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.
Isaac originally bought this sword at the Renaissance Festival, yes way back in February. He wanted one of the cool painted ones, but they were ridiculously expensive (like $38 or something), so we bought a plain wooden one that we could paint ourselves. Well, we FINALLY bought the paint for it and over the weekend Paul and Isaac painted it just how Isaac wanted it. Citron green with dark purple and blue flames on it, a black hilt and a red handle.
You can see Isaac's extreme focus while painting. Although I could have taught Isaac to paint, having his daddy (who, if you don't know, is an amazing painter/artist and far more qualified than I to instruct on the subject) teach him was a fun time. Turns out Paul really enjoyed having that paint brush in his hand again and so who knows what masterpiece that might inspire.
Last year Isaac took swim lessons at the YMCA (just like I did years ago, and the class names are still the same: eel, guppy, shark...) The classes were four days a week for two weeks, each class 30 minutes. Seemed like a good deal, and he learned a lot. But then I realized each class had six students. That meant he got 5 minutes from each lesson=40 minutes of 1:1 time. When I saw that the private lessons were less than double the price of group lessons, it was a no-brainer to pay for private lessons this year.
Day one consisted of using a kick board to practice controlled kicking, then blowing bubbles while kicking, then doing strokes and breathing while using the kick board, then swimming freestyle. In just 30 minutes the improvement was phenomenal. Day two was a little more of the same, but also started learning backstroke and worked a lot on diving to the bottom of the pool for rings! The second two pictures show Isaac getting ready to dive for the rings and pulling himself down, putting his legs up in order to get his head down.
Yesterday and today were more diving for rings and using the kick board, but today they really focused on rolling onto his side for a breath. I am totally amazed by how quickly kids learn, and I am especially happy to have Isaac learning how to swim. I explained to him that kids his age are already on the swim team and he is now talking of joining the swim team next summer. Of course this would make me unbelievably happy and proud, but I won't pressure him into it. If he wants to do it, I am totally supportive, as I would be with whatever else he is inclined to try or do. A week after Isaac finishes his swim lessons we head to the Sierra's for our annual trip to Pineridge and the Lake. This year we're going for over 2 weeks and we are SOOO excited because we've never gone that long. Plus, we get to see Uncle Eric, Aunt Kier, Ella and Kaia--our one time to see them the whole year! Maybe we'll get them for Thanksgiving this year, if we're lucky. We miss you guys and can't wait to see you!
