PAINTING PIGS AT DEVIL'S DEN

Craft time originally started as an evening event to keep the small children occupied while the older people played game. Each family group was responsible for one night's craft. Somewhere through the years it turned into a favorite, much anticipated group activity.

Enjoyed by the young . . .

The young marrieds . . .

The grad students . . .

Those a little bit older . . .


And those a whole lot older . . .

Such concentration on everyone's part . . .

. . . and fun was had by all! !

BEFORE AND AFTER PIGS

Pristine piggies

Painted, Polka-Dotted, and Positively Perfected Pigs (or maybe Swanky Swine?)

Creations from a different craft night.

MORE PICTURES OF THE TWINS

Christmas Morning: Celebrating the birth of Christ in our birthday suits!

Luke showing off his newly-discovered feet to Willa --
"I think they're called feet.
I don't know what they're for yet, but they taste good."

FROM NATE'S FACEBOOK ALBUM -- "SUGARHOLICS ANONYMOUS" stolen without permission, thanks Nate!

Joy is spending the next couple of weeks with Amy and Nate, helping sew costumes and spending quality "sister-time". I was sure she would be in good hands, but I gave them a few specific instructions, including warning them about Joy's sweet tooth; but I didn't realize what difficulties they would encounter, until I saw these pictures and captions posted on Nate's Facebook Page.

They were too funny not to "appropriate" for our blog.
(Nate will just have to imagine me rolling on the floor laughing, because I'm not sending a picture.)
And now for Nate's harrowing tale:


Amy and I were responsible for transporting this hardened sugarholic to Pennsylvania last night. But we turned around and found that she had promptly fallen off the bandwagon and broken into our locked candy box.

She is very happy at the beginning of her gorging.

Starting to feel the effects.

Definitely regretting her actions.

Having to be carried away from the candy box. To all sugarholics anonymous members, this is what happens when you leave your support group!
This morning the patient was in a strict recovery program and had to be restrained from putting both syrup and powdered sugar on her pancakes.

Obviously, she did not learn her lesson after the first OD.

PIRATES OF PENZANCE CAST LIST

PRINCIPALS
Mabel Elise Hamacher
Frederic Nathan Brown
Major-General Kevin Edwards
Police Sergeant Benjamin Wegner
Ruth Amanda Engelke
Pirate King Joel Nisbett
PIRATES
Adam Nisbett (Samuel)
Justin Mosher
Christopher Cureton
Glenn Wiskur
Scott Cureton
Alex Goff
Joe Davidson
Joe Decker
Mitch Rackers
Matt Strautmann

POLICEMEN
Josiah Nisbett
John Nisbett
Nathan Hickle
David Strautmann
Chris McCluskey
Zeke Hall
Paul Hamacher

MAJOR-GENERAL STANLEY’S SERVANTS/ BACK-UP SINGERS
Dawn Hall
Laura Light
Belen Hamacher
Judy Cureton

DAUGHTERS
CORE DAUGHTERS
Jenna Light (Edith)
Grace Mosher (Kate)
Ashley Riefer (Isabel)
Sarah Hickle
Abby Hall
Corrie Welshymer
Jeni Steele
ACT I DAUGHTERS
Megan Woods
Shaylynn Rackers
Kati Edwards
Jennifer Williams
Tess Hamacher
Joy Nisbett
ACT II DAUGHTERS
Alyssa McCluskey
Rebecca Grow
Lara Edwards
Megan Riefer
Clarissa Light

KIDS
Erik Davidson
Adler Davidson
Jonathan Cureton
Isaac Hall
Nathanael Nisbett
Drew McCluskey
Anna Nisbett
Rebecca Light
Margaret Hamacher
Grace McCluskey
Carah Houser
Jenny Riefer
Rachel Hickle
Clara Mosher
Ivy Toddy
Rebekah Toddy

TECH/CREW

Directors Kim Nisbett/Keith Nisbett
Music Direc Keith Nisbett
Vocal Director /Musician Susan Holmes
Consultant to the Director Michael Morgart

Costume Design Amy Nisbett Hobbs
Set Design Adam Nisbett
Light Designer Josiah Nisbett
Sound Designer/Oper Philip Houser

Stage Manager Hillary Brown
Props Manager Becky Hall
Light-Board Operator Steve Skelton
Video Colin McCluskey
Men’s Make-up overseer Mitch Rackers
Stage Crew Austin Maxwell
Jeremiah Gill
Bass Mark Hickle
Musician Bill Hickle

DEVIL'S DEN

For about 25 years, some of the Nisbett's have congregated in Devil's Den State Park, near Fayetteville, Arkansas for a great family time together. This is the place that Keith and I spent our honeymoon. We have a great time hanging out in the cabins, eating, playing games, doing crafts, and then venturing out into the beautiful Boston Mountains to hike, go caving, play more games and of course, eat snacks.(I don't know what the Boston Mountains are doing in Arkansas.)

FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS -- DEVIL'S DEN CAVE

The first morning in the park, everyone is always anxious to get out and enjoy the beautiful woods and trails.

We always head to Devil's Den cave, for which the park is named.

Everyone is clean and perky going in to the caves.

Chad was our benovolent guardian.

We aren't quite as clean when we come out, as Jordan expertly demonstrates.

John checks out Japeth's filth, making sure he hasn't been outdone.

The two smallest spelunkers, Glory and Eli. They loved caving, but Eli had more of an "upclose and personal" encounter with the bats than he cared for.

Josiah and Joel, Muck Twins!

After the cave, we all hiked around the rest of the Devil's Den Trail.

Well, after resting a little bit first.

The more adventurous group also went through the "back door" to the cave.

The waterfalls along the trail were beautiful, especially after the early morning downpour we watched from the cabin.

Grapevine Art

"Jesus stood and said in a loud voice,
"If anyone is thirsty,
let him come to me and drink.
Whoever believes in me,
as the Scripture has said,
streams of living water
will flow from within him."
By this he meant the Spirit."
John 7:37-39

"He who has compassion
on them will guide them
and lead them beside
springs of water."
Isaiah 49: 10