Westminster Shorter Catechism

Ford Eats a Popsicle

Leigh Anne and baby Ford are the first to visit us in our new house! We had a great time with them on Saturday morning and introduced Ford to one of our favorite foods, the popsicle.

Mary's Birthday Evening

The girls has a great time at Sea World, but we only rode 1 ride, saw 2 shows, purchased two swords, and one bag of jewels. That is not a great track record seeing as though Charlotte was with a family friend. We got held up on the second ride we tried because a woman refused to get off the ride (her daughter was too short) and security had to come. We also lost a pair of sun glasses in line and had to wait for the guy with the long-handed picker to come and retrieve them for us. However, the polar bears and baluga whale exhibit was incredible and the walrus and sea lion show was really funny.

Mary loved all of her presents.

Mary's Birthday Breakfast

We are celebrating Mary's birthday today! The extravaganza started with strawberries and whipped cream for breakfast followed by a Dora Super Babies Birthday DVD that we rented. We have ridden our bikes with our birthday hats and done some Backyard Bible school crafts on the parable of the house built on sand/rock. (Paper houses are quite challenging to make regardless if they are built on sand or rock.)

Now Naomi, Charlotte, and I are waiting for Mary to wake up from her nap and Daddy to get home from work to eat her cake and open presents. We plan to head off to "Sea Lord" as Mary calls it and purchase a light sword at the Shamu night show.

As a tribute to her third birthday, here are some "Maryisms" :

Mommy: What would you like for breakfast Mary?

Mary: Chucky Larms

Daddy: Who would like to pray?

Mary: I would! (always first to volunteer)

Daddy: Sure, go ahead.

Mary: Dear Jesus, I pray for Sarlotte, Wevi, Naomi, Mommy, and Daddy. And also Lawd, give us strengf today. Help us to obey. In your name we pray, Amen.

Mary: Did Jesus come riding in on a doggie?

Mommy: No, on a donkey.

Mary: (silent)

Naomi: Come on Barrett!

Mary: O.k. Nomsers!

These are just a few of the cute things that Mary does and says. She is an empathetic and compassionate person, always the first to cry at the sad parts in movies and the first to run to someone who's hurt. We are so thankful for her.

Ballet Buddies

Sea World

Sea World is kind to Florida residents (unlike some other local theme parks) and gives you an annual pass for the price of a one day ticket. We have enjoyed some hot days there (see photo of sweaty girls waiting for a show) and some less hot nights. Shamu has a special "After Dark" show (pictured here). We love the park for the live animals you can see and touch and the rides that include a coaster for little kids and a log flume for the whole family. We are getting up the courage to go on the log flume though.

Naomi's favorite things about the park are Shamu, dolphins, and sharks. Mary is requesting that next time we go that we buy a glow-in-the-dark sword and ride the flamingos.

We celebrated Father's Day at the park and plan to go for Mary's birthday (with a princess cake).

Charlotte's New Dress

Charlotte is wearing a new dress from Grandpa Harvie (otherwise known as Papa, Poppie, Pop Pop depending on which granddaughter you ask). She was kicking her feet the whole time I was taking pictures. All girls love new clothes.

Reunions

Earlier today the girls and I drove to the beach to pick up bear-bear who spent the weekend with some surfers at a local shop in New Smyrna beach. He looked like he had a lot of fun and was well taken care of. Naomi was happy to be reunited with her old friend.

Raleigh friends

We had our good friends Elliot, Kacey, and Hannah from Raleigh visit last night. We ate together, caught up on the news from our old church , and watched Mary Poppins. Here are the girls enjoying the carousel scene before bedtime.

Our Sleep Schedule

I was talking to my sister-in-law Leigh Anne today and she asked me if anyone was getting any sleep around our house. Well...let's just say Naomi is our best sleeper and has even started sleeping in! We usually have a visitor or two during the early morning hours. The other night Mary came in to to cuddle at 5 am. Here is a picture of her after she woke up later in the morning.

Liz !

We just finished a wonderful day with a friend from Raleigh, Liz! She is in Orlando this summer with Campus Outreach so she came by for the day to swim and eat dinner. We were excited to find out that Liz taught swimming lessons for 6 years. By the time we left the pool, Naomi was jumping in off the side and swimming back to the ladder without holding her nose! Mary also got her face wet and jumped in with the life preserver on. We have missed Liz and look forward to some more fun this summer.

Charlotte says hello!

Night Walking

Our new neighborhood has sidewalks!  After the heat of the day, we stroll our block.  Naomi rides her Seastar bike, Mary rides her Dora big wheel, and Scott and I takes turns with Charlotte in the Bjorn.

The Big Kahuna 2

The pool can also be a place of rest.

The Big Kahuna

To keep cool this summer , we joined the Oviedo community pool for two months.  For the first month only the "Big Kahuna" was open during the week days.  The Big Kahuna is a large pool that has lap lanes, a section that alternates between water polo practise and early morning water aerobics, and an open section for playing.  Now that the summer season has started the real draw for the girls is the "Splash Zone" which is next to the Big Kahuna.  The Splash Zone has a wading area, three slides, and lots of fun kids to play with.  It was nice for that little time that the Splash Zone was closed because it forced us to get some swimming lessons done. Naomi can now swim under water on her own and Mary is doing well floating on her own with a life jacket.  Charlotte usually chills out on the pool side table in her baby bath tub.