Adirondacks Road Trip

Madeleine had a long weekend off school from Clarkson University, way up in Potsdam, NY near the Quebec border.

The most direct path is through the Adirondack Park in New York's North Country, full of beautiful mountains and glacial lakes. It's fall up there earlier than in Albany. We couldn't have picked a more beautiful day for a road trip. With snacks.

Here's the full set of photos on Facebook.

Brown Bag

I am the king of packing lunch. I remember to add spoons for chocolate pudding cups. Cheese sticks get double bagged with ice cubes. And the kids get a note from me every time.

Carter shrugs about the notes; Claire collects them in the front pocket of her backpack like they're a limited edition. Every morning when I'm packing food she wanders into the kitchen to ask: "Did you put a note in?" I say it's a surprise — you'll have to wait and find out at school.

Just so we're clear, Claire would rather be late to school than have me forget the note.

Carrots for Soup

Yesterday I was making soup, listening to David A. Bednar talk about the subtle, easily overlooked blessings of tithing. Rats, I thought, I’m out of carrots for my soup.

The next hour I’m at the elementary school Fall Festival, where I spent the last of my cash. On our way out, there’s the supermarket dietitian handing out healthy snacks. Or should I say, ingredients.

Some of the windows of heaven must be small and round, just large enough to drop Dixie cups full of carrots.