Not so sweet

  To bank tellers, store clerks and post-office-counter workers:
  Don't ask my children if they want candy. And while you're at it, and even though it's far more appropriate, don't ask me, in front of the children, whether they may have candy.
  If it were 1931 and candy were a rare treat I couldn't afford, it might be cool to get free candy. But candy is cheap, and my children don't need more.
  My children are not deprived of sweets. We have baskets full of Easter candy, stockings full at Christmas, Valentine's candy, birthday treats, and fat pillowcases at Halloween. I realize that another lollipop isn't going to tip the scales. But the 13 grams of sugar and Red No. 40 aren't the only issues; it's also about the message it sends.
  When my 6-year-old daughter slammed the minivan door on her fingers, and I took her to urgent care, I thanked the receptionist who asked me whether she could have a lollipop, and I gladly accepted. But when the children's only accomplishment is standing in line to watch their mother buy stamps, they don't need a treat for that. I don't want them thinking that candy is something you eat all the time. I don't want them eating treats that, seconds ago, they were fine without, but now that it has fallen in their laps, they suddenly want.
  Candy-givers, I know you mean well. But you risk taking well-behaved, happy children and turning them into crabby children on a sugar rush, or discontented children who feel like they're missing out because mom said no to the free sugar.
  The ubiquitous candy bowls and offers of treats are wearing on me. Please, make it stop.

Making maple syrup

We went on a field trip with other homeschoolers to a local university that teaches people about making maple syrup. We went on a similar trip two years ago to a local syrup producer, but this trip was more hands-on.

The kids got to choose a tree to tap and help drill the hole.

The most important information they offered was where to buy supplies to do it ourselves. For some reason, I've never looked into it. Turns out, a hardware store right by our home sells everything we need. Spiles (the little spout) are three dollars. That's all you really need, since we already own a drill, but we bought two jars and buckets, too. Within an hour of the field trip, we had three trees in our yard tapped.

I tried two different buckets and one milk jug. I like the milk jug option; it's easier to keep little pieces of bark out. After this first experiment, we might buy some filters, too. Or maybe the spiles that use a plastic bag to collect sap.

I'm very happy with the results. We had about two-and-a-half gallons of sap and made two small bottles of syrup in three hours. It's really good and very sweet. It's lighter than I expected, but I've had some experience making candy and could tell when the syrup was ready. If I were judging just by color, the syrup would have burned.
Ironically, the syrup is so sweet, it reminds me a little of corn syrup. It tastes better, though. It's amazing that it came out of our trees!