and Jack adores the fact that we have a bathtub again!  We have been without one for a year and they are his favorite.  Showers just don't seem to be as great as a bath for him.  Danny loves his commute now that it takes him 10min one way to or from work!  I love our neighborhood and all the cool things to do here!  And the extra space in the house is nice!  

  I know this blog isn't very long but I hate that I haven't been posting as much as I'd like to.

 Where we spend most of our time during the summer!

 Both ends are only 3ft and the middle section is only 5ft.

 Jack loves that he can swim anywhere in the pool!

 This is the house we are in

I love my kitchen.  So nice to cook meals again.

Best laid plans!

I know, it has been too long. But I have no internet at home and only have my iPad to keep up with the world and pay bills. So since this is the boys last week of school and we head out on Friday to start house hunting I thought I should at leas post a little update. Since my last post Danny and Jack have had a birthday. Jack is now 4yr and couldn't be happier about it. He informed me that now he has four year old everything...even four year old blood! Too cute! Just so anyone who wants to know, knows...this is our plan. We are spending all of Friday driving and stopping for the night in Chattanooga to stay with Lacy. We will then get up early that Saturday and finish the drive to Ragland. If not Lacy will take the boys...I'm not sure on all that right now. Then Danny and I will hurry to Alpharetta, to start house hunting. We hope it won't take til Monday to find one but if it does we have the time. WE will then leave our van in GA, and fly to VA to pack a truck. I will spend the rest of next week, packing boxes and cleaning some. On the 29th we will load up the truck and pull out on the 30th. I will have the civic that I will drive and Danny will be in the truck. It should take a hole day and depending on what day we can actually move in we will either drive to Ragland or Alpharetta! The boys will be in Ragland this whole time, hopefully, getting put to work and taking care of Bones our dog! I can't say how excited I am at the idea of getting to settle down finally in one place. Getting to raise the boys in one place and in the same ward and all. It has been frustrating for us all and had never planned to move so much. But you do what you gotta do to get where you want to be. :)

Lacy's Laugh

  My sister Lacy has the best laugh in the whole world.  For as long as I can remember I have loved hearing her when she's tickled about something.  She is just always an upbeat person.  Even though she loved to jump out and scare me beyond belief...I loved that she would laugh so hard tears would be coming down her face.

  She also laughs in not so appropriate times.  Like when she's done something wrong or is getting in trouble.  She use to spill a glass of milk and Dad would be so upset, but all she could do was laugh.  I'll never forget trying to teach her how to drive a stick, or Sara being in the passenger seat on the way to school.  Sara would tell her she was about to hit a all kinds of stuff and she would just laugh so hard.  It made us all crazy but looking back it's a great thing.

 So why all the memories?  Well, I was lucky enough to have a little Lacy (in the form of Brett).  She looks like him, she smiles, like him and he laughs like Lacy!  From the time he was little I always felt like I had her kid.  He is so much like her and I realized it's just a tender mercy of Heavenly Father to me.  I needed a "Lacy" in my life.  And Brett is the closest thing I have around me all the time.  He wants to be home with me more than he wants to be anywhere else.  He'll go shopping with me just cause that means we can be together!  And when he gets in trouble or does something wrong he starts to laugh!  The best part is he loves his Aunt Lacy!  He is a sweet, kind, tenderhearted person and it makes me think of my amazing sister everyday!  I love you both!

Things happen

  With Isaak in school all day and Brett in school a half day I spend a lot of time with Jack...and Brett.  In the mornings before Brett gets home Jack and I hit the gym or the laundry mat.  On other days we get things clean at home before picking up Brett from the bus.  After Brett gets home we can go run errands before Isaak gets off the bus.  Well, the other day the boys snuck my phone and started taking random pictures of items on the shelf.  It was funny to see what they see in the store.  But I mostly just needed to post some photos that I haven't gotten off my phone yet.

 Our new Chick fil A has a cool Moss Cow that the boys love.  They are also in love with Miss Wanda.  She's the sweet lady that cleans up the tables, asks if you need refills, and get the kids their ice cream.

 I just love it when they are all happy and getting along.  That hasn't been that often the older they get.  Makes for a great day when they are like this!

 Oh, Brett and his kissy faces lately.  He has a little "girl friend" at school and he told me his kissed her on the hand one day.  He also told her one day when she was getting off the bus that she was as cute as her new dog.  I laughed!

Jack is huge into Dinosaurs right now.  This is his T-rex pose.

Most of you know Isaak is not a fan of the camera.  I didn't leave him out I just didn't have any new photos of him.

The crud!

 Of course, warm winter or not, we all catch the crud!  We have honestly been lucky enough to hold it off this long.  I have had it for over two weeks now and today feel like I might actually get over it!! Yay!  Isaak and Brett are just now beginning to get it and I think Danny is closely following.  So, boo, on that, but I'm glad I'm getting better!

  As most of you know we will be moving back down south this summer.  Danny's job allows him to transfer, so we are taking the opportunity to live near family!  The ball has just started rolling on the whole process, but it's going well as of yet.  I'm also excited that this is going to be where we will settle down.  The kids and I have struggled with all the moving and school changes and are looking forward to some stability in those areas of life!  But, the point of that info is to tell you what we want to do before we leave here.  We live in the DC area and other than the price tag this place is really great!  All the things to see are free and that is so awesome when you have three kids that love new things(gotta change things up a lot).  Since, we have done the downtown area we want to branch out and see other historical cities.  We are headed to Colonial Williamsburg for Spring Break!  I'm so excited.  I adore American history and can't soak up enough.  Jamestown is only a few minutes away so we are visiting there as well.

  The one place I may not make it to see is Mt. Vernon.  :(  I have wanted to see that house since I read 1776.  The book was great and in it, it tells of the effort George Washington put into every detail of his home.  When he wasn't winning wars and such he was completely dedicated to that house!  I hope something changes and I can go see it before June.  If not it will still be on my bucket list.

Mt. Vernon...then.....

and now!

Mom, Mom, Mom....Mom

  Oh, how I understand why my mother wanted to change her name!  Most moms know that they have to take my title and multiply that times however many kids they have and that's close to how often they hear that everyday.  The sad/crazy thing about it is that other people around me notice them calling my name now more than I do.  LOL!

I have to admit this is how I still see them!  All little and cute and smooshy!

  OK, now the complaining is done!  I love hearing them call me.  Why?  Cause that means they still need me.  Or they want to show me something fun.  It also shows me that it means a lot to them that I pay attention to something they do.  For instance, right now, Jack is calling me so that I will watch him dance every time he wins his game!  Those things make me smile.  It's a sweet reminder of why being their mom is so great!

  For all the extreme lows and frustration there are equally as high happy awesome moments in motherhood.  Three little letters spell mom, but it doesn't begin to explain all that we feel and do for our kids.  To all the other moms I know and to my own mom..."You are awesome!"  to say the least!

This is my mom and Lacy!  One of my favorite pictures of her!

Life with Jack

As a mother I love all my children.  I wouldn't bat and eye before I would jump in front of anything that would hurt my kids!  There have been times I have literally felt like I've had the strength of ten men (lumber jacks) when my kids were lost or threatened.

  Having said that I have to speak of Jack and his "personality"!  A day with Jack is exhausting to say the least.  Temperamental is a nice way to put it when I'm talking about my baby.  Everything upsets him and everything makes him blow his lid.  You can literally see the anger building in him and a exploding out of every pore in his body!  You try to correct him in any way and the monster comes out.  He miscounts while playing hide-and-go seek...the green eyed monster rears.  We don't let him finish a DVD when he wants too, explosion!  It is all day everyday.  I still put him in his room, spank him when necessary, and make sure I use a soft tone with him, because a loud tone makes it so much worse.  It's like poring gas on an open flame in the middle of a room of TNT if you use and loud or angry voice.  Like I said, exhausting!

  Now, I know what my family is thinking...payback!  I will be the first to admit that I was not a happy child myself.  I remember slamming doors, telling my parents they ruined my life, and screaming at my sisters.  But, well, there isn't really a but.  The thing that makes it worse is that he doesn't even know what will make him happy.  And since I know the kind of "stubborn" he is I know what his little mind is thinking.  "I can give it right back to mom and dad!"  He takes it all as a challenge.  We get angry...he shows us how much more angry he can be.  We finally lose it and have to spank him...he gets even louder.  I remember thinking the same things growing up.  So I know a little about how to calm him or let him calm himself down.  Now, if I could only get Danny to understand that sometimes backing off is the only way.  Jack loves to know that he's getting under your skin.  The whole thing is frustrating and stressful.  I go to bed every night dreading starting the next day.  I know it will pass...cause it did for me.  But it took a long time, and I hope I survive.

1year old.  

Perfect costume!

I told him we don't pore out all the goldfish on the table and that he needed to clean it up.  So he screamed and spit out he mouthful of fish he had been chewing!  :(

So sad

Man how they're growing

 Danny and I were just talking about how big our boys are getting!  Isaak and Brett are doing dishes now as part of their normal chores.  And Brett just lost his first tooth today.  Jack no longer looks like a little chubby baby and he speaks so well!  They all love each other a ton, but have the usual brotherly fights.  Each one keeps me laughing and sometimes crying, but I couldn't imagine not having them in my life.  I hope I am doing a good job raising them each day.  

 Brett is kind and sweet!  (lost first tooth!)

 Jack lives to be goofy!  

Isaak loves to be cool and mature!

The things they say!

 This is Bones

  My boys have to come up with some of the craziest things.  For example, we have been trying to make sure the boys flush the toilet after they use it.  They are actually really good at it, except when it come to flushing their poo.  So the other day I went to use the bathroom and was putting the seat down(I'm out numbered...no use fighting that) and noticed it REALLY needed to be flushed.  So I called the boys and asked them who needed to come flush this so I could use it.  Amazingly none of them had knowledge of having used the potty, but I kept pressing the matter so the toilet would get flushed.  After a minute or so Jack said..."Mom, Bones did it!".  Really, our 4lbs 9in tall Chihuahua jumped on the toilet and used it without falling in?  There are so many things about that statement that were wrong.  At this point I knew I had lost, and flushed.  They were all given a punishment and Bones got a doggy treat!

My body struggle

  This post is mostly for me.  I have taken this long to write it because I know I can sound like a complainer and that's not how I mean it.  So what's all the worry about?  My body!  I have understood for a long time that my body is different now that I have carried and delivered three children.  And in all honestly being a size 8 isn't the worst thing in the world.  So what is the problem?  Well, I'll start from the beginning.

  It all began after I had Brett.  Being pregnant with Brett was the hardest thing my body has ever done.  That is a story for another day.  But after delivering him things went downhill and just haven't gone back up yet.  After his birth I discovered that my gallbladder had literally been crushed by my first two pregnancies.  Which meant it had to come out and it did.  I felt better for a while and went on to have Jack.  Then, after Jack, I just never did start feeling "normal" again.  My hair never stopped falling out and I couldn't get my energy back.  I also started having issues with temperature, my weight, and bowels.  I tried everything I, and friends, could think of to help.  I finally couldn't take it anymore!  Once we moved to VA, I made an appointment with an OB/GYN,since my problems seemed like "woman" oriented.  She ran blood tests and checked for multiple things.  Mostly she thought it was a thyroid issue.  But all the tests came back perfect.  She felt I was really having trouble so she referred me to an Endocrinologist.  She warned me he was not warm and fussy but that if there was anything at all going on with me HE would find it!

  Well, now onto the next doctor.  My OB was right he was not super great on the bedside manners but he was, by no means, rude.  After running every test he could think of on me he discovered that I am insulin resistant and my testosterone levels had not balanced out after my last pregnancy, which is why I was losing hair so badly.  By this time Jack was three years old.  That is how long I had just been trying to get better on my own.  And having had no luck in losing weight I was more than frustrated!  So he put me on Metformin and Aldactone.  I was already exercising and continued doing so.  I also found myself craving less sweets after I started the meds.  That meant they were doing their job.  Basically I craved sweets so much because the glucose I was making was not being carried to my body by my insulin.  So when the medicine started working I felt a little better.  I still hadn't regained much energy but I kept waiting.

Then, this new year we were at my parents and I was talking to my dad about his latest Dr. appointment.  He goes and sees a Naturopathic Dr.  And yes it's a real thing!  My dad is impossible to help and this guy has really done a lot for him.  So I made an appointment and went.  He told me a lot of interesting things and they were all true.  I am now on a good deal of supplements to help with my sugar issues, my sluggish adrenal glands and my inability to metabolize fat of any kind.  He also threw in a few cleanses in for my liver and one for my gallbladder.  I know I don't have a gallbladder, but it helps my kidneys to function better.  With everything that I am doing now, I am feeling a lot better.  The weight thing may never change, but the best I can do is continue to try.

I don't feel like I'm "oh so sick", but I feel a bit broken at the moment.  I think I'm in the "overwhelmed" phase right now.  I read that making sure you get the proper amount of water helps with the fat metabolism thing.  So I always have a bottle with me now.  It's only been a month and I'm trying to stay optimistic, but it's been so long since starting all this that I  feel like my body will never get back in working order.  Brett is 6yr now and I want things to change.  So here's to hoping!

Work it out!

No, I don't have a New Year's resolution to get in shape!  I have been going to the gym regularly for years now, but it is nice to have the support of my family.  Since the older two boys are in school I take Jack to play while I workout.  On days I don't really want to go Jack will come to me and say, "Mom, aren't we going to the gym?  I want to play!"  Then I feel motivated to get my stuff on and hit the gym!  I love it!  It really does help me stay focused.  I just wanted to share that little story cause I have been thinking about it this morning since Jack, yet again, motivated me to go workout!

New year

Jack put his hot dog bun on his forehead until he was ready to eat it!

A new year!  I'm always surprised by the new year every time it comes around.  I always think back to when I was little and thought about how old I would be and what year would that be.  Now here I am in those years I tried to picture in my head.  I have three boys...never expected that.  I always thought I would have a girl or two in there.  But the life I have is great!

So what are my plans for the new year?  Move forward.  In general I have a hard time with change.  New things have always made me nervous.  Even if I end up loving them, the next time something new comes along I get nervous all over again!  I am working on feeling and looking better this year.  I'll keep you all up to date on that if it all actually works.  I have always loved going to the gym, but when that wasn't working (for years now) I knew I needed some help.  So while I was in AL over the holidays I saw a Naturopath!  He has really helped my dad out (which is hard to do) and I was out of options.  But I was optimistic at the same time.  So far so good!

Finally I want to just want to do better at the little things.  The everyday things.  I also have so much fun with my boys so I'm going to try to share more of that this year.