This is our first maple sugar day - March 7th. We have been sugaring for 3 years. We have learned a lot, and made plenty of syrup. When we first started we boiled outside at our house in town. Now Scott has taken over the whole project and taps and boils at the farm. Here, they are getting ready to head out to the "sugarbush" to tap trees for the season. Lydia and I walk out behind them. Caleb has his helmet on because he was riding his bike when the 4-wheeler was heard. The motor beats the pedal any day.

Everyone was so cute on one of our favorite Saturdays - Firehouse Pancake Day. We go as soon as everyone is awake. The whole community comes out - it's fun to see people we know and look at the fire trucks in the parking lot and the uniforms hanging along the walls.

one of our family's favorite games! I found an extra at the second hand store to put in our 72 hour emergency kit.

Getting into wearing everyone else's shoes. Here she dons Caleb's Darth Vader slippers

A baking day

Caught eating in the living room

swimming at the high school pool

This is Lydia ready for the blessing on the food. Arms in her lap, I have not idea why she does the tongue thing. When we kneel for family prayer she spreads herself on the floor with her arms tucked under her. She is so funny!
Ready to go outside!

A trip to the Utica Zoo during our winter break. It was a cold day, but it's a small zoo, and a lot of the animals are "put away" for the winter so it didn't take long to see it all. Donkey, deer, wolves, ferrets, tigers, Lynx, Alligator... A nice outing.

The closest we come to camping - Daddy in the kids tent in the living room.