Finished Product!!

We feel like we are kids who just built the biggest sand castle known to all the other kids on the beach!  We did it!  We have maple syrup in a bottle!

Step 5: Filter

Once the sap is turned into syrup in the evaporator, then it goes through this filter, (which is minutes rather than hours or days).  Once it goes through the filter, then bottling!

Turkey Fryer

The evaporation process is much faster with a turkey fryer we have discovered, and we need it because today alone we got 17 gallons of sap.  (What are we doing?  Nobody knows...mad science in the garage with sticky things!)

M: March, M: Maple syrup

We are making maple syrup this year.  We put taps in the trees last Fri and gathered about 16 gals of sap for the week.  We started to boil it down to syrup, but now the last two days have been cold so everything came to a stop.  Hopefully the weather is correct and tomorrow will be a promising day.  The sap is really good this year (ok, I'll take your word for it), which means a high sugar content, resulting in less sap per syrup ratio.  "It is running about 32 gallons of sap per 1 gallon of syrup."  (Wow, that sounded pretty good.  Let me tell you, our learning curve has been exponential this week--learn/read on the fly.  Thankfully the boil is a slow process so we can stay on top of what is next.)

Step 1: drill

Step 2: tap

Step 2.5: take a picture of the neighbors yard because it looks cool.  

Our neighbor Bill, 78 years old, is teaching us what the heck to do.

 Step 3: Collect sap every day when we get home from work.

No pictures.

Step 4: Evaporate the water from the sap/boil it down. 

 Step 4.5: hang out in the garage.

Next steps: stay tuned.

(maybe Sunday or Monday)

"I don't really like school, I want to do work"

Nora, my serious one.  I am convinced Nora is going to solve a major world problem some day.  She is very serious and VERY compassionate.  She is sensitive to other kids' feelings and if things are done appropriately.

Nora has little books that come home to be read; when one goes back, a new one comes home.  She is feeling very rewarded with learning new things.  I am still amazed with what they learn in kindergarden.

"When I grow up I want to be a mermaid"

Thank goodness she is funny, because she is three and that means she is driving my nuts!  Clara has a mind of her own; she loves to dilly dally when its bedtime or clean-up time or any time.  Clara is really growing and growing up; she will be more than ready for preschool in the fall.

Clara has announced several times that she wants to be a mermaid when she grows up.  About a month ago when she stated this again, JR responded with "you will have to grow a tail."  I have never seen a little head do so much thinking in all my life.  She was stopped dead in her tracks on that brain twister!

Knock knock, Anybody home?

Oops, its been awhile.  Where does the time go?  JR and I have both been busy with work and the weekends are only two days, and now it is March!!

The girls and I made a quick trip (lighting speed) to MN in February for a weekend.  We spent time with the great grandparents, took a trip to the zoo, and went to my aunt and uncle's house for a family gathering.  Then we were back on the road again on Sunday in one of the many MN storms this year.

Most will never really understand having a family gathering just thrown together on a whim and have 60 people show up....but the Stanton's know that feeling!

(1/4 of the shoes)

The girls do soooo well traveling with a million things thrown into one day. 

Last few weeks....

I have not been nearly as committed to my blog in the last few weeks as I have been in the past.  I have never been one for the whole resolution thing, but this year I caught a bug and so far its working out pretty well.  The only problem is that the blog time suffers.  I am trying to have less "screen time" as we all know the web can suck us in for hours at a time.  Because of staying away from the computer, I have so much more done, (dah).  I have the dishes done every night after the girls are in bed, I have committed to 30min 5days/wk to the treadmill through a contest at work, and I only have 30 pages left in my book that I started last month (compared to the normal 3 month cycle).

The last two weekends have been all about hanging out on winter days.  Sunday we finally ventured out to go ice fishing, which lasted all of 4 minutes before everyone was cold.  It was actually pitiful the short time it took before the girls wanted to be back inside.

 Nora and J.R. trying to work Nora's new pottery wheel.

 Saturday morning sunrise looking out the window at our front yard after a light snow overnight.

 Indian Lake.

is....a....like

Nora had her first spelling test last week.  Can you believe it!!??!  I know I sound like the mother of a kindergartener but I am still amazed she has spelling tests.  In the last few months I have been so proud and thought it so cute to watch a new reader emerge, but I have to admit, I am a little sad watching the time fly before my eyes.  This spelling thing symbolizes much more to me; she is growing up too fast.  This week's test: go...the...it.

Egg Free!!

I have finally made quality egg-free sugar cookies that will actually take a shape of the intended cutter.  I have tried all the egg substitute (crap) and it doesn't work for cookies.  The cookies don't roll out and are more bread-like, than cookie-like.  They work ok for cakes but not something that requires a rolling pin.  This time of year, its even harder than usual to watch Clara long to "play" and "participate" in the cookie making and, most of all, EATING!  I have mastered the applesauce substitute for pancakes and banana bread, but apparently had never tried it with cookies.  What was I waiting for, they worked perfectly with applesauce!!  And tasted the same as all the others.  I used my mother's all-time favorite sugar cookie recipe and substituted 3Tablespoons of applesauce per egg and everything else was the same.  Clara wanted to play and play with the dough, and she didn't get red patches and hives on her hands like when we use eggs for cookies!!  This is a big day!  No offense to all the other allergies out there, but egg is the worst because it touches so many foods.  Clara is also allergic to peanuts and tree nuts at anaphylactic levels too, but I could take a peanut allergy all day over egg.  Lucky for us, we don't have to be choosy because we get all three at the severe level.  (Cynical, I know, but I reserve the right every now and then to vent my cooking restrictions.)

(The pictures are not high quality because I don't have flash on my phone)

Winter Solstice

Conversation on the way to school:

7:45AM--very dark--estimated sunrise: around 8:20AM.  

Nora: "Why is it so dark?"

Me:  "It is dark a lot longer around Christmas time; when we go to school and by the time we eat dinner, it is already dark.  It is the opposite of summer time, when the sun is still up at bedtime."

Nora: "I know why that is."

Me: "You do?"

Nora: "Its so we can see the Christmas lights."

To myself: "Of course, its all about the Christmas lights!  Everything is about Christmas during the month of December to a 5 year old.  Please winter solstice come, so we can have our longest day of darkness, then reverse the process!"

For all the science lovers out there...I did add to the conversation a little bit about seasons and the Earth tipping north verses south, etc., but I think it was lost beyond the Christmas lights!

Snow

Nora is helping me with this blog entry.  She picked out the pictures of her and Clara playing in the snow over Thanksgiving weekend.  We have been too busy playing and working to take many pictures lately.  I need to work on that.

Here you go, from Nora:

Perfectionism at its finest!

Oh, Nora.  My little Nora is a perfectionist.  Most often, and in the grand scheme of life, it will be to her advantage, but today, at age 5, it can be very trying for all those around her.  Nora has to do all of her work immediately when she gets home: wonderful.  Nora needs everything all lined up: great.  Nora getting upset at everyone in the house over slight imperfections: frustrating!  Nora has been getting mad at Clara and myself when things are not "right."  "I said to do this...."  "Clara that's not right...."  (Sorry to share your faults, Nora, but the story does have a good ending).  We have tried multiple strategies to no avail, but today on a whim, I declared that everyday she will start with 3 stars and if she yells at anyone a star is taken away.  If she has any stars left at dinner, she gets dessert (a high motivator).  So, about 2 minutes later when they were both at the front door getting hats and coats on I heard Nora yell at Clara about something.  "Nora, you lose a star." ...off to school...pick-up at Debbie's....to the car....I had to run back in for something...back to the car...  "Mom, I lose a star because I yelled at Clara when you were inside"  Perfection: a wonderful thing!  (Thank you Nora for being so honest and for just being you!)

ps.  Both girls are growing out their bangs...Nora's new look.

I LOVE TARGET!

Today was a great day, for many reasons but mostly because I got to stock up on EVERYTHING at a Target in Green Bay!

To think, I use to "try" not to go into Target too often,  I never gave a second glance at things like purses or accessories, and I would race past the movies and book section with my kids so we could stay on task.  Well, my friends, when Pamida is the greatest thing for 50 miles around, you find a love for Target that you never knew existed.  I love where we live, the pros significantly out-way the cons.  However, when you are within range of all the modern conveniences and style of Target....the excitement builds.  I am sure most reading this are thinking I have lost my mind, but the choice of Burts Bees lip balm over plain chapstick is all it takes sometimes.  Today I broke my record spending at Target and I think this picture of Clara says it all.  We were there so long, she made herself right at home with her new headbands, video, and snacks for the ride home.

Lake Michigan last week in the wind.

It was reported that we had at least 10 foot waves.  I know that Manistique had 50-70mph wind, just like the rest of the country. 

Happy Halloween!

Introducing Pippi Longstocking and a Japanese princess.

 We went to our daycare lady's house, Debbie.  She has over 30 monsters/guys on her front porch.  Next to us, the "bride and groom" in the driveway, is Debbie's 16 year old granddaughter, Gabby and her best friend, Shelby.  The girls just love them, otherwise there is no way they would be that close to something so scary!

Walking down the streets of Manistique...

Dance lessons

Not 'dance' or 'dance class,' but 'dance lessons,' according to Clara Cunningham.  This was the third week of the girls taking "dance lessons" and there were great strides this week.  I took these pictures on my phone the first week.  The first two weeks I likened Clara's participation to that of a bean pole.  She was rooted in the ground, not moving her feet in the slightest, but posing beautifully for the camera as you can see.  I always considered her my "brave one," little attention I payed to how easy it is to be brave holding big sister's hand.  Now the youngest class is first, followed by Nora's age group.  Well, my story is on its way to a happy ending because we practice yesterday and today, Clara, as she states "did everything the teacher told me."  Way to go Clara!

Nora loves it, as I knew she would.  The girls are in a class that is both ballet and tap.  I miss the little community ed class that Nora took, but this is a good next step for Nora.  The dance performance review will be in May....stay tuned.

Cunningham's

The weekend before Clara's birthday we did more fall touring with J.R.'s parents and his Grandma Sweitzer.  It was a great day and a lot of fun showing our family new things.

Living in the woods, or at least surrounded by woods, I sometimes take for granted (which I promised myself not to do) some of the natural beauties I get to see every day.    In our area the squirrels are very active, we see deer everywhere, and there are so many leaves falling it looks like a slow-motion movie at times.  And Blue Jays, I didn't know anything about them but I can see they are ferocious and everywhere in the last few weeks.  I see as many Blue Jays as I did Robins in Shakopee.

 

Happy Birthday Clara!

Clara Marie on October 5th 2007

Clara at her 1st Birthday party: 2008.

 Clara at her 2nd Birthday party: 2009

(poor girl, she took an extra long nap that day, missed half her party and woke up in a fog)

 Clara at (one of) her 3rd Birthday parties: 2010

Love the colors

I enjoy taking pictures of my kids, but you must know that I don't love taking pictures of them.  My really passion is for nature photography.  It seems that people who love taking nature photos take a million "fall" pictures every year.  I know if I went through my photos I would find the same type of pictures year after year, but I just can't get enough.  The colors are magnificent around our area.  I try over and over to capture it.  Hopefully I am coming close.

 I must confess.  The picture of the falls is taken by the one who taught me to love nature photography, my dad.  Nice framing Dad.