Merry Mayhem

I didn't send out a single Christmas card. Nor did we put up lights. Instead Isaac Seth and I flew to Washington while Eric went on a business trip to Belgium and then got stuck in Paris. This is the second year in a row where Eric has been to France before Christmas. I said to him "It stinks that I am not there with you." Maybe he thought I said "I stink" because brought me home some fabulous Fragonard parfum. It's okay with me if he gets stuck in Paris again.

Christmas was great. E's family does Christmas right. Hats off to the Hatches. I love them. Here's a recap: Katie is adored by cowboy Seth. He would say, "Ba- -! Ba- -!" Giddy-up and back sorta together, and horse Katie would willing carry him on her back.

Seth through his arms around Great Grandma Hatch. I think it surprised and delighted her.

Seth learned how to walk. Hurray! Isaac was running within 48 hrs it seems. Seth Lincoln is more cautious. I am officially counting December 21 as the official day.

I really like these people.

Martin and Isaac had a fabulous time together...they ran around "fixing Mickey," playing trains, cars, little people, and everything they could think of. Amy caught Isaac "reading" the comics. He is always looking at Eric's TinTin comic books.

Crossword puzzle eh?

Angel Cindy and her dad Grandpa Hunt.

That funny face, I love it! Seth and Isaac loved looking into the balls.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...who really hangs stocks by the chimney on Christmas eve? The Hatches, that's who. I made Seth's this year (thanks Carol, for helping).

Isaac dictated what Eric wrote in his letter to Santa. My favorite line, "Can I have a ride in your sleigh."

Christmas morning! Everyone was up but Isaac. We had to wake him up around 7:25. Are you kidding me.

Super Seth and Super Isaac really are super. Seth walks around the house saying "Ba Man" even though it is super man cape not bat man. But we love it. He is super at making others smile.

Happy Christmas

That is what Isaac says sometimes instead of Merry Christmas...and it does make me happy.

People always look fabulous on their Christmas cards, but we are seriously contemplating using one of the following pictures for two reasons: Eric HATES taking pictures and I am not sure if I am up to convincing him it would be a good idea, and time, there is none left.

What to do or go fishing?

Did he...you know...just do that?

At some point I told Isaac he could have some frosting when we were all done. "Some point" happened after I had iced the little scallops on the roof. Isaac is a carpe diem sort of fellow, and next thing I know Isaac was licking the roof top...with his tongue.

It's possible...

that I want to just sink my teeth into this scrumdiddiyum tummy. Oh my, oh my, I can not get enough of him, I could eat him up. And I think he looks like his Aunt Amy, who is one of my favorite sisters-in-law. Amy's face, not her tummy.

TRADITION! Tradition!

What do you remember about the day you got married? Probably only the most profound things since you were probably a little distracted with that handsome man you just married. When Eric and I were married in the temple the sealer gave us a little nugget of advice, he told us to establish meaningful family traditions.

It used to be that we would go to the movies after our feast. We haven't done that for awhile, maybe we'll pick that one up again in a decade when our littles are bigger..and we live far far away from the Outer Banks of NC.

What do I spend too much time on while we are at the beach? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.

Can you have a crush on two or even three men at the same time? Yes. Yes you can. Eric and Seth both have my heart.

To bowl or not bowl? or maybe I should ask, "To bowl with bumpers or not to bowl with bumpers? THAT is the question. This might be a new Hatch family tradition as Isaac LOVED it. His ball would hit a pin or two and he would pump his fist in the air and do a toyota jump. I sorta loved it.

Seth didnt take to bowling but he could have ridden the merry-go-round for an hour.

Can you say turtle? We went to the aquarium...again. My littles were transfixed. Seth learned the word turtle. He says it like, "tur-dul." Eric was so enamored about it, I over heard him say to Seth, "You just earned yourself a turtle." The gift shop is a little expensive...so that probably wont become a tradition, but Seth made us feel okay about the purchase, he didn't even let go while he slept.

Isaac, Isaac on the wall who's the fairest one of all? Isaac enjoyed looking at the sharks. But I think he would rather look at himself if he had to make a choice.

Is 4 on 1 an even match? No. Josh is a Marine so it probably could have been 8 on one. Isaac, Nathan, Andrew, and Zach did their best, but to no avail. The Hatches sorta look like this while we are putting on jammies every night. A nightly tradition of sorts.

Crab or insect? Nathan is showing off the little crab we found. We also saw a couple dolphins, nothing like last year, but still cool. Our friends the Zimmermanns saw 5 wild horses.

One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is the game playing. I love it. We played Pit. Pit and I sort of have a love hate relationship. I got the blasted bear card. Drats. And instead of saying "Two. Two." to trade cards, Jenny yelled, "Bear. Bear." Eric nearly fell off his chair, he was laughing so hard. Next year, Bear card, you wont get the best of me.

What is this turkey? Dear reader, this is where I elicit your help. I know there is a fabulous tradition in here some where. But what is it? I imagine a turkey hunt with families and friends split into several groups, or perhaps a few cars of teenage vacationers, maybe following clues to find the turkey. But there is a bulls eye, so maybe laser guns are involved. This was put up while we were in the bowling alley. I wanted to hide behind a bush and stock the hunters. Anyway, here is where you come in. If you decide to leave a comment will you please conger up an idea, a thanksgiving tradition if you will, that involves a turkey with a bulls eye on it. OR you can share one of your favored traditions...not just thanksgiving, but any tradition. My thanks in advance.

You might be thinking...

I should lock my cabinets after looking at these pictures.

It was a little too quiet in there. Isaac was caught red handed...er white handed as the case may be.

Fellow bloggers, IF you ever have a couple of flour cabinet raiders, clear off as much flour as possible BEFORE you stick them in the tub.

There was flour everywhere. The Polly Anna in me thinks "Well I needed to clean that cupboard anyway." The true Jenny thought, "Oh nuts."

Lest you think this was all ONE episode, I humbly submit that Seth was wearing different clothes and also the dates on the pictures (if I showed them) would be three days different.

Oh, and that's not all folks. Isaac is not the center of these pictures but he was center in the execution of the deeds, I assure you.

Where is the Polly Anna in me now?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Holy Cow! Has it already been a week since the little gentlemen went out Trick or Treating? Halloween is Isaac's holiday. He and his cousin Hannah practiced trick or treating in July...and they went to Hannah's, Grandma's, and a couple neighbors. Doh.

Some 2009 Halloween highlights:

We went to our dear neighbor, Kelli Zimmermann, to decorate (Seth ate) Halloween cookies.

I like to be in pictures with Isaac because he makes me look better. He enjoyed carving pumpkins. Isaac designed this one himself, and was the designated part remover.

Dad helped Seth cut his pumpkin. E, did you make Seth's pumpkin look like you on purpose? (wink) Seth kept saying "WwwwwOW!"

Mokey see, monkey do! Seth totally got into it and did exactly what he saw Dad and Isaac doing.

Anyone know how to take a picture without your flash and make sure it's NOT fuzzy?

One of my favorite things that happened this year, were the firemen. In the distance we saw the lights flashing but there were no sirens. When the engine got up to where we were Isaac waved and then the firemen piled out with handfuls full of candy and passed them out to all the children who started to gather around them. Darling. It made our night.

Sometimes Isaac could be convinced to say, "Thank you...to infinity and beyond."

Crusin' was made for love...

I love you when we're cruisin' together...especially on Joplin road. Thanks for the superb drive E. It was great. You are great. It's my favorite road in all of Virginia and it's right outside the base. I love the twisty turny roads...

and the belly bumpers (aka roads that look like the drop off into nothing.)

Here are a couple of my cruisin' compadres

Imagination is THE best toy...

and the possibilites are endless. I get a kick out of secretly listening to Isaac. He has a great imagination.

Isaac is jumping from one couch to the other. He puts a wooden sign, which should be hung on his wall, across the arms of the couches and nevously walks across then crawls across on his belly. Next Isaac stretches his body across the expanse, "Mom look at me. I'm a huge bridge."

Then he tries to hop over Seth but isn't quite tall enough and slams Seth to the floor. Seth cries.

"I'm trying to pick up Seth. (briefly releasing Seth and flexing his arms) I'm strong. I'm strong. I'm strong."

At the table with twistable crayons. Isaac twists them and then two crayons have a little clash.." One cryaon says to the other, "Come on Jet." The other cayon replies, "Hey wait for me Rocket."

Isaac asks me what I want. "Huh?"

"What do you want to eat?"

"Ohhhhh. I would like a hamburger please."

"Umm. We are out of hamburgers"

Scratching my head, this IS make believe, you never have to run out of anything, but I play along. "Oh. Well how about a hotdog?"

"Sure. Here you go."

Isaac stands by the window and shuts the curtains together in front of his face. "Going up." The doors/curtains open and Isaac sees Seth. "Come in the elevator Seffy. Do you need to go down?" They played elevator for 10 minutes.

Amish country

Pure and simple are the adjectives I would use to describe the Amish people. I am quite taken with them. This was my 5th or 6th visit and I will go back again. I am transfixed with the Amish culture.

This man scooted past our window, quite literally. Kind of a funny happening. I love my Amish Scooter. Ya'll are invited to come take it for a spin.

Amish people are fascinating. I try and ride a carriage every time I go, not for the ride, but for a chance to talk to the driver. I have had a ride from an Amish gentleman, a young man whose grandparents and extended family were all Amish, and this last visit was with Lydia, a ex-Amish of about two years. She was better than google, I tell you. I learned that we are in Amish marriage season which runs from October-November. Tuesday and Thursdays are the only days they get married so that there is a day between weddings for everyone to help get ready for one wedding and clean-up the other for the week. Lydia was called on by the Elders, or Amish bishops, to come to church to repent for doing a bible study with her parents who had left the church a few months previous. She didn't go, so she was served with another request and also didn't show up. It was sort of her way of severing ties, and she was then excommunicated. She said as soon as her parents left the church her brother hooked them up with electricity. They stopped wearing full Amish clothes, and could wear what they liked, but her hair was still put in a bun and she was wearing a dress. I got the feeling that they still follow many Amish traditions. It was fascinating to talk with her. Usually Amish fold are baptized at 17 or 18 after they take a summer of studying. And in each district they only get baptized once a year. Full recommendations if you happen to be going to Lancaster county.

So we missed the breath taking leaves in the Shenandoah's but we found them in PA.

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We started out in Hersey, PA. Last time I was there the whole town smelled like chocolate. I loved the Hersey kiss lamp posts

The whole reason we went was to meet up with my dear friend Joyce. We have been friends since highschool. I love her heart, she is so good and I want to be good when I am with her.

l

These last two pictures are my favorite. We were there on a Jewish holiday. It was an interesting mix of cultures, Amish and Jewish. The women in both groups wore modest dresses. They are both a bit of a mystery as they don't actively seek converts. They are both reserved, if you will. Neither groups like to have their picture taken, or at least the Orthodox Jews and "Orthodox" Amish don't. Hmm...interesting comparisons.

Life is old there, older than the trees

Shenandoah National Park-We were in search of some breath taking autumn color...we didn't find it. Dear reader, if you plan on going this fall wait until the end of October. BUT we did see a wild bear, a little baby cub. Christy wouldn't let me get out of the car to get a better shot, once a mom always a mom. Can you even see it? Try squinting maybe.

This is my favorite form of wild life, Seth at the wheel. We stopped for a picnic. Christy said, "We'll let them get out, make them a sandwich and make them think we are having a fun time." After being out of the car for about 1 minute Isaac said, "You guys can stay out, I wanna get back in the car." Ha ha mom.
Does this seem ironic to anyone else?