The Long and short of it...

Coco at graduation.

2012-01-27T20:58:00.001-05:00

Fall 2011

2011-11-04T21:42:00.002-04:00

So much has happened, but here are a few pictures from the 2011 Fall in Virginia.

Strike a Pose. Beach Style.

2011-07-29T23:09:00.003-04:00

Isaac's Birthday party

2011-02-13T14:20:00.002-05:00

Isaac got a little overwhelmed and buried himself in his art.

A restaurant was the perfect place to host a party when we currently live in a little apartment. I didn't have to cook or clean!

The kids table was the place to be.

Disney...for free.

2010-12-05T14:04:00.007-05:00

Tim scored tickets to Disney's Christmas Parade at the Magic Kingdom to be aired on ABC Christmas morning and taped on December 4. The idea that we could be on TV for the parade held only a little bit of interest to us, especially since they prepped us with a 4-hour time commitment where we may be positioned and not really free to move. We skipped out on that part and enjoyed the park for the day. Isaac and Juliet had a great time, and Tim and I may have had an even better time.

Two things happened immediately upon entering the ticket center. 1) I got stung by a bee on my index finger. 2) I lost my driver's license. At the time this picture was taken, I had been stung by the bee, but I had not yet noticed my driver's license missing.

According to the Weather Channel, the temperature was suppose to be much cooler, so Tim cut off the bottom of his pants and we had to buy Isaac a t-shirt for the day. Problem solved.

Waiting for Dumbo.

Isaac and me on Dumbo! Isaac controlled the up and down so the whole ride was a surprise to me!

Flying high...

Isaac wanted to ride the tea cups and Tim was not willing. That left me to go with Isaac. I wasn't sure how I would do...and sure enough, as soon as we started spinning, I felt very ill. So, I stared right at the center wheel and held my hands around my eyes so I could not see anything in my periphery. It worked and I got through it just fine. Isaac boasted proudly, "I didn't get dizzy at all!" So I took a picture of him below the sign so he could remember how he didn't get dizzy at all.

Waiting for the Tiki Room.

Waiting for the parade.

MICKEY!!! We all went ballistic!

Juliet finally fell asleep in the Carousel of Progress and slept peacefully through the people mover. We also believe this is the last picture you will see that features the Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey. He's missing.

Me and Isaac in front of the breathtaking castle just before we head out of the park.

While posting, I was on the phone with the Magic Kingdom lost and found that found my driver's license! But not Mickey:(

Halloween 2010 in Vero Beach

2010-11-08T08:56:00.004-05:00

Juliet playing with the iPhone while Tim tries to get a few extra minutes of sleep. Yes, she is perfectly savvy.

Grandpa and Juliet trick-or-treating.

Tim and Grandma taking the children home after the last house.

The Long Family trick-or-treating!

Isaac and Juliet playing at Grandma and Grandpas!

Grandpa and Isaac spending time together.

Juliet and Daddy carving the Jack-o-Lantern.

Juliet and Daddy during Juliet's teething days.

Isaac chillin' in the living room!

Up until now.

2010-10-29T21:04:00.004-04:00

Well, we are all settled in to our new apartment in Orlando...Oviedo, to be exact. We could not be happier! In the two weeks we have been here, we have seen grandparents, gym friends, old and still wonderful friends and new friends...we have attended two different churches, gone to SeaWorld, driven on the beach on the Atlantic Ocean, eaten at amazing restaurants, attended a Trunk-or-Treat and we're getting ready for a whirlwind weekend of fun- and friend-filled times.

Our lives are truly blessed. Here are some pictures that we hope you enjoy!

Juliet owning the trunk-or-treat! She was a natural.

The Bernese Mountain Dog and the Astronaut.

My big boy...sniffle.

This photo was not staged. We found them like this right before bedtime. Tim and I are thankful that they love each other.

Juliet is feeding her baby doll chicken quesadilla.

Ready to swim.

Ready to lounge.

Ready for the ocean.

Hair cut time.

Juliet likes to play and sing with me. I like it, too.

There is too much to say with regard to how amazing our two little ones are. They astound us every day with their ambition, achievement, care, kindness, and fun. The costs, sacrifices, and messes are high and plenty, but in the few moments of quiet each day, it is clear that there is nothing else like being in the presence of the growth and development of these two human beings, to be a witness and experience the joy of the learning and applications of their minds and hearts...and we are willing and happy to offer this part of our lives to our children.

Funny things Isaac has said: Part II

2010-09-24T21:36:00.002-04:00

Isaac: "Mom, don't forget to bring my drink to the gym".

Mom: "I won't forget Isaac. I don't forget much".

Isaac: "Well, you forget to comb my hair every day".

******

"I'm so smart, it hurts".

******

Isaac had his first dental visit and we were discussing that not only do we take care of our teeth on the outside, there are foods we can eat that will help our teeth and bones be strong and healthy. So, then came the subject of dairy foods.

Mom: "Dairy foods are things made from milk. So, foods like cheese and yogurt..."

Isaac: "and cookies".

Mom: "Nope, cookies are not made from milk".

Isaac: "But they sure are good for dipping in milk".

******

"Can you read me a story from your head"?

******

recent videos of the children

2010-09-20T16:55:00.005-04:00

The latest in pictures

2010-09-06T21:05:00.006-04:00

[above]At the computer before bed.

[below]What Juliet does with her feet when she doesn't want to be put down!

Getting ready to leave for the gym.

Daddy reading to Juliet. She loves books! Juliet will go and get one from the bookshelf and sit right down in his lap until he is ready to read it to her.

I couldn't resist taking a picture of his chocolate milk mustache.

Juliet is fond of playing in the sink these days. It keeps her occupied while I get ready for the day.

Isaac and Juliet playing in a bookshelf we use in our toy room for storage.

Daddy reading to the children.

Breakfast at the Long's.

I absolutely love this face.

Isaac at his first soccer camp.

He was less than pleased for the final ceremony. Juliet follows his lead.

no more bottles

2010-07-26T08:11:00.003-04:00

At Juliet's 15-month well baby appointment last week, we were given the news to drop the bottles. We had been giving her bottles before her nap and before going to bed. Well, thankfully, she had zero problems going through this transition!!!! We had her throw away a bottle to symbolize the transition and although she was hesitant, she has gone to bed and slept pretty well since last week.

The next coming of age transition will come when we take away her NUK. Again, she only has it when she sleeps. Tim and I anticipate this being very difficult since she occasionally wakes up in the middle of the night when it has fallen out of her mouth and some part of her consciousness tells her she needs it. This morning, Tim said the day is coming soon when he is going to take the pacifier away from her. The doctor said it will take 3 days for her to reacclimate. Those 3 days will be like 3 thousand years at the Long house.

Also at the docs office, it was confirmed that she has grown significantly! I knew she was taller, but when we were told that she went from in between 50%-75% to 90% in height, I was surprised. All in all, she is a very healthy and happy girl and we are fascinated every day by her.

So, that being said, we only have one AVENT bottle (just in case...for visiting babies) in our house and I am praising God! I hated bottles and everything that came with them. I guess I am thankful to them in part due to their function; however, the cleaning, storing, and the SMELL (ugh, disgusting) will not be missed.

I do believe this marks a transition in our lives. No more babies. Today, about 15% of me is sad for these days to be gone...but the other 85% of me is rockin' out!

During our next move in October, I will be bringing our accoutrements for potty training Juliet. I guess I'm happy that it will be someone else's carpet she will be having accidents on!

pics

2010-07-19T11:41:00.004-04:00

fun with photo booth

2010-07-07T22:31:00.004-04:00

I can't find the charger to my camera battery since the move, so we are having to use the computers camera to catch some recent shots!

Juliet has been so sick this week, but we got the report from the doctor that she has healed and is allowed to reenter society. Should be a good weekend with visits from the grandparents.

Funny things Isaac has said...

2010-05-20T08:58:00.002-04:00

Setting: A care package arrives from Nana with gifts for both Juliet and Isaac. In it, there is a spiffy new Mickey Mouse visor for Isaac that made him very happy.

Mom: "Isaac, how do you like your new visor?"

Isaac: "I love it, but I only want to use it once I start golf practicing".

Setting: I care package arrives from Great Grandma Kitty with gifts for both Juliet and Isaac. In it, there is a train conductor hat that made him very happy.

Mom: "Isaac, how do you like your new train hat?"

Isaac: "I love it, but I only need it when I ride on the Santa Train with Jackson [Pelt]".

Setting: Mom and Dad are having a conversation and Isaac interrupts.

Mom: "Isaac, Daddy and I are having a conversation and it is very rude for you to interrupt. You need to apologize".

Isaac: "I'm sorry, mommy and daddy for interrrrr....., mommy, interrupting is a very, very hard word to say".

Backround: Isaac has been saying his prayers before sleep by himself for a couple of months now. He loves to get specific and include long lines of people he is asking God to bless. For example, last night he asked God to bless mommy, daddy, juliet, isaac, grandma, grandpa, who are daddy's parents, uncle chris, isaac, stasiu, bohdan, bebe, nana, uncle todd, noah, ruthe, isaiah, clint, jennifer, moses, jackson, jackson's dad, and jaja, and isaac. This list sometimes includes Santa Clause!

Setting: Isaac is saying the blessing before dinner.

Isaac: "Dear God, Thank you for the food, and...and...In Jesus name we pray, Amen."

[We all begin to eat]

Isaac: "I just needed to do the food".

Setting: We are preparing to go to the zoo the next day and the family is going through what animals we might see. All the regulars were listed.

Isaac: "maybe we'll see a chinchilla!"

"That hurts my ears" something is too loud

"PEEPS!" he has to go to the bathroom

There are so many...we are just having to try and keep track.

Pictures from the last 4 weeks.

2010-05-10T13:48:00.004-04:00

Happiness is dying Easter Eggs

2010-04-04T22:06:00.003-04:00

Biloxi Egg Hunt 2010

2010-04-03T16:08:00.004-04:00

Ocean Springs Egg Hunt 2010

2010-03-27T12:34:00.007-04:00

Isaac was not his normal self. He was sick the night before.

Juliet is so proud of her egg!

Running to show Isaac and Mama her egg!

Daddy teaching her the ropes.

Isaac waiting for his hunt to begin...really wanting to be in bed.

Excited to be on the slide!

Too much to write it all down...
We've had serious computer issues so our blog posting has gone by the wayside. AND we don't have picture editing software, so you'll just have to crop the photos mentally!

Our time in Mississippi is winding down and we are making plans for our return to Virginia. In just a few weeks we will be returning to our home for Tim's next rotation. He will not have the same job as before, not even the same office; but since the D.C. area is booming with his kind of work, it worked out that our house will come in handy! Our renters only needed a 6 month lease so it worked out very well.

Isaac and Juliet love each other very much. Neither of them put up with the other when personal preferences are infringed upon. For example, Isaac will try to sneak a toy away from Juliet when she's not looking. When she discovers it, she'll go after him with a scream and aggressive action. Isaac is getting smarter though. The other day, he took a toy from her that he wanted and replaced it with another he knew she would like, and she was so elated to have the new toy, she didn't even miss the first! Smart boy!

Isaac seems to be responding to behavior challenges with money and fun outings. He is rewarded with such things and they are taken away when his behavior suffers. He loves putting his coins in the piggy bank Nana gave him! He is learning quickly what our expectations are of him. He is still a typical 3 year old and has his melt-downs, but generally they are when he is hungry or tired, so we try to keep an eye on those things. He is a loving child. He loves those that are close to him very deeply. He cares for them and thinks of their needs. We are so glad to have him be a part of our family and can't imagine life without him.

Juliet is growing up so quickly. I can't decide if she is meeting her milestones quicker than Isaac or if the time is passing quicker, so it seems like it is going faster. I remember with Isaac's first year, each day seemed like a thousand years.
She has 4 teeth. She loves to walk and climb everywhere. She is very independent and does not hesitate to scream quite loudly when she doesn't get her way. I feel like this is common for second children. Do they want to be sure you don't forget about them? I don't know, but I love her so much it confounds me.

Enjoy the pictures from Juliet's first egg hunt (Ocean Springs, MS). She had a BLAST! and it was so much FUN for Isaac and I to cheer her on when she was going for it! She picked up the concept quickly and didn't want to stop! She was very proud of her eggs! Isaac had a hunt, too, but he was sick the night before and was still not feeling too well when his turn came around. He wasn't himself all morning, but I'm hoping a good nap will help him.

Isaac turns 3!

2010-02-15T21:59:00.003-05:00

Since we were stuck in Virginia for 2 weeks, we celebrated Isaac's birthday several times over with different friends. All of those pictures are still on my phone; we are having some difficulty getting them on to the computer. So far, the cake total is up to 5 with at least one more planned. This was today's cake with our nuclear family on his actual birthday. Isaac doesn't like cake, but he likes that there is big fun and celebration due him on this day! He ended up eating a Dora popsicle.

Right now, we are sitting and watching olympic ice skating and Isaac seems to enjoy watching the people spinning, throwing, and flying on the ice.

Isaac is an amazing boy. He astounds us daily with his inquisitive mind, his sentence structure and his heart. Tim said to Isaac at dinner, "Isaac, I'm glad you're my son". Isaac responded, "I'm glad you're my daddy".

His favorite color is blue, but I just asked him and he said green.

His favorite food is chicken and french fries (Tim brought that home for Isaac's lunch today!)

His favorite toys are his Cars characters and trains.

When asked what he wants to do when he grows up, he responds, "drive".

His favorite animal is a giraffe.

His favorite show (currently) is Chuggington.

He is happy in Mississippi.

He prefers to sleep in a room with Juliet rather than by himself.

He doesn't like getting his hair washed in the tub and he is terrified of showers.

He likes to go on adventures, but after a while, he just wants to be home.

He loves to play with Juliet and he is learning to teach her gently what is best for her.

He has funny attachments to things like our blue van, and the versa, the bridge we walk on "our bridge".

His imagination is growing and his wishes are becoming more elaborate. Today he said, he wants to play Hungry Hippos on the train in Disney World.

He just started (today) coloring/painting to the ends of the page and leaving no white space.

He dressed himself today, but it was not without lots of "encouragement". He did finally get the button. His attitude has hindered his progress. It's just so much easier when the parents do it!!

He likes to help cook. He will ask to bring the chair over to the counter to come watch and help.

His memories are far reaching and sometimes we can only vaguely recall what he could possibly be talking about.

Sometimes I look at him and see all the years passing before me like a flash. The sands are slipping through the glass. I do believe I am the luckiest momma in the world.

Isaac, you are the best!

Juliet is 9 months old!

2010-01-24T10:41:00.005-05:00

Today marks Juliets 9 month "birthday" and we are thrilled at the progress she has made in one very important area: SLEEP! Since the first of the year, we have informed Juliet that she will no longer be fed or attended to in the middle of the night. She has, more or less, started to understand our new stance and has complied quite nicely. This has been good for everyone. Now, Juliet and Isaac share a room and our cozy little apartment has an official guestroom.

Other things Juliet has started to do are: waving, clapping, drumming on the drum, tapping the keys on the piano, self-feeding, walking behind the push-car, climbing on everything, and she still has 2 teeth!

Juliet loves her family very much. If she is doing something in one room and hears the rest of the family in another, she will fuss until we are all together. She is much more affectionate than Isaac was at her age. She loves to snuggle and just be held. She watches and studies expressions on faces as if she's doing research on human behavior. She loves to watch me cook and so I try to remember to narrate to her what I'm doing and what tools I am using.

She is so amazing to watch! I still can't believe we have a daughter, and that her name is Juliet! I can't believe she is 9 months old and that she is more than we could have asked for! Our lives are truly blessed by her presence and we are so excited that she is a part of our family.

Juliet walking behind the car.

Isaac teaching Juliet how to use the drum.

Isaac and Juliet playing and dancing.

a Visit from Grandma

2010-01-12T10:08:00.003-05:00

Well, it was suppose to be a visit from Grandma AND Grandpa but Grandpa was held back by 3 trials that needed his attention this weekend, so he had to stay home. We missed him, but let me tell you, we had an awesome weekend with Grandma.

First, she brought Christmas with her! The whole family was given wonderful gifts of all types. Even gifts from their recent cruise through the Mediterranean! (Seriously jealous).

Grandma also helped Isaac with his piano lesson for the day. We try to do them daily, but it ends up being 3-4 times per week. He's only 2 (I only have one more month to say it, so I'm going to milk it as much as I can)!!

Here, Isaac and Juliet are playing sweetly together with one of the toys Grandma brought for Juliet. They have been playing together every day of late and it is a fairly new and welcomed phenomennon. It brings great joy to see them love each other and get along so well. Soon, I will need to post a video of them dancing together...it is a hoot!

The first night Grandma was here, I stole her for some girl time, but then, for the next two nights, she watched the children so that Tim and I could go on dates! It was a great weekend.

Note to Grandma: Thank you very much. Both nights we were out, we toasted to you! You are awesome and we love you.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T20:41:00.004-05:00

Well, we are settled back in Mississippi! We left on December 5 and returned on December 28th. On our way back, we spent Christmas with my brother and his family. We took the opportunity to take a few pictures of the cousins while we were together.

Stasiu is 5 and Bohdan is 2.

Isaac says...

2009-12-19T20:54:00.002-05:00

Before Tim arrives, Isaac was talking to him on the telephone and said: "Daddy, I think I might cry when I see you" [he was holding back the tears]...a moment later, "Daddy, can we wrestle?"

Today: "Daddy, I'm so happy you're here."
***
"Mama, I was thinking. I think we need to go to a play place today."
***
Isaac: "we need to ride on the train."
Tim: "we can't ride the train without a ticket."
Isaac: "well we need to buy a ticket at the station."
Tim: "well, I don't know where the station is."
Isaac: "Mama can show us where it is on the map."
***
"Are YOU kidding me?"
***
Tim: "Isaac, can you please teach Juliet how to go to sleep?"
Isaac: "Juliet, you lay down, close your eyes, and go NAAH, CHOO, NAAH, CHOO. That's how you go to sleep."
***
"How was your day?"
***
"Where is God?"
***

Oh...Juliet got her first tooth on Thursday.

Welcome to Virginia

2009-12-19T12:02:00.003-05:00

Well, after 2 weeks of being without Tim, he was able to make it in just before the snow storm of the century. His plane arrived 2 hours late and without his luggage, but he is here and that is ALL that matters.
These past two weeks have been very difficult for me. There have been many nights with only a few hours of sleep due to Juliet's poor sleeping habits and her painful teething, just to wake up and do a full day. I know there are technics out there that will help me get Juliet to sleep better, but it doesn't seem possible when we are all sharing a room together or even in Mississippi when Juliet and Isaac are sharing a room together. Two nights ago, Juliet (and I)were suffering from an ear infection and a tooth coming in and was crying for between 1 and 2 hours in the middle of the night; Isaac woke up and said "mom, I'm still sleeping"...as if Juliet's crying was interupting him and he was requesting that I get her to sleep quickly so he could return to his slumber...oh, how I wish it were that easy, Isaac.
Most days have been bearable and even enjoyable, but other days have been complete disasters. I had the thought that if I had watched a video of myself with my kids 5 years ago, I would have called myself incompetent and unfit to be a mother. Some would have agreed, but I have a feeling all the mom's out there could really relate.
My mom has been great to bear my calling 4-5 times a day just for someone to talk to when Tim was at work. Thanks mom! Thank you also to Heidi, Bekah, Kyle, Charity, Ollie, Angie and Beth, and Chris, for your prayers, encouragement and help on our travels.
Here a few pictures of the highlights while Tim was away. Snow pictures to follow.

Heidi and Juliet walking at a one of our stops up to Virginia.

Austin, Jackson, and Isaac speechless as the 2009 Santa Train pulls up to the station.

Panama City Trip

2009-11-30T09:19:00.004-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, we traveled over to Panama City to visit our friends. Ever since we played mini golf with Bryan, Will, Aimee, and Brittany, Isaac has wanted to go again and he has been relentless in requesting that we play. Since Katrina, there are no mini golfing courses in Biloxi, so we told Isaac we would go when we visited Panama City. He had a great time on a beautiful Saturday morning!

Peter Anderson Arts Festival of Ocean Springs

2009-11-30T09:07:00.004-05:00

Great time! Here are a few pictures of the children just so you can keep track of them growing.

Tub play

2009-11-30T09:04:00.001-05:00

Who says you have to have water to play in the Tub?

A Special Day for Isaac

2009-11-11T23:13:00.004-05:00

We were coming back to our apartment where there was a man on a tractor fixing the pavement at the location of an underground water leak. As we were driving up, I thought to myself: " this is probably the kind of place where a man on a tractor would offer to give a young boy a ride on his tractor". Sure enough, after we walked over and inquired as to what he was doing, he offered to give Isaac a ride. Isaac was so excited that he was in somewhat of a trance.

Juliet's Temper

2009-11-11T22:59:00.003-05:00

Our daughter has somewhat of an over-reactive temper. She is quite clear when she is unhappy about anything that displeases her and there are no increments of volume in her responses, she is just loud. In the first picture you see her being very upset about something insignificant. In the second picture, you see Juliet understanding that the camera is fixed on her.

Isaac spells his name!

2009-11-05T13:55:00.002-05:00

This is exciting for a couple of reasons: 1) when asked to spell anything, he would always either repeat the question or say the sounds of the letters, here, he actually understands that the question to spell something requires the answer to be in letter format 2) he knows that everytime he spells his name, he gets a big cheer from me!!!

Another funny thing that happened:

Isaac has been enjoying going through his parents wallets for some time now. We, Isaac and I, came to the conclusion that he needed his own wallet. So, I told him to remind me next time we were in the store and we could look for his first wallet. We had this conversation weeks ago and yesterday we were in the store and he remembered to remind me. We found the young men's section and on the way to the wallets, Isaac declares he wants a BLUE wallet. OK. Well, all they have are leather bi folds and trifolds. We get down on our knees to see if there was anything else on the lower shelves and we find camo print with velcro. He was excited about the velcro, but not about the camo...we dig deaper and grab not seeing the last wallet in the bin, and you guessed it, it was blue!!! A blue, velcro, tri-fold wallet at the age of 2 years and 8.5 months.

Isaac was so excited that these are some of the things he said," I just can't believe it, my very own wallet"..."I'm so excited"..."Dad, I got my very own wallet, I can't belive it"!!!. It was really fun! I put 2 dollars in it and I've been starting the conversation about spending his money and saving his money. I even tried today to get him to earn some more money. We'll see how it goes. I have no expectations, but I know that money is always a strong motivator!

2009 Trunk-or-Treating

2009-11-01T10:20:00.004-05:00

In our new city, we adventured out to two trunk-or-treats: one sponsored by the city and one at a local church that we happened to pass on the way to dinner. Isaac enjoyed tipping his hat out for candy. He would then empty the candy into his bucket that Grandma faithfully carried around. Juliet enjoyed all the people that smiled at her. They both got lots of compliments on their costumes. First you will see Indiana giving his little bear cub a kiss.

our trip to mississippi

2009-10-27T21:47:00.003-04:00

The trip was great. The kids were great. The flights were short and all the luggage fit in both the car we left in D.C. and the car that met us in Mississippi. Isaac was excited to finally ride in the airplane. He ended up falling asleep on the first flight and was getting a bit antsy on the 2nd, but all in all, he was a good traveler. Juliet is at a great age to travel. She will smile at almost anyone who smiles at her. Tim and I did fine, too!

Isaac enjoyed his Handy Manny Color Wonder book from the Toole's!
Juliet is the belle of any ball with her personalized bloomers from the Brown's!

Here is Tim playing with Juliet and Isaac during the layover in Atlanta when everyone got out of their pj's and into their day clothes.

Before leaving Virginia

2009-10-26T08:29:00.003-04:00

We had some time to just be with each other outside. At 6 months old, Juliet has quite the personality and I feel like we are getting a taste of the teenage talk-back a little early. She makes herself loudly known if she is unhappy in the slightest. Her expressions are developing, but if you keep her happy, she has a way of making you feel like you are the coolest person EVER. You see my quandry in trying to raise a baby who is content in all circumstances! Well, I'm failing at this point. Enjoy the pics. Remember that you can click on each pic to see it in higher definition. Just remember to hit the back button to get back to the blog.
Oh, I was also able to capture Isaac and Juliet's first fight over a toy object!!! I realize this is only the beginning! And, Juliet is getting around pretty well. She is crawling, but still sometimes falls over!

Preparing for halloween

2009-10-15T11:49:00.003-04:00

Isaac is going to be Indiana Jones for halloween 2009. we found a great cowboy set that has a few items that Indiana would always have. Isaac couldn't let one night pass him by without trying out all the different accoutrements. The best part is that he is in his underwear. I'm pretty sure this is a norman rockwell moment. Juliet got in on some of the fun as well.

Photos from the Chatman's

2009-10-07T14:19:00.005-04:00

Well, the clips in the last post were at our house before we moved. The pictures in this post are from the first couple of weeks here at the Chatman house. They are great hosts. We have still not gotten the go ahead from Tim's work to make any arrangements. This adds to the stress level of doing anything. We are just trying to enjoy the children as Juliet leaps through her new abilities and Isaac works on his potty training (less enjoyable). We hope you enjoy the pictures. In case you didn't know, you should be able to click on any picture to get a bigger view of it.

Pre-move videos

2009-10-05T11:43:00.002-04:00

I have some videos that I've been wanting to post, but I've not quite been organized enough to get them on the computer. Here are a few pre-move favorites. Enjoy!

Rolling down the driveway

Nana and Isaac

Juliet's funny noises

Juliets giggles

I'll share with you, mama...

2009-10-03T21:32:00.004-04:00

We're in the car headed to IHOP for dinner.
Isaac: "Mama, are you going to sit next to me and my pancakes?"
Mom: "Isaac, I'd love to sit next to you, but I don't really care about sitting next to your pancakes."
Isaac: "I'll share them with you, mama"
Mom: "You will?"
Isaac:"A bite"..........."A piece"............."A little piece".........."like this" [holds up his hand where is thumb and index finger are pinched to together as if holding a crumb]
"I'll share with you, mama".

***************

We're in the car and it begins to rain.
Isaac: "I'll sing the song.....Rain, rain, go away, come again another day"
[waits, looks to the sky, and listens...]
Isaac: "Did it work?"
[still raining]
Isaac: "Nope. I'll try again....Rain, rain, go away, come again another day"
[waits and it happens to stop raining]
Isaac: "IT WORKED, now we can go to the park".

Family Portrait

2009-09-26T14:20:00.004-04:00

We are out of our house.

Our church family, once again, rose to the challenge of moving us last weekend and throughout the week. Nana (Amanda's mom) was here for the week and truly was a gift from God. We couldn't have accomplished this task without her there. She also took Charlie (our cat) under her care until we arrive at our new destination.

We finished up on Wednesday for the renters to move in on Thursday. Just in the nick of time. It was exhausting, and Juliet isn't sleeping any sounder in the night. We are resting today as we have no lawn work or household tasks to complete. Just rest and be together, that is our task list. It feels a bit awkward, but somehow I think I could get used to it!

Tim's job has yet to finalize our location in October, but we are almost sure it is going to be Pascagoula, Mississippi. We are also pretty sure he is going to begin on October 12. We are somewhat sure we are going to reside in Mobile, since there is really nothing in Pascagoula for us to do. Nothing, however, is finalize and in writing. No leases have been signed, the movers have not been ordered, the cars are not scheduled to be shipped, and no airlines reservations have been made.

We are currently staying with the Chatman's, dear friends from Pillar who graciously allowed us to stay in their home while we are waiting to be moved. They are wonderful and we have plenty of space for all that we need.

We were getting haircuts and having fun at the mall last night and I couldn't resist the photo machine. Love to all!

the kids

2009-09-14T11:47:00.005-04:00

Isaac looks through binoculars to see a swan on the lake.
Juliet enjoys the smiling baby!

conversations with my 2 year old

2009-09-10T14:13:00.003-04:00

Isaac: Mom, my Leapster isn't working.
(mom comes over to help with the Leapster and it shuts off. I think it's been dropped too many times. Isaac takes the Diego game out.)
Isaac: Mom, get Dora, it will work.
Mom: okay, I'll get it.
Isaac: You will? That's wonderful!
********************
Mom: Isaac, will you please put the diaper in the trash can and bring me the remote?
Isaac: Yes, Of course.
********************
We go outside to get the mail and Isaac says:
"Mom, it such a nice day outside, isn't it?
Mom: yes, Isaac, it is beautiful!
Isaac: Do you think we could go to the park and play on the playground?
Mom: I think we could do that. That sounds like a good idea.
Isaac: yes, it is a good idea.....Mom, can I pee in the grass?
********************
Isaac: Mama, Duleeuet (Juliet) is so pretty. Isn't she?
Mom: Yes, she is beautiful Isaac.
********************

Not a conversation, but a homonym mistake: We were at Great Wolf on our vacation and Isaac loved the Arcade. After a while, he started calling it "My Cade". "Mama, can we go to "my cade"? I think he thought it was called "Our Cade", so he naturally he changed possession from plural to singular.

wednesday morning

2009-09-02T08:44:00.002-04:00

It's wednesday morning. Isaac is still sleeping and Tim is off to work. Juliet will probably take a stab at solid foods today. The park is definitely on the agenda...it's not quite 60 degrees outside right now! The idea of moving is still not concrete since we don't know where we'll go (in October). Can't make any plans. Just organize, clean, and paint! Bills are paid and dishes are done.
Just heard Isaac's door open.

Keyboard Skills

2009-08-25T10:48:00.003-04:00

As a piano player and instructor, I am surprised at how many (piano) keyboard skills Isaac is able to learn while practicing on the computer keyboard. We have been practicing numbers and letters on the computer about 5 weeks now. Besides the numbers and letters, we have learned the Backspace key, the Enter key, and just today, the Shift Key. It is the Shift Key that really struck me because you have to hold it down with one hand while pressing a letter. He was using both hands...now that I think about it, he was really enjoying the number "10" for that reason also.

I am having difficulty figuring out how to begin teaching Isaac the piano at this age, but the shift key just gave me the spark I needed to get started.

Believe it or not

2009-08-23T22:01:00.003-04:00

It all started when Tim and I played softball on the National Mall for the Kennedy Center. I used to not have any feelings about the geese, but in the Spring of 2005, everything changed.

If you are unfamiliar with the geese, all you need to know is that they leave poops larger than most dogs. The Canadian Geese invaded the field before every game. We would be forced to play softball in their excrement. From that point on, it was me versus the geese.

Last year, I met Aimee. Our youth pastor, Bryan got married to this beautiful woman who grew up in Michigan and learned how to use a gun and ride horses. This afternoon, Aimee generously took me to a shooting range. I was preparing for water fowl season in Northern Virginia. It was loud and startling. There was no air conditioning. The shells hit you in the face. But I did it. I shot a 22.

I am glad I did this. I haven't had any new experiences for a while and this was surely new. I cannot say, however, that I will be back again. I didn't like the feeling of shooting the gun...and I'm told that with bigger guns, it gets harder. And since I learned that if you're going to shoot a goose, you have to use a gun larger than a 22, I will just have to supress the feelings that were evoked that Spring back in 2005.

The Spencers are Gone

2009-08-22T12:27:00.003-04:00

Last weekend, we had some very dear friends stay with us for 2 days that have now left to go to Kansas then off to Japan. We have been friends for 3 years and have gotten very close with them. They left Tuesday morning, but not before a couple of great photos.

The Spencers and the Longs:
The big boys:

Juliet and Corban:

ISAAC READS HIS FIRST WORD!!!

2009-08-19T11:11:00.002-04:00

Some of you may have read my post and watched the video of Isaac where I support the Leap Frog movie The Letter Factory. Isaac learned his letters and sounds super quickly with the help of the fun video that incorporates an actual plot (this is in contrast with other videos that just have the letters and sounds bouncing around the screen...LAME!)

So, as a special surprise for having an accident-free potty training day last weekend, Isaac received the follow-up video, The Talking Word Factory, where the letters are put together to make words. He has watched this video maybe 5 times in the past week. We watch it together and have dialogue about it throughout the day to reinforce what we are learning in it.

So we are at TenFold last night...for those of you who don't know, TenFold is the youth chapter of our church. Tim and I attend every Tuesday night and Isaac and Juliet come with us. Several weeks ago, I had written down a simple Bible verse that I thought Isaac could begin to memorize: "GOD IS LOVE" and I kept it in my Bible. Isaac began to get a little antsy during the lesson last night, so I pulled out the little piece of paper with the verse written on it and he was intrigued. He sat there sounding out the words...instead of "G" "O" "D"...he would say their sounds..."guh" "ah" "duh". He couldn't figure that one out at first, so he went on to the second word..."ih" "s"..."ih" "s"..."IS"!!!!! It clicked in his head! What a moment!! I was so excited I was distracting (sorry Bryan)! I gave Isaac a big kiss and hug as quietly as I could...but I was still distracting. What a thrill!

He then retackled "God" and began to get it...he tried "love", but it didn't quite follow the basic phoenetic rules. So, his first official word that he read himself was "is". I think it is odd that it is a verb. I would think it would have been a noun.

Good job, Isaac. Way to go!

Videos of Juliet

2009-08-14T11:24:00.005-04:00

We have been neglectful of posting video's of Juliet. Here are a few to catch you up to speed on her G&D (Growth and Development).

Enjoying Tummy Time:

Smiles

Dancin'

Working...

2009-08-14T11:18:00.003-04:00

Working on her sitting...
Working on his painting...

Working on her hair...

Tim is working...at his work.

Juliet: 15 1/2 weeks old

2009-08-09T22:38:00.004-04:00

More Dresses!

2009-08-08T10:16:00.003-04:00

Labor Day weekend, Tim has a race in Virginia Beach. Tim's parents also come visit every Labor Day weekend. We decided to make it an event and stay at the acclaimed Great Wolf Lodge. We have never been there and our friends that have laud it's indoor water park and kid-friendly rooms. We were even more excited when Tim's running partner, Jason, and his family decided they were going to come along as well!! I can't wait!

So, we're at Sam's Club and I'm looking for a little dress to wear over my bathing suit. I found a really cute one that was pink with little swirls all over it. I put the hanger over my head to see how long the dress would be and see if I continued to like it. Isaac was walking away and it my attempt to stall him and grab his attention I said, "Isaac, do you like my dress?" He turned around, smiled, got this kind of shy look on his face and then...the next thing out of his mouth could quite possibly be the sweetest thing that has ever come out of his mouth.
"Mama, you're a princess!".
I have been replaying his little voice in my head ever since. That made my day

Friends

2009-08-03T15:14:00.002-04:00

Noah, Ruthe, and Isaiah are Isaac's favorite people in the world. They came over yesterday afternoon, spent the night, and left about 30 mintues ago. Here are a few pictures from their stay (in reverse order).

On my front porch getting ready to leave

At West Beach in Montclair

Waving to Mom and Dad while playing in the sand!

Playing in the sand

Noah took this picture of Juliet and me under our new beach umbrella. Juliet is sporting her new bathing suit. I, however, am not.

At the beach

Ruthe taking care of Juliet

Playing at Kids Dominion playground in Montclair

Sleeping in the playroom all together last night

Quilt

2009-07-29T14:10:00.004-04:00

Pillar, my church, had its annual ladies' retreat last weekend. It was big fun in and of itself, but it was also my first night without Juliet. Too bad I got about the same amount of rest without her. Anyway, one of the activities on the agenda was to make a quilted table topper. It was a total blast and I can't wait to do it again. I hadn't touched a sewing machine since I was about 10 when my mom decided it was high time I learned how to sew...it turns out, it's just like riding a bike. I used Ms. Eileen's machine which has an extra pedal that cuts the string for you. That is my kind of machine!

First Trip Out in Underpants

2009-07-25T23:07:00.004-04:00

We needed to go to the grocery this evening for a few essentials. It would not take us but 30 minutes with the whole family to get the list. We thought to ask Isaac if he thought he could handle wearing his underpants to the store and keeping them dry until we got back home. We assured him that there would be a special surprise for him when we returned. That got him excited!
He said he could do it. So before we left, he sqeezed his hardest to get a few drops out into his potty chair, we dressed him, then we were off...armed with a change of clothes (of course).
We asked him a few times while we were shopping if he needed to use the toilet; he said he was ok...always reminding him of the special surprise that awaits him!
I am happy to report that he was successful and there were lots of high-5's and kisses.

Isaac's special surprise was his first pair of safety scissors. He was practicing cutting paper (with his left hand...hmm) the rest of the evening in his underpants. It was a really fun evening to be his mom and to see him succeed and something he has been trying to get better at.

Juliet: 3 months old today

2009-07-24T16:04:00.004-04:00

Well, we have a couple of headlines to herald the 3 month birthday of our youngest child: Juliet Talbot Long.

Today, it looks like teeth are sprouting AND she rolled over. Yes, that is my daughter rising to the occasion. I'm so proud!

a wednesday post

2009-07-22T16:08:00.003-04:00

Here is a picture of Isaac in his training pants. He is starting to get the hang of them and getting them off before going to the potty seat. No accidents yet today!
Our kind neighbor gave us some new puzzles that Isaac is enjoying. Juliet likes to watch Isaac.

Just so I don't forget

2009-07-20T10:28:00.002-04:00

Last Friday night, our church youth group had seperate sleep overs for the boys and girls. The boys were at our house and the girls were at the Chatman's house. Isaac stayed with Tim and Juliet came with me. It was a late night with lots of fun for each house. Juliet and I returned home around lunch time and we visited with some friends and then had a nap. Before Juliet woke up, Isaac and I were in the kitchen while Tim was outside. I was washing dishes and Isaac was playing with his trains.

He says out of the blue, "mama, I'm sure glad you're home".

I said..."what did you say?"

and yes, he said it again, "mama, I'm sure glad you're home". I couldn't believe my ears!

I said..."thank you, Isaac, I'm glad to be home"... and the day went along with my heart a little bigger!

Juliet is now is size 2 diapers, she hurts my shoulders when I sling her, and her schedule is starting show signs of predictability. Progress.

Potty Training Update

2009-07-13T09:50:00.002-04:00

We have had a good week of potty training Isaac. The last picture is our progress chart at last weeks potty party. In this first picture, you can see how many stickers are on it. There is a sticker for each successful deposit into the potty chair. Accidents are marked in the lower corner with a dark colored marker for my records only.

You can also tell by the many expressions on Isaac's face, that he is entering into a new phase of emotions and communications. It reminds me of how complicated we are as humans. We are like onions with so many layers. Isaac is just beginning to experience the gamut of such emotions. That must be confusing for him...to sort it all out in his heart and in his head.

Isaac's success with no pants on is about 80-90%. Once we put the training pants or underwear, his success is about 5%. Suggestions are welcome and encouraged. PLEASE!!

Juliet

2009-07-10T17:15:00.003-04:00

Isaac's Potty Party

2009-07-06T09:30:00.003-04:00

A success! Isaac used the potty twice this morning before having his first accident. He is very motivated by the treasure chest and the stickers for his progress chart. I plan on staying home for the first few days to really hit this hard. Wish us luck!

A video from the potty party.

More Pictures

2009-07-05T16:11:00.002-04:00

Visit from Grandparents

2009-07-05T15:44:00.004-04:00

The Letter Factory

2009-07-01T10:35:00.004-04:00

Thanks to two very classy and beautiful women at my church who recommended the Leap Frog video The Letter Factory, Isaac is now 95% strong on his letters and their sounds. Take a look. The video isn't so good, but you'll get the idea!

Injury

2009-06-20T16:37:00.003-04:00

Today, Tim and Isaac were rough-housing and Isaac hurt his arm. We're not sure exactly what is wrong, but we know it is nothing serious. It does hurt him to move it at all so we decided to put on a bandage and isolate it so he didn't continue to use it and injure it further. He is back to his normal self (after some breaking down and even waking up crying during his nap), but we will keep the bandage on for at least a day or two to be sure he doesn't continue to hurt it.

Attitude.
Nothing a little popcorn, Ovaltine, and TV can't take care of.

Trying to play while lame.

pictures

2009-06-13T12:01:00.002-04:00

This has been a great week. Our friends, Salina and Austin, came over and Isaac and Austin got to play together two mornings in a row. One of the two mornings, Salina started me on my fitness regime and the second of the two, she watched the children while I worked on the daunting task of organizing all of the childrens clothes. A big shout out to Salina for her awesomeness this week!!
This morning was particularly fun. We went garage-sale-ing. We got a car racer ($1)!! Where last week, we got a whole box full of cars ($5). This was the perfect match up as you will see in two of the pictures. We took the whole box of cars and raced them two at a time to see which ones were the right size for the racer. You will also note that the cars that passed the preliminaries are nicely organized in the shoebox and the ones that are out of the race are not.
Juliet liked hanging out with the family. She is about 10.5 pounds now and making no progress with night sleeping. She sleeps well, but she wakes up every 2-3 hours to eat.

Additional Pictures

2009-06-03T09:53:00.002-04:00

pictures

2009-06-03T09:29:00.003-04:00

New Skill

2009-05-27T19:35:00.007-04:00

I was filming Isaac enjoying his piano book to stumble upon his new skill. It takes a minute or so to get to it, but we enjoyed it. Follow the lights!

Juliet and the full belly smile

2009-05-26T11:19:00.002-04:00

almost 4 weeks old

2009-05-21T15:19:00.000-04:00

Smiles-3 weeks 2 days

2009-05-17T14:46:00.002-04:00

We have gotten a couple of half-hearted smiles up until this point, but today Juliet was very cooperative with the camera while having some fun family time on the floor.
Please also note that Tim ran his first half-mararthon this morning (13.1 miles). GO TIM!!

Isaac & Juliet

2009-05-13T08:57:00.000-04:00

2 week old Juliet

2009-05-09T20:19:00.001-04:00

Juliet Talbot Long!

2009-04-27T20:20:00.003-04:00

I would like to introduce myself...

2009-04-24T21:14:00.004-04:00

But I do not yet know my name. Welcome to the world Baby Girl Long. April 24 th 8:17 am 7 lbs 7.8 ounces. Happy Birthday.

Final Days

2009-04-21T20:29:00.004-04:00

These past couple of days have brought some sadness while anticipating the baby's arrival. Isaac has been super cudly and very attentive to me and I realized that we are in the final days of him being the only child. Gone will be the days where just the two of us decide what our schedule will hold. Gone will be the days (at least for a couple of years) that we stay in bed watching cartoons until 9am and have breakfast in bed.

Isaac has been an amazing first child. What a remarkable young boy he is! I am so proud of him even on his worst days. Sometimes, he walks towards me and I wonder if this child is really mine. Where has that smile come from? There is nothing quite like it, and I don't know of many things that can immediatly change my attitude like Isaac's smile.

I am thankful for the past two years and being Isaac's mom. I am amazed at the ability his life has had to bring out the best in me. There is nothing I take more seriously than being his mom. My prayer is that God would give me wisdom to teach and guide him, to love and nurture him, to protect his heart and to show him how to love others.

Catching up on posting photos

2009-04-14T15:33:00.003-04:00

Playing in the dirt...

Baking a Derby Pie with mom.

Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T14:47:00.003-04:00

Our family has had a lot to do these past weeks. There has been very little downtime and we don't leave the front door without an agenda of 3 or more things to accomplish. Well, with baby #2 due in 11 days, today was the last official day of scheduled events...and was it an event! We attended our church on a beautiful Northern Virginia day to celebrate in full force, the ressurection of Jesus. The boiling and hiding of eggs will have to happen this evening since all other disposable time was spent preparing the various extra-familial events in which we are involved. We were able, however, to snap an auto-timed photo of ourselves before we changed out of our Easter garb. Now it's time for a beautiful Easter nap!

The New Refrigerator

2009-04-07T16:00:00.002-04:00

Well, we did it. We finally bought our first stainless steel appliance. We got an amazing deal on a returned item (returned due to a buyer who neglected to measure the available space the unit needed to fit into, thus, it was too big). Since it was in stock, they (Lowe's) were able to deliver it the very next day! Great start, huh?
Well, after it was delivered ahead of schedule on Saturday morning and plugged in, throughout the day the temperature went from 61 degrees in the unit, to 63. Our beautiful new appliance, was broken.
I am happy to report that all is operational after John, the very lovely GE repairman, visited our home this morning to fix a crack in a sealing system and added some more Freon. Lowe's has even promised to kindly replace $125 of our lost food. Thank you Nicole and Grayson (managers).
I have 15 days from date of purchasing the appliance, to purchase the additional 5-year Extended Warranty. I'll be visiting there tomorrow!

JUMP BACK: 2 Months Old

2009-03-28T18:56:00.003-04:00

I was trying to organize and clean out our pictures/videos folder on our computer today which is currently over 20GB. We have most of them (except for the newest editions) stored on an external hard drive; I just can't seem to erase them from the computer.
I can't even imagine what will happen with Long Baby #2. I decided to give you lucky viewers a video from when Isaac was 2 months old. SO SWEET! It makes me even more excited for next month at this time when we'll have our little girl with us. I hope you enjoy it!

new discoveries

2009-03-18T11:35:00.002-04:00

At age 2 years and one month, the bottom shelf of the pantry is no longer the best place to store chocolate chips. I wish I had a picture, but I don't. I'm sure your imagination will do an adequate job!

a few pictures

2009-03-13T22:08:00.001-04:00

A day before the snow...

2009-03-06T08:23:00.000-05:00

I think he's a natural.

Pictures of the Snow

2009-03-03T18:59:00.003-05:00

Grandpa was visiting and left the chase lounge out. I thought it was a funny picture.
Our front steps.

The front of the house.

Out our back deck.

a few pictures...

2009-02-24T10:09:00.004-05:00

Playing with Trains
Amanda on board the flight deck of the USS Midway in San Diego

Dad and Isaac playing with a sticker book Isaac got for his birthday from JaJa

Isaac giving me a look while we were at lunch

Playing on the tractors at Lowe's

Isaac Turns 2

2009-02-15T16:05:00.003-05:00

Thanks to everyone who came to Isaac's birthday party today.

A Trip To Sam's Club

2009-02-08T21:37:00.002-05:00

Isaac and I went to Sam's Club yesterday to eat lunch and go shopping. He did quite a few very cute things.
1. He sat perfectly at the table while eating his pizza. When I tried to get him to eat in the cart he told me he did not want to go. When I accepted that, he offered me some of his pizza.
2. There was another little boy at the table next to us. This little boy was not listening to his parents. Isaac was watching him and I said, "He's not listening to his mommy and daddy." Isaac repeated back to me what I said and looked a little concerned. Then this little boy's father came got the boy to sit on his knee for a moment. All I heard was the start of his lecture. "You see that little boy over there..." I could not hear the rest. The boy had his lips way out in a dramatic frown and Isaac looks back at him and says, "He's sad dada."
3. The funniest thing he did the whole time was when a different little boy came walking by our table. Isaac watched him the whole time he went to his table. This little boy was very cute. He wore glasses. One of Isaac's current favorite shows is Little Einsteins. One of the characters on this show is a little boy who wears glasses. After watching him, Isaac turns to me and starts to sing "Little Einsteins..." I was 100% speechless.
4. He was in the cart for a couple of minutes and we drove by an older man in an electric scooter. This man was waiting in line and had a rather long face. Isaac noticed him before me and again says, "He's sad dada?"
5. When he was walking around Sam's Club later he would walk in front of people. He would then say, "Excuse me. You go ahead."

All in all it was a very fun trip.

-Tim

Today's nap

2009-02-03T14:57:00.004-05:00

In general, Isaac is having some sleep challenges. He had a little difficulty going down for a nap today. We hit a couple of road blocks (2 poopy diapers, thirst, unorganized pillows, lighting, temperature, air flow, etc...) Well, after about 20 minutes of quiet in the bed (I can't verify that sleep actually took place), Isaac came down the stairs while I was working. He gave me a mischevious look and then burried his face in the sofa in the office. I decided to leave him be and realized about 10 mintues later that I had not heard from him. He had fallen asleep while standing up and leaning over the sofa. A while later, he switched positions, and then, with my help, found his final, fully-horizontal, resting place. Take a look at the pictures:

As I am writing this post, he is still sleeping.

We had a request for video

2009-01-31T10:34:00.005-05:00

What does Isaac do these days? Well he does small chores.

Next up.... Lawn mowing this Spring.

He talks and talks and talks.

A Walk in the Snow with Dad

2009-01-30T13:14:00.001-05:00

Reflections before my child turns 2

2009-01-28T20:16:00.003-05:00

To this point in Isaac's life, things have been basic: Up and Down, Run and Walk, Good and Bad.
Why do I all of a sudden fear that things will not be basic for too much longer...that we will be teaching him soon that even though life has it's Up's and Down's, we must always Run after those things that are Good.

What is our standard as parents? For those of us who operate by reaction, it is to be better than our parents or to measure up to our parents. For others, we have created our own definition based on our world view, our faith, and our opinions.
However we define it, my hope is that our definition would be ALSO shaped by who each of our children are. What does your child need in order to thrive at his/her current stage? Are we content to fulfill the needs of our children as they were as infants...fed, check...nap, check...clean pants, check. This stage is only for a short while...where is your child now?

Let us pay attention. Let us love our children with attentiveness and a desire to understand their amazing hearts.

Playing Trains With a 2 Year Old

2009-01-17T21:18:00.003-05:00

Isaac loves to play trains. If you let him down in the basement where the wooden train set is by himself, then every few minutes he will come to the foot of the stairs and yell up "Dada you comin to play trains." We had a little problem a couple of days ago. We could not find the black engine. The black engine is definitely Isaac's favorite. Interestingly he was perfectly willing to play by himself with the other trains while he let me look all over the house for the black engine. The funniest thing about playing trains with Isaac is that he is very picky about what he lets you play with. The train cars consist of a black engine, a blue car, a yellow car and a green car. Isaac always plays with the blue car and the black engine. He does not even want the yellow and green cars in the same vicinity as the blue and black ones. He will pick up the blue and black ones and move to a different part of the track if you come to close. Also I stopped playing with the trains on the track and started playing with a tennis ball. He promptly took the tennis ball from me and hid it behind a filing cabinet. Then came back and says "Dada play with trains." He is lots of fun.
-Tim

Isaac is Almost 2

2009-01-14T21:08:00.005-05:00

So we need to start planning a birthday party. This year should be fun. He may actually pay attention to the people that are around and eat his cake with a fork. Some of you may recall last year (video). The seeing eye dog in training underneath Isaac's feet did not know life could be so good.

Also with two on the horizon Isaac has been starting to display some attitude (though sometimes subtle) when he does not want to perform something he has been asked to do. Last night he was sitting nicely on the couch with me. I said, "Isaac it is time to get your PJs on." He turned and looked at me for a moment. Did not say anything. Got off the couch. Walked over to the loveseat. Sat by himself. I nearly laughed out loud, but I did not want him to think he was funny.

-Tim

Home Alone

2009-01-11T18:37:00.004-05:00

It happens very rarely, but I am currently home alone. I sent Tim and Isaac to the grocery store. I am currently (still) painting the upstairs hallway. I can't finish all of it because of the tall ceilings, but I've gotten enough done to where it doesn't bother me to live with it.

I have just paused to eat the rest of my Subway Tuna sub which in infinitely better on Italian herbs and cheese bread. So while I am eating my supper, I am also watching the Steelers vs. the Chargers game. It is very entertaining, but I thought for fun, I would record the commercials that pique my interest:

American Idol debut: this Tuesday at 8pm. I'll be at Ten Fold, but you can be sure I'll be watching the 2nd half.

Nextel: push to talk in a school to find a child who is skipping class. I thought it was good.

Chevy Silverado: did a good job of demasculinating the extraneous and ridiculous features that some manufacturers are putting in trucks (i.e. heated steering wheel, a flatbed step, etc...)

My sandwich is finished. If you can picture me thoroughly licking the last of the yellow mustard off of each finger , that is how I feel about the sandwich. Yumm.

Must go paint.

Blessings to you as you start your week. I wish you all could be a part of Pillar Church today. We had a very nice Sunday morning together.

How do they know?

2009-01-08T20:43:00.002-05:00

Isaac opened his Christmas gift from BeBe and Uncle Chris today. It's the Geo Trax Grand Central Station (i.e. a super train set with a remote control). This is Isaac's second train set. The first wooden set we got thanks to Jennifer Davis pointing it out at our church's Indonesia Yard Sale.

With the first train set, Isaac immediately favored the black car which happened to be the engine. I didn't know if he knew it's function or just thought it was cool, or maybe even just liked the black color. But now that we've moved on to a bigger and better train set, guess what happened? Isaac immediately favored the engine. This makes me think that somehow children just know where the power is. How do they know?

Kissin' Cousins

2009-01-02T18:06:00.004-05:00

Well, a surprise visitor appeared at our doorstep just before the new year and we couldn't have been more pleased. Nana (Amanda's mom)brought with her our oldest nephew and Isaac's oldest cousin, Stas (4 1/2). We were so proud of him for taking that long drive from South Carolina up to Virginia and I think he is having lots of fun with his cousin, Isaac. Here are a few pictures to capture the week so far:
1) We gave the Polar Express in 3-D a shot. It lasted a good 3 minutes before the boys gave up on the glasses.
2) We read a book together in our PJ's.
3) Isaac and Stas help me build a fire. It has been very cold..the lows in the 20's.
4) Isaac and Stas read a book together in the office.
5) Isaac and Stas play their Leapsters.

Dinner Compliment

2008-12-29T20:35:00.002-05:00

My timetable for dinner this evening was based around a good commute for Tim. The fact that his commute was twice as long as I anticipated led to Issac and I eating before he got home.

So, Issac is devouring my famous Campbell's Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole, [keep in mind that for lunch, Isaac was not fond of my meatloaf leftovers and pretty much only had mashed potatoes], when out of nowhere he stops eating, looks at me and says "Good job, Momma". I got a good giggle and feel good moment to remember. He wouldn't touch my meatloaf that required basil, pinenuts, and a host of other gourmet ingredients (as gourmet as meatloaf can get), but I got a "thumbs up" on the 5 minute-throw together meal.

Don't you think Campell's needs to buy my story for a good commercial? Note to Campbell's: this story is copyrighted!

Jingle Bells

2008-12-23T16:00:00.004-05:00

If you were wondering, we went this afternoon to get a fresh haircut!

Day 2: Animal Kingdom

2008-12-17T09:03:00.002-05:00

Well, day two started early with Issac waking up at 6am after sleeping a full night in a king-sized bed all to himself. We arrived at the Animal Kingdom first thing and headed straight to the Safari in the back of the park. We were able to ride this twice during the day due to the small lines. The animals were on their best behavior and we saw everything!

The Lion King Show was excellent and the Finding Nemo Musical came at Isaac's nap time, so he fell asleep for a good hour or so.

Spending the day with our families was also very special. We were glad to have Unlce Todd, Nana, Aunt Sarah, and Grandma on board. The day was a super sucess!

Mission Disney Accomplished

2008-12-13T12:09:00.006-05:00

Well, we did it! We brought our firstborn to the Walt Disney World Resort Magic Kingdom. We could not have been more pleased with how the day went and how much Isaac enjoyed himself.
We arrived first thing in the morning when it was surprisingly cold outside. Probably in the 40's. We took the steam boat over to the gate and got inside as soon as we could. Main Street USA provided some much needed refuge from the wind and while some people in our party used the potty, Isaac and I enjoyed the first show in the park. The performers rode in on a horse-drawn carriage.
I am so glad I snatched a blanket out of the car before we took the tram ride to the ticket counter. Isaac would've been way too cold had I not. As it was, his lips started turning blue on the boat ride.

The park had the perfect amount of people in it. Enough to confirm you were at Disney World, but not make the lines longer that 5-10 minutes to wait for each ride. Grandpa was very happy about this AND the weather.

We caught all the age appropriate rides at perfect times (not in order): Country Bear Jamboree, Small World, Jungle Cruise (a little scary for the little guy), the Tiki Room, Peter Pan's Flight, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, the people mover (Tomorrowland Transit Authority ), and Cindarella's Golden Carrousel. Isaac's favorite item on the agenda was playing in Pooh's Playful Spot...a perfect place for little ones to run off a little steam. Isaac and Tim rode the Tomorrowland Indy Speedway and Isaac got his Official Speedway License. We took a siesta in the middle of the day to check in to our hotel. Isaac was asleep before we even got to the hotel (10 minute drive) and took a solid nap before we were back to the fun.

Grandma and Grandpa were convinced that we had to stay for an additional ticketed event after the park closed: "The Very Merry Christmas Party 2008". This was quite the spectacle of magic where the Castle was totally covered in lights, cookies and hot chocolate for everyone, and a Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade where it snowed on Main Street USA. The fireworks were SPECTACULAR if you are into that sort of thing, Isaac had a different idea of fun, so he got upset during the fireworks. Off to bed after a monorail and tram ride back to the car. If you can imagine, Isaac was in a trance of stimulation after such a day.

Tomorrow: The Animal Kingdom.

All Dressed Up

2008-12-03T10:44:00.002-05:00

We are traveling to Florida for various celebrations that require Isaac to have some new threads. Check them out!

Pictures from Fall 2008

2008-11-22T16:17:00.003-05:00

Please enjoy the following pictures from this years various Fall events.