Gorgeous Day with our Homeschooling Group

The younger kids, DH and I met up with our homeschooling support group at a local park for "WHEELS DAY" today. Everyone brought things on wheels like scooters, skateboards, and so forth; we had our bikes. We hung out with the homeschoolers for a while then when they left (we got there really late so they left well before we were ready to go) we took off and biked around the park enjoying the glorious weather. This particular park has a huge man-made hill in the middle of it, which we went up. (And I probably shouldn't have since my fibro has been acting up lately, but I walked most of the way and took my time.) The going up is a challenge but it's worth it both for the panoramic view and for the going DOWN- WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!



Here's a picture DH took from the top of the hill at the park.


We had a new bike with us today. The Youngest, aka The Wild Child, had a very sad discount store bike that has been through some rough times. We kept the kids' bikes out in the backyard so they could ride around the patio, but bikes don't do well when they are left outside for extended periods of time. It was getting a little small for him anyway, plus it didn't have gears and couldn't peddle backwards, both very important assets for a seven year old's bike to have. The seat was the clincher. Some of the stuffing came out of the seat (or so he told me, I couldn't see any evidence of it) and from one day to the next he refused to ride his old bike because "it hurts". Oh, the drama!

Well, DH and I talked about it, and we are a biking family, so I decided it really was time for him to have a good bike. (DH felt he could make do with the old one a while longer; you see who won.) ;) We went to our friend's bike store but he didn't have a bike in stock for The Youngest, aka The Wild Child, so he had to order it. Do you know what it's like to have an impatient 7 year old waiting for a new bike in your house? You haven't lived until you've experienced it, let me tell you. For the entire week he had to wait, it was all bikes, all the time. Then he knew it was ready yesterday and it didn't look like we would be able to go get it. (That fibro flare up was getting to me and DH wasn't able to take him while I was in class in the morning.) He was BESIDE himself! I knew he wanted it especially for today, and I wanted it for him for today, I had to go out anyway to take The Eldest to class, so, since the bike store would still be open after dropping her off, I sucked it up and we went over there. (It's not exactly in our neighborhood, about 20 minutes or so away. Not too bad normally but when the fibro is flaring it's uncomfortable for me to drive any distance at all.) The bike was ready and it is a beaut, I must say.

And now he is the proud owner of a brand new Trek bike, just like the rest of the family, that has gears and can peddle backwards. (And which now lives in the garage instead of the backyard when not in use.) He was zooming all over today at the park. I didn't start biking right away since I hung out with the other moms before they left, but I'd see a helmeted blur go by now and again. He was joyful. :)