It’s true!

  

Well, folks, we did it!

We have fresh maple syrup nestled in our cupboard. 

It is actually about 1/3 of the way gone already, because it turns out that I can make pancakes (waffles, french toast) work for ANY meal of the day.

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But, get this guys.  As much as it boggles my little West Coast mind, the rumors are true! It actually does come from trees!

(Which really opens up lots of great opportunities for me to say things like “Eat up the rest of your syrup! It doesn’t just grow on trees you know!!…Oh yes it does!” Haha!! I can’t wait!)

(Technically IN trees, but whatever)

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Brian suggested that we should go see the maple syrup operation in it’s purest form at some mom and pop shack somewhere.

And BOY did I deliver!

 

The sugar shack was literally in someone’s backyard, and we were given a tour by the teenager of the family who was stuck watching the syrup on a Saturday.

 

(note: many of these pictures are from Joseph)

Fun facts: The sap comes out of the trees clear, but gradually yellows the longer it sits. (Also the later in the season, the yellower the sap that comes out of the tree) This effects the grade (but not the quality) of the syrup.  This sap has been sitting for about 3 days, which is why it is yellowish.

It is cooked over a wood burning fire, and the wood in the stove has to be restocked every hour.

Also, this farm collects it’s syrup by hand- and it takes between 30-40 gallons to make one gallon of syrup!

After we had oohed and aahed a bit and bought our syrup, we headed back to the car.

The boy called out to us, “By the way!  We have some chickens and goats in the backyard if you guys want to see them?!”

Boy, did we!

 

Syrup and some chickens?  Too much, people, too much!

 

Joseph now asks me many times a day for a small lick of the syrup from the “syrup farm!”

I smell another trip to Connecticut in our future.  How does one go back to Mrs. Buttersworth after this?

Happy Wednesday

 

(At the Connecticut coast.  Before I moved here, I wasn’t 100%…or even 50% sure where Connecticut was located.)

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I have tried three times to make a coherent post about our weekend and my play date, but for some reason it just isn’t coming together.

My mind is mush,

but ask me a question about superheroes, and I’ve got you covered!

Hopefully an early night will win me back my blogging mojo.

In the meantime, I am hoping that the blue blue sky, Isaac’s smile, high water pants, and bowler shoes will tide you over?

Kiss, kiss!

-Caitlin

(PS I misspelled my name when I wrote it originally a second ago.  Ironic much?)

Happy Weekend!

You know what this means:

 

We are finally pulling out of the sickness, and it is time for me to wash all of the “sinus-drainage” smeared sheets and sanitize every surface in the house!

To celebrate our recovery, we are heading up north this weekend- “March is for Maple,” baby, and we are hitting up some sugar shacks!

Not only am I sanitizing and getting us ready to trek out in the wintery woods, but I am hosting a play group gathering on Monday for an online mom’s group I joined. 

It has snowballed a bit out of control, and I now have 7 moms and 13 children attending.  Did I mention that we live in an apartment?  Mmmmhhmmm…

Have a great weekend, everyone!  I will catch up with my blog-friends next week!

 

Winter Encore

Things Joseph has observed:

“I guess it is getting to be winter again!”

and

“I think tomorrow is CHRISTMAS!”

(thanks for the scarf, Julie!)

Don’t you let your sick (recovering) children splash about in melted snow puddles?

 

Sick

 

 

I thought about adding a container with my name on it, but having it filled with chocolate!!

Unfortunately,

1) I have no chocolate in the house.  And trust me, I’ve looked. 

I keep telling myself that I should keep a stash “in case of emergency”, but when you keep EATING that emergency stash, well…

2)  When we do have it, we keep our chocolate hidden and stealthy.  “What’s that Joseph?  Oh mama’s just taking a little medicine, don’t worry!” kind of thing. 

Unfortunately he is starting to ask if he can smell my breath. 

That’s the trouble with having smart kids.

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Anyway, there is some serious sickness going on in this house.  Currently,

Joseph has strep throat and bronchitis, and these have caused him to lose his voice (secret!:  that last part is kind of nice.)

Isaac has a sinus infection and a double ear infection.  He has basically camped out on my left hip and cries all day and night. 

Although today he DID throw an action figure in the toilet, so I think he is perking up.

Brian is sick as well, but is currently muscling it out at work to support my online shopping habit.  (kidding honey!)

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My cold bug has gone into my lungs, so I am hacking all day, but for the most part I feel fine and I am now the designated nurse in the house.

And let me tell you, I excel in crisis and am practically Florence Nightengale around here.

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Homemade soup, tea, juice, and popsicles fall from my fingertips.

I can recite the past 10 times I gave either child medicine.

I can wipe a nose while simultaneously patting a head compassionately and giving sympathy-eyes to the third person.

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Basically, I get out of bed, throw my hair back in a ponytail

(less likely to get covered in snot that way)

pull on my oldest sweatshirt

(again, for the snot situation)

fill my pants pockets with tissues

(see above.  we have some nose issues in this house)

and sit down in the rocking chair for hours, becoming the resident tissue, head stroker, comforter, snuggler, hugger, book reader.

I am a mother, hear me roar!

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But, as good as I am at this kind of thing, it is starting to get a bit old, and I fear that in another day or two I will lose my sympathetic sparkle.

Coasting along at mediocre motherhood is much more relaxing.

So let’s go antibiotics, lets go! (clap, clap)

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PS The doctor heard an asthmatic wheeze in Joseph’s lungs, something we have suspected for a while.  So, yesterday was his first ever dose of asthmas medicines. (which we will now administer as needed with sickness/exercise) 

I have to tell you, I felt a little choked up about the whole thing!  I have asthma, so feel a bit responsible. 

Sorry kiddo.  But look at those blue eyes you got from your old ma!  Surely that counts for something?

 

Top O’ the Evening to Ye

 

We are desperate for holidays ‘round here, so we went all out.

(We found out this evening that Joseph’s EXTREME outfit choice was because he was under the impression that you could be pinched anywhere that you were not wearing green!  Don’t ask me how I know. Ouch.)

My green compilation (click to enlarge)":

   

 

 

     

 

 

And some that Joseph took:

  

 

  

I went all out for a traditional St. Patty’s day dinner of Irish soda bread, corned beef, and veggies. 

Top it off with some Ginger Beer (which was disgusting) and some angel food cake with strawberries (not so Irish, but delicious) you’ve got yerself a holiday!

And three pictures from the park, just to remind you that we are no longer in Idaho…

Joseph would like to remind you all that if you are not wearing green, he owes you a pinch!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!