circus

Here were the boys just before we went to the Turner's circus (think local Cirque rather than venue for animal torture).

and James, looking pensive:

Maple Syrup Festival

To the chagrin of the young folk, we attended a Maple Syrup Festival today. Though it promised such delights as maple cotton candy, pancake breakfasts, candle making, and a tour of how maple syrup is made, our arrival was met with faces like this:


(The backdrop is smoke from the woodburner used to heat the syrup in production.)

The mood did not lighten, even when we found a tee-pee


On the tour we learned that 20 gallons of syrup are produced from 1000 gallons of sap.


The children (accompanied by their friend Sophia) attempted to escape, through the Maple grove by going uphill on a fallen log.

I found the festival delightful, and would happily go again. I hear the national syrup festival is only about an hour further away, and spans the next two weekends. To that, perhaps Joe and I will travel ourselves. More cotton candy for us.

Valentine's Day

Eliot got something in the mail today from his teacher. He was thrilled, and insisted I take pictures. He was very serious about his modeling poses, as you can see.

DC

The boys and I had a marvelous time on our trip. None of the highlights were captured on film. Here is the best picture of the lot:

Eliot's trip highlight was spending time with "all the friends" (we rented a house with 3 other families, 11 children total, 9 of whom were boys), and the "wooly mammoth". James' favorite things were the sniper on top of the White House (sigh) and the dinosaur bones.

the Magi came

(this was from school)

I forgot a few

Justin, here is the picture of E with your gift:

and Grandma Linda was having the boys lay down to 'magically' have a present appear under their feet. The day was all about magic, in several ways. Here are the boys awaiting another gift:

christmas day