This guy turned 5!

Benjamin Maxwell has grown too fast for this mama.  5!  FIVE! (gulp) I adore him now even more than 5 years ago.

I only cried a little, and then we went to NATO to have lunch with Eric.  The dear lady gave him a little chocolate and asked him how old he was and he held up every finger.  Then my lip trembled and my eyes watered.  And then the tears splashed down my face.  I want him to be my little boy forever. He is my full-time buddy, and dash it all if he doesn't have to go to school next year.

Five Fabulous Years with Benjamin.  Here is the list of loves and hates.
LOVES:
Seth
Hobby kids (little show with kids getting/reviewing toys
Batman
Nutella, Nutella Nutella
Raw vegtables...he'll eat 'em all, loves a salad, but don't even think about cooking them
Wearing gloves.  All the time.  Even in the summer.
Jesus and Heavenly Father (he told me so last night as I was leaving bedtime)
Anything that Seth and Isaac say they love
Batman imaginex stuff, and lining up the bad guys in a straight line.
Ham and cheese sandwiches
Beach
Trampoline, but don't jump high with him on it.  He HATES being launched.
Gabby Friedhoff and Sophia Burkhardt
Playing with his brothers.
Telling something funny and then squishing up his eyes and nose at his own joke (see 2nd photo)
Uncles, and grandpa, especially wrestling with them
Snuggling into my bed, after he squeals into my room to hide from having to take a bath
Singing.  He sings a lot.  He sings to himself.  He sings with the CDs in our car, and makes requests for songs he especially loves.  Even our primary chorister mentioned that Benj loves to sing and she can name the songs he loves the best. In fact they were thinking of having it be a solo or something and she said, "Ahh Benj loves to sing that one."
iPad games and minecraft with his bros.

HATES:
Getting soap in his eyes.  But really who likes that, but it makes him not want to bathe.
Walking through the back forrest, he doesn't want to get anymore poison ivy.
CYSS childcare, and babies crying there
Scary things on cartoons. He climbs in Eric's or my lap and then says, "I don't wanna watch this.  It's
    boring."

Benjamin is reading easy readers.  His primary teacher loves him and often times tells me it's good to have him in class cause he knows the answers and is well behaved, and that she wants her small2yr old to be like our boys.  Benj doesn't stay seated at the dinner table.  He always gets up and wonders around and has to be called back.  If he doesn't want to do something he can be VERY hard to convince, but usually if I express why I want him to do it and then give him time, he almost always comes around.  He is very affectionate, if and when he wants to be.  But don't ask for a kiss cause he will turn you down 99% of the time.  He is a giggler.  He is an easy child.  And we LOVE LOVE LOVE him!

Update:  Tonight at the table Eric heard a squiker type noise and exclaimed "What was THAT?"  Benj responded with out stop, "A little baby Elephant."  That put us all under the table with laughter.  And the side jokes were priceless the whole evening long.  This is VERY typical Benjamin.  I feel like the most blessed mother on the planet that I get to belong to him.

Hatch Parents' visit 2015 part III

Hatch Parents' visit 2015 Part II

Normandy American Cemetary

Our little Normandy Villa

Longues Sur Mer

Omaha Beach

 Blueberry Grandpa was remembered on the Normandy coast.  I thought of him as our boys ran around with arms out stretched for airplane wings.  He told me a few times of his training during WWII.  He volunteered for the airforce.  He, along with several other young me,n were to be trained to fly.  His commander told him, "Hunt, it's easy.  Just like driving a car."   He always told this part with a big grin on his face, "But sir, I have never driven a car."  That laid his teacher flat.  Grandpa said the trainer dude told him that he was going to be the first one up, "And I was."

Sainte-Mère-Église, one of our favorite towns in all of France.  I always feel at home in this little church.  Can you see the paratrooper on the edge of the steeple there? The man's name was John Steele.  He hung there for two hours before he was taken prisoner and he lived to tell about it.  This was one of the first towns that was liberated during D-Day operations. Americans are welcomed and loved even now in this charming town.

The fellas played while everyone else cleaned up.  

I did the most expensive load of laundry ever!  9€!!!

Hatch parents' trip 2015

Good stuff happened. 

 

This happened.

And "Sunday cooking club" happened with Amy.

Obligatory Sunday dress picture.  I always love these.

Of course we made a welcome sign.  Also obligatory.

Games were played.  Lotsa games.

Paris locals? Mmm no. 

Our visit to the Louvre was short and sweet, or rather short and sweaty.  It was warm and crowded so we didn't stay long.  I think we did the main objective which was to see the Mona Lisa, albeit over the heads of 200 asian tourists.  It's not pictured, in part because I can NOT figure out why she is so famous.

Greek goddess of victory...and Eric's favorite shoe brand=NIKE.

I have been to Paris a few times.  I LOVE IT!  Seeing it from the Seine was a new experience.  

 When is Paris, one should naturally eat a baguette...OR A CREPE! This little creperie received our patronage several times.

At one point I told Amy I didn't think she was as reluctant to spend money as she professes, as evidenced by her purchase of the wonderful smelling, not cheap Fragonard perfume.  She replied, "But I only purchase it once every couple years when I'm in Paris."  And then we laughed at the irony of it.

 Paris does not smell pretty.  Amy sprayed her scarf, which was BRILLIANT! And she was kind enough to share a smell of her pleasant perfume smelling scarf with me.  Take note, future Paris travelers, were a scarf and spray it with perfume, preferably Fragonard.  You can conspicuously bring it to your nose without causing offense.

 I found a new Fragonard perfume I love called Belle cherie.  Thanks Amy.
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 These people were wonderful traveling companions...AND I like how their coats all looked together

    This photo is from the Sacre Coeur.  It was one of my favorite places.  Lots of people to watch, the view was spectacular, and there happened to be a harp player.  Loved it.  We went up the stairs via the funicular, which we called a vernacular per a post on tripadvisor.

  Paris Plage- they bring the beach to you in Paris, so you dont have to go to the beach.
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 I love to walk on the side of Notre Dame.  It's easier to see the gargoyles, the flying buttresses, and I love the little garden on the side

 These two are one of my favorite couples on the planet.  I like 'em and they like each other.

I do love the Eiffel Tower. 

Of note:  During WWII when Hitler visited Paris, the French cut the lift cables so that Hitler would have to climb the stairs if he wanted to reach the top.

  I love this picture of Cindy.  I dont think she planned to were her purple shirt in order to match Monet's Water Lillies, but with her lovely white hair she blended splendidly.