Dessert for Dinner

Today was another beautiful day in Lake Tahoe.  After breakfast, we got up and went to the park to play some basketball.  As usual, we ended up playing a family game of horse.  Now, I will be the first to admit that I have the strangest way to shoot a basketball ever.  I don't really shoot it so much as throw it one handed.  Weird, yes, but for me it works.  Now imagine the bragging rights I got by not only winning the game of horse, but by only having an h and o when everyone else went out.  The best part was the James was after me and he went out first.  I must say, I was a little giddy about that. 

After the park, we headed over to Magic Carpet goofy golf.  Like a lot of businesses here, it is just an old house converted with about an acre of land and some of the most ridiculous plaster animals/obstacles you have ever seen, but the boys love it, so we go every year.  Of course, we always make it into a friendly competition too and although James and Dawson both got a hole in one, do you know who got the first hole in one???  Yep, me!  Let's just say, I was pretty impressed with myself. :)

We came back to the hotel and grabbed lunch and then headed out for a hike to Echo Lake.  There is Lower Echo Lake where you start and Upper Echo Lake about 2.5 miles down the trail.  The trail actually goes on for another 5 miles past that, but we were being realistic.  The hike was labeled moderate, so we knew we were fine.  We started the hike and saw some of the most beautiful country imaginable.  At one point, we had the Lower Echo Lake behind us and were overlooking the entire Tahoe Basin and as much of Lake Tahoe as the eye could see.  It was wonderful.  The weather was gorgeous and the sights were great so we just kept going.  We finally reached Upper Echo Lake, had a snack, took some pictures and were ready to head back.  That's when I realized that I might have bitten off a little large of a hike.  I am use to walking 3 miles every day at home, so a combined 5 didn't seem like much.  Except, I wasn't taking into account the up and down and rock climbing that we would be doing.  We all made it, but when we got to the car, let's just say James and I had joints that felt like they aged 10 years on the hike.

One of the ways I motivated the boys to finish the hike was with the bribe of ice cream when we got done.  Well, by time we were done with the hike, I thought we deserved more than just a measly scoop of ice cream.  So we did it.  We went to the Red Hut Soda Fountain and got the largest ice cream sundaes for dinner.  They were huge and they were delicious!  It was the best ending to an already terrific day.

Snow in June

Right now we are in Lake Tahoe, which is probably my favorite family vacation spot, and for the second year in a row, it is snowing.  Last year we were here over Memorial Day and the kids got to swim in the outdoor heated pool while it snowed.  This year, there wasn't any snow or rain in the forcast even. 

We got here Sunday and went for a hike to Eagle Falls/Lake and Vikingsholm Castle.  It was 77 degrees and warm.  Even yesterday when we woke up, it only looked like it might rain.  We headed out on our hike to Fallen Leaf Lake and we could feel the temp dropping pretty quick.  By the end of the hike it was sprinkling on us, but it is so beautiful here, that not much can dampen the day.  We decided to drive over to Reds Old 395 for lunch in Carson City and by time we were ready to head home, it was raining steady and the wind was a blowin'.  On the way back, we took another detour through Incline Village so we could oh and ah at all the incredible homes.  As we started to drive home, the rain started to turn to snow.  By the time we were back in our room, it was snowing hard.  At times, so hard it was just a blanket of white in the sky.  So we snuggled up next to the fireplace, watched a movie and enjoyed the afternoon.  After dinner, the snow had cleared out and although it was cold, we bundled up and walked a mile to MacDuff's to enjoy the world's best bread pudding before calling it a night. 

I can't fully explain it, but it is so peaceful here, so breathtakingly beautiful, so relaxing.  I look forward to this time every year, where I can just take a break from all the stress and enjoy life.