Little Hats

George is 2!!

2012-02-07T07:49:00.002-06:00

George and I had some time to ourselves with the other kids at school Thursday morning. He showed off his organization skill by lining up some toys.

Then he posed for me.

The birthday celebrations started on Saturday when Chris came over to give George his present. With 4 sick kids and 1 sick husband, she came over by herself but brought cinnamon rolls.

The card played music and was a big hit with all the kids.

Becca and Pat decided that George needed help getting the gift open.

An awesome Little People Truck!

Later that day we had cake. George was a little excited!

After the cake and a change in clothes, it was time for more presents. George first opened a giant caterpillar form Gramma and Grandpa Sullivan who were here to celebrate with us.

Then a book.

And finally an dino that sings the alphabet.

That evening was spend at the school carnival. We didn't take the camera but George, once again, enjoyed spending time in jail. I really hope this isn't a sign of what's to come like "Uncle Jailbird Joey" from Back to the Future. On Sunday, Grandma Jan stopped in for a few hours on her way home from St. Louis. She made George a ND blanket to match the one she made Pat for Christmas. She also brought books and a Tow Mater truck but the other kids wouldn't let me get pictures of those.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. All in all, it was a great weekend with most of the grandparents around (you were missed Grandpa Mark!). Its still hard to believe that George is two already but he practices the attitude all the time.

Talent Show

2012-02-03T13:58:00.001-06:00

Here's a shot video of the talent show at school yesterday. We didn't really celebrate George's birthday yesterday but we will this weekend. In the mean time, enjoy the singing.

The Wii & Monkey Joe's

2012-01-29T18:02:00.001-06:00

I know its been awhile but I wanted to get in some pictures before the next birthday. The kids were allowed to use the Wii the other night.

George can't quite use the controller yet but he's pretty darn cute!

Now its Becca's turn.

Yesterday, we went to a school friend's birthday party at Monkey Joe's. For those who don't know, Monkey Joe's is full of bouncy castles for kids 12 and under. Becca seemed to enjoy this slide.

George wasn't too sure of the whole thing at first. But after Mike went in the toddler section with him, he wouldn't leave.

Here Pat and Becca are waiting for cupcakes and ice cream.

When Monkey Joe himself came in, most of the kids shrunk back a little. But not those Hatton kids! They just saw a new friend to hug.

George also got to try some cupcake. In the next moment, he shoved the rest of it in his month.

This week our little man will be turning 2 so come back soon!

Fun with Becca and George

2012-01-10T12:53:00.001-06:00

With Patrick at school most of the day, I thought I'd have a post of just Becca and George. I managed to get some shots of the kids playing very nicely by themselves. George enjoyed the Duplos...

...while Becca played with the ponies.

Then they saw the camera and I had to take some staged shots.

I have no idea what he's doing now.

Yesterday the kids were playing with the costumes. George went with Buzz Lightyear.

Becca was a fire fighter.

Becca had pigtails for school this morning and she let me braid them after lunch. She looked so cute I had to take her picture.

And with her toungue out, just like Mom.

December Celebrations

2012-01-10T12:05:00.001-06:00

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to make this post but I didn't realize we had pictures from Christmas and Pat's birthday until today.

Let's start with a pictures of the kids with Grandma Jan and Gwennie. with her tongue out.

Becca helped Grandma with the dishes.

Chris and Steph gave the boys some SUPER toys!

I got to help Becca set up her Playmobile doll house.

George protecting the world from evil!

Then it off to do some math.

Here is a shot you've seen many times, Grandma with a kid and a book in her lap.

I don't know what these things are called but the kids love them.

Poor Aunt Annie. She just couldn't keep up with those energetic kids.

On Patrick's birthday, he got to paint his match box cars from the Venias. It was great fun.

Mike even grilled steaks for Pat's b-day dinner.

Then we opened gifts and my favorite was the Yoda alarm clock from Dave the Godfather. Unfortunately it doesn't say something Yoda-ish when the alarm goes off, it just buzzes.

That's it for the December celebrations. We hope you had a blessed Christmas season and they continue in 2012.

Bunk Beds & Beyond

2011-12-19T20:05:00.000-06:00

George has been spending some of the wee hours in our bed. I managed to slip away once and get a shot.

We also took some pictures of the kids all dressed up.

After months of work, Mike finally got this bunk beds finished. This also means Becca finally gets our of the toddler bed and into a big girl bed.

Here are the bunk beds themselves.

Ain't he cute?

That's it for now. We have a busy day tomorrow with both Becca and Pat performing Christmas songs. And of course Christmas is coming this weekend, and the goose is getting fat. May you all have a blessed Christmas with your loved ones.

Christmas Tree 2011

2011-12-19T19:54:00.000-06:00

I have no idea if this will look the way I want it to with this new format that blogspot set up. But bear with me and you'll still get the pictures. A about a week ago, we went to get a Christmas tree with the Showalters. Here's Patrick ready to go hunt down a tree.

After a long search, at least when you're walking around with a 22-month old, we finally picked out a tree. Each kid got a turn at cutting it down, except Teddy who didn't want to.

Here Chris, Mike, the kids and the tree.

It was Becca's turn to put the angel on top of the tree.

It was a fun filled day and we're very happy with our tree. Come back soon for more updates.

Tribute to Grandma Great

2011-12-08T12:20:00.006-06:00

This week we say good-bye to an incredible woman and my last grandparent, Kathleen Shea Sullivan. She left behind her 8 children, 17 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, so far.
Thanks to my cousin Lauren, I have some older pictures to share. I don't know when this was taken but her is the lady.

Let's move up the 1980's and see Grandma and Grandpa with the grandchild at the time. I remember this picture being taken at the House on Lawndale as we now call it.

In March of 2007 Grandma got to meet her 7th great-grandchild, Patrick.

Here's a shot of Grandma enjoying a fine meal at D&T's house in August 2007. You can see Joan and Patrick as well.

Becca finally got her chance in Grandma's lap in May 2008. Great grandkid #9.

Next we go to the Sullivan Family Christmas party 2009. This is Grandma with her grandchildren (including in-laws) that were able to attend.

Grandma and my Dad, her oldest child, sit by the fire and enjoy Becca's nuttiness.

With her children minus Jim and Kath who couldn't make the party.

Now we're up to March 2010. George(#12) was only a couple of weeks old when he meet Grandma Great. They took to each other right away.

Grandma had had surgery on her face since the last time we saw her and I was afraid the kids might be scare of her. Becca held nothing back and climbed right into her arms.

Who knew a phone could be so much fun?

This is one of my favorite pictures in world.

Last September we celebrated Grandma's 90th birthday. This first shot are the 12 kids from the Iowa branch of the family tree.

Here we got to included Norah, the only other great-grandchild able to come to the party. We forgive Jesse and the kids for not coming given that the youngest was only about a month old.

I feel very blessed to have had Kay Sullivan in my life. I look now to Mike's grandparents to hug our kids (and me) and help fill the great grandparent void. I was about Becca's age when my last great grandparent died and I don't remember her at all. I hope my kids will remember Grandma Great and all the love she shared with us. Bless you Grandma and thanks for everything.

Its not December Yet!

2011-11-30T16:20:00.005-06:00

I'm just getting this in before December so there! Here are some pictures from Becca's Thanksgiving program at school.

Ms. Wharton read a book to the class after having pumpkin pie in a bag (a snack).

I found Mike and Becca snuggled up together and grabbed the camera.

Grandma and Grandpa Sullivan made the journey over to spend Thanksgiving day with us. Grandpa briefly remembered having hair while playing with Becca.

I have no idea what Patrick is doing.

George enjoyed the workbench and the kitchen at the same time.

Grandma got into the crazy too.

Mike took this last Saturday.

Becca and George played peek-a-boo on the couch while Pat was at school.

General cuteness.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and know that we are thankful for all of you. I will try to keep up on the blog but we're gonna be busy for the next month.

Becca's 4th Birthday

2011-11-04T12:04:00.005-05:00

Becca's birthday this year was celebrated over a couple of days. She took cupcakes to school on Tuesday and we had the rest on Wednesday night and sang.

She looks beautiful in this shot, doesn't she?

And Patrick looks very silly and excited.

Blowing out the candles.

After singing, I notice the cops across the street. We saw two people being handcuffed and several cop cars blocking the street. In the end, both suspects were released and the cops went away. We don't know what happened.

Then the kids enjoyed the cupcakes.

George even got some of it in his mouth.

Becca got a Rapunzel doll from her brothers that she loves.

On her birthday, Pat was home in the afternoon and they played with the new princess magnets.

In the evening we had Subway for dinner and "watched" Mike play soccer. This morning I had parent-teacher conferences and both kids got glowing reviews. Then we went for Becca's check-up. She is 42in and 36lb 6oz and is perfectly healthy. This afternoon a package from Grampa and Gramma Sullivan finally arrived with some more stuff. I think the sweater and hat are great!

Despite all the running around, Becca says she had a nice birthday. Thanks to all of you who called, we loved the singing.

Halloween

2011-11-01T10:56:00.010-05:00

Our Halloween celebration started last Thursday when Becca's preschool class had a party.
First the class enjoyed some cookies.

Megan is so cute!

Here are the two Rebeccas.

They even let George have a cookie.

Becca gladly posed for the camera.

And here's the hair for Rapunzel.

Becca's class all dressed up.

Ms. Wharton joined in the costume fun.

All lined up for the parade through the big school.

On the parade route.

We had a couple of small pumpkins this year that we drew on. The one with the hat is George's and the other one is Becca's.

This is Patrick's jack-o-lantern...

...this is mine...

...and Mike's design.

Sir Patrick Hatton with the family crest on the shield.

Pat and Ben K.

Here are the boys all ready to go.

And George who refused to wear the hood.

All line up ready to parade through the school.

It took me three shots but his is the Kindergarten class all dressed up for Halloween.

Later in the day, most of the family got dressed up and ready to trick-or-treat.

Let's go guys! (He left the hood at school).

Becca posing for the camera...again.

And they're off!

George was happy to hang back with Dad.

Trick or treat!

This house down the street does it up every year. This year they went with a ghost pirate ship.

We hope you all had a great Halloween. There will, of course, be more pictures later this week for Becca's birthday.

A Costume & A Cutie

2011-10-20T11:55:00.005-05:00

I managed to finish Becca's Halloween costume this week and I think its perfect for her.

She even did a little dance to show how it moves.

Mike caught George flipping through Sport Illustrated awhile back. At first, he was annoyed with the interruption...

...but then he decided it was hilarious!

We're off to South Bend tomorrow to see some hockey, football and family. I hope you enjoyed this post and we'll have more pictures next week.

JDRF Walk

2011-10-12T12:49:00.008-05:00

Last Saturday, after soccer in the morning, we head to Columbus to join the Coffeys in the JDRF Walk. Upon arrival, we were treated to a 5th grade football game. John was the quarterback.

Captain Coffey talks the officials.

John even scored a couple of touchdowns. The Pioneers won 27-0.

On Sunday morning we made our way to OSU Horseshoe for the JDRF Walk. Jake was ready to roll.

Here is the Coffey Crew as we started the 2 mile walk through campus.

George knew it was nap time and sacked out.

Clara and Harvey hand in hand.

We saw these two little girls in front of us and had to take a picture.

I don't really know what Patrick is doing here. It was a beautiful day but too early to see some anyone playing frisbee.

George needed some water after all the hard work.

Becca got Aunt Pat to carry her for awhile.

Some guys got really dressed up for the walk.

On our way home we saw an orange blimp. If you zoom in you can see that it says "Conan".
This was the first time we made it, but the Coffey Crew has been doing this walk for 8 years! Hopefully some money was raised and the cure that much closer. A special thanks to John and Esta Coffey for letting us crash and for breakfast.

Soccer

2011-10-11T07:50:00.013-05:00

This weekend marked the end of the soccer season for us this fall. Here Pat warms up before the game.

Becca and George kick around on the other side of the field before the other team shows up.

Goal for George! And look at the way Becca's ponytail swings.

Mike gives some encouragement to the team.

Did you see me Mom?

There are Irish fan wherever we go!

Pat worked very hard to focus and keep his eye on the ball.

It's a little out of focus, but you can see Pat stopping the ball.

The Wild Cats make a run!

Mike helps Zoe with her shin guard with Coach George on his shoulders.

Go Pat go!

Becca made friends with another little girl.

George enjoyed hitting the trash can.

Post game talk. Mike is such a great coach.

The park district has medals for each kid. Patrick was very excited to get his.

We played Benjamin K's team so I took a picture of the boys together.

On to game 2 of the day. Becca's team warms up with coach Dad.

Waiting for the game to begin.

We played the Showalter's team so there was fun on the side lines as well. Here's Teddy.

George enjoying some cookies during the game.

Go for the goal Becca!

Here Pia makes a run but Cater stops her.

George waves "hi" from atop Dad's shoulders again.

I don't know why Becca is on the ground.

The Golden Cats go for the ball.

Pat S was nice enough to go get George for me.

It was a crazy soccer season and everyone had a good time. Last night Becca scored a goal at her last game, for which we are very proud. Good job to both the Wild Cats and the Golden Cats!

School Work

2011-09-30T14:47:00.005-05:00

I thought I would share some of the work that has been coming home with the kids lately. First we have Becca's B worksheet. She remembered the rainbow order and put in on her paper along with some buttons.

Here they talked about Johnny Appleseed. Becca colors inside the lines better than Patrick.

And now for some of Patrick's work. First is a caterpillar.

On this sheet they were to write a D next the pictures that start with D. Patrick ignored that and tried to sound out the words. I had him fix a few when he got home but he got duck right!

He's so excited about sounding out/spelling words that he just does it now on the pictures.

Pat knows his body parts.

Last week I tried having George sit at the table for lunch with Becca. He did very well at lunch and just threw his food on the floor at dinner, which landed him right back in the highchair.

This was taking before Becca's first soccer game a few weeks ago.

Quotes:
* It's windy outside and I tell the kids to put on their windbreakers, or jackets. Patrick says "My jacket can break wind better than ever!" to which Becca replies "That means you farted!"

* Coming home from school today, Patrick informs me he invited his teacher, Mrs. Olsen, to his birthday party. I asked "What if we don't have a birthday party?" Patrick replies "Its a surprise!" After laughing I asked "How can you plan your own surprise party?" Without missing a bet, he says "Maybe I'll forget!"

Grandma Great's 90th Birthday

2011-09-19T07:48:00.007-05:00

Yesterday we journeyed to South Bend to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday. Here she is with Teresa.

We went to D&T's house before the party. George enjoyed pushing John around.

The kids stopped eating waffles just long enough for me to get a picture.

Jake always looks so serious.

Katie keeps an eye on George as he checks out the CAT toy.

Patrick found another toy.

AJ showed off his block building skills.

And Gabe just took it all in.

We had Mass on the porch at the Milton Home. It was kinda crowded but John, AJ and Gabe found a couch...

...with room left for Clara and Liam.

Miss Katie being herself.

Becca being herself too.

Father Eddy Shea, yet another cousin, said the Mass and invited the kids up to the alter for the consecration. They all help bless the bread and wine.

Erin enjoyed some food with Becca and Lucas.

Katie made some improvements to Patrick's looks.

There was a bird in the parlor that George found VERY interesting.

John being silly.

Liam shows me some of his moves.

Patrick asked me to take this picture, I really don't know what he's doing.

Dan and Lucas sharing some cake.

Here are 13 of the 16 great-grandchildren of the birthday girl: John, Erin, Katie & Jake Coffey, AJ, Gabe & Lucas Sullivan, Liam & Clara Venia, Patrick, Becca & George Hatton and Norah Estes. The Clark kids, the newest of which was born only a few weeks ago, opted to stay home with Mom but they were missed.

The are a good looking bunch of kids aren't they?

This is the banner that each kid's hand is traced on and decorated. Thanks for the picture Lauren.

A special thanks to Dick, Kate, and Joan for getting this party together. I know there was a lot of people, which can be hard when you're 90, but I'm glad we came.

Becca's 1st Day of Preschool

2011-09-12T07:52:00.005-05:00

Last Tuesday, Becca had her first day of preschool and she was very excited to go!

The Showalters came over VERY early to celebrate my birthday with donuts. I told them to hang out until it was time for school and the kids let me get a couple of shots in. There are seven children 6 and under on my couch!

Here Becca and her best and oldest friend Emily are getting excited for their first day of school.

Here Becca and George wait outside of the building.

What a nice big sister she is!

Here's Becca and Emily again. I didn't realize how much taller Becca is until I looked at this picture.

George is excited about our alone time.

I'd like to say its quite around here with two kids in school but I haven't had a chance to stay home! I'm sure we'll adjust and learn to love it. Becca told me she had a great day and loves school. Hopefully this love of school will continue for many years to come.

Labort Day Weekend

2011-09-12T07:32:00.006-05:00

We headed up north for the Labor Day weekend. It was rainy and wet most of the time but we managed to run around in the driveway Saturday morning.

Grandma found some old toys in the garage. George loved the helmet.

Becca got a jump rope but couldn't use it the way it was designed. But being an industrious kid, she soon found another use.

With they others gone, George thought he'd take a crack at the bike. He wasn't too happy when an adult stopped him.

Grandma took a turn at hulu-hooping. Shortly after this the hoop turned into a carriage, Becca was the driver and I was the horse.

George got a hold on a street hockey puck. I guess it was fun to throw around because that's what he did.

Here we are getting ready to watch the ND game.

Sunday, George put on a fashion show for us.

Gwennie got lots of play time while we were around.

Becca and Pat always love hanging with Aunt Mary. She's always reading them a book or showing them her IPad.

On Sunday afternoon while Dad was baking, George fell asleep in Great-Grandpa's lap. I love this picture!

Thanks again to Mark and Jan/Grandma and Grandpa for having us. And thanks to all the wonderful food you served, it motivated me to get my butt out of bed and start running again.

August is Almost Over!

2011-08-26T07:20:00.005-05:00

With all the excitement of starting school, I had to skip a few pictures last week. Here George is having a good time playing.

And an even better time in Dad's chair.

Becca is not to be out done in the cuteness department.

Patrick, still cute, seems to think he's too old for such silliness.

My beautiful children in a rare quite moment. They do really love and take care of each other.

On Monday while Pat was at school, George was overwhelmed with excitement.

Becca took the opportunity to play with her princess mat.

Here is some of the work Patrick has been doing at school. I love his peop

This is a note the teacher sent home the other day. I'm glad to read he's being a good boy.

Patrick really loves going to school and I love our morning walks to get there. The rest of us have adjusted to life at home without Pat, but the noise level jumps up again when he get's home.

Patrick's 1st Day of Kindergarten

2011-08-17T09:38:00.006-05:00

This morning was Patrick's first day of Kindergarten. Per Grandma Jan's request, we took a picture in front of the door. I have no idea what Patrick is doing.

With George already in the stroller, I got a shot of the other two before we left.

Here Grandma Jan, a nice smile on his face NEAR the door.

You can tell he's thinking, "Enough with the pictures already Mom. Let's go!"

After a brief walk, we made it to school. We saw Sam and had to stop for a picture.

Here's Patrick next to his coat hook. He was ready to go by this point so the smile is not so great.

Back outside, Becca and George are ready to get home.

I'm so proud of Patrick. He went to school with a smile on his lips and excitement in his eyes. I just picked him up and he's hungrily eating lunch as I type. When I asked how his day was, he said "It was the best day EVER!" which he means every time.

Venia's Visit

2011-08-17T09:18:00.005-05:00

Most of the Venias came to visit us last week. Here Becca, Clara and Pat are all dolled up for church.

George was later pulled in.

Liam was looking pretty spiffy himself.

George enjoyed not wearing pants for awhile.

After church the race track was out and the games were on. There is a lot of back lighting in these pictures, sorry.

Liam was busy with the cars but Clara gave me a big grin.

Becca too.

The boys stayed focused on the cars

Grandma and Grandpa also made the journey to our house. Its just too bad they don't enjoy their grandkids.

We went to the hotel to swim and Becca managed to wack her chin on the side of the pool. If these pictures look familiar, Patrick gave himself a similar injuring in May 2010. Don't worry, she's fine.

Thanks for all those who came to visit. It was great to see you all.

Welcome to August

2011-08-08T09:25:00.003-05:00

As some of you know, when our oldest niece turned 7 (March 2010) she asked her parents if she could donate her lovely hair to help kids who had lost theirs. Erin's selflessness made me decided to do the same. Last Saturday, my hair was finally long enough to donate. Here is the before front shot.

And from the back.

Here I am after the cut. I didn't get a picture of the hair because I took it right to the post office and mailed it to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths.

Here the kids climb on Dad. What a beautiful family I have!

Yesterday we took George's 18 month pictures (coming soon) and Becca needed a family picture for school. Mike was trying the light on the swing and voted against it.

We then moved to the steps, which had better lighting.

What a nice family.

I hope you enjoyed our pictures. Patrick starts Kindergarten next week so there will be more pictures soon.

Paint Job

2011-07-29T19:25:00.004-05:00

For those of you who've never seen our house or simply didn't notice the paint, this post is not very exciting. For the rest of you, doesn't our house look great?

The transition from the house to the garage was one of the worst parts.

Here is the bay window on the east side of the house. After our neighbor cut down the tree in the front, you could really see how bad the house looked.

The east side of the garage with some of the new siding Mike put up in June.

The upper west side of the house needed a lot of scraping.

Here you see the rest of the new siding behind the tree.

The upper back side. I feel sorry for the guys who climbed up there in the heat to paint. Don't worry, the double doors are going to be replaced.

The east side from the back of the house.

The house looks great and it only took 4 days for the three college kids to paint it. Sorry there are no pictures of the kids in this post.

July Catch-Up

2011-07-26T19:33:00.005-05:00

Today is our 8th anniversary. I'm celebrating at home while Mike is in Kansas. As part of the festivities, I thought I'd post some pictures from the past month.
After the 4th, Grandma Jan sent home all the fixin' for s'mores. So we tried roasting on the stove (don't try it, they don't taste nearly as good) and enjoyed the messy treat.

Here Becca is wearing my shirt from 1980-something.

When Grandma was down here a couple of weeks ago, she let the kids do her hair.

George took a ride on his favorite horse, Dad.

George can't have all the fun so Becca and Pat decided to join in.

My Hatton men.

Becca tried on my glasses from middle school the other day. She looks like Sally Jessy Raphael.

I recently let George try a folk and he doing pretty well. Please note it's in his LEFT hand. His lefty mother is very proud.

Please keep some friends in your prayers, the Godlewski and Jenkins families. Both are fighting cancer, the first breast and the second possible leukemia (2nd grader). I can't begin to imagine what these families are dealing with right now and thank God for our health with every breath.

Bon Voyage Hannah!

2011-07-17T11:13:00.006-05:00

Last weekend the kids and I ventured west to see my folks. We also wanted to see Hannah once more before she moves to Australia next week.

So cute!

Take care Hannah and I can't wait to come and see you...someday.

George made use of the large yard and cruised. George liked scaring Grandma on the stairs too.

Pat running.

George really wanted to play with the dogs and Belle felt the same. He settled for waving at them.

Big grin from Miss Becca.

Patrick shows off the hole in his teeth.

The boys enjoying a moment on the couch at Grandma & pa's.

Grandma brought up the Lincoln Logs and George appreciated it.

Thanks Grandma and Pa for let us come visit on short notice and thanks to Hannah for finding an afternoon to spend with us.

Mike's Triathlon

2011-07-16T12:30:00.005-05:00

This morning we headed over to Bloomington IL to watch Mike finish his triathlon. But we had to wait a little while to see him come by and Pat was thrilled!

Becca too!

And don't forget George.

Jan took some shots of random bikers or runners.

Here comes Dad! He even waved!

He even smiled as he rode by.

We waited a few more minutes so we could see him run.

Here comes Dad again!

Again, he looks too happy to be working hard.

We then moved down the road to watch him finish. Turns out we weren't at the finish (I wondered why there wasn't a big sign!) but we cheered all the runners on.

Here he comes around the bend.

We gave him the energy to make his final kick!

He finished the whole race in 2hrs 2 min 21.9sec, placing 7th in his age group. The breakdown is
swim: 11:58.9 (2:12/100yd)
T1: 2:10.9
Bike: 1:17:11.2 (19.3MPH)
T2: 1:07.4
Run: 29:53.5 (9.38/mile)

We are so proud of Mike and amazed at his dedication. Thanks to all of you for your support and Jan for making the trip down. We love you Mike!

Independence Day Weekend

2011-07-05T19:22:00.009-05:00

We went up to Wisconsin to celebrate our nation's independence with the whole Hatton clan, minus two. Mike decided it was time to conquer the waves.

The whole family came down to see off our gallant knight.

Here he goes...but will he be tilting at windmills or in shining armor?

This is a nice sun set on the waters of Lake Camelot.

Patrick and Becca joined Debbie and myself, along with Captain Bruce. Don't they look good?

After a few attempts, Mike armor shined brightly in the sun.

Patrick and Becca gave Mike the thumbs up after his successful run at skiing.

The triumphant hero.

And the crowd went wild!

Stella wanted to get away from the puppies and kids.

Here's Gwennie running around.

Becca did a couple of laps around the fire pit.

Then the rest of us joined her while the fire got going. It was too late for the kids to roast marshmallows by the time the fire was ready.

George made sure the kayak was in good shape.

Mike and George hanging out in the back.

Becca taking a break from the water.

Patrick enjoying the sand.

Grandma watched from the grass...

The kids playing on the beach.

We hope you all enjoyed your Independence Day celebrations.

A million thanks the Grandma and Grandpa Hatton for once again hosting almost 20 people and three dogs. We had a great time with everyone and hope to see you all again soon.

Alpha's wedding

2011-06-30T20:24:00.006-05:00

Last weekend we headed to Effingham, IL to witness Katie Alpha's wedding. We decided to crash the rehearsal dinner party (after the dinner part) and see some friends. Sarah was quick to remember George and gave him a big hug.

George was not sure what to think. It wasn't long until our kids were running around with the two Cronk kids.

The next day as we waited in hotel lobby we took a couple of shots of our beautiful children.

George showed us how strong he is by pushing the sliding doors open and shut. He was a little frustrated when they opened all by themselves and he had to shut them again.

Here Dave and Colleen sat with our kids. Patrick wanted to show his Godfather how good he could be.

The best man and maid of honor/sister of the bride, Ann, also a ND trombone.

Here's Alpha coming down the aisle with her dad. Wasn't she beautiful?

George did not take a nap before the wedding and it started rain while we were in the church. We allowed the pacifier outside of nap time so everyone could enjoy the wedding.

Becca loved sitting with Colleen. Thanks again.

Sarah was very excited about something. Somehow we did get a picture of Austin, sorry buddy.

Becca checking out Colleen's camera.

The final blessing from the priest.

Here they come down the aisle, and yes, he's wearing a kilt!

The happy couple.

A special thanks to the Stolz and Madden families for a wonderful time. We wish all the blessing in the world for Katie and Loren.

Ding Dong the Tooth is Out!

2011-06-23T14:47:00.004-05:00

While we were in route to Pittsburgh, Patrick announced from the backseat that he had a loose tooth. And today, after two and a half weeks, Patrick finally lost his first tooth. It has been hanging on by a thread the past few days so I had Patrick snack on some apples. That got it really loose but that stubborn little thing just won't let go. With a tissue and Patrick's permission, I wiggled it around a bit and it popped out! Here are some great pictures of our newly-toothless boy.

And the tooth. I don't remember baby teeth being SO small.

Patrick is very excited about losing his tooth and asked to share the news with the family. We decided to wait on his Godfather and Aunt Annie until this evening. For those we will see this weekend, please be prepared for Patrick and his crazy mom who is almost as excited as he.

Old City/History Dork Stuff

2011-06-14T14:57:00.013-05:00

Friday was the big day. We started the day by jumping on a bus right outside Patricia's condo and going downtown to the "history dork stuff" as Mike called it. After getting our tickets for Independence Hall, we walked over to Ben Franklin's grave. Here is a brief list of his accomplishments.

I'm showing Patrick the grave.

Patricia tells us its a tradition to throw pennies on his grave. Someone got "A penny saved is a penny earned" mixed up!

We then walked over to Independence Hall. Their restoring the bell tower but put up this screens on the scaffolding to simulate the real thing.

The Hall as we approach.

After having our bags search, we had to wait a few minutes for the tour to start. George was asleep before 9:30AM.

Becca found some leaves.

And Patrick just did his own thing,

Mike took several pictures of Old Glory flying outside the Hall, I just picked one.

This is a painting depicting the signing of the Declaration of Independence in the East wing of the building. This is how they close the show of 1776.

This is a painting hanging in the Supreme Court. There's a great story about the painter of this but you'll have to go there to hear it.

Little Lady Liberty.

This was by far the highlight of the trip for me. To be in the Assembly Room where 55 men debated over the Declaration of Independence and then signed their death warrant upon losing was magnificent and humbling.

There was a lot of standing around and the kids found the floor more comfortable.

This was our tour guide through Independence Hall. She was very good but misspoke about the 3/5 compromise. Mike has since told me to let it go but that's one that a lot of people don't understand correctly and therefore is important to get right.

This is the chair George Washington sat in as the President of the Constitutional committee. The park ranger pointed out the half sun on the back of the chair. Ben Franklin is said to have found himself wondering if the sun was setting or rising over the new nation and ultimately decided it was rising.

Me with the kids.

This one was taken for Mr. Moses, my high school American history teacher who always talked about his pocket Constitution. I got mine at the Lincoln Memorial in DC 9 years ago.

Here is a balcony in Independence Hall. I could see John Adams pacing back and forth in frustration with the rest of the Convention.

We learned that the kids could collect trading cards throughout the city. We often had to wait a few minutes and let a school group clear out because they only have so many cards.

I don't remember what this is.

Here is where the first Congress meet in Congress Hall, right next to Independence Hall.

Becca cheesed it up for the camera.

A great shot of the seal in the first Senate room.

This is the secretary's office .

The history teacher in me just had to come out at some point and Patrick was the target.

A printing press in the office.

I'm showing this old water pump to Patrick.

This is John Barry "the Father of the American Navy".

We then headed over to Washington Square to let the kids run around for a bit. Turns out this square is also a burial ground first for undesirables and later for the unknown solider.

George was very very happy not to be in the back pack.

There were carriage rides all over this part of Philly which the kids thought was really cool.

Mike and George waiting in line to see the Liberty Bell.

And here she is. The kids were so excited to see the bell. Becca asked Patricia if Osama bin Laden cracked the bell and then she got very concerned it would crack more.

We moved around to the back of the bell.

Here you can see the pendulum.

This wood is over 200 years old and you can see the engraving on the bell.

George Washington.

Again, George Washington, this time in the Second US Bank.

Ben Franklin was all over town.

Patrick and Becca posing in front of a painting, not sure who this is though.

Me with my main man, Mr. John Adams!

This is the Marine seal in the military building.

Patrick loved this ship and asked serveral times if he could bring it home.

As Becca and I found a bathroom, everyone else enjoyed a tale of a bank robbery. I caught the end and he was great!

I have to say the kids were awesome. We left Patricia's place at 8:30AM and it was almost 4PM before we got back. There was very little whining and NO breakdowns. They got to ride a bus and the subway. They even got M'n'M's from a friend at "Tricy's" work. A big thanks to my sister Patricia for making room for us and putting up with Patrick's nightly thrashing and Becca making her bed at 2 in the morning. We had an incredible time and I think kids will remember this trip despite being only 3 & 5.

Rocky and Cheese Steaks

2011-06-14T12:07:00.006-05:00

Mike really wanted us to pose in front of the Rocky statue. Patricia told us that it use to be at the top of the stairs into the art museum (the building behind) but someone decided it was not "art". It was moved elsewhere but became a problem and was then moved back to the museum and placed in the front lawn.

Then Mike and the kids did the famous run up the stairs.

Up they go!

You can see Mike at the top with Patrick not far behind.. Becca is still working her way up but can not be seen

The other half of our party then walked up the stairs but George needed a little help. He did get to do the last few steps by himself.

The art museum was too expensive and boring to take the kids in but we enjoyed the art outside.

Mike could a shot of us from across the fountain.

Another shot of the fountain.

The fountain with the city behind it.

This is Casimir Pulaski, a Polish revolutionary war hero. And in Illinois, the school kids get the day off for him. Mike thought it was fitting to have a picture taken with him.

That night, Patricia took us to South Philly to get REAL cheese steaks.

As you can see, Patricia was an awesome host and took us everywhere! There's only one post left in our photo journey and I saved the best for last!

The Jersey Shore

2011-06-14T11:32:00.004-05:00

On Thursday, when the temperature was pushing 100, we traveled a bit outside the city to the Jersey shore. The kids got to see the ocean for the first time and loved it! Here is Becca playing in the sand.

Here's George watching the other two and learning what to do.

Patrick playing in the sand.

Mike's big cheesy grin!

Here's Patrick's Godmother, as he introduced her to everyone all week.

George's arms and legs got really red but they were fine the next day.

Patrick in the sand.

George in the sand.

Mike and Becca coming out of the water. Mike is really rocking the farmer tan!

Here's Patrick playing in the sand again.

In the sand...again.

Where ya going George?

The two Pats playing in the water.

As you can see, Patrick was more interested in the sand than the water but Becca couldn't get enough. George was not a fan of the water at all. If I even pulled him away from my body we'd start screaming; cleaning the sand off of him was a lot of fun!

The Philly Zoo

2011-06-13T16:19:00.009-05:00

Patricia, being the awesome aunt she is, got a zoo membership and showed us a great day. Let's start with Becca monkey.

Nobody told the kids to put their hands down.

Our first animal and I don't remember what primate it is.

This fountain greets you as you enter the zoo.

Next we checked out the kangaroos.

We were lucky enough to see some tortoises getting friendly. One kid in the crowd thought they were trying to escape.

A peacock and his hen.

Patrick and Becca go in for a closer look.

This penguin must of had a hard time finding a cool place. It was well about 90 degrees.

The polar bear managed to find a way to cool off.

The rhino tried to hid but Mike found him.

A zebra

Patrick really wanted a closer look at the animals. Too bad he didn't have a quarter and kept pointing it up to the sky.

The giraffes were awesome.

A gazelle

This is a weird looking bird but I kept my cool in the dreaded bird house.

Becca needed a boost to see the flamingos.

When she saw them she said "Look, they're my favorite color..pink!"

This could be seen several time through out the week and it was cute every time!

We took a hot-air balloon ride and got to see some more of the city.

Cool frog.

A turtle.

More reptiles, crocodiles.

This a pig-nosed turtle, big hit with the kids.

The kids in front of the boa.

Patrick checks out the frog.

Here the young orangutan climbed down to get some food from Mom and then back up eat it.

George was not too happy to get back into the backpack.

Here is a lion. Becca really liked the lion.

We ended the day with a train ride. Mike really enjoyed taking my picture.

Patricia, thanks for spring for the big membership which got us into the zoo, on the balloon, and whatever else we did that day.

Pittsburgh & Gettysburgh

2011-06-13T11:39:00.006-05:00

The next leg of our journey landed us in Pittsburgh with Anna and Matt. George was fascinated by their cats and even seemed to strike up a conversation.

On Monday, Anna took us the Children's Museum for a lot of fun. Here's Mike wearing one of Mr. Roger's sweaters.

Becca had fun dressing up.

Anna enjoyed the puppets.

I don't know what George is doing but he sure looks happy.

I have no idea what we're looking at.

There was lots of climbing for Patrick.

Anna tried the slide and I guess it was a bit scary!

Here Anna helped Becca crank a parachute up to be dropped down a floor.

Boy heaven = tools everywhere.

We dropped pebbles into a kettle covered inside with nails. The sound was very cool.

This see-saw is also a pump. See the bubbles?

The nite-brites were a big hit.

The kids really enjoyed playing at the sand tables.

On our way to Philadelphia we stopped in Gettysburg. Here I introduced the kids to the 16th president.

Thanks again to Anna and Matt for letting us crash and showing us a bit of their city. Next...on to Philly!

SMC Reunion

2011-06-13T07:21:00.005-05:00

The first weekend of June was my 10-year college reunion. Our small group of friends decided to blow off most of the official stuff and just had a good time together. Here, Pat, Becca and Heather sit outside the book store.

This bench is special to us because it is in memory of Rebecca Fortunak. So I had to get a picture with my Rebecca.

Former and one future SMChics!

George had a great time playing Frisbee.

While Becca did some laps on the front lawn.

Ken rocks the princess hat!

Here Heather, myself, and Courtenay stand on the Avenue.

Cooper and George tried to out-cute each other but I think it was a tie!

Cooper got so big and was having fun with everyone.

Davah entertained my kids again. Thanks Davah!

I have no idea what Patrick is doing.

Mike and Aaron chillin'.

Heather made a birthday cake for Courtenay and put in the freezer. It was not completely thawed when she tried to cut it and the knife broke.

We had a great time and it was wonderful to see my old roommates and friends again. We toured the new classroom building and it was awesome. My brother's firm designed the building and he did the awesome stairs in the middle going from the second to the third floors.

One of the best quotes ever was made by my Patrick on Sunday morning. We went to IHOP for breakfast and of course Pat ordered pancakes with whip cream. When the food arrive, Patrick, with great enthusiasm, said "That's more whip cream then I ever imagined!"

Back log of pictures

2011-05-26T19:38:00.004-05:00

I failed to post a lot of pictures a couple of weeks in a row so I have a little of a back log to share. About a month ago, after I picked Pat up at school and we were going home with the windows down, I heard a strange sound. I thought I was dragging a seat beat. I pulled over and discovered THIS in my rear passenger-side tire. I don't see how I could have picked it up off the road but I can't imagine why someone would put in in my tire. I'm glad we we're close to home.

I just managed to get these great shots of George playing with a toy-sword.

Look ma!

By the power of Gray Skull!

Now for some simply adorable shots.

Becca just keeps getting cuter.

Don't forget about Pat. He was not to happy to have his picture taken that day.

Becca spinning in the back yard.

George really likes carrying around the bat.

I love this picture

I hope you enjoyed my post and my apologized to all our frequent visitors. We're all excited about our upcoming trip to South Bend/Pittsburgh/Philadelphia to see a lot of you.

Pre-school Picnic

2011-05-18T12:08:00.005-05:00

Today Patrick had his last day of preschool at the park. The kids hit the playground.

George had a great time going up the stairs and down the slide.

A little sister and future school mate of George's.

Another little sister and further school mate of Becca's.

Patrick and Becca had a great time running around with the other kids.

George had a good time on the swing.

Some of Pat's school friends enjoying the swings.

Snack time.

Here is a short video of Pat getting his pre-school diploma.

Jake's Baptism

2011-05-18T11:27:00.008-05:00

Over Mother's day weekend, we traveled to Columbus to baptist our Godson Jake. On Saturday morning we all went to the ball park to watch John play. Here's Jake ready to take the field.

Becca didn't waste time and started playing with Erin right away.

John started the game as catcher.

Mike, Jake and George had a good time together.

Hello Miss Katie!

John hitting.

Maureen in pursuit of the girls.

After catching, John pitched a few. What a kid!

Erin on the monkey bars.

Katie working her way across the chains.

Miss Becca.

The kids hanging out.

Jake checking out the roller.

All the kids on the horses.

Hi Patrick!

George having fun with Aunt Pat.

Katie and Jake on the baby swings.

Here the two Pats play together.

Mike and George.

Push me Grandma!

On Sunday was the baptism. This was also John's first time serving.

Jake with his parents and Godparents.

He wasn't so sure about the water.

Meanwhile, Katie fell asleep on Great Aunt Pat.

George enjoyed Grandma's arms for a good nap.

There are tons of pictures to share so hang on and I'll get them up...maybe even today!

Home Improvement Week

2011-04-25T08:46:00.004-05:00

It was not just Holy Week at the Hatton homestead, it was Home Improvement Week as well. Mike took the week off to fix the room on the back of the garage. Most of you have never seen this room, and for good reason, but I'd be proud to show it to you know. First we ripped out the work benches and shelves inside. Our friend Pat Showalter came over to help Mike rip out walls. Here is the room from inside the garage.

Mike added a door for better access and put up the new walls and siding. This is the west wall.

Here the guys are working on the south wall.

This is the on the back porch where they took out some French doors and built a close for our bedroom last fall.

Here are the guys who did all the work. Thanks a million Mike and Pat. There are still two little walls to put siding on (the most complicated of course) but I think they did a great job. Please tell Mike how awesome you think he is, because he is!

Here are some shots of the kids being cute. Becca and Patrick made crowns at story time.

Becca had a chance to dance around the living room like a ballerina and loved it.

Random up-close shot of George.

George has had another bout of ear infections but is doing much better after two doses of medicine. Hopefully these teeth will make their final push soon and give the kid a short break. One little corner can be felt on the gums but no visible sign of teeth yet.

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T16:36:00.005-05:00

Before we left for Mass this morning we took some pictures of our beautiful children. Here the oldest two sit on the couch.

I was struggling to get all the dude-dads on George.

My golden children. Don't they look dapper?

And one more in front of the door.

I love the look on George's face.

Keeping with Sullivan tradition, we watched "funny little bunnies" on the computer.

George found something to chew on. Why doesn't he have more teeth?

We headed over the Showalters for an egg hunt. Becca showed George the ropes.

It didn't take long for her to fill her basket...twice.

It took George a little longer to figure out what to do with the eggs.

But he had no trouble opening the

Happy Easter everyone and may the blessing of the seasons fill your heart with joy.

April is Half Over Already

2011-04-12T19:13:00.005-05:00

My sister Elizabeth pointed out to me today that we haven't updated our blog in awhile so this ones for you sis! Mike made two patches of chocolate chip cookies this week for soccer snacks, the first was rained out. We all did our part and ate the extra cookies. George, being a smart child, would only eat a whole cookies, not the parts I broke off for him.

Regardless to say, it was a bit messy...

..but it was highly enjoyed!

One evening this weekend, the kids were all sitting together nicely on the swing so Mike grabbed the camera.

Becca sure loves her little brother.

I even let myself be captured by the camera.

Here's Miss Becca holding Patrick's art project from religion class.

Patrick started soccer last Saturday and scored two goals. It helps that he's the oldest kid out there and a good head taller than everyone else. George never took his eye off the ball at practice yesterday while he sat in the stroller. As soon as I let him run around, he grabbed a ball and ran for the net. I think he might like sports just a little. We're still waiting for more teeth for George but I think it will be soon. Becca continues to cry at the least suggestion. She's also been caught in sneaking things which lead to a very serious discussion with her mother. But all the kids are growing fast and more amazing everyday. We hope to see you all again soon.

Jam sessions and Ear infections

2011-03-30T14:56:00.004-05:00

Last week it was warm enough to have the windows open! Here are some shots of the kids enjoying that fact. Please come back Spring!

There was a jam session in the house the other night. Patrick and Mike rocked out on guitar.

Becca showed George how to do the same on the kid piano.

Super cool Pat!

Now its hockey. We had to watch the first game on the computer so the kids all gather 'round.

George was not to be left out.

YEAH IRISH HOCKEY!

Just a nice shot of Patrick.

They other day, I managed to get both Becca and Pat to sit quietly on the couch and watch video. Meanwhile, George was happily stirring some veggies in a pan. He moved when he saw me get out the camera but these give you the idea.

George was diagnosed with an ear infection last Friday. When his ear was still red and crusting after five days of amoxicillin, I tracked down the doctor who called in the new scrip of Cefdinir (and yes, I had to look up both of those spellings!). During this day-long phone tag session, I remembered that he had trouble with the amoxicillin the other time he had an ear infection. The only comfort he's had in the last week is the pacifier and sleeping on Mom/Dad. Hopefully the new medicine does the trick and he feels better soon. His ear already looks a little better. That's about it for the Hatton children this week. Feel free to come and visit. We may put you to work but you're always welcome.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T07:48:00.008-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone. Here are the kids posing for my annual picture.

My sister Maureen said Becca's hair looks like the day after St. Patrick's Day and a full night of drinking. She's so right!

Its been a busy week. Here the boys are playing with the blocks but not really with each other.

George loves the container.

While Patrick set up a house.

On Saturday we went to Sam's 6th Birthday party. It wasn't long before Pat found a scooter.

George had a great time carrying around hula-hoops.

Mike helped Becca make a basket.

The birthday girl and her little brother.

Miss Becca riding a rocking purple hippo.

Emily had a kind word for George.

And then I got her picture inside the circle.

Mike had fun with the kids too.

Patrick enjoys singing just a little bit.

Here are a few shot from yesterday as we gear up for the NCAA tournament.

I'm not sure if we're going to the parade today given George's late night/early morning but we're sure to celebrate the feast day with gusto. Have a great day!

Its March

2011-03-06T14:05:00.005-06:00

We haven't been pulling the camera out as much lately but I realized I haven't posted for two weeks. So here are some pictures that didn't make the cut last time. Patrick shows off his car.

George play peek-a-boo...at least I think that's what he's doing.

Becca shows off her stunning smile once again for the camera.

The sickness that we normally manage to evade has landing its ugly face right on George's cute face. He had a slight fever and lots of snot earlier this week, which go right along with the 4th tooth he was working on at the time. But when the rash turned up, we learned that our little guy has roseola (a virus). It looks terrible but he doesn't seem to mind nearly as much as his mother.

That's about it for us. Mike continues to train for this triathlon and all the hard work is showing. I have no interest in doing a triathlon myself, but I think the training just might be worth it anyway.

Half way through Febuary

2011-02-15T07:31:00.004-06:00

Like most of the Midwest, we got a lot of snow about two weeks ago. I got a chance to go out with the kids and built a cave in the front yard. In the end, Becca, Patrick and I could all fit inside with my feet sticking out.

George's birthday celebrations continued into last week. First the Showalter came over to play and give a present. We all thank you for the warm jammies.

Grandma and pa Hatton stopped by on their way to St. Louis last Friday bring birthday gifts with them. Pat got some more Playmobile stuff, a veterinarian set.

George was happy to just rip some paper without getting yelled at.

George enjoying a moment with Grandpa.

What a surprise, the kids got Grandma to read them a book.

Let's not forget Stella who also made the trip. She's still not sure what to think of the kids.

Always on the move this one!

This is how we celebrated Valentine's Day and it was great.

That's about it for us. We all continue to be healthy but cabin fever is definitely taking its toll. But the temperature is on the raise and the snow should be gone within the week.

George is 1!

2011-02-02T19:12:00.008-06:00

We really started celebrating George's birthday two weeks ago when Heather and Ken came for a visit. No one was surprised when the kids asked Heather to read a book.

Ken graciously tested out our new chair for us.

Then the next weekend, Grandma and pa Sullivan came over for a visit. Doesn't Grandma look great?

Here's Grandma fixing Becca's hat with Patrick looking.

George loved have a new audience for his cuteness.

Miss Becca flying around as a fairy.

George making the rounds.

Grandma got her hair done by the kids.

George found a cozy place to get some Z's. I wish he'd do this more in his crib.

With over a foot of snow, Mike and the kids headed out for some fun.

While they were outside, George and I hung out in the house.

Happy Birthday to you!

Before he had the cake.

Patrick licked the plate clean.

... and Becca liked it too.

In the end, he did enjoy the cake.

We hope you enjoyed our pictures. I thank God that George came into our lives, especially today, and don't know what we'd do with out him. Feel free to stop by and see us some time.

Stats Update
We went to the doctor this morning for Pat and George so here are their stats. Patrick is up to 40lb 5oz, so we can move him into a booster seat, and is 44.5 in tall. He's in the 75% for height but I don't know the rest of his percentages. George is up to 19lb 12oz, the doctor said that was close enough to turn the car seat around, and 29.5 in long. I was surprised to learn that he's only in the 10% for weight. He doesn't seem thin to me at all. All in all, everyone is health. But boys got shots, both were unhappy about it and both are over it by now.

Late January

2011-01-27T13:20:00.002-06:00

Yesterday we went to a birthday party for a schoolmate of Patrick's at McDonald. I expected Becca and Patrick to love it but I was a little surprised at how much fun George had. Not only did he have every woman in the place smiling, he also discovered the playground. Here he is on the lowest of first steps.

Isn't he cute? He went head first off the step, inches from the ground, and scared himself more than he was hurt. I told him to go feet first and, being a genius, he did for the rest of the party.

Becca had no problems playing with the older kids.

Patrick had something very important to tell me.

George found lots of things to put in his mouth, including french fries and ice cream.

I'll close with a video. Its not terribly exciting but you can see what a great walker George has become already.

New Additions

2011-01-21T10:09:00.005-06:00

A few weeks before Christmas we were offered a piano from some one at church who thought we'd enjoy it. Mike was finally able to get some help and go get it about two weeks ago. Here it is in the house.

We also hung the shelf Mike made me for Christmas. Its words ring true, at least in our house.

Do you think George is teething? I just wish the buggers would break through already.

My boys playing together.

The kids decide to make a huge mess and empty the toy box at the same time.

What a cutie!

Pat in the toy box.

George checking out the phone.

Becca had a great time running around the Hatton 500. This has also become a favorite walking path for George.

Last week our garage door decided to break down and Mike installed a new one. Its so strange to see the car pull into the drive way BEFORE I hear the garage door open. We also rearranged the kids this week. Becca is now in a room by herself and George and Pat are sharing the big room. We're hoping this will allow for better sleep for everyone, something we all could use.

Welcome 2011 and Walkers

2011-01-07T13:09:00.005-06:00

Its official, George is walking. Check out this video to see him at it.

Here are some pictures of Becca and George playing nicely while Patrick's at preschool.

After one of our drives, George fell asleep in the car and managed to stay that way on the couch.

Last night Becca and Patrick did my hair.

Don't I look beautiful?

This afternoon the kids were knights out to protect the fairies from the evil red dragon (Me). They paused before destroying me to let me take a picture.

Thanks to our new video camera, uploading videos is pretty easy. So enjoy the kids trying out the race track Patrick got from Christmas.

In addition to walking, George finally has two teeth and is almost constendly babbling. There's "ma ma" and "da da" for us parents, and I think "ba ba" means Becca, maybe Pat too. He also said "a ja", so I told our nephew AJ that George said his name. Patrick also turned 5 last Friday and then expected to start Kindergartner on Monday at school. Becca, who just turn 3 in November, has grown enough to up-grade to 4T clothes. Yes, her pants fall down all the time but she's not showing her belly button any more.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-29T10:03:00.008-06:00

We started last week with the preschool CHristmas party. The kids sang us some songs and had a good time.

Patrick took this picture.

Becca and Patrick were excited to see the presents under the tree.
x
Pat happily recieved "Toy Story 3" from his parents.

And Becca was just a happy to get "Beauty and the Beast".

George just like the paper.

Pat can now be like Sid the Science kids with his microphone.

Mike made me and his parents this awesome shelf that says "Life is a musical". So true!

Becca got a "Sothern Bell" dress from Grandma/pa Sullivan. How come I never got one?

She loves the way it twirls.

After breakfast, the kids "helped" Mike shovel the driveway and sidewalk.

They had a blast!

Late in the morning, we headed to northern Illinois to see the Hatton clan. We had a contest to see who could hold a spoon on their nose.

Grandma helped Becca out.

Debbie was really good!

Mary helped out Patrick.

Merry Christmas Hatton family!

George loves to give me zerburts.

Patrick got a baseball game from Grandma/pa, Cubs weren't available so Go Mets! Mike showed the kids how the game works.

Despite another tooth pushing and all the drool, George still managed to smile for the camera.

The kids also got a little kitchen from Grandma/pa Hatton. Its already been played with quite a lot.

Becca and I watched "Beauty and the Beast" and I got a snuggle when the wolves attached.

George is a happy little bugger.

SullyFest 2010

2010-12-20T15:21:00.011-06:00

We went to South Bend this pass weekend to see the Sullivan family and celebrate Christmas. We started our visiting at D & T's house where the youngest of our part of the clan played.

Little Lucas even posed for Mike's camera. He seriously plopped right down on the floor when he say the camera.

AJ flew by with his jet.

George giving me a big grin.

George and Lucas decided to explore between the furniture.

AJ, like his father, has sound effects to go along with just about everything.

Erin and Clara giving Jake some loving.

Hello Miss Katie.

Liam up-close. Don't worry Jan, we kept all the kids away from the stove.

There was a porch for the kids to run around on. Coats were needed.

The strong and silent Jake hanging out with Grandma.

George with his Godmother, Elizabeth,

Lauren showing off the youngest person at the party. The title of "cutest" is still up for grabs.

Ann loving Norah.

Avery was a little awe-struck by all the people...your stuck with us, we're all family!

Lucas liked my necklace.

George had fun roaming on the floor.

Random shot of Jeff and Harvey.

Those crazy Hatton men.

Norah with Kate D and Claire.

Ann making faces at Bryn.

Grandma Ellen looking proud with Bryn.

Grandpa with 1/4 of his grandkids.

Pat, Teresa, and Dick with Avery and Norah.

Here's the 2010 additions to the family, most not with their mother.

George looks so cute in this picture.

Here are a couple of shots of the 12 grandkids. Forgive Lucas, he was very very tired!

A special thank you to Dick and Kate, who once again, organized and did the primary cooking for this event. This is one of my favorite days of the year and we're all grateful to you for keeping the party going all these years. We loved see everyone and wish you all a wonderful Christmas.

Christmas Tree Weekend

2010-12-13T13:35:00.008-06:00

On Saturday, the Showalters joined us on our trip the Christmas tree farm to find a tree. First we gathered at our home for cinnamon rolls and presents.

The kids opened their presents and we happy to share...or they will be soon.

George just enjoyed ripping the paper.

Then we ventured out into the freezing rain to find our tree. First we rode a wagon pulled by a tractor which the kids loved.

After the tractor ride, Mike lead the troops in the hunt for the tree.

George was great, he didn't cry once. We didn't put him down at all either.

Becca and Emily hold hands.

This was our pick. We might have been more selective if the weather had been a bit nicer.

All the "older" kids took a turn cutting down the tree. Patrick got to go first.

Becca and Dad.

Pia's turn.

Now its Emily's turn.

The kids were able to help decorate it this year and they loved it!

Poor George was told to not touch a lot. He must remember because he's been really good since.

Here is the finished product. And despite our rush to pick, I think the tree turned out beautifully.

Then we got some shots of the kids with the tree.

What a ham!

I included George's new toys into the Nativity scene.

I failed to mention that George finally got a tooth in my last post. If you pull down his lip you can see the top of his first tooth and I think he's working on the one right next to it. He's dealing with the best he can and I'm proud of my little guy. He's also been working on walking. I don't remember when he took his first independent step but I think it was right after Thanksgiving. He doesn't trust himself to stay up by himself but otherwise he'd be good to go.
We're off to the Sullivan side of the family this weekend. We get to meet the newest members of the clan which I'm totally excited about. (Lauren, I get that baby for at least 5 minutes!) So come back next week for more pictures and I'm sure crazy stories from the Hattons.

Fun in the snow

2010-12-08T10:29:00.008-06:00

We've had a busy week full of great stories. George finally had a tooth break through his iron gums and the second one is working hard to catch up. Here the kids are in the newly refurbished yellow chair.

We also got decent amount of snow and ventured out to play. The Becca and Pat had a great time going down the hill.

However, George was not a fan of the snow. If you look close you can see that he's crying.

I ended up holding him most of the time.

More fun in the snow.

Here a couple of videos of the kids sledding.

Funny Story: Becca was sent to her room for hitting Patrick. Before she went upstairs, she looked right at me, seemed to say "What the hell!" in her head, and wacked him on the head as hard as she could before taking her punishment. It was hard not to laugh