This pic has nothing to do with the rest of this post. I just love it!


Today Julia came up with the idea to get together and take the kids for a bike ride. Alison has just become interested in her bike, and TJ loves to ride his. I was game. It seemed like it would be fun.

I guess, in a way, it kinda was. Mostly, though, I think of the word "work" when I think of today's bike ride. First, I didn't realize just how much trouble it is to take out and put bikes into your car. Trey told me it couldn't be done, to which end I completely proved him wrong. As a matter of fact, when I first put them in at home, it was a breeze. Naturally, getting them out was not so much the case, but still not too hard. Unfortunately, Trey's bike, the one with all the kid stuff connected to it, doesn't have a kickstand, which kinda sucks...and it does have a really high bar in the middle that makes getting on with my super-short legs rather challenging.

So we were finally on our way (this after Cole decided as soon as we hit the parking lot at the park that he was hungry and MUST be fed that very second!), and everything was going smoothly. Alison's a good four to six inches taller than TJ, at least, yet TJ's bike was a size or two bigger than hers (I only find this ironic b/c Trey swore TJ had outgrown his last bike that just happened to be the same size as the one Alison was on!). I soon found out that the tires on my bike were flat, but we were already on our way, and no way was I going to turn back just b/c of some flat tires! Cole didn't like the pull along cart we have, so I finally gave up and put him in the toddler seat behind my seat. Soon he was snoozing away happily, with his head snugly nestled into my butt!

We rode much farther than we should have with two very small riders and one on a scooter, and found out the hard way when it was time to go back. TJ stayed far behind, and Julia, the great woman she is, stayed back with him. They bonded, where Julia told me that TJ told her of the wonders of his life, and how "There won't be a next time!" that we go bike riding on that trail! We took many breaks, and made many stops along the way, where I was always reminded of just how much it sucks to not have a kickstand...especially when there's a tiny baby right behind your seat. They tend to dislike being laid down on the ground while strapped into a bike seat!

However, after what seemed like days, (Julia said we maybe went a couple miles, I say at least ten), we finally made it back to the car. Here is when I really found out just how challenging it was to get the bikes in. I don't understand. Nothing had changed, yet they were not wanting to go in the car! We won't even talk about how the big bike got stuck when I tried to get it out of the car when we got home!

So, we made it. I did enjoy getting out and going for a nice bike ride. The weather was nice enough, and I found out that you still get a bit of a workout even when you are going slow and stopping every five minutes! The best part is that the kids were beyond pooped when we got home, and they have not bothered me one bit since being put to bed, b/c I'm sure they're asleep already!

I hope you had a great day, and I'll see you later!