Family time in CDA

vacation Vacation VACATION!!

I'm not sure we have ever needed a vacation as much as we did going into June this year. After 10 months enduring the grueling demands of Marathon then Ironman training, the family needed some time off....together...... without bikes; pool searching; and run route coordinating.

So, it seemed only appropriate that we celebrate the family accomplishment of completing making it through surviving the Ironman with a week long stay in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Though it probably always goes without say, the week was not long enough. To be fair, we really didn't start vacation until Monday after the race. And to be even more fair, I don't think you can really count MOnday as  vacation day as I still have race stuff I had to do not to mention the recovery.

But, starting Tuesday, the family was officially on VACATION!! We rented a little house about three miles north of the town center that had a huge backyard filled with grass, gardens, a covered patio, and best of all a play-set for the kids.

We had one rainy day when we drove to Spokane for lunch and a movie (Madagascar 3 - LOVED it) both boys did great. [I'm not sure if I should be excited of that fact or not.....] Regardless, it was nice to sit through a movie with relatively no commotion and no hall walking.

Otherwise our days were filled with playing, playing and more playing, cooking, napping, reading, blogging, and conversing. In one word, Heaven.

In fact, we liked CDA so much, I think it is going to be our yearly July family vacation spot.

This is CDA Lake. 

To think only a few days prior I was standing on this beach decked out in my wetsuit ready to start the hardest most personally rewarding day of my life.

My boys.....I simply adore this photo. 

You can see in the distance on the left the 6,000 sq ft play structure. Basically the Mecca of play-sets.

This is actually pre-race. We are catching a bite in our favorite hang out, Calypso's. 

[If you ever find yourself in CDA, it is a must stop.]

We spent many many many hours playing outside on the 'Pirate ship' / 'Superhero Ship'.

The smiles were plentiful!

Endless hours pushing 'Little Red' in the swing....[I think I developed carpel tunnel in my wrist.]

Ayden and I 'sunning' after playing in the sprinkler =)

Life couldn't have been better!

The weather was perfect. 

Cool, sweatshirt mornings followed by short and t-shirt afternoons.