"Let's Pick A Topic"

Let's pick a topic, is a phrase that is commonly heard in the Hastings household. I guess it started a few years back when the boys started to get really silly at the dinner table. (......breakfast, lunch, dinner, any meal really) I am one to definitely tolerate a little silliness but not at the table while trying to eat. And no matter what I tried nothing seemed to deter them when they got going. So I came up with this idea, "Let's pick a topic". Basically the kids get to ask about whatever they want, and I tell them all I know about that subject. They usually pick something like beetles, spiders, ants, or other insects. Germs are also a favorite. But today at lunch Brandon chose babies. "Ya where do babies come from?" Carter says. I was not prepared to be addressing this subject so early, but luckily my boys are still very easily appeased with my simple answer that babies start out as just small cells and then grow and get bigger in mommies tummies. Then Carter moved on to the topic of playdough. "How do they make playdough?" he asked. I was very surprised by his question because we make playdough together at least ever couple of months. (it is still one of his favorite things to keep him entertained.) So I ask him what he thinks it's made of.. "hmmm Rubber?" "Don't you remember making playdough Carter?" I ask. Then he says "oh yeah, I know!" "Food Coloring!" I guess that must be the most memorable part. :)

IBALLE

Carter has been really into writting lately and trying to spell different words. He and Brandon were both asking me how to spell some words the other day so I went ahead and wrote a few for them on their white board. Then he said ok, I got one for you mom, and he wrote down ....IBALLE... for the life of me I could not figure out what he was trying to spell untill he explained to me, "you see, there is a silent 'E' at the end mom so the 'I' says its name." Then it clicked..oh... EYEBALL!! I shouted and then just laughed and laughed. Unfortunately Carter thought I was laughing at him because he spelled it wrong, and the sweet little guy just burst into tears. I felt so horrible. I had to take a picture though, to remember the moment. I thought it was so cute. It turned out really hard to see though because our pen was running out of ink.

Brandon

I Just wanted to give a quick little Shout Out to my middle child. Brandon I feel like gets so neglected some times. Our lives seem to revolve around either Carter (getting him to and from preschool) or Austin, (getting him fed, changed and down for naps) and Brandon just seems to get lost in the mix sometimes. He is so great about it though, happily riding along to drop off or pick up Carter and never asking when it will be his turn. Then when we get home he entertains himself while I get Austin down for a nap. He is always making up games that he plays on his own, Throw and Go being a favorite right now (yes he makes up the names for them too) in this game he throws a ball and then runs to get it before it reaches a certain point. Then he increases the level "I'm on the second level mom!" he'll inform me and he adds in more balls. He is such a great brother, standing by Carter while he plays a game on the Wii, and getting so excited for him if he is winning that he starts jumping up and down saying "YES!" He also agrees to play games with Carter such as Chess, which Brandon has no interest in playing and can't even understand, but yet he does because Carter asks him too. He's such an easy going kid and I'm so grateful for him right now. Love You Brandon!!

Austin's One!

Austin turned 1 on the 7th! I can't believe he's one already, my baby sure has grown up fast! He is such a happy guy! He loves chasing his brothers around the house, throwing balls, and giggling at the crazy things his brothers do. We are so lucky to have him!

Brothers

He did the best I've ever seen with his cupcake. Took it into his two fists and started packing it in! No hesitation there.

Love you little man!

December

Ok, I know I am way to late to blog about christmas/December, I am a horrible blogger, but what can I say? I'm just going to blame it on the the kids. We had at blast a grandma and Grandpa Hastings, here are just a few of the highlights.

Making Gingerbread houses (still in Seattle) Not sure why Carter is wearing a neclace.

Acting out the Nativity. Always a Christmas favorite!

Sledding with Cousins! Brandon didn't really Love this ("Snow is not my favorite season" he says)
But Carter got to be quite the daredevil going down the slopes, would laugh when he wiped out and had an all -around great time

4-wheeling with Daddy. Fun, fun times in Wyoming.

plane ride

Ryan's Dad was nice enough to take us on a little ride in his plane. None of us had ever been in a small plane before and it was so fun. It was a beautiful sunny day and the valley was absolutely georgeous from the view up above. I must have snapped 100 pictures, but I'll just share a few.


Carter and Brandon both fell asleep right after take off. I think the noise and lull of the plane just put them right out. It was kind of nice, that way I could just sit back and enjoy the view.

Breathtaking

Here is Ryan when his dad let him "take the wheel" for a minute. I was pretty nervous at this point!

Halloween

Carter and Brandon had a great time being Mario and Luigi this year. They love playing the Wii, and Brandon always wants to be Luigi. It was quite the popular costume this year!

This is Carter's pose when I told him to make a face ike Mario

My cute little pumpkin! The hat was a bit too small.

He always want to be standing up nowdays.

Our cute little pumpkin of 2006. (Carter) He was just a few months older than Austin is now. Doesn't seem that long ago. How time flies! They remind me so much of each other.

We packed in the fun on Haloween. Pumpkin carving..(Carter was a bit scared the knife was so close to him)

Doughnut eating contest..

Trick or treating with friends

The finished product pumpkins.

Happy Birthday Brandon

So Brandon's Birthday was back in September but I thought I would post the highlights. He had quite the party. He loves Buzz and toy story lately so we did a Buzzlightyear theme.

No party is complete without a pinata at our house. Not quite sure how that came to be, but I am hoping on ammending that tradition soon.

One of the games we played was "shoot Zurg" I hung up pictures of Zurg and let all the kids shoot the pictures with silly string. Brandon loved that.

I was especially proud of the cake. I think maybe I have just been watching a bit too much cake boss or something, but for some reason I wanted to try making a cake with fondant. It was actually a lot easier than I thought it might be, and quite fun. Here is the finished product.

In the end though I realize I don't really need to go to that much effort for this 3 year old. Anything sugary is bound to be loved and devoured no matter what it looks like. :)

Happy Birthday Brandon! We love you!

Hello Again

okay, so maybe it has been a bit since I've blogged. We kind of took the summer off, well summer and maybe most of fall as well. Having Three little kids will do that to you I guess. Anyways, my apologies to the throngs of avid readers we have following this amazing memoir of our lives. (or maybe just to the 3 or 4 people who may have happened to notice) In any case I will do a quick catch up of our summer/fall.

We Begin with the 4th of July.....

There is a community parade every year, and both the boys rode their bikes this year. Dad did a good job of decorating.

We were also lucky enough to have visitors in town for the 4th so we of course took them to the good old traditional seattle fireworks show at gasworks park. We arrived there right at noon. (of course we didn't want to miss the fireworks show which would begin at 10:30pm) A little over 10 hours hanging out at a park should be good right?