An early morning drive to Lake Tahoe

I decided to head back up to Tahoe bright and early Friday morning to meet with the couple one last time to finish up some photos since we got snowed out a few days ago.  Well sunrise in Lake Tahoe in the winter is not the warmest of times, infact it was NEGATIVE 8 degrees.  Holy Cow!  I thought my fingers were going to fall off.

After photos I got some shots of the kids enjoying the snow.  The negative temps were not slowing these kids down.  Although the bathrooms at Sand Harbor are a nice 80 degrees.

The newly painted family room

Here is the before again - YUCK!

Disaster averted

It's still be on and off with Siena and using the potty.  Like I've said before we aren't forcing any potty training, just basically letting her do her own thing.  Well today she was running around naked and she yelled "poo poo" we rushed her to the bathroom and she had major diarrhea.  I think this is the last time she gets to run around naked....

A snow storm, 4 wheel drive, and Aimee

I have lived up here for 6 years.  In those 6 years I have NEVER been the one driving when we have needed to use the 4 wheel drive.  Well today I met a couple from Chicago for their engagement pictures at Lake Tahoe.  The weather wasn't showing it to be too bad but none the less I was a little bit worried that I might have to throw it in to 4 wheel drive.

So I make my way up to Tahoe.  It's raining but not too bad.  I get to Truckee and it was sunny!  Perfect I thought!  As I drove from Truckee to Sand Harbor (on the Nevada Side) I could see it getting darker and darker.  I got to Sand Harbor and it was full on rain/snow/major wind.  I waited for the couple to arrive.  Once we did, we made the decision to head back to the California side to see if the weather was slightly better.  It wasn't.  We decided to give photos a shot even though it was practically a blizzard.  We lasted about 10 minutes.  I was shooting with one hand while holding an umbrella in the other.

We called it quits and I was back on the road by 3.  It was snowing like crazy.  By the time I got to HWY 80 it was full on chain control.  Luckily I have snow tires and 4 wheel drive so I don't have to put on chains which is good because I don't own chains!  Going about 25 miles an hour it took me 4 hours to do a drive that normally takes 1.


Never again.

I'm a frog

Cole ran into the office and yelled "Mom!  Look!  I am a frog"  

Christmas 2010

Christmas has come and gone again!  This year I think by far was the most fun for us because of Cole's belief in Santa Claus.  Oh man was he excited to know that Santa Claus was going to be bringing him presents.  He woke us up around 6:30 this morning asking if he could open presents.  I had him crawl in bed with us so we could get a little more sleep.  We woke up around 8am and I got the camera out and waited for Cole to round the corner to see what Santa had brought him.  Cole ran over to the brand new lego table and on top of it was his talking elephant!!  It's what he had been asking for all month.  Siena wanted a talking giraffe according to Cole but Santa couldn't find one so she got a talking chimpanzee which actually freaks us all out a bit.  It tries to hug you.  The kids wasted no time digging to their stockings and opening presents, well mostly Cole, Siena kind of wandered around and Cole would tell her to open things.  Between all 3 houses the kids were royally spoiled this year but I wouldn't have it any other way.  The excitement on their faces (mostly Cole's) was so fun to see.

Siena got:

2 baby dolls
general mills food set
4 or 5 books
sit and spin
talking / hugging chimpanzee
clothes
firetruck
harmonica
pink blanket
dump truck
puzzle
wagon with giant legos


Cole got:
a vtech prechool laptop
a talking elephant
puzzles
toy story memory game
chutes and ladders
candyland
go fish
batman dinner set
batman puzzle
superman puzzle (has yet to arrive)
batman kleen kanteen with his name on it
helicopter ( there is a pilot in it that he calls "Uncle Lennis"
clothes
batman blanket
spiderman squirt gun
lego table
lego game
connect 4

Aimee got:

Droidx - a totally awesome smartphone
curtain rod and curtains for my new offic
money
gift cards
wall cubes


Mike got:

droid x
bin to sort ansestry stuff
family tree maker program (he's all into this stuff right now)
money
gift cards


Mike and I are getting new doors for the interior of the house as well as a new front door.  Possibly a headboard for last years purchase.  Merry Christmas to us!!!!  Over the last few years we have been doing gift like that rather than spending the same amount of $ on useless stuff.  Last year we bought a new bed (not mattress but the actual wooden bed part, eliminating the need for those horrible black bars on wheels!


**I am trying to get this blog caught up and this post has been holding it back so for now, no photos.  Soon maybe.

Christmas Eve 2010

Christmas Eve at my parents house.  It was the usual bunch minus Alix and my aunt was the one taking this photo.  All 4 dogs made it in the family photo as well.

We didn't make it to see Santa this year so Cole received a special message from Santa on the computer. Totally cute!

I love how she looks at the tree.

We had our usual fresh crab for dinner.  We look forward to this every year!!!!

Cole could not wait to open presents.

Fun time with Auntie and Uncle.

Just adorable, Siena reading "cole's newspaper"

Grandma's Christmas tree.

Ali

The family

Cole got to be Santa and pass out the presents.

Siena was way more interested in the non present lego table at grandma's than the actual presents.

Siena's favorite toy - the firetruck!