California Trip (2 of 2 - New Years)

On December 30th we packed back up and headed towards Tahoe. I'm always amazed at the difference in the greenery in different places. We live the Pacific Northwest now and the evergreens are just that, ever green. In California the pines lose their needles and are bare.
The kids were pooped out from all the fun and crashed most of the way up.
We arrived to the gorgeousness that is the lake surrounded by snow at sunset.

On the 31st we woke and got ready to drive around the lake to visit with good family friends Bill & Leona.
At the back of where we parked the van, was this print. Distinctly bear, but there was no other evidence of it. They should be hibernating. Thankfully we didn't see anything else during the trip.
The beautiful view on the drive around.
The lake is so clear with that slightest bit of aqua green to it; it looks like Hawaii or the Caribbean.
We had a really nice visit.

Back to North Lake, I grab a picture of the icicles hanging off the "cabin". They were really long and on the last night we were there, it warmed up and came crashing down waking us with a boom that made us bolt upright in bed, hearts pounding.
Hanging out, waiting for the ball to drop. This was Wyatt's first time staying up.
Happy New Year!! *cheers*

New Year's Day we enjoyed a lazy pajama day, just hanging out together.

And on the 2nd, we headed home. Unfortunately we got slowed down by a nasty bit of a storm coming out of Tahoe onto I-80. Christian, who prefers to travel wearing shorts and a t-shirt, had to put his snow jacket and balaclava on to stand in the blizzard like conditions and chain up.
And then had to stop and go out again because one of the straps on the chains broke off. He used a bungee to get it to "make do".
Then unfortunately he had to go out yet again and remove the whole thing because two more straps snapped off! We did the rest of the mountain with just one chain (though in reality, we could have made it through without them at all, we were just trying to accommodate Cal-Trans).
We made it safely though, unchained the other tire. We continued on passed Sacramento and then stopped to buy a new set of chains, just in case. Of course, being better prepared, meant smooth sailing.
Mount Shasta.
Happy kids, just enjoying the trip.

Just before going into Oregon, there's this barn, it's really well done, beautifully painted. I thought my step dad would especially like this.
(as with all the pictures, click to make bigger)And after 15 hours of driving that day, we came home, and there was new snow on the ground. In the place that it never snows. (Which was also followed by two more days of snow.)
Here is our trip clock. 8 days of visiting, almost 40 hours in the car. My kids are awesome.