Winter Family Fun at the Resort at Squaw Creek - Part 2

I recently shared part 1 of our winter family vacation to the Resort at Squaw Creek near Lake Tahoe, CA.  If you didn't get a chance to read that post, you can check it out here.  Day 2 was all about exploring the resort and checking out all the family fun activities that were just footsteps from our room.  The second day started with an early morning visit to the resort's heated pool and whirlpool hot tubs!  My husband decided to sleep in while the boys and I rolled out of bed, popped on our swimsuits, and headed down to the steamy oasis under the stars before dawn.

My boys (Collin & Jack) relaxing in the jacuzzi with the early morning starry sky view of Squaw and Alpine in the background!

Me (mama) enjoying a relaxing soak as the morning got a little brighter!  I purchased this J.Crew red and white striped one piece swimsuit last summer! Unfortunately, this style and color is currently sold out but it was popular so they may bring it back this year!  I've included a few similar favorites from J.Crew in the product links below!  I have this one shoulder tie swimsuit (first one in product list below) in navy/ivory stripes and I love it!  I wore it on our summer cruise last year and got so many compliments!  It was a chilly 36 degrees out, but the hot tubs were set to a perfect temperature of 102 degrees!  I didn't want to get out!  It was a great way to start the morning!

The resort's year-round Oasis pool complex includes a large recreational heated pool and three whirlpool hot tubs to soak in after a long day skiing or snowshoeing.  If you plan to visit in the summer, you can also enjoy the plunge pool, a 120 foot waterslide, and a children's pool.  My husband and I are already planning a return trip this summer!  Swimming is always a fun activity for kids and for my boys that was no exception!  They bounced back and forth between the hot tubs and the pool and had a blast!  I was not as brave to jump in the pool - I was quite happy in my spot at the hot tub!

A pic of me in the hot tub using fun Snapchat filters!

It was time for breakfast and we decided to quickly dry off, throw on our robes and head back up to our room for a quick shower!  By the way, our room accommodations at the Resort at Squaw Creek were very nice and family friendly!  We had a one bedroom fireplace suite, a living room with a pull out sofa, a nice view of the snow capped mountains, and a small kitchen with a mini refrigerator, microwave, and stove top!  If you do lots of family travel, you know that having a kitchenette is a blessing.  We always travel with a small cooler to store my kids favorite drinks and  some wine/beer for mom and dad.  We also bring a bag of snacks for our road trip so we are prepared when hunger strikes!  I like to bring oatmeal and fruit for breakfast for a quick, easy and healthy option!  The kids like to have those microwavable mac and cheese bowls so microwaves are always a plus!  

Here are a few of our favorite snack ideas for family travel:

Microwave popcorn

Oatmeal/Cereal

Fruit - apples, pears, bananas, oranges, etc.

Bottled water and juice boxes

Wine/Beer for the adults! (make sure you bring an opener)

Microwavable mac and cheese bowls

tortilla chips and salsa

individual variety packs of cookies and chips 

Here are a few pics of our room I snapped!  It really felt like being at home!

The living room had a gorgeous view of the outdoors and a warm fireplace to cuddle up and watch movies or sip wine!

The resort offers free wifi which makes it easy to connect and get work done if needed or for the kids to enjoy Netflix and their favorite apps on their tablets!

We had a really nice view outside!  The windows offer plenty of natural light and privacy curtains at night!

The kitchen was unexpected!  It was nice to have all these amenities which helps save money on going out to eat every night!  We didn't cook anything on this trip but we heavily used the refrigerator, microwave, and utensils!     

Once we showered and finished with breakfast, we decided to take a hike and check out the surrounding areas around the resort. If you enjoy snowshoeing you will love Squaw Creek's beautiful meadow or you can head into the back country of Squaw Valley. The Nordic Center on site offers all winter equipment rentals including snowshoe and boot rentals, as well as guided snowshoe tours.  We just decided to take a leisurely hike with the kids!

Featured:
This black and ivory buffalo plaid skirt from Talbots (similar options here, here, and here)

Outfit Details:
Black Merona snow boots from Target (similar here, here, and here)
Black Leggings (similar here, here, and here)
Black nylon coat (old) - (similar here, here, and here)
Cashmere Polka Dot Sweater (old) (similar here, here, and here)
Black faux Fur pom pom beanie (similar here, here, and here)
Hot pink fringe scarf from Old Navy (old) - (similar here, here, and here)
Mirror aviator sunglasses (similar here, here, and here)

Unfortunately, the dog sledding and snowmobiling tours were not available to book when we visited in early January.  The month of December was very dry and there was not enough snow.  This was disappointing for the kids as they were very much looking forward to this, but we found other fun family things to do such as sledding and ice skating which made up for it!

We took a short, easy, and flat hike that starts from the Resort at Squaw Creek off of hole #1 of the golf course.  This hike connects the resort with the Village at Squaw Valley (a great place for shopping, dining, and where you can catch the aerial tram to Squaw High Camp).  This hike is perfect for little ones and those who don't want to gain any elevation but want to get some exercise while taking in the beautiful views of the valley! 

After we got back from our hike, we decided to take the kids ice skating at the Resort's outdoor ice rink. The ice rink is open from 10 am - 10 pm daily and operates in three "sessions." It closes for an hour and a half in between sessions to refresh and clean the ice.We rented ice skates from the Nordic Center and let the kids have fun!  Chris and I sat and drank a hot toddy while the kids enjoyed whirling around on the ice.

Once their session was up, it was close to dinner and we were all starving,  We decided to go to Sandy's Pub which is one of the many restaurants located on site.  Sandy's is a convenient and casual sports bar dining option.  They offer tasty appetizers and delicious pub style meals to suit all preferences and ages.  They offer a wide selection of craft beer on tap, wine, and cocktails and we were able to catch the NFL playoff games on one of their six flat screen TV's while we were there!   I ordered the the shrimp tacos which were really delicious, Chris ordered the fully loaded nachos, my son Jack ordered the clam chowder (which he loved!), and my son Collin ordered spaghetti from the kids menu.  For more information about Sandy's pub and the full menu, please click here!

For dessert, the boys wanted to roast s'mores which you can order directly from Sandy's menu.  The kit comes complete with large marshmallows, a package of graham crackers, Hershey's chocolate bars, and the roasting skewers.  Just right outside the restaurant is a large outdoor fire pit overlooking the pool area.  It was a great place to warm up by the fire and chat with other visitors about their day and where they were from!  The boys had fun roasting their marshmallows and making their delicious treats.  It was a nice way to end a perfectly fun and relaxing day!  

Roasting marshmallows and making s'mores at the fire pit!  The best winter fun! 

Good Night!

We had a great time and would like to thank The Resort at Squaw Creek for such a wonderful experience!  We are definitely planning another trip soon so we can experience the dog sleds and snow mobiles!  Look for one more post coming soon to wrap up day three of our adventure to Squaw Valley!  Also, if you haven't had a chance to sign up for our newsletter you can subscribe here!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  Don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from San Francisco Bay Style on our shop page!

Thanks for Visiting!  

xoxoxo,

Hayley

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Winter Family Fun at the Resort at Squaw Creek

Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a joyous holiday and fun filled new year!  I can't believe it's already 2018!  Where did the year go?  Don't we all say that?  To some degree it's true!  Our busy lives can sometimes occupy so much of our precious time that some days and weeks feel like they fly by!  After the holidays were over, my family took a much needed break and vacation!  My birthday was January 3rd, so it was a good time to ring in the new year, celebrate another digit on my age, and enjoy some quality time with my family!  

We headed up to Squaw Valley, CA for a nice relaxing winter vacation.  We stayed at the beautiful Resort at Squaw Creek.  We drove up in the morning which is just about a 3.5 hour drive from San Francisco.  We checked in early and decided to take our boys out sledding with the new sleds they got from Santa for Christmas!  The weather was a balmy 63 degrees which was perfect for my "apres ski" look.



Featured:

Apres Ski Sweater from Talbots (sold out online but may be available in stores - similar here, here, and here)
Ski Pants (old - similar here, here, and here)
Snow Boots from Target (similar here, here, and here)
Faux Fur pom pom beanie (similar here, here, and here)





 My kids were excited to get their feet in snow and we wasted no time venturing outside to check out the resort.  Just past the Squaw Creek ski lift which is at the back of the property, there is a beautiful and expansive open space which is perfect for snowshoeing, hiking, and sledding.  The views of Squaw Valley and the adjacent Squaw & Alpine mountain peaks were incredible!  Even though we had a dry December and the snow was not fresh powder, there was still plenty on the ground to have a fun time sledding and build a snowman (decorated below with fresh pine cones, pine needles, and sticks on the ground!  Pretty good job, don't you think?     

This was another snowman a family made while we were there.  I took a snapshot of it after they left.  They get the prize for making a tall snowman, but we all agreed he looked a little creepy.  What do you think?

Tip: if you live near Lake Tahoe and/or plan to visit with a young family, I highly recommend to bring your sleds.  They're lightweight and don't take up too much room in the back of the car and they provide hours of free entertainment!  If you are not able to bring your own sleds you can rent them from the Resort at Squaw Creek along with many other winter sports gear and accessories.  Family winter activities here include ski-in/ski-out access to Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows; a private ice rink; heated swimming pools; jacuzzis, 18 kilometers of cross-country skiing terrain; dog sledding; and so much more!  All these fun family activities are just a short walk from your guest room!  Unfortunately, there was not enough snow to go dog sledding when we were there in early January, but I promised my kids we would try to make another trip back later this winter to try that!

My son Jack enjoying his day sledding

up and down the hill they went!

Squaw Valley Olympic Village is directly across Squaw Creek and you can take a free shuttle there which runs every 15 minutes.  There is plenty to do there which I will include in an upcoming post!

Snowshoeing is a very popular activity in Squaw Valley!

The sun started to come out in the late afternoon and there really was no need for ski jackets!  It felt more like spring ski season than it did like winter but we were fine with that!  My husband and I found a spot at the bottom of the hill and watched the kids go up and down over and over again until they were exhausted!

My "Apres Ski" sweater was a present from my husband for Christmas.  I saw it in the Talbots catalog and told him I wanted it for our ski trip!  At this current time, they are completely sold out online but you may be lucky enough to still find it in stores if you have a Talbots that's close to you.  If not, here are a few other similar ski sweater options you might like!

I brought along my old black cargo ski pants because I love having extra pockets to hold things like sunscreen, my credit card and room key, cash, sunglasses, lip balm, and my kid's asthma inhaler!  This eliminates the need to carry around a big bag.  Although these pants are old, I found a few current similar options.  Also, my snow boots are from Target and they are so comfortable and durable for such a great price point!  I've included them in the shopping links below as well as a few other cute options you may like including my faux fur pom pom beanie!! 

We started getting pretty hungry so we decided to grab the sleds and head back to find something to eat and drink.  We were pretty tired from driving up that morning and sledding all day so we knew we wanted something quick and easy.  We stumbled upon the outdoor patio area where they served a variety of food and drinks.  The kids ordered a Roy Rogers and my husband and I tried the local brews on tap.  We order a basket of fries and cheeseburgers which hit the spot!  We relaxed by the fire place until dark and then headed up to our room to get in our pajamas, make plans for day 2, and go to bed a little early! 

My husband and I - we just celebrated our 20 year wedding anniversary!

I'm looking forward to sharing more details from our trip to Squaw Valley in my next post including more of the outfits I wore, family activities we did, where we ate, and more about our accommodations at the Resort at Squaw Creek!

Thank you for visiting! 

Hayley

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Valentines Gift Guide For Her: Dresses

I had so much fun selecting soft and cozy pajamas and slippers for my first Valentines Guide Gift Guide that I started working on this one shortly after!  If you didn't get a chance to read my first post, you can check it out here!  It's the perfect time to start thinking about gifts for your loved one!  Today, I'm sharing my favorite gifts for her in the dress department! These are ideas for the women in your life...your spouse, your mom, your sister, or your bestie!  For those of you that have been following me here on the blog, you know how much I adore the sweet, feminine, and sometimes sassy style of dresses.

Featured:

Dress: this Tahari red bow fit and flare dress (similar here, here, and here) 

Shoes: Halogen red bow ankle strap flats (sold out) (similar here, here, and here)

First things first, you will need to find out what size to purchase and this can be difficult if you are not intimately close!  If you want to keep it a surprise, you'll need to check dress labels in her closet and make sure it's a dress she has worn recently!  If you don't have access to her closet, you can follow general US women's sizing guidelines here.  If you're still unsure, it's best to be conservative and get a gift receipt.  When in doubt, go with a medium.  If the size is wrong, she can take it back and exchange it for her correct size and she won't feel insulted!  

The second important thing to understand is knowing her style.  There are different categories of dresses and knowing her preferences will really make her gift more personalized.  For purposes of this blog post, I've broken it down into three style categories: 1) Casual Classy; 2) Feminine and Flirty; and 3) Hot Mama! :)   

1.  Casual Classy style is for the active and fit woman on the go.  This lady prefers casual comfort and style with not a lot of fussiness and frills! She is the type of woman who throws her hair in a pony tail, feels her best in sneakers and denim, and takes care of business exuding confidence and natural beauty.  Here are a few dress ideas if this is who you are shopping for:

  

2.  Feminine and Flirty style is for the woman who loves the fun and frilly details - bows, scallops, ruffles, sprinkles, lace, glitter, bubbles, confetti, etc!  This lady has a sparking personality and intoxicating smile!  She loves to dream big and play hostess for parties taking care of all the pinterest inspired details!  She is the type of woman who takes time getting ready in the morning, styling her hair, playing with makeup, and accessorizing her outfits!  Here are a few dress ideas if this is who you are shopping for:

3.  Hot Mama: let's face it, what's hot is what you feel confident and sexy in and that includes all three style categories.  Hot mama is for the woman who has the curves in all the right places.  She feels her best in high heels and body hugging silhouettes that show off all her best assets!  This lady loves to stand out in a crowd and has a sassy but sweet personality!  She is the type of woman who exudes class, keeping her style very simple, graceful, and elegant.  Here are a few Valentines Day dress ideas if this is who you are shopping for:

No matter what style, all of these dresses would make for a very nice and personalized gift for her on  Valentines Day.  The dresses I selected as part of my gift guide can really be worn any time of the year but it's always fun to wear red and/or pink on this romantic holiday.  

Do you have any special plans for Valentines Day this year?  I love hearing all about the fun "Galentine" parties many ladies participate in!  My plans generally consist of helping my boys with creating their Valentines for their classmates.  My husband and I usually don't go out on Valentines Day...it's hard to get reservations at our preferred restaurants and wait times and crowds make me very cranky.  Usually we stay home, prepare a nice family dinner together with our kids,  make some ice cream sundaes, and watch a good Netflix movie.  That's all it takes to make this mom feel special and loved.  

Stay tuned for more Valentines Gift Guides coming soon!  If you haven't had a chance to sign up for my newsletter you can subscribe here!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  Don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from my blog on my shop page!

Thanks for Visiting! 

With Love,

Hayley 

Related Posts:

Valentines Gift Guide For Her: Pajamas

Valentines Day is right around the corner so it's the perfect time to start thinking about gifts for your loved one!  Today, I'm sharing my favorite gifts for her in the PJ department! These are ideas for the women in your life...your spouse, your mom, your sister, or your bestie!  Last year I shared my favorite Eberjey pink pajamas in this post here.  I really prefer something warm and cozy in the winter time so I gravitate towards soft fabrics like flannel, jersey knit, and cotton and/or luxurious fabrics like silk!

Pajamas are a perfect Valentines Day gift option for her!  After all, every woman likes to look and feel good and getting a good night's sleep is an important component to ensuring you look and feel you're best every day!  I'm planning to get these luxurious satin pj's for my sister in the pink print  and I might grab some cozy slippers for her too!  I love these beautiful red bow slippers and they are only $7.99!  Pom poms are a fun detail so I think she might also love these pink ones which are less than $40 or these red ones which are only $14.50!

Shop all my favorite pajamas selected for my Valentines Gift Guide for Her below

and some of my favorite slippers...

Stay tuned for more Valentines Gift Guides coming soon!  If you haven't had a chance to sign up for my newsletter you can subscribe here!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  Don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from my blog on my shop page!

What are your favorite Valentines Gift Ideas for him?  I'd love to hear your ideas and suggestions!

xoxoxo,

Hayley

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