We picked the kids up right after school and drove to Tahoe. We checked in to the lodge, changed into pjs, and hung out in bed for the rest of the evening.
Fun in the Snow
Day 2 on the slopes started out with a great attitude and excitement. Unfortunately, she got sad in the middle, cried, and ended up sitting in the daycare center for a good part of her lesson. It was very disappointing for all of us and it’s unfortunate that the instructors didn’t encourage her to go back on the slopes earlier. She got a few good runs in but Mama didn’t get the chance to take any videos today.
Meanwhile, Peanut woke up from his nap too early and got to play in the snow for a bit.
He also took a walk down to the lodge and watched the ski lesson from up top.
Back at the cabin, there was plenty of snow to play with just outside of the livingroom.
They made snowballs and threw them onto the frozen lake below.
We also played with Mama’s tripod and remote control to get a family photo taken.
What a fun family trip to Lake Tahoe! We hope there will be more snow this season so we can return for more fun!
First Ski Lesson
It was a nice and sunny day for Janie’s very first ski lesson. We went to Sierra since it was only a 20-minute drive from our rental house and they had 1/2-day lessons.
Here she is in her gear. We rented skis, boots, and a helmet for her. She’s ready to go!
Here’s her very first run! Yaaaay! So happy she didn’t fall on her first try.
By the end of the day, she was making “pizzas” and “french fries” with her skis and having a great time.
She was also riding the magic carpet back up the hill on her own.
She had a great first day and her instructor was really cool. She learned a lot and seemed to enjoy skiing.
Peanut napped for most of the lesson and then woke up for snacks and drinks with Dada.
He also found an ewok near the rental tent.
Tahoe House
We drove up last night and the kids slept through most of the ride. We arrived around 10pm and the kids went to sleep without any difficulty. In the morning, they were up by 7 and ready to play. They explored the house we rented and found a basket of pine cones.
After breakfast, they hung out in the bunk bed that was set up in the second bedroom and read books for a while.
Barbeque!
On our way home, we stopped in Placerville for some barbeque! Janie and Dada colored while we waited for the food.
Janie got her very own meal complete with pulled pork, mac and cheese, and a roll. Lucky girl.
Peanut also got a taste of ribs, pulled pork, and brisket today and LOVED it.
snowy morning
We woke up to snow on the ground this morning. This was the view from our hotel room.
Both kids were up really early so we went down to the atrium for our free breakfast.
Janie got her choice of everything they had to offer and Peanut got a taste of oatmeal for the first time.
https://youtu.be/IS_SWKf2GVk
Before heading home, we went outside to play in the snow as it was still falling.
There was just enough snow on the railing to make snowballs.
Janie and Dada played catch with the snowballs they made.
https://youtu.be/IWX2dBX1mzo
On the drive down the mountain, it started to snow even harder, which was a little scary for the first hour. Luckily, everyone took it in stride and we got down safely without needing chains.
Ice Skating
In the evening, we walked down to Heavenly Village to check out the ice rink. It began to snow on our walk over and Janie tried to taste it as it came down.
The rink was going to be open one more hour so we decided to give it a try. The nice man also gave us a discount because there was only an hour left. That was plenty for us! Here is Janie with her ice skates on!!
She was determined to stay on her feet and held onto the wall whenever Mama needed to let go of her hand.
She had a great time going around and around and didn’t fall much the first two laps around the rink.
We took a little break and Janie insisted on going one more time. She looked pretty tired but we gave it a try anyway.
This is where she ended up most of the last lap. Luckily, she was still in good spirits and each fall seemed like it was in slow motion. Her only complaint was that her hand was getting cold from holding onto the rail. Snow was falling pretty hard by then so she was pretty much plowing the snow on the rail with her bare hand.
After her first time on the rink, we walked to the grocery store for some milk and snacks. She was so happy to be sitting in the cart. Poor girl must have been so tired from all the fun stuff she did in the snow today. When we got back to the hotel, all she wanted to do was eat some pretzels and hummus (her dinner) and then go to bed.
playing in the hotel
In the afternoon, we hung out in our hotel room for a bit to get some rest. Peanut woke up from his nap with lots of energy and curiosity. We started out on his blanket but quickly had to transition to a larger blanket on the floor because he was able to cover quite a bit of floor space. We started out with the blanket folded in half (in the picture below) but he just kept rolling and scooting off of it.
By the end of his playtime, this blanket had to be opened up entirely to almost cover the whole area between the couch and the dining table.
He also loved the full-length mirror in the bedroom and was just enamored by the chubby baby that kept copying every move that he made.
https://youtu.be/UAggzRp3ifE
Tahoe snow
Last night at dinner, we made a last-minute decision to head up to Tahoe this morning. We found a great deal for a suite at a hotel right next to Heavenly in South Tahoe. So we headed up early this morning and both kids did really well on the 3.5-hour drive.
https://youtu.be/JgUPDe3UQlc
Here is Janie’s outfit that we pulled together using her beanie, a jacket and bib that we got from cousin Katie, and some cheap snow boots that Mama bought at the gas station on the way up.
Peanut also had his own snow outfit complete with a jacket handed down from Rowan, pants that we borrowed from Avia, and socks that were handed down from Henry. Mama bought the hat at the same gas station on the way up.
In town, there wasn’t much snow on the ground. It looked like Spring. So, we headed back up the mountain to find a sno-park that had some good snow for building a snowman. This was Janie’s first time seeing and touching snow so it was really exciting for all of us.
She had such a good time climbing, building, and playing in the snow.
Of course, she wanted to build a snowman and got a little help from Dada. Too bad Mama forgot to bring a carrot for the nose.
As a big fan of Frozen, this was like a dream come true for her.
Peanut also joined in on the fun. We made him a little snow seat and he touched and tried to eat the snow.
https://youtu.be/92BXK2aE45A
This is what it looked like when I made the kids pose together. Janie was grouchy because she had to stop playing for a few seconds and Peanut was sliding out of her arms. What a funny photo of them…and also a classic response from both of them.
Once we got Dada included in the photo, Janie was happier because she didn’t have to hold up her brother and Peanut wasn’t falling over anymore.
After playing in the snow, we stopped at a tacqueria on the way back to the hotel and Janie got a tasty bean and cheese burrito. She really worked up an appetite!
Janie also posed for this photo and said, “Mama, take a picture of us!”