Places to Go (Vacation) - Vermont Etc.

Despite spending most of our time in Vermont at the cottage, we still managed to see a few of the sights . . .

(Regarding the photos above, after a 9 hour car drive, the car ferry between VT and NY feels like a vacation in itself.)



We picked blueberries at dusk (which is so so much better than in the heat of the day).



And picnicked in the fields, accompanied by live bagpipe music (random I know).



We spent a rainy morning learning about zebra mussels and frogs at Burlington's Echo Center science museum.



We walked around our "neighborhood", checking out the farms right down the driveway from our cottage.



We learned about "the old days" at the Shelburne Museum.



T had a blast "teaching" us in the Shelburne Museum's one room schoolhouse.



We spent a few days at a hotel, since the cottage was a Sunday to Sunday rental.



We also dressed for the wedding in one cramped hotel room. This was tricky.



T wanted a tie so he could look like Dan. I love these photos.



And, finally, we attended the most kid-friendly wedding ever - who doesn't love lawn games and smores? So. Much. Fun. (especially since I hate to dance).

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!! HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

Places to Go (Vacation) - Our Own (Happier) "Big Chill" at a Cabin in Vermont (South Hero, VT)

A few weeks ago, of one of Dan's best college friends tied the knot outside Burlington, Vermont. Rather than just stay for the ceremony, we decided to take the kids and make a vacation out of it, along with some of Dan's other college friends.

After a huge get together of Case Western alums, circa 1997, my friend Colleen said to me, "well, I guess this is my own big chill. Luckily it's a wedding and not a funeral."

I looked at her in horror. The Big Chill came out in 1983, when I was 7. I remember it as a movie about old people. Old boring people with uninteresting lives reminiscing all the time. Even at age 38, I refused to believe that this motion picture could have anything, as in ANYTHING, in common with me.

So we watched the movie. And, though particular dates are never referenced, all appearances lead to the conclusion that I am now older than the film's characters. Also, turns out that they don't have boring lives, rather they all seem moderately rich (why is everyone in movies always so haplessly wealthy as if money, like a cold, is just something one "catches"?) with glamorous jobs - a journalist, a radio talk show host, a TV star . . . They're even Michigan grads (go big blue!).

And the movie itself isn't even that boring (though it is quite random, just for the record, I am NEVER going to ask my husband to impregnate our mutual friend, call me a prude all you want). Apparently your viewpoint changes when you watch an "adult" movie as an "adult".

So I guess this was my "big chill" week, though that sounds false as I didn't actually go to college with these people (was I the Richard? Hopefully I am nothing like Richard). But despite learning that I am, by my very own definition, now an old person - we had a fantastic time. The kids all bonded, while the adults lounged and drank and played Cards Against Humanity.

Seriously, a wonderful week, turns middle age is sort of awesome.



Oh, the sunsets. Wow.



Sometimes it rains in Vermont. Apparently rain will not keep children from a kayak.



Badminton quickly morphed into the exciting game of "throw the ball over the net". The boys played for hours.



Coco made some new friends. But mostly just slept.



Want to make children happy? Buy them an island.



F likes to display her political activist side while playing Sorry (for explanation on the t-shirt, watch Blackfish for family movie night, then I (almost) guarantee that your children will want to wear one too).



An awesome kid turned 5.



But mostly importantly, did I mention the sunsets??

Things to Make - Road Trip Entertainments - Style Me Up and Unbreakable Pencils

I haven't posted anything to make in quite awhile now. We. Must. Start. Making. Things. Even my recipes are old.

Anyways, before a long car drive, I try to buy the kids some sort of art/activity kit to keep them entertained for a few hours or so. Previously, I relied on Melissa and Doug sticker pads and doodle books, like these. But as the girls become older, less and less amuses them, making such purchases tricky.

Luckily, F picked up the above Style Me Up sketchbook from A.C. Moore (click hereto see similar products) and couldn't stop drawing. I think she enjoyed the challenge of creating a new wardrobe for a known figure, very Project Runway-esque. The books come with stickers too, for earrings and details.

We also bought one of Crayola's most recent offerings - the Colored Pencils Kit (is it me or does Crayola seem to come up with new products every 10 seconds or so?). The fact that the pencil tips don't break works wonderfully for car trips.

What about everyone else? Any other suggestions for road trip entertainment? (and, yes, in case you're wondering we've spied license plates from 21 states, though I think this game amused Dan and me more than the kids).

Things to Do - This Untamed Life - Our First Evening on the Lake in Vermont

As I mentioned on Friday, two weeks ago we vacationed with friends in Vermont. For the first few days, we stayed in a hotel and then, on Sunday night, we checked into this beautiful cottage on Lake Champlain. The weather was iffy, but the kids couldn't wait to kayak on the lake and Dan started fishing before we unloaded the car.

Now click on over to This Untamed Life to see how everyone else photographed their evenings.

Things to Do - Swim In a Watering Hole & Cherish This Day

We spent last week in Vermont (outside Burlington), more pictures are coming (of course), but until now, here are some river pics from the first day of our vacation. It felt nice to wet our feet.

Now click on over to Cherish This Day for your weekly dose of gorgeous.

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!! Have a wonderful weekend!

I don't have any random links this week, but this cracked me up last night.