Spring Break

This was the first time that the Hatch family shared the same Spring Break week. In the past Doug was teaching at a university and I was teaching in a local school system with different Spring Breaks. When the children began school they attend a private school and Doug and I were teaching at the same university, again both systems had different Spring Breaks.


When we first moved to IL; Mimi, Doug and I share the same Spring Break and the boys who attended school in our local school district had a different Spring Break. The boys Spring Break coincided with my mom's FL school's Spring Break and my mom came up to our house for several years during Spring Break. We were fortunate to have her help with boys during that week each year. Spring Break 2005 at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago with Grandma.

When T-man was admitted to my school, then four of the five of us shared the same Spring Break. Dugger was the only one with a different break schedule. This year with Dugger in college our Spring Breaks coincided. Thoughts of a warm Spring Break vacation began to formulate in our minds. We decided to head to Florida to fill our hearts and bodies with the warmth of the sun and family.

We checked the weather in the days leading up to our trip. We would encounter unseasonable cooler temperatures in the the South. We were hopeful that the temperatures would still be warmer that IL.

Out trip started off well enough, with T-man, Mimi, and I leaving a day early from school. The other two guys didn't have class or work obligations that Friday. We headed down the road Thursday after school. Our trip down was very smooth (if you don't count the teen driving) and uneventful. Doug reminded us of our Lenten eating habits and with just one minor goof we managed to keep our religious obligations as we traveled.

As we crossed into Florida on Friday morning, the first allergy symptoms arose with T-man sneezing and sniffing. The box of Kleenex were passed to the back of the van. We forgot that the lush tropical foliage is in full swing in the spring with the Oak trees shedding leaves. By mid-morning we were passing out Chlor-trimetons. About this time my oldest ask if Aunt Cathy, who lives in GA, was going to be at my parents house. I hadn't even thought to ask her to come. Luckily my mom had that covered and she was going to arrive Saturday.

We arrived at my parents house on Friday and got to see some cousins, aunts, and uncles as their school and work day ended.

Saturday we spent the day in Tampa, stocking up on USF gear, checking out the new sites on USF's campus, and going to the last men's home basketball game. The game for us was bittersweet. As we entered the Sun Dome, Doug immediately began to look for our friends the Pfosts and Linders. Then remembering that Phil Pfost had died in October. For us it's impossible to think of a Bulls basketball game without Phil. He use to joke of one day having the nursing home orderlies bring him to the games on a stretcher.

Sunday started with church for the entire Gonzalez, Hatch, and VanDycke family. We enjoyed an afternoon trip to the Big Bend Manatee Observation Center. With the cooler than average winter temperatures the manatees were still there. I have never seen so many manatees, there were easily a hundred.



We wrapped up the day with a meal at my brother's house and the girls decided to toast marshmallows.

Some of Mimi's dance friends had competed in FL right about the time we were arriving in FL. One of the girls stayed a few extra days to visit her grandparents. On Monday we met up with her and her mom at an outlet mall in Bradenton.

At the close of the day we squeezed in a shot of all the grandkids. It's hard to capture a picture perfect moment with this motley crew.

As the week progressed Dugger and three of the cousins came down with the stomach flu and were sick for 24 hours and wiped out after that. He didn't feel well enough to go to Lettuce Lake Park but later in the week he went with us to MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry). This was one of our favorite places to go when the boys were little. All the kids at some point during our life in GA had the chance to attend summer classes at MOSI. Our visit this time included a planetarium show, general playing around with exhibits, and seeing the DaVinci exhibit. This was particularly fascinating. They had replicas of his inventions, copies of his drawing and notes, some of his artwork, and section featuring the Mona Lisa and the modern day analysis of this particular piece of work.

Towards the end of the week the kids were feeling better but my mom was now sick. Dad supervised us as we raked up the Oak leaves from the front yard. Dugger got a lesson in running the mower and emptying the basket on the mower.

Right as we were leaving we ended up taking my mom to the emergency room. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law took charge of the situation affording us the needed time to head home. With the hospital care my mom was back home in a few days and feeling better than she had when we thought she was sick with the same bug the kids had.

Illnesses aside, we had a good vacation. We had a great time visiting our favorite places and spending time with our Georgia and Florida family.

State Chess Tournament

T-man competed in his first high school state chess tournament Valentine's Day weekend in Chicago. The team took 23rd in the state. Their record at the state tournament was 5 and 2. They took first place in the Class 2A division. Last year the team tied for second in the state with a state tournament record of 6 and 1.

Dancing

Mimi with a borrowed tutu and tiara for her competition dress rehearsal.

Mimi had been working on two dance pieces for an international dance competition in Chicago. She began working on her classical piece in the summer and then in December began her contemporary piece. Her classical piece was the variation of Blue Bird, Princess Florine, from the ballet Sleeping Beauty. Her contemporary piece was choreographed, by her dance teachers, to the music Abracadabra by Steve Miller.

The Blue Bird variation required a Classical Russian Flat Tutu. Her dance teacher was positive I could make this, so I ordered patterns, her teacher ordered the fabric, and we found the netting colors we needed here in town. It turned out to be quite the adventure. I made the bodice, basque, and panty from the blue Lycra fabric her teacher ordered. I had never worked with Lycra prior to this. Her teacher wanted me to use boning in the bodice which I had never used before. Sewing layer after layer of netting was new as well. With multiple fittings throughout the entire process, I ended up with a lovely costume that fit Mimi.

Mimi also needed a tiara. What princess doesn't have a tiara? She has two and claims she has a third one somewhere. Of the two, the perfect one was beginning to fall apart. The rhinestone setting was pulling away from the metal headband. My friend who teaches the other kindergarten class has a very handy and inventive husband so I asked her if her husband would take a look at it and maybe figure out how to repair it. He was able to use an epoxy that worked wonderfully.

I've yet to get a picture of her in the costume but last week while she was at the dance studio I took these pictures. This weekend she is dancing at a community event to promote wellness, dance, and her dance studio. Hopefully I'll get some great photos there.

T-Man in Costa Rica

T-Man went to Costa Rica the day after Christmas with his zoo group. They returned January fourth. I really thought it would be much easier sending T-Man to Costa Rica then when we sent Dugger there two years ago. With Dugger's, Asperger's Syndrome, I worried about him losing his passport, not eating well, spending all his money in one day, not being social, and not expressing himself well (such as acting disinterested when he really was interested in what was going on). I was pretty sure he would handle changes and be able to go with the flow if things didn't happen as planned. He is a seasoned traveler and has had to adjust to those unforeseen changes that can occur.

Things went really well for Daniel. He brought money back home. Bought some nice mementos and remembered to bring back some brochures for a scrap book. He kept a journal and talked non stop for weeks. Earned the nickname Mr. Harpie Eagle Man and Angus. Evidently Dugger sings ACDC and Guns& Roses songs very well. I know the adults in charge raved about him and would have taken him again. They commented that if T-Man was as good a traveler as Dugger they would be thrilled.

T-Man is another great traveler. Actually all my kids are. They are so use to going on road trips and have traveled by train and plane several times. They know how to live out of a suitcase (not sure if they know how to pack one). For ages I thought that sending T-man off would be a piece of cake, no worries. He is my best eater, most gregarious, somewhat responsible. Yet he is the one that has had an I-pod and a game boy stolen. Although he runs neck and neck with his sister in being the biggest hypochondriac. He is my lotions, elastic bandages, and tums baby. I always say that a band-aid, tissue, and an m&m will cure 98% of what ails a kindergartner. Well an elastic bandage and tums will cure 98% of what ails T-man.

Since the summer we had been buying or sorting out the things T-Man would need on his tropical vacation. We bought swim trucks and sandals on sale at the end of the season. Made sure he had a windbreaker/rain jacket, deet, and sunscreen before winter set in and these items became scarce. In the days leading up to his flight we began gathering his clothes and supplies. We realized that the travel bag he was going to take hadn't been used since Duggger trip. It smelled and still has sand from Costa Rica in it. A wash and an airing out solved that problem. We soon had him packed with room to spare. I tried to get T-man to take a small notepad and pen/pencil to write down important thoughts and keep a record of events. Absolutely not!!

Then came the "little" medical kit I was going to pack for him. I ended up filling a gallon zip-loc bag with aloe for sunburn, an assortment of different sized band-aids, Tylenol, Chlor-Trimeton, Tums, cough drops, anti-bacterial cream, and Benadryl. T-Man then asked for Vick's vapor rub. I ran out and bought him a tiny travel size as we were running out of space and I picked up Dramamine for the boat ride. I jokingly suggested he take his elastic knee bandage and when he headed to his room to get it Doug yelled at him to not take. That was over the top.

I worried about him getting sick or feeling sick. Then I began to worry about his gregarious nature. He was traveling with one very good friend and several other kids that he had become friendly with over the course of social activities related to the trip. I worried that he would exclude others in his friendship with his really good friend. I worried he would be too silly and not be as respectful as he should. I made myself crazy with worry.

It turned out he had a great time, behaved well, was not sick at all, and my fair skinned boy didn't get sunburned. He earned the nickname Mr. Harpie Eagle Man's brother and Timoteo. He took some great pictures with an expensive camera that he had been saving for and he came back with it. He even managed to buy me an ox cart and managed to navigate traveling back with it. Did he talk much about the trip? No. Did he bring money back? Yes. Did he enjoy downloading and editing his pictures? You bet!! We joke that he must have captured every species of lizard they have in Costa Rica. It was a wonderful experience for him (and I). Will I worry the next time he travels without me? Absolutely!!

Back to Writing

I know I haven't blogged in what seems like forever. I have thought but haven't had the desire or right words to put to "ink". I truly am one of those people that the creative spirit moves. I blow hot or cold. I struggle to push through the stagnant time and persevere.

In my defense I have been busy. Monday, we had the day off for President's Day and I did some much needed cleaning. This weekend was the first weekend where Mimi had one dance session at the studio. It was a long session but only at the studio. The boys only had their guitar lessons and they usually take themselves to that. I had no sewing commitments or deadlines. I felt like I had a long leisurely weekend to myself.

What did I do? After a power nap, I took Mimi to the school play Friday night. She has several close friends in the play. Saturday, Doug and I ran some errands and then I worked on sewing the binding onto my Halloween quilt. The binding is something most quilters do by hand. There is a machine sewing technique but I do like the look of the hand sewn binding best. The binding for this quilt is a bit problematic because it is a black binding on the black backing fabric. With the later afternoon winter light and the artificial evening light; I find it very difficult to sew well by hand. Saturday was a great day to sit by the window, cat curled in my lap on part of the quilt, and watch the Olympics while I sewed. Sunday brought more sewing and some school work. I'm now half finished with the binding. Then I can do the binding for T-man's quilt and move on to quilting a new quilt.



Here is the quilt top after I got it back from the lady who does the quilting for me. She has a huge quilting machine that basically stitches the quilt top to the batting and the back fabric. I choose the thread color and the stitching design. For the Halloween quilt she used black thread and a spider spinning a web for the stitching pattern.

The edges are rough and in the pictures you can see the white fluffy batting sticking out. I trim some of the excess batting and fabric and then begin the process of preparing the binding and attaching it to the sides of the quilt.


Stay tuned! Lots more coming up.

Celebrating The Season

T-man and Mimi alternate years for the honor of putting up the tree topper. This year Mimi wanted to hang ribbons from the tree like the fancy ones at the Festival of Trees. This was a first with draping ribbon on the tree.

This year we took down our Christmas Tree on January 2nd and 3rd. I personally like to observe the full Christmas season ending on the twelfth day of Christmas, the Epiphany. For years we have left out decorations up through the Epiphany. Some years the time slipped by and we didn't take things down until the MLK holiday and once I think it was the last week of January.

This year I knew we would be busy as we got back into the school routines. And this holiday break for me was one of completing projects and organizing the messes I had allowed to pile up. In the cleaning and organizing spirit, I was ready to put away some of the Christmas decorations. The tree is a time consuming project so Doug and I thought we should go ahead and take it down before school started back. We have at least three tubs of ornaments and most have their own special box. So each ornament get placed in its box and then in the big tub. Placement of the ornaments is very important so that you can get the most ornaments possible into the tub. Then you have the strings of lights and they go in a different tub. Finally we take down the branches of the artificial tree, flatten them out, and put them in the cardboard tree box. Unfortunately we can't have a real tree because I am terribly allergic to evergreen trees.

I bemoan this time consuming task because of the time involved and probably because it represents the end of the Christmas Season. This year most of the ornaments came from one tub. We have more ornaments that tree space. The tub we have used the last couple of years is the one that is comprised mostly of the kids ornaments, some keepsake ornaments from Doug's childhood, and our Christopher Radko collection.

In getting ready to take down and pack up the ornaments, I took all the boxes out of the main ornament tub and laid them on the couch, coffee table, and floor. Then I'd take a box and hunt for that particular ornament. Place the ornament in it's bubble wrap, or tissue paper, or plastic mold and then into the box. Finally I'd stack it in the tub.

Most of the kid ornaments are from Hallmark. Every year since Dugger's birth we've gotten each child an ornament to represent that year. The first five years we would get them the collection from the baby's Christmas line. Then the kid's began to pick out their own ornaments.

As I was putting them away this year it was like going through our lives all over again. The three miniature Star Wars box set characters stood out. These are from the original first three movies. I remember how the boys loved those movies. It was one of the first common interests we shared. They were wrapped up in the movies I loved as a teenager. I also remember the Walker getting it's leg broken and T-Man thinking I could fix this teeny tiny leg. It sat out for the rest of the year as I tried different glues all with no success. I thought of throwing it way but didn't. It hangs on our tree to this day with a missing leg.

Others that stand out are Mimi's American Girl Samantha doll. We took her to Chicago that year to buy her first American Girl doll, Samantha, for her birthday and we have the ornament as a keepsake.

T-man's Pokemon ball. I remember buying cards, plastic figures, movies, and taking them on Saturdays to play Pokemon tournaments at Toys R Us. I also can't forget T-man's Lion King ornament he bought in Chicago when he went to his first play.


Dugger has Harry Potter's owl that grandma gave him. We had a great time reading the Harry Potter series together, going to midnight book releases at the book stores, and seeing the movies.

Dugger has a collection called Frosty Friends. Mimi has a collection of angels. T-Man is more eclectic and has sport figures, super heroes, and movie characters.

The task of putting away the tree became a time of reminiscing, laughing, and the telling of stories. It ended up being a fun way to wrap up Christmas for another year.

P.S. I don't completely put Christmas away for the year. Here is my Christmas all year long ornament tree. I put up my beach collection at Christmas time and sometimes they make a second appearance in the summer. Many of these ornaments my sister gave me and a couple came from California when Doug and I went to a conference. I found my fisherman's net and canoe one year after Christmas at Dillards. I leave the net on the tree all year long. It's my Christ reference. Come follow me and I'll make you fishers of men.

Here's a thought maybe I'll post a picture of my tree as I change it every couple of months.

Growing Up

Today was circus practice at school. Mimi participates in several acts and T-Man continues to help with theses circus acts; cylinder, globes, and rolla bolla. T-man and his friend from elementary school began volunteering their expertise during their Freshman year and have continued to work with the circus program at our K-8 school. This post is about them.

T-Man entered our school when he was in the fifth grade and that's when he met this friend. They've celebrated birthdays, eighth grade graduation, participated in the zoo program, traded books, and attended tennis classes to name a few of the many things they have enjoyed as friends. His friend has even graciously contacted us first to sell his hand me down game systems (for a good price).

So here's the gist of my story. As my children have grown, I still see them as my children. Little kids really. It's hard to gage on a day to day basis the changes in their features, physique, and mental maturity. Of course you continue to buy bigger clothes, bigger shoes, and more food. But notice the changes? Not so much. Sometimes you can't keep them in pants and shoes that fit. Later you realize you haven't bought them a pair of dress shoes or jeans in a year (boys).

Of course the day they need a razor, start their period, get their driver's license, rescue you when your car dies, don't go to school with you because they started their first day of high school or college; then you notice, at least for a few days. Yet they are still your kids, your babies. Their long time friends tend to fall in this category as well. And for me their friends and family members from other states fall into a time warp. I imagine them as the little kids they were when we last spent time with them. Even though my kids have grown and changed those kids are forever in my mind as these little preschoolers; at least until Doug shows me an article in the online paper where they've signed a golf scholarship, baseball scholarship, etc.

How does the circus fit into the the aging of my children and their friends? Keep on reading... It was just another circus Wednesday in November. Mimi had rushed in after school popped popcorn and headed off to circus practice with her bag. T-Man and his friend stopped by my room after school on their way to the gym for circus leaving their backpacks in my room and grabbed waters from my refrigerator as they head to the gym. I had an hour of peace, quiet, the Internet, and a classroom to myself. After an hour and no kids I began to get restless and wondered how long it would be till they finished up.

As I wandered down the hall to gym so I could get an idea of how much longer they kids would be, I ran into T-Man's friend. He says to me "Hey, did T-Man ask you about your hang tag (my parking tag for the school's 90 minutes parking spots)?" I said, "No." And I'm thinking why would T-Man ask me about my hang tag.

Friend says, "Well we usually walk from our school here but now it's getting cold and I drove T-Man over and we had to park at the parking meter spaces. If we had your hang tag we could park in the school lot and not get cold walking over."

I was stunned by this request. I couldn't answer this kid for a full minute. I know I had that deer in the headlights look after he asked me for my hang tag on Wednesdays.

As I'm standing there in shock he begins to rapidly explain that since he drives himself to high school he would have to walk back to the high school lot after circus practice in the COLD or I would feel the need to drive him over to the high school Junior lot. This way he (and T-Man) would stay out of the harsh elements and save me driving time as well.

I recover and I cry out, "You're killing me here!! What happened to my babies? Weren't you just a fifth grader yesterday??? Does you mom know you're driving?!"

He laughs and says, "If you give T-man your hang tag on Wednesday mornings then I'll give it back to him on Thursday mornings."

I just shake my head and say sure. I can't have my babies getting cold.

Here are the boys as they headed off Dec. 26th for 10 days in Costa Rica.
Anyway they are great kids and are growing up whether I'm ready or not.