Are We Home Yet!?

Right after I mentioned my grand idea (see first post Soul Searching ) to my sister she sent me the link for an attraction she saw on the local news. It is called Ice Castles and this one was located in Stratton, Vermont. An approximate three hour drive. PERFECT! I knew I had to add this to my list. I also knew that I wanted my sister and her kids to join me. After a couple of postponements we settle on Saturday February 28th. We end up bringing my nephew, RJ's best friend which is good because it'll keep him from getting bored. So we have a 22 month old, a 12 year old and an 11 year old crammed into my backseat. 

About two hours before we plan to leave I have to make a stop. I pull up to the gate in my driveway so I can open it up to leave, I hop out of the car and that's when I second guess this trip... As I'm rolling around on the ground, moaning after slipping on ice. I fell down pretty hard on one knee and both of my hands. In my own driveway. Before we leave. On the ice. To go to ICE Castles! I eventually get up, brush myself off and call my sister laughing hysterically. I come back from my errand, I go upstairs and shower to get ready to leave. Here it is 10 am, our original departure time and I have completely lost one of my shoes. Yup, just one. Cannot find it anywhere. I finally find my shoe, in my closet mind you. We are ready to start this adventure. The fighting begins as we load the car. RJ has a tendency to not listen or follow directions at times which can be annoying. I yell at him, then I feel bad and we hug it out. The baby starts crying. Someone is surely testing my patience already and we haven't even left the house yet. We are finally on our way... or so we thought. 

I realize I have no idea where my wallet ended up as I'm entering the highway the next city over. I brought it down to the car in my camera bag which was in the trunk but I planned on keeping the wallet up in front with me for when we stopped for lunch. Did I leave it in the bag? Put it on top of the car and drive off? Drop it on the floor of the car? I get off the very next exit so that I can check my trunk. As I get off the exit my sister reminds me that we forgot to stop at the bank. We turn around and head towards home, where the bank is. My nephews friend mentions he is feeling car sick, not long after my sister mentions she is. We haven't even gone anywhere yet. We head to the local drugstore after finding my wallet in the trunk and stopping at the bank to get them something for motion sickness. We are finally on our way, around 10:50 am. 

Now here's a little back information. My sister and I are annoyingly silly together, except when we are swearing at and hating each other. My father has been known to say on numerous occasions "I can't stand when the two of you are together". Needless to say we have had some great road trips in the past, so we both are pumped for this day trip north into the mountains. We pack snacks and pick out a fun Pandora station. Everything is awesome!

Cue the kids!

"Are we there yet!?" "When are we stopping for lunch!?" "Move over!" "Put your elbows down!" "Olivia stop crying!" "Where are the goldfish!?" "When are we stopping for lunch!?" "How long until we get to Vermont!?" "Is there a Disney store near there!?" "Can we stop at the mall!" "I ate all of the goldfish, can I have Doritos!?" "I'm going to fart" "I'm cold" "I'm hot" "I hate this sweatshirt!" "How long until we are there!?" "I have to go to the bathroom!" "I don't have enough room!" "Why didn't we take the truck!?" "Ma, I told you we shouldn't have gone, this is boring!" Every sign that listed which fast food places were off of each exit we would get the "When are we stopping for lunch!?" "I want McDonalds" "I want Friendly's" "I want Subway" "ohh On The Border!" Every single time. Nine minutes passed between the "how long until we get there!?" question was asked again... By the same kid, in a serious tone. This is all we hear coming from the back seat of the car and we haven't even left Connecticut yet! Oh and the GPS. "Take the left four lanes and continue on 91N". Really!? There only were four lanes! 

After a lot of yelling on the adults part, we convince the boys to calm down, stop annoying each other and that they have to wait until 12:30 for us to stop for lunch. Welcome to Massachusetts!!  Then, on the dot: "It's 12:30, are we stopping for lunch? You said 12:30" 

Wasn't this supposed to be fun? Get me out of this car!!!

We finally feed the monsters and get back on the road. The 11 year old and baby fall asleep. All is calm. Welcome to Vermont!! 

The views are breathtaking! Since taking up photography I've been able to appreciate nature more. Being the driver stinks in that aspect. Multiple times I'd say "ohh that would make a great picture! Hurry up. Take it!" To which my sister would respond "I don't see it" and then the moment is gone, it just passes you by.  People can look at the same thing but actually see two completely different things, so the chances of the pictures matching my vision weren't good to start with (no offense Sissy!). Of course pictures never do Mother Nature justice anyway. 

(Cell phone picture I took through the windshield) 

Knowing that cell services cuts out and I'd lose gps we printed directions to get there as back up. My sister and I discover we have two different addresses in two different towns for our destination. Sure enough we lose service. This trip is a disaster so far. After a few wrong turns and u-turns we find it. We are here!! Sun Bowl Lodge, Stratton Mountain Resort, VT. I've never been skiing, the lodge wasn't what I expected. But it is packed!! 

(Stratton Mountain, VT)

We approach the Ice Castles, it is all man made using ice and water. At night they put on lights in the ice sculptures which is really cool. Although the slopes are busy, Ice Castles is not. There's a small slide made out of ice, a tiny igloo to crawl through and tunnels. 

(Ice Castles - Stratton Mountain, Vt) 

We spend about an hour or so exploring the place then we head in to the lodge to warm up with some hot chocolate. ... "I'm hungry". Here we go again! A friend of mine went up about a month before us and mentioned a pizza place which we planned to go for dinner. About a 15 minute drive away. Now we are New Haven, CT based - home of the best pizza anywhere, no debate. We don't eat pizza out of state and actually enjoy it. Tony's Pizzeria in Winhall, VT proves us wrong as it is very good pizza! We order a cheese, a Grandmas (fresh marinara, basil, garlic and oil with cheese) and a few slices of a white fresh spinach and broccoli for RJs friend. 

(Cell phone picture of a slice of Grandmas, so good!)

We finish our tasty pizza and head back to the lodge since it's after 6pm and the lights should be lit. Lights are on, music is playing and it is packed. We explore again but it's so cold, 9 degrees according to my dashboard, so we don't stay very long. 

(Ice Castles - Stratton Mountain, Vt) 

(Ice Castles - Stratton Mountain, Vt) 

(Ice Castles - Stratton Mountain, Vt) 

(Ice Castles - Stratton Mountain, Vt) 

(Ice Castles - Stratton Mountain, Vt) 

(Cell phone picture - Sun Bowl Lodge, Stratton Mountain, VT) 

My sister decides it would be best to separate the big kids with the car seat to give them more room, it helps. Why didn't she do this to begin with!? The kids fall asleep and my sister and I eat our snacks, listen to fun music and chat on the ride home. 

Despite the craziness and yelling, at the end of the day I had a great time and am glad we went because I love these people! 

It was in the lodge before heading to dinner when my nephew said "I'm hungry" and I told him he needed to learn patience that I realized the lesson this trip was giving me. I don't know how many times I had yelled at my nephew that he needed to learn patience this day. I yelled at kids because they were cranky. If I was hungry and squished in a backseat I'd be cranky too. Maybe I'm the one who actually needs to learn patience here.