Last year, Paul taught Isaac how to use the little ax at Pineridge. This year he was eager to get to do it again. The first afternoon there, Isaac got to work using the ax to chop up small branches. This year, Paul gave Isaac his first knife, thrilling Isaac beyond belief. It has a sheath and Paul put it on a long shoulder strap. Isaac took it on many adventures and was proud to have Paul teach him how to whittle a stick to roast marshmallows.
What makes this boy so happy? Let's see, vacation: check. Mountains: check. Adventures: check. Fleece feety jammies: check. Reading Jack Sparrow books with mom: check. Absolutely love this picture of Isaac. It shows how happy going to Pineridge makes him, and it reflects exactly how I feel when I'm there: blissed-out. Just wish we were closer so we could go more often. Maybe one day, after Paul graduates, we'll move closer...we'll see.
Driving all night from Tucson leaves me feeling a little pooped. We arrived around 11:30a, after stopping at the grocery store, then had to unload, get settled in and clean. By the time all that was finished, Isaac, who slept all night in the back seat, was itching to go on an adventure. Paul took him out while I found the only padded horizontal surface I could and took a snooze. I know it sounds crazy to drive all night, but it means the drive is so much cooler for us and the dogs, less traffic and Isaac can sleep through the majority of the 13 hour drive.
Ok, so I've got some serious catching up to do! These pictures are from the day before we left for our annual trip to the Sierras. I'll starting working on all the trip pictures soon. I'll TRY not to overdo the pictures from our trip, but there are over two weeks of great pictures...Here Isaac decided to try digging a hole to China, must be genetic because growing up Paul was always trying to do that very thing himself. But Isaac may be more serious about it since he needed my headlamp for when the digging created a tunnel and it got dark.
These are also some of the first pictures taken with our new "baby." Paul and I bought our Canon G9 when our old camera started acting funny just before our biggest picture taking event--our trip to the Sierras--of the year. Afraid it would totally die in the middle of our trip, we decided to do what we've been wanting to: get a new camera. LOVE it! Is it me, or does Isaac look much older than six in these pictures. I repeatedly ask him to stop growing, but he just won't do it! I am loving six, and I told him it's not that he can't get older, but could he just stay six for a few years and then move on the seven? Nope.
