November in Calaveras - It doesn't get better.

Some of you know that my one of my favorite places in California is Calaveras Big Trees.  It's a state park in the Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer zone that has a grove of giant sequoias standing in a sea of dogwood.  It's unbelievable.  It's also a very kid friendly park with a spectacular loop trail through the grove.  For my birthday last November (the big 40), my brother, sister-in-law, nephew, my best friends from Chicago - Mark and Nancy, and my mom took me and the kids to Calaveras.  We stayed in a cabin just "downhill" from the park.  The best part of the trip was a rocking snowstorm in the Sierras that put us above the snowline by about 2,000 ft.  Without much explanation, here are some photos from that magical trip, enjoy.

 We always stop at the apple store for cider.  This is where the snow line was this trip.

 We had to immediately shovel the driveway to park our cars.

 Grandma Laura and Sylvie on a hike.

 Anna and Robbie looking fab in the snow.

 Kids and I loving the snow.

 Nancy and Mark in the Sequoia grove.

 Johnny and Robbie at the end of the hike.

 Snow angel 1.

 Snow angel 2.

 Reading books in the cabin

 My snuggle boy

 Nancy and her traveling tea collection (picture by Sylvie)

Mark on driveway duty

Our sledding hill across the street - a neighbor's unused driveway

 Sylvie "snowbear" Ansley

 Robbie learning the joys of an out-of-control saucer

 Sylvie and Rex's first snowman.

 And snow tunnel....

 It was a big hit.

 Playing some heavy chess in the cabin - Johnny and Mark

Nancy and the kids seconds before they crashed ->

I told you :)