We got the Cup!

This past Wednesday the Boston Bruins hockey team won the Stanley Cup finals. In celebration of this momentous occasion, the city of Boston decided to hold a parade on Saturday in their honor.



While neither of us are big hockey fans, we joined the festivities because it's not every day you see a championship parade. Well, that's not entirely true. Boston has seen seven parades since 2002. What is more remarkable, though, is the fact that each of the four major Boston sports teams have won during that time span.



Even with all that success, the town still appreciates a winner. An estimated 1.5 million people showed up for the celebration, trying to find the best vantage point possible.



Coverage of the parade was carried by all four major networks. Can you find their four helicopters following the parade?



When thinking of a sports team, we generally only consider the players and maybe the coaches. We forget about all the people behind the scene, which is why the parade actually consisted of 20 "duck boats" holding all the people involved in the Bruins organization.



We decided to catch the parade at the end of the route. Granted, just because the parade ends, doesn't mean that the duck boats just evaporate into thin air. That's where the police force comes in, allowing for a quick and easy getaway.



People were lined up waiting for hours, yet no one seemed dissatisfied with the results. You'll notice that everyone's hands are raised. 90% of those hands are holding some kind of electronic device. We saw everything from DSLRs to cell phones to even an iPad recording the festivities.



Fans came out in all sorts of attire. Many had team jerseys and Stanley Cup champions shirts, but several others had constructed their very own memorabilia. From improvised flags to homemade Stanley Cups, arts and crafts were on full display.



The lead duck boat carried the most exciting cargo, including playoffs MVP Tim Thomas, pictured here with glasses and a beard.



Just because the first duck boat had some of the most well known cargo doesn't mean the other boats weren't filled with excitement. Plenty of fist pumping to go around!



But the day was not complete until we saw the guest of honor, Sir Stanley's Cup, pictured here held high by the Bruins' captain Zdeno Chara. And when I say high, I mean high. Chara is a full 6 ft. 9 in. tall (or 2.06 meters in his homeland of Czechoslovakia). That means that cup is nearly 8 feet in the air! Congrats Bruins, you earned it!

More of Vermont...

While camping, we got out and made the most of our time in Vermont!



One place we wanted to visit was Burlington. Apparently, it's not just a coat factory. Although they did have a slight flying monkey problem...



Part of the appeal of Burlington is Lake Champlain. Sometimes referred to as the sixth great lake, it seems that Vermont should just be happy with what it has instead of trying to compare itself to other places. Sorry, that's not fair. For all I know it's the New Yorkers who call it a little great.



One particularly fun feature we found was a boat parking lot. Well, what else could it be?



Well now, look at this. On one sign, the record high for the water is 101.86 feet. Meanwhile, on the little reading monitor, the current water level was measured at 102.73. Wow, we were present at a record. So maybe that parking lot wasn't intentional...



Yeah...the rising water appears to have caught many people off guard.



We also stopped by and checked out the state capitol building. Justin's old nemesis, scaffolding, tried to get into the shot, but he managed to block it out pretty well in this shot.



Finally, this shot is actually from right in front of our apartment. You may have heard about some of the crazy weather New England has been experiencing. When you see clouds like these come rolling in it means either a wicked storm is coming through or an alien invasion. Either way, you head indoors as soon as possible.

Vermont is Gorge-ous!

It was Memorial Day weekend, and no one had any homework to do, any reading to finish, or any sports to watch, so off we went to explore some of New England.



One thing that is always hard to capture in a single photo is an object of great magnitude. Here is a shot of Quechee Gorge, the largest gorge in Vermont. Some people call it "Vermont's Little Grand Canyon." While I wouldn't go that far, the gorge was still an impressive site.



The best way to experience the great outdoors is of course to go camping. And none of that "cabin camping." Thanks to a couple friends who lent us some equipment, we had the whole shebang.



Of course, the best part of camping is indulging your inner pyromaniac. In a safe environment when there is low burn risk, of course. Fortunately, in Vermont, unlike Texas, there is plenty of rain, so the hard part is finding dry wood. Also unlike Texas, the temperature in Vermont drops below 90 degrees, so it's actually pleasant sitting around a warm fire.



Just when we thought things couldn't get any more crazy, the wild in wilderness came out! We didn't even have to go looking for it, it just came right up to us. Do you see it here next to the car?



There it is. A porcupine was just wandering along, munching on some leaves. It didn't appear particularly concerned about us, and can you blame it? I wouldn't be bothered by much if my butt was full of spines.



We also came across this snake sunning itself on a rock. While it doesn't have the advantage of a spiky bottom, it probably knows that, ever since Eve, most people have been hesitant to get involved with a snake.

Baby Crazy!

For our readers out there reading a little too much into our blog posts, here's another one related to children. A video of him reading his favorite children's book, "The Story of Ferdinand." Correction, his favorite book, period.