Big Girl!

I can't believe what a little lady this gal is already becoming.  Cal and I went out on a girls double date with her friend Thompson and her Mom-- three months later to celebrate her 7th birthday.

The kids spent a Saturday at Chemistry Camp at UVM.  Hazen is technically too young.  He's supposed to be in kindergarten, but we know the guy in charge of the grad students who organize the camp and he told us it was alright to "fudge" the paperwork.  Needless to say, these budding scientists LOVED it.  It was great to see Cal look after her younger brother and the grad students said Hazey was great, asking questions and fully engaged.  They never would have guessed that he wasn't in kindergarten yet. 

Meanwhile, we continue to try to expose the kids to all sorts of extra-curricular disciplines..... like the local dance performance of Aladdin.  Hazey got to rub the magic lantern (although Cally said it just looked like a fancy gravy boat).

We all got to celebrate the arts at JES and see a few of Cally's pieces of art.

Here is a picture of a mask Cally made at Poker Hill Arts.  She loves PHA, but hates taking the bus there.  I'll never understand what it's all about, but all the worries of the past month are wrapped up in that darn bus ride.  She has gone so far as to convince the school nurse that she needed to come home twice in the last month because of that bus ride. Mr Lane, her guidance counselor, has convinced me that it's not about the bus, that she's just a worrier.  My friend Carlota recommended a book called , "From Worrier to Warrior".  It's been a really helpful read for both of us (it's actually meant for kids 8-12).  It explains the thinking brain and the fight or flight brain and the disconnect in between.  She gets it.  She knows that the worry monster comes in the days leading up to that bus ride and she knows that he's just a big bully.  It is getting a little bit easier every week-- because she is counting down until the end of the year.  Meanwhile, Hazey is being such a great supportive little brother.  He cheers her on and tells her "she can do it'.  

Another Year Older!

I can't remember the last time I got to spend my birthday with my sister!  It was a treat to come home from my morning exercise regime to find the dining room decorated with lots of birthday cheer.  Cally and I played hookey and we all went to Burlington for the morning and then Nif and I spent the afternoon getting massages and relaxing at the spa. John brought the kids to the Tavern at the Inn at Essex to meet us for dinner.  It was a great, great day!

Will and Hazey walked Cally down to the bus the following day!  Will was on his spring break and it was great to have him and Nif up for a few days. Sadly, both Nif and John left that day.  Nif headed south and John headed north for a delayed 50th birthday celebration with his local buddies.  

Easter & Niquettes

John and I had to head down to CT for his aunt Linda's funeral the Saturday before Easter.  Aunt Nif had already planned to come up to Vermont for Easter, so she kept with that plan and was able to hang out with the kids while we were at the funeral.  We reciprocated by treating everyone to a lovely Easter breakfast and Easter Egg hunt.

We even had a traditional egg roll:

Followed by a hike in the pasture to the "magic rock":

This was all followed by an afternoon of spring skiing at Smuggs.  Cally and Hazen wanted to show their cousin how to ski:

Uncle John was a patient and strong instructor:

And the day wouldn't be complete without a little "apres" ski scene:

New Bike, Lost Tooth, New Baby, and Recita

This girl has been waiting and waiting and waiting to lose her front tooth.  It started wiggling in November and I was sure it would be gone by Christmas....... Finally, it fell out!  She was so excited to have an excuse to write Tina the Tooth Fairy a letter. She also got a "new" bike on Craigslist.  It has gears and hand brakes and she's super excited to ride it at Mountain Bike Camp in June. 

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 Even though the sun is shining and it feels like spring, we continue to ski at Smuggs.  The kids are having so much fun and it's cute to see them have fun together.

Cal took me to a secret spot that her ski instructor showed her.  

In other news, Hazey's god parents became grandparents.  Little Julius was introduced to his Vermont "cousins" and they were so excited to be with a baby.

We even managed to get out on some single track mountain bike trails..... in March!  So strange to be on mountain bikes so early, but so fun to ride with these little rippers.

 And finally, after only five piano lessons, Cally had her first piano recital. She did great!  And the cutest part was the unsolicited hug Hazey ran up and gave her right after she finished.

I love this picture of Cally below.  She looks so happy.  Unfortunately, our little fire cracker has been struggling with a lot of worries lately.  She hasn't been able to put a finger on the worries, but she's been having lots of belly aches and has been pretty unhappy about going to school.  There have been lots of tears and lots of second guessing herself.  It's been so hard to see our once carefree and confident gal seem reticent and timid.  Her teacher and guidance counselor have been wonderful.  They have coached me about not acknowledging the worries.  They say that doing so will give oxygen to the fire.  This is hard.  Way harder than I thought raising a seven year old would be.

March "Snow Day" and Sunshine

Our vacation was delayed a day because of a "snow day".  It wasn't really even snowy.  In fact, it was wet and yucky, so the kids and I went skating and visited Echo's Love Exhibit.

The kids have been having moments of being really good to each other.  Here's Cally helping Hazey write a thank you note to his grandparents. 

March is always when John heads off to Idaho with his students for a Backcountry Ski and Avalanche course.  So, six days after he returned from Utah, he boarded a plan for Boise.

The kids and I hit the Mardi Gras Parade in Burlington:

Then we joined friends at a benefit part at Arts Riot:

Hazey really got into "cutting the rug"

And Cally's Sunday Mighty Might lesson was a picture perfect spring skiing kind of day.  A little early for that, but a treat to enjoy some corn snow and apres with the kids:

With no snow on the ground, we managed to get out for a fun hike at the Red Mill.  It's hard to believe that we skied through April last year.