March Madness!

March 2010 will likely go down as one of the most infamous months of our marriage. It was definitely busy, and definitely the most travel we will have, collectively, in a long time. The month started off with Lucas taking a 15.5 day work trip through MN, UT, MN, SD, and finally to DC. Alise was able to keep the house clean, cook, and explore Brattleboro during my absence. But as any couple knows being apart for that long is not enjoyable.

After returning from that trip, we were able to finally explore the National Basketball Hall of Fame. The Hall is located in Springfield, MA, which we drive through every time we head to the airport or farther south (en route to NYC). One Saturday, we went to pick up my mother and her friend in Stamford, CT, and explored the Hall along the way.

The Hall of Fame includes a full-size basketball court, and all sorts of history. The top level (as seen in the above picture) features every enrollee, including new member Michael Jordan.

The ladies had spent a few days exploring the big apple, and were now ready to see Vermont. We took them on a wild ride; from Brattleboro, VT, to Keene, NH, back to Windsor, VT, -- and that was just day one. On day two we went to Bennington, VT, the Yankee Candle Outlet store, and then dropped them off at the airport.

Below are the four of us enjoying a brew (well actually like 15 samples of different brews) at Harpoon Brewery, in Windsor, VT.

Under one week later three members of Alise's family came for a visit. Alise gave them the obligatory Brattleboro tour, with supper at Fireworks. On Saturday, we took a trip north. For that trip, we toured two farms on our way to lovely Burlington. No pictures are loaded on the computer, so I probably don't have much to show. We first traveled to Londonderry, VT, and stopped at the wonderful Taylor Farm. Taylor Farm features Gouda cheese, sleigh rides in the Winter, and the wonderful owner Jon Wright. Jon told us about his farm and about having farmstead cheese in general.

Our next stop was Long Trail Brewery, in Bridgewater Cors, VT. The brew was fantastic, but the food was just as good if not better. It was a pretty fantastic restaurant stop, and we were also able to walk on a catwalk above the production floor. Being stuffed and full, we headed to Fat Toad Farm, near Brookfield, VT. Fat Toad makes a delicious chevre goat cheese, but also we were pleasantly surprised by their caramel (cajeta in Spanish). Evidently they have found quite the market with this non-traditional dairy product, and are enjoying their success.

On the Sunday ride home we made stops at Ben and Jerry's company factory (for the second time, for Alise and I) and Cold Hollow Cider Mill, both in Waterbury, Vermont. On Monday, while I had to go back to work, Alise took her family to Yankee Candle Company and Cook Farm and its famous Flayvors restaurant, before they departed for home.

With that March came to a close. We've already been enjoying April, and are gearing up for a 5K early in May. In other news, the Twins are 3-1 and Lucas' softball team starts practice. Spring is here!