Total Solar Eclipse, Weekend Fun, and New Apple Trees

We hope that everyone is doing well and enjoying spring! We had a great family outing to view the solar eclipse, the boys were busy over the weekend, we have new apple trees, and a "flash back" to picking apples in 2017 with Addie!

For the solar eclipse on Monday, we drove ~ 12 miles north to be in the path of totality.  Lucky for us, we were able to watch the eclipse from Pleasant Valley Preserve (the place with the sick racoon).  We waited for the eclipse on the bridge so we could hear the frogs.  

The kids loved being able to see the moon blot out the sun, the wind die down and everything get still and silent, and it how dark and cool it got!

It was not THAT warm on Tuesday but warm enough for everyone but Amy to bust out shorts!

Throwing the football around after dinner.

Ayson was being annoying and kept catching the throws intended for Addie.

Spring flowers!!!

On Thursday, Amy joined neighbors Denise and Jo for a dinner date.  We went to LaLa Lu and had a wonderful time at the eclectic Italian restaurant!

Water in a fish container.

We started with freshly pulled mozzarella (pulled [stretched] our table) for caprese salad.

Denise had a Dirty Martini meal: Bucatini pasta, gin infused garlic butter, parmigiano cheese, and castelvetrano olives. 

Amy and Jo had Cacio E Pepe in the Wheel: A Roman classic prepared for you tableside with

Pecorino cheese and fresh cracked black pepper in the wheel

Amy did not take a video BUT here is a link to the meal being prepared at LaLa Lu: https://www.facebook.com/reel/708794117114748

We watched a server roll a three tiered dessert over to the table next to us - a spicy gelato.

Amy went with the tiramisu :)

 On Friday afternoon, the boys went to Auntie Julie and Uncle Dan's house to cut down trees.

The boys were able to get some hooting practice in

The boys stopped at the grocery store before they left Canandaigua AND they went through cousin Kaela's cashier line:)

Addie helped Amy make banana bread.  We had to stop our process and get chocolate chips as we were all out!

Ayson went out in the rain to help Adam plant 4 apple trees (honey crisp variety) that we purchased from Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards.

In 2017, Amy went with Addie and her Kindergarten class to Beak and Skiff to pick apples from the orchard trees and Amy found it surreal to pick perfect apples off the tiny trees.  All the apple trees Amy was familiar with (growing up and at our house) are big and old.

 

We hope everyone is doing well and enjoying spring!  We are looking forward to spring flowers and lots of summer pool time :)  

Hopefully this will be the LAST snow picture of the season!!!

A^3 (minus Ayson who was TOO tired) went to Pratts Falls on Saturday and had a wonderful hike to the waterfall and the meadows.  Addie calls this hike "the maze" because there are so many trails to pick from :)

Addie carried this stick the entire time we were on the hike - 2.9 miles!!!

The waterfall was roaring.

Adam snapped a picture of Amy getting a picture of the moss covered stone ledge.

Ayson wanted to read his code book "on the beach" - note the Hawaiian shirt and coconut water... 

and the beach scene on the tv complete with wave sounds :)

Addie spotted the amazing sunset Saturday night.

Sunday was gorgeous and we spent time in the gardens.  The kiddos were supposed to be pulling weeds and instead they were pounding rocks against other rocks...sigh.  At least the kiddos were having fun.

Addie was NOT pleased that Amy handed her one last flower stem that needed to be mulched (Addie was tired and wanted to be done with chores).

Amy went for a walk in the orchard and was able to here frogs chorusing!!

https://youtube.com/shorts/vfEeCO4e1m8?si=SWHy6y6meqZp6RTF 

Happy Easter

We hope everyone had a wonderful Easter with family and friends!!

The kiddos had Friday off and we went to Ms Annie and Mr Bob's house for dinner Friday night.  

Annie had wooden eggs for us all to color - very cool!  Thanks, Annie and Bob for a fun and tasty evening!!

The kiddos working on their eggs before dinner.

Ayson's egg - VERY detailed!!

Addie would not let us look at her egg creation until it was done...

TaDa!!! So pretty :)

For dinner, we had ham, gołąbki (cabbage rolls OR "pigs in a blanket" from when Amy was little :), pasta with vodka sauce (a recipe from Elizabeth's high school home economics class!), Utica greens, crostinis, AND salad. Ayson liked the gołąbki and Addie liked the pasta.

Crostinis and Utica greens for the win (and a request from Mr Bob for Adam to make)!!!!

For dessert, Ms Annie made pecan pie bars...Amy and Adam were so STUFFED after dinner!  We both ate at least two bars after dinner!

After dinner, we settled in for serious egg coloring!

Ayson's creations

We spent Saturday getting house and outside chores done.  Saturday evening, Amy and Ayson went to Kate's house.  Ayson checking out the walking sticks.

Ayson had fun playing hide and seek and shooting nerf guns with Emmett and Merrit

The boys

Addie wanted an easter egg hunt so we found the eggs, she filled them with candy, and Adam hid the eggs around the yard.

Amy jokingly gave Ayson the tiny easter bunny bag to hold his loot.  He used it and a larger bag (on his back)

Addie wanted to GO!!

It was too cute watching the kiddos run around the yard looking for eggs!

Ayson skipping along

Addie was on the move!

Sorting the loot - only two eggs were missed.  We all went back outside to find the missing eggs and they were sitting prominently on the wooden swing :)

We Have Snow!?!

We hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy!  Amy was away during the week for a meeting and during the week it was COLD!  We got a bunch of snow early Saturday morning and the snow was already on its way out by Sunday afternoon.  Ayson helped Ms Annie shovel her Dad's driveway on Saturday and then shoveled Ms Annie and Mr Bob's walkway on Sunday.  Thanks, Ayson!

On Saturday, Addie and Amy participated in another craft activity at the library led by our friend Kate.  The snow could not deter us from participating!!

We made tree of life pendants and Addie selected fall leaves for her tree :)

Of course we had to play in the snow Saturday afternoon!  Addie mimicking a cat "loafing."

Addie huddling in the partial snow fort.

Addie standing next to the snow wall that Amy made.

Saturday evening, we went to Kate's house to "pet the pets" : new chicks, the dogs, and the bunnies.

 

Feeding the bunnies romaine lettuce - too cute!

Adam made French onion soup on Sunday and Ayson was so happy that he started dancing :)