Isaac has had an exciting year. He is now in preschool 3 days a week for 4 hours each day. Its a wonderful program and he is really doing well. He can also say he is a big boy now because he is fully potty trained. After more then 6 months of poopy underwear he is now certifiably potty trained. It was a huge struggle but everyone has survived. He also won a modeling contract with a company here in Florida. Where that goes we don't know but it will definitely make this next year an interesting one. Next week is his last day in nursery at church. He'll be moving into Primary in January. He has no clue and has not been prepared for the transition at all. This does not bode well as Isaac has very difficult time with change and that is an understatement. He has an amazing vocabulary and an even more amazing imagination. He's still none stop energy and I fear he will be giving up naps this next year. He is a beautiful child inside. He makes a strong impression where ever he goes and with everyone he meets. To say that he is a handful is the poor choice of words. He challenges me everyday. I love to go and look at him at night when he is sleeping, the only time he is still and marvels that I survived another day with him.

Sydney is such a sweet heart, as long as she's fed and has enough sleep. She wins over anyone she meets. She turns 2 in February, CRAZY! She has made the past two years wonderful. Not that the previous 2 years weren't but she bring a special spirit with her where ever she is. I remeber saying when she was on;y 6 weeks old, "shes just so sweet." and my mother saying, "allbabies are sweet." And she is right but Sydney definetly has that extra dab that puts her over the top. She does have stubborn streak in her and holds her own with Isaac, for the most part. She talking more everyday, I'm still holding my breath that she'll be really talking by the time the baby comes. Man that would make a huge difference! She's extremely tiny and fools a lot of people. She's all of 20 pounds and 32 inches high. My hand spans her back, if that gives you a visiual. People treat her like she's still a baby, and depending on her mood and who it is, she plays along. I've gotten many a dirty look at the play ground when I let her climb on her own. Everyone thinks she's one so I guess they feel I should be right behind her. Little do they know she's perfectly capable. She loves to play play do and is obsessed with Diego. She also LOVES choo-choos and any and all animals. She has the ability to go off on her own and play, Isaac rarely accomplishes this, and is a joy to have around. She's finishing teething her last baby teeth and we will start her potty training here in the next month. So wish us luck.

All in all its been an amazing year and I look forward to next year. I know there will be plenty more challenges for me and my family but I know that with the Lord in our lives we will make it through. We all look forward to the new baby in May and Isaac is determined it is a boy. I'm hoping for a boy too. Josh really doesn't mind either way and Sydney is clueless. Either way we know we are blessed to welcome a new little spirit into our home. Are lives are truly blessed and full we couldn't ask for anything more.

My your next year be a full and joyous.

Love to you all!!

This Video truely captures the difference between Sydney and Isaac.

Kids decorating the tree.

Sydney and I had a chance to make cookies together. Isaac normally dominates this activity, and Sydney usually finds something else to do. Well this time Isaac was at school.

Making Cookies with Sydney was a totally different experience then making cookies with Isaac. So much less STRESS!!!

I'm afraid we don't have many pics of Christmas. But here's Sydney decorating our little 4 ft. tree. She kept taking ornaments and placing them all on the same branch. I redecorated the tree on Christmas eve. So Christmas day it was to my satisfaction.

This is Isaac's note/letter to Santa so that Santa would know where we are and wouldn't miss us.
Let me translate it for you since he spoke out loud what he was writing.
"Dear Santa, Please bring us presents in the night." This he wrote over and over again.

Thank you so much for the gift of $$$ that was sent our way. We really have a great life and it feels very full and fun. But thanks to those generous individuals we were able to buy a seasons pass to the Miami Metro Zoo. We are very excited.

Thank you so much!

So the zoo is HUGE and with a 2 and 4 year old you don't move very fast. So all in all we say maybe 5 animals, about a 5% of the animals there. I was really excited about the flamingos!!! They ween't very pink though. Turns out they turn pink because of the special little shrimp they eat in the wild. The amount of pink depends on the amount of shrimp. Always learning new things here on the Sparks blog. I was still so thrilled I almost jumped into the water for an up close and personal looks!

Just kidding!! I don't think I've ever seen water that green before.

Here's Isaac and Sydney in a Huge birds nest statue. Not more to say here.
Isaac and Sydney playing on the Elephant statue. We actually did get to see the real thing. Next time we go we're going to rent a 2 man bike thingy. It has a place for the kids to sit in the very front while the parents, side by side peddle. They're $$$ but well worth it. We might make it to the giraffes and their feeding station.

We stuck around long enough to see the Diego show. But I'm afraid it pushed the kids to the limit. They calmed down to watch the show and then started up again as soon as it was over. Isaac actually wasn't too bad but Sydney was beat and NOT happy.

They have more then animals at this Zoo!! They have Diego, and a 20 minute show. And for those of you keeping up with Sydney's obsession, you know this was a big deal for her. As you can see by the picture below.
To say the least she was awe struck when he came out.
Isaac also enjoyed the show. That's his excited face. No seriously. The show was also at 1:30 in the afternoon so they were both extremely tired.

Isaac once again proves his lack of Shyness as he walks up to meet the lifeguard. This boy can make friends with anyone and seems to draw people to him. Or it could be that he over powers them and they have no choice. Either way, he does amaze me!

Isaac has a curious George book where George goes to the beach and sees a lifeguard. So of course when Isaac saw the LG tower, he walked right up the ramp to the lifeguard. Which I then told him to get off of. Turns out he was a really nice guy and came down just to talk to Isaac. I explained the whole story of George and how Isaac wanted to meet him. This is just a little bit of their conversation.

No everyone that is not Laura and Isaac. But its flattering if you thought that was me.

Isaac being baried by Aunt Michelle.
This was suppose to be a pose but I didn't get the right angle and he wouldn't stay still for long.

I can not tell you how much our kids love the beach. And I'm sure I can't express to you all how cute they are in real person. Sydney is getting so much older. Not necessarily bigger but older.

Actually her height is now in the 50% but I don't know if she's on the chart for weight. Its those genetics!!
I know she may look it but this girl really is not a poser. These are quick action shots.
And the best part of the beach... the sandy lunches! She loves this towel, and has namesd it "Quack". And yes it is a duck!

The Thanksgiving Weekend we took Eric and Michelle to the Sawgrass Mills Malls.

Its a huge tourist attraction because it a HUGE MALL!

So as we sat at the food court to eat Isaac noticed the catwalk. He convinced the girl in charge to let him walk it. So he did and we signed up for the contest. So he won a years contract but we'll see where it goes.

Looks like Isaac might have some modeling jobs in the future. These are a select few of the pics Model Porduction snapped of the very tired and VERY hipper Isaac Sparks
Blue Steel!!
She did get a few NORMAL shots. But not many.

Uncle Eric put Sydney in the swing with out the knowledge of the repercutions of what would happen. She's all happy until you try and take her out of the swing.

Michelle takes great pics of the kids.

This is Eric flipping Isaac around. It was nice to have someone else he could wrestle with.

I don't wrestle with him because I usually get hurt. So its always Joshand Isaac.

Ofcourse Isaac had to show Uncle Eric his pride and Joy,

his Spiderman outfit. $$$ well spent.

Yes again the natural fake smile. I thought these flowers were only in Hawaii, but we have them all over our complex.