Our Adventure Through Vermont

I'm trying to start a tradition with my girls where every year we do something Fall related. Something more than the traditional apple picking, pie making activities. Being a lover of the outdoors, I love to explore and go on adventures. My adventures usually turn into real adventures, we either get lost, or stuck taking detours etc. For example over the summer, I wanted to take the girls to Trenton Falls, but the park was close, so we ended up going a little further north to Pixley Falls. 
Anyway, we didn't get to go on any Fall adventures last year. Two years ago we made it all the way up to White Face Mt. in the Adirondack's. The original plan was to visit Santa's Workshop, stopping along some scenic points on the way. I did not realize how close Santa's Workshop was to Whiteface! Now that was an adventure! A successful adventure, and totally worth the trip! Here's a layout from two years on our Whiteface adventure...

Now, our recent trip to Vermont was a successful adventure, as well. We started out ahead of schedule Monday morning. Our first stop was The Chocolate Barn just before Arlington, VT. One of the girls' favorite part of the trip. Handmade chocolates, maple syrup, maple candy. It smelled so good. Yes, of course, we left with some goodies!

The next stop was in Arlington, VT. Here, we were hoping to find a place called The Candle Mill. I remember being there when I was a kid and making candles with my mom. Unfortunately, The Candle Mill is no longer there. We were lucky, however, to find the building it was in. So, at least we didn't get lost trying to find a place that didn't exist. We explored around this quaint little town. The beautiful creek with the Fall foliage that was behind the building. My favorite was the covered bridge that was just up the road. We got to really drive through it!

Next stop was Manchester. On our way to Manchester we stopped at a little country Christmas shop, called Christmas Days. It's a popular little store on the scenic route. I didn't take any pictures here, and actually managed to refrain from buying anything, but we enjoyed looking around. The lights, the sights, and the smells of Christmas in this place made it worth stopping at.
When we got to Manchester, we did some more exploring and a lot of window shopping! Outlets, country stores, and beautiful scenic mountains. Of all things, though, my favorite part of this stop was that moment when everything in the world was perfect. Two little girls who go through life bickering and fighting with each other, calling each other names, etc, and so on, we're getting along, naturally. Not because they were told to do so, but because they were truly happy. The better thing is, they didn't know I was taking their picture!

Oh, and let's not forget Sarah's new friend...

and some more of a "mother's favorites"

Our final stop was Bennington. We stopped and saw the Bennington Monument, which reminded is of the Washington Monument in DC, only smaller...a lot smaller!

and the girls made another friend...

and, of course, you can't go to Vermont in early October without catching a glimpse of the foliage...

It really was as close to a perfect adventure as perfect can get. I hope that my girls will remember this day when they get to be my age, just as I remember the time I've spent with my mother visiting here.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover".Author: Mark Twain