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Lake Tahoe vacation The down-and-dirty short version of the trip for those of you who don�t have several hours to read about our activities:
*The gorgeous scenery, especially driving around the lake to the south shore and over to Reno *Relaxing and spending time with the family *Miniature golf *Getting to read and hang out while not being distracted by the computer or watching TV *The weather, which improved each day we were there *Watching the boys� delight in having so many people they love all under one roof *Bailey and Josh playing Battleship *Meeting the Governator *Sacramento�s Railroad Museum
*Jared�s eczema did not do well in the altitude *Jared waking up screaming all night and absolutely killing the muscles in my lower back *The slippery shower (hmmm�.looking back it was amusing, so perhaps this fits in both lists) *The climate change causing havoc with my allergies the first 24 hours *The whole post-boat-ride fiasco *Bailey puking on the way home
The drive to Lake Tahoe was pretty easy. Well, after the initial getting-on-the-road-chaos that is necessary to begin any road trip involving children. In this case, it was Jared screaming �I have to pee NOW!� from the back seat about 5 minutes down the freeway. Since I had no intention of riding all that way in a car that reeked of urine, we stopped. Then, blessedly, the kids took a good nap. They were so far out that we didn�t stop for lunch until we were past Stockton. After the stop, they were still doing great. They watched a movie in the car, and then spent some time enthralled by the snow on the mountains (which, incidentally, had still been falling in the wee hours of the morning and was building up enough to require chains sometime around 6am that day). I didn�t realize that Ryan had never done the trip in good weather before�when we were in Reno last December it was snowing the whole time and we got stuck on a closed freeway due to a sudden snow flurry going there, and almost didn�t get to come back as scheduled due to closed freeways. The road over the mountains is an extremely easy drive in clear conditions. The condo, in Incline Village on the north shore, was nice. The three bedrooms and 2 full baths were downstairs (where we entered) and the kitchen, living room, half bath, and 2 balconies were upstairs. The weather was chilly, but nice, on Friday. We sorted out sleeping quarters (mom & dad in the master bedroom, Josh & Bailey in the room with the �magic� trundle, Ryan & I on the un-bunked bunk beds with Jared on the floor in the middle, and Alisa & Greg in the living room) did a bit of unpacking and settling, then headed out to dinner. Dinner was at a cute little sports bar/restaurant. From there we headed for provisions. After a bit of grocery shopping on our part, we left everyone else at the store so that we could get back and bathe the boys. I decided to take them in the shower with me. That was an experience. The shower floor was not no-slip, and the far end of the tub was slanted. So, Jared kept backing up into the slant and then slipping down, almost like it was a slide. Somewhere buried deep in our linen closet I think that I still have some removable tub decals that attach with small suction cups. I need to stick them in a pocket of either Bailey or Jared�s suitcase so that I always have them when we travel. That slippery shower thing is something I don�t really wish to repeat ever again. Anyway, everyone arrived back from the store with birthday cake for Ryan and he opened his presents (and, Lisa, he loved the Big Dog stuff!). Then, off to bed. It is completely normal for Jared to want to sleep with someone else. Ever since birth, this kid has slept better curled up right next to or on top of someone, rather than in his own space. Only, 99% of the time, that someone is Daddy. Not on this trip, however. It had to be me. Which would be fine, except he kept pushing me into this totally warped position on the bed. I had what was the top bunk, so there was a space in the rail where the ladder used to go. And, I either ended up backed against it, with the corner of it digging into a muscle in my lower back, or facing it, with Jared�s feet in that same muscle. Thank goodness I brought the meds the doctor gave me when I injured my shoulder muscle. They sure came in handy for my back! Then, it was a toss up whether it was a blessing or a curse that he was in so much pain that he was up constantly screaming and crying and scratching himself until he bled. On the one hand, I got some reprieve from the corner in my back. On the other hand, he was miserable and all 3 of us slept so poorly that we woke with a hung-over feeling. Saturday we all got off to a lazy start. I slept very late thanks to the dose of Benadryl I finally took to control my allergies, and only woke when my mom came in to get Jared�s clothes. After some consulting the tour book, and making several phone calls, we decided to go miniature golfing that morning�Bailey and Jared�s request. There were 9 of us, so we golfed in 2 groups of 4 and, by my own choice, I was the photographer instead of golfing myself. I think that I managed to get at least one good shot of everyone, and I�m really looking forward to scrapping those pictures. Back to the condo for lunch, then we all did our own thing. Ryan and I took the boys to Circus Circus for some fun. They had a blast playing the carnival games and watching a couple of circus acts. We came back with plenty of stuffed animals and both boys had their faces painted. It was a quiet evening in�dinner and Trivial Pursuit. This was followed by Jared deciding that he had to sleep with Auntie and Greg. Then he had to sleep in my bed while I slept on the floor. Then he had to sleep in bed with me again. UGH! The next morning, after another round of slip-and-slide shower with the boys, I got dressed only to notice that my ratty old tennis shoes were literally coming apart at the seams. They were unraveling more and more every time I moved. This was probably the only time in my life that I didn�t pack an extra pair of shoes. So, we headed off to the southern shore of the lake. That is the more happening area, and all the shopping is there. I got some new sneakers (actually hit a deal of 2 pair for $90 which made me very happy) and we met up with the rest of the family for lunch at a pretty good buffet. From there, we walked around a bit and the 4 of us ended up in another hotel, along with my parents and Josh, playing video games. The boys earned enough tickets to get some totally useless prizes, and we headed back to the car. From there, we made a short pit-stop at the condo and then headed over to the Hyatt Regency for some canoeing. My dad had been excited about taking the boys on a boat since we booked the vacation. I�m glad that the weather cooperated. We got there, and there were no canoes. After some brief discussion, they decided on a 5 person pedal boat. My dad and Josh pedaled, and my mom sat in the back with the boys. Ryan and I stayed on the beach. Alisa and Greg showed up, and the 4 of us hung out on lounge chairs talking and drinking. It was pretty fun. Until the ride was over. Then, I went over to where they were bringing the boat in and took some pictures and video of the kids. Everyone else was done, and they walked away to the lounge chairs. The boys, however, were not done. They decided that a post-boating dip in the lake sounded like and excellent idea at that moment. And there I was, camera in hand, fully dressed including shoes, trying to drag 2 fully dressed but shoeless children out of the lake while not ruining the camera and not getting soaked myself. That sure was fun! I got them back to the lounge chairs and I was pissed. See, the thing is, I don�t think my parents realize that they do this a lot. They are there for the fun, and as soon as they�re done, they walk away. And they leave me with the kids who need more supervision to end the activity. I actually said something along the lines of, �Hey, part of taking the kids in the lake is making sure that they get out and back here safely,� to which my mother replied, �OK!� In her this-conversation-is-now-over voice. That didn�t help my attitude at all. And then Jared started screaming. His skin was just on fire from his eczema. We tried to hurry him back to the car as fast as we could. Both Bailey and Jared were wearing wet sweats and t-shirts and not on their best behavior. Bailey was really fighting going back to the car, so we let Jared walk ahead with my parents. Of course, the parking spots my dad chose were at the furthest end of the parking lot. I�m not sure if this was done out of not knowing were to park or a misguided sense of this-would-be-a-good-way-to-make-me-and-Ryan-take-our-fat-asses-on-a-walk. The result, however, was a miserable trek through a busy parking lot with 2 soaking wet, unhappy children. The icing on the cake was when my mother, after arriving at her car, told Jared to go ahead to his car. And he took off 4 cars down through the parking lot. And the car coming around the corner had to hit the brakes in order to miss him. Really�would it have been so hard for her to keep holding his hand until we got there? Ryan and I both yelled at Jared, and he was so bewildered. He just said, �But Grammy told me to go.� So, at that point, we made a new vacation ground rule�directions to Bailey and Jared can come from Mommy and Daddy only. After a bit of pissed-off time back at the condo (I channeled the energy into packing at least), which was clinched by mom and Josh renting a movie that was not going to be appropriate for the boys, Ryan and I decided to go out for a date. Neither of us had done any gambling yet, and we wanted to go out solo and spend some time at the tables. Our plan was to go back to South Shore, but once in the car, we decided to go back to Reno instead. I was itching to play a game at Circus Circus and win a particular stuffed animal that Bailey really wanted. So, we did that and then played some Pai Gow. I started with $40, and walked away with $20-25 of it still, after playing for a while and having a few drinks. We got something to eat, and then headed back. We found Jared sleeping with Josh, so we scooped him up (knowing that at about 2am the crying from his eczema would begin) and got into bed. The next morning Ryan and I started the long process of cramming all of our crap back into the car (this included a small suitcase for each of us, a bag of toys for the boys, a bag of towels, bed linens for one queen bed and 2 twin beds, a king-sized feather bed, DVD�s, a crate of board games, a crock pot, and a few other items). Since the boys now had no toys to play with, we knew that they would get easily bored and find trouble. So, we asked that someone watch them while we load the car. That didn�t happen, though. Ryan found the boys jumping on the couch, a full package of gum wrappers around them, and no one else nearby. Final straw. We couldn�t finish packing the car fast enough! Bailey and Jared begged to go back to Circus Circus, so we obliged them. We played a bit, had breakfast at the buffet, and then got on the road. Our plan was to stop in Sacramento to visit the capital building and go to the Railroad Museum. About 30 minutes outside of Sacramento, Bailey told us that he needed to throw-up. Of course, we were in the left lane, and he didn�t quite make it. Ryan was just pulling into the shoulder when he puked. Ewwww! Those of you that know me well know that I do not do vomit. Ryan got everything pretty cleaned up, and we went to a gas station at the next exit to finish up. We finally got to Sacramento way after our scheduled plan, and went to the capital building. We were just walking around and we pointed out the Governor�s office to the boys. At which point a cute aide steps over to us and he says, �If you want to wait here for about 30 seconds, the Governor is arriving at his office now.� So we did. We told Bailey that if it weren�t for his carsickness, we wouldn�t have gotten this opportunity. Cutie told the boys that some people come by several times a week and never get to meet the Governor. And, among a sea of media, the Governator was walking right at us. You know, now that he�s off the steroids, he doesn�t look as intimidating as I thought he would. From there, we went to the Railroad Museum, which we all enjoyed. It was now about 4:45pm, and not exactly the time that I wanted to hit Sacramento traffic. So, we decided to get some dinner and then hit the road. We had passed the Hard Rock Caf� and the boys were taken by the large guitar outside. So, we had a bite to eat and then got on the road at a much more traffic-reasonable 6:30pm. Everyone except Ryan fell into a food coma after dinner and slept most of the way home. Got in at about 8:15, unpacked, and crashed. There ya go! Hope it lived up to the anticipation. Somehow, I doubt it did! 0 comments Listening to: Reading: Eating/drinking: Do what to me?!? - April 24, 2007 Wicked funny websearch - April 05, 2007 Trot out the dogs 'n ponies - March 31, 2007 Almost done... - March 20, 2007 Who am I? - March 12, 2007 READ ME |