Spokane to Sandpoint

Idaho Spuddy Buddies!

Last weekend was the Spokane to Sandpoint relay. We finally got a team of 12. Well...there were 12.....then 11....then 10....then 11.....then 10...... I think if came together like two days before. The weather was super hot! Upper 90s for running is not really my thing so I'm amazed that we all survived it! It took our team 29 and a half hours to complete the 185 mile course. The scenery was stunning in places. Quite enjoyable. We were able to get a house on the lake in Coeur d'Alene and it was so nice to have a place to relax for a few hours during the race....not that I was able to sleep any. I think I was a little more sleep deprived for this race than for RenoTaho. I was in van 2 for this race and it seems that van 2 never gets as much sleep. We tried to nab a few hours on an elementary school gym floor but that SO didn't work. There was probably a hundred people spread out over the floor, 15 people snoring, and cell phone and watch beepers going off like crazy! It was nice to get some sleep Saturday night after it was all over.

Between legs 24 and 25, our team got to ride the tremors rollercoaster at Silverwood as part of the course at about 1:00 in the morning. It was fast and freaky. It's a woody so it felt like we were going to fly off the tracks at any moment. CRAZY! (if any of you have ever been on it you'd probably have to agree!) THE coolest wood rollercoaster I have EVER been on! Hopefully I'll get to go again sometime:)

This is the last relay for us this summer. OK we only did two...but it is quite a big deal to coordinate 12 people. They are definitely an adventure and a great way to see new country for sure!



Check out some of the pics from the race here!

or go to http://www.flickr.com/pixbyleslie


After the relay we headed over to Moses Lake for some fun family time. My Grandpa J lives there and it was really great to see him and aunts, uncles, and cousins! My gramps is the funniest 91 year old EVER! I love that guy...even if he can't remember my name Ha ha! (all he needs to know is Sally...right dear cousins and sisters??)

L: Grandpa and Parker (Mel's little boy)...he LOVED him! R: A whole bunch of Sallys!!

We are headed to a family reunion next weekend and I'm excited to see all my sisters and fam again! I wish Rory was going to be there. I can't believe that he only has 2 months left in Canada! I'm sooo excited to see him!

It could happen to you!

Watch out where you go running...or walking....or biking....or....

Runner Needed!!!

We are looking for another runner for the Spokane to Sandpoint relay this weekend (yeah short notice but stuff happens). It's going to be fun...so if you or anyone you know is interested let me know. The entry fee is paid and it would be only $65 for lodging for 3 nights.

The website is www.spokanetosandpoint.com. Check it out!

pictograms or pictoglyphs??

In primary today, I had my kids make a big pictoglyph (or is it pictogram?)of the Nephi/Lehi in prison story...(Helaman 5) I've always heard pictoglyphs and Matt is thinking pictogram...google image search comes up with more relevant info for pictoglyphs than pictogram. So which is it?

Anyways...I didn't think it would turn out so well but the kids did a great job.

Here's their work of art!

The Payette part 2

Saturday found us back on the Payette...this time for some white water rafting. We did the South Fork (with rapids Bronco Billy, Staircase, Giant Slalom (my favorite) ,etc.). Matt and I went with a co-worker and a friend of his (who had never made it down that section of the river without the raft dumping them all in the river...like 4 times). So we were all wondering if it would be our fate to fall in the rapids! Well the boat stayed upright but the trip wasn't without falling in! We did the trip with Idaho Whitewater Unlimited this time (we have gone with Cascade before) and the guides were great. They were pretty funny and let us do all kinds of fun things in the river that we didn't get to do before (I guess once you sign your life away on the waiver...). About the falling in part. I was playing a game of "trust" with one of the girls we went with. This is where you lock the "T" grip of your paddles together while standing on the sides of the raft and leaning back as far as you can. This is kind of ow you play...



I'm not sure if you can get away with it without someone falling in! Anyways she fell in the first time and we both fell in the second. Matt played it first with the guide and he fell in...which pretty much made me not want to play because I hate being cold but I was talked into it! I was surprised at how it didn't seem so cold....until I got back in the raft and started shivering a few minutes later...pretty much for the rest of the trip...which is apparently a good thing because it's bad news if you stop shivering;)

Matt and his buddy also got to jump off a cliff and "ride the bull" through some rapids. It was pretty fun to watch!

Here we are in all our glory:)