It's spring break here in Kingston and the weather decided to warm up for the occasion. My parents came to visit for a few days and while they were here we were able to check out Maple Madness. 

The Little Cat. Reservation Area puts Maple Madness on every year for the few weeks when the Maple Syrup is running.

They have areas set-up to show how Maple Syrup used to be made way back when the term "stainless steel" never existed...

and they show how the process has changed throughout history.

And, of course, they have the fancy new modern system that carries most of the sap they collect from the trees to the evaporator.

It's almost like seeing a vast system of veins connecting the trees. Admittedly, it's a little weird.

But the maple syrup is to die for.

And it tastes best served on top of these pancakes - crisp on the edges, light and fluffy in the middle - mmmmmmmm!

More Maple Madness adventures to come!

I finally got my CPIC so I went on a field trip with Isabel's class to the Little Cataraqui Conservation Area today.

I love this age of children.  They're old enough to function on their own and they're still really enthusiastic about the world.  The kids in my group were the best kind - good listening, non-hyper, happy children.  

We learned about all of the special things that nature has to offer the animals that live out in the world.  We learned how to look and listen for those specials things and then we went on a "treasure hunt" to find them.  

We found the giant oak trees that give food and shelter to squirrels;  we hid among the long lean pines like white-tail deer; and we stayed still and quiet while we watched the black-capped chickadees flit among the bushes.

Isabel's teacher does such a wonderful job with the class.  It's always nice to be able to help out when I can.  We had a really great time and I feel so lucky to have been able to join the kids on this special trip.

This weekend has been beautiful, so we took the opportunity to go for a hike at Lemoine Point.  The trails meander lazily through thick grassy prairie and dense forest to open up onto rocky beaches that overlook the water.  It is a perfect place to spend an afternoon exploring.

Cole was the head designer on our beach fort project.

Fun was had by all.  It was a wonderful adventure.

The Canadian Forces had two boats docked in Kingston today, so we took the opportunity to go see what a naval ship is like.  Cole was in combat heaven.

There was a long gun.

And machine guns.  What more could a military obsessed child ask for?

There was other stuff too - like flags, lots and lots of flags.

And a workout room.

My personal favorite...

...a bike?  Not sure where exactly you'll be riding that at sea, but I suppose it comes in handy while in port.  We also saw a guy board the ship carrying golf clubs, so I'm guessing they allow some personal items.  Who knew the navy was so luxurious?

I have to admit it was pretty cool to tour the ship.  The kids had a great time and we got to experience another little piece of Canada as a family.  What more can I ask for?

I have a confession.  

I have a sad addiction to food.  

Not the kind of addiction where I get sad and eat food.  And not the kind of addiction where I crave food and can't stop eating, therefore making me sad.  

I'm addicted to food in the same way that Clay is addicted to science and everything that goes with it.  I love knowing that if Clay asks me what a mornay sauce is, I can tell him (it's a white sauce made with parmesan or swiss cheese - for those who wonder).  I love knowing what kind of pepper makes the best Chile Rellenos (Poblanos, of course!).  Worst of all, I love watching food shows, especially ones that feature restaurants because I love going out to eat.

It is a sad addiction.  Is it not?

Anyway, the farms around Kingston hosted an amazing event this past weekend called Open Farms.  Basically, as a farm you could participate by opening up your farm for tours, etc. and allowing the public to come and check you out.  

We checked out a family farm just north of Kingston that raises a variety of animals, keeps bees and runs a sugar shack for maple syrup.  There were cows and pigs and goats and pheasants and chickens and peacocks - all organic - and it's all done to custom order for their clients.

The farmer was so friendly and eager to share with the people who were visiting her home.  It was awesome.  In fact,  I was so impressed by her that I immediately wanted to order any meat we consume from her.

The kids really enjoyed the kittens that were roaming around and if Cole had his way we would have brought one home.  He was convinced that this little fellow here was in love with him and fate had brought them together.  (Much to his dismay, I supersede fate)

It was a perfect way to spend an afternoon, feeding my food addiction problem.  I love knowing where my food comes from and I hope more places offer these kind of opportunities for people everywhere.  It really makes you appreciate the people work so hard to bring you the good stuff. 

Apple picking is my all time favorite event of the fall season.  We do it every year.  Usually it takes up an entire afternoon because there's a wagon ride out to the orchard and then picking at different locations for all the different varieties of apple we want.  Then there's a wagon ride back.  Doughnuts and cider are purchased and consumed on site.  The kids play and life is good.

Well, up here in Canada there's no wagon ride and no doughnuts (which is the biggest tragedy of all!), so apple picking didn't take up the entire afternoon like it normally does.  But we still had a wonderful time.

Afterward, we took a little side trip and stopped at one of the lochs of the Rideau Canal.  

It was a bright, beautiful day - absolutely perfect for exploring the Canadian countryside.  These moments are wonderfully serendipitous, so I'm glad we have kids that are adventurous enough to go where our whims take us.  If you haven't yet been out to enjoy the fruits of fall, I highly recommend you find the time...soon!

The heat this summer has been unbearable for many parts of the U.S.  It's even been too hot to handle up here in Kingston, so we've been finding ways to cool ourselves down when the sun starts blazing down.  

Our answer to beat the summer heat is the splash pad at City Park in Kingston, Ontario.  Here are my top 5 reasons why we love this cool destination.

1. It's free and in this day where everything costs something, you can't shake a stick at that.
2. It's right across the street. We happen to live in a premier location, so we can have spontaneous "let's go to the splash pad" moments.  Everyday if we like.
3. It's a great picnic destination.  People come from all over the city to eat and play, so it definitely feels like a community destination. Furthermore, it's right across from Clay's office so he can meet us for lunch on weekdays when he's at work.
4. There's a playground, so when the water gets too cold for the kids we can work up a sweat swinging on the monkey bars.

5. There's always a chance you'll see someone you know. Our school's ward is so small that everyone lives near this little piece of heaven.   And if no you know is there, you're likely to make a new friend.

We visited Fort Henry a couple weeks ago when my in-laws came to Kingston for a visist. Both my Mother-in-law and her husband are really into historical sites especially with military significance since Clay's step-dad served in Vietnam.  Luckily, Kingston is chock full of history and Fort Henry proved to be a great place to spend an afternoon.  

We arrived just in time for a basic tour of the entire Fort. The whole tour lasted about an hour and wandered through many rooms that displayed everyday life when the Fort was operational. The soldier who gave our tour was very knowledgeable, friendly and extremely tall.  The poor guy had to duck through most of the doors and I couldn't begin to imagine how many times he had knocked his head on the cold hard stone.

After the tour we watched the garrison gather for inspection and re-enact the bombarding of an enemy ship before wandering into several rooms that were set up like a museum containing pictures, models, and weapons from the era. My favorite item on display was a signed pictured of Queen Elizabeth and her husband. 

When everyone had finished inspecting the various artifacts, we climbed the steep stone steps to check out the view from the ramparts.

The last thing we did was join the Great Escapes of Fort Henry tour.  Everyone was thoroughly entertained by the stories our tour guide shared and the kids didn't even mind retracing many of our steps from the first tour.

All-in-all, the trip was a definite success . The kids had a great time exploring the Fort (my son deemed it "epic") and even learned a bit too.