Catch-Up (Mission Prep and Other Adventures)

November 23, 2012-December 18, 2012

Mission Prep:
I hadn't planned to do any shopping Thanksgiving weekend...but the mission call came sooner than expected, and with only 7 weeks to prepare (half of that he was in school), we decided a little shopping was in order. We bought luggage, missionary clothes, and needed accessories during Black Friday sales. The following week appointments were made, paperwork was done, we were on track for missionary stuff! Carson attended the temple for the first time on December 8. That was a special day and I appreciate the family members who were there with us in the temple that evening. He moved out of his apartment on December 13 after surviving his first college final exams. Monday December 17 found us at the County Health Department. He had to get 5 immunizations that day :(  Luckily the typhoid vaccine is taken orally and he could wait until after Disneyland and Christmas to begin that series (the 4 pills must be refrigerated and taken on a strict time schedule over the course of 8 days).

Other Adventures:
On December 12 I was involved with an online scrapbook event through Big Picture Classes. I had signed up back in late September and had no idea what my life was going to be like when the day actually rolled around! I'm glad I took that day out for myself. It was fun, and even though I still haven't finished the yearbook (I've been a little preoccupied), I plan to get that done in the next week or so. On December 18 my nephew got married. It was pretty cool to be able to take both boys with me to the ceremony in the Salt Lake Temple. We enjoyed the day spent with family despite the desperately cold weather conditions! Then we headed home to pack for sunny California :)

Pictures from 12-12-12

Stacy Julian of Big Picture Classes hosting the event held live in Maui and streamed all over the world to scrapbookers like me!

My work space

Caught it!!

Comfy clothes and no makeup for me :)

Catch-Up (Disneyland)

December 19-23, 2012

Yep, that's right, Disneyland. I just can't stay away :)

Carson had asked if we could go to Disneyland one more time before he left on his mission (before the age change was announced). I had been trying to figure out when we would be able to go that wasn't summer or choir tour or during BYU semester, etc. Then the announcement about mission age came and all our plans were compressed. So, what to do about Disneyland? I originally thought we could go in January around Martin Luther King Day IF the kids were willing to have this as our Christmas and IF Carson went into the MTC on the 23rd or later. (I thought for sure he would be going after the 23rd, I mean who goes in on their availability date? Apparently both of my boys.) Carson's call came faster than expected and for him to leave sooner than I had thought, so now I just didn't know how it would work. Well, some other travel plans ended up being postponed and I already had people to work for me, so I asked the kids if they wanted to go BEFORE Christmas instead. They were all on board, even knowing that it would be crowded. So we went and had a great time, despite the crowds. We even managed the few hiccups that came along without too much of a disruption.

Our family loves Disneyland :)

It was so sunny Maren had to close her eyes

On one of our favorites, Thunder Mountain Railroad

Great photobomb, huh?

Another Hatch family favorite, The Jungle Cruise

With Walt and Mickey themselves :)

Any minute Aubrey will burst the seams of his clothes...

Outside the Lego store

I heard some people making fun of my picture--I can't help it! At least I didn't scream too much this time

To prove he rode this one

We're always trying to come up with different  faces for the  photo on Space Mountain

Catch-Up (Christmas)

December 24-25, 2012

Christmas was pretty low key at our house this year. We had just returned from our trip (see next post) and had quite the whirlwind before that, so it was nice to have a couple of quiet days. Christmas Eve was spent at home all together. We ate tamales for dinner (a tradition of the past few years), decorated gingerbread cookies, watched A Charlie Brown Christmas, and read the Christmas story from the scriptures. I made everyone go to bed around 11:30 or 12 so Santa could make a visit :)

Christmas morning arrived with snow--just like Maren had hoped for! We woke up about 8, opened some presents, and ate yummy orange rolls for breakfast. Later, Aubrey and I both fell asleep while Maren & Carson went outside for some snowball action :)  We had delicious pork roast for dinner that night. We didn't need to be anywhere and no one was coming to our house, so I stayed in my pajamas all day--haven't done that in a long time. It was a nice relaxing time together. I'm glad we could have this holiday all together--who knows when that will be able to happen again?

Pictures from the gingerbread cookie adventure:

Catch-Up (Final Mission Preparation)

December 26, 2012-January 8, 2013

Lots to do to make sure everything is in place for Carson to leave on his mission. Stress, emotion, frustration--all were evident for each of us. Everything had to be done within a specific, and very short, time frame. Many things relied on other things--a domino effect if something wasn't done when it needed to be. Somehow we survived.

Carson spoke in church on Sunday December 30 and it went well. We had most of Gary's family with us and lots of Carson's friends. It was a good day :) Here's a few pictures from the yard with all the Hatch family mission flags.

I am holding Gary's Danish flag

Pure Carson!

Holding THE tie--it's been through all the  male Hatch missionaries.  They each wear it and sign the inside.  Fun tradition :)

Carson said goodbye to all his friends on Monday and Tuesday. One of those goodbyes was particularly hard, but he got through it. Tuesday night Aubrey came home from Provo to be here for Carson's setting apart as a missionary. It was great to be together as a family that night when the bishop and the stake presidency came to our home. He was blessed with many specific things. I know he will be a blessing to many others that he comes in contact with over the next two years. What an adventure it's going to be!

Time to Play Catch-Up (MTC)

Boy, the last couple of months have just flown by! There's so much that happened in our family that I haven't written about here on my blog. Much of it's been mentioned (or shown) on Facebook, but that's not the place I've been hoping to preserve memories and thoughts, so I will play a little catch-up. Probably the best way for me to do this is to work backwards...starting with last week when Carson went to the MTC.

Wednesday January 9, 2013
(quick reminder, Carson was called to serve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa mission--French speaking. As a young American, he can only serve in 3 cities, 2 in Cameroon and 1 in Congo. He won't even be allowed to enter the DRC)
We weren't leaving the house until 11, everything had been packed, Maren was picked up from school (she had to go to 1st period to take a test), what were we to do? Oh yes, take a few more pictures :)

Carson is going to miss his doggy

Dexter did NOT like this photo

Can you tell Maren is cold?

All too soon it was time to leave for lunch. Carson had requested Smashburger--yum! We met Aubrey there (as he had left early for a class) and all had yummy burgers, fries, and shakes. Tasty, tasty :)  After lunch we went up to the Provo Temple for a few last pictures before going across the street for the final drop off.

silly things happen in Provo...

Now it was time. So bittersweet. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I didn't cry as much as I thought I would. Maybe because Tuesday afternoon/evening had taken it all out of me, I don't know. Here are the pictures of all of us hugging Carson goodbye.

I love my boy!

And here's a final picture of him walking into the MTC

I received a letter in the mail on Saturday and an email today. He knows he's doing the right thing, in the right place, at the right time. Even though the first few days were kind of tough, he has already had good help to figure out how to work through those feelings. I'm so excited for all that's in store for Carson!

Happy New Year!

Wow, I can't believe it's 2013! So much happened in 2012 that may or may not have made it into this blog :)  I don't know what my goals regarding blogging are for this new year--so much of my life is focused on getting Carson ready to leave in 8 days for his mission. Check back with me on January 10--I'll let you know :)

Happy New Year to all my family and friends--may this year be an awesome one for all of you!

O Sing A Song of Bethlehem

I heard this song at the high school choir concert tonight. I don't know if I've heard it before, but the lyrics really hit home. This season is set aside to celebrate Christ's birth, but we must always remember His life and His sacrifice for us. I think this song reminds us of that.
(If you look on youtube, there are several instrumental versions of this song and a couple with vocals as well.)

O Sing A Song of Bethlehem

1. O sing a song of Bethlehem, 
 of shepherds watching there, 
 and of the news that came to them 
 from angels in the air.  
 The light that shone on Bethlehem 
 fills all the world today; 
 of Jesus' birth and peace on earth 
 the angels sing alway.

2. O sing a song of Nazareth, 
 of sunny days of joy; 
 O sing of fragrant flowers' breath, 
 and of the sinless Boy.  
 For now the flowers of Nazareth 
 in every heart may grow; 
 now spreads the fame of his dear name 
 on all the winds that blow.

3. O sing a song of Galilee, 
 of lake and woods and hill, 
 of him who walked upon the sea 
 and bade the waves be still. 
 For though like waves on Galilee, 
 dark seas of trouble roll, 
 when faith has heard the Master's work, 
 falls peace upon the soul.

4. O sing a song of Calvary, 
 its glory and dismay, 
 of him who hung upon the tree, 
 and took our sins away.  
 For he who died on Calvary 
 is risen from the grave, 
 and Christ, our Lord, by heaven adored, 
 is mighty now to save.