weekend getaway

this weekend hubby and i divided and conquered so to speak.  he and kellen stayed home in maine to attend a comic book convention.  my boys love their comic books!  i knew it would be a super fun weekend full of stuff they love to do, just the 2 of them, and probably some pizza and burgers thrown in the mix.

casey and i packed our backpacks and headed northwest to vermont. friends invited us to a contra dance (my first ever!) and we would sandwich the trip with seeing family nearby. saturday morning we hit the road. the drive was smooth. the farther north you get the less and less cars you see. i always drive my favorite route through Franconia Notch. gorgeous mountains, big sky, and i figured a possibility of snow on the mountain tops... little did i know...(more on that soon.)

we arrived on time, visited family then headed in town to pick up our friend and some food and head to the dance. it was potluck style (as if it needed more enticement..  i LOVE potlucks!) casey and i both wore a twirly skirt. i always forget how dark it gets there. DARK! we arrived, gathered with more friends we have not seen for some time.  i loved seeing how all the kids have grown since our last visit. like weeds!  we ate some yummy food, then the music began, and the caller started lining us up. i was a little nervous about the dance part.  i love to dance, but i have never danced with a caller. it was fun and silly and energetic and we all warmed up that building fast. my friends partner plays fiddle and he was part of the wonderful music that night. at one point he got to put his fiddle down and join his lady for a waltz...  how great is that? oh yes i do love vermont.

we left the dance and went home and got cozy for sleep.  we knew there was a possibility of snow and it started to spit just as we climbed the stairs to bed. we woke and casey asked to go to the window to see if there had been snow.  you could hear the excitement and hope in her voice. she pulled the curtain back to reveal it had indeed snowed.  a beautiful blanket of white. not too much.  just enough.  a lovely first snow fall.  and the morning went from there.  warmed by friendship and the woodstove, a warm fresh breakfast and coffee with a spoon of maple syrup, the girls layered up and headed out.  returning soon for hats and scarves for their snowmen... :)  then returned again asking for help lifting their snowballs into snow people!  we had no idea they were rolling really big snow balls.  once they were finished we were allowed to come down and see their fun creations.  one for each of them.  the tall one, the big brother of course, complete with his hat! 

we packed up and headed out to see more family, Pa on his birthday day, and big nana well.  a lovely visit and then it was already time to get back in the car and drive home. the sun peeked out a little and the snow melted away as we drove south. when we hit the notch on the way home we pulled over to see the big mountains with the snow.  winter is magic in the beginning.

we got back home to our boys who filled us in on all the fun they had, and we shared ours with them.

thank you vermont.  we love you.