Family Biking

So today is our first day of our family staycation. The first half of the week will be spent with the kids, the second half of the week will be without the kids and it will be our 11th Anniversary! :)

I envisioned this wonderful biking time as me & Joel would hold hands walking as the kids biked ahead of us. It was the exact opposite. But it kept me laughing and that's what matters.

starting out on the 1/4 mile trail

At the beginning

So we were just going to a 1/4 mile, nice little paved trail, where I go running most Saturdays. Joel had fixed Malayna's training wheels before we left, even carried a wrench in his pocket. 

A little bit into the ride he decided all 3 of the kids' seats needed to be raised. Good thing he had the wrench. 

Malayna didn't quite get the hang of balancing so Joel had to help her by riding along side. 

Mayci was rather funny, she couldn't reach the pedals so she was doing the Fred Flinstone way. She didn't have the steering down so she was going off into the grass. I told her "watch where you're going" she turned around and kept 'pedaling', I guess to see where she had been??? :)

Jayden said "when I get home I'm taking a bath because I am SO sweaty!" he was pretty good at pedaling. His training wheels were better.

So it was a lot of Joel helping Malayna, me helping Mayci. We did stop to smell the 'roses' a little. We saw a tree frog, tiny, that was camoflauged with the dirt. Mayci found a couple of leaves & tried to throw them into the river, while she was on her bike, on the trail. They didn't quite make it to the water.

Then the unthinkable happened.... one of Malayna's training wheels fell off completely! She was devastated! How could she ride her bike without the training wheels! whining....whining....whining.... by that time Mayci was done biking. She carried the water bottle, I carried her bike, helmet & Malayna's training wheels.

She was happy. She was galloping, singing "I'm carrying the water bottle" (not that clear). Jayden wanted a drink so she happily took it to him. Said cheese for the picture. She was doing great.

Then Malayna wanted a drink, she didn't ask for it, she just took it out of her hands. Mayci was not happy. She was pouting as she walked. Then she came to me "hold me Mommy" my hands were still full with everything, plus the water bottle because she was done with that.

So Joel carried Mayci, Malayna walked her bike, because Joel couldn't help her. Malayna was whining the whole time. Complaining how hot she was. Then Joel put Mayci down to help Malayna, we were almost there. Mayci plopped herself on the ground and was not budging, "Mommy, hold me. Mommy, hold me" So I did what any Mom would do, make it happen. So with the parking lot in sight, I carried everything I was already holding - her bike, helmet, Malayna's training wheels, water bottle & my iPhone. I carried her as she pouted the rest of the way. I couldn't let that moment slip by without a picture :)

So although we left with sweat dripping down us, whining kids, sore backs, it was a good little family trip!!! :) Will we do it again? probably not until..... the fall maybe :)