Mapling

The Receptionist that works for Dave has a cute little farm west of town. She and her husband have lots of maple trees and each year they extract the sap and make maple syrup! In March, they invited us to come and see the process and we had a lovely time. It takes a lot of work to make a jug of syrup!!
She is also a horse lover and let us meet her horses, which Ady absolutely loved! Here are some pictures of our hike through the trees.

Kyler

Ady
Tayden

Snow Much Fun

Some pictures of all the winter fun we have been having lately.

Snow Angels

Building Snowmen

Wednesday Whimsy: Once there was a Snowman, Snowman, Snowman...

It's almost here!

The snow and sleet are falling, the presents are wrapped, the gingerbread is baked. Only 2 more days and it will all be over! The kids have been so excited and eager for this day to come. We have been counting down on our two advent calendars.

This one has little doors for each day until Christmas. Behind each door I have placed either pieces of a tiny nativity, or little slips of paper. When they pull out a nativity piece we read the coordinating scripture that talks about that part of the nativity. The little slips of paper have activities and things on them. Some examples were Sing Christmas Carols and have hot chocolate, watch a Christmas Movie and eat popcorn, Make cookies, Make a Christmas craft, deliver secret santa treats to someone, and so on. The kids take turns opening the doors. They have had so much fun with it that they asked me if we could have this every month! One thing I did to make it easier on me was to make sure that the activities that I put into each door would fit into our schedule for that day and then I wrote that on my calendar so I could make sure I was prepared for that activity when it came. I loved this so much I am sort of hoping I find another one on clearance after christmas so I can have one for each kid to open or have one with activities and one with treats or something like that.

This is our other count down calendar. It has little numbered pockets and in each pocket is a little ornament to hang on the tree. I bought this and it just had a star that you move from pocket to pocket. Then I saw a friend of mine had something like this that her sister had made for them, so I found little ornaments to put in the pockets. It is much more fun that way. What I would really like is to find 24 little Christmas pins to put in the pockets that way I don't have to use safety pins to hang the ornaments. I will have to look for them for next year.

First Snow

Our first snow of the year came and the kids were eagar to get outside. They bundled up and had a ball. Last year for christmas I bought new snow pants for the boys and "el-bos" snow mittens for all three of them. These mittens are so great. They go all the way up to their elbows and keep the snow out. I am so glad they still fit!! I had not yet gotten them new snow boots and last years were all too small or too trashed. Those have now been ordered.

Post Holiday Blues - (I thought I posted this a few days ago!)

Sorry I haven't posted much lately. I have the post holiday blues. It will improve once school starts again and I have more of a normal routine. For now I don't have the patience to be on here while the boys are being rambunctious in the background. I now understand the line from the "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"

"And mom and dad can hardly wait for school to start again...."

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

We've been having snow every night for a few days now and the boys are LOVING it!  That makes me love it too since they are playing together after school WITHOUT fighting and I can actually get things done. Ady still isn't feeling all the way better, so she hasn't wanted to go out as much.  Last year she would go out all the time in the snow.  Maybe she will when she is more up to it.

The first day the boys went out in the snow, I knew their snow clothes had gotten too small, but I didn't realize just how small.  Kyler couldn't even get his snow pants on over his regular pants!  I thought they were like a 5/6 (he wears an 8 now) but I looked at the tag and they are a 4T! I dont know how, but without any pants underneath we squeezed him into them and zipped them up.  Somehow I have 3 pairs of size 4T snow pants.  Who knew a 6 1/2 year old, a 5 year old and a 3 year old could all go out wearing the same size!?! Ady is the only one they actually are comfortable on.   I think for Christmas Santa might just bring them all some new snow gear :)

 

Brrrr...

It's so cold!!! It's 53° but it feels frigid in the house. And I am sad to have to turn on the heat!! I tried to just bundle Ady and I up, but her little fingers are still ice cold. And I am shivering under my layers! Its time to get the winter clothes out. That part I am excited about. Turning on the heat in October is sad, though.

I want some mild days. A few days ago I was sweaty and too hot. I want my in between fall weather. I want to be able to not use heat or AC. I want open the windows! Instead I have the boys asking to wear their winter coats to school!

On the other hand, Ady looks really cute in her new hooded sweater :)

Apparently she is too cold to smile. I love that she wanted to pose with her hand on her little hip. HeHeHe :)