Happy Halloween!

What a wonderful day-as I put Carver to bed tonight he said, "This was the best night ever! Haven't you been excited for this night for soooo long?" Our day began with the wicked witch cupcakes that we made for his class lunch and ended with as much candy as any two kiddos could want. This was the first year that Springer really understood the plan. About three houses into the trick or treating she was running up sidewalks and ringing doorbells with the best of them. She rarely gets candy and as soon as she realized that was what was being put into her bag she ran back to her wagon and stuck a piece in her mouth. She kept one lollipop going throughout the whole ride! They were both pretty jazzed and a bit sticky at bedtime but all's quiet now....candy coated dreams to each of you. Our bewitching cupcakes Carver helped make for his class

Halloween dinner...monster eyeballs, slimy goo, and monster teeth
with a big glass of blue milk!

Tinkerbell and Spiderman get ready to hit the sidewalks

She was so very excited to be all dressed up...

she barely sat still once her 'pretty' dress went on

Doing the Tinkerbelle spin...

and waiting for mama to say 'let's go trick or treating!'

We're off!

Pumpkin Patch

Ok, we were a little late getting to the pumpkin patch this year. With temperatures over ninety for half the month I was afraid our poor Jack-O-Lantern would rot before the festivities began. Well yesterday's cool temperatures and the impending holiday got us up and out. Carver was able to find a pumpkin that he deemed perfect. He looked for one that was 'scary' which meant it needed bumps on it. I am sure the salesman wondered a bit at our aesthetics when we carted the bumpiest pumpkin on the lot up to him, but hey, it works for us. Carver, G and I enjoyed the carving while Springer took her nap and when she awoke to a Jack-O-Lantern she was quite tickled. As dusk fell last night we went out to light and inspect it.

It seems that it's perfectly scary enough!

Blowing Rock

A long weekend in Blowing Rock, beautiful leaves, crisp fall air, many games of Foosball, Air Hockey and Ping Pong. The kids loved having uninterrupted Daddy time (as did he!) and we all enjoyed a perfect long weekend in our favorite spot. We returned refreshed and ready to take on the fall!'

We've been going to Blowing Rock for many years now and we took this same picture when Carver was 14 months old. We've continued to take them every year and he looks forward to the new shot as much as we do. In fact when Springer began crying as we pulled out of the driveway, Carver told her "Don't worry Springer, we'll be back next fall because we have to take my picture in the tunnel." Who says the world doesn't revolve around him?!

Each morning Carver headed out for a leaf collecting (among other things) adventure. Springer joined him on Saturday morning and appreciated the leaves in true Springer fashion-by tasting them!

As she would say "Mmmm....De-Wicious!"

On Sunday morning we all headed out for a nature walk. After we got home that evening we talked about our favorite thing we did over the past 4 days and we each said that this morning's walk was the best. It was quiet, chilly and just some really sweet time as a family. We collected leaves, skipped rocks on the lake, collected golf balls in the creek that ran beside the greens and just enjoyed being together.
Springer with her own bag of leaves, rocks and various other findings.

G taught them to enjoy one of his favorite things-skipping rocks on the lake.

Even Springer got in on the action and thoroughly took to the fun.

And then a huge bathtub of bubbles to warm up and get clean!

Back to Normal

Well we all survived my time away-it was a great, long weekend with my college girls. G managed the crazy schedule with much aplomb in spite of Carver coming down with a stomach bug on Friday. Misery loves company; I also came down with the same. Not fun for either of us (or all of my sweet friends) but we're well and getting back on our normal schedule-before leaving again. G is taking a week off and we're headed away for several of those days. We are all so excited to have some down time; this has been one busy month for the Hiatts. With a Halloween Festival in the park, lots of outside time and slow days together I am sure there will be many pictures to post. Be back soon!

Fast Cars and Airplanes

Several months ago we parked next to a Jeep and Springer could barely contain herself. She cried because I wouldn't let her sit in it (typically a good idea being that we didn't know to whom the Jeep belonged!). She waved to it and then started the whole thing over when we came out from the restaurant and again I said that she couldn't sit in it. Well at church on Sunday we parked next to a fancy sports car. Here's the conversation beginning as soon as she spotted it.

S: "Is dat MY car?"

Me: "No Springer, it's Mr. Bill's car."

S: "I want to dwive it."

Me: "We can't drive it Springer; it's not our car."
Silence as I begin unloading our bags.

S: "Mama, I WANT dat car!"

Me: laughing walking into the building

S: "Mama, I WUV dat car!" "Bye-bye car!"

Have we got trouble on our hands or what?!

On a different note, say a little prayer for G this weekend. I leave in about 10 minutes for a girls weekend in NY and he's got the monkeys. He's all rested up and ready to go; Saturday's soccer game and two birthday parties may be the only hiccup-even with that I know he'll do great. Carver's looking forward to daddy time, for sure! I am looking forward to time with college friends-although I must admit leaving them for four nights (I come home well after they're in bed on Sunday night) is a little rough. I'm missing all three of them already!

Saturday in the Park

Beautiful weather and two cutie pies...a mama's delight.

This was the only time I caught Carver being still; upon arrival he met his new friend Will and happily spent the whole time running around with him.

We go back and forth on who Springer resembles. She definitely favors her Hawaiian side as well as my mom. Both have dark skin and eyes-and she definitely got that. In this picture I think she looks just like my mama at the same age. Pretty sweet.

What a week!

I typically use this blog as a way to update family and friends on our children's doings but I thought it only fitting to showcase G today as well. Last Sunday we began what was to be a week long celebration of G's 35th birthday. After a crazy busy week (which included his going to the Wake/FSU game on Thursday night) we ended with a fantasticly fun cocktail and dessert party here on Friday night. Although we're all a bit bleary eyed from the partying it was great to celebrate the wonderful man that is my husband and my children's father.

Thanks to Sarah for taking the birthday party shots;

I completely forgot to pick up my camera.

Springer loved helping me make G's birthday cake. She immediately put on her apron and dove right in. She counted the eggs for me, poured the sugar in, locked and unlocked the mixer's base and most importantly tasted it to make sure it was just perfect. She'd take a little lick and say , "Mmmmm, Mommy, dat's dewicious! Tank you vewy much." Right after putting the cake in the oven (which thankfully was not yet hot) I caught her with her fingers back in the pan-tasting it one last time!

The first birthday cake of the week-Giorgio's favorite, a pound cake.

G and Kathryn ("Kathryn with a K" as Carver calls her)

John, Todd, Linda and Julia

Bryan, Sarah and Brent with the birthday boy

Matt, Brent and Omari...I really have to find out what they were laughing at! On a completely different note, our friend Matt's claim to fame is that he was baptized by Joe Simpson (as in Jessica's father).

Me & Trish (Dylan's mom)

Ok, Carver typically goes to bed right around the time that the party started. He had been so excited about it and helped out greatly with the preparations that there was no way I could send him upstairs just as some of his favorite people arrived. So, he got to stay up almost an hour later than usual. He loved it. He especially loved sampling the goodies. Sarah caught him with this drink in his hand (coming from the back deck where the frozen margarita machine was stationed) and quickly did the smell test. It turns out he had made his own concoction of water, lime juice and salt-mostly lime juice. He said he added the salt because the drink was too sour.

Cheers to Elisabeth-the woman who keeps my husband sane (relatively) at work!

Pumpkins and Hayrides

Yesterday I took advantage of Carver's class field trip to the pumpkin patch and enjoyed

some sweet time with my little fella. He must have told me ten times how happy he was that

I was went along with him; it was a special morning for both of us. He experienced his first hayride (although he thinks hay is itchy), saw a cow being milked, got up close and personal

with donkeys, goats, sheep, pigs, ducks and of course picked out the perfect pumpkin.

Carver, Dylan and Hamlin load up on the wagon

If he looks a little nervous in this picture it's because he was-that cow was getting his
wet nose mighty close. I took several shots that included Carver looking back
over his shoulder to make sure that cow didn't sneak up on him!

Sweet memories were made today

Jane, Bryce, Dylan and Carver compare their finds

the choice pumpkin