Tag: Snowboarding

4 min read

Parked in Park City, UT

Jenn

4 min read

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4 min read

Home to me is an open road ahead with Brent by my side and my kiddos tucked in the backseat. (And a fat black cat sharing shotgun.) The drive from…

Home to me is an open road ahead with Brent by my side and my kiddos tucked in the backseat.

(And a fat black cat sharing shotgun.)

The drive from Lake Tahoe, CA to Park City, UT was longer than expected.
(It always is.)

I’m not sure why every time I map up to our location I actually think we’ll get there in the estimated time.
↑↑↑
(The power of postivive thinking does not seem to apply in this case.)

Our first night we made it to Winnemucca, NV.
The following morning, we treated ourselves to a rare breakfast out at The Griddle.

The highlight of our drive to Park City was stopping at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

We thought it would be dark by the time we got there but instead the sun had just set.

The only word that comes to mind is magical.

It was like Mad Max meets Monet.
(That’s “magical” right?)

It was dark by the time we made it to Park City. We bloodied our truck and trailer on the way up the mountain when we ran over an already dead large animal after the car in front of us swerved at the last minute to miss it.
Bam.
It was scary.
(Thankfully there was no damage done.)

We were hoping for lots of snow but aside from a few days we didn’t get much.

Our RV park was an easy 10 minute drive from Canyons Resort.

This is what the boys do when they are with their dad.
(Brent said it was actually very crowded and safe up there. But still…)

One evening we headed over Midway to see the Ice Castles.Because of Utah’s unusually warm winter they were only open for a few days.We purchased tickets for the first time slot of the evening. I’m glad we did because when we left there was a line of cars over a mile long waiting to get in the parking lot.

Utah Olympic Park was only a few minutes away from our RV Park.

It was interesting and worth a stop.
(Does anyone else like to daydream about being an Olympic athlete?)

Downtown Park City with its old school charm was nearby.

Sundance Film Festival was going on while we were there. We looked for Roberty Redford without any luck.

We also tried to get tickets to one of the kid’s movies but they were sold out.

Our Park City Experience at a Glance

Where We Stayed:

Park City RV Resort – This was small, well-maintained, owner owned park with a GREAT location. The daily rates are on the high side but a weekly or monthly rate is much more affordable.

The Highlights:

Bonneville Salt Flats – So the salt flats aren’t in Park City but we stopped on our way there and they were so cool!
Canyons Ski Resort – It’s part of the Epic Pass and a really fantastic resort. The boys also tried Park City Ski Resort but thought Canyons was much better.
Utah Olympic Park – Worth a quick stop and the museums are free.
Ice Castles – Maker reservations for an early time slot. Ours were for the first time slot and when we left there was a line of cars at least a mile long waiting to get in the parking lot. However, this could have been due to the warm weather and short season for the ice castles.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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4 min read

Family on the Road

Not All Birds Fly South: RVing in Lake Tahoe

Jenn

4 min read

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4 min read

Two and a half years ago if you would have asked me where I wanted to spend winter, I would have quickly said Florida, Southern California, or Arizona. Then I…

Two and a half years ago if you would have asked me where I wanted to spend winter, I would have quickly said Florida, Southern California, or Arizona. Then I spent a winter up in the in the mountains of Colorado and fell in love. Fell in love with snowboarding, the beauty of snowcapped mountains, the coziness of the RV, and, mostly, watching the boys passion and joy for snowboarding take off.

We spent last year in Florida waiting for Thing 3 to arrive. This year we were anxious to get back to mountains and prepared for a three part “Not All Birds Fly South” winter adventure.

Lake Tahoe, the second deepest lake in the United States, was the first stop of three.

Being the exciting adventures we are, we kicked off the New Year with a family game about American history and a bottle sparkling cider. The questions were so hard and the facts so obscure that we could only answer a few of them. I think we’ll stick with Uno. It’s easier and takes up less space.

The boys were excited to explore the different ski resorts using our Epic Passes. They were also excited to be old enough to be dropped off at the mountain after school. This is what I’d call a fun way to get in PE!

Brent’s brother, Garret, and his girlfriend, Kelly, came up for a few days. The boys and Brent went riding with them one day and Garret asked Kelly to marry him on top of the mountain. Classic “Go big or go home” Garret style.

We had high hopes for lots of snow but no such luck. Aside from the night we drove in (of course!), the temperatures were unseasonably warm and not a single storm passed through during our two week stay.

With the warm weather winter hiking was extra fun. One evening, Brent and I hiked a bit on the Tahoe Rim Trail with Thing 3.

We enjoyed a family hike on Eagle Falls trail. The older boys complained at first, as is customary, but once we were on the trail they went up ahead of us and seemingly forgot we were watching them. It was pure joy seeing them talk and laugh together. These are the moments I wish I could tattoo on my heart.

This guy’s smile has been melting my heart since 2000.

We spent and afternoon in Truckee meeting up and having pizza with an old college friend of mine.

After walking downtown Truckee, we headed over Donner Memorial State Park to learn about the Donner Party tragedy because, admit it, learning about people resorting to cannibalism to survive is fascinating.

It was a good two weeks and as much as we enjoy the snow, I have to admit I’d kinda like to see Tahoe in the summer and maybe we could swim in instead of walk on the lake!

Lake Tahoe at a Glance:

Where We Stayed:

Tahoe Valley Campground– The park was quiet (maybe because it’s off season), clean, and a great location within walking distance from stores and restaurants. It was about a 15 minutes drive to Heavenly Ski Resort.

The Highlights:

Snowboarding at Heavenly Ski Resort
Hiking Eagle Falls Trail in Emerald Bay State Park
Donner Memorial State Park
Downtown Truckee
Driving around the lake for the gorgeous views.

Where We Ate:

Best Pies Pizzaria in Truckee – We had the Best Pies Signature Pie and Pizzadilla. Both were really really good! The Pizzadilla is folded up like a quesadilla.
Blue Dog Pizza in South Lake Tahoe – I guess we like pizza. Not particularly memorable but certainly good.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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1 min read

Family on the Road

Winter by Instagram

Jenn

1 min read

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1 min read

And this is the last of our Colorado winter. Hello spring! Love and Laughter, Jenn If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Sign up…

And this is the last of our Colorado winter.

Hello spring!

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Newschool Nomads on Facebook (Make sure to check subscribe if you want it to show up in your feed.) Simple dimple!

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3 min read

Family on the Road

The People We Meet – Breckenridge

Jenn

3 min read

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3 min read

Yes, snowboarding was amazing. And we made Breck our home for four and half months. But. Breckenridge wouldn’t have been the same without all the people. The people, with each…

Yes, snowboarding was amazing.

And we made Breck our home for four and half months.

But.

Breckenridge wouldn’t have been the same without all the people.

The people, with each of their unique gifts, filled this winter with even more beauty.

Our time in Colorado began with a stay with longtime friends from Ventura who moved to Colorado Springs four years ago.

I remember going over to their apartment when they had their firstborn with his little mohawk hair. Now here we are in the middle of the country with our not-so-little littles.

Words are not enough to express how much this family means to us. You will meet none more thoughtful, creative, and devoted.

I met up with fitness friends who I had only known online for a number of years.

We met up with, fellow RVers, Jason and Nikki Wynn. Nikki and Jason are an adorable and creative couple with enough energy to fuel their RV.

(You must check out their site, Gone with the Wynns. So fun!)

There was Rick, my favorite snowboarding instructor, who help me go from falling down the bunny slopes to falling down black diamonds. 😉

And spunky Helen from Australia, who I met in my snowboard class.

Helen and I spent a day together exploring Keystone and A-Basin.

Early March, the O’Dells came for a visit.

We met the O’Dells on a walk through a campground in Savannah Georgia last April. Then in the fall, we stayed five days at their house in Minnesota.

When they got to Breckenridge they learned that their RV didn’t meet the “length requirement” for the campground.

So…..

So they stayed with us in our RV.

It was tight. It was crazy. It was wonderful.

Nothing tests “compatibility” more than staying in an RV together for four nights.

They are truly kindred spirits.

Last but certainly not least is “The Village”.

John and his kind caring spirit.

Jema and her thoughtful questions.

Pieter and his generosity.

Clementine and her free “happy-go-lucky” sense of adventure.

Matt and his wicked clever sense of humor.

Wendy and her mad cooking skills.

I could go on but each one of our fellow gypsy friends are brave, unique, caring, and people we feel blessed to call friends.

Of course, there are the kids. Kids who are sweet, kind, and bright. They are missed.

These are the people I have photos of but there were others who regularly, though unwittingly, made Breck meaningful. Debbie at the front desk, Spencer and Rachel, Casey and Marshall, many ski and snowboard instructors, librarians, friends I met at the fitness center, and even clerks at the grocery store (Can you imagine if I whipped out a camera at the grocery check out line and said, “I know this is weird but I write this blog and you make me smile so do you mind becauseI want to remember you.) all brought a sense of community and familiarity, something that is sometimes missing when you are moving from place to place.

As we travel and live a life full of change, there is one thing that stays the same.

It’s the people who bring this journey to life.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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3 min read

Family on the Road

A Bittersweet Goodbye

Jenn

3 min read

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3 min read

The other day on our walk Brent and I saw blades of green grass bravely poking up through the ground where the snow had been waiting all winter. It’s amazing…

The other day on our walk Brent and I saw blades of green grass bravely poking up through the ground where the snow had been waiting all winter.

It’s amazing how fast the snow goes when it gets warm.

Kinda like life.

It just seems like last week we drove up to our home in the mountains.

We were uncertain and nervous of how we would handle wintering in the RV, would our California boys like snowboarding, and can we stay put for three months?

Then, like the receding snow, the months passed, three became four, and we said a bittersweet goodbye to Breckenridge.

And left behind a spot we called home for four and a half months.

A spot that will be filled with others who will make their own memories.

We came to the mountains to snowboard but left with so much more.

We celebrated our first Christmas away from family and we survived by decorating the RV, making cookies and snowflakes,and visiting longtime dear friends.

We were away the day our heater broke and had a scare with Virginia. We came home stone cold and frozen stiff little turtle. Thing Two (Virgina is his turtle.) and I sat on the couch ~~sobbing hysterically~~ crying trying to warm her little shell in our hands. I may or may not have prayed for her to come back to life. I mean if Jesus brought Lazarus back to life he can certainly revive a frozen box turtle. 😉 A few hours later she moved her legs. Shortly after that she said, “Enough already!” and went back into hiberation for a good 3 months. A few weeks ago she “woke up” and we’ve been enjoying her every day since.

In January, we enjoyed the International Snow Sculpture by day and night.

There was plenty of fun for the kids in the snow.

The Colorado Trail ran nearby our campground where we could find a deeper solitude and an even more stunning view than the one out our window.

Thing One got his first job walking a sweet dog named Jezebel. He referred to her owners as his “clients”.

And a million other moments of ordinary beauty and togetherness.

To top off an incredible winter God sent the powder fairy on our last day at the mountain.

We came. We survived. We thrived.

(even in -20 degree weather)

And now we are moving on to the next adventure.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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3 min read

Family on the Road

It was Epic.

Jenn

3 min read

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3 min read

I tried snowboarding when I was about 16. It was something I always wanted to do. Unfortunately, my single snowboarding lesson didn’t go too well. I ended up riding the…

I tried snowboarding when I was about 16. It was something I always wanted to do. Unfortunately, my single snowboarding lesson didn’t go too well. I ended up riding the board like a sled down the mountain with tears freezing to my cheeks.

Being a believer in the power of positive thinking, I prepared my kids for the worst before we headed out to Colorado for the winter.

I told them that snowboarding was super SUPER hard and they would probable hate it for the first month.

Parenting at it’s finest.

We were wrong.

At best I thought one of them would love it. Never, NEVER, would I have imagined that both boys would ask to go to lessons and come home happy. Most of the time.

This was their last weekend of snowboard lessons. The season ended on a high note. They rode with one of their favorite instructors and were filmed going down double black diamonds for a Breck website promo.

Thing Two said, “It was Epic.”

Yes, little man this winter was most definitely “epic” and we have the pictures to remember it.

Our first day on the mountain heading to lessons.

First lesson.

They went from this…

…to this.

Brent got his groove back after 15 years off the slopes.

Even mama learned to jump.

We are thankful for the Breck Ski and Ride school. The teachers and staff are amazing. They cared for and challenged the boys with enthusiasm.

Not only did our boys have a blast learning to snowboard at the ski and ride school…

…their lessons gave Brent and I the chance to play by ourselves

…and time to just chill.

In March, the boys and I decided to snowboard for 6 days in a row. Some of the days were only a few hours long but we managed to get all our gear on (no small feat) and head to the mountain Monday through Saturday. In our homeschool, we used it as a lesson in “short term goal setting”.

Their commitment paid off and I could no longer keep up with them. Just weeks before, I was riding slowly behind them offering words of encouragement and suddenly I was speeding along trying to keep them in sight.

Four months at the mountain also gave us plenty of time to spend some quality one on one time with each of the boys.

Dear Thing One and Thing Two,

We have had so much fun watching you go from the bunny hill to black diamonds. While we are so proud of your shredding skills, we are most proud of your willingness to try something new and the courage, patience, and perserverance it took to learn these new skills. Those thing are much more important than any spin or jump. We know at times the winter felt really long, the weather really cold and the rv really small but you guys stuck it out with (mostly) good attitudes. It’s been super fun riding with you and we hope this is only the first of many seasons we get to spend on the mountain together! You both are epic.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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1 min read

Family on the Road

Magic Carpet Ride

Jenn

1 min read

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1 min read

I have had a number of experiences that have been so intense, so spectacular, that I question their reality. Riding a camel through Petra in Jordan. Hiking the Mount of…

I have had a number of experiences that have been so intense, so spectacular, that I question their reality.

Riding a camel through Petra in Jordan.

Hiking the Mount of Olives to watch the sunrise slowly turn Old Jerusalem golden.

Swimming alone in the Sea of Galilee at dawn.

Dancing and worshiping God with hundreds of Russians along the banks of the Volga River.

Hiking the Great Wall.

Galloping on a horse through the mountains of South Africa.

Visiting a tsumani stuck village on an island in India.

Swimming with manatees in warm spring waters.

And now I can add snowboarding in the Rocky Mountains at sunset.

Yes, snowboarding at sunset through the Rockies is up there with the Great Wall.

And to experience it as a family was pure magic.

These iPhone photos don’t do it justice.

It was like spending 10 minutes in a dream.

Like riding a magic carpet on another planet.

Breathtaking.

Exhilarating.

Awe inspiring.

It makes me almost fearful of the beauty that will be heaven.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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