Tahoe 2011

Compared to last summer, I did not have very many trips planned for this summer. Since Jason and I took our big trip in April to Maui for our honeymoon, we were left with some small trips to take over summer. Two of those trips were to Tahoe! I love Tahoe. I think it is the most beautiful place in California. When I was younger, my family would go to Tahoe every summer for vacation. Then, as we got older, my sister and I played competitive soccer, which required us to travel a lot. So, our summer vacations began to revolve around the locations of our soccer tournaments. But, the last five summers, my family has started back up with summer vacations to Tahoe! It is great!

However, the first trip to Tahoe this summer was with all my high school friends - or more like elementary school friends. (Remember my 'Austin 2010' post about how we are all still great friends). One of my closest friends growing up (and neighbor since I was two), Kirsten, is getting married in Maui this December. Because they are only having family at the wedding, she decided to throw an engagement party in Tahoe with a bunch of her closest friends. Her parents have a house there right on the water, and it is incredible! There were five of us from growing up that went, and we each brought our significant others. The five of us have all known each other from some point in elementary school. And...four out of the five of us got engaged within a four month period (last August, September, November, and December), and then the fifth just got engaged this 4th of July! I love how stuff like that happens!

We had a great weekend celebrating Kirsten and Andy. We spent Saturday hiking along Lake Tahoe to Emerald Bay. It was one of the most gorgeous hikes I have done because you are literally hiking right along the water. Then, Saturday night we had such a fun dinner at Sunnyside, toasting Kirsten and Andy and sharing memories from the twenty plus years we have been friends (crazy that Kirsten and I have been friends for 25 years)! Congrats to Kirst and Andy!

Then, this past week, I went to Tahoe with my family for eight days! For the past four summers we have gone to South Shore because my dad's company has a house there. However, they rented out the house this year, so instead we went to my brother-in-law's family cabin in North Shore. It was fun to switch it up this year. We definitely beached it up everyday! We spent most of our time at Tahoe Donner, which I had never been to. It's a great little beach area, especially if you have young kids because they have a shallow area for them to play in the water.

Kate digging away

Claire Bear

We also went to King's Beach one day in North Shore, and then made the drive to South Shore another day for old time's sake. I love Jameson Beach on South Shore. Nothing beats the view of Lake Tahoe there, plus there is tons going on with the Beacon Bar and Grill right there, which has a live band on most days. And, let's not forget about their yummy rum runners (which we failed to enjoy this year). The beach was super crowded (as usual), but even more so this year because the beach line is so small from all the rain/snow this winter...spring...oh, and summer. I love the activity though because I am such a people watcher. It's constant entertainment :)

King's Beach (note the two feet of beach)

Jameson Beach - my all time favorite!

Can you say, Rum Runner!

Emerald Bay

I had a great time with my family, but about half way through the trip I was ready to go home. Jason wasn't able to come because he took so much time off in April for our wedding and honeymoon. We're clearly still in the newlywed stage, and eight days apart was too much for us to take. (He even slept on our couch half the time because he didn't want to sleep in our bed alone). While I love vacations with my family, I might have to cut next summers a little short.