Early 20's, 3 young children...good move? (Seattle, Spokane: fit in, home, college)

[forerox5]

Hi everyone....well...i will be doing research for a while on the very best place for us to move. We are in our early to mid 20's and we have twins and a baby all under 3. So, what can you tell me about spokane in regards to the following:

1) Child friendly....lots of things to do for small children? activities to get rid of all that energy?

2) job availability...hvac, or government jobs

3) Housing....here is where i get very specific......
good land, at least 1 acre, something with a small barn, a farm like home...i have in my head the image of a barn, a small pond with little ducks, a couple horses in the future...but not TOO far from city amenities.

We really want a good quality of life for our family. I am tired of struggling in so cal, and i really cant stand what this place has become...no body should have to drive over an hour in traffic to get to flowing waters and GOOD hiking, and clean air.

any info is good info, thanks

[Deena160]

Hi, Forerox! Jump forums and head on over to //www.city-data.com/forum/spoka...se-family.html
It's kind of fizzling out, but it's been going on for over a year and it covers all sorts of stuff. It covers 20 pages, so it might take you a couple of sitting to read through it!
I'm looking to relocate my family in Spokane from the Seattle area this summer and I've done tons of research on this site and others. There are plenty of areas like you described just outside of Spokane--North, South, East, or West...just take your pick. You'll only be about 30-45 minutes from semi-rural areas to Downtown.
When my husband and I drove over to have a look in August, we headed down South to visit Cheney and Spangle. There were wheat fields as far as the eye could see! A little TOO rural for me, but lovely all the same. My husband has a friend who has a nice piece of property near Deer Park to the North and he really likes it there. I love the area up past the bluff in the Northwest called Nine Mile that's near the River State Park, and I equally love the area past Greenacres with its rolling hills and pine trees. Confused yet?
All of it is close to plenty of outdoor activities, especially if you're a nature lover. And everything is easy to get to. People complain about the traffic, but it's nothing compared to around here and I'm sure even more so where you live! It's a day trip to beautiful Lake Corda'lane(I really need to learn how to spell that...) and not much further to visit Montana. When your kids get older, it's really not that far to go to Yellowstone! I get psyched just thinking about it. lol.
I got the idea that Spokane is a "basketball" town. They have a big hoops competition every year and my husband and I noticed while we were exploring that there is a hoop in every other driveway. It got to be a running joke. I like basketball, better then baseball anyways (sorry Mariner's fans...).
Well, as you can tell, I can go on and on, but I'll leave it at that for now. Check all that the city-date.com site has to offer. You can find out just about anything you ever wanted to know about Spokane and other places, too. Good Luck! :~) D

[forerox5]

wow, thank you so much for all of the info

[L4P12]

I just moved back up here from Southern California. I grew up here. Was also sick of my commute on the 405 and 101.

Life is so much better here.. I don't even know the price of gas because I am never in my car, people are friendly, and it is quiet here.

I miss the California Sun, that is about it.

[Deena160]

Laura, thank you SO MUCH for the upbeat comment!!! Reading through some of these threads makes me feel seriously bi-polar. One minute it's happy and the next it's depressed...Spokane's great and Spokane sucks...You should move here and you should run away screaming...Come see for yourself and don't even bother......................................sheer lunacy.
I think my family and I shall fit in quite nicely.
:~) D

[kena]

Originally Posted by Deena160

I got the idea that Spokane is a "basketball" town. They have a big hoops competition every year and my husband and I noticed while we were exploring that there is a hoop in every other driveway. It got to be a running joke. I like basketball, better then baseball anyways (sorry Mariner's fans...).

You are correct in what you noticed. Between Gonzaga and Washington State college hoops is very popular. The Ferris boys HS basketball team just won their second straight state title after going undefeated for two years and the Lewis and Clark HS girls just won their third straight state title. Hoopefest is a fun event, they close down almost every street downtown for basketball:

The link is to a short video showing hoopfest and includes a nice shot of the fountain in Riverfront Park.

Spokane Hoopfest 2006 3-on-3 Basketball

[L4P12]

Oh I won't lie, you will miss some things when you move here. Of course! There is always something positive you find in where you live. A wise friend once told me, "wherever you are, there you are." Meaning, if your life is unhappy for things you can change in your life that have NOTHING to do with where you live, then moving is not the answer.

I was unhappy with my commute, missed my family, missed people being friendly and not flaky, missed all of the AWESOME activities in the northwest. I did not feel at home in Los Angeles. I made a lot of great friends. But it was just so fast paced. I want kids and a simple life. This is the place to raise kids and enjoy the simple life!!!

Sure in California you "say" you can go skiing and surfing. But really that means a 4 hour car ride (each way) and about $150 in gas.

Here in one weekend you could go Skiing during the day, hit a movie and dinner that night. In the summer you could camp, water ski, and catch a concert in the park all in one day!!!!!!

Good luck!!! Live everyday like it could be your last..no regrets.

[Deena160]

How did I manage to get "Laura" from L4P12? I guess if you squint just right...I really need to get to bed at night, or stop sniffing all the paint fumes and drywall dust from my kitchen. :~) D