Whew! What a great week of fun we had with the Strickler Clan! 13 people and 2 dogs converged at our home on Liberty Lake for 4 nights of fun on the lake and in the mountains and then transferred the activities to Sandpoint and Lake Pend Oreille for another 3 nights.
Everyone showed up on Friday and we promptly headed out on the lake for some surfing and water sports.
Everyone who tried was able to get up and surf, but I think Sam and I were the only ones able to throw the rope back in the boat. Surfing has become our new favorite activity to do behind the boat as it's much more mellow and laid back than wake boarding. Unfortunately for Obie and Balin, I was having a very difficult time finding them a good wave so they ended up riding a mushy wave most of the time.
If you're wondering what kind of filter I put on the pictures - there is none. Unfortunately the sky was clouded by a large forest fire in the Chelan area while the unseasonably hot weather caused a significant algae bloom to grow on the lake turning it murky and brown. We didn't let it stop us though, we got in and enjoyed the warmth of the lake regardless.
With a little organization and planning, everyone pitched in and made the week relatively easy to host. Every family had a couple of meals to cook and clean for and we only had Charlie and Lindsey staying in our house. Obie and Sarah rented our neighbors Airbnb place while Michael and Susie stayed down the road at the hotel. At the end of the day everyone was happy to go to their quiet place and have some rest as the activities were plenty.
Ok, so I might be a little uptight in the planning stage, but with 13 people a plan to deviate from is a good thing in my mind. I posted our itinerary daily while we were in Liberty Lake and I think it made it nice to know what lay ahead for the day. (I'm not sure everyone else appreciated it…) And now I can remember what we did each day as it's all kind of a blur. Maybe I should post a schedule for our daily lives…just a minute…done.
Saturday was super fun as it started with a mountain bike ride for the 3 boys and their spouses. Charlie and Lindsey shipped their bikes from CO and so were ready to go bright and early. I gave Sarah Mary the babysitters phone number and she was able to come every morning around 6:30 to watch the 3 Oregon Strickler girls, so that Obie and Sarah could go riding with us. I think everyone appreciated the riding and exercise and a few made comments that they have never seen a family that does so much together.
Balin made a comment as we looked in our garage about "Bibles in the living room and bikes in the garage. That's how we roll".
Once we got home from our uphill ride, we rounded up the kids and headed to the Farmer's Market. The farmer's market was nice, but the family bike ride was even nicer. I love having everyone out together, doing some sort of exercise. Even better was I got to ride my friend Gen's Electra cruiser, which truly made me feel like a kid again - so much fun. (Maybe I'll get one as a birthday gift…it might be better than a convertible.)
After some fun on the lake, we gathered everyone and some food and drinks for a cruise on my neighbor's pontoon boat. It was fun to eat, drink, swim and chat while cruising slowly around the lake. I can't think of a better way to ease into a lovely evening.
Charlie and Lindsey were on dinner Friday night and had the task of making Sam's favorite dinner in honor of his 11th Birthday: Sushi. They scored high points as they pulled off 12 perfect rolls that were delicious. Sam was thrilled, as were the rest of us. From there we headed down into the garden where we capped the night off with cupcakes, candles and presents for Sam.
Sunday rolled in with sunshine and some peeps starting to get a little tired. Ok, I was getting tired. I skipped the morning mountain bike ride knowing we were planning a adult only ride from Liberty Lake to Coeur d' Alene later in the afternoon.
Sunday, after surfing with Charlie and Lindsey in the morning, we were treated to a dance routine Perrin had been working on with our neighbor Lindsey. She did a great job and it was fun to see all her hard work pay off.
At 3, Mary came and watched the kids while Susie and Michael took took the truck and my car to CDA to shuttle us home after dinner. Riding to CDA was one of the highlights of the week, I have to say. It was probably 95 out, but out on the paved bike trail, one didn't even notice the heat. There was a slight breeze and 5 lovely people to have conversation with the whole 25 miles of bike path. That is one of the reasons I love to road ride, you have the opportunity to actually talk to people while you exercise. I had great conversations with both Sarah and Lindsey, which happens on other occasions, but there's something so soul connecting when you're doing it while biking. Love it.
We ended our journey at Crafted in CDA, which is a lovely little restaurant with amazing outdoor seating, great beer and even better food. The conversation once again was delightful as the girls grabbed a table next to the boys. I think it was almost a perfect day!
Monday met us with a bit of everyday life as the kids had tutoring and Balin had some appointments to go to. Afterwards though we made our way to downtown Spokane to see the sights and expose Sarah to the great metropolis of Spokane. The kids had a good time riding the carousel and walking around while I enjoyed going into the mall downtown and being inspired in Pottery Barn.
From downtown, we dropped the kids with the boys and we girls took a little time to show Sarah the South Hill. It's always fun for me to show people around as I love, love, love Manito Park and the surrounding homes. Somedays I could move there myself.
When we got home, we made some cheese and salami platters and hung out at the Emmel's home, where Sarah and Obie were staying. They have a gorgeous yard right on the lake and it was perfect for playing catch and tag with the kids. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned to the Emmel's to "let us know when you guys are ready to sell and perhaps we would be interested." Balin scoffed at the idea but as we were packing up our things from the Emmel's yard, he looked around and said, "I could see us living here." Hook, line….and perhaps the sinker comes in 10 years.
Tuesday we packed up and headed out to Schweitzer with the family. Admittedly, I thought getting my family of 4 to Schweitzer was a lot of work, but getting a family of 13 there and a boat and two dogs…that was an impressive amount of work. But we did it and by the time we made it to the condo after mooring the boat, I was ready for a nap. There's something amazing though about going to a vacation spot, which we found to be true at our cabin in Prescott also. Once we open the door, we breathe a big sigh and enter into relaxation mode. It's surprising how quickly my attitude and stress changes. So thankful.
Wednesday we headed down to the boat for a day of exploring the exceedingly beautiful and large lake of Pend Oreille. Neither Balin or I had been on this lake and we were pretty impressed. The water was crystal clear and cool and refreshing. With over 111 miles of shoreline, almost 1200' feet deep, this lake feels more like an ocean compared to the 4 miles of shoreline of Liberty Lake. Not only did it look like an ocean, the waves felt like it too. With gusty winds, the chop rose to 2-3' swells, pretty tough riding for a 24' ski boat filled with 13 people. We started the day going over to a friend's dock for lunch and swimming and then made it a bit further to a resort called "Beyond Hope". There we got treats, drinks for the adults and sweets for the kids, and played on the beach. Sam brought his birthday gift of mitts and ball and we played a little catch by the shore. There's something about throwing a ball and having a conversation that is quintessentially American. I have a snapshot in my head of it and I think it will go down as one of the many good memories of the this trip.
In Idaho anyone from 10-14 can drive the boat with an adult in the boat. Sam not only got to drive, but he had his sister and cousins in the tube behind the boat. He did great and the girls all said he was their favorite driver. I think Sam liked the responsibility as he handled it well and had a smile on his face the whole time.
Thursday we stayed up at the mountain and enjoyed the activities Schweitzer had to offer. Sam, Balin and I went down our favorite trail which has some of the best single track I've ridden on. While we went down, Sarah, Obie, Lindsey and Charlie went up - all the way to the top of the mountain. There total elevation gain was over 3000', which could also be achieved by taking your bike up the chair lift, but doesn't feel as good; on second thought I'm sure it feels better.
The kids enjoyed the activities at the mountain, including zip lining, gold panning, rock climbing and a trampoline bounce. By the end of the day they were happy to come home, play in the condo and watch some movies.
Friday we packed up, cleaned up and said our good byes to the Oregon Strickler's as they headed home. The Colorado Stricklers, Liberty Lake Stricklers and one Neupert (Alex whom we picked up at the condo) headed back down to the boat to enjoy one more day of water sports before we headed back for home. We played around in the Dover Bay area and found it to be gorgeous and I was daydreaming of living there one day. (It's a slight obsession I have whenever I travel.)
All in all it was a great trip! Everyone had smiles on their faces and I don't think we had any tears - which is a pretty huge accomplishment! It was a week full of memories and something tells me there will be a calling in a year or two saying, "That was a great vacation, let's do it again." I will entertain that idea as soon as I get a nap and a clean house.
Comments