28 Days of Thankfulness - Day 17 - Ice Cream

A few weeks ago, I took Jack and Vivi on a daytrip to Vermont to see some of my favorite people.  I met MaryBeth during my first year of law school at Western New England College School of Law in East Longmeadow, MA.  It was probably the second or third day of class that we decided to work together; we just clicked. At the end of our first year, we both ended up at the top of our class.  MaryBeth transferred to the day division  and I transferred to UCONN. I adore MaryBeth's family. I have the honor and privilege of being one of her daughter Riley's godmothers. 

Riley's third birthday prompted the drive to the "Green Mountain State." It is a long but pretty drive.  There was still some foliage left.  The moose crossing signs make me laugh.  I'm sure if I actually saw a moose, it wouldn't be so funny.
 

 

MaryBeth has four children and there is a large spread in age between some of them (kind of like my family).  When you have a child or two that is significantly older than your other children, you already understand how quickly the time passes.  It makes you appreciate the various stages your younger children are going through.  You know that it is just a phase and that time is short. You really try to savor and celebrate each and every milestone, at least I do.  Riley's birthday was no exception.

 

Riley and Vivi are both still learning how to share.  I would love it if they grew up to be great friends.

 

 

MaryBeth lives in close promixity to the Ben & Jerry's Factory in Waterbury, VT.  I had been there as a teenager and thought it seemed a lot like the chocolate factory in the original Willy Wonka movie.  I remember wondering if I should lick the wallpaper. 

 

I've had a theory since then that ice cream can make anything better, even if its just for a few seconds. If happiness had a taste, the flavor would be ice cream; specifically Peppermint Stick or Coffee Heath Bar Toffee Crunch.  Sarah McLachlan's "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" CD also came out right around that time, and Bernie and I had just started dating. I used to sing her song, "Ice Cream," to him.  I loved that song about as much as I loved ice cream and Bernie. About a decade later, we played that song at our reception as we cut our wedding cake.

 

I thought Ben & Jerry's would be a fun stop for Jack and Vivi. Unfortunately they don't make ice cream on the weekends, so Jack would tell you that the tour was boring. The sample at the end of the tour was "Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream." Jack wasn't interested because it wasn't chocolate.  We did stop for chocolate at the ice cream stand before we left, but Jack still says he hated the factory.  You just can't make some people happy, I guess - LOL. Not surprisingly, he was less than cooperative for pictures, but I did manage to get a few cute ones.

 

 I love this one because Jack told Vivi to hide, and she did!

 

These two are cute even from the back.  The "PeaceLove&Icecream" sign made me smile.

Vivi was standing right up there next to Jack.  She just wasn't tall enough to make the picture.

 

 

Today I am thankful for all the little things that make life sweeter, like birthday parties and  ice cream!