Mashed Potatoes

Last night, Reid helped me make mashed potatoes. This morning, while I had my back turned, he decided to make some of his own.




And here's a short video:

Thanksgiving Feasts

Today, Ethan's class dressed as Native Americans and had a feast with the first graders who were dressed as Pilgrims.
Sydney's class had a tribal counsel (Native American peace treaty) and then a feast afterward. Reid got to be involved in both. He has no idea he's not really part of the classes! He just jumps in, grabs a plate, and helps himself to his food!
Also in Sydney's class, they read the Native American version of Psalm 23 before eating. You may read it below the pictures; it's amazing!

K Class marching into the cafeteria beating their drums.

Here's Ethan! His headdress says "Hunting Deer" for his Indian name.

The first graders read a poem to the kindergarteners.

Eating the feast!

Reid felt right at home and helped himself to some food too.

Me & my boys (all 3!)

Sydney's feast was combined with the other 2nd grade class. Here they are doing sign language to a Native American poem. They made their costumes in class, and Mrs. Creech painted their faces.

Sydney & Julianne reading the Native American 23rd Psalm (see below).

My girl!

And Reid joins another feast!

This is right outside Sydney's classroom! Those are gardens in the background.

Mrs. Creech had another teepee set up outside that the kids could go in.

This picture is in the mall parking lot,where we went after school. We made Ethan's shirt at home by ironing on some coloring sheets he made at school.

Backs of their outfits

The GREAT FATHER above a SHEPHERD CHIEF is.
I am His and with Him I want not.
He throws out to me a rope and the name of the rope is love
and He draws me to where the grass is green and the water is not dangerous,
and I eat and lie down and am satisfied.
Sometimes my heart is very weak and falls down
but He lifts me up again draws me into a good road.
His name is WONDERFUL .
Sometimes, it may be very soon, it may be a long long time,
He will draw me into a valley.
It is dark there, but I'll be afraid not,
for it is between those mountains that the SHEPHERD CHIEF will meet me
and the hunger that I have in my heart all through life will be satisfied.
Sometimes he makes the love rope into a whip,
but afterwards He gives me a staff to lean upon.
He spreads a table before me with all kinds of foods.
He puts His hand upon my head and all the " tired " is gone.
My cup he fills till it runs over.
What I tell is true. I lie not.
These roads that are "away ahead" will stay with me
through this life and after;
and afterwards I will go to live in the Big Teepee
and sit down with the SHEPHERD CHIEF forever.

Ardmore 5K

Saturday was the Ardmore 5K that our church puts on to feed the hungry. 100% of the proceeds go to the Food Bank of Northwest NC. We raised $18,000, which equates to 126,000 meals for the hungry! Below are some pics of my family that a friend of ours took.

Ethan, Isaiah (our neighbor), & Sydney

Getting ready for the 1 mile Fun Run

Ethan coming in to the finish line!

Reid at the finish. (Reid is sitting with me right now, and when he saw this picture, he said, "He say, 'You won!'")

Close up of Reid and his bear

Marshmallows!

My mom came to stay with the kids while Jeff & I went to Boone on Saturday for ASU's homecoming. Friday night we grilled out and roasted marshmallows. I love the way Reid says "marshmallows!" so I took a video of him saying it. This one is for the grandparents!


I was shopping at Costco last week with Reid. As we passed by samples, he asked if it had wheat or if it was gluten-free. "That wheat, Mama? Is it gluten-free?" It was the very first time he showed any awareness of what he could and could not eat.

Also, Sydney said "y'all" for the first time last week! It was so cute, and so unexpected!

And Ethan got 2 stitches on his forehead today from a run in with a gate at the park today. Thankfully, our friend Beth was there. She's a PA-C Dermatologist who called the dr. she works with who got us right in for the stitches. (Beth did Ethan's last set of stitches.) She and 2 other friends at the park stayed with Sydney, Reid, and our neighbor Isaiah who was with us (I had school pick up today.) Thank you Lord for friends who cheerfully help us in our time of need!

Baby Chandler 4 Is a Boy!

Here he is! We were totally surprised to hear we are having a boy...Jeff, Sydney, & I were really expecting a girl. He kept opening his mouth in the ultrasound, and Ethan was convinced he was trying to talk to him. Everything in the scan looked healthy, and we're looking at a Feb 27 due date.

First Day of School

Sydney & Ethan's first day of school was August 24. Here are some pictures from that morning.

Sydney and her new friend Kaylee in their classroom

Sydney, Mrs. Creech, and Jonathan; she has an amazing classroom!

Reid makes himself at home in Ethan's classroom

Ethan was really excited about having his own folder with his name on it (he has a hard time keeping his eyes open for pics!) He was also super excited about the box his teacher had for him with sharp pencils!

Ethan and our neighbor, Isaiah, are in Kindergarten together this year.

Reid in play mode

Ethan got to take Curious George home from school for one night, and he took him for a ride on his motorcycle.

New Pictures

We've been really busy with the clinic, but I so wanted to post some kid pics! School is going really well for them. They love it, and I love Redeemer School's unique approach to learning. It's half day up through second grade, so being done by noon has been a perfect transition out of homeschooling.

I got to do something really amazing yesterday! My best friend from middle & high school, Leena, is an independent film maker, and her first full length film, Raspberry Magic, was showing in Cary, so my mom & I got to go! It was such a unique experience to see someone you've known most of your life do something so big, and it was so well done.

A few recent pictures...

Sydney, Reid, & Ethan this morning. The Star of the Week for Ethan's class gets to take Curious George (the class pet) home for the weekend. Parents take pictures and write a letter from CG's perspective to the class telling about his weekend with the student. So here's CG waiting to be picked up for school by our neighbor. While we wait, we've been reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Also taken this morning...sporting new clothes from Grammy & Papa and new shoes from Grandma Z.
Our church puts on the Ardmore 5K to raise money for food for the NC Food Bank. Sydney, Ethan, & Reid went out collecting food from neighbors on Saturday and we so excited about how much they collected!
Sydney is a lover of autumn, like me. She was thrilled the first day it was cool enough to wear long sleeves and long pants (more clothes from G&P) and a new pair of fall shoes from Grandma Z.