Madd Max Have A Last Morning

Jess and Max headed out for some last inner tube runs.

The path was much faster after a night of icing over.

That's a quality getaway.

Mads Max Have A Relaxing Afternoon

Reading on the sofa.

A little hot tubbing where the snow would occasionally fall off the trees onto heads and arms.

Lovely.

Evening Izze sodas in martini glasses - so sophisticated.

Happy family.

Madd Max Go Inner Tubing

The first spot the fam stopped had a very mild slope.

This is where it was learned that a path needed to be cleared before actual movement would take place.

Into the next clearing, which had a much steeper and longer drop.  This is the same clearing where Max had made snow angels 2 days before.  The fresh snow totally transformed it.

Nice!

Sam takes a turn.

And a 180.

His son followed in suit.

Madd Max Awaits Sam's Arrival

Movie break early as a reward for all of the shoveling.

He's here!

Chillin'.

Cheers!

And a little pre-dinner gaming.

Madd Max Shovels A Spot For Sam

Maddie cleaned off the car.

Cleaned it off right onto Jess.

The whole family worked on shoveling out Taisie's car and the driveway.

Max enjoyed it so much, he kept shoveling even after the driveway was cleared.

Madd Max Gets The Next Big Snow

Snow began to fall around 4ish.

What it looked like by 10pm.

The next morning - so quiet, so pretty.

The stellar jays and red-headed woodpeckers visited the bird feeder all day long - their blues and reds popping against the white.

Madd Max Head To The Enchanted Forest Trail

Walking the 1/2 mile from the house.

Snow angel.

This place is so pretty.

It even has a little stream running thru it.

Moving water!

Pretty magical walk thru the forest as we looked for prime inner tubing spots.

Back at the house, Max helped shovel out the driveway to remove what was turning into a layer of ice before the next big snow.

Even Taisie got in on the action.

Desert flowers in the snow.

Madd Max Has A Cozy Morning

Couch time before class.

Reading by the fire.

And Maddie's first time cooking for her Cooking Elective.

Hasselback potatoes - they were delicious.

Madd Max Has Snow Time

But first, a little Art Night with Sonia.

Cute donuts and cakes!

Max headed out for some snowball throwing.

While Taisie practiced guitar.

In the pretty master bedroom with killer forest views.

After school, the kids headed out to build a snowman, although apparently Cali kids make a large snowball by picking it and dropping it to gather snow.  Perhaps the rolling is an East Coast thing?

Their technique paid off.  Meet Melty!

The kids also enjoyed doing this off the deck, since snow is such a novelty.

After dinner, some cuddling on the couch for what became a nightly activity of action-comedy movie watching.

Good times.

Madd Max Settles In

Waffles and a sweater.

Ready for distance learning.

The morning with the pellet stove went much better - until Jess realized that the ash pan was also on fire.  Jess decided her and the pellet stove were not meant to be friends, and they avoided each other for the rest of the trip.

Sam said Maddie was channeling some serious Kender Koffee Tio Greg vibes for her first class.

At home PE.

In Max's list of his top three favorite things for this trip - building fires was one.

Happy kid with fire.

Grilled cheese and a much warmer house.

A Taisie working on her book by the warm fire.  The fire remained lit consistently throughout all the days of the trip, enough so that the wood smoke smell came home with all the luggage as a reminder of the house.