into the woods :-)

Today we went maple tree tapping with our homeschool group at the North Park Village Nature Center.

First we drilled a hole in the tree...
hammered in the spile...
and tasted the sap...
and after the work was done... some playtime....
I posted more details about the actual field trip on my homeschool blog with more pictures in you're interested.

This was another one of those days that went on forever... but I mean that in the best of ways. Our tour was at 1:00 (which meant leaving around noon) and we didn't get home until 6:30ish. Not only did the kids thoroughly enjoy the tour but they played outside FOREVER afterwards. After the tour was over, we were walking to the bus stop with another family from our group. Well... the kids spotted a HUGE frozen puddle that they just couldn't resist. They skated and slid across the ice. The trekked off into the a little grove of trees and found sticks to use to play hockey. They had a BLAST. Finally we rounded them up and started again toward the bus stop... UNTIL they spotted a herd of deer! They took off across the grounds stalking the deer. They didn't chase them, just carefully and quietly moved toward them... I think they all secretly (or not so secretly) wanted to pet them. I seriously think they were at that for at least an hour. It was an amazing experience. Such a fun escape from "city-ness" right here in the city!!

I totally meant to blog last night but I was playing the will she or won't she throw up game with Clara. Some of you know this (some of you more personally than others) but Clara throws up easily. Not a fun trait to have, but it's hers and it doesn't seem to phase her. Last night on our walk to dance class she told me that her head hurt when she "grinned". By the time for her class she was curled up into a ball in the floor of her hip hop class (Alex was in piano). As soon as piano was over, I got her out of class (she had insisted on being in there and watching) she said she didn't feel good and threw up (thankfully in the bathroom). So, from then on we were on alert. She did okay until her Motrin wore off around 5:00 am. But after that she's been fine. She's an odd one. When Alex gets sick (which isn't that often) he gets totally, no doubt sick. Clara always hovers in this grey area... sigh.

Okay... I've rambled entirely too much!

'nite!