I've Been On Vacation!

Last summer I went to New York with my parents. This summer I went with Brian. (We met my parents up there, though!)

On June 6th at midnight, we got in the car and drove from Fort Sill to DFW. We dropped the car off at a parking place and hopped on the shuttle to the airport. We waited around for security to open at 4AM and camped out at our gate. We got Starbucks (thanks to a giftcard from my in-laws) and read our books. Our flight took off at 6:45. Next stop: Newark, NJ.

DFW to EWR.

How I spent the flight (when I wasn't trying to sleep).

How Brian spent the flight (he's better at flying than I am!).

We had an hour-ish layover in Newark. Our flight was delayed about 30 minutes, but we didn't mind. Next stop: Burlington, VT.

I can't say no to Crumbs cupcakes in the airport!

My view from the plane.

The flight was only an hour. I was a disaster by the time we landed, though. The plane we took to Burlington was loud. What was nice white noise to Brian was like nails on a chalkboard to me. I definitely had to talk myself through that flight and will think twice about doing it again in the future.

My first view of Lake Champlain on the ferry from Vermont to New York.

After settling in at my parents' house, we ventured out for dinner.

Gotta get a Michigan at Gus'!

After dinner, my dad and Brian headed out to see a man about a canoe. Then they came home and immediately made sure she was seaworthy.

They're canoe-ers! They canoe! (Don't ask...)

The next day:

Standing where our base house used to stand. That tree was in the yard.

Soft serve with sprinkles! (Yes, I needed that scarf.)

Friday, June 8th, we ventured to Ausable Chasm. We got in for free (including a raft ride) because we know people in high places! Or...the daughter of my parents' property managers (that sounds fancier than it is) works there and hooked us up.

Elephant Head.

The Ausable River looking toward the dam (I think).

In the raft! Tony was our guide. He was funny and informative.

The boys in the big dry chasm.

Mom with the ferns. So green!

At some point the boys began demolition of the old shed. It was falling down and rotting. It took all four of us a few hours to clean it out. The previous owners saved all kinds of weird things.

Brian removing the cedar siding.

The dangers of carpenter ants.

We liked it better without the siding. Too bad it was totally unsafe and unsalvageable.

Brian had fun swinging the sledgehammer.

After an afternoon of rain we were rewarded with a gorgeous rainbow. It was crazy intense and stuck around for a looong time.

If you look closely, you can see another really faint rainbow to the left of the bright one.

One night we left the shades up in the living room after the sun went down. I glanced up and noticed a big giant bug on the window (attracted to our light, no doubt). It was the biggest and weirdest "butterfly" I had ever seen. This picture doesn't do it justice. It's antennae looked like leaves. So creepy!

We spent the majority of two day scraping (that's how we found carpenter ants in the house - yikes!) and painting the windows. We didn't even finish it all. The sides will need to be done next summer.

Brian hard at work.

Sometimes I would stop and look out at the lake and wonder how I got so lucky to be able to spend almost a week looking at this view and spending time with my favorite people.

I mean, really, how gorgeous is this??

My favorite reading spot.

Mom and me in the living room.

Mom took this. She said I looked like Mona Lisa. Hmm.

The morning we left. Please note the shutters and fresh paint. Looking spiffy!

Til next time, Lake Champlain!

On June 12th, we made the trek down to "the rock" aka Staten Island, NY. We fought rain and horrendous traffic, but arrived with plenty of time to spare before my cousin Kevin's Eagle Scout ceremony. My entire family (on my mom's side) somehow managed to come together for this event. Keith (my brother) was the only one not there. He was off having a European adventure instead! Kevin's ceremony was wonderful. I almost cried listening to everyone speak about what a wonderful young man he has become. I was just so dang proud of him!

The next day we had no real plans or places to be. We took a final walk through my great-grandmother's house. Remember she passed away in February 2011. Her house was finally sold and this was our last chance to see it and claim any items we wanted. I snagged a Lenox pitcher and little swan plus six crystal wine glasses (I managed to lose my cheap wine glasses in our move). After that we went to South Beach on Staten Island for a walk. We walked to the Verrazano Bridge past Fort Wadsworth and back. Then we walked along the boardwalk and I put my feet in the salt water.

Mom and me before walking out to the water.

That is a condom on the ground. Thank you to Brian for capturing it and my laugh. Keeping it classy, Staten Island!

After walking around we ate New York pizza at Denino's and walked across the street for some Ralph's Ices (omigod so good!). On June 14th we (me, Brian, Uncle John, Matthew, Mom, Dad, Nanny, and  Grandpa) went to the diner for breakfast. I had the worst french toast ever. It was really a crappy little diner, but my grandparents go there almost everyday and they were treating so there we went! My cousin Ryan's high school graduation was that evening. To kill a couple hours before then we took the Staten Island Ferry to Manhattan, walked around a bit, and then went back.

In Battery Park.

I watched him propose to her. She said yes.

Funny story about those two up there... The guy came over to my uncle and asked him to take their picture. My uncle is usually super accommodating and friendly, but this time he kinda freaked out and wanted someone else to do it. My parents quickly volunteered my photography skills (cause I'm so good, y'all - ha!). Only then did my uncle whisper to me that the guys whose camera I had was going to propose and it was now my job to capture it. So I take a picture and the guy said, "ok, one more." That's when he got down on one knee. I have no idea what he said, but I just kept snapping. I heard her say yes and they hugged and kissed. I captured it all. It was one of the coolest things and I was so happy to be a part of it. I had to sneak that picture of them on my phone so I'd have a record of it.

After a quick change and an hour-long drive, we arrived at my aunt/uncle's house in New Jersey.

My cousin, Ryan (the graduate), is freakishly tall. Also: that plant in the background? It's mine from a science experiment in 5th grade. It's 16 years old.

Me with my cousin Alex. Love him to pieces.

I have no good pictures from the graduation and no pictures with any of my aunts, uncles, or other cousins. I know some are floating out there with various family members and maybe I'll eventually see them. It was quite the whirlwind trip. I am beyond glad that Brian was able to come with me and that we could attend two big ceremonies for my beloved cousins. I remember when they were babies. I cannot believe they're all so old (which means I'm old!).

The morning after Ryan's graduation, Mom and Dad dropped Brian and me off at Newark Liberty Airport for our flight home. Our flight was delayed taking off thanks to a water leak in one of the bathrooms, but we landed on time. They actually showed a movie on the flight - for free! (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island) The movie totally made the flight for me. I had something to focus on so I wouldn't freak out as much. Once back in DFW we caught our shuttle back to the parking place. The shuttle was full of super happy people returning from tropical beach vacations. They were annoying. I was tired. Our car was still there in one piece and we quickly paid and hit the road. Traffic was terrible getting out of the DFW area, but was smooth sailing after that. We stopped for gas and Popeye's and made it home at 7PM.

Brian returns to work on Wednesday and I need to get on the fitness/dieting band wagon. Back to real life.