Smugglers Notch

Okay anything with a name like this has got to have some good history.  It is true to its namesake and was used to run booty across into Canada.  Can't have the government collecting taxes can we! 

Apparently it was even used to smuggle grog in the days of Prohibition. 

Its a freaky drive and you have to take it slow, don't know how many times I found myself trying to look around corners.  In winter it is closed to traffic, unless you are a snowmobile.

little red car we were following

still following

you get mighty close to the rocks

people just pull off, sort of and wander off into the bush!  Go figure.

Bellas Concert

Bella had her very first concert.  The kids at Rainbow have been practising for weeks.  They had all three age groups performing.  Bella is in the Butterfly group and they had several songs and poems to do, some were even in French and a dance. 

A few weeks before the note came out that all butterflies had to wear blue jeans and a white shirt. She wasn't very happy with that!

Lucky for us it was a PED day at the school and Daddy took time off work and we were all able to see her first performance. 

Here she is singing "This old man", she is a dog, as in give a dog a bone.  I love how you can see she is singing away.  She really enjoyed it and wasn't shy at all.  They were allowed off stage once they had finished and could watch the rest of the performance with their families.  Bella told us she could see us from the stage and that Hayden had been rolling about on the floor!

We have a ballet concert coming up in a few weeks, that should be interesting !!!

To Travel Wide or Deep...

.....that is the question.  I guess it is a question that most travellers come across at some stage.  It is something I have had running around in my head for sometime now.

 

Time is limited, precious and we all want to make the best use of it.  BUT what does that mean when you are traveling?

 

Do you see as much as you can in the small amount of time you have?

 

...... or.....

 

Do you live as a local does and experience everyday life? 

 

 

Do you cast the net far and wide to discover where you want to come back to explore in greater detail?  Something like a tasting menu for travel, experiencing little morsels of culture.

This time we are getting to go deep and it's a very different experience.  We'v done it before, in another life before kids. 

So we are taking the time to:

• ride the metro
• family days
• festivals in the park
• joining a soccar team
• to really explore as much as we can, who knows if we would ever have the chance to come back.

 

Is either way better........or do you just do your best with what you have at that moment?

The Bridges of Madison County

Do you remember the movie Kursty?  I think I still have the novel.  Do you remember the one in Lucerne?

While we were driving to Vermont we saw this in the distance.  So on the way back I had to stop off and see it.  The bridge is no longer in use but you get to it just off the highway.  By the tracks in the mud (and I am sure John was worried about getting stuck in the Dodge Caravan - BTW I am a huge fan of this car, who would have thought we like minivans! )

According to Wikipedia the reason they are covered is to protect the structure and thus extend the working life of the bridge.

I think they look beautiful and now want to drive all over the USA taking photos of them. 

As I turned around to get back into the car, I realised that I was surrounded by dandylions, massive ones.....hows that, to be standing in a field of dreams and wishes. 

There was even a covered walking bridge in town.  I have to go back to Vermont.

Ooopppsss its been a few weeks!

We kind of got a little bizzy .....

A few quick things.  Rhys is now home schooling and really enjoying it.  He said he loves being able to hug his teacher. It has made things a lot less stressful around here.  It has taken some organising to get the program together but we are super happy with how he is going. 

Hayden is also a lot happier and enjoys going to school on his own, almost no complaints  in the morning and we know how he is NOT a morning person.

We have had a few concerts.

Soccer has started and Hayden is over the inital shyness.  He is still learning and gets a little frustrated at times. 

Bella is doing ballet.  It is the cutest thing.  The little girls all in pink run off  behind their teacher, they think she is the bees knees.  No-one is allowed to watch, not the parents, nannies or even brothers and sisters. Rhys did sneak a photo one day on the iphone.

Bellas New Obsession

While looking for something in the pharmacy (okay it was hair dye for me) Bellsie found this and talked me into buying it for us.

Thats right 18 colours, of which she has claimed all the pink ones and also the sparklie ones.  There are even little nail stickers.  Somebody shoot me now, please.

Ahhh thats nice

After a hot and sweaty game of soccer, Hayden plays for team Nigeria in the termite league.  (I know termites, what!!!)  They have after game popsicles.

y

You can see Hayden has all the moves!  Oh and he has requested people no longer call him Haydie Baby.

Car Trips, seriously kids you got it good!

While I cringe when I say things like this (stop laughing Mum) but on a recent car trip I found myself telling the kids they didn't know how good they have it.  Oh I know, that moment when you realise you have done or said something you said you never would!

But hey, we never had air con, seat belts, car safety seats, ipads, dvd players (this car even had one - avis gave us an upgrade), sat nav... blah blah.  Remember the hot sticky car rides, having to peel yourself off the vinyl seat, a bench seat at that, buring yourself on the metal buckles.....how much longer????

So my children all I can say is SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP!  You don't know how good you have it!