and he's off!

A few months ago I was looking for a vintage bike for Moonpie on Craigslist.  That same day I was talking to my brother as he was driving by an antique store. He mentioned that they had the coolest kid's bike out front.  I asked him to turn himself around and go back and get it for me!  

When we got it from him we realized that it was a bit small for Moonpie, but just perfect for Buddy.  This weekend John got the seat lowered, the wheels shining, and Buddy boy was off!

Moonpie had coached him through riding without training wheels a while back, and he is do really well!

Man, he sure is cute on his banana seat bike!

As far as a bike for Moonpie goes, have no fear- last week I was driving by our thrift store and lo and behold...

As you can imagine, it was the enormous handle bars that caught my eye.  I turned around as quick as I could and raced back.  It was priced at only $12!  It is a great size for Moonpie, but needs more work than Buddy's did.  We need new peddles, new inner tubes, and I'm dreaming of recovering the seat in something really cool.   Her only request was that we find some silver streamers for the hand grips- I can do that!

a day of firsts

Yesterday was a big day for Moonpie.

She asked her daddy to take the training wheels off of her bike!

Our Moonpie is a DIY learner. One thing we work on with her is having a teachable spirit. Not that it's bad to learn things on your own or the hard way, but sometimes it's ok, and necessary, to glean from someone else's experience. We know that this will be a life-long lesson for her, so we try to be patient with the process.

Daddy finally convinced her that it is best to ride with shoes on. Especially when learning a new skill!

She was reminded that learning something new is hard, and often frustrating work.

Later that day we got to go swimming with friends, and she jumped off of the big rock slide! We were so proud of her courage! Our cautious and careful girl had a blast stretching herself in this way. This is one thing I've loved about parenting. Watching our children as they step outside of their comfort zones. Really pushing the boundaries they have set for themselves.

Out of her very full day, Moonpie was most pleased with the fact that she lost her first tooth that evening! It was hanging on by a thread, so much so that a bite of spaghetti knocked it out!

She placed her tooth in the pocket of the tooth doll I made for her. I saw these on Etsy and fell in love, but couldn't afford the price tag. And even though mine isn't quite as lovely as the original, Moonpie was head over heels for her. Any imperfection my eye sees is completely non-existent to her. She named her Emily and hasn't been far from her since I finished stitching her up.

This morning Moonpie found a dollar in Emily's pocket and a book under her pillow. She couldn't have been more pleased!

She carried her tooth with her to church this morning so she could show it to everyone!

What a full day.

A day full of firsts.

new bike

remember last summer when my sweet husband bought me a bike for our 9th anniversary? well, my love affair with said bike ended pretty quickly. the pros were the awesome basket and how darn cute it was. but it was clumsy and heavy, which made a quick ride to the library difficult and unappealing. so, we sold the bike in the spring and i've been biding my time, casually looking for a replacement. i found that the hybrid bikes really suited my needs. aesthetically they are similar to cruisers, with larger tires, a curvy frame and a wide seat. however they are more similar to a mountain bike in that the handle bars are straight and sit higher up. they are also lighter weight like a mountain bike and able to handle light trails and hills.

i found one on amazon that i loved, but i didn't love the price tag. i really wanted to stay within the amount i made off the cruiser. today while killing some time at toys r us, we found the one (for less than the online price)! here's what i love about this bike- it was made for women! they didn't take a men's bike and merely shrink it down. the length between the handle bars and seat is shorter than a traditional bike, the grips are smaller and the seat is made to, ahem, allow certain parts to ride more comfortably. the gears are super easy to use as well. i love that i am agile on the bike and able to ride up hills without straining or having to stand. i also found a great basket to put on the front that pops off and has a shoulder strap- making it super handy for farmer's market runs.

we went for a family ride tonight and had so much fun! we will definitely be making time for these on a consistent basis...

and the beat goes on...

today marks 9 whole years that john and i have been married! sakes alive, am i old (apparently, if i say 'sakes alive')? so this is what john gave me for our anniversary:

and this is what i gave him:

i found it for 25 cents at our local thrift store. ok, i got him a watch too, but only after he told me not to check the bank records because i might see a big purchase on it. he always does this to me. we started dating when i was 15. for our, i don't know, maybe 5 MONTH anniversary he gave me a gold rope bracelet (very 1991!) and i gave him...a pez dispenser. or the time he bought me my prized camera and i bought him a cd. things always seem lopsided. but he admits that he likes it this way. he's just that kind of guy, always preferring my happiness over his own. i am so thankful for our 9 years together (and the 7 years before that), for what has come out of it- lots of laughing, some crying, a best friend, and our 2 beauties. what a gift it is to grow alongside someone else, learning so much about yourself and them at the same time. it is a true treasure.