Snowboarding...in So Cal???

So randomly we got the day off...on a Thursday....and so did Boom. We decided to go up to Bear Mountain, which was actually instigated by a few of my nursing friends who planned on going. It was a amazingly warm day...I've never boarded when it was so warm before. Could have nearly been in shorts. Here's some of the photos of our day.

If you look closely you can see Tobin going off a jump

The boarders

Hopefully we'll go again soon!

Millers in Trout Lake!

Well, through the wintering Artic Storm, Mom and Dad made the trek up here from Bend. It was so nice to have some fun in the snow with them! All including snowmobiling, snowman making, cross-country skiing, and lots of Hand and Foot playing!

Dad took Mom around the yard on the snowmobiling...lots of squeeling could be heard especially if Dad got over 10mph! Dad was riding it first and manage to just "fall off." He thankfully didn't get the snowmobile stuck!

Mom and Dad on the snowmobile!

Our snowman...who was in his own little Gazebo house!

We made him a "green" all nature snowman with an icicle for a nose and a tree shrub shawl!

Tobin was working the shop, making "The Box," but he came out for a photo

Our snowman was a bit "two-faced"

Cross Country Skiing on the groomed trail near Trout Lake School

Mom did so well! Here she is, very focused!

Even action video to prove it! This was just at the beginning and she got even better!

So good to spend the time we have left here in the NW with family and enjoying the great outdoors! We'll definitely miss it!

Snowmobiling!

Well, every year it's Rummel tradition to go snowmobiling on Christmas Day. Unfortunately, this year due to mechanical difficulty and weather conditions our Christmas Day ride was 1 day late, and a bit modified.

After Tobin and Darrol worked to get at least 3 machines running...we left for a quick trail/road ride. About 5 minutes out, Tobin noticed his machine was somewhat sluggish as if the brake was on, and the brake light sure enough was constantly on. So instead of giving up, I rode double with Tobin, and Darrol took the old machine (that can't break trail). So Tobin broke trail as I precariously hung onto the back of Tobin and/or the machine....quite interesting when you have snow flying at your face while staring straight at a butt! I even fell off the back of the machine, and Tobin didn't even notice right away, so I had to huff it, in some DEEP snow, and eventually my knight in shining armour came and gave me a lift! It was beautiful snow, lots of work to break trail with two people on a machine, but lots of fun! There were times we were riding and the snow was so deep my knees were brushing against the snow, while sitting on the machine!

Unfortunately, this seemed to be most of our experience with snowmobiles this year.

Tobin tired out from breaking trail!

Playing in the Snow...in Salem?

Storms and cold temperatures moved in and took the Willamette Valley by surprise! They aren't used to this kind of weather. But we made sure to enjoy it! Tobin and I went over to play with the nieces and nephew. We found what we could to use for sleds...a blue bucket and plastic lid did the trick! They both wanted Uncle Tobin to push them as much as possible! (He goes much faster than I could), then they made sure we "Let Go, Let Go!!!"

"Ice Skating!"

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

The slides were so much fun and fast because of the snow!

We were making a "Choir of Angels!"

Zoey sporting the new fashion...Babylegs!

Another great weekend with the sis and Mt Ashland #2

Maryanne came down to visit us in Medford this last weekend. It was great to share where we live with someone! She drove down on Friday and just as I was calling her to check on where she was (thinking she was probably about an hour away). She told me she was outside the front door! I really didn't believe her at first because I figured what were the odds I'd call her right then? But yes, it was true, Maryanne had left work early to surprise me! So that was great to have a little extra time together on Friday night.

Saturday we had decided we wanted to go snowboarding. Partly to get Maryanne up on a mountain slope prior to going down the run in the Pole Pedal Paddle. Especially since she hasn't been up snowboarding in years! As we left the weather here was a bit foggy, but not too bad. We got to the mountain and it was definitely a bit stormy and one of their lifts was closed, but we decided this was our only opportunity and "it wasn't that bad." =) The snow was actually really nice. It was fresh from the night before and the wind wasn't too bad on the side of the mountain we were boarding on. But when we road back to the other side of the mountain to stop for lunch and warm up (my toes were freezing for some reason), we found the "storm" brewing and getting worse! It was so windy you felt like you were walking forward but getting no where! And there really was poor visibility. We ate lunch, and I was actually the one saying we should just stop, but Tobin and Maryanne wanted more. So Maryanne and I made a few more runs and after several falls, one where Maryanne kind of hit her head hard and had a headache. We decided the lodge sounded WONDERFUL! So we left Tobin to enjoy doing fast runs alone, and headed back! Now it was even worse. I felt like we were in the Antarctic (see Maryanne below!)with the wind and dry snow blowing around. It was hard even to see one another just a few feet in distance! But Maryanne and I made it to the lodge and enjoyed some caffeinated coffee (we were rudely told that they "did NOT have decaf!") and some cheesy nachos! Tobin stayed out another hour or so and finally decided it was enough for him too! Not an ideal day, but one with many memories. =)

That night Maryanne cut my hair (it's really cute, I'll have to take a picture and post it later) and cut Tobin's hair, and then we went out with Jenna (Tobin's Med school classmate) to eat at a yummy Mexican restaurant and enjoyed Margaritas and Dinner.

Sunday we went to church, and then we wanted to go out to breakfast. Of which I remembered there was a Black Bear restaurant in Medford, but wasn't too sure of where. Well, after 30 minutes of driving around Maryanne called AJ and he looked it up on the Internet! Thanks to navigator AJ! What did we ever do without cell phones and the Internet? Breakfast was delicious! Then Maryanne headed home, with an uneventful drive. =)

I love living closer to family now!

Mt Ashland #1

Well, we decided that we needed to go enjoy the nice snow that the Northwest got this past week. So Tobin, I, and our friend Jenna (who is also a Medical Student rotating here in Medford) all went up to Mt Ashland and did some boarding on the slopes! It was great. The sun was shining because we actually were ABOVE the fog and clouds that seems to sit in the Rogue Valley! It was a great day, so wanted to share it with y'all!

This is evidence that we were above the clouds! Looks crazy huh?!

This is Jenna

This is me getting stuck, once again, in the powder in the trees.

Tobin was there, but he was the main camera man. =)