BIG BEAR

This past weekend we escaped to Big Bear Lake for a few days. First some background. Kai badly wanted his own suitcase, after watching Daddy pack up and leave on a 2 week course. He went suitcase shopping with Grandma and Poppa Mike while they were here - an early birthday present. Kai loves his suitcase. It has remained beside his bed with his treasured Music Lion trapped inside since the day he pulled it in from the store. Whenever we would ask him when Music Lion was going to get out Kai would simply tell us, "when we get to the hotel." So there it was, with spring break just around the corner we had to book a trip. Kai would have preferred Hawaii, but he was pretty happy with the plan to go to Big Bear, particularly since Big Bear has a Go Kart track.

I think someone is quite pleased with Kai's latest passion:

I got to ride too when they decided that Teia was big enough. She was thrilled particularly since they had a pink Go Kart and she was lucky enough to score it both times. Our little thrill seekers also rode the Alpine Slide. I haven't been on one of those since my youngin' days in the Muskokas at the Gascoigne cottage (at least I think that is where I was). I have vivid memories of my cousin Caroline flying off the track and getting some road rash so I was pretty careful with little miss Teia on board. She enjoyed herself whooping "woo hoo!" while we rode down and Kai was all smiles waiting to see his sister's reaction to the "big boy" activities he'd been enjoying all weekend. 

Teia's big excitement at Big Bear was riding a pony. She was asking all week long about when she could play in the snow and when she could ride a "baby horse." She was not disappointed on either account. She proved herself a natural little rider and I agree with the lady who led her around the track that "we're in for it. " I can hear the requests for a pony of her own already. It is definitely in her genes as I was horse-obsessed for most of my childhood (until I became boy-obsessed somewhere in my teen years). On second thought, maybe horses are a safer bet for Teia and we should encourage her interest!!!

She really was happy in this picture. She just doesn't look it b/c she didn't want to look up from her pony. The surprise of the afternoon was when Kai decided he wanted to ride too! 

Other highlights of the weekend were feeding bunnies and llamas. Both kids really enjoyed that but the bunnies weren't so sure. We had to teach Teia the meaning of a bunny retreating into a cardboard box. She was loving and gentle but it was hard for her to contain her enthusiasm and her desire for them to eat was so great that when they didn't look too interested in the alfalfa she offered, she tried anything else around, including their own poops!

Now if that isn't the face of an animal lover, I don't know what is. (Notice the white bunny hiding under the bench. He had the misfortune of having pink ears which made him a little more popular than the brown and whitie).

We also hiked and drank hot chocolate, which was very popular with the kids.

The true "Starbucks Generation."

We attempted skiing but it wasn't to be. I am not sure why I thought a sport that requires hoisting a ton of gear through a crowded parking lot in the (sort of) cold, then standing in a line of chaos for tickets, then another line of chaos for rental gear (for Kai), then dodging a gazillion people to try and find the beginner slopes located as far away from the lodge as possible so the littlest legs have the farthest to go, was a good idea. Kai was his usual trooperish self but was pretty much done by the time we finally popped him (or rather pressed him down) onto his skies. If you're keen to spend 75$ in 10 minutes though, it is highly recommended. Note to ski resort owners (b/c I know they read this blog): how 'bout a parent ticket at a reduced rate for parents who want to reach their tots to ski?

I did do one run, in keeping with my average of about 1-2 runs per year over the past 8 years. Kai didn't mind waiting but Teia who was very happy building snow people, informed me that she did not care for the sight of "Mommy swiding down da hill!" 

Overall though it was a successful trip and our first local adventure since moving to CA. Big Bear was beautiful and while the high altitude (6-7000 ft) did not seem to make for sleepy kids, it was nice to smell and breathe the alpine air again. 

The Amgen Tour of California will be up there in a few weeks. Maybe time for a return trip?