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A change in plans

So we’ve been going around and around trying to figure out what to do
for our 10th wedding anniversary. I’ve always felt bad that we didn’t
do more for our honeymoon. I had my priorities misplaced and didn’t
want to get away from work for very long so it was only a couple of
days in the Pocono’s in Pennsylvania. Liz didn’t feel well for most of
the trip and because it was in October there wasn’t anything to do. It
turns out the place is set up for winter activities and summer
activities but in the fall you can’t go swimming and with no snow most
winter-time activities were “out” too.

So for our tenth
anniversary I had figured out how I could get baby-sitting for several
days and take Liz away to somewhere exotic — like Bermuda or the
Bahamas or something. There were a lot of things to take in to account
for the scheduling which led us inexorably to the spring. Which is
fine, I think Bermuda or the Bahamas would be great in the spring time.
Nonetheless it was like weaving through many poles to arrive at the
time. We were looking at where to go and everything and it started to
feel very daunting.

THEN we realized that we needed to start
planning a summer vacation too! I know, its an awful and arduous task
trying to balance all this merry-making but one must attend to what’s
important! We started trying to figure out where to go for a week or so
in the summer and the familiar feelings of juggling so many different
balls returned.

In the end we decided to combine the two trips
and to simplify them both by going to Smuggler’s Notch in Vermont for a
week in August. Its a family oriented resort with a lot to do for
everyone. They play up the outdoors-thing and have all the resources of
a full service ski resort to augment the nature-oriented activities. We
went there once before for a couple of days in October of 2000 or so.
It turned out terribly but through no fault of Smuggler’s Notch. Again,
we made the strategic error in timing — there was very little to do
because it snowed out the summer activities but wasn’t snowy enough for
winter-time fun.

They have a good web site at
http://www.smuggs.com — that’s the name they like to use but I really
dislike it. “Smuggs”. Maybe it will grow on me. Anyway they have these
award winning programs for kids when we were there before they really
seemed to do a great job looking after the children.

So our
plans have changed. We’re falling back to something that will be simple
and something that I KNOW everyone will really enjoy. I have a lot of
confidence in this. And that’s worth something I think. Maybe we don’t
get to see the azure waters of St Croix but: the travel time is low.
The travel cost is low. My confidence in me having a good time is very
high. My confidence in the kids having a good time is very high.

All this makes it very appealing.

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Smuggler’s Notch

So, we decided to bag the big plans and aim a little more local. For
all the reasons I described in the last post we felt it was better to
go somewhere that we KNEW would be fun.

Smuggler’s Notch is at http://www.smuggs.com

Here’s a review of it: http://www.kidsoutandabout.com/perrin/smugglers.html

Like
I said in an earlier post, we’ve been there before and thought it would
be a wonderful place to stay during the summer. Incidentally, its a
lousy place to be in October despite the pretty colors.

I’ve
given them money and we know that we’ll be staying in the Liftside
building. It wasn’t our first choice but all of our first, second,
third and fourth choices were timeshares and therefore unavailable. I
really wanted to get a room with a whirlpool bathtub because Liz really
likes baths, but they weren’t available. Actually, we could have gotten
a whirlpool tub but the condos with the ameneties and floorplans we
liked were up steep hills. We don’t really mind hills but Grace, in
particular may not like climbing the ski slope to get to our rooms.

So now I’m poking around the web trying to find further reviews and “tips”. I think its going to be a really great time!

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