Wednesday, January 7, 2009

LAKE TAHOE

Our family trip this year - Christmas at Lake Tahoe! Skiing, snow, mountains, relaxation....eeerrr, hold it...I said, FAMILY trip, which means kids, which means no relaxation. Until you factor in the grandparents who were a big help but even they can't hold back a 2- and 3-year-old. Well, really, it's just Laina (between you and me, Wesley is an angel). Laina - when you're old enough to read this, I was just kidding!

The trip started off well enough, with plenty of time before departure, the kids were pulling their own luggage and staying busy. Laina's first plane ride, so of course we packed the Benadryl. Right before take-off, the pilot announced the hydraulic pump light just came on. Really, who needs a hydraulic pump anyway? Obviously the plane does so back we go to the gate. Three and a half hours later, after a change of plane and terminal (on the plus side, the kids got to ride the tram) and waiting for the catering cart to be loaded on the new plane, we took off to Reno and drove into Tahoe.

We met all of Scott's family in Tahoe, even the soon-to-be member Uncle Puch (you have to say this with a giggle), Heather's fiance. Puch's family has a very nice cabin that we stayed in. We had a great time in Tahoe with skiing, snowshoeing, and tubing. Kids loved the tubing and Wesley took his very first ski school class. He was the cutest thing. He enjoyed it so much, we threw him back in there a second day. Here's a video of him in ski school. He's the one NOT in pink.


Laina, while not old enough to ski, tried out the winter sport of sledding with Granny and Papa...or rather sleeping on one. See picture.


Santa stopped by on Christmas Eve and traumatized Laina. Wesley got over the hairy guy syndrome and helped Santa passed out presents.

I also need to mention that Laina is banned from planes for 1 full year. The 20 minute tantrum on the floor of the plane before, during and after landing made for an unpleasant experience, for us and for the people who gave the disapproving unsympathetic looks. Yeah, you try calming down a cranky & stubborn 2-year old with popped ears.

Here are the happier family photos:

2 comments:

Jeff said...

1. You guys are way more brave than we are. We haven't even attempted the Family Vacation and don't plan to for a while yet. So far, Naomi and Amigo both have the same attitude about travel.

2. I'm not sure whose approach to skiing I like more: Wesley's hanging with the chicks or Laina's EZ chair. Ultimate would of course be an EZ chair on skis with a chick on each armrest.

3. A full 1 year ban from planes for Laina??? Ok, I guess I can understand that one.

Erika said...

wow, you guys are brave to take 2 kids to Tahoe. Mark and I went to Tahoe in September, but we left Kai here. While he is a great flyer, our friends barely have their house proofed for 2 dogs, much less a 4 year old.

Maybe next year...