Smith Mountain Lake

We just got back from a week at Smith Mtn. Lake, VA with Jeff's side of the family. Jeff's dad taught Ethan to knee board. Here's a video of him in the open waters! I'll get some more pictures up soon.

End of Year Ceremony & Celebration

Last night, Sydney had her end of year ceremony and celebration for Classical Conversations. (Even though CC is over for the year, we will continue our homeschool.) For 6 weeks this past semester, the students studied American artists. Each of those 6 weeks, they would learn about a different artist, and then do a piece of artwork in that style. Last night, each of the students in her class brought in a piece of artwork they did this year to present. Sydney chose her painting she did after learning about Georgia O'Keeffe. There is a video below of her presentation. It's difficult to hear, so below it you can read her monologue.


All of the CC students in our Foundations program (K4-6th grade) reciting John 1:1-12


Sydney: My name is Sydney Chandler, and I painted this the week we learned about Georgia O'Keeffe. Georgia O'Keeffe is mostly known for painting oversized flowers and was inspired by nature.

Leaving the stage with her painting, certificate of completion, and her own copy of the Declaration of Independence. (We studied American history this year.)

Ethan and Olivia Beth

Oliva Beth and Sydney

Sydney with Mrs. Jordan, our CC Director

Sydney with Mrs. Vaughn, her beloved tutor

The Queen and Her Servant

Sydney & Ethan spend quite a bit of time playing outside, and it is always so much fun to see the fun things they come up with to do. Like most all kids their ages, they have vivid imaginations, and they rarely just play on the swing set; they will turn even that into some kind of journey they are taking. They are always making up games or scenarios.

One thing they did last week is pictured below. Sydney was the queen on her throne (a stack of plastic outdoors chairs), and her footstool was a wooden crate that we will use to collect our veggies from the garden. Ethan was the servant who had to keep her cool by using a piece of bamboo to turn the fan. In the third picture you can see a plant stand, and he had all kinds of string tied on it. This was the cookstove where he prepared her meals.



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Reid's Frist Birthday!

Reid turned one on March 13! The first two pictures are from his actual birthday, and the last three are from his party. He had a great day seeing his family, eating carrot cake, and playing with wrapping paper!
He weighs 22 lbs, and is in the 50th percentile for his length. He says "ball", and playing ball is his favorite thing to do. In fact, the other day he and I were rolling the tennis ball back and forth to each other when he figured out how to bounce it so it would land in my lap every time. I think we may have a future ball player! :-)

What Jeff Does for Fun

I took this video of Jeff in Nov 2008. This is how country boys have fun. All the neighborhood kids came running into our backyard after this!

Valentine's and Birthdays

This is how Reid falls asleep- fingers in the mouth, arm over the eyes.

Sydney in art class at Classical School

North Davidson High School Wrestling onesie from Jason, Elizabeth & Riley

Baking Jeff a carrot cake for his birthday...Sydney wanted her hair to look like an alien that day!
Licking the beaters!

Happy Birthday to Daddy!

Ethan had a look of guilt on his face the next day. I then discovered he had sneaked into the carrot cake when I was upstairs with Reid!

Riley & Sydney at dinner to celebrate Mom & Dad C's and Jeff's birthdays in Greensboro

Ethan models all of Papa's Old Dude gear. Dad C turned 60!

Nadine holding Reid (can you see him saying, "Ooooo"?) and E-ma Dorner holding Nate (Daniel & Nadine's new baby).

I wanted to post some recent pictures and give some updates on the kids since it's been a little too long! I can't believe Reid is getting ready to turn 1! He has 3.5 teeth (2 on bottom and 1.5 on top) which is really cute, and 2 more on the way. Last Saturday he stood up for the first time. He loves to say "uh-oh" before he drops an object. He's so nice to give us fair warning! :-) I still think he is just the sweetest baby, always happy to go with the flow...something I envy about 3rd born kids!

Ethan and Sydney just continue to make us laugh with the funny things they do and say. They are the best of friends. I used to be so much better about writing down their funnies, but I haven't been so good about it for the past 11.5 months. I will get better about this so I can post, but here's something funny Sydney said yesterday as she was contrasting city people and country people. "In the city, men wear black top hats and women wear fancy dresses to weddings." She then noticed a hole in her sock and asked me to patch it. When I told her that I don't patch socks, she said, "Country people don't waste their money on buying socks. They patch and sew them. When all the thread is gone and the socks are old and dirty, then they get new ones."

Jeff recently asked Ethan what he wanted to be when he grows up. Ethan said, "A fireman, a policeman, and a dugger." Jeff asked, "What's a dugger?" Ethan replied, "Someone who dug something."

Ethan and Sydney are really into Man Vs. Wild on Discovery Channel. We are planning a MVW party for Ethan's 4th birthday. Jeff worked on setting up a ropes course this weekend. Also, he and Ethan went to the NC Wrestling Tournament this weekend, which they both loved. Sydney, Reid, & I got to go to the mall to go clothes shopping. Fun!

Joyful Reunion

This is so sweet!