Ever do something outside of the box with the best of intentions? I kinda did. Last summer when my parents announced that they'd be traveling halfway across the country to visit my sister's family for Christmas, I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to take my own family to the mountains to experience a real white Christmas. Because, you know, they'd never had one of those before.
Yup, five kids, two significant others, one BIL, my hubby, and me all in one cabin. For multiple days. Sharing the love and joy of Christmas. Ho. ho, ho!
Best. Mom. Evah!
Yup, five kids, two significant others, one BIL, my hubby, and me all in one cabin. For multiple days. Sharing the love and joy of Christmas. Ho. ho, ho!
Best. Mom. Evah!
I chose a cabin in a little town at about 7,000' in the Sierras called Bear Valley--home of the world famous Bear Valley Music Festival.
In August, my beloved and I took a part romantic get away, part scope out the cabin weekend trip. We took pictures and peeked in through the windows of our future holiday home. (No, no one was renting the place at the time!) The place had six bedrooms, and a gorgeous lakeview. It seemed perfect for our group of ten.
In August, my beloved and I took a part romantic get away, part scope out the cabin weekend trip. We took pictures and peeked in through the windows of our future holiday home. (No, no one was renting the place at the time!) The place had six bedrooms, and a gorgeous lakeview. It seemed perfect for our group of ten.
And the coolest part: Bear Valley doesn't plow their roads when it snows, so the only way to the rental cabins is via snowmobile.
How cool is that?
Yeah, both my DH & I were stoked.
How cool is that?
Yeah, both my DH & I were stoked.
Fast forward to early December, and Bear Valley's one dusting of snow came...and went. Pretty much the place looked like it had in August. But, all right, we could work with this. We didn't have to go skiing or snowshoeing. And no one really wanted to ride a snowmobile. At least it'd still be cold, right?
Then, a week before we were scheduled to a arrive, the first real storm of the season came through. Four feet of snow later, and the snowmobiles were in business! Yee-haw!
Now, that's what I'm talkin' about!
Then, a week before we were scheduled to a arrive, the first real storm of the season came through. Four feet of snow later, and the snowmobiles were in business! Yee-haw!
Now, that's what I'm talkin' about!
All right, so all's going pretty well until a few days before we leave when the rental agent informed me that the cabin's owners didn't put up Christmas tree...but, we could bring a small tree, if we wanted.
Um, probably not. Like I need another thing to pack.
The night before departure, Kid #5 came home from dinner with a friend after we were asleep. When we woke up, we found a sign taped to his bedroom door saying he may have been "exposed."
Yeah, we all know what that means. <Face palm>
Okay, fine. He arranged to have a test done, and he had some OTC tests (from the last time this happened--but we're not going to go into that family drama with this blog.) He also made arrangements to catch a ride with Kid #3 & his SO on Christmas Day, if his tests all came back negative.
Um, probably not. Like I need another thing to pack.
The night before departure, Kid #5 came home from dinner with a friend after we were asleep. When we woke up, we found a sign taped to his bedroom door saying he may have been "exposed."
Yeah, we all know what that means. <Face palm>
Okay, fine. He arranged to have a test done, and he had some OTC tests (from the last time this happened--but we're not going to go into that family drama with this blog.) He also made arrangements to catch a ride with Kid #3 & his SO on Christmas Day, if his tests all came back negative.
DH, Kid #4, and I loaded up and headed out, meeting Kids #1 & #2, and Kid #2's SO in the hopping town of Angels Camp. This is where I broke down and bought a Christmas tree. Of sorts.
Isn't it adorable? Tell. Me. It's. Adorable!!!
Then we caravanned the rest of the way up the mountain to Bear Valley--putting chains on our three vehicles along the way.
Isn't it adorable? Tell. Me. It's. Adorable!!!
Then we caravanned the rest of the way up the mountain to Bear Valley--putting chains on our three vehicles along the way.
I'm sorry I didn't get any pictures of the snowmobile tractor we rode from the Bear Valley parking lot to the cabin, but we managed to cart six people and all our food and luggage up in just two trips. And this is what our cabin looked like when we arrived.
A wee bit different in the snow, huh? And so beautiful.
A wee bit different in the snow, huh? And so beautiful.
The lake view was...not quite the same either, but hey, it was out there. Somewhere. If we used our imaginations and stood on our tip-toes.
Oh, and look! There's that adorable Christmas tree again! Gotta love it.
Oh, and look! There's that adorable Christmas tree again! Gotta love it.
In case you're wondering, yes, I did get some snowshoeing in. No skiing though.
Our family Christmas breakfast tradition: Egg Nog French Toast. Yum! (Recipe below.) And, yes, Kid #5 tested negative and was able to join us on Christmas morning!
The world's most adorable Christmas tree on Christmas morning.
That deck drift kept getting higher and higher until the lake view was gone.
Some of you may have heard me say, "Timing is everything." Well, it is. And we had no timing on this trip. While my BIL was able to escape the day after Christmas (barely), the rest of us weren't scheduled to leave until the following day.
That night the real storm rolled over us. While Bear Valley was fine (which means we never lost power, and had enough food that we weren't in danger of having to eat each other), lower down the mountain, the towns of Arnold, Avery, and Hathaway Pines, were hit hard. The wind knocked down trees, and the trees in turn took out powerlines. All this destruction closed the itty-bitty, two-lane highway, which is the only way in or out of Bear Valley.
That night the real storm rolled over us. While Bear Valley was fine (which means we never lost power, and had enough food that we weren't in danger of having to eat each other), lower down the mountain, the towns of Arnold, Avery, and Hathaway Pines, were hit hard. The wind knocked down trees, and the trees in turn took out powerlines. All this destruction closed the itty-bitty, two-lane highway, which is the only way in or out of Bear Valley.
Yup, we were so not going home as planned. And to further emphasize how bad things were, the rental agent voluntarily gave us the combo to the sooper-sekrit emergency wood stash.
<Cue angelic music here.>
<Cue angelic music here.>
Here's a shot of some of the kids, who were incredibly enthusiastic about their "snow day."
At this point, that 5-foot deck drift had doubled in size and was almost touching the bottom of master bedroom deck.
At this point, that 5-foot deck drift had doubled in size and was almost touching the bottom of master bedroom deck.
The good news is that the highway was reopened the following morning, so we loaded up the snowmobile and headed to the parking lot. Where we found....
Um....
You all remember my green Caravan from previous trips? Well, it's the big, white lump on the right. The lump on the left is Kid #1's Nissan Murano. Both completely buried under 6' of fresh powder.
All four of our vehicles looked like this.
Um....
You all remember my green Caravan from previous trips? Well, it's the big, white lump on the right. The lump on the left is Kid #1's Nissan Murano. Both completely buried under 6' of fresh powder.
All four of our vehicles looked like this.
After four hours of digging, all the vehicles were free. Lunch was bought for all, then we hit the highway for a six plus hour drive home.
This is the main drag through Arnold at sunset, a town with a 35 mph speed limit. We were doing 10-15 mph. Never in my life have I driven so slowly through that town.
But, seriously, isn't it beautiful with all the snow?
This is the main drag through Arnold at sunset, a town with a 35 mph speed limit. We were doing 10-15 mph. Never in my life have I driven so slowly through that town.
But, seriously, isn't it beautiful with all the snow?
I'm not sure if my family would all agree, but yeah, I'd do another white family Christmas in the mountains again! :)
Also, the adorable little Christmas tree made the trip home with us. Once it's planted in the yard, I'll post a picture on Facebook.
If you went on a Christmas/Holiday adventure, I'd love to hear about it! Hope your 2022 is happy, healthy, and safe.
XOXO,
~Lea
Also, the adorable little Christmas tree made the trip home with us. Once it's planted in the yard, I'll post a picture on Facebook.
If you went on a Christmas/Holiday adventure, I'd love to hear about it! Hope your 2022 is happy, healthy, and safe.
XOXO,
~Lea
Egg Nog French Toast
2 cups Egg Nog
Cinnamon*
Nutmeg*
12 thick slices stale firm white or sourdough bead
8 tbsp Butter (or Pam)
Pour the egg nog into a shallow bowl and add cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. Dip the bread slices into it, turning to coat both sides. Melt 2 Tbsps of the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat (or spray with Pam). Add 2 -3 slices of the bread and cook until golden on both sides. Repeat with the remaining bread and butter (or spray pan with Pam before putting more bread in to cook).
6 servings
Prep time: 2 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
2021 - *Used Pumpkin Pie Spice instead, & it was dang good.
2 cups Egg Nog
Cinnamon*
Nutmeg*
12 thick slices stale firm white or sourdough bead
8 tbsp Butter (or Pam)
Pour the egg nog into a shallow bowl and add cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. Dip the bread slices into it, turning to coat both sides. Melt 2 Tbsps of the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat (or spray with Pam). Add 2 -3 slices of the bread and cook until golden on both sides. Repeat with the remaining bread and butter (or spray pan with Pam before putting more bread in to cook).
6 servings
Prep time: 2 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
2021 - *Used Pumpkin Pie Spice instead, & it was dang good.
Take your own snow-cation--on an alien planet. Adventure is out there!
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