~Since some of you have been perusing my photos on flickr, I need to keep updating this place with the details. On another note, I did close my comments temporarily--due to the interest of an unwanted person--with unsettling interests. I hated to do that, but it was time--so will open again soon. ~
~We took our first family bike tour a few weeks ago. All the boys moved up a size in bicycles, and N. even learned to ride without his training wheels on a crash course--I knew he could do it--it was time--frankly--past time. We basically found a long, rarely used bike trail--and let the boys go free. When you live on country roads, as we do--it can make learning how to ride a bike challenging. Cars going too fast, no sidewalks...ugg.
~So all we really needed was some time, and wide open trails to strengthen the boys skills. Yes, there was a lot of getting off, starting over, stopping to look at trees...slow, slow, slowness. Then there was the flip side, of wanting to go fast, fast, fast. What a roller coaster, that day was. I was exhausted!
~After all of that hullabaloo, it was time for us to have a "little R & R"--as my dad would say.
~So we shifted from the forest full of insects, and greenery--to the lakeside of sand and muck.
~After the day at the lakeside, we then picked up a pizza, and had a little lakeside dining, which really was surreal to me. No bugs, just waves lapping the shoreline, good conversation, and a perfect sunset. It was the best ending to our weekend.
~It was a day that N. conquered his bicycle. To be truthful, there was some yelling, kicking his bicycle, telling me he hated it that day. But as he persevered, he got the hang of riding a bigger bicycle, and working without the help of training wheels. It was a day of growth. Once he had gotten the hang of it, he smiled and sang, and wanted to go and go...
~After our lakeside dinner, there is ALWAYS time for rock tossing.
~A little rock tossing after their bellies were filled with food. Exquisite. Or "Extraordinary" as my oldest would state--it is his favorite description word of late.