New England Treasures

Everywhere I go in Vermont, no matter what season – there’s always a photo opportunity waiting for me!

The state recently received over 30 inches of snow from the monstrous blizzard last week that affected the East Coast.

My BFF from kindergarten lives in Enfield, New Hampshire. She owns Bearly Used Books, a really cute used book store, complete with pellet stoves, and recently sent me a book on how to shoot scenic photography.

This scenic picture was taken on the way to Northfield, Vermont – home to Norwich University.

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Green Mountains

Before I met my son-in-law, I think I’d only been up to Vermont once to go skiing when I was in high school.  My husband and I would travel up Interstate 91 to go to New Hampshire for vacations, but we never really left the highway to see this beautiful state.

My oldest daughter’s husband is a Vermonter.  I’m so excited that I can now experience the beauty of the Green Mountain state’s four seasons through the eyes of locals, and not as a tourist!  My daughter’s in-laws know all the back roads with magnificent views!

This photo was taken on our way to a birthday party outside Montpelier, Vermont’s capitol.  My charming son-in-law’s cousins live atop this spectacular mountain!  The view will take your breath away!

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Off The Beaten Path

Earlier this month there was a tragedy at a clean energy power plant being built in Connecticut along the Connecticut River.  My husband and I were out for a ride in Portland, just across the narrowest part of the river from Middletown, where the plant was located.   We were able to see the remains of the plant from the road.

Along the way with nothing in site except a small baby eagle, soaring overhead looking for dinner, we passed this quaint farm barn.

I didn’t have my digital camera with me, so this was the best I could do with my cell phone.

Next month I’m giving away a ticket to BlogHer10 in New York City. If you win, you might want to stop by and visit New England and see my neck of the woods! Check out my post for more info!

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What Kind of Snow Bunny Are You?

After the blizzard the Mid-Atlantic states and Washington D.C. experienced this week, we in Connecticut were lucky we missed it.

But our turn in New England is coming on Wednesday!

How do you handle snow?  Does your inner-child come out?  Maybe you always dreamed of participating in the Winter Olympics! Do you rush off to go skiing, snowboarding, skating or sledding? Do you hunker down inside, or maybe go on a cruise or fly south like the snowbirds from up North do?

I just took this little test – and if you read through my posts and 101 Random Things About Me – you’ll see it’s right on the mark! Look for me inside the Ski Lodge!

You Are a Snow Kitten

You like snow in small doses. You find snow to be comforting, and you love to snuggle up under a blanket of snow. You’re not a big fan of the hassles of snow. You’re happy to see it come, but you’re also happy to see it go. Go ahead and venture out in the snow from time to time! Throw a snowball or make a snow angel. You have an inner snow bunny inside you, and it’s time to let that bunny play.

Are You a Snow Bunny?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

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Disney Tips for Traveling With Preschoolers

Plan a Magical Vacation That is Perfect For Your Family

I’ve had the opportunity to review a new book that takes all the guesswork out of planning for a trip to Walt Disney World with preschoolers in tow.

My oldest daughter fondly remembers our family vacation to Disney World when she was younger.  I saved for almost a year, and paid for the entire vacation in cash.

The girls were 7 and 11 at the time, in 1994.  We went towards the end of August when the rates were somewhat less expensive, and stayed directly on the grounds in Florida at the Polynesian Resort.  I don’t mind the heat since I live in New England.  Actually I thrive in it!

Now that my daughter has two toddlers of her own, she’s been making “noises” about wanting to revisit Disney with their kids, who are 1 and 3.   Both my daughter and charming son-in-law are extremely close to both sets of parents.  They’d really like that the grandparents can all join in together for a memorable family trip.

As a parent, you already know that you don’t want to have to carry your preschooler around in your arms all  day. You couldn’t possibly make it through the day!  You also can’t expect your child to walk all day long.

Beyond the Attractions:  A guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers by Lisa M. Battista (BookSurge) is a definite must-read book.

Lisa Battista answers common and not-so-common questions in Beyond the Attractions such as advance reservations; the best time to visit; sleeping away from home and more that will assure that your family vacation is enjoyable and stress free:

Strollers – Strollers are not only welcome at Disney World, they’re highly recommended. In fact, Disney World rents strollers for a reasonable fee.  My suggestion would be to tie something on the stroller, such as a brightly colored ribbon to help identify it from all of the other strollers in the park.

FastPass – You don’t want to spend your entire Disney World vacation standing in long lines. This can be avoided by using Disney World FastPass. FastPass can be obtained from kiosks located near the rides that accept FastPass. This doesn’t mean that you get to immediately move to the front of the line. It’s more like scheduling an appointment for the ride later in the day – at which time you actually will move to the front of the line. In the meantime, you’re free to go enjoy other sites and rides around the park.

Many other tips to help you maximize your hard-earned vacation dollars are included in this reference guide for parents, by a parent.

Start planning your next vacation!

On Twitter: @DisneyExplorer
Pages: 169
ISBN: 978-1-4392-5757-9

For More Information Visit: Beyond The Attractions

Moomette’s Magnificents  is hosting a Giveaway Contest! For a chance to win, there will be one (1) winner of the book, Beyond the Attractions:  A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers.

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)
a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Tell me why you’d like to win this book.

This contest will run until February 28, 2010 at  11:00 pm. EST

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.

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Connecticut Countryside

This photo was taken in Windsor, Connecticut – the oldest town in the state.  It reminds me of the poem by Robert Frost - “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”

Where do you think the path leads?

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Waiting for Spring

More shade tobacco agricultural barn farm scenes off the beaten path in Connecticut.

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Where the Eagles Soar

During the winter months you can often see Eagles soaring over the Connecticut River.  Depending on how cold it gets, the river will ice up.

There’s many country back roads that parallel the river from Essex to Saybrook, and over the years, we’ve traversed them all four seasons to see the beautiful views here in Connecticut!  You’re also able to see some beautiful estates during the winter, since the leaves on the trees are gone!

This photo was taken along one such road in Essex.

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Fall Finale

Located in Central Vermont, Floating Bridge in the Town of Brookfield is famous for it’s winter ice harvest festival.

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Majestic Mountains

This is the view from my BFF’s since Kindergarten backyard in autumn.  She moved to New Hampshire from Connecticut right after college graduation. I have mountain envy.

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