M is for Maple

This past weekend was one of my annual favorites - Maple Open House weekend.  It was a little later than normal this year, so all of the sugar houses we visited were boiling.  That delicious warm, maple aroma and a sample of warm syrup right off the boiler are heavenly.  We have two great sugar houses that we visited last year and decided to visit again this year.  End-O-Road Maple in Jericho was awesome for their hospitality, treats, and all the farm animals and tractors for the kids.  Their maple waffles were amazing!  Davis Family Maple in Underhill was also great, with lots of hands-on maple-related learning activities, and a viewing platform where you can see into the boiler and stand in the maple steam.  Ahhhh!  The kids loved it almost as much as their momma did!

We had to end the outing with a maple creemee, of course!

We also had the privilege of celebrating the baptism of baby Gianna on Sunday.  What a beautiful little baby, and we are proud to have her in our church!

And, here are a few scenes from the week.  Since everyone was feeling better, Evie was back to school, and I had some nice one-on-one time with Noah again.  He had lots of fun with bubbles, helping me make soup in the crock pot, wearing Evie's dress-up shoes, and watching the trash truck.  Pleasures in life are simple when you are nearly 2 years old!

Evie continues to be a generous big sis, making "tea" for her little brother when he's thirsty.  I think he needs some work on sipping and not chugging!

Evie has also been feeling like a big girl lately.  She has been asking to paint her own nails, and I finally agreed.  She was very careful and did a great job!  Soon after, she went out on her bike with a neighborhood friend and rode in the cul-de-sac without a grown-up (little did she know that Mom and Dad were checking on her often from the kitchen window).  We had a little "learning opportunity" when she took off on her bike into the neighborhood without letting us know.  I was calling to her as she rode away, and she kept right on riding.  So, off I went, running down the sidewalk in my Dansko clogs, adrenaline pumping with a mixture of fear and fury.  I'm glad she loves her bike, but geez, she can get away fast!

Evie is also loving her swimming lessons:

But really, this is how I prefer my babies - safely tucked onto my lap (or snuggling with Sophie while she visits!).