Snowed-In at Stowe

Just a heads up: this will be a picture heavy post since Vermont is just so gorgeous and my camera traveled everywhere with me, but hopefully you will find that excusable.

For the third year in a row, the Feldman family hopped on a plane to head back to what has quickly become one of our favorite vacation spots: Stowe, Vermont. Originally this trip was created as our Christmas present since I am so into the family history of the Von Trapp Family and Austria was just too far away. Little did I know at that time that I would get to visit their actual home in Salzburg just five months later. But at the time, just even getting to go to Vermont was the biggest deal ever.




The family came over to the United States after escaping the Nazi occupation of Austria during the early stages of World War One. They made their living by touring as the Trapp Family Singers. While they toured the country, they were looking for the perfect place to settle down and plant their roots. That's when they discovered Vermont, whose scenery and mountain peaks reminded them of their beloved Austria. Maria Von Trapp was once quoted saying to her husband "We can build a house and a barn, but we cannot build a view." So the family settled on the property that is still being operated as the Trapp Family Lodge. The youngest, Johannes Trapp is still alive and helps manage the property with the help of his son, Sam.


The Lodge offers a variety of things that relate back to the roots of this Austrian family such as history talks, traditional cuisine, cross country skiing, maple syrup harvesting, and many other activities. Although many family is up there primarily to go skiing, we always try to fit in a few of those activities whenever possible. Like this year, for the first time ever we attempted snowshoeing. My parents went as a date the day prior and enjoyed it a lot. So on our final day in Vermont, the four of us set out to go explore the chapel that the Von Trapps had built up on the mountain and where they would have Sunday Mass with Fr. Franz Wasner who had accompanied the family over from Austria and acted as their manager in away. (known better by by the character, Uncle Max, in the movie)

And of course some of the most gorgeous views are from the first run of the day on the slopes when the sun is still rising over the freshly fallen snow. My family has been extremely lucky the past few years as it has always snowed while we are there. The first year we received over two feet in the four days we were there. This year it was only about three or four inches but it was still so nice to wake up and look out your window and still icicles hanging from the roof and snow falling.

I am not an advanced skier but I can hold my own on the difficult runs of Stowe, though I almost always avoid the black diamonds. Not because I can ski them but rather people are always flying down without a care and it scares them that someone will hit me and cause an accident. Unlike my brother, I am the cautious skier of the family and tend to get down the mountain at my own pace. But hey, I didn't wipe out once during the trip and he can not say the same.

Every year I marvel at the view from the top of the mountain and have to be reminded that I need to actual ski to the bottom and not focus on taking pictures at the beginning of every single run. But next year we shall have to take a break from our annual trip to Stowe. But I guess you could say it is a good break because instead of spending the first week after New Years in Vermont, my mom and I will be in the real Austria, exploring the original roots of the family. I am starting my semester abroad early by going to Austria with my mom to show her some of my favorite spots from my trip after graduating high school and discovering some new favorites I am sure! And then I will get the chance to go spend time with my grandparents in London before starting my studies in Rome. I can't wait. In typical Nicole-fashion, I have already started planning and I have assembled a basic itinerary, well at least for the Austria and Prague part of our trip! 

But we had an amazing time in our cabin for our last family outing until Easter, playing lots of card games, watching movies and of course Falcons football! With the craziness of my dad's company, it is usually hard to get all four of us in the same room for more than a few hours at a time so we always look forward to this trip and having very little cell reception. I miss them already! 

Fly South for the Winter

"Fall Break?" "No, I'll be going to South Dakota. How about Thanksgiving?" "No, then you would have to deal with my crazy relatives." This was pretty much how the conversation went ever time Mary Katherine and I tried to plan a time for me to come down to her house in South Carolina.... until Christmas break. For the past six weeks, we have been planning my post-New Years trip to Lake Wylie, SC. Well, today is the day for my flight! But of course, the one time of year that South Carolina gets snow, its today. So I was able to move up my 7:30 flight to 3:30 so hopefully I will get there without any delays and avoid the bad weather that is on its way.

Well, its a good thing I moved up my flight because my original one ended up being cancelled, so I made the right decision! But either way, I arrived safe and sound to Charlotte, North Carolina and then was picked up by Mr. Mooney and brought to their place of residence. They have an adorable and such a welcoming home. Much of time that I was there was spent lounging around the family room talking, playing games, and watching movies. And then of course there is Lucy, MK's cutie dog. She and I became quick pals and shared many snuggles during my stay.

Sunday afternoon we headed up to Boone, North Carolina so that we could go skiing and snowboarding the next day. I have been skiing since I was probably five years old and I am pretty decent. I might be cautious but I can do a lot of the harder slopes. But snowboarding is something I had never tried. Nathan once said that I would never be caught dead on a snowboard. Well, apparently Mary Katherine is the factor he never knew in that equation. She told me the night before that she was going to snowboard and that I should try it too, so I did. How bad can it be really? Well, my very sore butt the next day could answer that question. So, I am actually not horrible but I would start going so fast and didn't really have things under control so I would just have to fall to stop myself and that got old very fast. But I can now say that I have tried snowboarding and that is something I am quite proud of. The point of friends and adventuring is to keep trying new things! I ended up switching back to skis later that afternoon after quite the tumble, but it was a great day!


 Mary Katherine and I are both lovers of the arts and so when we were planning my visit a few weeks prior, we had discovered that the arts center in Charlotte would be showing the Broadway show: An American in Paris. It was actually a musical that I wasn't familiar with beforehand but I was excited to see something new. It turned out to be one of the best live shows I have ever seen. After coming off designing the sets for the Christendom plays, I was blown away with every little detail that went into each set change and costume. Not only could these actors and actresses sing, they could really dance. MK and I exchanged glances the entire show and couldn't have been more impressed. If the show was going to be performed even within a few hours of Virginia anytime I would totally go see it again! Even when we got home, we couldn't stop talking about how incredibly good it was!

The end of the five day visit was quickly approaching but we squeezed in some more fun stuff in the last two days such as outlet mall shopping, multiple coffee dates, and even going to a paint-your-own pottery place creating some gorgeous mugs. (which of course we can use for our regular coffee dates back in the dorms!) It was a trip filled with laughter, amazing chats, and of course adventures. Although I thought I was flying south for the winter, I ended up getting the same weather I would have had back home, but I got to enjoy it with one of my best friends so it was definitely worth the journey!

Seeking More

Just a quick one tonight. Right now in San Antonio, there is this major Catholic Conference going on called SEEK 2017 by FOCUS. This is something I really wanted to go to and I had talked to my parents initially about going and they seemed on board.. So me and my planning brain went to work. I had all the finances in order, all I needed to do was purchase my plane ticket and register for the conference. But then one day, I got the call from dad saying that they didn't want me going. There was lots of arguments in the weeks that followed. And I kept asking at what point did I get to make my own decisions etc.

Let's just say that this argument left many scars on my relationship with my dad. It was especially hard because my dad and I have been so close since I was little. And although he had said no to other things I had asked to do, this one hit closer to home. I wasn't asking to go to see a bad movie or go to a party, or stay out later than originally agreed. I was asking to go to a conference for Catholic college students. But he had his reasons and I had to live with that answer.

Well, fast forward two months and last night happened. It was the opening night of the conference, which some of my closest friends are in attendance at. Luckily, they were featuring some of the talks and Masses live on Facebook so I was able to participate to a certain degree. It was during the opening keynote speaker for the night that all the emotions came flooding back to me. It started with one tear and suddenly I couldn't watch anymore. I had wanted so much to be there and instead I was sitting in my bed at home listening while eating a salad from Chipotle. It wasn't money that prohibited me from going but rather my parents. I struggled to see what God wanted me to take away from this situation. If I hadn't wanted to receive their stamp of approval, I would have been there to hear that speaker in person. The same speaker that we used to use for our theology curriculum while being homeschooled. I had so many questions and no answers.

So what is God seeking from me in 2017? How am I to answer his call from my bed eating my Chipotle? I know there is a way, but I need to put aside the emotions to find it. Although the next few days will be hard, I will continue to listen to the messages be spread by these speakers at SEEK, at least the ones being broadcasted live online. And I will find my purpose for this year. I am luckily enough to have a great support system at Christendom, people that will continue to support me in my faith. One day, I hope to be at one of those SEEK conferences but this year I will determine what moves me from the comfort of my own surroundings.