IN KILLINGTON . . .

A few months back we got invited up to Killington, Vermont, to stay a couple nights at the Killington Resort and try out the new Adventure Center! Ropes course, alpine slide, zipline ride . . . your basic nightmare for a girl like me ;). I kid! I kid! There is also a station for panning for gold, a heated saltwater pool, and a fire pit for roasting marshmallows. Obviously these things are right up my alley, and thankfully I got to bring my husband along too to help out with the rest of it, that lucky jerk. :) It was the PERFECT few days. We were all so sad to leave when it was over. I may have even discovered my inner athlete while there, but more on that in a minute . . . 

It's just a few short hours by car to Vermont from the city. We'd still never managed to make it up there, though I'd always wanted to check it out, so I was really excited to get a press invitation to scope things out, get some outdoors in, and do a lot of antiquing along the way.

Vermont:

1. Maple Syrup

2. Autumn Foliage

3. Buying Other People's Old Junk

Ask Brandon what our basket collection is numbering at these days if you want to see a really good eye roll. ;)

Killington! Ready?

HIKING / 

I'll lay this part out real quick: this was NOT supposed to be a hike. It was only supposed to be a five-minute walk from the finish of one gondola to the start of the next. But maps were made to be left in places and not consulted, thus is the Holbrook way. Luckily it was the perfect day for a beautiful, if not entirely unnecessary, afternoon hike ;). 

But wait did I say gondola??

I totally did, you were paying attention!!! This is us at the top. (We did finally make it.)

Wee! Holbrooks!!

ROPES COURSE /

One year at girl's camp we got to do a ropes course to find out what we were made of and exercise our muscles of faithfulness. You know, metaphor for life's trials and the reward of heaven and / or feeling like a total bad ass for finishing it. Except I was the only one not to finish. I was also the only one to stage an impressive emotional display while wearing a rope harness and dangling helplessly, which in my case meant I didn't make it to heaven. And that is all I'm going to say about that. 

I'd love to type out here that I made up for that pathetic show by finally being that bad ass this time around, except that mostly all I did was I the first level, only to show my mom I'm as tough as she is (not possible), and then I wussed on out and let Brandon take his turn. 

For Brandon's part, he and my mom took turns showing off how brave -slash- ridiculous they could be by crossing each obstacle like maniacs. At one point Brandon faked falling, hopped on one foot, then finished up by racing across the ropes like a monkey while making screeching noises, all on one obstacle. 

I was impressed, anyway. 

PANNING FOR GOLD /

After each sift Huck would peer into his tray, cross check his findings against his stone guide, then  exclaim in wonder while incorrectly pronouncing each of the stones he'd found. 

"Om-si-bbian!" 

"Ooh! Karts!!" 

There was also a fun maze for the kids. Check out these faces.

Hah!

PADDLE BOARDING /

It turns out there is an outdoor activity at which I am actually pretty decent? Good! I'd even say good!

I even steered myself over to this orange ball floating in the weeds + got to rescue the lake from some litter. WHO AM I ANYMORE.

SALTWATER POOL / 

Guys. 

Saltwater pools for lyfe.

Brandon does the classic dad maneuver where he tricks Huck into floating on his own, Huck displays the appropriate corresponding emotion:

Terror. 

I will probably never finish this book, it is far too thick. #savemejonsnow

S'MORES + SPARKLERS /

Yay, Killington!