Happy Birthday Isaac!

Dear Isaac,

I can't believe that you are 5!! My how the time has flown, but what fun we have had!

You are:

-Loving school

-Learning to read

-Speaking in the Christmas play @ Church

-Making new friends

-Going to sleep by yourself.

-Sleeping in your own bed!

-Becoming more and more a Daddy's boy!

-Learning to ride your bike with no training wheels!

-Playing well by yourself

-Using your imagination all the time!

Happy Birthday!

The one that didn't get away!!!

6 lbs

21 inches long

Largemouth Bass

Caught by Isaac

My boys have really been enjoying some fishing this summer! At least several times a week they have been going together or with friends to local ponds. Right at the first of June Isaac started the summer by catching his first bass, a small one, but one that will be eaten very soon! He was thrilled! Several days later I got a panicked phone call from my DH and was thinking the worse, only to be fussed at for not checking my text messages!! The above fish pics were sent and I hadn't seen the message.

Let me just say that my Isaac takes after me, and gets excited about lots of stuff-but boy this took the prize. My DH has never caught anything this big!! Isaac caught the monster on a "critter crawl" bait on his new "Zebco" fishing pole. He makes his own casts and reeled the monster in himself.

And he hasn't stopped talking about it since! Mrs. Fishy is currently residing at the taxidermist in Lake Bowen. When she arrives home on driftwood-I promise to post more pictures, or maybe you could come visit our newest member of the family!

Sharks

Some days I think I need to carry a pocket recorder around to catch all the hilarious things my child says-he keeps us hopping. You just have to hear this or at least read it and pretend I'm telling it:

Isaac has been asking lots of questions about Heaven and Jesus and all sorts of things, but has made it very clear he does not want to go to Heaven right now, pretty funny to hear him tell it! But, the other day he was in the car on the way with Nana and this is what transpired-

Isaac-Nana, you know how my mama reads that Jesus book every night before she goes to bed

Nana-Yes, you mean the Bible??

Isaac-Yeah Nana, Mama reads her Bible before she goes to be everynight so she has Jesus in her heart, but I haven't read that whole Bible yet, so I don't have Jesus in my heart

Nana-? ? ? ? ?

Isaac-BUT, I have a really cool shark book, and I've read all of it-so I have sharks in my heart.

Sharks in his heart my friends, sharks in his heart! Needless to say we've tried to clear up confusion about reading the entire Bible being the key to heaven! But I still can't help but smile at how wise my sweet boy is in his own way.

What sharks do we have in our hearts? What things are we putting before our time with God? Even as I type this I am convicted of putting so many other things first.

What a blessing-

to have another day home to pretend that I'm a stay-at-home mom and to enjoy my sweet boy who is growing up way to quickly. 2 snow days in March-wow-we will pay later-with late work days and such, but for now we will enjoy the blessing-God new that Spring Break is still a long way away and this was his answer, a winter break, with snow this time, and warmth, and fun family time :)

It is so easy for me to get caught up in what I need to get done, instead of just slowing down. I slow down just about as easy as I quiet down-ha! I have 2 speeds full speed ahead-and at a dead stand still- and likewise 2 volumes-loud or silent. Soooo yesterdayday we played outside in intervals, Isaac painted and then dusted some of the furniture, and I did straighten up a little, but I tried tnot to get super involved in anything.
Not sure what today holds, I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to leave the house :)

Nothing Like a Snowman

There is nothing like working together to make a snowman in the freezing cold :) We were lucky to have Mimi to help us out today.

Snow much fun!

Santa's Little Helper

Are you on the naughty list? Or have you been nice?? Just how does Santa get those daily updates?? At our house they come from the friendly, but slightly shy and very sly Elf on the Shelf named Frost. The Elf on the Shelf has become a fun holiday tradition for our family. He doesn't talk(Santa won't let him talk to humans), you can't touch him(it will take away his magic), but he flies back to the North Pole every night to report to Santa. The catch is that he hides someplace new each morning. It has become quite the motivation to jump up and find his new hiding place each morning-and a quick reminder that Frost might tell Santa-helps sometimes too.

A shepherd

Our preschool children had the sweetest program at church last Sunday. Isaac was a shepherd and really enjoyed the chance to dress up-but quickly melted down by the time he was to sing. He went from happy to done, pretty quickly. (But he looked sooooo cute!!) It didn't bother Autumn's Alexa to be on stage-check her out in the 1st picture as Isaac is pouting!! I've got video of her dancing away on stage-I've got to see if I can download it!!

Brithday Party

Last year's birthday party fiasco (due to my sickness) was topped by this year's, due once again to our crazy happenings!! We had to wait until the last minute, not knowing when surgery or appointments would be. SO we went to Charleston on Thursday, came home Saturday, and partied on Sunday-whew!!! Let me tell you, it wore me out!!!!! We kept it simple, well for those that know me, as simple as I could keep it. We had sports themed centerpieces, plates, etc. Had a pizza, salad, breadstick lunch, and then hot chocolate and cake. It was a "swingset" birthday-because that is what Isaac wanted to do-play with his friends on his swing set. It was chilly, but perfect playing weather-and the hot chocolate helped fight the chill. He had a great time and enjoyed playing with all of his friends :)

4

Everything about Isaac's life is still so fresh in my mind-so fresh, that it is hard to believe 4 years have escaped us as quickly as they have. Isaac turned 4 on November 24!

Heather always does this for Carson and Ella and I love it, so I am going to copycat her idea:

Isaac at 4 (with a little help from Isaac):

-loves firetrucks
-still snuggles
-loves to pretend (batman, firefighter, knight,)
-likes snow globes
-enjoys playing Thomas the train
-still doesn't sleep in his own bed all night
-doesn't like his room or his bed
- loves books and being read to
-thinks he is too big for a nap
-can write his name, he has almost mastered the "S"
-loves to swing and play outside
-is sad that now all of our trees are naked
-is eager to give everyone their Christmas presents
-fought off a nasty sinus infection without shots!!!
-tells us he is aggravated :) (can't imagine where he heard that)
-enjoys singing ( we still have to listen to VBS music in the car)

My Sweet Boy

Fall is my FAVORITE picture time! The air is crisp, the light is great, and the trees and ground are great backdrops!! Isaac and I have had a lot of fun taking pictures and playing :)

Getting Ready Fun

Ready for Preschool

Isaac has had his first days back at preschool this week. It has gone fairly well, despite the gooey ear (ie, ear infection). We are so excited that he will have his beloved Miss Shanna again this year coteaching with Miss Kristy who was his teacher last year. He has loved all of his teachers, but had a very special bond with Miss Shanna and always will :) Miss Shanna is in the picture above giving Isaac a big good morning hug. Isaac's only issue is taking a nap. He does fine while there, but just tells me he does not want to do it!

Daddy's Boy

What can I say?

I am completely out numbered!! It's amazing the difference in 2 and 3!

He's a boy and not a baby!

He knows what he wants.

He loves to sing!

He does everything himself---

EXCEPT GOING TO SLEEP

And now we talk about his day at school so much that when Daddy comes home he asks him

2 questions:

What did you learn today?

What did you do fun?

Oh dear, the teacher in me definitely shines in that one!!!