Couer d'Alene Idaho

 We left our kids with Jenny and we drove the short 30 minute drive to Couer d'Alene Idaho.  That is one amazing place.  We hauled up 5 bikes on this trip.  (two were the kids) Sadly... Darren only brought one.  He would have liked to ride a lot. It was beautiful country. We rode around a beautiful lake just north of Coeur d'Alene, Lake Hayden.  I need to live on a lake. I thought of Safra's lake in Wisconsin.  The homes were down on the lake with docks by their home.  Some had slides dropping into the lake.  Does anyone want to rent a home by a lake for 2 weeks with me.  I am in!

The best part of Darren being injured this trip is that he went my pace on the bike.  He had to take it easy.  I got to see this most of the ride... instead of riding it alone because I cant keep up with him.  I got to go a good easy pace and look at all the homes by the lake as I went. 

Then we stopped at the Blue Plate Diner.  I need some of these cups. Then I can make pomegranate lemonade or huckleberry lemonade and sit and drink it on my porch swing (that I don't have yet). But still it would be nice~

Then we went and checked into our hotel- The Hotel Couer d'Alene.  We had one day to relax before Darren's Savage work conference started.  

We enjoyed a dinner out, got some steamed vanilla milk and walked along the beach. 

The next day it rained all morning. I attempted to mnt bike in the downpour but gave up after 40 minutes.  I was a mess. Darren was nice and dry in the truck.  

The conference began. Here are a few highlights

-a boat ride on the lake with the sun out!

- John Denver sang to us. The guy sound amazing!

- Dinner and meals planned for us

- we did a big service project at Fergut state park 

- visiting with friends who we only see once a year

- trail running up Tubbs hill

- and having my husband with me all day for three days straight

The spouses had a break one morning. I attempted to mnt bike again.  but oh my the mud.  

I was filthy. I stopped at a carwash to clean my bike and my legs. 

Jenny brought the kids down to the lake on Friday afternoon.  Ella was so excited to see us.  She kept telling us - I love you momma, I love you daddy. 

They had a great time at the lake. We only stayed for a few minutes between our packed agenda but it was so great to see them. 

On the way home on Saturday we took it easy. We stopped in Missoula, Montana. It is beautiful country. Darren kept saying he could love anywhere there.  (or in Couer d'Alene)  We had such a nice time.  We even had a beautiful rainbow on our drive home.  

I am so glad I have Darren who makes sure we have fun in our life. 

Spokane with Jenny

After the half ironman we drove to Spokane to see my sister.  

She is not boring!  She runs through water fountains... Ella was thinking of going with her but chickened out at the last second. 

We headed downtown to a fun park.  The kids did some "rock climbing". 

Then they have a big red radio flyer wagon downtown.  It was pretty neat. 

Does she look like a boring sister?  not so much!

We stopped at a huge river.  We took lots of pictures so Rachel could see how huge the water is. 

This is the group Jenny would watch in the morning :) for the next 5 days while Darren and I go to Couer d'Alene for a Savage work conference.

I just laughed at this picture.  Darren... squeezed in the back with 5 crazy kids.  Jenny and I had a very pleasant drive in the front. 

When we got home Jenny took me on a beautiful bike ride through Spokane Valley.  Such a beautiful place.  When we we got home ... Uncle Darren was babysitting.  This is what we found!

(he said he was doing his physical therapy stretches but we got a good laugh because it SURE looked like he was sleeping!)

Boise Half Ironman

Darren tore a tendon in his knee a few weeks ago.  He wasn't able to run or bike for 3 weeks.  That isn't a good thing when you have a half iron man and a full iron man in the near future.  

We drove to Boise and asked them if we could switch to a relay team for his half iron man.  A few moments later I walked out with this bracelet.  Darren was going to swim 1.2 miles and I was going to bike 56 miles and then run 13.2 miles.  WOW!

We stayed at my cousins house in Meridian.  Jessica is an amazing cook. I could write a whole post about the food we ate.  My uncle Fred (Craig) made us flaming bananas as a kid so Randy and Jessica whipped up some so I could actually try them now.  I never ate them as a kid. They were bananas. This time they were delicious!

Jessica and Randy watched our kids all day on Saturday.  My kids loved it.  

(Ella, Aiden, Elaine)

The race was a bit of a disaster. 

1. the temperature was in the low 40's for the start of the swim

2. the winds were out of control, some places the wind was up to 35 mph on the course

3. There was snow in the benches of Boise

4. Darren had to get in a wetsuit and swim 

5. The water was 54 degrees but getting into the water when your totally freezing is terrible

6. He could barely put his face in the water and he couldn't even cup his hands to paddle

7. Due to all that, they shortened the bike to only 14 miles into town

So really a 14 miles bike ride that was sunny and nice by the time I was finished... then a 13 mile run in great weather wasn't bad.  My one chance to do part of an ironman was not really amazing. 

I didn't get any picture of Darren swimming since it was totally down pouring for hours before the race and then raining at the beginning of the race.  We were just trying to stay warm.  

Darren is back on his bike now.  barely .... but back on it.  He cant run yet.  He has 5 weeks until he has to swim over 2 miles, bike over 100 miles and then run a full marathon.  oh my!

Kindergarten Graduation

I don't know where the time went but I guess it goes on whether I am ready or not.  

I have a 1st grader now.  

how... I am not sure. But I am old enough to have a first grader. 

Ella and I would volunteer once a week in Tyler's class with Ms. Latoni.  

Ella loved her just as much as Tyler did.  

They had a cute graduation program.  Tyler is on the top row on the left.  

They sang some great songs. but the part that brought tears to my eyes was when they each had a turn to talk. 

Tyler said. 

My name is Tyler Balls and when I grow up I want to be an engineer.  

Then each child in turn said what they wanted to be.  

Right now those kids believe that they can be anything and do anything.  They don't have cool kids or uncool kids. They don't know who is smart and who is struggling.  They are all just friends.  I wish it could stay so simple.  I hope and pray that all those students I worked with all year can make their dream come true.  

After school got out we came home and bottled cherries!

I love my kids.  

Ella washed them as I picked them out of the tree.  

Tyler pitted them and put them in jars. Then we processed them.  

I loved it.  I was so happy to be canning with my kids.  

Tyler wanted me to take this picture to show how many jars he did. 

It was awesome. 

Grandma retires

It is terrible that this post is about Grandma Balls retiring from teaching school but yet I find I didn't take one single picture of her!  Sorry Pat!

The kids and I drove up for the actual retirement ceremony at Logan School District.  I need to check on the total but I think it is 32 years of off and on teaching.  There were a few years Pat stayed home and raised her kids. But other than that she has been teaching for a very long time. 

I even got to teach with her at Ellis Elementary for a year.  

We got there just a little early so we stopped at Great Harvest Bread to get some of my favorite food... anything related to bread is my favorite!

When school was officially out Corie planned a big fun retirement party.  The kids collected rolly polly bugs and put them in the bucket. Ella loved them.  She spent a far amount of time bent over in the bucket "playing"with them.  

Its fun to have cousins around.  Jonah and Everett are getting so big.  

Food and me...

I am so grateful my kids are good eaters.  I was the picky eater growing up and didn't eat fruits or vegetables without a fight... 

I also didn't eat anything fish related.  

Darren and I went on a double date the other night with our friends Marco and Olga Medina.  They took us to a nice little sushi restaurant downtown.  

Here is a pathetic video of me trying to choke down a sushi roll.  

Next time (there won't every be a next time)... but if there was... I would cut the darn thing in half first!

Ella ate an entire artichoke by herself the other night.  It was steamed with a little garlic, butter and salt on it.  It was delicious!  So don't boil artichokes or even bake them. Try steaming them in your steamer and wow!  AMAZING!

Tyler was eating a whole plate of coleslaw. It has cabbage in it! 

 I didn't try cabbage until last year!

Soccer games

We just finished up a soccer season. The picture of Tyler looking down at his trophy sums up the season. He loves having three trophies now. Tyler is loving the sport.