Spring has Sprung

Our eyes are burning from re-acclimating to the pollen count after a few of us were away in Arizona or Virginia for a bit, but, aside from the red scratchy eyes and the persistent cough, it is a pretty time here in NC.

 A making it snow.

I Demand Satisfaction

50 or so days since the last post. Since then J has really started talking, B has lost more teeth and A has had a birthday.

We've got sort of a shortage of good pitures from actual cameras these days - when both parents have phones that take decent pictures, that becomes the default. However, upon the importing of a few pictures taken with a camera, I noticed some choice ones of A, all of which show the outside world the behavior we see every day: A is happy touching presents, and, fortunately, also happy with friends. But she should not be crossed.

Drumsticks and Stones

We've returned from a fun-filled, cousin-filled and stuffing-filled Thanksgiving holiday in Roanoke. Thankful for the warm weather and healthy kids.

Schaddenfreude Jr.

Usually we can never get our oldest kids to smile like this for the camera - never. But lo and behold, there is a new trick:

1. Go out to Salem Lake on bikes.
2. Find the abandoned ropes course you never knew was there despite going to Salem Lake on a pretty regular basis.
3. Let kids climb on rickety stairs associated with said abandoned ropes course.
4. This includes Jay.
5. Watch kids laugh and smile once Jay falls backwards off the steps into a pile of leaves.
6. Feel guilty, but take picture quickly.

Precious Cargo

B lost his third tooth this morning, whilst camping. After returning home, all of us were on the verge of collapse, but knew that we had to find the tooth fairy pillow. After searching in vain for a few minutes, we gave up hope for finding said pillow this evening. However, Barritt quickly improvised a backup method of delivering the tooth to the Tooth Fairy (see below; and yes, that is his tooth in the treasure chest). His tableau is so good, one wonders if he intentionally lost the pillow. In any event, B has honestly indicated to us that he hopes the Tooth-Guarding Ninjas will come alive later tonight to meet the Tooth Fairy - not to scare her, just to make friends.

While you are here, enjoy the other pics of A&B at Stone Mountain Falls (earlier today), and Jay at the Moose Cafe (last week). It's going to be a while before he goes toe to toe with that moose.

Jay, Dining Room, September

Jay is seemingly everywhere at once these days, except when you are trying to find him. If he is not escaping out the front door, he is sitting on the side of the toilet "washing his feet", or attacking a brother's legos, or attacking a sister's painting or "helping" to take the painting tape down. Here are signs of his mischief from a one week period, in just one room of the house. OK, the first picture isn't mischief; it is a gesture that states the obvious: I'm a third kid, I do what I want until it inconveniences one of the other four of you.

Back from the Beach

In this world of Facebook, Twitter, back to school and getting more than a hundred emails a day at work, it is increasingly hard to find time to keep this old 2005 blog technology updated. Nonetheless, we'll try to do it once a month . . .


The Chambers will never take one of those pictures where all of the subjects' clothes, smiles and dental work all match. Part of the reason for that is philosophical, part of it is because we are all somewhat introspective and therefore none of us perform well and part if it is because there is just too much wiggling in our family. But all in all, I'm pretty pleased with this souvenir from the annual beach trip: