Day 3 of 10 - Happy Memories

Stowe, Vermont

In July 2003, Jared and I decided to take a trip to Vermont. We knew when we returned, we would be starting in vitro and once we had a baby our trips would forever be changed. I'm not sure how we planned on Stowe except neither one of us have ever been to the northeast. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Our resort had a little creek that ran behind it that was perfect for skipping stones, hammocks that were perfect for snuggling, and bikes that we used to get around town. There were so many mountain ranges that we could of hiked for weeks. Instead we hiked for 2 days on 2 different mountain ranges. At the top of one of the mountain ranges we could see four different states. It was absolutely amazing.  I remember both of us sitting at the top of the mountain and admiring our spectacular view.
One day we rented a kayak and decided to give it a shot. We laughed so hard because we were terrible. We decided we would have been better off in a double canoe then in a kayak. But at one point in the middle of  this reserve we just stopped I leaned back into him and we just started talking and we stayed there like that and talked for so long that another group stopped to ask if we were okay. So we figured we better kayak back in so we didn't cause concern for others.
On fourth of July we rented bikes and rode into the center of town to watch the the fourth of July celebration. They had a fabulous parade, a circus, and then when it was dark, in the middle of this huge field was an amazing fireworks display.
We traveled into  Montreal and it just happened to be jazz best. We enjoyed our time in Canada, no matter how brief and when we came back, the customs officer stopped us and wanted to know what were our plans that we were there less than 24 hours. They even searched our car!
Jared and I always have loved waterfalls.  In Vermont, we hiked to a few different waterfalls.  I still have a photo of the 2 of us in the pool of the waterfall by my bed.
One of the highlights of our trip was going to the Ben and Jerry factory.  We took a tour and then we were allowed to sample some of the new flavors and give our opinion. One of the flavors was chocolate fudge brownie which we both loved. Jared said that flavor is going to be a hit. And sure enough a few months later it was available in stores. And from that time on, anytime Jared bought ice cream that was the flavor he bought.
While in Stowe, we would go for breakfast to this little mom and pop place and they had the best homemade maple syrup.   We even bought some to bring home, unfortunately it is long gone now.
Vermont was where we decided to start our tradition of collecting Christmas ornaments. We decided it would be nice for one day for our tree to be a reflection of all the travels we had taken. So our first Christmas ornament came from Stowe.
It was a wonderful vacation and we enjoyed our time just the two of us. With no schedule, no concrete plans, just do what ever we felt like. It is a vacation I will always treasure. It was one full of laughter and smiles.