So, despite the crazy amount of rain today, it has been a great weekend.

We are in the process of canning a legendary amount of maple syrup for one weekend.

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Our house was full all day yesterday with friends old and new experiencing sugaring.

And our house was quiet all day today.

A great balance.

So there was a lot of room for talks with my girls today.

As I have said in the past, my girls are 8 and 10 so I have already made it through the diaper years, the toddler years, the starting school years.

But, these stages are really pulling on my heart strings.

Helping and letting them learn the lessons they need to learn for themselves.

They need lots of guidance still, but with each step they are learning to become the people they are.

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This year, third grade, has been a challenge at times for Peanut. Learning the ways of the world and not really being too sure how much she wants to grow up.

But, today was a good day and she is starting to find herself.

I am not kidding myself, there will still be plenty of challenges ahead, but it is nice to be able to stop and enjoy the small, ever so small, changes.

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And Blondie is trying to find her passion.

Is it guitar, is it clarinet, is it softball, is it drama. I know I will enjoy the ride while she decides which, if not all, she will make part of her life.

Isn’t it amazing how each stage with our children is so different, so challenging and so amazing all wrapped up in one?

So, thanks for reading and I am off to help my handsome hubby can a few more gallons of syrup. Man, has he worked hard these last three days.

Good Night!

March 07, 2011 — Laura Putnam