bikes & horse trails

summer just isn't summer without bike riding!

you would think we were out in the country riding our bikes, but we were right in the middle of the city.  there are lots of horse trails that we ride our bikes on.

summer is my favorite time of year because everything is vibrant and beautiful!

we came across two wild animals on our journey, aren't they scary!!!

crossing the river and getting wet, was their favorite!

weekend randomness

i had some special time with my little lady this weekend.

she loves organizing just like her momma!  she loves packing and getting things ready for a trip, usually buggin' me a week before we leave as to when we can start packing.

she also was my list maker that morning!

this is how i make life a little bit easier for me on vacation...measure out ingredients and package it up.

we spent the morning at the farmers market too!

i bought some yummy local raw honey that i can't wait to use.

what did you do over the weekend?

golfing

last weekend, we took the kids to play their first round of golf...just 9 holes.  they had a good time and the weather was beautiful!

of course it wouldn't be a true experience without someone in tears.  he hit his daddy's ball in to the hole, when he was told not to.  this picture captures the two of them working' it out.  our little guy is very expressive, which i love and he is very verbal with his feelings!

there also had to be one winner...i guess i'll take the job of it!

weekend randomness

we are an active family.
we love adventure and we love teaching our kids new things.
this summer has been full of bike riding, but this week, we added something new...tennis.

at first, i thought they might think it was boring, but they didn't.  we have gone back a second time already at their request.

this summer, we have dived into eating sushi and everyone loves it!  which again, totally surprised me.  i just need to learn how to make it...any suggestions on how to learn how to make sushi?

lastly, we took them to see the new planes movie.  i think my little guy was more excited than my little lady, but it was still a fun time.

bookworms

our summer has been filled with reading!

my little lady has a book club that she is apart of.  four cute little girls holding their first book club meeting.  they've decided to read little women (kid version) for their first book.

this is how we roll every week to the library...thank goodness for my stroller, it saves my back!

we enrolled in 3 summer reading programs, since i knew they would have no problem completing it.  they've scored some fun prizes too!  free books, free tickets to a couple amusement parks and a backpack.

a trip to the zoo

last week, we spent the day at the zoo.  it was a perfect day...great weather, good family fun and lots of learning!

slowin' down summer

i love walking through my garden in the morning and seeing what new beauty God has given me. 

these peonies had to come inside!  so pretty!

my little lady and i worked on craft samples for VBS.

after we were done my kids asked to build a puppet stand. my first reaction was to say, "no, not now." but i'm trying to work more on saying "yes" than "no," that word...intentional, keeps popping into my head, so we did it!

they put me on the spot, so this is what i used...

and this is how it turned out...they played all day with it!

we've been getting rain almost everyday, so games have become very popular!  we played two new games that the kids gave their daddy for his birthday.

how do you slow down and enjoy summer?

our weekend

flea market..i think for the first time i came home empty-handed.

big bike ride with the family!

t-ball picture day

sunday morning baking

on sunday mornings, i've gotten in the habit of baking and making a few things for our week.

this week i made...

blueberry banana muffins

paleo banana bread

french bread

homemade salsa

freezing blueberries for when blueberries aren't in season.

here is a tip for freezing fruit...

-wash and towel dry the fruit

-lay fruit on a cookie sheet and place in freezer

-once the fruit is completely frozen, place fruit in a ziploc bag and return to the freezer

-doing it this way, fruit does not get freezer burn or ice in it.

balloon festival

last weekend, we went to a balloon festival. we were supposed to stay 2 nights at a hotel, but when we arrived at the hotel, they told us that they were over booked and the room with two beds was not available. instead, the four of us could stay in a room with one bed and it was a smoking room.  needless to say, i wasn't happy!  i called the online website who we had booked it through and after 1 1/2 hours later of them trying to find us a room at another hotel they couldn't, because everything was booked.  so they ended up refunding our money and gave us $200 in vouchers to use for another time.  i'm  not sure i want to us e.x.p.e.d.i.a. again!

we still went to the balloon glow that night, but had to drive back home instead of staying 2 more day!

this was my favorite balloon...