It's a Wild, Wide World Out Here.

Years and years and.....YEARS ago I lived with this gal:

Enjoying our Blizzards. Shauna ordered the mini....I ordered the medium. Apparently I have no self control.

And our favorite place to hang out was here:



So it was only appropriate that we would head here. Especially after getting up at 5:30 am to go running.  We earned it!  This time, though, it was us two plus six more!

 

It's like we have our own herd!

I had been to Hayden and Coeur d'Alene at least once before for Shauna and Jerry's wedding (11 years ago). If truth be told, I feel like I was here one other time visiting Shauna before she was married but neither one of us has a great memory so we can't be sure.  Husband, if you are reading this, can you help me out here?

In any case, my memories of the area were sparse. I remember a lake, some green....and well, that's about it.  But today I can confirm for you that the area has its own certain beauty. Rolling hills, lots of animal life and activity and a small town community feel.  In fact, Shauna and her family live [what those of us urbanites would consider] waaay out in the country.  Her home, built almost entirely by the sweat equity of her husband, is amazing!



Jerry cleared the land then built this house down a dirt road, up behind some trees....



In addition to being a terrific craftsman, Jerry is also a big sportsman.





During our stay, we saw so many animals.  In addition to the ones inside the house, there were indeed many of them right outside their windows, including deer, rabbits, hummingbirds and a crazy woodpecker that kept trying to fly into the house and "woodpecked" [according to Diego] just about every beam and pole in the place!

One of the most disconcerting things I have found to date on this trip is the fact that the further north we go, the more daylight there is. Here in Hayden, the sun rises by 4 am and sets at 9 pm or after.  There isn't much dark time and it is hard to convince the kids 1) that it is bed time and 2) that it is still the middle of the night even though it is light outside. Despite their tired little bodies, my kids thought the fact that they could step outside at any moment to a world that is their play yard was the best! From early morning until late evening, they hunted bugs, planted trees, rode four wheelers, went fishing, had a campfire and mostly ran around with Shauna's kids through the woods like wild children. And it was great!

At Hayden Lake for fishin'.

The view along the dirt road just before you get to Shauna's house.

The kids visit Mudgie the Moose.



One of the fish that was caught.

Conversations Overheard in the Car:

Olivia to me: "Mami, remember when you said that God was Jesus' father?"
Me: "Yes"
Diego: Who's the Mami again?"
Me: "Mary."
Olivia: "Well, if God is the Father, who is his wife? How was baby Jesus born?"
Me: "God didn't have a wife."
Olivia: "Then where did the baby come from?"
Me: "God is all powerful and has 'magic'. And since he didn't have a wife, he put a baby into Mary's tummy and she had God's baby. That baby was Jesus."


Tomorrow's agenda? Glacier National Park.  See you there!!