{This post represents 5-6 July! Our FAMILY road trip!}
Tuesday started out with a MASS amount of laundry. I did NOT want to be doing our laundry while on vacation! So... we left LOTS later than we had anticipated, but... we made it to our destination in one piece! Barely! ;o)
And just for me mostly, and a little for Damian, we ate at Hermie's on our way out of town. I used to work there as a teenager, and though they've changed a few things, I still love it! Yay! I did eat here one other time while here, but had to have Damian with me, too! (I even got SAmberie to eat there! They got the deep fried platter. YUMMY! The mushrooms are my favorite... dipped in the homemade batter... YUM!)
I do have to admit that even though we did most of our traditional stuff, I am now realizing that we never did make it to the Canyon Park with part of Coal Creek running through. Drat. That is one of our favorites!
We got our delightful food and headed out into the middle of NOWHERE! Across the desert... on our way to Reno! Damian's sister, Katie, and her family live there. And have for quite a few years. And we haven't visited them... ever... until now! Better late than never! We saw antelope, lots of cows, and lots of rain and lightning! Not to mention all the field mice that scurried across the road in front of the headlights. Ick. I have NEVER seen so many!
We had to take a potty break on the way and get our hungry Braeden (who has a hollow leg) something to eat, so we picked Rachel, NV. (Our choices were very limited, you see. This was the ONLY choice for such a matter!) And there we found the Little Ale'Inn! Haha! We got a grilled cheese, some drinks to settle our stomachs, took some pictures with the aliens hanging the back wall, and headed out again!
We stopped in Tonopah for gas, and though I had been there before when I was little, I don't remember a SINGLE thing or sight about it. Cornell and Tamie lived there for a while and we visited several times, but I only remember the sight of the street they used to live on. And I have no idea where that was... especially in the dark!
And somehow... we made it to Reno! After 2 a.m. And we found Kate and Corbin awake and waiting for us. Sorry, Katie!
It was an obvious late morning the next day, but we made it out of the house and on our way to Tahoe before noon! We ate when we got there and then made our way to the trail at Emerald Bay that leads down to Vikingsholm Castle. An easy way down, but not so much back UP! Yikes... it's steep! And the castle... well, not really a castle, but fun to see nonetheless! You can read about its history here: http://www.vikingsholm.org/
As we were getting ready to hike back up the trail it started thundering... and we could feel a sprinkle or two. We thought that we might get dumped on, but we made it up without getting soaked. The kids still really wanted to swim and play in the lake, so we headed down to a rocky beach area and let them play. It was raining by then, and it was COLD... but that doesn't stop kids. They had a great time, and Damian taught Braeden and Lexi how to skip rocks. Ella and Hayden... they were good rock throwers. We'll leave it at that! Poor Corbin was fed under a pink umbrella and then put back in the warm safety of the car! He's such a good baby. Hardly ever fusses... ever. Kate is one lucky momma!
Then we drove back to Reno, picked up pizza and had dinner with Casey at their home! Kate took me on a little field trip after dark when everyone else was watching a movie to see the place they are moving to. It's nice and roomy! The back yard has a shed and is probably at least 3 times the size of ours.
The kids had a sleepover with Hayden! He decided he wanted to stay in the hide-a-bed with the others, so we tucked them all in and suspected that they wouldn't go to sleep, but like 5 mins. afterward they were all O-U-T! They had a long day of play to wear them out!
And just for me mostly, and a little for Damian, we ate at Hermie's on our way out of town. I used to work there as a teenager, and though they've changed a few things, I still love it! Yay! I did eat here one other time while here, but had to have Damian with me, too! (I even got SAmberie to eat there! They got the deep fried platter. YUMMY! The mushrooms are my favorite... dipped in the homemade batter... YUM!)
I do have to admit that even though we did most of our traditional stuff, I am now realizing that we never did make it to the Canyon Park with part of Coal Creek running through. Drat. That is one of our favorites!
We got our delightful food and headed out into the middle of NOWHERE! Across the desert... on our way to Reno! Damian's sister, Katie, and her family live there. And have for quite a few years. And we haven't visited them... ever... until now! Better late than never! We saw antelope, lots of cows, and lots of rain and lightning! Not to mention all the field mice that scurried across the road in front of the headlights. Ick. I have NEVER seen so many!
We had to take a potty break on the way and get our hungry Braeden (who has a hollow leg) something to eat, so we picked Rachel, NV. (Our choices were very limited, you see. This was the ONLY choice for such a matter!) And there we found the Little Ale'Inn! Haha! We got a grilled cheese, some drinks to settle our stomachs, took some pictures with the aliens hanging the back wall, and headed out again!
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| And... of course, my camera was buried, so I have to make do with the Droid pix. Ick, but... This just cracks me up! Lexi as the welcome earthling! |
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| Lexi wanted NO PART of this, but Braeden and Ella were strangely fascinated with these alien things donning the t-shirts they wanted us to buy! Haha! |
We stopped in Tonopah for gas, and though I had been there before when I was little, I don't remember a SINGLE thing or sight about it. Cornell and Tamie lived there for a while and we visited several times, but I only remember the sight of the street they used to live on. And I have no idea where that was... especially in the dark!
And somehow... we made it to Reno! After 2 a.m. And we found Kate and Corbin awake and waiting for us. Sorry, Katie!
It was an obvious late morning the next day, but we made it out of the house and on our way to Tahoe before noon! We ate when we got there and then made our way to the trail at Emerald Bay that leads down to Vikingsholm Castle. An easy way down, but not so much back UP! Yikes... it's steep! And the castle... well, not really a castle, but fun to see nonetheless! You can read about its history here: http://www.vikingsholm.org/
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| Okay... yes. Two of the stinkers with us wanted McD's and the rest of us wanted Subway, so... Damian went to Subway with everyone but Ella and Hayden, and I got their order here. And since they had a nice and spacious eating area that wasn't exactly IN the restaurant, this is where we sat to eat our lunch! S.S. McPICKLE totally cracks me up! And Grimus... sailing on Lake Tahoe... hahaha! |
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| Here we are together! Lexi, Braeden, Hayden, Ella, ME, and Kate holding Corbin! Damian is taking the picture! |
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| Overlooking Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe. This is also the trailhead for the shortest route to Vikingsholm. Notice the waterfall behind them? Beautiful! Kate holding Corbin, Braeden, Ella, Hayden, Lexi, and Damian |
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| From the same spot as above overlooking the bay. |
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| Damian was constantly helping these two! So glad he was there for that!! |
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| I took 6 pictures of this and this is the best one... REALLY?? Yes. Hayden, Ella, Braeden, and Lexi! |
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| Heading doooowwwwnn! |
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| But we had to stop at basically EVERY little waterfall for pictures! Ella |
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| And Lexi... |
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| ...and Braeden and Hayden. They mustn't be left out! |
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| They look so small and insignificant, don't they!??! Lexi, Ella, and Hayden |
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| Talk about small comparatively. This would be a nasty fall from the top. It's literally STRAIGHT down. {And this view doesn't do it justice... you have to be there to really put it into perspective!} |
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| Familiar. Ella collecting sticks. |
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| Braeden, can I just say, was sooo HAPPY to finally have a BOY to hang out with! |
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| Not even close to being able to reach all the way across! And to think that these aren't the largest trees around! Yeesh! |
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| Check out the roof... the wife wanted it to blend into nature. Yep. Accomplished that one. Grass growing on the roof would provide some serious camouflage. |
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| Peeking in the windows. Damian and Kate and Braeden. Lexi and Hayden are walking around in the background. |
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| The inside. This is the dining area and looking into another room. |
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| Emerald Bay from ground view! Out on the only island in all of the lake, Fannette Island, there is a stone "Tea House." Because of vandalism, it's only the stone walls now, but it's there, nonetheless. We didn't get out there... boo. |
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| CHIPMUNK! |
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| Come on, Hayden! Hurry! |
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| Ella's back at practicing her photography skills. Not too shabby on this one! ;o) |
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| Awww! Love it! He was basically towing Lexi and Braeden while Hayden was screaming to GET DOWN! Haha! |
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| Notice I'm now in front?? I sort of cheated and scaled the side of the switchback! |
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| That is FAR ENOUGH. Don't get any closer to that edge, please. Braeden and Lexi enjoying the view and a REST! |
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| I love this picture! So cute! Corbin is just SQUEEZABLE! |
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| I think Lexi is now behind the lens! |
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| FEET ON THE GROUND, PLEASE! It really is a LONG way DOWN! Hayden, Ella, and Braeden |
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| I think this is the only decent shot I have with Kate and both of her boys. Such cuties! |
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| Lexi has found the perfect rock for skipping! |
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| Damian giving good, simple instruction! |
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| And... he's got it! |
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| Um, yes. It IS COOOOOLD! Brrr. |
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| This is how Ella skips rocks. Notice her hands. |
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| ;o) She doesn't waste time doing just one at a time. That takes too much time! |
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| Yep! Told ya' it was cold! Katie |
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| Don't lose your slipper in that giant wave there, honey! |
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| Hayden searching for the perfect rock to launch! |
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| He's got it! |
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| Corbin had to take a break and a bottle! |
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| I wonder if I can still skip a rock or two??!! |
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| That would be a YESSS! |
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| Kate and Corbin taking refuge under the umbrella! It really is raining!! |
As we were getting ready to hike back up the trail it started thundering... and we could feel a sprinkle or two. We thought that we might get dumped on, but we made it up without getting soaked. The kids still really wanted to swim and play in the lake, so we headed down to a rocky beach area and let them play. It was raining by then, and it was COLD... but that doesn't stop kids. They had a great time, and Damian taught Braeden and Lexi how to skip rocks. Ella and Hayden... they were good rock throwers. We'll leave it at that! Poor Corbin was fed under a pink umbrella and then put back in the warm safety of the car! He's such a good baby. Hardly ever fusses... ever. Kate is one lucky momma!
Then we drove back to Reno, picked up pizza and had dinner with Casey at their home! Kate took me on a little field trip after dark when everyone else was watching a movie to see the place they are moving to. It's nice and roomy! The back yard has a shed and is probably at least 3 times the size of ours.
The kids had a sleepover with Hayden! He decided he wanted to stay in the hide-a-bed with the others, so we tucked them all in and suspected that they wouldn't go to sleep, but like 5 mins. afterward they were all O-U-T! They had a long day of play to wear them out!
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| The movie clan! Damian, Ella, Lexi and Hayden behind Corbin, Casey, and Braeden! |
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| The funniest part of this picture is Ella in the background. She's TOTALLY out! Lexi and Braeden holding/mauling Corbin! |
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| So much fun! Lexi holding Corbin (who looks to be done with this nonsense) and Braeden holding Hayden! |
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| Slumber party! :o) |
2 comments:
I love reading your novels! Your family does some REALLY fun things. Your kids will have some great memories.
I'm so glad I finally got to see these pictures! What a fun trip you guys had. I loved Damian's narration at the Tahoe Rock Skipping championship. You won, didn't you, Tandy? ;-)
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