The Phillips Family

Help Caleb Help Haiti

2010-04-13T18:49:00.007-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, Caleb and I were driving home after dropping Isaac off at work. I had the radio tuned to our local Christian station, WMHK, and they were doing their morning news report. I was only half paying attention to it, when all of a sudden I heard Caleb gasp from the back seat. "Did you hear that, Mommy? It rained so much in Haiti that the water is getting too high and the people there can't get food." I expressed my shared concern. Then, very distressed, he said, "But Mommy, they just had an earthquake and now there's a lot of rain, too. We have to help them!" We used this opportunity to talk about our Christian responsibility to help others in need and I explained how God uses events like this to give us a chance to pour out God's love to people who may never have experienced it. He wanted to know what we could do to help. I told him that, first and foremost, we can pray for the Haitian people and for those that are volunteering over there. I also told him that, while we can't physically go over there to help, we can give money to organizations/people who CAN. That night, following a beautiful and heartfelt prayer for the people of Haiti, Caleb again started pushing me to help him figure out a way that HE could help Haiti. I was able to pacify him by promising to help him brainstorm some ideas the next day.

The next day, Caleb was ready to come up with a plan. He'd already made up his mind that he wanted to donate money, but didn't know where to get the money. He first asked me if I'd give him some money. I told him I thought it'd be better if he earned the money he wanted to donate. I asked him what he thought he could do to make money. He responded with, "sell stuff." I asked him what he could sell. He said, "Well, I like to draw pictures. Do you think anybody would buy those?" I told him that I was sure there were some people who would. It was settled. And thus was born Caleb's idea to help Haiti. If you're interested in helping Caleb out, please email him at CalebHelpsHaiti@gmail.com to request an 8 X 10 drawing. His specialties are anything having to do with Super Mario, animals, or vehicles, but he has assured me that he'll attempt to draw anything requested. All proceeds will be donated to Red Cross for disaster relief in Haiti.

I am so proud of my little guy for wanting to help others. I am constantly amazed and challenged by his compassion and empathy. When I asked him specifically why he wanted to help Haiti, he said, "I just want everyone to have the things that they need." I love my son!

Here he is in his own words-

Snow Day 2010

2010-02-20T17:25:00.004-05:00

Last Friday night, we got the most beautiful snow here in SC. It wasn't the "winter mix" that Columbia typically gets; it was light, dusty, gorgeous snow! That night, the three of us sat by the window, sipping hot chocolate, watching it come down. It was absolutely lovely!

The snow coming down late Friday night

Saturday morning, we ALL woke up EARLY to play! We had to wait about an hour for the sun to come up (I told you it was early!), but once it was out, so were we!

Caleb was SO ready to go outside and play!

Our front yard Saturday morning

The backyard

We couldn't believe how far the snow was hanging over the arms of the chairs with nothing there to support it. So neat!

One of Caleb's swings

Patio Table

Just under 6 inches!

The bird feeder. Caleb said it looked like a giant ice cream cone.

Loving being out in the snow!

Jessie did this for the first 10 minutes that she was outside.

Happy dog!

Couldn't you just eat him up?!?!

A boy and his dog

Caleb kept throwing snowballs at Jessie and then she would chase him. They had a blast!

Isaac proves that it was REAL snow!

Cute little snow face!

My snowball-making pro!

Snow slide!

Pure Bliss

Every time the wind blew, it snowed all over again! I LOVE this picture of my hubby! So cute!

We played in the backyard for about an hour and a half, before coming inside to warm up. After thawing out and drying our clothes, we headed back out for several more hours of snow fun!

ROUND 2- The Front Yard!

Starting to melt a bit, but still breathtaking!

Making a snow angel!

Building a snowman

Button eyes, a crayon nose, and beads for his mouth.

Daddy's hat is the perfect final touch!

Caleb and Mr. Frozen

And no snow day would be complete without a snowball fight!

Isaac taking a snowball hit to the chest

Sneak Attack!

Revenge!

Even the melting snow was gorgeous!

Making a giant ice brick with the recycling bin!

The perfect bench!

And a fun day was had by all!

July-August Calebisms

2009-10-27T05:47:00.004-04:00

OK OK.... I will be updating soon. I have lots of things to post from summer, but just haven't had time to upload pictures. That will be happening this week. I promise! Until then, enjoy some more anecdotes from my precious 4 year old.

7/24/09

While singing along to one of Caleb's CD's in the car....
Caleb: Your singing is really loud. I can hear it.
Mommy: OK
Caleb: It kinda bugs me.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

7/29/09

Caleb was trying to fall backwards, but his reflexes kicked in and his feet would move backward to compensate for the fall. He got really mad and started fussing at his feet.
Caleb: Ugh! Feet, I'm trying to fall backwards!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

7/30/09

Caleb: Augusta (invisible friend) and I just got married.
Mommy: You did? I thought you were gonna marry Ilona.
Caleb: I am. When Augusta moves out, then I'll marry Ilona.
Mommy: Honey, that's not how marriage works.
Caleb: But that's what makes marriage fun, Mommy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

8/4/09

Before entering McDonald's for lunch with Gram-Gram...
Mommy: Be sure to play nice with the other kids in the play place.
Caleb: I will. I won't punch them or anything.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

8/6/09

Caleb: (Hugging me) I forgot to give you your morning hug! (Kissing me on the cheek) And your morning kiss! (Rubbing noses with me) And your morning noses! (Messing up my hair) And your morning hair mess! (giggles)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

8/17/09

Daddy: Save some of that energy for MyGym
Caleb: I've got lots of energy, Daddy. My energy goes all the way from my toes to my neck!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

8/17/09

Caleb: Only guys are cool.
Daddy: Then what are girls?
Caleb: Girls are cute.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

8/25/09

Mommy: You know where I want to go on vacation?
Caleb: Where?
Mommy: The Poconos (poking Caleb's nose)
Caleb: Mommy, that is SO not funny.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

8/26/09

After telling Caleb that Danielle was going to have another baby and that Brady would be a big brother:
Caleb: I want to be a big brother.
Mommy: Well, if Mommy and Daddy have a baby someday, you WILL be a big brother.
Caleb: I want a baby sister.
Mommy: Or a baby brother.
Caleb: No, AND a baby brother. I want a baby brother AND a baby sister.
Mommy: Well, I don't think that's going to happen.
Caleb: You could have twins!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

8/26/09

Caleb had been in bed for a little while, then came into our room crying. He said he missed me and just wanted more hugs. I was happy to oblige. Then I took him back to his room and tried to tuck him back in. He started crying again and said he didn't want me to leave. I asked what was wrong and he said, "Sometimes when I first go to bed, I just miss all of the people I don't see." :(

June Calebisms

2009-08-08T19:07:00.000-04:00

6/1/09

While reading Little House on the Prairie to Bear...
Caleb: They moved to Wisconsin. Do you know where Wisconsin is, Bear? Hang on. I'll get my globe and show you. (gets globe) See? It's right there. Now you know where it is!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/2/09

Caleb: (crying) Sheena scratched me.
Mommy: What were you doing?
Caleb: I was just trying to make her laugh.
Mommy: What did you do?
Caleb: I tickled her.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/6/09

During our family movie night...
Caleb: Hey, guys, I'm not being mean, but I really need you to be quiet and watch the movie.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/21/09

Caleb was crashing his trains very hard...
Mommy: Caleb, what are you doing?
Caleb: I know this is bad, but it's kinda good, but I know it's really bad. They (trains) stole Emily's (train) cars, so Thomas (train) punched them. I know it's bad! But it's good because he got the cars back for her. But I know it's bad!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/23/09

While dividing up his blocks to play with Isaac...
Caleb: Here's your supply, Daddy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/25/09

Caleb: (singing) You can make a difference in this world.
Mommy: I like that song, Caleb. Those are good lyrics. Are you going to make a difference in the world someday?
Caleb: Yes, when I'm 18.
Mommy: You are? Why when you're 18?
Caleb: Cause that's what the guys in my dream said. They said you have to make a difference in the world when you're 18.
Mommy: What guys?
Caleb: James and Joseph. They are good guys.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/25/09

Rocking Caleb and pretending he is a baby, because it drives him crazy and is funny...
Mommy: What a sweet little baby!
Caleb: (shouting) I'm not a baby!
Mommy: Aww...don't cry baby!
Caleb: This is not the voice of a baby!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/25/09

Caleb: I'll love you forever.
Mommy: You will?
Caleb: Yep
Mommy: Aww...thank you.
Mommy: Even when you grow up and get married?
Caleb: Yep, I'll still love you.
Mommy: Even when you have a baby of your own?
Caleb:Yep, I'll still love you.
Mommy: Even when you're a grandpa?
Caleb: Mommy, quit asking me that cause I'm always gonna say yes. I'm always gonna love you. Even when we're in heaven, I'll still love you.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/28/09

While playing Hungry Hungry Hippos...
Caleb: Let's hear it for the world-famous final round! Yay!

The Return of Calebisms!

2009-08-07T03:21:00.009-04:00

Calebisms are back by popular (and intimidatory) demand! Here are a few from April and May...enjoy!

4/2/09

Caleb heard someone say "shut up" on a Cheerios commercial.
Caleb: That's not the kind of shut up we say.
Isaac: We don't say shut up at all.
Caleb: Yeah we do. Like we shut up people in a box.
Isaac: Yes, you're right, we CAN shut things up in a box. But we don't shut people up in boxes!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

4/2/09

Caleb: How many rolls do we have for dinner?
Daddy: Three
Caleb: Oh, one for each of us.
Daddy: That's right.
Daddy: So, what if we had 6 rolls. How many would we each get?
Caleb: Two!

My child can do division...sort of. Yay for word problems!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

4/18/09

After opening a card from my grandparents, containing a birthday check...
Caleb: Why did they give me a Wachovia?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=

4/19/09

Caleb and I were rattling off nicknames for our dog Jessie, while petting her.
Caleb: Jesame Street (Sesame Street)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

4/22/09

To our meowing cat, Joey, on the way to the vet...
Caleb: (annoyed) OK, Joey, you can't cry forever!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

4/28/09

Mommy: (Yawning) I'm tired.
Caleb: Every time you say you're tired, I see you with a tire on your head.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

4/30/09

Caleb was tapping on my arm.
Mommy: What are you doing?
Caleb: Starting a one man band.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

5/3/09

Watching the characters come out on to the ice at Disney on Ice...
Caleb: Mommy, I didn't know the cars and them were real!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

5/10/09

Caleb: I had a dream I was at First Baptist Church and there were like a million people there.
Mommy: Were you watching something?
Caleb: No, I was on the stage.

Hmm...future preacher perhaps?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

5/12/09

While looking at the vulture exhibit at the zoo...
Caleb: Why is there a car in there?
Mommy: It's supposed to make you feel like you're on a safari.
Caleb: I think that safari is broken.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

5/12/09

A fly landed on Caleb's arm while we were watching the Bird Presentation at the zoo. I shooed it away.
Caleb: Why did you do that?
Mommy: There was fly on you.
Caleb: But Mommy, that scares the bugs when you do that.
Mommy: I know, but that'll keep them from crawling on you.
Caleb: Well, I like bugs now, so I want them to be on my arms all the time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

5/14/09

Leaving Grandma's house...
Caleb: We have to go home and see Daddy.
Mommy: (jokingly) Nah, I don't think I want to see him.
Caleb: Mommy, he's a good man and you want to see him!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

5/17/09

Isaac and I picked Caleb up from Sunday School. They had done a project where they used their thumbprints to make a picture, so he still had remnants of ink on his thumbs.
Mommy: What's on your thumbs?
Caleb: Ink. I told my teacher, "Mommy and Daddy are NOT going to like this."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

5/26/09

Caleb and Joey (our cat) both got off the couch at the same time. Joey accidentally jumped on Caleb's back, knocking him down.
Caleb: (standing up) Well, that's 59 points for Joey and zero for me. You don't get any points if you get hurt.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

5/29/09

Isaac and I took Caleb to see his first 3D movie ('Up')
Caleb: The movie looks like it's inside.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

5/30/09

After Caleb put on his Superman pajamas...
Mommy: OK, Superman, it's time for bed.
Caleb: But Superman doesn't sleep.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T19:57:00.001-04:00

This is a video of a song parody some members of our church made for Mother's Day. I think it's hysterical, particularly if you've ever met either of these ladies. This is about as far from their natural states as you can get!

Happy Birthday from Pat and Vanna!

2009-04-30T07:56:00.005-04:00

About a month before Caleb's birthday, I decided to take one of Caleb's many Wheel of Fortune drawings and turn it into a birthday card. I then sent that card, along with a letter and two pictures of Caleb with all of his Wheel of Fortune merchandise, to Pat Sajak and Vanna White. In the letter, I explained what a HUGE fan Caleb is and asked if they would be willing to sign the birthday card for him. Though it didn't quite make it in time for his birthday, Caleb did receive the signed card this past Thursday! Both Pat and Vanna signed the birthday card and, in addition, sent a signed 8 X 10 photo. Vanna also signed the pictures of Caleb and sent those back. Caleb was one excited kid!

The Card

The Autographed Photo

Caleb's Photos

"What?!?"

"You're just too good to be true; can't take my eyes off of you."

Happy Adams

2009-04-28T05:27:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday, my dear Uncle Happy passed away. He had pancreatic cancer and had begun to take a turn for the worse back in January. While I knew his death was nearing and had tried to ready myself for it, nothing really prepares you to lose someone to whom you are so close. Uncle Happy was like a grandfather to me and his loss has hit me very hard. Despite that, I'm comforted by the fact that he was a Christian and also that I was able to share some truly precious moments with him in his final weeks.

Uncle Happy was, without a doubt, one of the most uninhibited, stubborn, uncommonly funny, loving and devoted men that I have ever had the privilege of knowing. He taught me so much about trusting God, about having integrity, about giving and accepting forgiveness, about the importance of family and about treasuring every moment of every day; life lessons that I will always cherish.

No one will ever make me feel as uniquely special as my Uncle Happy did. It was an amazing gift that he had. I always knew we had something special, but as his life reached its conclusion, I discovered that everyone who loved him and was loved by him felt that way about their relationship with him. That, in no way, diminishes the bond that we had, but, instead, makes me appreciate his kindness all the more. It makes me realize just what a remarkable man he was to have been able to connect with so many people in such a beautiful and meaningful way. If he truly loved you, he adored you and would remind you of it every chance he got. If he didn't like you...well, you were just out of luck. I never doubted how much he loved me, because he told me and demonstrated it to me in our every interaction. He never made me feel anything less than completely loved. Even at times in my life when I neither deserved it nor appreciated it, Uncle Happy's unconditional love for me was undeniable. He accepted me with open arms and a doting heart. He taught me that there are aspects of your life that you apologize for and try to change and others that you just apologize for.

If you met Happy once, you'd never forget him. He was a firecracker! He lived a full and vibrant life. It was so hard to see him in those last weeks, so drained of energy, but he handled himself with the utmost dignity and grace. I will NEVER forget that. He showed such courage and peace, as he faced his death. He took his illness in stride and never complained about his situation. He just constantly reminded us how blessed he had been in his 89 years...and we tried to remind ourselves of how much of a blessing he had been to us. Several times he told me that, while he'd like to stick around for a few more years, it wasn't up to him. He trusted in God's timing and was solely content with whatever God wanted for him. It was amazing. I think he made us all trust God's Will a little more. There was something absolutely beautiful about seeing Uncle Happy on the cusp of meeting our savior and being SO peaceful.

When I start to imagine life on Earth without him, it breaks my heart. But then I picture him RUNNING into the Father's arms; no pain, no limitations, no hesitation, just running, in ultimate surrender, and I am instantly consoled. I prayed that God would heal Uncle Happy, and he did; by taking him home. He is restored. He is perfected. He is rejoicing. He is home. And while he will be missed, he will also be forever remembered.

Birthday Fish? You Betta believe it!

2009-04-23T19:46:00.001-04:00

Caleb has been asking for a fish for about a year and a half and started asking more frequently around his birthday this year. Isaac and I finally decided that 4 was probably a good age to get him one. Caleb originally wanted a goldfish and so did we (for the replaceability factor) but, after doing some research, I discovered that Betta fish are much more resilient and much easier to care for. We decided to surprise Caleb after church on his birthday. We got in the car and drove to Petsmart, while Caleb continually asked where we were going. "It's a surprise," we told him. Caleb loves to go to Petsmart and look at the cats and fish, so when we arrived, he assumed that was the surprise...until....

Picking out the perfect fish

Bringing home the newest addition

One happy fish owner

Caleb named him Sid. He really is a pretty (handsome?) fish

Discussing what type of toy Sid wants in his tank. Is it just me or does the fish actually look like he's listening?

There were a lot of really neat tank accessories, but Caleb was insistent that we get this bridge. In his words, "Sid really wants this bridge."

When we got home and placed the bridge and plant bulbs in the tank, Caleb said Sid was really excited.

I am told this is Sid's happy face. Apparently he is a very happy fish because this is the only expression I've seen on his little fishy face.

We are now on day 5 as fish proprietors and, so far, things are going well. Sid is a very active fish. Caleb spends a lot of time talking to him and watching him swim under his bridge. He also says good morning and goodnight to Sid everyday and insists that Isaac and I do the same. Overall, he seems to have made a nice addition to our little menagerie.

Happy Birthday, Caleb!

2009-04-19T19:04:00.003-04:00

C- Compassionate
A- Adorable
L- Loving
E- Entertaining
B- Boisterous

1 MORE DAY!

2009-04-18T20:35:00.000-04:00

Today was Caleb's party at My Gym. He had a blast and definitely did NOT want to leave when it was over. Miss Stephania did a great job leading the kids through the games/activities. The other girl... well, we won't talk about that. The Wheel of Fortune cake turned out pretty well. It wasn't nearly as hard to make as I'd thought it would be... just extremely tedious. Caleb loved it though and that's what's most important! He's already said he wants me to make another one for next year! Some birthday wishes will NOT be coming true for birthday number 5. :) We were so thankful for the friends and family that were able to come. It meant a lot to Caleb (and me and Isaac) to have you there!

ONLY 2 MORE DAYS!

2009-04-17T20:58:00.000-04:00

Sorry, folks, but there are no more Calebisms! I'm sure, however, that there will be many more in the future. Today's post will be a slideshow of pictures that Caleb has taken over the past year. Caleb loves to take pictures and would probably tote his camera around all the time, if we'd let him. This is by no means all of the pictures he's taken, but posting them all would be ridiculous! :)

3 days to go!

2009-04-16T17:44:00.002-04:00

3/1/09
Age 3

After unsuccessfully trying to convince Caleb that boys can watch Cinderella too, Isaac and I tried pitching "Beauty and the Beast" to him.

Mommy: There's a little cup named Chip that talks.
Daddy: And a clock that talks
Caleb: (chuckling) A talking clock?!?
Mommy: And a talking teapot
Caleb: (laughing) "Talking things that don't talk are just silly."

Sold!
-----------------------------------------------

3/5/09
Age 3

Michael Jackson was on TV, standing at a podium for a press conference-

Caleb: I don't know who that is.
Mommy: That's Michael Jackson
Caleb: Oh, I don't know which president that is.
Mommy: Michael Jackson is a singer.
Caleb: Oh, too bad she's not a president.
Mommy: He. That's a man.
Caleb: (shocked) What?!?
-----------------------------------------------

3/6/09
Age 3

Caleb was playing in his room and had been in there a bit.
Mommy: (calling) Caleb! Whatcha doin'?
Caleb: (Running out-obviously doing something he shouldn't have been) I don't know
Mommy: What were you playing with?
Caleb: Nothin'
Mommy: Caleb, look at me. Tell me the truth. What were you doing in there?
Caleb: Playing my Disney Wheel of Fortune game.
Mommy: Didn't I say no more Disney Wheel of Fortune today?
Caleb: Yes, but I closed the door, so you wouldn't know I was playing it.
-----------------------------------------------

3/7/09
Age 3

While working in the yard-
Caleb: Mommy, you know why God made pine cones?
Mommy: Why?
Caleb: So I could pick them up.
-----------------------------------------------

3/11/09
Age 3

Caleb and I looked at a shirt online a few weeks ago. He really wanted one particular T-shirt that he saw. Since he never really requests clothes, I decided to order it for him. It arrived today.

Mommy: Hey, Caleb. I have something to show you.
Caleb: What is it?
Mommy: (holding up his new shirt)
Caleb: I have to fall on the floor for this. (falls down)
-----------------------------------------------

3/14/09
Age 3

Mommy: I love you
Caleb: I know you love me. (said sweetly)
Mommy: I'm glad you know.
Caleb: I'm glad I know too.
-----------------------------------------------

3/27/09
Age 3

While splashing in puddles outside of Babies R Us-
Caleb: I like splashing in these water piles!
Mommy: In the puddles?
Caleb: Oh yeah, puddles.

-----------------------------------------------

3/30/09
Age 3

Caleb: Mommy, if the recycling guys thought you were recyclable and recycled you, it would make me really sad.

Only 4 more days!

2009-04-15T17:12:00.003-04:00

Caleb frequently has very elaborate dreams, but, by the time he's done telling me about them, I usually can't remember enough of the details to write them down in an effective manner. I'm not sure why I'd never thought to do it before, but on this particular day, I decided to transcribe the dream, as Caleb told it to me. I got the laptop out and typed away as he talked. Because it's quite long, it will be the sole Calebism for the day. Enjoy!

2/5/09
Age 3

Caleb: I was in the car, driving to the Alpha-Bits station. And do you know where it was? I went forward and took a left. Then right and then forward and then left and then forward and then right and there was the Alpha-Bits station. There were 10,000 Alpha-Bits. I jumped in a pile of Alpha-Bits. The sign said Golden Alpha-Bits. They were different than these Alpha-Bits (pointing to our box of Alpha-Bits). So, someone came out of the Alpha-Bits station, but no one could see me in the pile of Alpha- Bits. So then when I got out, someone could see me and I said, "Who are you?" They said, "I'm James Madison." And I said, " Why is that your name?" And the guy said, "It's because it's my name. See? It says it right there on my tag." Then I said, "Do you have any Skittles?" And he said, "Yes" And I said, "How many do you have?" And he said, "Ten Skittles." I said, "Can I have one of the Skittles?" And the guy said, "Well, yes!" And when I ate the Skittles, I told him a story. I went to the bathroom to pee pee and there was one Alpha-Bit in the bathroom. "Why are there Alpha-Bits in the bathroom?" I said that to myself. After I pee peed, I came back outside, and there were only 2 cars in the road. And then I jumped into another pile of Alpha-Bits and no one could see me again. And someone else came and said, "Who are you?" It looked kind of like the lady from Sandhills. And the lady told me something strange. She said that she had taken a nap the whole day. And I said, "Why did you sleep all day?" And the lady said, "Because I haven't slept in a long time." There was another person in the Alpha-Bits Station. It was Uncle George. He told me some good things about his dream. I told him that there was only one Alpha-Bit in the bathroom. He said, "There is one Alpha-Bit in the bathroom?" I said,"Yep. Go look, Uncle George." He opened the door and looked like this (demonstrating), and found the one Alpha-Bit on the floor. I said, "See? That's the one Alpha-Bit, Uncle George." And I showed him the 10,000 Alpha-Bits in the Alpha-Bits station. And he said to me, "Are you a man?" I said, "No, I'm not a man, I'm a big boy. Come on! I'm not a man." Then George said he had a dream about bumblebees last night. He loved the bumblebees. He played tag. He even played Bananagrams with them. He taught them how to play. He said, " You just take 21 tiles and make words." So, the bumblebees took 21 tiles and made words. They made "pages" "gates" and they also made "cat". Guess who was also in his dream? Aunt Anne. She loved the bumblebees. Then Aunt Anne told me about her dream. She had a dream about Capri Sun. She drank 3 Mountain Coolers, 1 Coastal Cooler, and guess how many Pacific Coolers? Six! She got really tired of Capri Sun. She asked me, "Do you have a Leapster." I said, "Well, yes." And she said, "Which games do you have?" I said, "Well, I have Thomas and Cars." Aunt Anne said, "Amazing." We all stayed at the Alpha-Bits station. I was in the Alpha-Bits station for 25 days. And that's the whole dream.

Mommy: Wow!

5 Days

2009-04-14T16:51:00.003-04:00

2/1/09
Age 3

Caleb: I had a funny dream last night.
Mommy: What happened in the dream?
Caleb: I was in the dream. I was driving the car, and I got out of the car to talk to Grandma and Grandpa. I said, "Hey, Grandpa. Whatcha doin'?" and he just looked at me like he didn't know who I was! And then an elephant ate the car I was just driving.
---------------------------------------------------

2/1/09
Age 3

While playing Bananagrams (similar to Scrabble, only there are no points and you can rearrange words during the game), Caleb had the words 'pages' and 'so'. He drew a 'U' and took the P from pages and added it to 'so' to make soup.
Caleb: Ooo! I made the word soup! Ages is a word to, so it's OK.

I truly don't think I would have thought to do that!
---------------------------------------------------

2/9/09
Age 3

A rerun of Curious George was on-
Caleb: This is a recycled episode of Curious George.
---------------------------------------------------

2/10/09
Age 3

I was sick and Caleb was very upset about it. When Isaac was tucking Caleb in for the night, Caleb started crying just because he was sad that I wasn't feeling well. Isaac turned out the light, and was closing the door.
Caleb: Take really good care of Mommy tonight. OK, Daddy?
Isaac: I will.
Caleb: Promise?
Isaac: I promise.
---------------------------------------------------

2/11/09
Age 3

*Still sick. Caleb tried to climb up on the couch to cuddle with me.
Mommy: Honey, you can't get up here because Mommy's still sick.
Caleb: OK, you don't want to get your sick on me?
Mommy: Right.
---------------------------------------------------

2/23/09
Age 3

Caleb: (very annoyed) I just fell down and hurt myself, as usual!
---------------------------------------------------

2/26/09
Age 3

While rocking and cuddling, Caleb looked up at me sweetly and said, "Mommy, I want us to live together forever."

6 Days!

2009-04-13T22:29:00.001-04:00

1/2/09
Age 3

Isaac let Caleb mix and match his pajamas.
Caleb: (Looking down at himself) What a silly sight!
---------------------------------------------------

1/3/09
Age 3

Blessing at dinner-
Caleb: Dear God, thank you for this food. Thank you for me spending time with Mommy and Daddy and playing games. Thank you for when I do good things 'cause it's not good when I do bad things. So, thank you for when I do the good things. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
---------------------------------------------------

1/4/09
Age 3

Caleb came in the room this morning, while Isaac was still sleeping and I was just starting to stir. He turned on our light and we both groaned.
Caleb: Oh, come on! When it's morning, you don't have to sleep anymore!
---------------------------------------------------

1/8/09
Age 3

While playing Wheel of Fortune, Caleb kept spinning Bankrupt.
Caleb: Man, this game is really bumming me out.
---------------------------------------------------

1/11/09
Age 3

Yesterday, Caleb changed the channel on the TV without asking permission. Because it's against the rules, I turned the TV off and he wasn't able to watch anymore TV. Tonight, without asking, he changed the channel again. Before I could even react to it, he ran over to me and said, "I think I want to change my mind and ask you first."
---------------------------------------------------

1/12/09
Age 3

While at Target, Caleb spotted a cute baby.
Caleb: Aww, can we have THAT baby?
---------------------------------------------------

1/27/09
Age 3

If I eat some of Daddy's birthday cake tomorrow, will I turn 4?

One week to go!

2009-04-12T21:59:00.000-04:00

12/4/08
Age 3

While on the potty, Caleb started to get frustrated and cry.
Mommy: Caleb, don't get upset. Take a deep breath.
Caleb: No, I'm not gonna take a deep breath. I'm gonna sit here and cry all night.
---------------------------------------------------

12/9/08
Age 3

While reading the Christmas story from the Bible-
Caleb: (wide eyes) That's just what Linus told Charlie Brown!
---------------------------------------------------

12/13/08
Age 3

We were checking out at Michael's and Caleb was chatting with the checkout lady. When we were done, she said bye to him and he said, "Bye, Deborah!" He'd read her name tag! It was hilarious!
---------------------------------------------------

12/17/08
Age 3

While playing Wheel of Fortune, Caleb started to look like he knew the puzzle.
Caleb: (looking over at me) Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
---------------------------------------------------

12/19/08
Age 3

8 More Days!

2009-04-11T22:59:00.000-04:00

10/29/08
Age 3

Caleb was throwing his bear around.

Mommy: That makes Bear sad. (making crying noises)
Caleb: (Looks at Bear) No, he's happy! See? He's smiling!
---------------------------------------------------

11/3/08
Age 3

I was talking Caleb and called him Doodle.
Caleb: Mommy, I don't want you to call me Doodle or Goober anymore. I think you should just call me Caleb.
Mommy: OK, but I like to call you those names.
Caleb: No, you have to call me Caleb because that's my name.
Mommy: OK, I'll just call you Caleb.
(insert tears here)

Thankfully, this phase only lasted a few days.
---------------------------------------------------

11/19/08
Age 3

Caleb draped a blanket over his table to make a "cave" and a few minutes later was climbing on top of it!

Mommy: Caleb, we don't climb on tables. You know our rules.
Caleb: I didn't climb on the table.
Mommy: Caleb, I just watched you climb on top of that table.
Caleb: But it's not a table anymore; it's a cave!
---------------------------------------------------

Caleb calls this the Sleep 'n Spin

Only 9 more days!

2009-04-10T21:47:00.001-04:00

9/1/08
Age 3

Caleb officially knows all of his state capitals now! Anytime he hears a state or capital, he will tell you its respective counterpart. So crazy! My favorite is "Honowuwu" Hawaii. :)
---------------------------------------------------

9/3/08
Age 3

Caleb saw a sleeping baby on TV-
Caleb: We have to be real quiet. That baby is sleeping. When a baby needs to sleep, a baby needs to sleep!
---------------------------------------------------

9/6/08
Age 3

While passing a Burger King-
Caleb: Kings don't eat burgers!
---------------------------------------------------

9/6/08
Age 3

Caleb: Ants are small, so they can't use a potty.
---------------------------------------------------

9/8/08
Age 3

Caleb: Why is it called Riverbanks? Banks don't go in rivers.
---------------------------------------------------

9/10/08
Age 3

We got Caleb some Thomas slippers. He put them on and said this (while doing all that he said):

Caleb: I can run in them. And I can walk in them. And I can sit in them. And and I can jump in them. And I can dance in them. (Accidentally falls down) And I can slip in them!
---------------------------------------------------

9/10/08
Age 3

Caleb was pretending to be a pirate-
Caleb: (in a pirate voice) I'll put your nose in the sail! If you don't have a nose, I'll put you in the water!
---------------------------------------------------

9/14/08
Age 3

While eating Alpha-Bits cereal-
Caleb: Alpha-Bits? It's kinda like alphabet.
Mommy: Yes, it is. It's a joke. It sounds like alphabet because they are shaped like letters, but they call it Alpha-Bits because it's bits of cereal. See? It's a joke.
Caleb: But that's not funny.
---------------------------------------------------

9/20/08
Age 3

Caleb: (pointing to the console compartment in my car) It looks like Utah.

It WAS in the shape of Utah!
---------------------------------------------------

9/20/08
Age 3

Caleb to Grandma: If your dishwasher breaks, Isaac and Alison will buy you a new one.

(We had just gotten a new dishwasher, but I have no idea why he referred to us as Isaac and Alison)
---------------------------------------------------

9/28/08
Age 3

While doing his United States puzzle, Caleb got distracted.
Mommy: You better finish your United States puzzle.
Caleb: They're not united yet!
---------------------------------------------------

9/29/08
Age 3

Caleb: I'm going to be a game show host when I grow up. (pause) I can't wait to grow up!

10 days

2009-04-09T21:13:00.004-04:00

8/10/08
Age 3

*Caleb has a friend named Will. Will's mom is Wendy.

Daddy: What do you want from Wendy's?
Caleb: Will
Daddy: No, not from Ms. Wendy's...from Wendy's, the restaurant.
Caleb: Ooooohhh! Chicken.
---------------------------------------------------

8/12/08
Age 3

On the way to the vet with Joey and Sheena (our cats) in my car-
Joey/Sheena: Meow! Meow! (NOT HAPPY!)
Caleb: Joey and Sheena are really excited to go to the animal hospital.

Same trip a little later...

Joey/Sheena: Meow! Meow! (Louder and much more angry)
Caleb: It's OK, Joey and Sheena. We're almost at the hospital. Just calm down and take a deep breath.
---------------------------------------------------

8/15/08
Age 3

After waking up this morning (at Fripp)-
Caleb: Is it morning now? Let's check. (walks to the sliding door and looks out) Yep, the sky is morning!
---------------------------------------------------

8/16/08
Age 3

Out of nowhere-
Caleb: We don't put bibs on Bibles. We put bibs on babies' chests.

HUH?!?!
----------------------------------------------------

8/27/08
Age 3

Caleb was doing somersaults-
Caleb: Mommy, you need to put me on the olympics.

Only 11 days to go!

2009-04-08T22:30:00.000-04:00

7/2/08
Age 3

I had gotten several things out of Caleb's toy bins, in an attempt to reorganize them. Caleb woke up from his nap and saw all of the things out.
Caleb: Did you get all of this stuff out?
Mommy: Yes
Caleb: Why did you make this mess? (confused tone, not angry)
Mommy: I was trying to organize your toys.
Caleb: You gotta learn to clean up!
--------------------------------------------------

7/5/08
Age 3

After waking up this morning-
Caleb: I just slept for like 4 hours!
Mommy: Actually, you slept for about 10 hours.
Caleb: 10 hours?!? That's a lot of minutes!

--------------------------------------------------

7/5/08
Age 3

While looking at a picture of cousin Abigail-
Caleb: Awww, that cutie face is so good!
--------------------------------------------------

7/6/08
Age 3

We were trying to remind Caleb that grown-up girls and boys are called women and men.

Daddy: Mommy is a grown-up, so she's a...
Caleb: Woman!
Daddy: Good. And Daddy is a grown-up, so he's a...
Caleb: Boy
Daddy: No, Daddy's a man, remember?
Caleb: No, you're not a man, you're a manboy!
--------------------------------------------------

7/9/08
Age 3

I killed an ant with my finger and was washing my hands.
Caleb: Are you giving that ant a bath?
--------------------------------------------------

7/11/09
Age 3

Caleb kept going in and out of my closet.
Mommy: Whatcha doin'?
Caleb: I'm going to work.
Mommy: Oh, OK, where do you work today?
Caleb: Palmetto Health Heart Hospital
--------------------------------------------------

7/13/08
Age 3

Caleb and I were playing his plug 'n play Wheel of Fortune game.
Caleb: Wow, Mommy! You just won forty-one thousand zero hundred and fifty dollars. (41,050)
---------------------------------------------------

7/18/08
Age 3

While at the zoo-
Caleb: Wow! Look at that giant tree.
Mommy: I see it. It's really tall, isn't it?
Caleb: Yep. Do you know what that tree is called?
Mommy: What?
Caleb: A Goliath tree

---------------------------------------------------

7/20/08
Age 3

After attending Ilona's (Caleb's friend) birthday party-
Mrs. Nikki (Ilona's mommy): Thanks for coming.
Caleb: Thanks for having cake!

---------------------------------------------------

onetwothree four five sixseveneight nine ten...eleven twelve

2009-04-07T20:46:00.007-04:00

6/1/08
Age 3

Joan Jett's "I Love Rock and Roll" came on the radio.
Caleb: This is a terrible song!
-----------------------------------------

6/5/08
Age 3

Caleb: After I finish breakfast, I want to play Wheel of Fortune.
Mommy: No, sweetie, we're not going to play that right now.
Caleb: But you want me to be happy, don't you?
-----------------------------------------

6/7/08
Age 3

I walked into Caleb's room to find him kneeling on the floor blowing the carpet.
Mommy: What are you doing?
Caleb: Blowing them away.
Mommy: Blowing what away?
Caleb: All the mushrooms
------------------------------------------

6/9/08
Age 3

The power went out.
Caleb: (gasp) It's nighttime in here!
------------------------------------------

6/16/08
Age 3

Caleb: Mommy, you're my best girl
------------------------------------------

6/17/08
Age 3

I came out of the bathroom to find Caleb with his hand in a bag of chips about to eat one. He sees me, yanks his hand out of the bad and immediately says, "OK, let's talk about this. I cannot eat chips, but can you make me a sandwich?"
-------------------------------------------

6/17/08
Age 3

Caleb: I want to ride the recycle.
Mommy: You want to ride what?
Caleb: The recycle
Mommy: The recycle?
Caleb: No, the...hmmm...the one with the pedals.
Mommy: Your tricycle
Caleb: Yeah, my tricycle. That's what I'm talking about.
--------------------------------------------

6/22/08
Age 3

Watching Meet the Press the week after Tim Russert died.
Caleb: Mommy, it's supposed to be Tim Russert, right?
---------------------------------------------

13 Days to Go

2009-04-06T22:32:00.008-04:00

5/1/08
Age 3

Caleb gave me a really wet kiss. I asked him not to kiss me quite so hard next time.
Caleb: But sometimes I love you so much, I just have to.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
5/16/08
Age 3

Mommy: You're nuts
Caleb: You're doughnuts
Mommy: You're peanuts
Caleb: You're sushi

------------------------------------------------------------------
5/15/08
Age 3

Caleb fell in his room and was upset.
Mommy: Are you hurt?
Caleb: No, I just hurt my feelings.

------------------------------------------------------------------
5/17/08
Age 3

Caleb: Mommy, this is no fun. Make me happy.

------------------------------------------------------------------
5/31/08
Age 3

Mommy: Would you like it if Mommy and Daddy had another baby?
Caleb: Yeah, I like any baby.

14 days to go

2009-04-05T23:20:00.004-04:00

4/2/08
Age 2

Talking on his toy phone...
Caleb: Hi, Hannah Miley Cyrus. Really? OK, bye.
Mommy: Who was that?
Caleb: That was Hannah. She said she played Wheel of Fortune 25 times, but she didn't buy a vowel.
----------------------------------------

4/3/08
Age 2

Another phone conversation with Hannah...
Caleb: Hey, Hannah. What?!? You don't eat Milkbones?!?! OK, I'll talk to you later. Bye.
------------------------------------------

4/15/08
Age 2

Mommy: Goodnight, my love.
Caleb: I love you, my love. You're the sweetest girl I've ever seen.
-------------------------------------------

4/16/08
Age2

Mommy: (sniffling)
Caleb: Mommy, don't stuff your nose.
-------------------------------------------

4/17/08
Age 2

While trying to get Caleb to get down for a nap...
Caleb: One, I'm not tired. Two, I want to play some more. And three, it is NOT naptime.
--------------------------------------------

4/24/08
Age 3

Caleb was saying his nightly prayers.
Caleb: In Jesus name I pray. (Looking up at me, whispering) That's the best part!
---------------------------------------------

4/28/08
Age 3

Isaac picked up Rush's for dinner (because I forgot to thaw chicken). Upon seeing the Rush's bag...
Caleb: Is that Rush's? Oh, snap!

15 days...

2009-04-04T17:17:00.000-04:00

3/8/08
Age 2

Caleb: Mommy, is the wind good or bad?
--------------------------------------------------------

3/13/08
Age 2

Today , while packing Caleb's bag for a day at Edventure with the Emery family, we learned that we can no longer spell things aloud around Caleb.

Mommy: Should we pack a S-N-A-C-K?
Daddy: I think he'll be fine
Mommy: But what if G-R-A-C-E has a S-N-A-C-K?
Daddy: Then C-A-L-E-B can D-E-A-L
Caleb: C-A-L-E-B just wants to go to Edventure.
---------------------------------------------------------

3/14/08
Age 2

While drinking a Diet Coke one morning...
Caleb: Are you drinking Diet Coke?
Mommy: Yes, Mommy likes to drink it in the morning because it helps me to wake up.
Later that evening (luckily at home)...
Caleb: Mommy, you like to drink in the morning, right?
Mommy: Diet Coke! Mommy likes to drink Diet Coke in the morning!
-----------------------------------------------------------

3/16/08
Age 2

Caleb: (Looking down at his hand) I got this thumb at Wal-Mart
------------------------------------------------------------

3/24/08
Age 2

Caleb: (Grabbing the sides my face) I love you so much! Now, give me a hug. (Pulled me in hard for a hug)

16 days remaining!

2009-04-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

2/7/08
Age 2

While drawing a picture for Uncle Jason's birthday:
Mommy: What is that?
Caleb: A soupy
Mommy: What's a soupy?
Caleb: Soupy means playroom in Spanish.

(Caleb is going through a phase where he makes up words and tells you they are Spanish words...he always has a definition for them.)
-----------------------------------------------------

2/20/08
Age 2

Tonight, Caleb solved his first full Wheel of Fortune puzzle (Barney The Purple Dinosaur), and he solved it before all of the contestants!
B_rney __e P_rp_e D_nos__r

-----------------------------------------------------------

2/22/08
Age 2

After finishing a snack of Cheerios, Caleb asked for more.
Mommy: I think you've had enough.
Caleb: (whining) Please, Mommy. It's just 100 calories per serving.

I guess he'd heard that on a commercial!

------------------------------------------------------------

2/23/08
Age 2

Caleb was playing a song on the piano (that sounded deliberate).
Mommy: What song are you playing?
Caleb: (In a very pretentious tone) It's called "Two Weeks"
The song was ABABABABGBGBGBGB repeated over and over again. I have no idea where the title came from.

--------------------------------------------------------------

2/24/08
Age 2

Caleb was running and fell.
Mommy: Did you bump your noggin?
Caleb: No, I didn't bump my noggin. I just hurt my head

---------------------------------------------------------------

2/25/08
Age 2

Caleb was doing a puzzle.
Caleb: Look, Mommy, I'm doing it good...well. I'm doing it well, Mommy.

He's definitely my child! I've never even corrected him on that kind of grammar before! I guess he's just heard me correct everyone else way too often. :)

17 days and counting...

2009-04-02T17:18:00.000-04:00

1/2/08
Age 2

One of my favorite things about Caleb is that instead of asking, "Who's that?" Caleb asks, "What's that friend's name?" I love that he thinks of everyone as a potential friend.

-----------------------------------------------------------

1/14/08
Age 2
While standing up at the top of slide, I gave Caleb a "mom look".
Caleb: (Taunting me) Mommy, am I making you nerrrrvous?

------------------------------------------------------------

1/20/08
Age 2
Caleb slammed his door (not in anger).
Mommy: Caleb, why did you slam your door?
Caleb: I didn't slam the door. I just closed it really hard.

-------------------------------------------------------------

1/21/08
Age 2
Tonight at bedtime, instead of reading to Caleb, he asked if he could read Goodnight Moon to me. He read it all correctly, except for the last line, "Goodnight noises everywhere."
Caleb: Goodnight noses everywhere

:)
-------------------------------------------------------------

1/26/08
Age 2
Caleb was reading his potty chart.
Caleb: That says potty train.
Mommy: That's right.
Caleb: And that says potty 'chaairt'.
Mommy: Actually, that says potty chart.
Caleb: No, mommy, A says "aa"
Mommy: Yes, but when it's with an "r", it sounds like a pirate. "Argh"
Caleb: Oh, Potty Ch'argh't
He said it like that all day! It was pretty funny.

--------------------------------------------------------------

1/31/08
Age 2
Mommy: We have to run by the store.
Caleb: No, Mommy. We cannot run. We have to ride in the car.

18 days to go!

2009-04-01T07:10:00.000-04:00

Since the presidential campaigns started so early last year, we have several election-related Calebisms. I decided to just group all of them together. So, I present to you...

Calebisms- Presidential Edition

1/5/08
Age 2

While watching the presidential debates today, we discovered that Caleb can now identify ALL of the presidential candidates by face and name!
-------------------------------------------------------

1/20/08
Age 2

Caleb loves to read the campaign signs when we are driving to and from various places. Today, we had this conversation in the car:
Caleb: Did you see that?
Mommy: See what?
Caleb: That (pointing out the window)
Mommy: (No clue what he's talking about) No, honey, I didn't see it.
Caleb: (Sobbing loudly) You missed the Fred Thompson!
---------------------------------------------------------

2/9/08
Age 2

Caleb was naming the presidential candidates. He got to Mitt Romney, and we told him that he had dropped out of the race. Later that night...
Caleb: Mike Huckabee, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney. No, he dropped on my floor.
----------------------------------------------------------

3/21/08
Age 2

Caleb had a dream about Barack Obama last night! After waking up, we had this conversation:
Caleb: Barack Obama told me last night.
Mommy: Told you what?
Caleb: He said, "Vote for president." I asked him to give me some Claritin and he said, "It's only for special days."

Seriously, what is wrong with my child?!?!
-----------------------------------------------------------

11/5/08
Age 3

While tucking Caleb in last night (the night of the election), we explained to Caleb that when he woke up, we'd know who our new president was going to be. This morning:
Caleb: OK, so who's our new president?
Mommy: Barack Obama
Caleb: (obviously shocked) It's not John McCain?!? (He had told us several times that he thought McCain would win)
Mommy: Nope, it's Obama
Caleb: OK
Mommy: And we will have a new vice president too.
Caleb: Biden?
Mommy: (shocked) Yes, Biden!
------------------------------------------------------------
11/10/08
Age 3

We were watching Barack and Michelle Obama meet with George and Laura Bush on a Special Report:
Caleb: Is that the White House?
Mommy: Yes, it sure is.
Caleb: Like the one on my flashcards? (He has presidential flashcards that also include The White House, The Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, etc.)
Mommy: Yep, it's the same one.
Caleb: Wow. That's a BIG house.
Mommy: Yes, it is.
Caleb: I want to live there when I grow up.
Mommy: You have to be the president to live there.
Caleb: Well, I guess I'll have to be president when I grow up.

He's got my vote!
-------------------------------------------------------------
2008
Age 3

During the election season, Caleb went through a phase where he would pull out his stool and microphone and make "campaign speeches" every night. Basically, he would just tell us all of the things he'd done that day and would commend us for the things we had done as well. It was so funny. Here's a picture taken during one of his speeches:

Let the Birthday Countdown begin!

2009-03-31T07:00:00.000-04:00

In 19 days, my sweet and precocious little boy will be turning 4 years old! Since he was a baby, I have made a point to write down the funny and impressive things that Caleb says and does. As a countdown to his birthday, each day I'll be featuring some of my favorite "Calebisms" from the past few years. Hope you enjoy!

2/27/07
Age: 22 months

Mommy: Who loves you?
Caleb: Mama
Mommy: Who do YOU love?
Caleb: Mama
Isaac: Who feeds you?
Caleb: (After pausing for a moment) Toast!
-----------------------------------------
March 2007
Age: 23 months

Caleb loves to sing songs (although sometimes incorrectly)
Caleb: Baa baa black sheep, have you any nose?
-----------------------------------------
March 2007
Age: 23 months

Caleb is obsessed with Wheel of Fortune. He will say, "Veel of Fortune at 7 o'cwock. ABC" all day long!
He also says, "Oh no! Bankwupt," while spinning his toy wheel.

**Who could ever have imagined how much this obsession would grow?!?
-----------------------------------------
6/12/07
Age: 2 years

We were counting bites with Caleb at dinner. At 13, he stopped eating, but continued to go through the motions with his fork until we got to 18.
Mommy: I think your last real bite was at 13.
Caleb: It was 14.
------------------------------------------
6/30/07
Age: 2 years

Caleb was playing with his medical kit. He put the otoscope in Isaac's ear.
Isaac: What do you see?
Caleb: Biscuits

Keep tuning in. Trust me, the older he gets, the funnier he gets! :)

Happy Birthday, Camryn!

2009-02-28T09:04:00.003-05:00

Happy 3rd Birthday to my precious niece.

C- Charming
A- Adorable
M- Musical
R- Responsible
Y- Youthful
N- Non-stop

We love you, Cammy!

Faith of a Child

2009-02-20T13:02:00.005-05:00

Earlier this week, Isaac went in to wake Caleb up after an exceptionally long nap. Isaac immediately called me to come in and see what Caleb had done. My mind jumped from thoughts of broken toys/furniture to walls with freshly drawn art to evidence of failed attempts at conquering danger. What I found, instead, was this note written on his Doodler:

Snow Day

2009-01-27T19:38:00.000-05:00

Last Tuesday, we had a mini snow day at our house! It wasn't much, but we were at least able to go out and play in it a bit. It was actually Caleb's first time in the snow! Yes, it has been nearly 4 years since it's snowed in NE Columbia! When Caleb first saw the snow, we had this conversation:

Caleb: That's a lot of snow!
(Surveying the yard intently)
Caleb: But where are the carrots?
Mommy: The carrots? What do you mean?
Caleb: The carrots to make the snowman's nose.
Mommy: Oh, you have to buy those at the store. They don't come with the snow.
Caleb: Oh!

I guess he thought special "snowman carrots" just fall from the sky! Ha ha.

The snow really brought out Caleb's silly side!

Jessie did NOT like getting snow in her face.

Eyeing the back door

"I'm trying to catch snowflakes on my tongue like Lucy and Linus."

Our mini snowman!

I caught some snowflakes on black cardstock and was able to get some close up shots. I admit they're a bit blurry, but it was hard to get focused before they melted. I think it's SO amazing how much detail God put into something so small.

Christmas is for the birds

2009-01-26T09:49:00.000-05:00

Back in December, my mom read an article about a cute way to recycle your Christmas tree. Basically, you put the tree out in your yard and decorate it with bird feeder ornaments and fruit slices for birds and other wildlife. She thought it sounded like fun (and so did I), so the week after Christmas, Caleb and I went over to help. We all had a blast making all of the ornaments and hanging them. In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we've gone back over to do it 2 more times since then! The birds seem to have enjoyed it too.

We made 2 different ornament styles. The first is very easy and is the least messy of the two. You just string Fruit Loops or Cheerios onto a pipe cleaner and form it into a loop. **While the Fruit Loops are more colorful, the birds seem to prefer Cheerios.

The second one does require an adult to help. For this one, you use waffle cones/sugar cones. You start by cutting the tip off and knotting a pipe cleaner to run through it. Then, cover the cone in peanut butter and roll it in bird seed. Done! It's basically like the pine cone bird feeders we made as kids, but much easier and less painful than dealing with pine cones! They turned out really cute. **Caleb did NOT like getting peanut butter on his fingers, so he sprinkled the bird seed on instead. This actually made it a lot less messy and probably a bit more fun for him.

We also put/impaled some fruit slices on the tree. When we finished, Caleb said it needed a star, so I whipped up a VERY ghetto looking star out of pipe cleaners and we let him put it on top. All in all, the tree turned out great. We are looking forward to making this an annual tradition and, hopefully, Camryn will also get to join in the fun next year!

Christmas Day

2009-01-22T07:37:00.004-05:00

Isaac and all were all smiles while filling the stockings and setting out Caleb's gifts. I was SO excited. In fact, I was so anxious for Christmas morning to come that I didn't sleep all night! This was the second Christmas that Caleb was cribless. Last year, I was SO afraid that I'd miss the initial "gift reaction" that I made Isaac camp out in the living room with me on Christmas Eve. :) Our Christmas Eve camp out has now worked out, successfully, 2 years in a row. This may become a annual tradition for us.

Christmas morning is the one morning of the year when I pray Caleb WON'T sleep in. Alas, the boy who is usually up between 6:30 and 7 AM was still in bed at 7:15. I seriously couldn't wait anymore, so we put A Charlie Brown Christmas in and cranked up the volume. It worked like a charm. :) Caleb was so excited when he saw his new pirate ship that he turned around and covered his face in disbelief. It was really cute. I wish I could get the video clip of it on here, but you'll have to settle for the still shot. After opening all of the gifts, we made Christmas cookies. I've decided to make cookie baking a Christmas Day event for several reasons: 1- We are ALL home! 2- It keeps them from all being eaten before Christmas. 3- It's just more fun when you're already in Christmas mode. After cookies, we broke out all of the toys and played and played some more. What a fun Christmas!

December 2008

2009-01-20T07:52:00.010-05:00

OK, I'm finally getting around to posting Christmas pictures. We had a busy and wonderful December! We got to visit with lots of family and friends, including my sister-in-law's family from Pennsylvania and my favorite aunt and uncle from Texas. I easily took a few thousand pictures in December, but I've tried to narrow them down (somewhat).

This year brought with it a few firsts. For starters, we let Caleb watch A Charlie Brown Christmas for the first time. It was an instant hit with him, and we watched it at least once a day throughout the entire month of December. Seriously... every day! I'm glad I like it too. :) We also made our first gingerbread house. Isaac and I had never made one as kids, so we decided to make it a new tradition for our family. So, without further ado, here are our December pictures:

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

On December 15th, my mother-in-law turned 50 (sorry for outing ya, Judy). Since Isaac's sister and family were down from Penn., we decided to have a mini surprise party for her. We went with a 50's diner theme, which I think turned out cute.

Christmas with The Emery's and Riley's

Visiting with The Emery's/Grace and Abigail's birthday

Christmas at Mom and Dad's

Lights Before Christmas

Christmas with the Burley's, Quesinberry's, and Phillips' Families

TO BE CONTINUED....

Christmas 2008

2009-01-20T07:51:00.002-05:00

Pictures coming soon...

I promise!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T04:11:00.012-05:00

I am currently waiting for my boys to awaken (yes, I know it's only 4:00 AM!), but I'm SO anxious to get Christmas day underway!

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! Love you all!

Last night, I caught Caleb reading the Christmas story to his bear...enjoy!

Like Mother, Like Son

2008-11-20T06:12:00.006-05:00

Caleb is very skilled in the "art of the technicality." He has been spared many a time-out using this technique. On several occasions, I have been fussing about various mishaps only to hear things like, "I did put all of my toys away. These are books." or "I didn't jump off of the couch; I jumped off the loveseat." (Keep in mind that all of these things are said in a purely 'stating the facts' kind of way, with no smartallecky undertones...otherwise, we'd be dealing with a new set of issues. :) ) While these responses are both cute and chuckle-worthy, they have forced us to be very specific in our rules. We now go down very detailed lists of things we can't climb on, jump off of, throw, put in our mouths, feed the animals, flush down the toilet, etc. And, just when I thought we'd covered everything, we had this conversation yesterday:

After spreading a blanket over his kids' table, Caleb proceeded to climb on top of the table.

Mommy: Caleb, we don't climb on tables. You know the rules.
Caleb: (Looking me dead in the eye) I didn't climb on the table.
Mommy: (Shocked that he is lying right to my face) Yes, you did! I just watched you climb up there.
Caleb: But it's not a table anymore; it's a cave.

House Rule #2,075: No climbing on top of caves.

And, just to be on the safe side...

House Rule #2,076: No jumping off of caves.
House Rule #2,077: No throwing caves.
House Rule #2,078: No putting caves in our mouths.
House Rule #2,079: No feeding caves to the animals.
House Rule #2,080: No flushing caves down the toilet.

Puppies!

2008-11-12T08:53:00.005-05:00

OK, after yesterday's post, I feel I owe you something more upbeat and completely adorable! This is quite possibly the cutest thing I've seen in a while. Watch the whole thing, and make sure your sound is turned on.

Electronic Everything!

2008-11-11T08:23:00.008-05:00

::RANT WARNING::

In shopping for Caleb's Christmas gifts, I have come across a lot of neat toys, but the biggest thing I have noticed is that almost everything is electronic now! And, sadly, that's what most parents are looking for. At Target a couple of weeks ago, I overheard a child really excitedly showing his mom some animal figures (basic, non-electronic figures). Her reply (no joke) was, "What do they do?" What do they do?!?! They inspire imagination! That's what they do! She then redirected his attention to a set of animal toys that also made animal sounds. What ever happened to making the sounds yourself? This was only the beginning of what has proven to be a very frustrating shopping season.

While scoping out toys at Toys R US, I came across a Doodler that plays music and sounds! Why in the heck would a kid need all of that to draw/write? No wonder so many kids are ADD! It truly makes me sad that kids' toys don't really encourage creativity anymore. Play kitchens are SO similar to the real thing that you may as well bypass that purchase and let them hang out in the real thing. As kids, didn't we have just as much fun imagining those cooking sounds? And don't get me started on the dolls! I don't think I ever had a doll that did anything more than open and close its eyes, but I can't imagine having had any fonder memories of playing "mommy" with all of my "lifeless" babies. Though they never "did anything," I remember changing imaginary dirty diapers, wiping imaginary tears, and responding to voiceless cries for comfort. And I loved every minute of it!

And now, probably my biggest current electronic pet peeve is the new Leapfrog Tag Reading System. I think the commercial itself pretty much makes my point. Please watch it:

"That book doesn't talk." That's EXACTLY what kids are going to think about books! They will want nothing to do with a book that just sits there and demands to be read solely by you. I DO understand the point of this toy. I get that it is supposed to help kids learn to read. But, I also know that Caleb never needed a talking pen to teach him to read. He only needed parents who were willing to take the time out to read to/with him. We were even capable of using funny voices (imagine that!). And, not only did he learn to read, but he also learned that he is loved and that time spent with him is something that we value greatly.

I'm not saying that there is no place for electronic toys. Educational toys CAN be a good supplement to the things that you are teaching, but they should never become a substitute for hands-on parenting, and it seems like that is increasingly becoming the case. We are purchasing a Leapster for Caleb this year, so that he can play games that will reinforce his math and reading skills, but we will NOT rely solely on it to teach him these skills nor to encourage him. We had considered getting him a toy that promotes writing skills, but later decided that we'd rather use good ol' paper and pencil/crayon. That way WE'RE the ones saying, "Great job" and not some electronic pseudo-parent. What ever happened to parents actually doing the teaching and praising? Kids need to hear approval from their parents' lips.

There are many more toys that I could mention, but I've probably stepped on enough toes for now. If you have bought any of these toys or are planning to, please don't be offended. I'm not saying that ALL electronic toys are bad or that kids should never be exposed to them. Caleb has several "just for fun" toys. They are completely useless except for a quick giggle and that's fine IN MODERATION. I just wish companies would go back to manufacturing toys that foster imagination and creativity. And, more importantly, I wish that parents would go back to wanting these types of toys. ::Sigh:: At least we'll always have Legos. :)

2008-11-06T14:38:00.010-05:00

Isaac posted this on Facebook yesterday. I thought some of you who don't have Facebook might like to read it too.

Thoughts elsewhere on November 5th
Yesterday at 11:32pm

In the midst of this election, amongst thoughts public and private of the new president (some happy, some angry), I couldn't help but to feel uneasy. Perhaps the political air was too thick. People reveling, some proclaiming their ignorance openly. Mostly though, my thoughts were not on the election, as prevalent as it was. They were on my late father, Gary Phillips. Today would have been his 54th birthday.

I felt like sharing with everyone a bit about him because he was very dear to me, and much more I to him. He grew up in Augusta, Georgia, but made his way to Columbia in the early 80's. I was born when he was 30. He and my mom divorced when I was pretty young. In fact, I don't actually remember a time when we were all together. I think I was about 4 or 5 when my mom, sister, and I moved into a trailer on our own. Over the years, I would visit him every other weekend.

I learned a lot about my father. I always thought he was hilarious. Most people found him very funny. His usual, cooky behavior bought him the name "Wildman" that he would keep for the rest of his life. The name seems so appropriate. He loved the wild. He cherished open skies, trees, plants, and even animals. Many animals appeared at his door and he couldn't help except to take them in, no matter how much he told himself that he shouldn't keep them. He felt strongly for the wild. He likened it to his slight (1/32) Cherokee heritage.

My dad was also a writer. When I say writer, I mean a writer of all types. He wrote short stories, essays, letters, memorandums, poetry, songs, and even one full novel about King Arthur (that I am in the middle of reading). He was a great writer. I hope to later include quotes from some of his work as I continue to organize and read it all.

The most important thing I learned from my father was love. As a person that most would not consider to be a Christian, he understood and showed love better than many Believers I know. He chose many times to not better himself in order to be with me. He got it and I understand it now so much more because of how he showed it to me. He had his rough side. He was very crass, had a fondness for certain illegal substances, and had some serious anger issues that I even carry today. However, I can't ignore the love he showed. I honestly don't know if I'm going to see him again. I can't sit here and think I will and wish for it or think that I won't and despair. Neither does me any good. I can only hope that I take the love that he showed me and give it to those close to me, praying that God helps me to leave behind the bad things I got from him and cultivate the good.

I loved my dad. I still do when I think of him. It still hurts that he's not here because I've gone through a lot of hard stuff in the past 4 years that I really could've used him for. Sometimes I'm mad about him being gone and sometimes I just desperately miss him. Feel free to ask me about him. I love to talk about him.

2008-11-05T05:35:00.001-05:00

Romans 13

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Halloween 2008

2008-11-02T14:54:00.004-05:00

Caleb decided that he wanted to dress as Super Mario for Halloween this year. He was also adamant that Isaac dress as Luigi and I dress as Princess Peach. Caleb later revoked my title, and gave that honor to Jessie. Yes, I was replaced by the dog! What?!? Instead, he said that he wanted me to be Bowser. Gee thanks, Caleb! Yeah, Bowser was not happening. I have to admit, though, that Jessie did make an adorable Princess.

After searching for a child's Mario costume to no avail, I realized I was going to have to make one. It sounded easy enough... some overalls, a red t-shirt and a red hat. Little did I know that Caleb had become a picky little Mario expert (as if I needed another one of those in my house!). Mario, he informed me, did NOT wear regular overalls or a baseball cap. ::sigh:: Luckily, Isaac had bought me a sewing machine for Mother's Day. I had not had the time to sit down down and figure out how to use it yet, so there was no time like the present! After tons of failed attempts, I figured out how to effectively use my machine and got started making a pair of authentic Mario overalls and an acceptable hat. I also managed to throw together a felt mask and a question block pail. The pail was just a wooden tissue box cover. It worked out great!

This was Caleb's first year trick or treating. We'd done fall festivals and Boo at the Zoo in the past, but had never gone door to door. My friend Wendy lives in a great neighborhood where almost everyone knows one another and participates in passing out candy, so we headed out to Lexington for some fun. Caleb stayed in character ALL night. If anyone mistakingly called him Caleb, he'd say, "Actually, I'm Mario tonight." He even referred to Isaac as Luigi the entire evening. It was SO funny.

The Mask

The Hat

The Overalls

The Question Block Pail

Mario, Princess Peach, and Luigi

Wendy and Brynn (in utero) as a jack-o-lantern

Quintin as Wolverine

Collin as a Storm Trooper (minus his mask)

Jordan as Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty (with a tiara just for fun) and Will as a spider

Vince as Mickey Mouse

Victoria and Will

Mario and Luigi

The trick-or-treaters in action

SC State Fair

2008-10-29T13:42:00.000-04:00

We were fortunate to get to attend the Fair 3 times this year: once with my family, once with Isaac's mom, and once just us. I put all of the pictures into one big slide show.

Caleb's Highlights:

Trip #1- Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Jason, Aunt Heather, and Camryn

1-Eating fried mushrooms (He told me and Grandpa on the way home that it was his favorite part)
2-Meeting J.R. Berry from WLTX
3-Watching the silly lemurs at the petting zoo
4-Riding the carousel

Trip #2- Gram Gram
1-Riding his first real fair ride!
2-Watching Daddy win at Whac A Mole 2 times! Yay, Daddy!
3-Riding his first roller coaster (which IS different and a bigger deal than regular rides)
4-Riding Dizzy Dragons 3 times because "it makes me dizzy like my Sit n' Spin!" :)

Trip #3- Mommy, Daddy, and Caleb
1-Riding the Ferris Wheel "Look at all that fair stuff down there."
2-Fun Houses! Caleb absolutely loved these this year and, since it was a pay one price day, he could just go through them over and over again until he wanted to move on to the next one.
3-Riding an elephant with Daddy
4-Watching the sea lion show
5-Eating an elephant ear
6-Running into his friend Hayden and getting to ride a couple of rides with him
7-Riding his first roller coaster without Daddy! (You can't begin to imagine how much of a wreck I was!)
8-First taste of cotton candy
9-Meeting Darci Strickland and Andrea Mock from WLTX and getting to be on Friends at Five! SO cool for him! Check out the video clip!

Caleb on Friends at Five

Day Out With Thomas

2008-10-08T19:36:00.007-04:00

I must confess that I've been cheating on my blog with Facebook. Yes, I have joined the world of Facebook; a dark, evil world where you can find anyone and everyone you've ever known and, worse, THEY can find YOU! Seriously, though, it has been pretty remarkable. I've really enjoyed reconnecting with old friends and just keeping in touch better with current ones. But, now that I've caught up with everyone from my past, I can turn my focus back to ye ole' blog!

Two weeks ago, Isaac and I took Caleb to the NC Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC for Day Out With Thomas. We ALL had a lot of fun. Here are some pictures from our awesome day!

Photo Friday

2008-09-12T10:23:00.001-04:00

Lately, Caleb has turned into quite the little architect/artist...

One of Caleb's more elaborate creations

The architect posing with his work

Fireplace

Owl

Duck

Godzilla (Don't ask)

Adventures at Edventure

2008-09-05T05:11:00.000-04:00

Wow, two posts in two days! Last Friday, our niece Camryn spent the night with us while her mommy recovered from a nasty stomach bug. We all went to Edventure on Saturday and the kids really had a great time. Here are a few pictures from our day:

Fripp Island

2008-09-04T10:41:00.000-04:00

OK, so I'm running for slackest blogger of the year. I hope I can count on your vote!

A few weeks ago, we went on a family vacation to Fripp Island with Isaac's extended family (on his dad's side). This was Caleb's first time seeing the ocean, and we were really excited for him. We left on Thursday, after Isaac got home and arrived about 9:00 that night. When we arrived at the house, the moon was shining so brightly that we were able to see the ocean pretty well. Caleb's first reaction to seeing the ocean was, "Wow! That's a lot of water." He then asked if there were whales in "that ocean" and, at one point, remarked that "we could give Jessie a good bath in the ocean." :)

On our first morning, Isaac, Caleb, and I woke up early and had breakfast outside on the deck, overlooking the water. Because we were staying on the south side of the island, we didn't have beach until around 10:45 each day. That meant the water was pretty much right at our deck all morning. It was so relaxing out there! There were a few swallows fluttering about and tons of pelicans flying overhead. We actually got to watch several groups of pelicans change their formations. That was really remarkable. To see how well-orchestrated their movements were was just... well, I can't imagine how anyone could deny the existence of God after watching it. It was just amazing. In addition to the birds, we also saw a small pod of dolphins and even spotted a shark getting some breakfast! Yikes! This was all before 9:00 in the morning! When we finally had beach to walk on, we headed down and stayed for several hours (during which I managed to get a nasty sunburn). Caleb had a blast! Once he got used to the waves, he would run from them as they came in and then chase them back out. It was really great to watch him play so freely.

One of the coolest things about Fripp Island is that there are deer everywhere. Most of these deer are very friendly and will let you feed and even pet them! This was truly one of the biggest highlights for all of us. There was one buck in particular that became quite a fixture at our house. The kids named him Max. He came every morning and evening to eat and, one day, even brought a couple of friends with him. Max became pretty accustomed to being fed anytime he came around, so when he arrived one afternoon while we were all watching a movie, he seemed less than thrilled to be ignored. He peered in at us for about 30 minutes, before giving up and moving on!

Our last morning at Fripp, Isaac and I set our alarms to get up in time to watch the sunrise. Though it was really cloudy, it was still a beautiful scene. Being at the beach was such a great reminder of how big God is and how small we are. Observing the intricacies of the ocean and witnessing the sheer vastness of it all was staggering at times. But, I was also reminded of that verse in Matthew (I believe it's chapter 6, but don't quote me) that talks about observing the birds of the air and the lilies of the field and not worrying about tomorrow. Seeing the attention to detail that God displays in every aspect of nature is such a reassurance of how loved and revered we truly are. I definitely think I get too bogged down by things in my everyday life. It was really nice to get away and truly get to appreciate God's creation in all its splendor and to be reminded of what a beautiful thing it is to just rest in him.

Hayden's Birthday

2008-08-12T10:17:00.000-04:00

On Friday, we went to a really fun birthday pool party for Caleb's friend, Hayden. We have known Darcy and Andrea (Hayden's parents) for several years and became really close to them when we had babies 4 months apart. Fun! I can still remember what a cute baby he was. Hayden started smiling really early and could mimic you sticking out your tongue at 2 months! Oh, how that used to crack me up!

Hayden is a really amazing little boy. Last year, he still hadn't said his first word and wasn't even doing any "real" babbling. He also didn't respond to his name at all, so we all worried that he had Autism. Darcy and Andrea took him to a few specialists, who determined that it wasn't Autism. As it turned out, he had an undiagnosed ear infection that had rendered him deaf for nearly a year! He had tubes put in his ears, started speech therapy and, now, is a happy and very talkative 3 year old! We are so proud of how far he's come since last year. Happy Birthday, Hayden!

Here are some pictures from the party:

My baby just wrote me a letter...

2008-07-30T18:24:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, Caleb and I watched an episode of Sesame Street in which Elmo and Abby wrote letters back and forth to one another. Well, this morning, Caleb told me that he wanted to write a letter for Daddy. I thought that was really sweet, so I got him a pen and some paper. As he started, I was impressed because he remembered that he needed to start with "Dear Daddy". He wrote that, and then we had this conversation:

Mommy: OK, now what would you like to say to Daddy in the letter?
Caleb: I have to write him a letter.
Mommy: I know, so what do you want to say to him? Do you want to say, "hi" or "I love you"or something else?
Caleb: No! I want to write him a letter.
Mommy: You are writing him a letter.
Caleb: But I want to write him a "W'!
Mommy (Now on the same page): Oh! You want to write him an alphabet letter!
Caleb: Yes!

I spent a few minutes trying to explain that there are two types of letters, but quickly gave up on that! So, here's my sweet little guy's finished "letter".

Burley Reunion

2008-07-29T10:50:00.001-04:00

On Saturday, we attended the annual Burley Reunion. We had a lot of fun visiting with everyone. There weren't very many people there this year, but my Aunt Anne from Texas, who we don't get to see often, was able to be there, so that was exciting for us. Caleb really enjoyed his Uncle Happy this year. I think they have similar personalities, so it was fun watching them interact. Caleb also had a blast playing Tag and Hide and Seek with his cousin, Caroline. Here are a few pictures from the day:

Ilona's Birthday

2008-07-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday, our dear friends, Mat and Nikki, celebrated their daughter's first birthday! Ilona is one of the sweetest little girls we know, and we just adore her. Caleb has been doting on Ilona since he first met her in the hospital, and she thinks everything he says and does is hilarious. They are really cute to watch.

I also got to see an old friend of mine (and Mat's sister) at the party. Robin and I were good friends for about 10 years, but I hadn't seen her since right after her daughter, Nova, was born. Nova is 5 now! It was nice catching up with her and spending time with Nova.

Calebism #1-
Caleb: What's that friend's name?
Mommy: Nova
Caleb: Wow! That's a pretty good name!

Calebism #2-
As we were leaving,
Ms. Nikki: Thanks for coming, Caleb.
Caleb: Thanks for having cake!
He sure does have his priorities! :)

Here are a few pictures of our precious future daughter-in-law. Are betrothals legal in the US? :)

Also here's an old video clip of Ilona laughing at Caleb when she was about 8 months old:

Overdue Post #4- Zoo Trip

2008-07-28T13:23:00.000-04:00

A couple of Fridays ago, Caleb and I went to the zoo. Yes, it was stinkin' hot, and yes, we still had fun! We were really excited about seeing the new lion cubs. The zoo was supposed to be alternating them, two at a time, during visiting hours, but there were four in there when we went by! Here's a cute picture of one of them cuddling with a stuffed animal:

One of Caleb's favorite things to do at the zoo is to feed the goats. He is really sweet and always makes sure that every goat gets some food, even if it means staying at the exhibit for 15 minutes waiting for one goat to wake up and come get his share! Here's a pic of that groggy goat!

As we were making our way into the barn, Caleb got a really sad look on his face. I asked him what was wrong.
Caleb: Oh no, Mommy. Did you see that sign? It says, "Do not feed the goats."
I looked over and saw this:

I explained that the sign was only referring to the specific plants in that area and NOT to the pellets we'd just fed the goats. He was very relieved!

Next, was lunch at the oh-so-classy- Kenya Cafe, where I purchased a little tiger lunchbox for Caleb. He, however, was adamant that it was NOT a lunchbox, but a tiger PAIL! Not sure what that was about, but he enjoyed it nonetheless.

During lunch I asked Caleb what he wanted to see next. Although he's never shown any interest in it before, he was insistent we go see the turkey. The turkey? Really, Caleb? The gross, wrinkly-headed, evil-eyed, snood-toting turkey?

So, back to the barn we went. Once there, he walked right up to the turkey, said hey, and proceeded to hold a short conversation with it, before saying, "See ya later, turkey" and waving goodbye. Random! As we were walking away, the turkey jumped up on the rail! Perhaps they were hatching an evil plot!

We always allow Caleb to pick one "extra" activity to do per visit to the zoo (either the pony rides, the carousel, or the train ride). This time around, he picked the train ride, which, I have to admit, was really fun. The nice "conductor" snapped this photo for us:

Here's a picture of the closed hippo exhibit-Montgomery the Hippo was euthanized earlier in the week. :( Montgomery was one of only 4 original animals still living at Riverbanks since the park opened in 1974!. The others include a flamingo, a male Siamang named Solo, and a female white-faced saki named Sterling. I think it's pretty neat that Caleb gets to see a few of the same animals that I enjoyed when I was his age.

Sometimes I think the kids enjoy these statues more than they do the actual animals. We actually had to wait in line to get these pictures! What?!? Maybe they just like the hands-on aspect of it.

Calebism-
While walking through the zoo, Caleb started looking up at some really tall trees...

Caleb: Wow. Look at those giant trees Mommy.
Mommy: Those are giant trees!
Caleb: Yep. Do you know what those trees are called?
Mommy: What?
Caleb: Goliath trees

Overdue Post #3- Brady's Party

2008-07-21T13:23:00.001-04:00

My cousin's adorable son, Brady, celebrated his 2nd birthday last weekend! He loves (understatement of the year) baseball and is very good at playing too! They were able to pull some strings and have his party at Sarge Frye Field! What an awesome place for his baseball party! Caleb had a blast. Here are a few pictures from the party:

Watch Brady pitch!

Overdue Post #2- Potty Training

2008-07-21T13:20:00.000-04:00

As most of you know, we have had a long and arduous journey trying to potty train Caleb. It has resulted in many tears being shed (from both sides) and just frustration in general. I have read all the books, watched every DVD, tried every piece of advice given, and, while it is all great, in theory, none of it has worked for us! Since Isaac's sister and family were coming to town for a week, Isaac and I decided to put the "training" on hold. We knew there would be too much going on to attempt it.

The Emery's left on Sunday, so I decided to use Monday to get Caleb back on his regular schedule and then dive back into training on Tuesday. So, first thing Monday morning, I was putting a dry pull-up on Caleb, when, to my surprise, he said he needed to pee pee in the potty! We hurried to the bathroom and he used the potty like he'd been doing it all year! It's been two weeks now and he's only had 3 accidents (2 of which occurred on the way to the potty)! He even used the potty at Target on Saturday!

So, although I get a little weepy-eyed when folding Caleb's big boy underwear, I am VERY excited that he has entered this new phase.

Congratulations to my big boy!!

Overdue Post #1- Visiting with the Emery Family!

2008-07-17T15:13:00.000-04:00

Well, first off, let me apologize for my lack of posting these past few weeks. I've been fairly busy and have had a lot on my mind. But, quit your crying...I'm back!

So, without further ado, here come the updates!

The first week in July, Isaac's sister and her family were in town from Pennsylvania! It was SO good to get to see April, Pat and our amazing nieces, Grace and Abigail. We don't get to see them often, but, when we do, it's always SO much fun. As I've told them before, it's always nice to be around people you don't have to pretend to like!

Our time with them included lots of hanging out, a trip to Edventure and even a He-Man surprise party for Patrick's 30th birthday! Here are some of the many pictures from their visit. April took a lot of pictures as well, so I'll post a few of hers when I get them.

"Calebisms" from that week-

1.) Caleb was reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar to Grace. He had read it three times and each time he finished Grace would
ask him to read it again. The fourth time...
Grace: Again
Caleb: ::sigh:: OK, I'll read it one more time, and then we have to put it away.
(Welcome to my world, Caleb!)

2.) While looking at a picture of Abigail-
Caleb: Aww, that cutie face is so good!

Movie Monday

2008-06-30T10:52:00.000-04:00

Photo Friday

2008-06-27T15:38:00.000-04:00

Barn owl at Riverbanks

Sleeping during Family Movie Time! Did that stop me from watching Follow That Bird by myself? Nope!

Yes, that's a Thomas puzzle in my washing machine!

My little sweetie

I love this dog!

Ready for the pitch

"I want to wear Daddy's clothes today."

Tim Russert

2008-06-23T00:05:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, I watched several Tim Russert tributes, and the things that seemed to most resonate were that he was an amazing journalist and that he was completely devoted to his family and faith (albeit Catholicism).

I was talking to a friend, and fellow Meet the Press junkie, about the fact that, in interviews, you could never decide if Russert was a conservative or a liberal. He always did his homework and knew as much about his guests and their stances as possible, so he could take the "other side", whatever that side may have been. He could interview/argue from both sides completely objectively and, what's most amazing, is that he did it so effortlessly. Yes, I know he was a democrat and, arguably, a liberal, but he didn't wear his personal ideaology on his sleeve and certainly didn't bring it into his interviews. He was always equally tough on both democrats and republicans- tough, but always fair. This is why he was both loved and feared by liberals and conservatives alike. His hard-hitting manner of journalism never came across as mean. He was always decent and civil to his guests, which, knowing who some of his guests were, was a pretty remarkable feat.

I heard that Tom Brokaw is going to replace Russert through the Nov. elections. Because he was such a close friend to Russert, and is so well-respected, I suppose he was an obvious choice. I definitely can't see him being Russert's permanent replacement, but I think he will do well in seeing Meet the Press through the election season. No, the tough interviews that Tim Russert was famous for are not going to happen this year, which is unfortunate because Russert seemed SO ready for Nov., but Brokaw will do his job and will do it well.

I don't know how the exact wording of the original adage goes (it's a little different every time I hear it), but I think Tim Russert epitomized it: "Love what you do and you'll never work another day of your life." Russert seemed to love and embrace his job whole-heartedly and he made a tough and grueling job look easy and even, at times, fun. There will never be another one quite as good as him and my Sundays will never quite be the same...

This morning started out like every other Sunday. I took a shower and got Caleb up, fed, and tossed in the bathtub. I was just starting to dry him off when I realized the time. It was almost 9:00, so I rushed to get Caleb dried off and dressed for church, and we hurried into the living room. I turned the TV to NBC and sat down. I guess in going through my normal routine, it had somehow slipped my mind. As Meet the Press came into focus, I saw Brian Williams. I looked over at Isaac and sighed, "I forgot." Then, Caleb, with a confused look on his face, said, "Mommy, it's supposed to be Tim Wussert, right?" Yes, Caleb, it IS supposed to be Tim Russert.

Alison A.K.A The White Rabbit

2008-06-13T14:54:00.000-04:00

"I'm late. I'm late for a very important date..."

If you have ever ridden with me somewhere, invited me to an event, hung out with me, or just known me for longer than a few months, you know that I am always late. It's something that has driven my family mad for years and continues to bug Isaac to no end.

If you know Isaac, you know that he is very punctual. He's the guy that arrives 15 minutes early for work "just in case." I am the person who aims to be somewhere early and is lucky to be there before the event ends. I am just chronically late. I know it's awful, and I absolutely hate it.

I know that my tardiness partially stems from procrastination, but I think the main problem is that I truly have no concept of time. I seriously cannot tell you if 10 minutes or 30 minutes has passed, and, unlike Isaac, I CANNOT judge the time, to the minute, based on what it looks like outside (Freak!). Time is just a foreign notion to my brain, no matter how hard I try to drill it in.

I am starting to take things more seriously, as Caleb gets older. I'm so scared of being the mom whose child is constantly late for school or is the last to be picked up, but, if I don't get this under control, it looks like a real possibility.

Taking the first step:

Today, I purchased a watch.

Ordinarily, I don't wear a watch. In fact, until today, I didn't even own one. Besides feeling like they get in my way when I wear them, I usually end up breaking or misplacing them.
But, this time I'm going to force myself to wear it no matter how much it annoys me, and I'm going to develop a concept of time. I'm determined!

So, with my new watch in tote, I hope to begin a new journey on the road to being on time or, at the very least, being able to tell just how late I am. :)

Fun Times

2008-06-09T11:42:00.000-04:00

Friday night, our adorable niece, Camryn, spent the night with us. It was so much fun! The kids had a blast playing with one another. I wish they could get together more often.

It was a really hot day, so we were forced to stay indoors, but we did manage to have craft time. Since Caleb and Camryn are both big fans of the Wonder Pets, I thought it would be fun to make flyboats. They turned out pretty cute and the kids really seemed to enjoy making/playing with them.

Here are a few pictures from her visit:

The kids loved taking turns "blowing" Isaac and me over.

One of the many songs Camryn sang for us. So cute! This was, by far, my favorite. "He's the great I'm yam."

Steven Curtis Chapman

2008-05-22T14:58:00.000-04:00

I just saw on CNN that Steven Curtis Chapman's youngest daughter, Maria, was hit by an SUV and killed in the family's driveway. Apparently, their son was driving the car. I can't begin to imagine what their family is going through right now with the loss of their daughter and the heartbreak/guilt that her brother must be feeling too. It's just so tragic. Though I've never been a huge fan of SCC's music (just not my taste), I have always respected Chapman as an artist and, ultimately, as a Christian. He has contributed so much, not only through his music, but also in his efforts to help orphans in China through Shaohannah's Hope. I've always seen him as a genuinely kind and compassionate man.

A couple of months ago, Steven posted a video of his girls singing on his blog. Maria chose to sing Hannah Montana's "Best of Both Worlds," so, of course, Caleb and I ended up watching it several times. She was so precious and really seemed to have a sweet spirit about her. I know their loss is great.

Please keep this family, who has given so much to so many, in your prayers.

Recipe Wednesday

2008-05-21T10:04:00.000-04:00

Chicken Pot Pie Pockets

2 TBL butter
2 TBL flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup half-n-half
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken
1/4 cup frozen tiny green peas
1 small carrot, grated and finely chopped
2 TBL fresh dill, finely chopped
2 sheets prepared pie dough
Egg wash (1 lightly beaten egg with a splash of water)

Preheat oven to 400

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. When melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in broth and half-n-half and season with salt and pepper. Cook the sauce, whisking often, for a couple of minutes until it has thickened. Then, stir in the Dijon and remove pan from heat. Add in the chicken, peas, carrot, and dill and stir to combine. Set aside

Grease a baking sheet. Lay out the pie dough. Roll dough to about 9 inches diameter and 1/8" thick. Cut the dough into eight evenly sized triangles. Place the triangles onto your baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.

Divide filling evenly among the triangles on baking sheet, leaving a little room around the edges to seal the pockets.

Brush the edges of each triangle with egg wash and top with the remaining wedges of dough, pressing around the perimeter to seal the filling. Use a fork to decorate the border of the pocket.

Brush the tops of the pockets with the remaining egg wash and use kitchen scissors to cut an x in the top of each pocket to let the steam escape.

Bake about 20 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

This recipe serves 4. We usually have a salad with this. Yummy!

Meeting Clifford the Big Red Dog

2008-05-20T19:35:00.000-04:00

Today, I took Caleb to the library in nearby Elgin, SC to meet Clifford the Big Red Dog. Caleb has been a fan since receiving his first Clifford book when he was about a year old. Over the past year, Caleb's love of the big mutt has expanded to include more books, the ETV show, a plush toy, and even view master reels. Nothing, however, will remain etched in his mind like today's adventure.

Let me also say that you haven't lived until you've sat on the floor, in the middle of 80 preschoolers, while a huge red dog enters the room! Talk about scary!

Here are a couple of pictures from the visit:

Headphones

2008-05-19T16:37:00.000-04:00

Caleb had his first experience with headphones this weekend.

Sunday Spotlight

2008-05-18T17:54:00.000-04:00

>

A few months ago, Isaac and I found this awesome website that has since been featured on CNN. It's called www.freerice.com. If you find yourself wishing you could donate to a good cause, but don't necessarily have the means to do so, this is a great opportunity! Basically, you try to pick the correct definition for a given word. If you guess correctly, the website donates 20 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program (website sponsors pay for the rice).

The site will start you off with ridiculously easy words and build you up to your particular vocabulary level, but you can skip straight to the more difficult words (which I'd recommend). To bypass the simple words, you can click on the options button at the top of the page. This will let you pick your starting vocabulary level (I suggest starting at 40-45 and working your way up)

You can also choose to have the site keep track of your total rice donation, which is pretty neat. Isaac and I try to donate at least 2000 grains a day (it's really addictive, so it's not that hard!). We've only been doing this for about 3 months, but we're up to 241,640 grains so far!

So, you get to contribute to the cause of ending world hunger, while having fun and increasing your vocabulary! How cool (and easy) is that?!

Silliness

2008-05-16T12:05:00.000-04:00

Actual dialogue with Caleb:

Me: You're nuts
Caleb: You're doughnuts
Me: You're peanuts
Caleb: You're sushi

What?!?

Just another movie Monday...

2008-05-05T18:29:00.000-04:00

This is kind of old, but I thought it was cute. Caleb discovered something new he could do with MultiGrain Cheerios.

Yeah, he's gifted!

Photo Friday

2008-05-02T18:36:00.000-04:00

Caleb's Wonder Pets taking a nap

They got scared, so Caleb had to lie down with them... aww.

Caleb insisted that I take a picture of him in his new outfit from Uncle Jason and Aunt Heather

Walking a mile (maybe a bit less) in Daddy's shoes

Cute picture of Joey I took with my cell phone

Caleb pretending to play the violin with two pieces of a wrapping paper roll... such creativity!

Craft Day

2008-05-02T01:02:00.000-04:00

Every Thursday is Craft Day for me and Caleb. It's the day we both look forward to the most. This week's project was to paint the birdhouse that he received as a birthday present from his Aunt Victoria. Caleb first saw this birdhouse around October of last year and, since then, we have had to "visit" it every time we go to Michael's Craft Store. He had become so consumed with it that he no longer cared about his first-love, Thomas the Train! Here are some pictures of our project:

Sparkleberry Fair

2008-04-30T01:55:00.000-04:00

Saturday, we went to the annual Sparkleberry Country Fair. We had planned to stay for about an hour, but had so much fun that we ended up staying for close to 4 hours!

They had horse-drawn wagon and carriage rides, so we did that first. It was so relaxing! It almost made me want to sell our car and move to Amish country.

There was a petting zoo/barn that Caleb really seemed to enjoy.

Petting a mother goat (there were also some 2-week-old kids, but I couldn't get a good picture of them...they were SO cute)

There were a lot of rabbits. They had a breed chart posted as well. I had no idea there were so many breeds of rabbits!

This is a French Lop

This rabbit was huge! The pictures don't do it justice. He weighed 23 lbs! He was a German Giant rabbit, which happens to be the largest breed of rabbit (seriously, that breed chart was great).

Two rabbits snuggling...aww!

Caleb loved petting all of the barnyard animals, and, yes, there was tons of hand sanitizer available!

The fair also had an exotic petting zoo this year that was really neat! In addition to an alpaca, baboons, macaws, and camels, there were also several animals that I'd never seen in person: two coatimundis, a watusi, a yak, and a binturong (bearcat). Very cool!

One of the baboons sneaking a little snack from the feed bag

The alpaca...I was totally feeling that bad hair day!

Scooping Caleb up after a close encounter with Sally the camel that he did not care for

Here's a short clip of the two coatimundis chasing a bee:

The binturong (which I had never even heard of)

Then, of course, there was Caleb's favorite thing... pony rides! Again! Two pony rides in one week. I hope he doesn't start to think this is a weekend tradition!

Ready to ride

Pure Bliss

There was a short parade which basically consisted of tractor after tractor after tractor (gotta love SC).

Pink Tractors?!?

Watching the parade

This is what we thought of all the tractors

Before leaving, we promised Caleb that we would ride the wagons one more time. Our first ride was in a wagon, but we rode in a carriage the second time. Our driver was really nice, and she told us a lot about the horses that pull the carriages. Our particular horse was a beautiful, 2500 lb. Percheron named Sir Lancelot. She said that all of their draft horses have to pass a driving test in order to be able to drive on a road. Apparently, they can learn to recognize street signs and traffic signals! Isn't that amazing?

"Lance" in action

Wish we could have stayed all day!

Funday Sunday

2008-04-22T09:28:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, we took Caleb to Funday Sunday at Shandon Baptist. As most of you know, Caleb had a negative experience with the nursery at Shandon and, as a result, has a complete meltdown when we go anywhere near the church (including just getting off on that exit). We decided to go to their festival in the hopes of creating a positive association with the church. Thankfully, he fell asleep in the car, so we were able to drive the normal route. We parked in a different parking lot and made sure we had a pretty good view of the events, so he'd be immediately distracted. It worked! Caleb had such a good time!

He got to feed a llama.

He played games.

He got a hug from the Chick-Fil-A cow.

He tried his first snow cone (although, he basically just drank the syrup).

Caleb really loved watching the other kids ride on the swings. Mommy isn't quite ready for Caleb to ride rides yet, but, luckily, he was content just to watch.

They also had train rides, so, of course, we had to ride.

The highlight of the day, however, was Caleb getting to ride a pony. He absolutely adored this! I have never seen him look so in awe and content. Very sweet.

All in all, it was a very fun day, and now when Caleb hears the name Shandon. he only thinks of ponies! Yay!

The Big 0-3!

2008-04-21T21:00:00.000-04:00

Three years ago, I was sitting in Dr. Bervine's office bawling my eyes out, after receiving the news that Baby Caleb would be arriving nearly a month early. The tears were a result of a combination of fear for Caleb's and my health, my out-of-control hormones, the realization that motherhood, at this point, really was inevitable, and a general feeling of lack of preparedness. Not to mention I was going to miss my own baby shower! I remember saying over and over again, "I'm not ready. I'm not ready." But, ready or not, here he came! After losing a heartbeat and scaring the begeezes out of me and Isaac, there he was. I got to see him for only a moment before they whisked him away, but, in that moment, our eyes connected and I fell in love more deeply than I ever thought imaginable. Three years ago, I could never have envisioned that this tiny, 5 lb. baby, that still slightly resembled a fetus, would grow into such a loving, smart and adorable little boy. Isaac and I are truly blessed.

Caleb had his birthday party at Edventure this year. He had a blast! We were so fortunate to have so many friends and family members there to share in his special day. Caleb insisted on a Toy Story cake (after I had planned for a Thomas cake for months!). I think it turned out OK, considering it was my first attempt with fondant and gum paste. Caleb liked it, and that's what counts! Here are some pictures from the party:

Extreme Makeover- Blog Edition

2008-04-21T02:27:00.000-04:00

Because my previous blog entries were sparse at best, I have decided to delete all previous entries and start anew. I had intentions of blogging tonight, but have gotten a late start, so I won't be diving into the blogging pool just yet. Rest assured, however, that I'll be making a splash tomorrow with a new blog about Caleb's birthday. (Can you tell I'm ready for summer?!) For now, enjoy the slideshows at the left and my new Larry King-inspired layout.