Our last few days in Jay have been on the colder, wetter, windier end of the weather spectrum, so we've stayed close to "home" doing more "home"-like things: walks around the neighborhood, school, work, church, reading, playing, drawing. It wasn't a let down, though, since our Vermont Bucket List has been thoroughly checked off. We feel great about the way we've spent our time and the things we've seen and the activities we've done. And the memories we've made. It has been an amazing trip! Seriously better than we even expected it could be. And it does feel kinda sad to be leaving here tomorrow. (In Gregg's words, "It bums the heck out of me!") No, we aren't extending our stay in Vermont (everyone asks this, for good reason!), but we are on the lookout for any other Relocation Vacation deals that might exist. We're hooked!
Saturday, 24 October:
Highlights of the day: Cal's positivity reminder in art form (I think we all can relate that it's a good one for these crazy times), a "date" with my dishy (i.e. a walk to Stateside with Gregg while the kids babysat themselves at the condo!), Facetime with Elwood grandparents, books read, the Aggie's season opener (okay, so that wasn't much of a highlight, but at least Zoe looked cute in her Aggie gear!).
 |
| I dare you not to sing along. ;) |
 |
| Group shot from the top of the ski run bridge in the condo village next to Stateside. |
 |
| We left the kids with my phone while we went out on our walk date ("for emergencies") but we weren't surprised to get plenty of texts with photos and emojis and voice messages while we were gone! |
 |
| The guilty party. |
 |
| We returned the favor back to her with a goofy face shot of our own. |
 |
| Cal's at it again - snapping Facetime pics while we chat. |
 |
| Been meaning to read this for a long time and figured now was perfect when I didn't have any library books pulling me in other directions (since I bought this one as a dollar deal on a book order last year). Wow! It started out so fun and lighthearted (but not without some deeper issues under the surface) and then wham! It hits you with the hard stuff. But it is so. dang. good! Just like I had heard. Gotta move more Curtis books to the top of my list! |
 |
| Show me the true blooded Aggie! |
 |
| Another one down. After listening to his Great Horn Spoon on our drives, I was happy I brought this one along on the trip. It was a quick, entertaining read, with a nice story of unexpected friendship. Glad I can finally check if off my Newbery list, too. |
Sunday, 25 October:
Sunday highlights: a hike on the Nordic/snowshoe trails at the edge of the resort, zoom church (both Sacrament Meeting and Relief Society/Elders Quorum), Blanchard grandparent hangout, park time in Montgomery.
 |
| Such a weird color of fungus! |
 |
| Hiking in the East is SO different than in Utah. The trails are soggy and squishy instead of dusty and lichens and moss and ferns and mushrooms are everywhere! |
 |
| We hiked on the Penobscot showshoe trail and then linked up to the Ullr's Woods cross country ski trail to loop back to the start. |
 |
| Cal loves the mushrooms as much as I do! |
 |
| Sam loves peeling off the birch bark. |
 |
| Make a bow and arrow? Check! |
 |
| This hut along the trail was fun to explore. I love that there are so many of these on our hikes! |
 |
| I walked up the bike trail next to the park in Montgomery and popped out at a cemetery on top of the hill! (Check that one off my list!) |
 |
| It was quite the downhill route, complete with ramps and jumps and berms and bridges. |
 |
| I finished reading this one to the kids while dinner finished up cooking. We've read it together almost every year since Cal was a tot and it's just a fun, sweet little story that we all love. (We love it so much, I even bought it so we could bring it along!) |
Highlights for Monday: it snowed on us! (just a skiff, but SNOW!), school, work, facetime with Mugs, reading (and documenting reading), walk to Tramside
Tuesday, 27 October:
 |
| I spy snow! |
 |
| I have a bag full of extra bands for my fitbit at home. But I didn't bring a single spare and this one bit the dust (in multiple places). Into my pocket it goes (and doesn't seem to record my movements as well - or maybe I just stopped moving much these days?). |
 |
| Our chat with Mugs was fun, and of course Cal snapped some pics while we were talking. I thought this one was cute - it could totally be an eye-rolling emoji! |
 |
| The reading thing has clicked with this guy! He read these two books by himself over the course of a few weeks (we just do a few pages a day, and not even every day, so he doesn't get burned out). But even from the beginning of a book one week to the end of it a week or so later, he has shown tons of improvement! He's sounding out words all over now, and even read "Cumberland" on a gas station on a recent drive! Yay for a new reader!! |
 |
| Without having access to a library for six weeks, I knew I needed to bring along our collection of books with a fall and/or Halloween vibe. Some of these have been faves forever. Some are new to our collection just for this trip. We've got fiction and nonfiction, playful and "spooky", apple and pumpkins. A right good mix of September and October reading goodies! |
 |
| It looks like a wet time to walk, but we were bundled and only got misted a bit. It was actually quite a nice little afternoon walk down to Tramside to check on Trammy (the tram car parked in tram house). |
Tuesday highlights: the sun came out! (but it was still cold!), school/work, walk to Stateside, walk down the end of the road.
 |
| Asters still going strong at the Kid's Adventure Center at Stateside. |
 |
| Yes, she's wearing her PJs on our walk. We've all been wearing sweats and pjs all week! |
 |
| I took the kids to the ski bridge over the road on our route back down the hill. |
Wednesday, 28 October:
Highlights on Wednesday: school, work, video chat with my grandparents, lunch from Jay Country Store (what a treasure! Why have we not been inside this place yet? It's just down the road only a few minutes in the town of Jay and we have passed it a million times, but today, our last day in town, we finally got to visit. When we ordered our lunch, the guy at the register said, "Hey, are you the famous Jay Peak family? I recognize you!" Haha. Indeed we are, thanks to Gregg's Slopefillers articles about our stay (and then Jay Peak's sharing of them on all their socials). It made me laugh for sure. I also got my Jay Peak logo hoodie that I wanted to buy the first week out of quarantine but couldn't find what I wanted at Provisions - at last! P.S. The food was the bomb! I think had we visited earlier in our stay we would have wanted to eat there multiple times a week, so maybe it was for the best we saved it for last.), editing Sam's first ever Hot Wheels video for youtube, packing up (that was more like a lowlight, actually).
 |
| Brought the lunch home to eat: Cal and Sam split a cheeseburger, Gregg had the reuben (surprise, surprise) and said it was so good it may have bumped up into his #1 Reuben spot, I got the Jay Bird (turkey, cabot cheddar, caramelized onions, cranberry mayo and stuffing) and holy smokes it was amazing! Beats the Thanksgiving Every Day from Vail that I loved hands down. Maybe one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten! |
bonus video!
Sam and Cal have been super into playing with Hot Wheels cars and
watching videos on youtube during our Vermont time and they've been dreaming
and planning their own Hot Wheels City and racing videos for when we get home.
On Sunday, Gregg recorded a few clips in slow mo on his phone of Sam's cars driving
on the playground equipment and today he had a minute to edit them all together
in the first ever Blanchard kid Hot Wheels video. Needless to say the kids were STOKED.
"I am actually on TV!!" said Sam. :D Best dad ever points for that guy!
