Vermont Attractions

So after getting a great nights sleep back in our cabin we woke up to do a few touristy things for our last day in Vermont. We headed out to the famous Cold Hollow Cider Mill to try some apple cider and World Famous apple cider donuts! Actually we had an amazing breakfast at a local Irish place called McCarthy's, so yummy! Even Elsie went to town on the food, and if you know my daughter this was huge.

This was just after breakfast waiting for the bill and she looked too cute organizing the jams.

So after our tummy's were happy we drove down the street to the Cider Mill. Elsie loved it here. This was hands down the most excited we saw her all trip. We don't understand why it's not like there was kid stuff to do but for some reason she was so excited to be there and kept squealing and smiling.

When you first walk in it is like an old general store with tons of homemade apple cider & maple products for sale. To the left was the bakery and then a sign that read "Follow the apples to see how our fresh cider is made"

I showed Elsie the big apple sticker on the floor and told her to find them and follow them. She did just that and kept looking back at us and saying c'mon mama! Then we got into the room where it showed how they pressed the apples and how the juice was dispensed. Super simple nothing grand but Elsie flipped out and thought it was awesome. Keep in mind my daughter has never had juice, yet she kept saying "Apple Juice" really loud with excitement.

In that same room was a big barrel and tap with fresh samples of the juice. Micah got the first cup and gave Elsie a taste and she LOVED it! She went crazy and kept saying, "Mama's juice" and would have me take a drink and then "Daddy's juice" and have Micah take a sip and of course "mmm, more juice" then she'd have some. We had quite a few samples because we couldn't get over her reaction every time! It was priceless.

In the cider making room. And then the reaction of Elsie tasting the juice for the first time! Her smile is so big.

Outside enjoying our warm apple cider and apple cider donuts. Well just Micah and I were. Of course Elsie didn't want anything to do with the donuts but picked her own apple out of the apple bin instead.

While Elsie was selecting her healthy apple I was cowing down one of those delicious donuts. HAHA!

After we bought some more cider products and other souvenirs we drove down the street a little further to Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream factory! We took a tour of the facility and got samples at the end. Probably the best tour I've ever done in my life. I mean samples of ice cream, come on!! Elsie loved it here too and she even shared some of the samples with us and actually wanted more. We had a lot of fun here at Ben & Jerry's.

I took four pics of Elsie & Micah. Elsie came out precious in every single one, I can't say the same about Micah. This was his best shot.

umm, of course I was first in line for samples!

Afterward we went back to the cabin and took some naps and then sadly packed up our things to drive out to Burlington for our 6:00am flight. We decided against staying our last night at the cabin and waking up at 3:00 am and just getting a hotel near the airport and waking up at 4:40 instead. That worked out much better in the end.

As depressed as were to head home there was a glimmer of excitement for the arrival at LAX because we had coordinated our arrival time with Jenn & Matty's layover to their trip to Hawaii. So we were just praying all flights were on schedule and that we would get to have lunch with them. It worked out better than planned. When we arrived at the airport our flight was oversold and so they asked if we would volunteer to be rerouted through JFK and that would put us in LA by noon. Since that would still put us there before Jenn & Matty landed we agreed to change flights. For doing so we received $800 travel vouchers from Delta and we were able to see Lady Liberty and Manhattan from a distance while we waited for our next flight. Oh and we DID get to have lunch with Jenn & Matty. It was so awesome! Elsie was so excited to see them. She didn't remember Uncle Mo but she did remember Aunt Jenn and when she saw her exit the plane she ran all the way up to her and into her arms. It was PRECIOUS and even made Jenn tear up! If you know Jenn that is hard to do. We enjoyed some burgers together and caught up before they headed off on their vacation and we headed home.

We had such a wonderful family vacation. Now it is time to go celebrate Micah's 30th birthday today!

Quebec

Yes we drove up to Quebec City for a two day trip during our stay in Vermont. Micah had never been and it was only a four hour drive so we had to take advantage of the opportunity. I also had some friends I wanted to visit while there. We actually only got to meet up with one but she is my dearest friend there so it worked out perfectly. She just had a baby so we got to meet her new little addition and catch up on life. We once worked together and became quite close which is why we are still in touch.

The drive was a breeze and Elsie slept through more than half of it. Just like in Vermont, when we arrived in QC the fall foliage was depleted. We had missed it by a week here as well. Though it was freezing and not as picturesque as I had hoped we still enjoyed the city.

The city is over 400 years old so there is so much history there which Micah didn't realize and he much enjoyed learning about. Micah also didn't realize that it is a French speaking province...only. Haha! He knew it was one of the French provinces but I guess I didn't make it clear that very few actually spoke English. This just added to the trips excitement because it really made us feel like we were on the opposite side of the world!

After stopping in to visit with Catherine and her baby girl, we headed to get some food. There is only one food that matters when visiting QC and that is Poutine. The last time I had this goodness was three years ago and I painfully remember craving it through Elsie's pregnancy so it was just what I needed. I wasn't sure if I had built it up too much for Micah over the years so I was watching with anticipation as he took his first bite. Actually that isn't true at all, I was already four bites in and telling him to hurry up and taste it before I finished mine and gobbled up his as well.

POUTINE! Basically fries with gravy & cheese and I added some ground meat to mine.

Well, he loved it! The reason this is a QC thing is because of the cheese. this particular kind is only found there in that area. It is pasteurized differently and we don't seem to have it in the states. Trust me, I have been researching it for years. Plus the gravy that is used is special and is prepared with a certain sauce they only have there as well. So you can't get this anywhere else which is why I was so excited to eat it!

We arrived on Tuesday and had only planned on staying over night but we stayed through Thursday morning instead to make sure we could see all we wanted to see and of course partake of as much Poutine as we could.

Bundling up for our walk through the city!

I was so excited to shop, apparently so was Elsie.

We walked around Old Town QC and even took a horse carriage tour. Every time I visited on my own I saw the horse carriages trotting through the cobblestone village and just romanticized about Micah and I doing the same thing one day since I so loved the city and knew I would return.

So when I saw the horse and buggy waiting on the side of the road, I just looked at Micah and he said, "Let's do it." It started off wonderfully the first few minutes as our tour guide pointed out historic landmarks and we awed in amazement at the city. Then reality struck in. It was about 40 degrees outside and we have an 20 month old who could give a rip about this amazing city. Though we were provided a heavy blanket for the ride, the wind pierced through every twist and turn. We enjoyed it for as long as we could bare but had to cut our 45 minute tour down to about 25 minutes. HAHA! I had to laugh because what more could I have expected. It was perfect and this is our life. Nothing goes as planned. That is how it should be.

We ate some poutine before heading back to the hotel for our naps and then went out again later that night to do some Christmas shopping, eat some crepes and go see Old Town lit up by the green roof of the Chateau Frontenac (the castle). It was magical. We had purchased a french Christmas CD while there and we had that playing in the car while driving through the city. It was beautiful.

On Thursday morning we woke up and headed out to see the well known Montmorency waterfalls there in Quebec. They apparently are taller than Niagara Falls, just not as wide or ferocious. After enjoying that touristy site we stopped and of course had more poutine before heading home, I mean our cabin in Vermont which felt like home. It was a great trip but we were excited to get back to our cabin and cozy up!

Our last stroll through the city and our last taste of Poutine (well for this trip anyway)

More on Vermont

I realized after soon after my last post that I had only downloaded pics from one of our cameras, so I have more from the beginning of our adventures. I would've posted them the next day but I only had internet in the hotel we were staying in at Quebec, the cabin had no internet.

Anyway here are a few pics that should've made the first cut.

This is how much luggage we had when we arrived. Please note that we had one more than this when we arrived home!!!

They had cow statues all over the Vermont airport. Elsie loved them and it kept her entertained while we figured out our rental car situation. This is one of her mooing at the cows.

Here are a few pics of our cozy cabin!

Vermont or Bust!

We made it! So our 7 hour duration was a breeze, getting through LAX was a nightmare (as usual) and getting to our cabin late at night was a bit of an adventure as well, but so well worth it. Our cabin is awesome, quaint little gem right behind the river. It is beautiful here even though we missed the fall foliage by a mere week, we still love it!

Of course we went to a local Pancake House for breakfast so we could get the taste of Vermont's finest syrups and I of don't order any. I knew Micah and elsie would share some of theirs. Let's just say breakfast was awesome!

We were kind of snowed in on Monday which was amazing! We snuck out before the roads got too bad to buy some chains and while Micah put them on the car Elsie and I walked around the Dollar Tree and bought somethings to keep her entertained in the cabin. Just books and a Christmas video for Micah and I. We picked up Chinese food on the way back to the cabin and had the most relaxing afternoon and evening! We just read and lounged in pj's all day. It was like Micah's dream vacation day. Enjoy some pics! More postings to come from our adventures in Quebec!

She was so excited to carry her luggage through the airport! We kept getting stopped because she was so precious.So we had to carry her to not waste any more time.

While driving to breakfast our first morning we were stopped dead in our tracks at the size of these pumpkins! So rad!

Walking to see the river than ran through town. Elsie was over it in about 2 minutes because the wind was so piercing cold. HAHA!

Helping daddy start the fire. She was blowing on the logs with him and my heart melting because she is just so sweet. Always follows what her daddy does. She loved the loft upstairs. It was completely empty but she still found it to be so much fun!

our first morning here we woke up to snow! Magical!