Yada Yada Yada

We started summer vacation yada yada yada and now the kids are back in school. That is how I feel about the summer. It went so fast and now we are back to the old grind. I feel like it is leftovers night for my blog. Little tidbits here and there that I need to get some use out of. Here goes...

The Bicycle Saga:

Today Penn and I took a bike ride to meet Brady for lunch. It was about 4 1/2 miles each way and so much fun. I feel like a kid who just got a bike. So for almost two years I have been working on taking family bike rides and I have run into a few road blocks (pun obviously intended) along the way.

Step 1-Get bikes--check (2 years ago).

Step 2-Teach kids to ride bikes (and enjoy it). This actually took Quinton awhile. I blamed myself for not getting bikes sooner. He eventually got the hang of it and even enjoys it now. Sophia just barely learned without training wheels earlier this summer. She is a pro now. Of course now they kind of need bigger bikes. Baby steps.

Step 3-Penn had be one year old to go in a trailer. So the spring of 2009 he was old enough and we decided on a seat on the back (like I used to ride with my Dad). It cost much less than a Burley-type trailer and I liked the fact that he could enjoy the sites right behind me. Well, we got the seat and Brady tried to install it when low and behold it was not compatible with my brakes. Ugh. So then I got discouraged. I have spent the last year or so looking for trailers on Craig's List but never got around to deciding on one (would it have all the parts, where would we store it, etc.). Plus, I felt like it was such an investment and I didn't know how long Penn would go for it (since by this time he is nearly ready for college). So, at the park last spring I saw a guy with this cool recumbant (sp?) trailer where the kid is strapped in like a car seat but can also pedal-but doesn't have to. Finally this week I got one! I just went out and did it. It is called a WeeHoo and I love it so far. It holds a passenger up to 60 pounds so I am hoping to get my money's worth here. And yes, Quinton and Sophia have both taken a ride to test it out.

Step 4-Go on an all-family bike ride. Nope, haven't done this yet. Oh, did I mention someone borrowed my bike in March and we haven't gotten it back yet? Yeah. Long story. So, I am riding Brady's bike with clip-in pedals (with normal shoes) no clipping in for me yet. We are still one step away (its like a nightmare when you just can't get everything done).

Here is Brady taking Penn for a test drive. Notice no shirt on Penn. We keep it classy.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not a "cyclist". I am totally cautious going down hills and don't like to get crazy on the mountain bike trails. Also, the trailer is great--it gives me an excuse to ride on the sidewalk/greenbelts rather than the busy streets which is scary to me. I did feel the love from some "cyclists" today. I got the friendly waves and enjoyed that. What I really love is the freedom of a bike. I like thinking about the possibilities of where I can ride to. This mostly involves food--like riding to lunch today. It also reminded me of riding to DQ and MiniMart with Lysa before we could drive. Brady and I rode to dinner a couple of times while dating. Just a fun way to do something that is otherwise normal. I'm totally addicted! I hope winter comes slowly.

In other news...

Things I Learned at Priest Lake:

1. Food always tastes better after a day at the beach. I come home each year with many meal ideas but they just don't taste the same.

2. Using leftovers is an art.

3. Away from the hub-bub of everyday life, planning and cooking meals takes on a much larger and enjoyable role.

4. Old Velveeta boxes are great storage devices.

5. Shower caps work well as plastic wrap substitutes for leftovers.

6. Coffee filters work well for covering food in the microwave.

7. Costco is a life-saver.

8. Lemonade at dinner is yummy.

9. My kids love pancakes and I should make them more often.

Last But Not Least...

To Minivan or Not to Minivan? That is the question.

We have been looking at cars. Ugh. Although the Audi seats 7 it is not very practical. The 3rd row is almost impossible to get to (especially with a car seat and booster seat in the 2nd row) and Brady is worried that it will only get more expensive to maintain the longer we have it. I can see his point there too. Also, we have been going back and forth about my part-time work for awhile now. My employer pays for my car (I'm not trying to brag, just the facts man). So, if I don't work then we will have less income AND a bigger car payment. So, a minivan is the practical answer right--and not one of those fancy souped up ones either.

So the other question is, why do I have such a hard time driving a minivan? Well, I think it goes back to my upbringing and I'm not dissing my parents I'm sure they would have loved to drive fancy cars back in the day but... Do your remember the Lead Bullet? I do. It was a silver, diesel, station wagon. Huge. Do you remember the sound a diesel car makes? Especially one circa 1985? This is what I had to drive upon getting my license. Then there was the DTV--you know, the Damn Tan Van. Fun times with that one too. Finally I got a cool car of my own. Sure, it was a 1979 Toyota Corona (not Corolla, look it up) but it was small and that was all I cared about. My BFF Melanie got to drive a cute yellow bug and occasionally her Dad's Porsche. No fair. Oh well, as I look back it taught me humility and gave me character (or so I tell myself). After the Corona was Grammie and Bompa's Mercury Marquis--gray with red interior. I was thankful for a car to drive. The car's nickname (Sex on Wheels--scandalous) acquired during my first years at BYU was definitely ironic. Did I mention it was rear wheel drive? Oh and the ceiling fabric hanging down was icing on the cake. I did have many fun times in that car though--driving back home to Colorado with various siblings listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers mix tapes on my boom box situated between the front and back seats, the music turned way up because the windows were open because the A/C didn't work...

So, after working for about six months at my first post-college, full-time job I was itching to buy my own car. Well, at least lease it. I settled on a gray (I see a color trend here) Honda Passport. It had 4-wheel drive and I loved it. I felt pretty rugged. Then came the Honda Accord, the VW Passat, Volvo 850, VW Passat Wagon, Toyota Sienna (disclaimer: I only had 2 kids back then, why did I need a minivan?) and finally the Audi Q7. Well, I think we may be back to the minivan and I think I maybe mature enough to accept it. Really, what is the big deal with cool cars anyway? (Well, I will really miss the best heated seats in the world and refrigerated glove box which is actually very handy, oh and the awesome panoramic sunroof...)

THE END. You never know when I will get to posting again so soak it all in. Just kidding. I woke up and could not get back to sleep so this maybe very funny in the morning.