Our First Family Ski Trip

The normally 5 1/2 hour trip to Tahoe took us a grueling 10.5 hours!  It was pouring rain the day we left the bay area, which meant heavy snowfall conditions near the mountains (great for skiing but not so great for driving, especially if you drive a snow-unworthy Prius).  

Luckily, we had the Chung family, who left an hour earlier, as our eyes and ears.  Irene would text us the play by play of road/traffic conditions and warned us of the road closures/openings.  And we had the Chiu family bringing up the rear in their all-wheel drive suv, ready to rescue the silly family who drove their environmentally friendly clown car to the snow.  

3 families, all who left at different times throughout a span of 4 hours and yet, due to the awful weather conditions, all arrived at the same time.  Little did we know that the most difficult part of the trip would be negotiating the snowed in driveway of our cabin.  

So after an hour of getting stuck/unstuck, pushing, losing a chain on the Chung's minivan, shoveling, rocking the vehicle and flooring it until sparks flew from the minivan's remaining tire chain on concrete, our husbands finally successfully parked 3 cars into the driveway.  At this point we were all exhausted and ready to abandon the non-all-terrain vehicles there until summer.  All I remember thinking at that point was, "this better be worth it!"...and thankfully it was.    

Driving was a piece of cake 

after the roads were plowed

The first day at Northstar:

 Dropping our kiddos off for their first ski lessons

Irene & Nelson

 Elaine & Anthony and their super-skier son, Ian

GI Joe/special forces/assassin and Wifey

Posing with our good friends Irene and Nelson

(Felt like we were trapped in a shaken snow-globe)

Second day of skiing, it was time to put Jayden's lesson to the test. 

Here is a video of Jayden's first time hitting the bunny slopes

 Going up, up, up...

After 2 successful green bunny hill runs - we decided to go for the intermediate blue glory!

Pre-blue run pose

Baba and J.J.- calm

mama - all nerves but excited

We sandwiched Jay between Chris and I.  Mama would go down and lead the way, J.J. would follow me, and Chris would follow J.  We were so proud, Jayden had great control and stuck to me like glue (often telling me that I was skiing too slow).  On the flatter areas, I would instruct Jayden to tuck to gain speed.  On too many occasions, I would see a Jayden-ball whiz past me with his arms flailing behind him (like a ski-jumper)! 

  

Third day of skiing (who knew we were so hard-core?) @ Mt. Rose in Nevada. 

We are officially a ski family!

Hooray

The wonderful Chiu family 

The expert dare-devils, Anthony and Chris, took to the black (advanced route) and Jay & I enjoyed the day skiing with Elaine and Ian.  Jayden asked when he will be able to ski black diamonds?  Hopefully in a few years I replied.  Then he asked when he will be able to ski double black diamonds (almost straight vertical) and I answered, "hopefully, never." 

Our boys after a hard day of skiing - still all grins

 Random shenanigans:

 

 

Getting our sillies out ; P

We are so pumped, finally a sport we all can enjoy together.  Once we got back from our trip, Chris and I purchased all new equipment for this ski family...including a new all-wheel drive SUV!  Tahoe - see you in a few weeks : )  

out with the old and in with the new

February 16th marked the last day of Chris's 9 year devotion to LOGIC Devices Inc.  We will miss you but we are glad you are moving on to bigger (company) and better (pay and benefits) things.

Jayden's Valentine

Jayden passed out Valentines last Friday.  It has always been a tradition to make our own Valentines.  This year we started the night before and an hour before J's bedtime.  It was a sweatshop of cutting, pasting, writing, etc.  Chris and I helped out, we did not get finished until 10pm!  Jayden was very happy on how they turned out and so were we.

 
We attached little Popsicles to the card and the message read "You make my heart melt".  All the kids raved about the cards and Jayden was very proud of his creation.

After the party, I was cleaning out Jayden's book bag and stumbled across a very special Valentines - Jayden's first love letter from a girl!  While reading the first paragraph, I thought to myself, "Ahhh, how sweet"!  The second paragraph, welled tears in my eyes.  The third paragraph made my jaw drop wide open...in Vincent Van Gogh sort of way; the artist who cut off his ear to impress a girl.   

The letter reads:
"Thank you for being my best friend Jayden.  This is for you [cut outs of words like love, hope, care, etc.], use it anyway you want.  I cut these myself.  I hope you like them.  P.S.  I love you, happy valentines day.  P.P.S.  I pulled one of my hairs for you I put it in the bag, you may not see it but its in there."

With eyes wide open, I slowly raised the clear ziplock baggie and examined.  Yup, there was the strand of love hair.  Wow, I did not realize puppy love started so young...and could be so intense.  (Truthfully, I'm not too worried.  This little girl is a sweetheart...but I do wonder what type of media she is exposed to.)

Anyways, I decided that this little girl put a lot of thought and care into this letter.  So I mentioned to Jayden that he should thank her for her very special Valentines.  So Jayden took it to heart and made one for her (all on his own):

Very sweet and minus the exchange of a bodily memento - mama is happy (I'm not ready to deal with all that just yet).

On the second thought, perhaps Jayden's little friend is on to something.  Hallmark Cards seem to have a card for every occasion, however, I have not yet seen "I've enclosed a piece of me" card.  Maybe I'll have her pitch this to Hallmark. 

Sunday Brunch with the Scraba Family

We had the Scraba family over for brunch, and held them captive until after dinner, as a little thank you celebration for helping Chris get his new job.  (By the way, it is official, Chris has accepted the offer!  He will start at NVidia on Feb.28th.)

I was in heaven, I got to play with Claire...and she returned the gesture!  We played together, she even held my hand.  Not once did the sight of me make her cry.  I am over the moon!

Here are some pics from the kids finger painting...and feet/mouth/hair painting:

 Ah ha - caught you red (and blue) handed!

 I feel obligated to explain that Erin did not dress Claire in these clothes.  

We put Claire in some of Jay's old pjs for painting but she still looks so cute - in a b-baller sort of way. 

Cute pic of hippie feet Claire and her daddy

Thanks Adam and Erin for opening doors and helping Chris step through them.  We are very appreciative for all the encouragement and support you've given us through this exciting transition.

 

Hoppin' start to the Year of the Rabbit

Happy Chinese New Year everyone!  

 YCIS Fashion Show

Carrying on family tradition, Jayden awoke on New Year's to a red envelope filled with green and an orange tucked near his pillow.  (Oranges represent "luck" or "good fortune".)

Another one of my family traditions that I just love - eating Hot Pot at New Years. 

A toast to the Year of the Wabbit

Jayden helped me with the plating

Traditionally, a raw egg yolk is added as a part of the dipping sauce.  I Google it, supposedly it is for counterbalancing the "heat" from hot pot (ying/yang eating philosophy).  As a little girl, this is how I enjoyed hot pot.  Now that I've learned "food safety", there is no way I can get myself to eat this.  Yes I know I've shamed my culture, true Asians laugh in the face of the Food Safety Council.  Does it count if at least one of the members of the Marriott house hold embraces the "inner-Asian"?

Again, out Asian-ed by Chris

(don't let his ultra white exterior fool you, this boy is yellow on the inside)

Later on, Uncle Clayton ended up dropping by for dinner and he too, added raw egg yolk in his sauce...and loved it.  I guess I've been doubly disgraced ; )  

It was a great night, great dinner, and spent with the people I love.  Jayden declared this, "the best dinner ever!"  Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that we are carrying on old family traditions while making some new ones. 

YCIS Celebration

On Saturday, we had Jayden's school gala celebration and fundraiser. 

 

The gala/fundraiser was a success and the parent community raised a total of $50,000!  What a generous group of parents!

Embracing the philosophy, out with the old and in with the new.  Chris has officially given his notice at work.  The 15th of February will be his last day!  Although we are so sad that he and I will no longer be co-workers, we are so proud and excited for Chris to move on to bigger and better opportunities!  Already, it has been an exciting start to the new year of the rabbit!