2011 November Farm Activities

Welcome to the christmas season.. we have rushed into the christmas season and this year seems even more hectic.. We made our traditional visit to Mom 's in Andover for Thanksgiving with Brother Mark and family along with Aunt Betsy and the rest of the morison's  Andrew ran the fastest feaster five k race EVER  and the kids (Henry and Sophie)  did their first kids race . We hung out did the black friday shopping then jumped up to peterborough to attend Aunt Betsy's post thanksgiving foot ball game and  pick up our lamb which was raised at terrace hill farm(yumm yumm). I got a guy night out wiht my friend John and caught up on all the news in Andover ...

The following weekend Aimee was able to do a spa day with friends christine, liz and cathy in Concord NH. The pampering did her well!! While spa-ing (is that a word?) Andrew had a g-bread party for the kids and our friends the mcNabb's and the cudney's came.. Candy .... candy . candy... everwhere.. I think these candy makers seem to have a candy for every season

Check out the Lake Champlain Bridge.. Vermont's newest bridge to NY  We wish all of you a wonderfull holiday season..

2011 October Farm Activities

Aimee, Christine, Elizabeth, Kids and Miguel

October was... sweet... literally .. Massive candy.... that's all I can say..Henry and Sophie and now Willa had a record year .. this year was a Reeses dominate year... having said that it took over the family and we had to take drastic action...we gave it away!!! This month we celebrated my 43rd birthday and I enjoyed a bit of golf, a night out on the town with some friends and a visit from brother Mark and his family.. (editor's note.. this was not before a first as Aimee backed into the baby sitter's car...not too much damage.. interestingly enough we haven't heard from her since..)....Aimee's friend Christine came up and we treated her to the best Vermont offers in the Fall. Then friend Elizabeth Mckeen also made it up for a night on the town while dad watched the kids..(what a guy).  Look what they picked up while they where out.. (Miguel) ... My travel schedule in October was limited... I got to go Milwaukee for a trip and saw the Harley Museum.. along with some German food... hope all is well

Henry the leaf

Willa and Sophie .. leaf people

2011 August/September FarmActivities

Sophie in Lake George being attacked by an icecream cone

Again I am remiss in my posts... the good news is readership levels are level and have not declined.. Thanks for checking in on us... Well august and september where full again. We had my mom up for a visit with her friend Nan and we hit the hot organic farm to table eateryin burlington (Farmhouse tavern ... in an old mcdonalds no kidding on that one).. Later in the month we made it to see some old friends at Lake George. The Goff's treated to an incredible boat ride and stay at their home while I learned all about mixing crazy cocktail drinks with my friend Chris and his wife Jackie... It ended early thank good ness... Check out the picks shutterfly  Chris made of Henry and Sophie ....Labor day was off to Betsy's and Peterborough NH. This year was challenging as we had to detour around the ongoing construction site which is there home as they rehab a good part of the back of the house and outside as well!!! Nonetheless we enjoyed another visit. September was quick  as I spent some time traveling toNC and Boston... GE is keeping me busy... Aimee and I also made it to Boston for a wedding for her friend susan hanson and a visit to see mom. We enjoyed a trip to Salsbury beach of all things on a beautifull fall day. In the end of the momth Aimee went to visit her Mom/Dad with Willa and I had the kids .. I survived and so did the kids along with a heavy dose of chicken nuggets and scooby doo movies.... It helps to have lots of activities and when aimee was away I was fortunate to actually attend a sleep over birthday party with the Mcnabbs. Myself with sophie /henry and 6 other kids got to sleep together . what a joy... 
xAnd finally what blog post wouldn't be a complete without an update on my projects. The land of fruits and vegatables is trying my patience as the expectations of contracters,plans and progress simply hasn't happen. Can I fire myself ?.. What to do.. In the words of Terri Francona. duely fired manager of the redsox.... I am just not getting through the way I hoped to myself.. Ah well. I  hope to get it done this weekend if it would stop raining.. As always.. I hope you all are doing well..
Take Care

Henry in LakeGeorge

2011 July Farm Activities

July was a blast...Henry and Sophie where in the july 4th parade in  hinesburg... we made it to LongIsland for a week of family fun. Our friends the milner's kicked it off with a couple of days of co family fun . As you can see the pie was a centerpiece..



Sophie with  a Snail



 For those of you who are ever on the "island" the briermiere cream pie is a must !!! The milners fed us with the best of gabiella's tequila and food... Later on in the week we had some family time with my sister and her family.... Andrew's land of fruits and vegables has taken on new twist as the lawn didn't exactly come in the way we wanted and  additional clearing is needed. Stay tuned for new updates... With Aimee's encouragement we threw a Mid Summer Night bar b q and camp out. We had 14 adults and 14 kids.. Hinesburgers for everyone and of course camp fire smores...  Andrew and Willa where the only non campers....

2011 Early Summer Farm Activities



Land of Fruits and Vegatables Before



Land of Fruits and Vegatables After

So its been two months.. and again I have been remiss so much has happened but perhaps maybe not so much.... Big news as Henry graduated hinesburg nursery school and moves on to kindergarten. Aimee is now the big cheese as the president of the nursery school board... our towns tots have never had it so good :) wait till they get the new curriculum Aimee has planned..Andrew travelled alot making stops to NY, FL, CA, NY again for christopher's NY High school tennis championchips. I also got to catch up with some NY friends in my whirlwind tour. I managed a couple of good rounds of golf and reclaimed the title of the Hinesburg Open in June with some help from my canadien and now local golf friend  Doug. Aimee was kind of enough to find a Hinesburg nursery schoold dad who plays golf.. What a wife !!!

Henry took on his second year of soccer camp played his first round of golf on dad's day for 9 holes and of course he loved the golf carts. We also got to NY for nephew Christoper's graduation and enjoyed some time in Lake George after with Henry's god parents Kelly and Tom. We had fun but suggest that the" luxury georgian resort "we stayed in was neither luxorious nor a resort.. ah well it had character.

We've accomplished some major projects to upgrade the farm...
We upgraded lots of the old window's with new replacement ones.. no more drafty winter days... Aimee says she misses the wavy glass but loves the upgrade.. We also cleared a new area of the farm now dubbed the "land of fruits and vegatables." as andrew planted all sorts of fruits including apples, black berries, red red berries and blue berries... the fruits of our labor won't come till next year though and we will move the veggie garden as well.. Henry also has big plans for a fort... ah anothe project !!!.. Our summer plans are coming together with visits to long island for a week this year ...

2011 April Farm activities

Weather update :April the wettest month in vermont history.. Over 7 inches of rain and lake champlain seems like its at our door step.. actually not but we can see water everywhere... ... nonethe less april was great and we celebrated Willa's first birthday in stile with cupcakes for everyone.. Aimee is a pro at this and has gotten a great recipe from non other than her favorite Martha Stewart cook book (secret butter milk) April also had a great hildabrand get together for easter as we had adam, christen gisella , bill ,amanda and granny and papi... the weather broke and we had a great easter dinner ... Andrew traveled a bit for work making it to Arizona for a few days.. We started our big spring project of clearning another part of the property.. we've got grand plans of a mini fruit orchard with apples, blue berries, raspberries and black berries.. you'll all have to come to vermont to check it out... We also made plans for new windows for this old house which will come in may.. Hope all is well with everyone...

2011- March Farm Activities

Bring on spring... The beginning of march we had the 3rd biggest storm on record... and then just on april 1st we just dodged a major storm.. and as are most people in Northeast ready and waiting for spring.. March was again a blur with Birthday's (henry's) Lego party taking center stage. We rented out the town hall and had a co birthday party with Henry's friend Cole. 14 of Henry and Cole's friends took over and enjoyed as many events as Aimee and Cole's Mom (Jamie) could think up It was great . Aimee and I also made it out TWICE (yes twice) for out on the town events!!! (Dinner and Play!!!)... Andrew and henry got out skiing and are looking forward to next year as we bought season passes to Bolton . Final day tomorrow. . As with every march , maple season is a highlight as this year I didn't make syrup but we did hit a few sugar shacks including as part of a visit Aunt Betsy in Peterborough NH some great back yard sugaring

2011 Febuary Farm Activities

Febuary was a total blur. (a White one literally.). it started with snow and ended ... a record for burlington and us.. it was perfect for henry's skiing which he continued to enjoy. papi and dad moved from cochrans to a day at bolton which then progressed to the top of the mountain.. a slight set back as well as henry took a fall from the chairlift after slipping away from dad's grasp... scary but henry survived and continued to master the pizza turns and is now demanding poles and more gear!!!!. Aimee's fund raising efforts at HNS culminated in the waffle breakfast at valentine's day along with Dad dressed as clifford the dog as the breakfast mascot ... (a dream came true for Andrew btw having said that some kids can get pretty rough ) Aimee and I were fortunate to get away for cousin Micheal's destination wedding n Cozumel Mexico for 5 days of sun, fun and an assortment of hildabrand relatives. Papi and Granny watched all 3 kids (gasp) in Burlington and survived to tell about it . We arrived home to find the weary watchers along with a case of mexican flu for Andrew. It was great.weight loss after a vacation.. not really great... The last week of the month had the frost invasion as Mark , Betsy and their entourages came to VT for some skiing. A surprise storm had us snow bound in VT all together for a night... Ahhh. family fun at its best!!!!

2011 January Farm Activities

Happy New Year... This year... we made it to new years after a great home made dinner with our friends Penny and Micheal .. . . The year 's drink of choice was a maple kiss (vermont gold vodka, syrup, heavy cream, butterscotch schaps) all shaken and poured over ice... try it... It feels like a long winter so far as January came and went and with it lots of cold and snow... We did managed to celebrate Aimee's and Sophie's birthday..Andrew made a chocolate cake from scratch and mom made sophie special cupcakes. Sophie's 3rd was a blast as 6 of her closest friends came and had the greatest of all fairy b -days.. Tinkerbell has gotten into the family dvd permanently... January was also spent launching Henry's skiing career. by the third time he had mastered Pizza turns and was off of the mighty might and on to the t-bar in between dad's legs... As henry put it Dad I don't need the mighty might ... any more.. wow... it was great to watch. ... Next month its off to cozumel for kid free vacation to go to a family wedding.. wooo hooo!!! As january closes we wait for the super bowland the possibility of bragging rights for Aimee's Steelers... (she actually had a tail gating party at her work with pickled eggs and rolling rock)

Andrew went to the pats playoff loss with brother in law big A... fun but a bit of a downer...

Better luck next year...