Day 2 – On Our Way …
Day 2 started at 5:22am in Stephenville, TX with eight of us
loaded up in the Creepy White Van headed to Taos, New Mexico. We first had to
address a fair seating arrangement. The five passengers under age 19 felt they should pick their individual seat; which would be great if they did not all call
the same exact seat! The solution was a rotation schematic that triggered every
two hours. While seemingly over-engineered, it actually worked beautifully.
We spent the next ten hours watching movies, playing games,
sleeping and amusing ourselves with various Apple products. There were, of
course, many variations of tweener/teenage road trip complaints including our
refusal to allow X-box on the trip. The adults attempted to suppress the
obvious “you ungrateful child” commentary but perhaps a comment or two slipped
out.
Our two primary stops, other than the many bathroom stops,
included Mexican food in Santa Rosa and grocery shopping in Taos. We arrived
after dark in snowy Taos Ski Valley on December 22. Our two bedroom, two-bath
condo exceeded expectations. It is tastefully decorated, has a well-equipped
kitchen and comfortable beds. And even more importantly, we are right next to
the slopes (ski in/ski out), has the biggest outdoor hot tub in Taos and a
wood-burning fireplace!
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| Lunch in Santa Rosa and NO it was not the Best ... |
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| Youngest Son picked this game out for Road Trip game and it turned out to be lots of fun. Although I think Commuter Family liked it better than Brother Family. We used to play Professor Noggin allot on our travels and this was similar. |
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| Movies picked out by Youngest Niece and Nephew. Great Choices! |
Day 3 – More than One Mishap For Sure …
Day 3 was our first ski day! Taos has the best base (over 50
inches) for December in years. Commuter Husband made us a hot breakfast. We
were ready.
The first hour included:
- Commuter Husband getting the Creepy White Van stuck in snow and ice
- Me going to ski shop to get help with my ski boots
- Youngest Son’s snow board having a screw malfunction requiring him to go back to ski shop too
- The condo office worker telling us we had too many people in the condo
- Nephew vomiting in the snow on the way to lift … oh no ...
Finally the seven of us (Commuter Husband does not ski) are
all on Lift 1 headed up the mountain.
On the way down the Green
Whitefeather run, Nephew continues to vomit every 5 minutes. Obviously,
SOMETHING is wrong. Brother goes back to condo with Youngest Niece and Nephew.
Oldest Son, Youngest Son, Oldest Niece and I decide to continue skiing. Brother
takes Nephew to the emergency room where Nephew has elevated white blood count,
severe stomach pains and a morphine drip.
The good news for the day was Brother and Nephew were home
by dinnertime and the rest of us had a wonderful day skiing. And the evening
was passed pleasantly with homemade chicken soup and hot chocolate along with
raucous board game playing. We did end the day with Youngest Son vomiting but
it appeared to only be the repercussion of a long, active day.
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| Getting our skis ... Brother assessing the length of his ... |
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| LOVE this photo. That is Youngest Son. |
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| Oldest Niece ready to take on the next slope ... |
Day 4 – Full Ski Day and Christmas Eve
We started Christmas Eve day with six of us on the slopes.
Nephew stayed in today to recuperate. The day was snowy and on the cooler side
thus Youngest Son and Oldest Niece got cold quickly and stopped to warm up in a
mountain restaurant. Brother skied with Youngest Niece.
Thus, Oldest Son and I spent most of the day together skiing.
We stayed primarily on Blues with Oldest Son kindly waiting for his slower
mother. Oldest Son would choose Black runs while I would take alternative
routes. I was thrilled that my 50 year
old self could still “hang.”
We ended the afternoon in the hot tub. Chatting with teens
is enlightening and frustrating and entertaining all at the same time!
Commuter Husband is the “Ski Housemother” – lucky for us! He
has been washing clothes, cooking food and welcoming us as will filter in and
out of the condo throughout the day. And he did not disappoint tonight with a spaghetti
Christmas Eve dinner with fresh green beans and salad.
I smell the Christmas Eve cookies baking for Santa and
stockings are hung …
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| View from lunch with Oldest Son. Happy Place. |
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| Soup and hot chocolate with Oldest Son for lunch. |
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| Christmas Eve Dinner! |
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| Stockings are hung ... the Jewish Star facing left is Interfaith defined. |
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