Circus School and Brattleboro, Vermont

Okay - so it's possible I'm the worst blogger ever, considering my children went to Circus School and I got  exactly zero pictures of them doing cool circus stuff.

So you'll just have to take my word for it that the New England Center for the Circus Arts is a real and genuine place, and that my children had an hour filled with fabulous private instruction there this past Friday.  We had put money away for this while in Vermont, and scheduled a lesson after they showed their interest in street performance.  I had never seen a circus school before, and had my doubts that they even existed, but this place was very real, and a very helpful woman named Dana made it a reality for our family.  

The kids' instructor was Bill, and he and his young daughter showed our kids the literal ropes around performing, circus style.  They tried the trapeze, low wire, juggling, and balancing ball.  Maeryn was in her glory.  It was one of her most positive experience thus far.  Jonah was a little frustrated that his sister mastered the balancing ball before he did, but he was a natural on the low-wire.

While the kids swung from the trapeze and perfected their balancing acts, Michael and I explored the town of Brattleboro, VT.  We checked out the coffee scene and strolled the streets.  It was nice to have some time to ourselves.  

After we picked the kids up from NECCA, we migrated through a local park and ran into a guy who asked us for 50 cents for a hot dog from the hot dogs stand.  I didn't have any change, but I did have five dollars, and he bought hot dogs for himself and three of his friends.  Hugs were exchanged.  Hearts were warmed.  

And across the street we stumbled into the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center.  The woman at the information desk was curious about us and our trip and eager to show us around the space. 

Jonah enjoyed the geometric blocks.

Maeryn created.

And added her art to the display wall in the do-it-yourself center.

 

While Michael and the kids worked on their own creations, I explored the museum.  My favorite piece was a pastel by Mallory Lake:

It's funny how I'm noticing that we talked about not having much money for this segment of our trip, and yet we seem to be spending it left and right.  Here's a breakdown:

- Circus School - saved prior to the event ($66)
-  Art Museum - scraping the bottom of the unschooling budget ($22)
-  5 bucks for hot dogs - remnants of my allowance for the two week period ($5)
-  dinner at Wendy's - extra grocery money ($22)
-  gas - budgeted prior (no idea the cost here.  We budget a specific amount every two weeks for gas)

And thus, we headed back to New Hampshire to finish out our time there.

Onward!

Live Free or Die.

My parents went on vacation to Vermont and New Hampshire earlier this summer.  They've been singing the praises of New Hampshire for weeks, so when we pulled into North Conway, NH, we had high expectations to say the least.

This was a more expensive campground.

We like to spent between $35 and $40/night maximum when it comes to campground fees.  This campground was $51. 

In it's defense, it absolutely has all the amenities.

Swimming pool, dunk tank, beach, canoe/kayak tours, giant chess board (Jonah is dying to play right now), basketball courts, playground, sand volleyball pits... the works.  It is also crowded with families including tons of kids.  Hoping the kids are able to find some friends. 

We are having a tough time settling in, in spite of the amenities.

All of us miss Vermont.  Maeryn cried on the way here because she didn't want to leave the friends she'd made at Sunday School at Church at the Well.  New Hampshire will have a seriously tough competition while we're here.  We're also, due to the expensive campground and my husband's continued furlough (you government types know what I mean) a little shorter on cash than this tourist town would like us to be in order to get the full experience.

We'll keep you posted on the state of things.

Meanwhile, we're taking the closest hike availabe... across the border in Maine.

Maeryn is tired.

Michael has been helping me with the photography.

A Room with a View

This was one of my favorite books in college.

My favorite part was about the cascades of violets, and all of the water imagery. 

You lit peeps will get the reference.

Regardless...

We hit the road today for our next destination, and about ten miles before we left the state of Vermont we pulled over at an overlook for lunch.

I opened the bus doors and ate sitting on the steps.

Because...

This:

What It Means to be Homesick

Taken through the door of the bus.

It's our last night in Vermont.

I feel like crying.

Things here were so...  easy for our family.

Jonah found friends at a skatepark across the street from the campground and made dates with them each morning to skate and scoot.  I went running and made a friend who takes the same route with her dog each morning.  We've been chatting it up about the neighborhood and about running shoes (esp. Vibram Five Fingers) and the strange things we do for our training.  We've even called a Realtor to take us to check out a house (ended up a money pit, but it was fun to see).

As the sun sets tonight, Michael is outside playing and working on his music.  It's the first time he's had the guitar out for any serious length of time since the trip began.  I snapped a few shots, but the one posted above is my favorite.

We had a family meeting and talked about quitting now and staying here near Burlington.  I wanted to most of all.  The others wanted to press on, and of course I don't want to miss it, but I am beginning to long for a place of our own.  A place to garden and plant and root and flower.  To till my own ground.  To make some lasting friendships.

It's funny - I thought we would learn so much about the world on our trip around this small country, but what we're learning mostly is about ourselves.  What makes our family tick.  Things we like.  Things we don't.  Which relationships matter.  Which really didn't, and why.  Friendship.  Family.  Many, many lessons.

Both kids have grown hugely both physically and emotionally thus far.  Our grocery bill has skyrocketed in the last few weeks.  We're more physically active, but the kids are also sprouting upward.  So many changes.  I am thankful to have this way of documenting it all.

And my homesickness as we prepare to leave Burlington and Vermont tells me that home isn't a place at all.  It's people.  It's rooting.  It's relationship.  It's a feeling of kindred spirit.  I miss it.  I will miss it again.  Yet...  onward!  Tomorrow is another adventure.

Trying to Get Back to Burlington...

This picture somehow sums up how I always thought Burlington would feel...  and it sort of does. 

I dated this guy, Craig, for two years at the end of high school and through my freshman and sophomore years of college, and our song was Canadian Rose by Blues Traveler.

You can check it out here:

Our relationship ended mutually and we are still friends and he is a good guy who is married and has his very own kid and we talk on rare occasions. 

Either way - I memorized most of Blues Traveler's music to further that relationship and there are some things you can never get out of your head.  This song is one.  I don't mind.  They are an amazing band.  I own every album.

And BT deserves to be mentioned somewhere in my Burlington blogs - so here they are.  And here's a toast to Craig wherever he is, and to Burlington in the fall - which I hope to witness one day.

I admit that Burlington was my first choice when it came to places to live.

I had never visited before, it was just a hunch.  One of those feelings you get down in your gut.

We went camping in Vermont last July but didn't make it this far north.  It didn't matter much.  Southern Vermont was enough for me to fall in love with the whole state.

The rush of excitement when we drove across the state line was exhilarating.  I couldn't wait to get to Burlington.  To really be there.  To walk around down town and see the town hall and do all the things!

We arrived late, leveled the bus, and slept.  The next day, Michael worked.  I twiddled my thumbs and took the kids to the pool at the campground and explored the playground scene.  And twiddled my thumbs.

When he finished work I donned my backpack and dragged everyone downtown.

I felt... let down.

I loved fact that we made it for Festival of Fools, an annual gathering of street performers on Burlington's own Church Street (pedestrian only) - I'm a huge sucker for street performers (I married a busker of sorts) - but Church Street made me a little sad.

Ithaca's Commons is home to all local and unique shops and eateries, while Burlington's Church Street has several chains.  There are local places, but it seems like the storefronts are too pricey to accommodate or welcome many of the local business.  I only saw a couple of coffee places.  And. no. theatres.

Church Street.

I liked the vibe of Burlington - but I wasn't sure I could live somewhere with no theatre scene.

And could we even dream of affording it?

And a house with a yard just outside the city?  Surely that was a pipe dream.

Surely.

And then we came home.

And Googled things.

And ah - there were theatres - but mostly hiding.

And there was affordable housing.

And maybe Burlington would be all I thought it could be in it's melancholy, artsy, hipster way...  Maybe.