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 : )