Christmas letter 2014

As I sit down to write our yearly letter - all I can really think of is how lucky we are to have our little family. We have kids who still want us to tuck them in at night and cuddle them to sleep. While some parents might find it an inconvenience to lay down with their kids every night- we get to have conversations as they get sleepy and lots of great cuddles. 

The years just keep flying by and here we are at the close of 2014- already. In all, it was a good year. We suffered one major injury- Wyatt broke his wrist two days after he turned 7. They were able to set it and we avoided surgery and it has healed well. I slipped and fell down the stairs while carrying Maris in February and hurt my back and pelvis while trying to protect her. I still have some pain but massages and the chiropractor are helping. Other than a few bouts of colds and allergies we were mostly healthy!

Mike traveled a bit, hunted a few times, did some fishing and worked a lot this year. Integrity (his business) is busier than ever and we are blessed with a good group of employees and steady work throughout the busy and slow season. 

My year has been busy. Three kids, a sometimes very busy private practice and coordinating the art program at Maddie and Wyatt's school is enough. Add in knitting, writing, laundry and time for friends and family and I have very little free time!

Maddie had a huge year in 2014. Our girl is growing up so fast. She won the Future Chef competition for our county and then went on to be one of 35 kids in the whole country whose recipes were recognized. She won a kindle fire prize package including a $100 amazon card - which she used to buy Legos. She also won the calendar contest for Evening of the Arts at her school. Her painting of a bird of paradise flower was chosen to be part of a calendar. Early in the school year she also won an essay contest. She is in fourth grade. Her class is an all gifted class and it is a tough class. It was a huge learning curve this year with much higher expectations. She is a crazy, awesome reader, too. She has read more than 688,000 words since school started just on her accelerated reader program. She has finished 20 novels (including the Hunger Games series). I love that she loves to read so much!

Wyatt is having a great year in school in second grade. First grade wasn't so great. He had a class that wasn't a good fit for him and there were some very disruptive kids in his class. After trying to find a solution that helped him feel better about school, we decided to finish first grade at home. He returned to Plew in August and has one of the best teachers ever. We were so lucky to have Mrs. Leighton for Maddie and now Wyatt gets to have her, too. He is doing much better in his class this year. Wyatt is really good at math and also loves to read! He is really starting to get into chapter books and currently is working on a 39 clues book. For comparison, Wyatt has amassed 30,000 words on his AR program- we are impressed with his reading too! He loves Pokemon, throwing the football, shooting his rifle and hopes to go hunting with his dad for the first time this year. 

Maris is three now. She sailed through her two's as a pretty sweet and easy going girl. Somewhere on the way to three, though, she was switched out for a persistent, obstinate yet possibly still sweet preschooler. She goes to school twice a week and absolutely loves her program. Anytime we drive by the church she says- "that's my school!" She had to say goodbye to her first best friend, Sammy, in August. She still asks if she is done on her trip and if she will come back to her house soon. Sammy and Maris were just 1 week apart in age and grew up together literally. I really miss her momma, too. She has found a new best friend or two, though and seems to be coping fairly well. She loves to play with her dolls, cook us food in her kitchen and has an amazing imagination. She plays really well on her own and sometimes I stand outside her door and listen to her playing with her toys. The conversations are so interesting.

We had a new addition to our family in 2014 - Waldo, the Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy, joined our family on March 18 at 8 weeks old and 17 lbs. We started looking for a breeder at the end of 2013 and finally settled on an amazing breeder in the Birmingham, AL area. The puppies were born March 22 - 14 of them. Waldo "the whale" was aptly named due to his large size at birth. He has continued to grow and at 8 months old is a solid 105 lbs and almost 28" at the withers. I (Anne) spent 18 weeks in obedience training classes with him every Monday night while Mike took over bedtime duties. When we chose a Rhodesian Ridgeback we made the commitment to have a well trained dog. Waldo and I graduated basic, intermediate and finally advanced obedience classes together. In the end he earned his first title - the AKC Canine Good Citizen - he is now Celtic Lore's Wandering Emerald Warrior CGC! We may show him in the future, but are focusing mainly on getting certified as a therapy dog team and in the future may also pursue service dog training for him when he is closer to 2 years old.

My parents moved back to the area this spring - we are so thankful for their return. The past three years with no local family support has been a challenge and we missed Mimi and Papa terribly. They lived with us for a few months until settling in Rocky Bayou in a cute little house. We are thankful for the weekly family dinners, the help and relationship building with the kids and the friendship they offer us. I know that they are happy to be here to see Maddie, Wyatt and Maris grow up. Between the two families we have four dogs and they all pretty much love each other, too!

We traveled some this year - New Oreans, St. Augustine,  Georgia mountains twice, Anne went to Birmingham for her mother's surgery and our big trip of the year is 2 weeks in the NC mountains over the Christmas break. We hope for snow!

We hope that 2014 has been a great year for you and your families as well and that 2015 brings joy and laughter and many blessings. Take time to really connect as families and friends - unplug from the craziness of life and focus on what is really important!

Love,

The Hinze Family

Wyatt and all 14 puppies from Waldo's litter

Maddie practicing for the Chef competition

Sweet Waldo at 8 weeks old

Group painting project Anne did with Maddie's third grade class

Group painting project Anne did with Wyatt's first grade class 

Maddie and her poster the school district made for her

Waldo hoping Maris drops something good.

Best friends! Tango and Waldo.

Waldo at 7 months old

A boy and his two dogs

Maddie working on an art project Dec. 2014

Wyatt working on a candy cane jumble for art. Dec. 2014

You should be ashamed...

Tonight as my children slumber peacefully in their beds, I watch the news. This is something rare for me - I prefer not to fill my head with the negativity so often broadcast these days. However tonight I am filled with a curiosity that leaves me feeling sick to my stomach.

We as the human species have come so far from the hunter-gatherer days in our early history. We are smart, logical, technologically advanced - but tonight I wonder what the mother's of these violent protestors are thinking.

Are your mothers and fathers proud of your looting, destruction and blatant disregard for life and property? Do they cheer you on as they watch you crawl through a broken door in the liquor store - with your pockets and arms full of stolen goods? Is your father congratulating himself on raising a son or daughter who drenches a police car in lighter fluid and subsequently igniting it into a blaze? Would your grandmother or great grandmother be proud of the way you threw glass bottles at police officers or fired your gun into a crowd?

Perhaps you are a parent yourself...

Would you change your actions if you knew your young son or daughter was watching you on live television? In this day and age your actions will live on for eternity thanks to the internet. Perhaps one day this will be part of a history class and they may see their mother or father's face on a video shown for historical purposes.

Would you be proud of that?

What purpose does the violence serve? In this country it seems we still have problems - not of color - but of entitlement. Inequalities exist everywhere - and I ask you - violent protestor - how is your violence going to improve these things? How will breaking windows, taking property that is not yours, and disrupting life - how will those things bring change?

This is humanity at its worst...

A life was lost - but how many more lives have been lost because of the protesting? How many more people will have to die tonight, tomorrow or the next day?

One of the reasons I don't watch the news is because I don't want to have to explain beheadings, looting, murders, drug abuse - to my kids as they stop and stare at the screen. They need to know that the world is good - at least mostly.

If this is ever going to end - people have to set aside the color excuses. They need to treat each other as people and not as colors. Stop using color as an excuse and start looking at your individual actions. I wasn't there when the young man was killed - and neither were most of the individuals protesting and rioting. However, I have to trust the judicial system because that is what they are there for. It's sad for the family who is grieving - I accept this.

What I don't accept, however, is the reaction. Be the change you want to see in the world. Surely these people don't want to return to a world where martial law is supreme - as it is not ideal for any one on either side.

So I go back to my original question for the violent protestors - Didn't your parents teach you better? Or did you set their houses on fire when you didn't like the way they answered your questions when you were a child? It's time to end the temper tantrums and move forward. Use that energy to do something good - stop wasting time and resources.

I think I will go back to turning off the news as a rule....

Things that make me smile

This...Wyatt wrote this for open house. 

In the midst of mothering

I chose the title for my blog years ago when I was a much younger mother. I wanted to capture life for my-then-small family.

I feel like I will always be in the midst of mothering - no matter what their ages and stages, mothering will never cease to be my focus even when they are grown and have children of their own.

Working with moms and babies - seeing these young (and sometimes older than me) first time moms become second and third and sometimes fourth time moms keeps me in tune with the music of motherhood. My perspective has changed - I've altered how I parent with each child.

There's a certain amount of pressure I feel as a role model for so many mommas in my community. I've had moms tell me that I'm a super mom, that I have it all together and that they want to be like me.

While those are incredibly awesome compliments, I do my best to be transparent and let them know that I. do. not. have. it. all. together.

It is so important to me that these moms know I'm not perfect. My older kids bicker and argue. They talk back and have moments of irresponsibility. My two year old throws fits that make me want to tell people she's not my kid!

My house is cluttered.

My laundry is never caught up.

My office is a big pile of papers and there are things shoved away in corners and cabinets.

Do you ever go on a cleaning spree before someone comes by your house? I still do it sometimes - usually when someone is coming over for the first time. I want to make an impression, you know.

But then I find myself wondering why I would go to such lengths when it's not a true representation of who I am?

We aren't dirty (ok, my sink was filled both sides with dishes the past 2 days). We were busy - going to the library, out to lunch, playing in the fountains, going to counseling (big believer in that!) - visiting with friends. I got it caught up tonight.

I'm a big believer that life is lived between the lines - it's the subtext that is important - not always what you see in front of you.

I started doing a new bible study called Beautiful Mess.  It's about motherhood in every moment and I really like it. I've been looking for a study like this to share with fellow Christian mommas for a long time. I'm not so great at doing Bible studies - I suck at consistency (I'm honest about that!). But I really loved this quote from day 1 of week 1:


"I've come to realize that my self-worth is never going to come from how well I do things, like keeping the house spotless or having perfectly behaved kids. Our craving for approval can be devastating to our souls, making us feel like we're not enough for today or tomorrow. And all the while, God calls us gently to come and know how truly cherished we are. Not because we're enough, Mom, but simply because we're God's beloved daughters."

So as I ponder life in the midst of mothering - I try to remember that I am enough. 

Life goes on

Writing used to be so therapeutic for me, but for quite a time in my life it was a way to hold me prisoner and so I found myself writing more on social media - capturing the moments of life in status updates and instagram... and it served no purpose for me as a writer.

My best friend Becca and I share the same affliction - anytime we stop writing we feel obligated to back track and bring things current - but that only leads to more feelings of woe.

So life goes on - it is what happens between status updates and between meals, during meals and between the loads of laundry that get washed and dried and never folded.

Life with three kids is crazy. Some times it's a good crazy and other times it's an I want to run away crazy.

Right now it's a quiet crazy - Maris is sleeping and Maddie and Wyatt are banished to quiet somewhere NOT in my office where I'm having a few moments to myself. Waldo, the Rhodesian Ridgeback (forever more RR in my writing) is loudly drinking water, chasing cast aside and forgotten toys and making loud noises that cause me to run to the livingroom every few minutes just to check and make sure he isn't eating a glow stick (this morning), the carpet (every other 4 minutes), or figuring out how to get up on the kitchen table (hasn't figured out this one yet). He just barged in full speed, chasing a chewy beef thing I bought at the fancy pet store in town. His ears are too big for his head and he looked for a moment like he was flying.

We are full into summer now - no school, snapper season is open and Mike is fishing multiple days a week. The kids and I survived Vacation Bible School at our church (Destiny Worship Center) and I can't say that I desire to ever do another nighttime VBS. We will see where our family is at next year.

Maddie has finished third grade at Plew, Wyatt finished 1st grade at home after we withdrew him from school in April due to an issue that couldn't be overcome (or rather wouldn't). We hope to send him back to Plew for second grade with a protective plan in place for our sweet boy who suffered unnecessarily this school year. Maris is 2 - and while she is 2 on a I-am-going-to-scream-and-cry about it level - she speaks with the vocabulary and maturity of a 4-5 year old. People ask us all the time how old she is - she is so petite, but speaks clearly and with very complex sentences. You can have a 10 minute conversation with her.

Mike is busy, busy, busy. His business, Integrity, became the prime vendor for Legendary a few months ago. They handle all the service washes and details for one of the busiest boating venues in the area. In addition, they still have all their private boats. We are proud to employ close to 10 people now! We don't see daddy much and the kids really miss him. This also means that mommy gets really frazzled wrangling 3 kids and a puppy by herself.

Meet Waldo:

Waldo is 12 weeks old today and a healthy 30 pounds. He was about 18 lbs when we picked him up 4 weeks ago! He is a Rhodesian Ridgeback and we absolutely love him. He will most likely tip the scales at over 100 lbs. He is called a livernose because of his brown nose. He has an amazing temperament and personality. He is quite the lion hunter (as this is what his breed is known for). He regularly hunts our cat Pumpkin, and plays kill the lion. Pumpkin tolerates him well and lets him know when Waldo's attempts are unwelcome. He is very good with the kids and we have been working diligently on socializing him. We plan to show him starting in the Fall and also plan to pursue Therapy Dog certification and possibly Service Dog training as well. He seems to really love Maris and cuddles up next to her each night on our bed. He is also very fond of Wyatt, which is good, because Wyatt needed a buddy just about the time we got to bring him home.

So life goes on - day by day and I'm going to see if I can resurrect my writing talents and start being thoughtful and observant once again.

Hinze Happenings 2013 - Christmas Letter

Hinze Happenings 2013

As I sit down to write this year’s letter I’m sitting here wondering where the year went! I think 2013 was one of the fastest years on record for our family.

We’ve had a lot of changes in our lives this year! In March we moved to a new house - our “forever” home. Our previous home was for sale for close to a year before we got an offer. I think I must have looked at close to 60 houses in person (I previewed a lot before Mike took off work to see them) and I know I looked at probably 200 easily online! In the end it really was God’s timing in all this as our dream home came on the market just before our contract went into effect on the house we were selling. We left 1500 square feet and 3 bedrooms for a spacious, two-story home with 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, an office and an amazing back porch and back yard. Michael and I had this impossible list of things we wanted in a house and all in all we matched most of those items. The best thing about it is we are on a cul-de-sac and there are about 8 other kids on our street - most of them the same ages as our older two kids. Our home is the epicenter of life on the street and most afternoons and evenings you can find all the neighborhood kids in our front or back yard.

Mike’s business, Integrity Yacht Management, is still flourishing. They are well respected and keep quite busy. He didn’t seem to fish as much this summer, but it was mostly due to the crazy rain we kept having! Last hunting season brought 4 deer to our freezer and two bucks mounted on our living room wall. This hunting season is looking promising with two does ready to go in the freezer and another hunting trip possibly in January. He is an awesome provider for our family! Mike found a great deal on a boat this past spring and after some finishing touches - our Boston Whaler center console was ready for the water. We enjoyed several boat rides and family outings before the weather turned colder this Fall. A devout Florida State fan, Mike hasn’t cut his hair since football season started and announced that he wouldn’t cut it until FSU loses... I am kind of fond of his long locks and the matching full beard (it’s coming in solid white on the sides). I hope FSU continues their undefeated season so I can keep my rugged-looking husband!

I (Anne) spent most of my year packing, unpacking and organizing it seems. They are not my favorite things to do! After a painful bout of shingles in March, I was determined to find answers about what was going on with my health. After a lot of blood work it was determined that I have celiac disease and some nutritional deficiencies (caused by the celiac). The gluten left our house soon after that and what a difference it has made since going gluten free! When I was having all my testing done, we also did allergy testing for the kids and found out that Maddie and Wyatt are both allergic to wheat. We were already gluten free at this point, but it helped validate that we needed to stay that way for everyone.  I continue to see moms and babies as a private practice IBCLC (Lactation Consultant) and have found my niche in my field - becoming well versed on structural issues that affect oral motor skills in infants. I also knit - many projects at once usually, as it helps with my “knitter’s ADD” affliction. Between driving kids to and from school, to activities and volunteering as the Oval Art Teacher in both Maddie and Wyatt’s classes this year - I stay incredibly busy.

We decided to keep Maddie and Wyatt at Plew Elementary instead of switching schools when we moved. We love Plew and feel well plugged in there!

Maddie is in the 3rd grade this year. She was identified as “gifted” and is in an all gifted and talented class this year. Her teacher is very keen on technology and she has learned a lot so far this year. She continues to make the A-Honor Roll each grade period She reads like crazy! It’s not unusual for her to read 4-8 chapter books a week sometimes! Her favorites are Geronimo Stilton and Thea Stilton - I imagine she’s read almost all of them by now. She is taking private voice lessons and her instructor has been very good for her. Our girl remains a perfectionist and we really have to encourage her to try new things - she’s one who doesn’t want to try something unless she feels like she can do it already. She enjoys Lego Friends, her rainbow loom bracelet maker, playing with her girlfriends and reading a lot! She got glasses recently (for reading) and she looks so grown up!

Wyatt is in 1st grade this year and is doing really well. His teachers are both great - he is lucky to be in a team teaching project. He is also reading a lot - he reads at a second grade level (after starting at a much lower level at the beginning of the year). Seeing my kids’ get the reading bug is such a thrill to me! Wyatt will turn 7 in just a few weeks (Jan. 2) and I can’t believe he was so little last year. After more than a year of growing out his hair to below his shoulders, he decided to cut it short a few weeks ago. I have to say I’m partial to the short cut myself - he’s so handsome! Wyatt enjoys playing outside with the neighborhood kids. There are endless “Man Hunts,” nerf wars and bike rides. He is starting to enjoy Legos a little more and we just recently introduced limited video games in our house. We bought an original xbox - no bells and whistles!

Maris turned 2 at the end of October and she is an incredible blessing in our lives. It seems hard to imagine life without her. It amazes me still - but Maddie and Wyatt have never shown any jealousy (other than jealousy about her not spending time with one vs. the other!). There has never been any resentment for this interloper who joined our family unexpectedly. She talks - oh does she talk! Sometimes I have to remind her to take a breath - her sentences are SO long! She has been much healthier since moving to a newer house with less dust - last year was hard for all of us healthwise! Maris did break her tibia in her left leg in October - it seemed simple compared to Maddie’s broken arm several years ago that required two visits to the OR. She sat on a friend’s lap going down a twirly slide and her bare foot stuck on the side wall. She had a purple cast up to her hip - but amazingly learned how to walk with it. She has made a full recovery (thanks a lot to our chiropractor who got her pelvis realigned after walking weirdly for several weeks).

In all, 2013 was a good year. A new house, a few trips to South Florida, new friends, old friends and fun with family. Our animals are happy and healthy and we are incredibly thankful for our friends. We have settled into a new church - Destiny Worship Center - and are thankful for our spiritual family. We love seeing our children grow in their faith and understanding of God and his Son, Jesus Christ.

We have many things to look forward to in 2014. We are incredibly excited that my parents are (finally) moving back to the Panhandle sometime late winter/early spring. They have sold their house in South Florida and are waiting to decide if my Dad will retire or search for a job up here. My sister has moved to New Orleans where she is an RN at a large hospital and my brother has taken to life working on private boats - but is presently here at the moment.

We hope that 2013 has been a good year for you and your family and that 2014 will bring you much joy and many blessings. We pray that this Christmas you are able to find the wonder of the season. We celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We pray that you will have enough in your life always and that life will leave you feeling grateful.

Much love,

Mike, Anne, Maddie, Wyatt and Maris Hinze
Hinzefamily5@icloud.com
www.thehinzefamily.blogspot.com

Picture Update!

So much has been happening with us lately and while I don't have time to write about it all I thought I'd post some pictures so you can see how the kids are growing!

Family Pictures: We did family beach pictures in April when my cousin visited! This was Maris' first time at the beach and she was hilarious!

 Evening of the Arts at Plew Elementary:

 Maddie's painting went to the County Art Show - she was so excited!

Boat ride on the Mixed Nuts!

 Second Grade Field Trip to the Gulfarium!

Crazy hair on the swing!

Mother's Day at Arts Quest 

 Drawing day!

 Thai Food!

 Fun with the neighborhood kids!