Holy Cow, do I have some catching up to do!

It is not as easy as you might think...being with your family and trying to squeeze in time to walk back to the office (even late at night) to get in 'blog time'!
Here is a quick update:

Day 6 (June 22) was the finish of IRONMAN...such a wonderful event to experience! I have more pics to add when I get time.

Day 7 was my cocktail 'party'- which was fabulous! My sister and her brave husband Robb, took my kids overnight for a 'slumber party' (did I mention they have three of their own?) and I met my parents for a wonderful evening of cocktails and tapas. We started off at Barrel Room No. 6, which was a FABULOUS place to begin any evening. We ordered a wine that was made specifically for the restaurant- and it was very good. Along with that I enjoyed my first cheese plate...which paired together perfectly, and being able to sit and talk to my parents together was icing on the cake.



Wine and Cheese plate! Yummy!






After Barrel Room No. 6 we traveled to The Beacon, which is on a corner, and has these marvelous gigantic windows from which to people watch and enjoy the beauty of downtown. We stayed there until it got really crowded and we enjoyed more to eat and drink. Our waitress was very nice and the whole evening was just wonderful! (Thank you Erin and Robb!)



The Beacon downtown







My wonderful parents






Since then we have been to the Library, which is a magnificent building in itself. They are very kid-friendly, which doesn't surprise me- because the whole town is great for children/families.
My children where fascinated by the computer games and story time with a craft, in the children's portion of the library. The day we went we learned about bugs, read poems, listened to interesting facts and made a dragonfly from popsicle sticks!


The inside, looking down
the stairs






Looking up, once
you walk in. This is
a really neat piece of
art- the breeze blows
these pieces of metal
and makes it look like
it is slinking around.



I couldn't resist- he was
too cute! Moose are
everywhere here!




Grandpa has promised Jamie that he would take her fishing... and so we went. I accompanied Grandpa because I knew he might need help! (teehee)

We had a great time, although it was a little 'iffy' at first. They all needed their fishing rods with a worm on it right away...all four of them. I must admit- I was not interested in the worm part at all, and wasn't much help to Grandpa except casting out the rods each time they 'thought they had a bite'. After awhile I went ahead and cut worms, put worms on hooks, and re-casted about a million times.


















All together the kids caught about 6 fish. Of course none were eating size, so we released them, much to the groaning of the kids.








Jamie calling home
to tell mom she caught a fish!



















We had one major accident: Cope was holding a hook for Grandpa, let it go and turn quickly to walk away...except the hook snagged his finger and he was bleeding quite bad. He went hysterical at the site of blood (you have to know Cope) and I couldn't calm him down enough to get a band aide on it. Finally he quit crying and jumping around, we washed it, dried it and got a band aide on it. Bobby reminded me I had some "Neo To Go" and I spritzed his boo-boo before we covered it.















Releasing the fish...
waiting their turn to
release one





Today Jeff flies in, and Ill drive over to Spokane to pick him up. We are very excited Daddy will be joining us!
I'm hoping I can find more time to blog, once Jeff gets here...I'm keeping my fingers crossed! More later!

IRONMAN Continued... (Day 7 of vacation)

We were very graciously invited to an afternoon soirée at the Coeur d'Alene Resort City Inns, a local downtown hotel that has a really great upper deck from which to watch the IRONMAN from. Here are the 5 out of 7 grandkids
L to R: Bobby, Tierney, Cope, Jamie and Hayden (Hayden is Jamie's best friend)
(Hi Abby and Jimmy T- We miss you!)

I can speak from personal experience about this wonderful hotel, since for the last 4 years I have been a guest here. The two greatest things about this hotel are the management (very friendly and warm) and the location, since it is literally right downtown. It was perfect for me and the kids, since we just take a right out of our room, and BAM- we are downtown! We walked to everything! A gas station and post office are nearby, as well as an upper deck to relax on.
If you ever do come to Coeur d'Alene, tell the owners I said "Hi!"

Back on Thursday I mentioned us having dinner at Tomato Street. We went to the one in Coeur d'Alene, and oh my goodness- what great food! Our party of 10 consisted of 5 adults and 5 children, and I'm telling you the truth...We sat the 4 oldest kids together in a booth and didn't have to fuss with them the whole night! The restaurant has a neat atmosphere that really needs to be seen and felt. Plenty for the kids to do and not get bored, loud enough they wont be scolded at, and food to drool over. Move over Olive Garden, these fresh and piping hot garlic loaves of bread were to die for! And the pizza...incredible! Service was good and were weren't rushed, or had to wait for anything. Next time you are in the area- you gotta go!











So to finish up the exciting IRONMAN from yesterday... around 2:30, when the kids could not hold on any longer, I took them home for a nap. We awoke around 5:30 and ate my favorite pizza EVER- Papa Murphy's Veggie De-lite and then walked back downtown to the Resort City Inns for the afternoon soirée on the upper deck. Good food and drink and great company, made the evening very relaxed and exciting. We cheered for everyone that ran by and after awhile we all walked down to the finish line where a huge crowd had gathered. By this time is was 10:00pm, and I knew we wouldn't make it to the midnight hour. (If you don't happen to cross the finish line by midnight, you are not given a 'time')


This is right outside
the Resort City Inns






I just looked at the clock, and I have a cocktail reception to go to in 13 minutes! I will try and finish up as soon as possible! I have so much to tell you still!

Ciao'!

IRONMAN TODAY!

Today is the day the infamous IRONMAN will take place!
When I told my sister I'd be coming for a visit, she said, "Oh- you can come to IRONMAN with us!"
The buzz around town has all been about IRONMAN. Businesses getting ready for the crowds, the streets filling up with cones and flags...the hospitality tents being raised...all in preparation for IRONMAN.

So I awoke at 4:30am, and our family was out the door by 5:30 to walk into town and get to "the wall", which is where everyone likes to sit and watch the first leg of the triathlon- swimming 2 miles in the Coeur d'Alene lake. (which by the way was 59.5 degrees this morning)







(L to R)
Tierney, Jamie, Aunt Erin, Cope
behind me was Uncle Robb,
Grandpa, Jillian and Bobby

We are "On the wall" waiting
for the athletes to jump in
the water and start swimming







We are "on the wall"
waiting for the beach to fill up with
the athletes.
The gun will go off and most
of the 2200 participants
will all jump into the FRIDGID
waters! (59.5 degrees)








Here the beach is starting to fill
up with all the athletes.
The "professional athletes"
have already begun, now the
others are waiting for their turn.










It looked like a school of
sardines flopping around.
All you saw were a sea of
pink and blue swim caps
and arms splashing as they
all entered at once.







It was just amazing to
see how many different
types of people were in
the race! I was in awe of each
one and how determined they looked.
I heard it is not uncommon
for their toenails to fall off
after the race.
Does anyone know if that is true?






This is but one fraction of the amount
of clothing bags the swimmers
will try to find with the help of their volunteers.


















And then there are the sea of bikes
waiting patiently....











The first swimmers out of
the water...these are some of
the "professionals"...











And they begin the biking portion...
112 miles in and out of town.












Of course we then went to breakfast...
Any idea where?

...Yep! Calypsos' baby!!!









And this, my friends, is my
reward for getting up so
early...a blended mocha.
I also had a very delicious
toasted, sesame seed bagel with
scrambled eggs, ham and cheese.




Starting the race...


Ill have more updates later, as the day goes on. The bike portion is still going strong, and I'm not sure if anyone is actually running yet.
We plan on coming back out around midnight to cheer for those that cross the finish lines before then. (If you don't happen to cross before midnight, you are not officially given a time)
*If anyone IN the IRONMAN is reading this- you truly are INCREDIBLE!
I applaud you for your total commitment in this race!