YAY DAD!

Duane started the Biggest Loser program at Peak Fitness at the beginning of January(Along with Mikin and her mom Jean, pictured below). This last weekend they did their first "group challenge." All of the teams had to meet down at the CDA city beach at 9:00 in the morning and compete in a couple of challenges. Not exactly the warmest day out. Besides the freezing cold air and touch physical challenges, he did awesome! The first challenge was to carry golf balls 150 golf balls, one at a time, as a team across the beach and fill up a different bucket. (Sorry, I got there late, so I didn't get pictures of this). The next challenge was running 2 miles. Down the dyke road and back. Duane finished with a crowd of people cheering him on. Way to go DAD!!!!!

Duane, Mikin, Jean between challenges

Duane rounding the last corner of the run

Duane' s big finish with his crowd of supporters!

And the bike goes on........

On Monday, Memorial day, Alora and I met up with Natalie and Jayson and kids in Pinehurst to ride the "Rails to Trails" bike route... The kids were pretty tolerant of the ride at first, but Allie doesn't care much for the trailer, and finally had to ride in Dad's lap for a while. We also had Mckenzie and Trenton Frank with us, (Trenton is quite the stunt rider!!) He kept us amazed with his "wheelies" along the route. It was the most beautiful trail I have seen! We went from PInehurst to within 2 miles of the Cataldo Mission--a fabulous beginning to the day!

Memorial Weekend!! No camping--just biking, biking, biking!

This craze started on Saturday! We met up with Nicole and started at Riverstone and peddled all the way to the parking lot at Tubbs Hill. Duane had biked enough so we turned around and all went back to the cars. The girls and I decided to take a little more time to ride, so we told Duane to meet us at Higgins Point with the car in about an hour, to an hour and a half. We all managed to get there in less than an hour and when we arrived at the parking lot, no Duane! I called him on my cell, only to find out that he had gone home to move the sprinkler! So--Nicole said, well, lets start back and we'll keep going until he gets here! Never thought I'd make the Bennett Bay (Sunnyside) hill forward and backward, but I DID IT! Yea!

Ella bella Ballerina!!

After the race, I came home, took a quick shower and drove down to NIC to watch Ella's dance recital---I told Jean Gatten that this is the real perks of being grandmom's--all the cute and none of the pre-recital stress the mom's have to endure! She was as adorable as this picture and really dances well!! Good job Ella!

Still going Strong!!!

So, Mom did a half marathon today, Saturday! She did amazing! We headed down to Riverfront Park, and watched and waited for Mom, and all the rest of the fam doing the race. Luckily for me it was nice and warm, but unfortunatley for the runners, they were probably dying of heat towards the end. I wasn't even running, and I still got toasty and a little sweaty out there. IT WAS AWESOME!!!.. not the sweaty part, the warm part. I am so proud of my mom, she accomplished so much, and she's inspired me to become a runner! Seeing her doing it, and the accomplishment she felt, and the fun she had, almost made me jealous, and wishing I had done it with her. Maybe next year, but still she is amazing and a huge example to me!.. Love you mom!! Love Alora!

From MOM: I love you too Alora!! It was so awesome to see my family (Alora, Duane, Shawnte and Cameron and little Vance) at the finish line cheering me on! I expected to arrive all alone and have to go back to the car by myself!! What a surprise!! The race was grueling--I wish I had trained a little harder, but that's all hindsight! I finished a full 40 minutes earlier than I thought I would so YEA for me!!

A new adventure--the Spokane Falls!

Wow! I never knew so much water went over the Falls!! First time ever on the gondola ride--a happy day for all of us!!--Doesn't Duane look cute???

Ahhh the SUNSHINE!!!

Today was the best day ever!

The sunshine and warm weather was absolutely infectious!! We went into Spokane and enjoyed sights we hadn't done before--like jumping from block to block, running with the statues and hanging on a goat?