Happy Birthday my Sweet little one year old!!

1 year ago, today.  Axel made his debut with news cameras and everything.  Today, we celebrated by trekking in the woods tapping a maple tree and learning about maple syrup.
Cute things Axel did today:  Woke up happy and giggly, eager to see the world and everyone in it - especially his Dad.

Helped make the bed.

 He loves to be the receiver (who doesn't) of the sheet cloud that gentle rests on him as he eagerly kicks it off.  Especially if his brothers are doing it with him.

He explored my kitchen while I prepared for the maple tapping expedition.  Found a kitchen sponge under my sink and crawled over and put it in my towel drawer.  It was a cute little exploration.
Talked to me as he rode on my back and had much to say about the proceedings.  Especially in the Sugar Shack, where steam billowed up from the syrup baths.  He knew this was a place where one whispered.  But outside he let out his rolled 'R's  and I felt like I had a motor on my back.
Axel you sweet, sweet little boy.  You have so much patience and determination.  You scootch around army style, we discovered this week that you can crawl you just chose not to.  When the ground is scratchy and your belly is bare you will move to your knees.  You get happier when you are tired.  You LOVE your brothers and love to comment on everything.  You like little buttons and pointing and trying to pick up and touch small things.  You like details.  You don't like loud noises, unless you are making it.  you are particular about what you eat.  But you will at least try it.  You know what time Dad is supposed to come home and get impatient when he does not.  You love playing with Dad.  I am constantly amazed at what you learn and are doing.  You are kind and sweet and we love you.  Happy Birthday

A little bit of fun Maple Tree tapping:

The North East is the only climate in the whole world that allows the sap to flow and making Maple collecting possible.  It doesn't matter what type of Maple, it requires the freezing at night and thawing in the day for the process of maple sap to flow from a tree.  It tastes like water.

It takes 8-12 hrs to fill this bucket.

 (Yes we got to drill the hole and hammer in the spicket as well)

Then we collected the sap from the taps that had already been going for several hours.

We brought the sap to the Maple Sugar Shack. Where they steam out the water and make the syrup.

Any guesses on how much syrup this tank can make?

1 gallon of syrup. 

YEP! 50 gallons of Sap = 1 gallon of Syrup

Now you know why the pure stuff is $20 a bottle!!

In colonial days, maple syrup was the poor man's sweetener, anybody could tap a tree.  White Sugar was kept under lock and key.  After tasting that pure syrup, I'd take the poor man's sweetener any day.

It was a fun, cold day thanks to the sun the fact that I forgot my coat wasn't so bad after all. (but all the kids had hats. gloves. snow pants and lunches!!!)  

Tomorrow we will do the cake and presents!