alL iN a daY or tWo!!!

Ever have one of those weekends when you just are happy with being a family? This was one of them! Mister was home, our schedule was full but not the usual rush, rush, rush!!! We started our morning with Church, then some Christmas shopping. I know surprising, Ron and I actually starting early. Very impressive! We are finally getting the hang of this..two kids and 13 years later!!
Anyways, then we took the kids out to a local middle school for some bike riding practice. Yes, you read that correctly. Our Elizabeth out for BIKE riding practice.
You might be asking, "When did Elizabeth start riding a bike? How long has this been going on?" Our answer before yesterday would have been.. We have tried for YEARS to get her to ride a bike. Well to be honest, we could never even get her to put her helmet on, let alone sit on a bike and ride around!!(With training wheels I might add!) One day last summer, she woke up and said she was ready. We rushed to the store to get her any bike she wanted. Spent all day and probably a few, "not so appropriate" words from Ron to add training wheels and the bike has sat in our garage ever since.
Yesterday we stopped at a bike store to look at new bike for Jonathan Tyler and a special run/bike watch for Ron, possibly for Christmas. (See I told you we are ON it!!) Needless to say, our little princess girl was not thrilled to spend time in a bike store and we are pretty sure that most people could guess that as we walked in. Then there was this lady that came over to ask if we needed help. We explained why we were there and she took us over to the height chart, measured Jon and asked Lil'Bit to come up and get measured. I wish I could have videotaped the whole trip. Elizabeth to the embarrassment to Ron and I, told the lady that she hated bikes and didn't know how to ride them. I wouldn't have blamed the lady for walking away. I am pretty sure we could be labeled as "Oh, you have that kind of daughter!". This lady was different and we now think of her as type of bike, miracle worker. She found a bike for Jonathan(Gary Fisher I might add...holy Toledo Batman! He is a very expensive little man but has to be just like his Daddy!) and puts a helmet on him and sends him out with Ron to go "test drive" it. (Did you know they did this for bikes? Possibly they do because they are almost as much as my first car and then some!) Then she proceeds to strike up a conversation with Liz.
Why don't you like bikes? Have you ever tried? Do you own a bike? Do you have a scooter? Do you like to ride a scooter? What about pink? Do you like pink bikes with Hawaii flowers on it?
Next thing I know, she has a pink bike, a helmet and Elizabeth's hand and is headed out the door. She explains it is "just to see what it looks like outside in the sun". The lady asks Elizabeth how many wheels a scooter has.. Elizabeth answers 2. So she tells her that a bike has the same amount of wheels and she should just sit on the bike.
Now, I am getting closer realizing that at any moment, Elizabeth will tell this lady something that Ron and I really would regret and quietly leave the store as quickly as possible. But as I get closer, I realize the lady already has the helmet on (ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!?!) Elizabeth's head and has her "just sitting on it to see how it is like a scooter with a seat". Then in a blink of an eye, there goes my baby girl with this very nice lady running behind her for a bit and then lets go! That is it. She is riding a bike. All over the parking lot! Like she has been doing it forever! The lady comes back to where I am standing and says she has to get back in the store, but let her know if we have any questions. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!?!?!? Ron is in shock, I am speechless and Jonathan is cheering for her like she has just won the Heisman trophy. Again I ask, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!??!
After about an hour, we bring the kids, the bikes and helmets, in the store and the lady comes over and gives them a quarter for being such great kids. High fives were dealt all around and Ron and I just starred at all three of them. Of course though, the lady doesn't stop there. She tells Elizabeth that the bike she has at home is the same size as the one she was riding and that if she was really brave, she could try one that shifts and would be a bike that she would ride for longer.
Just in case you were wondering, of course we just HAD to test drive that pretty mint green one for another 1/2 hour!
That is the story. That is how our daughter learned to ride her bike. In 10 minutes, with a stranger and on a bike we didn't own!
However, back to our weekend. We took Elizabeth and Jonathan to ride their bikes at the middle school and then drove to the dog park to let the doggies play before another busy week begins. Headed to the gym, had a great dinner provided and cooked by Mister himself!!! It was a good day!!!
Oh...we are taking donations for the bikes! (Just kidding! We have decided that Santa is going to have to come through on this one! The two bikes combined ARE more than my first car!!!) Here are some pictures of our great family weekend! Nothing beats a nice fall day and family outings!