Hey guys!
So sorry I’ve been in hiding all weekend….Tahoe was AWESOME!!!! And you know what’s even more awesome?! SNOWBOARDING!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m 100% totally addicted and want to go buy a snowboard and train for the next Olympics. No joke. So fun.
However, we had quite the harrowing adventure up here on Friday. Thank goodness we traveled with a large Papa John’s pizza in the back. I had two slices around 6:30 when it was clear we weren’t going to make it up in time for dinner.
What should have taken approximately 3 1/2 hours took 10 HOURS. The weather got really, really bad and they continued to close the roads then reopen them. We had to pull over around midnight in a blizzard and put snow chains on Adam’s truck. That is a short story in itself—two people, one from Texas and one from Florida attempting to read directions and put snow chains on in the middle of the night when its dumping snow.
And then yesterday we all arose after a lovely two hours of sleep and hit the slopes! I took a snowboarding lesson and then spent the rest of the day conquering the bunny hills. First up, two packets of Go Lean hot cereal with banana + like three cups of coffee…errrrr 
I actually picked up boarding really quickly…..definitely got the wind knocked out of me once, fell on my butt about seven times and collided with an innocent skier…..but other than that, it was perfect! Everyone else was skiing so unfortunately I couldn’t get any pictures of me tearing up the mountain but here’s a “before” picture for you:
I found Adam and we grabbed a sandwich from the lodge for lunch…I had a toasted veggie sandwich and nothing has ever tasted so good! I also ate half a clif bar—
After about four hours of mountain domination I started to really feel the effects of lack of sleep and high altitude and started to get a killer headache. But just look at how beautiful this place is!!!
I want to come back in the summer….love love love 
And now….comes the moment when y’all are going to yell at me. And I know I rightfully deserve it. I broke the Lent no meat pact. 
I don’t really have a great excuse other than pork chili verde is AMAZING….oops. So is homemade cornbread with honey, baked halibut and salad.
{ 97 comments… read them below or add one }
What fun! I am so jealous.
WOW- those pics are incredible! You definitely got to enjoy some amazing scenery. Glad you got to get away and enjoy some fun. Hope you get back safely!
~Christie (http://rollerkoesterrun.wordpress.com/)
What a beautiful trip. I’m glad you made it safely despite having to put the chains on. Those kinds of adventures make the best memories.
Safe travels home!
OOOoooooo!!! SO FUN!!!! I am royally jealous!
Stunning pictures! I have been to Tahoe once and have never skied better than I did on that trip.
I hope you get home soon! Being stuck in traffic is the worst!
Good luck with the traffic. I do that same drive back from Tahoe to the bay all the time and there definitely are some tricks to getting back in less than 10 hours. Pizza looked delicious.
jenna your hair looks GREAT! and so do those pancakes! i absolutely love tahoe but haven’t been up there this season. gotta change that! i’ve had a few dreadful 10+ hour experiences when it should only take me 4 hours too..guh! but at least you were stuck with some fun peeps
mmm… so fun… and i am raging with jealousy! will pray that you will return safely home, soon!
That’s my backyard! Ok, not really but it’s close enough. I live 20 minutes away from there.
I am glad you enjoyed all the splendors of Tahoe. It is truly a magical place. You definitely have to see it in the summer. It is gorgeous. Yes, I live here and am totally biased but I think in the summer it is one of the prettiest places on Earth.
1) Blue Moon is my absolute favorite beer. The flavors are just delightful and refreshing!
2) Oh my gosh, it looks like you had an insanely good time! I’m definitely going to try to get a bunch of friends together and go camping or something.
3) Apples-to-Apples = epic & awesome.
Did you ski at Heavenly?
Wow! I’ve never been snowboarding but I certainly want to now.
Glad y’all had such a fun time!
USA would have been very deserving of the GOLD if it had happened that way. Your guys played great.
That sure looks like a great weekend but I’m personally praying for the snow to go
Looks like a blast!!! I skied for all of my life and then decided I wanted to be cool and went snowboard–SO FUN and badass
that looks beautiful there! i love snowboarding too!
tahoe looks beeeautiful. one of these days i’m gonna try snowboarding… it feels so wrong (i’ve been skiing for almost twenty of my twenty three years) but is oh so tempting.
A silent prayer is sent from my home in Arizona to you up in snowy Tahoe. Glad you had so much fun! After growing up in Seattle I just tried snowboarding last year here in AZ (weird I know), but I love it!
How FUN! What a great weekend adventure – hope you’re back cozy at home
That whole place looks so beautiful!! It’s like a dream of mine to go stay in a cabin like that where it’s all snowy and wonderful – you are so lucky!!!
And your food looks delcious too – you must be having an amazing time (bar the 10hour trip..eek, that would kill me)!! Glad you’re hvaing so much fun
I LOVE Tahoe….that kitchen and pizza look great. What fun! Yeah, it’s a good idea to read something on mountain driving safety tips and on 80…just to be safe. We used to go up there often. Love the ‘Caped Crusader’ look. In the past have taken 3 week ski trips…so fun as really improve fast if can go everyday for awhile. Beautiful PIX! Thanks for the vicarious trip….it’s nice up there too in the summer.
Fun weekend! I doubt anyone will berate you for eating meat, but it’s too bad you weren’t able to plan ahead or find a veggie alternative. I know the temptations of meat, especially if you smell it cooking! Do you think you’ll try to stick with the meat-avoidance for the rest of Lent, or has this slip-up derailed you for the next few weeks?
SO MUCH FUN! As a Floridian, I don’t envy any snow driving. It still terrifies me, but I’m glad the rest of the weekend was amazing.
Hope you arrived home safely!
Looks like you had a really fun time! Those pancakes look awesome!
This post made me ache to move back to California ASAP. (Only 3 more months, Chelsea, 3 more months). Looks like you did it up right! I’ve never tried snowboarding but your post has gotten me interested. Hope you have a safe, relatively quick journey home!
Tahoe does look gorgeous! I have never been there but my brother has and absolutely loves it. It looks like a blast!
What a fun trip!
No one should look that cute with a beanie and goggles on their head!
I’m seriously in LOVE with your dark hair! It looks so great on you!
What a fun weekend! I am jealous, indeed. =D
xo
K
Pizza looks incredible!
Tahoe looks amazing. I can just feel the fresh air – I want to live somewhere like that!
Keep getting surprised when I see your brunette locks haha !
Wow! Sounds like a super fun weekend! I’ve never tried snowboarding but it sounds like it could be fun!
Ooom and those are the fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever seen in my life!!
Wow, tahoe looks amazing! I’m glad to hear you’ve enjoyed it all with such vigor
hope you had a safe trip home.
Looks like an AWESOME weekend!! Tahoe is so beautiful!
okay, my weekend condo trips do not have that much good food!!! Even cooking away your eats are awesome. BTW a drive that is extended by 3x the regular time? I woudl have gone crazy! STRAIGHT UP CRAZY.
awesome times
Blue Moon is great and that pizza looks killer
- pizza looks great
- your cereal needs nut butter
- i actually really like your dark hair jenna, at first i kept thinking about to the blond (used to it i guess), but now i actually think it really suits u!
SO fun!!! I determined that this would be the year I learned to snowboard! I think we’re planning Christmas in the mountains in North Carolina where my mom and step-dad are moving next summer! Should be a blast. Looks like you had an amazing time, glad you took some time off of blogging to fully enjoy it! Hope you got home at a decent hour!
So beautiful! Looks like a blast
What a fun trip!
I’m so jealous of your trip! But not so much of the traffic…hope you get home soon!
Glad you had fun playing in the snow. Looks like a blast! You could be the next Gretchen Blieler
Wow looks like you guys had a great time. Wish I could get away like that! Oh, and I’m really loving the brown hair.
I’ve only been snowboarding/skiing once. I like snowboarding but the onyl way I could stop was to drop to my knees, lol.
ahh you always have the best weekend excursions!
Hope you’re able to have a mindful Monday (yes, I’m loving alliterations)
xo bec
Wow girl… 10 hours… YIKES!!!And I bet that was something trying to put those chains on… I wouldn’t even know where to begin!
Gosh that place is gorgeous! I’ve never been skiing or snowboarding but it sounds so fun! I don’t blame you with the breaking your Lent thing… ah well.
Sounds like you have some crazy friends!
Jenna, your hair is super cute! Glad you had a good time!
Wow what an awesome weekend!! I want to go snowboarding so bad!!
What a fun adventure! Don’t you love non-planned weekends! They are the best!
What a gorgeous brunette snowboard bunny you are
Isn’t Tahoe the best? It is my favorite place on Earth. Definitely go in the summer – it is the best. August is so fun, and Labor Day weekend is insane.
I LOVE Tahoe too. It has a special place in my heart since that’s where we went on our honeymoon; hoping to go back for our 3 year anniversary this month and take our 1 year old daughter
I’m already envisioning morning yoga on the dock overlooking the lake.
That trip looks incredible!!! Gosh I love skiing/boarding/snow weekends with friends. There is nothing like it!
Hope you all made it home safely!
I definitely missed your updates! Welcome back! And glad you made it there and back safe! Snow is no joke
but lots of fun!
Glad you had a great weekend! It is going to take you all week to get over it! But I’m sure it was so so worth it! Glad you made it there safely and hope you made it home in less time!
The drive to Tahoe is scary enough without snow…yikes! Glad you made it there & back!
Your whole trip looks like so much fun, glad you had a good time and made it there safely!
Aaahhhh such a fun trip!! Looks like you had the best time with your friends. And oh boy, the food is enough to make my mouth water! Have a safe trip back!
Happy Monday!
Looks like you had a blast! The hockey game was awesome even though we didn’t win. Safe travels!
Looks incredible Jenna! And there is just SOMETHING about the mountains that makes Blue Moon necessary, right?!?!
How fun!! I am so glad you had a great weekend.
Tahoe is GORGEOUS!! i’m so jealous you got to board there this weekend! looks like some delicious pizza at the end there
you should totally go back in the summer, it’s just INCREDIBLE at that time!
did you pour your blue moon over an orange wedge? if not, you must try it…yummy!
Looks like an amazing trip! I’m so impressed with you for snowboarding – I’ve always wanted to try, have to work up the nerve!
I shouted you out in my latest blog entry!
Oh my gosh…talk about a super fun weekend! And those scenic pictures are absolutely breath-taking…
I bet you’re SO glad you went – despite the 10 hour drive.
Hope you get back quicker than arriving!
ohhhh ive been there girlie. We should go snowoarding together some day- I love it (even tho i suck!)
I’ve always wanted to hit up Tahoe. I never got the chance when I lived out west, but I know I’ll make it back someday
I have definitely been stuck is some horrible traffic to/from Tahoe/Mammoth due to weather–it sucks!! And learning how to put on chains is definitely challenging.. props for conquering it. Tahoe is definitely one of my favorite places EVER. I’ve only ever been in the winter for boarding, but I’m dying to go up there in the summer!
Dang that sounds like a fun trip! Too much fun!!! We love a great game of Apples to Apples here too. I am in desperate need of a vacation….you just made me want one even more! Hope you have a safe trip home!
I think you were made to be a ski bunny! So glad you got there ok, now hoping you made it back home sans tire drama too…
Looks like an awesome trip! You have such a good attitude about snowboarding for the first time
I wanna try it!
Looks like so much FUN! oh and YAY CANADA!!!!!!!!!!
Oh how scary! I would not have been able to handle driving in so much snow. At least the rest of the trip seemed like a great time
looks like fun although i am staying as far away from snow as possible these days (this winter scarred me)
a tres bientot
the Paris Food Blague
Sounds like you had quite the adventure! I skied when I was little, but haven’t been for such a long time. I do love winter, though – the snow is so pretty and so much fun!
Too bad your country didn’t win the game … but mine did! It was a very exciting game and I feel so proud!
K
PS – Looks like you had some great eats this weekend!
Oh you HAVE to go back in the summer! It’s So so so so so so so gorgeous. The waters of Lake Tahoe can’t be beat! (umm..in terms of beauty…the lake is NEVER warm.
Jenna, what a gorgeous place….looks like u had an awesome time. Wow your meals still seem to be healthy as always.
I love how you enjoy a weekend get-away with good friends, wine and FOOD! I don’t understand why some people restrict themselves so much when they’re on vacation…I say, enjoy it all! Looks like you had a great time.
It looks like you had so much fun! I’m a skier, but I have never tried snowboarding. I wouldn’t get too hard on yourself about the Lent challenge, it was just a slip up. Hope you have a safe trip back!
Looks like fun times!
SUch a great hockey game but sad USA didn’t win. It seemed like every bar in Seattle was packed with all of us watching the game! Hope you had a better drive back from Tahoe then you did on the way there!
Glad you liked Tahoe, I miss it up there! My fam used to get Papa Murphey’s all the time, we don’t have it in SoCal so it’s a treat to get a take-in-bake when up there!
where did you stay? one pic looks like truckee. i used to live there! yes, the drive can be awful! one time it took me 5 hours from auburn to truckee…..glad you liked snowboarding!
I never really understood the whole give something up for lent thing…unless your a robber or a baby napper…and I survived Catholic school!
Oh ya–Go CANADA GO!!
Don’t beat yourself up about the meat thing. I accidentally ate prosciutto the first Friday of Lent… None of us is perfect, as Oscar Wilde said!
Ahh I love Tahoe! Looks like such a fun trip! Good for you for snowboarding
I’m glad you had so much fun in Tahoe! All the food and scenery looks great!!
I’m glad you had so much fun in Tahoe! All the food and scenery looks great!!
Even though I am so. sick. of. snow. that looks like an amazing weekend!! Snow in that kind of scenery never gets old
Clearly chocolate brown hair & hot pink shirts are meant to be – SOOO cute! That house looks sick! Tahoe is beautiful. So, the real question: Is Florida better than Cali???
when i visited tahoe i had food poisioning the entire vacation
it was awful, i loved what i got to see though! i really need to give it another go soon.
Holy crappppppppp that looks gorgeous I wish I were there with youuu!!! xoxoxo
I live in the north east and all my friends ski and snowboard. I’ve never even tried it, and you’re making me want to really bad!!
I’m so glad you had a great time!!
Looks like you had a good time and some really good food. Also looks like you stayed pretty healthy with your eating, nice job.
Sounds like an awesome trip!! Glad you enjoyed snowboarding so much. My fiance and I went to Heavenly a few weeks ago, he is up to DC this weekend to snowboard with his buddy. Obsession!
Okay so you have totally made me want to get myself over there from here in Aus, looks amazing! And good job with the snowboarding, it takes some serious skill!