Bright and early on the first day of vacation, the boys headed up to Black Mountain to test their skis and their legs. They skied from 9am to 4pm, including a ski team practice. To see the entire album, just click on this line.
We picked up the boys' alpine ski equipment yesterday. Once we arrived at home, they set up a ski hill in the front yard replete with jump. From 4pm to 9pm, with time sliced out for dinner, they swished, jumped, and turned. I lit all the lights on the east side of the house so the slope would be illuminated. At times, Bailey joined in. While they skied, I recalled my days skiing in the yard and on the hill behind our home in the 1960s. Great memories. To see the entire album, click on this line.
Thank you to Astrid for our latest box of homemade goodies and special chocolates. The boys "seem" to be balancing their consumption of these sweets, but I am losing control! :-)
The boy's first trimester assessments arrived yesterday. They both did well. Even though the grades don't count at home, they matter her in town. The townspeople wouldn't like to support international students who attended our schools didn't take their studies seriously. So, well done Rasmus and Felix!
Jimbo is Tucker Rowland's stepdad. He has fed the boys incredible feasts at their home in town. So this Saturday we prepared some homemade German and Danish cookies and imported candy for Jimbo, our letter carrier and left the treats on the front steps.
The boys did an awesome job today for their first XC ski. To view the whole album, just click on this sentence.
Connie and the boys have been on this project for several days. From shopping in the local supermarket to finding the right nuts! Last night, the cookies appeared. I sampled them this morning… Delicious!
Dear Annette and Tage… thanks so much for the gifts and sweets. Except for Bailey, we are all in sugar comas… and happily so. (Bailey has been trying to join us on our sugar highs, but we've been vigilant about keeping him away from the candy.)
Snow, sleet, rain, and cold cereal… just another Wednesday in the western mountains of Maine.12/10/2014 Felix stayed on Thursday with a cold. He ate waffles and bagels while Bailey stared in hopes of a treat from his brother from a much different mother. Click on photos to enlarge.
Sometimes I check in with the boys via Skype when I'm up at the University. This night, they began a new trimester of school, and we talked about the courses they landed. Here's a screen shot from our talk, me from my Orono apartment and they at Connie and Ben's.
It was Felix's idea. However, Rasmus liked the sound of it. So, on a cold, late-fall evening, we pulled out the clippers and did the deal. :-) The full set of photos may be found here. We had a great dinner and a never-ending dessert table. All of the photos may be seen on our Facebook page by clicking this sentence.
The three boys and I drove to Trenton just across the bay from Mount Dessert Island to spend Thanksgiving with Jen, Denny, Morgan, Caroline, and Otis Trevett at their summer home. Denny is my sister's son. The first day of our visit, the day before Thanksgiving, the boys went into town with Morgan and Caroline for a down-home breakfast at Jordan's restaurant and then took a tour of the island. Afterwards, they returned to work with Denny. As I write, I hear the tractor in the background as the trees are being ground up by a "chipper." Outside, the snow is beginning to fall as a Nor'easter makes its way up the coast of Maine. We're bound to get a good dump of snow. Tomorrow is the Thanksgiving holiday. Jen and Denny are expecting 31 people for dinner. Click on the first photo below and then use arrow keys to glide through the photos.
Thursday: Our flight to Washington was less than 2 hours and quickly we were in our hotel and wandering the streets of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. We went to a reception at the Union Street Pub where some of the folks who use Rich's books were gathered. We had fun pub fare (ribs, burgers, salads) at the pub and then headed back to the hotel where Rasmus and Felix went to the swimming pool and hot tub and Rich went to the bar. Friday: The hotel has an awesome free breakfast and then the boys headed off to the train station--picture below and Rich headed off to his conference. When Rich called to check up on the boys they had finished with the Air & Space Museum and were in the National History Museum watching a short movie (nice timing, Rich). Next, some monuments. Meanwhile, Rich is at the Gaylord National Conference Center across the Patomac River (below).
Simon's mom and a friend came by for a visit. Simon was here as an exchange student in 2011-2012. We had a such a fun evening.
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