Trying to stay cool in the backyard sprinkler!

Charlotte and James discovered that the oven mits make great lobster claws after a visit to the grocery store this week. The meat manager came out as we were looking at the tank by the seafood counter and fished one of the lobsters out for them to see up close. Charlotte wanted him to take the rubber bands off the claws, but I think we're glad he didn't comply! James was wary of the little creature, but enjoyed mimicking him with the oven mits. Charlotte is making her best "lobster face" in this one:

Ford is changing everyday! Here is one of him now 3 months old. He's a tummy sleeper and has found his thumb...we think it's genetic! Sy and I were thumb-suckers and so are his big sis and bro :)

It's a Backyard Nursery Rhyme Concert!

Solo artist: Charlotte Nease

Featuring hits: "Goosey, Goosey Gander," "Humpty Dumpty," "Jack & Jill," & "Three Little Kittens"

Copy and paste this link to your browser:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVR7gf9hZzU

We were hoping to go blueberry picking this week but because of the drought, the farmer we called said there will be no picking unless we get lots of rain, fast! The weather is getting to be more "seasonable" down here = hot, humid, and yucky in general. So here are some pictures of the fun time we had last month strawberry picking with our friend Katie. It was breezy and sunny and beautiful... James ate more than he picked, but isn't that the fun of it?!

We had Vacation Bible School this week at church. "Make a Splash With Jesus" was the theme, and the mascot for the week was J.P. the Penguin...One of the boys in the youth group dressed up as the Penguin and Charlotte's highlight each day was to give him a "high 5!" James, on the other hand was a little wary of J.P. He generally stays close to my side these days in new places which is a big change from Charlotte!

This was Charlotte's first year in a real class and she loved the music and crafts the best. I worked in the crafts room and enjoyed that as a break from the classroom teacher role. Charlotte was in the last group that came through each day and it was fun to see her and help her with her crafts.

This shot is of her today after the end-of-the-week picnic. Her sweet teachers gave them each sand buckets, shovels, bubbles, and these very cool sunglasses!

I finally got some good video of Ford laughing last week! This encompasses his personality :) It's about 3 minutes of video, but it will start getting really cute after a minute has passed, so hang on til then!

Here is the link (copy and paste it to your browser):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la-7CFECyzA

In honor of Ford's baptism, I wanted to post this hymn based on his namesake's writings. May Ford long for that fair sweet morn when he will see his bride-groom's face!

The Sands of Time Are Sinking
by Anne Cousin, 1857
based upon Samuel Rutherford, 1600-1661

"They will see his face." Revelation 22:4

The sands of time are sinking, the dawn of heaven breaks,
the summer morn I've sighed for, the fair sweet morn awakes;
dark, dark hath been the midnight, but day-spring is at hand,
and glory, glory dwelleth in Emmanuel's land.

The King there in his beauty without a veil is seen;
it were a well-spent journey though sev'n deaths lay between;
the Lamb with his fair army doth on Mount Zion stand,
and glory, glory dwelleth in Emmanuel's land.

O Christ, he is the fountain, the deep sweet well of love!
The streams on earth I've tasted more deep I'll drink above;
there to an ocean fulness his mercy doth expand,
and glory, glory dwelleth in Emmanuel's land.

The bride eyes not her garment, but her dear bride-groom's face,
I will not gaze at glory, but on my King of grace;
not at the crown he gifteth, but on his pierced hand;
the Lamb is all the glory of Emmanuel's land.

Ford's baptism this weekend was wonderful! Sy administered the sacrament to his son and that was such a special gift. We also celebrated James's second birthday--Praise the Lord for his bountiful blessings to us in our sons and daughter!

The picture on the left is me holding Ford, and the one below is Kathy holding Sy!
Click on any of the pictures to view them larger in a new window.

We had James's picture taken Thursday before his b.d. The blue sailor outfit and the Curious George were Sy's! I put a picture of Sy, just a little older than James, sitting on the hearth so you can see that Sy DID have blonde curls when he was younger, too. :)

Rutherford Kendrick Nease has arrived!

March 13, 2007
11:55 a.m.
10 lbs. 6 oz.
22 inches

Yes, it's his new hideout. See those little blue eyes...And no, we didn't put him in there and shut the door!

More from Puerto Rico that I thought were fun...so maybe they'll be more of us than I thought! The resort we stayed at is over Sy's shoulder on the cliff--we were on our way for a snorkeling trip.

I took this shot of Sy after I got back on the boat...after having been stung on the face by a little jellyfish! But I still got out at the next set of reefs and braved the waters. Thank goodness no more jellyfish

 

Charlotte met Cinderella last weekend at her friend Camilla's 4th birthday party! It was quite an affair and the little girls were in awe of her as they followed her around the yard and imitated everything she did...who needs to go to Disney World when they're so excited with this?!  

At the requests of friends and family for more updates on the Nease family, we've started our blog! To start I thought a picture of just Sy and I was the best choice since I'm sure the rest of this will be saturated with the kids...they are cuter and more interesting, aren't they??


This picture was taken in Puerto Rico in June--our first time really away since we've been married! Our 5th anniversary is in December, so thanks to Sy's parents, we had a great time by ourselves.

We'll try to keep this current and hope you enjoy :)