Non-camping Trip... Lake Willoughby, VT

So in January we decided to come up for a quick weekend trip to see the folks.  While we were here we went to dinner with some friends of my parents, The Collins, and they had us over to look through the telescope.  The kids LOVED it and The Collins seemed rather fond of the kids.  They extended an invitation to their cabin up in the Vermont. Be careful what you wish for right?  Heh.  So from Bomoseen, we headed up to Lake Willoghby.  I LOVE  Vermont... I do not love that the roads go from paved to unpaved without a moments notice.  But ya know.

We swam...

Gracie LOVED helping Vicki around the house.

they both LOVED Albert (and the other dog, Wilbur.)

The motor boat!!

Loons are very big there.

the house

sailing!!!

after a dinner out at a local church (and by local I mean over a mountain on a dirt road... seriously... the lack of pavement amuses me) we went to Don's sister's (Rachel) house to watch the sun set.  

the kids had a BLAST playing in and out of the house.

Oma's turn on the boat.  Gracie went along for the ride.  I was very proud of her going without me.

she came back in and the two of them stayed like this, chatting and giggling, for almost an hour...I sat on the beach and read.  it was lovely.

Elijah wanted to learn to paddle a canoe... so off he went.

Gracie wanted to go way out.  Mom is standing up there.  So it was over her head.  I think she would have liked to go farther, but that was good for me!

Don and Vicki on the beach.

The boy getting ready for some doom!!!

We went to see Bread and Puppet.  They are a political group, and most of the stuff went over the kids' heads, but CRAZY fun to watch.  The kids LOVED it. 

Yeah, there's a band.

Grace even got in on the action.  Alas, it was about child labor, but she didn't know that.  Grace talked about this for DAYS afterward.  She said it was fun and that the girl was sweaty.  She got lost for a few minutes afterward and I had a moment of panic, but she was found... and really we were surrounded by a bunch of hippies.  Not to much to worry about.

They did a parody of the Titanic(it crashed on a trash island...hehe.)

This is the old woman from the movie.

This man is in his 80s.  He started Bread and Puppet and seriously the tallest stilts I have every seen.

 

Grace and Elijah and I all shared a room.  Every other night one of the kids would sleep on this cot and the other with me.  It was a nice little set up.  I did forget to get the night light out of the car (thought of it every nigh about 11:00...sigh) so we usually slept with the little light on, cause MAN it was dark there.  New moon + no street lights = amazing place... but VERY dark.

They could NOT get enough of this place.

and really, who can blame them?

more loons....

motor boating again.  this time we went through the cut.

a short hike from don and vicki's to a water fall.

that's my girl... always dancing

he learned to skip rocks this summer and what a great place to try out a new skill.  Ironically, though the beach was made of mostly super crushed rocks, it was farther down the shoreline (which is not very big to begin with) where we found good skipping pebbles.

out with don on the canoe.

more helping

just amazing

i got in on the action too!

helping Vicki make cookies.

mmmm, maple syrup

they made some boats

when it rains, there are indoor activities too!  They worked on their maps and played cards.

Gracie found this piece of bark and turned it into a mask.

helping pump the water out of the sailboat.

group shot on the last day

We have all been invited back, and frankly, I would be happy to spend my summers there.  Don and Vicki were the most generous hosts and welcomed us with open arms.  They eagerly agreed to allow us to stay an extra day (I think they would have loved us to stay an extra month!)  It's a magical place and we had a GREAT time!!