my birthday & Lake Tahoe

Friday I turned 32. How scary is that??! Regardless, I tried to enjoy the day as much as possible. It was really nice - and even included a digital message from Nanny in Georgia! 

Looking good!

We left Friday morning for the Hyatt Resort on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. We'd spent time on the south shore before, near South Lake Tahoe, but this time we were headed near Truckee, CA / Kings Beach, CA and ultimately to Incline Village, NV.

It was a nice drive up - took us about 5 hours but only because we made multiple stops for gas, lunch at Chick-Fil-A, and lots of potty breaks.

Caroline loved her iPod time. 

 The weather got steadily colder and cloudier. We left 77 degrees at home in Cupertino and arrived in 45 degrees and raining at Lake Tahoe. It finally felt like fall and it was amazing.

The kids enjoying the warm fireplace blazing in the lobby.

 We were upgraded to the "Family Suite" which had built-in bunk beds for the kiddos. They were SOOOO excited and loved it! They could even see the TV from bed so their life was pretty much complete at that point.

Jack: top, Caroline bottom. 

Too bad we missed both the spa and casino. #lifewithkids

After we arrived, we stretched our legs with a walk around the property.

View out our window.

A little stream hiking.

 Finally we walked across the street to the beach on the lake. It was sooo beautiful. Breathtaking! The water is impeccably clear and the glassy water stretched on forever.

That water was probably 3 feet deep and you can see every ridge on the bottom!

I loved being on the water in the cold air. So REFRESHING :)

Skipping rocks. Caroline tried sooo hard. 

Warming our hands by the fire pits they had all over.

Friday night we ate at the hotel restaurant (where the kids devoured huge plates of spaghetti) and then we crashed. We woke up Saturday morning and decided to go hiking. After a few detours, we made it.

It was really, really REALLY cold. 

Overnight, the lake went from glassy to choppy. 

What IS this pose??

Justin took most of the photos (courtesy of the new iPhone 6!) so they aren't on my phone. But we had a fantastic time hiking. It was really hard work - lots of rocks, steep uphills where we had to carry Caroline in the backpack, and poor Jack even fell once and smacked his head against a rock, but he was fine. It was a beautiful family day unplugged and away from it all! 

We all went back to the room and crashed for 3 hour naps, and then woke up for an early dinner at this super small local taco & burrito place. It was ahhh-mazing. Homemade everything and so delicious. We ate it all up and then walked the mile+ back to our hotel. 

Caroline stopped to look at the lake every chance she got. 

We spent Saturday night soaking in the hot tub, swimming in the indoor/outdoor pool, and roasting s'mores by the fire pits. It was awesome!

Sunday morning we got up, had a leisurely breakfast, and hit the road. By the time we got home, it was 80 degrees and sunny. So strange! But it was a fantastic trip and we really fell in love with the area. We can't wait to go back!

..where'd ya go...??

It's been a whirlwind of crazy around here. I got a call from my mom yesterday and she asked me about something that happened last Thursday THAT I COULD BARELY RECALL BECAUSE IT WAS SO LONG AGO. Not really...but it feels like we are squeezing every ounce out of life right now - and enjoying (mostly!) every minute!

So what's been keeping us busy? Let's do a list here.

1. KINDERGARTEN. 
Jack has been in kindergarten for just over 4 weeks now. For the most part, things have been going really well. He LOVES his teacher, Miss Toohey, and he adores everything about the routine of his day from morning play time to the calendar and counting to centers and singing to the computer lab, library, art room, and other fun things they get to do.

He has had a little bit of trouble adjusting emotionally, and he attached himself quickly to his "new best friend" Nathan (who is 6 and in his second year of kindergarten. As Miss Toohey put it, his parents "gave him the gift of time.") Anyway, Jack doesn't understand that Nathan has other friends and can't always play with him/sit with him/do things with him in class. This leads to tears on the way to or way home from school sometimes...but we are working through it.

Miss Toohey is obsessed with her new puppy, Cooper. Yesterday she brought him to school for a few minutes to meet the kids. They had SO much fun asking a million questions and enjoying his tricks:

I also enjoyed pulling up to school the other day and seeing the kindergarten artwork hanging on the fence. It made me smile :)

2. PRESCHOOL:

Little Miss Thang is enjoying preschool immensely. She has really blossomed and is talking up a STORM (seriously, if you saw her this summer, you'd be blown away by how much she says now. Full, demanding, crazy sentences!) 

She loves her new routine of Daddy taking her to school most mornings. 

Pancakes, TV, couch, blanket...what more could a girl want?

How she looks every day immediately when we get home.

How Justin did her hair. Sigh.

Running crazy!

Enjoying a post-nap snack outside. She's so big now. 

Love this big girl!

3. MOMMY'S VARIOUS ACTIVITIES:

I've been keeping myself busy by volunteering every Wednesday in Jack's classroom. It's been an amazing opportunity to really watch him in his element, as well as get to know all the other kids in his class. So far I've run the painting center, helped the kids make newspaper cups and then plant seeds in them to plant in the school's garden, been there for the kids being matched to their 4th grader "buddies" (Jack's is Ryan and he's awesome!), and helped the kids make apple muffins. It's been super fun (AND super exhausting!!!) but so worth it.

I'm also training for a half marathon (the San Jose Rock N' Roll) on October 5, as well as a full marathon (Morgan Hill CA) on November 2. I'm spending a lot of time with my other mama running buddies, usually at 4am, 5am, or 6am on weekends when we let ourselves "sleep in." We're crazy but I love it! 

I also joined the leadership team of San Jose Moms RUN This Town (where I meet all these amazing ladies!) so we've had lots going on there, including a Moms Night Out that I planned last Friday to paint at a local art center. It was awesome! Annette says I have talent, not sure I believe her :) 

4. JUSTIN AND APPLE:

Not much to say here except that life is still crazy for Justin! He's working hard, enjoying the release of the new iPhones, and doing fabulous at work. We are lucky when we see him and try to enjoy Daddy time when he's home!

We are headed to Lake Tahoe for a long weekend family vacation on Friday for my birthday and I am so excited! Lots more to write after that I'm sure. Have a fabulous week!