dudes weekend

With Elizabeth and Soren in Vermont (second visit to consider a move their next year, to be decided upon this week!); Alden and I embarked upon Dude's Weekend.  I tried to leave as much as possible up to Alden -- our schedules, level of hygiene, and bedtimes, for example.  Saturday started with fort building -- we covered the living room: "I can tell this is a weekend because of how much time were spending on building this fort."  Then, sledding on a particularly bumpy run --  basically until the sled broke.  We did have to stop by my work for a new litter of mice pups, but Alden got to hold some baby mice, and get a tour of some cell work being done by Marta in the lab; she also let him drive the electron microscope for a while (below, measuring the temperature of dry ice and water; "If we have lab gloves, can we touch anything?")  Saturday night, we ate meatloaf and cupcakes; and read Calvin and Hobbes.  Sunday morning, more forts, then out for his inaugural x-country ski -- rented skis, but no poles available for his height; so we went without out.  Skied quite a ways searching for hills (he's sure Michigan has some un-discovered mountains).  [Below with a hat from Pop-Pop as a shout-out to planting the seed of this wonderful sport in our heads.]  Also had his first cheetos on the way home; it turns out hes a fan. ""Why is there a cheetah on this bag? Theyre probably pretty good for you!  Do you think they smell good?"  

Its going to be tough to return to our Monday routines, but will be good to see E and S, and find out their scoop on Vermont.