Family Bike Ride

We went on a very eventful bike ride last night. Here are some highlights:

1. Jake's bike pedal fell off multiple times on our ride. We'd all stop so Leighton could stick it back on. (He keeps a small pouch of tools on the back of his bike since he rides to work often. There was no wrench though.) One time while he was attempting to fix it, the lady whose house we were stopped in front of pulled up in her car. She asked if we needed tools and kindly went inside the house to get the box. Leighton properly fixed the pedal and off we went. No more run-a-way pedals!

 

2. This was my first time pulling the bike trailer. I asked Leighton to hook it to my bike so I can take the kids for rides during the day while he's at work. It was surprisingly much easier than I anticipated. What I did not expect was Alyssa's constant talking. She'd ask what was in the garbage bags by the road. She would tell me all about playing with her toys. She would warn me that Jake and Leighton were going to pass us. She would talk about everything that she saw. Talk, talk, talk. She comes by it naturally, I know. I was (am?) the exact same way. (My mom says that my kids are pay-backs for my own childhood. I'm not sure I deserve THREE chatterboxes though!) At one point, Alyssa was  giggling uncontrollably. I asked her what was so funny. She said, "Mommy, you're riding your bike . . . .  and I see white flowers!!!" The girl was having such a fun time on the bike ride. I think she was drunk on fun. High on excitement? Either way, she was slap happy.

3. Jake thinks that he's the best. At everything. The strongest; the smartest; the creative-est; the artistic-est; the everything-est. He kept insisting that he could ride the fastest. We had just started riding again after stopping to quench our thirst when I heard, "Look behind you!" Jake (and subsequently Leighton) was waaaay behind us. I asked, "Why are you going so slow?" He replied, "I'm not going too slow; you're going too fast!" Maybe he had a point . . . but I think he needs to reevaluate his self-ascribed title of "Fastest."

4. I figured that being the loving mother that I am, I would stop and wait for my Little Slowpoke to catch up. Alyssa, still rambling away, declared, "That's a pretty house." As I turned to admire the bricks and mortar, I spotted a bunny just a few feet away. It sat as still as a statue, twitching it's little nose as fast as could be until my pokey boy rode up and frightened it away.

5. We pedaled up to our house and were met with whining and complaining, which were stopped only with promises to go for a bike ride again soon. I asked Jake to pull out the hose and water the garden while Leighton was showing me how to work the trailer. After successfully reassembling and disassembling the trailer, I noticed Alyssa and her dripping shorts. Upon inquiring about this sight, she said, "Jake waterted me." Apparently, veggies aren't the only things growing this summer.

And we thought we were going for a regular ol' bike ride. Who knows what the next trip holds!