Hurricane Isaac

As a kid, I can remember running to our sun room at the first crack of thunder to watch it storm outside. In September 1989, I remember standing with my dad in the driveway watching the eye of Hurricane Hugo pass over our house in Hickory. That is when my fascination with hurricanes began.

A couple months ago, Isaac and I were flipping through his National Geographic for Kids when we came across the list of names for this year’s hurricane season and realized his name was on it. I told him then that when Hurricane Isaac came along we’d have a hurricane party. I mean, seriously, how often is a hurricane named after you right?!

Fast forward to this week, with Tropical Storm Isaac headed to the Gulf of Mexico with a good chance of becoming a hurricane. Yesterday we spent learning time making hurricane warning flags, paper hurricanes, and plans for our big party. Isaac learned the ins and outs of how a hurricane works, how they send planes in to track them, and even watched some video of the wind and waves that come with them. He seems to be as fascinated with it as I am, which totally thrills me!

Tonight, just as Hurricane Isaac was making landfall in Louisiana, our hurricane party (complete with some of our favorite neighbors) went in to full swing.

The boys and I with our decorations. Yes, I went all out and “boarded” the kitchen windows with cardboard. I mean it has to be realistic right?

And yes, those are my very own rain coveralls. I told you I’m nuts about weather!

I laughed when the neighbor kids came over and said “I didn’t even know today was a holiday to celebrate.” To which his mother, Lynn, responded “It’s not a holiday, you know Rachel will come up with any excuse to have a party and make a cake!”

Isaac with his hurricane Isaac cake.

The kids after enjoying their dinner by hurricane lamp!

It’s clear and dry outside in Wake Forest right now, and Isaac doesn’t quite understand that his hurricane isn’t coming this way, but we sure did have fun evening with our friends! One day when the kids look back at these pictures, they’ll say one of two things: 1) My mom was a complete whack job but boy did we have fun. Or 2) My mom sure could come up with some fun stuff and went all out to make it perfect! Either statement will be fine with me!!