Canadian thinking about moving to spokane

My wife and I are looking to start a family and Canada is seeming less and less like the place to do that. The cost of living here is outrageous, half of our income goes to taxes, and the other half pays for our mortgage and basic living.

Anyway I didn't come here to rant, I'd like to know what I could expect as someone relocating to Spokane. I love the outdoors, skiing, fishing, camping, and hiking and I don't really like big city living. I want somewhere I can feel safe raising kids, has some decent amenities, and I can sneak away into nature on the weekends. Spokane looks like it can offer those things and is still relatively close to the rest of our family still in Canada. I am a Software Engineer and my wife is a nurse.

Any insight on what to expect, areas of town to look at housing or avoid is appreciated.