Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Spring in Spokane

 I have been dying to use the firepit in our backyard since we moved out to Suncrest last September, but hadn't done it yet because of dry conditions.  The fire department had a no burn policy in effect.  But spring is here and we finally got to use the wonderful pit without fear of burning Suncrest to the ground.  It was a little chilly, but those first Smores of the season were mighty good.
 

Trying to get that marshmallow just right.  And you notice that smoke DOES follow beauty.


Finger licking good!



















 
Sticky fingers and faces, but who cares, its a campfire thing.
 
 
 
 
Nana came for Easter which was great!  I had to work, but the rest of the family went to church.  Nana stayed for a week, so we were able to buy a Discover Pass and do some exploring outside.



Nana and the girls by Lake Spokane.
Nana and the grills.


 With the Discover Pass, you can access Washington's state parks.  We used it to go to Riverside State Park.  The area we  went to is called  Bowl & Pitcher.  There are large rock formations in the Spokane River and a bridge you can cross over with many trails to explore.  They connect in with a 37 mile trail called Centennial Trail which runs from Nine Mile Falls to the Idaho border.  The water is really moving fast in some spots.  There are a lot of hikers and mountain bikers that utilize the trails.

From the swinging bridge at Bowl & Pitcher




On the other side of the swinging bridge.  Must go up.


Happy to be at the end of the trail.


You can't ride your bike on the bridge & mow down the pedestrians.



The whole family, including Baby, went for a walk on the trail one night.  We started at Nine Mile Falls.   It's a beautiful place to get out in nature, on a mostly paved trail. We have seen many different waterfowl, beaver, flowers, and maybe heard a squatch.  Just kidding.  The girls had themselves convinced after doing their version of a squatch call.  They were a little spooked.


Darren and some of his girls by the Spokane River.



Breaking into a jog.


 
 
Kamryn has taken up playing flute in the Lakeside Middle School band.  She is picking it up very quickly and I am so proud of her!  This is from her first concert.


 
She has also started golf lessons.  She is not very impressed that all of the other students are boys.  I think it's great though!  She pays attention and follows what the coach tells her and I'm sure he appreciates that.  In no time at all she will be hitting the links and schooling her Dad.



This practice was all about chipping.


This driving range is on a hill.  I love it!  I want to drive the little tractor that picks up all the golf balls.  I realize everybody tries to hit you, but I think it would still be fun.


Look at that concentration!


How about the Kamikaze turkey making his way across the driving range.  Wasn't worried in the least.



 
 This spring is also bringing out the blossoms.  I have plants that I don't recognize.  Mary helped me identify a few.

Some sort of a magnolia?

This is the same thing before bloomed out.  The bush looked mostly dead with these beautiful flowers on it

Hyacinth?

Pear tree I believe.


Wild Pansy.
Forsythia.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Music that Moves Me

Running with music is just so much better.  I have some songs on the Ipod that make me take it up a notch or push through to the end.  The words run the gamut from angry to uplifting.  Crazy.  It doesn't make me feel angry, but just tough.  Like, "I can do this."  I forget that it is painful and I can just feel my body working, and doing what it can do and the miles go by.  So I am going to grace you with the play list.

  • Mr. Know it All - Kelly Clarkson
  • Start of Something Good - Daughtry
  • Into the Night - Santana
  • Louder Than Ever - Daughtry
  • Stronger - Kelly Clarkson
  • Walk on the Water - Britt Nicole
  • Shine - Newsboys
  • Stand - Rascal Flatts
  • Desparate - Fireflight
  • Bleed for Me - Saliva
  • Crazy - Daughtry
  • I Dare You to Move - Switchfoot
  • Every Rose Has its Thorn - Miley Cyrus
  • We're Not Gonna Fall - Daughtry
  • You Are So Good To Me - Third Day
  • Whiskey in the Jar - Metallica (I love the pirateness of it)
  • Voice of Truth - Casting Crowns
  • Break the Spell - Daughtry
  • Spaceship - Daughtry
  • Crawling Back to You - Daughtry
  • Over You - Daughtry
  • Replay - Iyaz
  • Savin Me - Nickelback
  • Shut Up and Drive - Rhianna
  • Since You've Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson
  • Rescue Me - Daughtry
  • Photograph - Def Leppard
  • Oh Happy Day - Aretha Franklin
I didn't realize I had so much Daughtry on there.  I will have to look for some new tunes to add.  If you have favorites, please comment.  I would love to see what other people are exercising to.