V is for Valentines and Vermont

This past week brought some Valentine love and other adventures. 

We made lots and lots of home-made Valentines for Reed and Skyler's classmates and went out for a date night.  I even bought them heart-shaped doughnuts.  

On Friday, I busted out of the doors of school and into the beginning of February break.  After a quick run and a hair cut, I was ready to hit the road for Vermont.  Tim and I decided to surprise his daughter Hillary at her playoff basketball game against Middlebury. 

Vermont is one of my favorite states.  The drive into Middlebury is a stunning one, up and over mountains and past mountain streams, and other things that makes you want to say "cute" and "quaint," like signs for road-side Maple syrup and local eggs, bright red barns, and liberal college kids.  

The scenery looked like this:  

 and this:

 and this:

And this.  V is also for Very Handsome travel partner:

We pulled off the surprise and watched a nail-biter of a basketball game. They lost, but made a mighty effort.   Understatement:  Hillary was thrilled to see her dad.

These two are the closest father-daughter pair I've ever known;  it's a beautiful thing. 

We enjoyed the car time, survived traveling in a snow storm, and came home to another blizzard. 

V is also for Vacation, and while my sister is currently sitting on a beach in Mexico, and my brother is surfing in Panama, we are coming up with creative ways to survive February in Maine.  I'm not jealous at all.

Enjoy your week, and good luck to all the parents with hyper kids.  xo