Let's not talk about last weekend

Sooooooo Mommy sort of wrecked her road bike and the roof rack on the minivan last weekend. I know I said I wasn't going to talk about it, but I just changed my mind. I do that sometimes. Actually, I do it EVERY time I order a meal at a restaurant now that I think about it.  We peruse the menu and Brian asks me "what are you going to get?" and I will say "the salmon" and then promptly order the burger and fries when the waiter arrives 30 seconds later. When I am torn about making a decision I always find that it is easier if I am under pressure.

Alas, I was so tired after our family bike trip on Sunday, I completely forgot that there was a decision to be made about whether or not to drive the minivan into the garage. I just went ahead and did it. Then I felt the pressure! Let's just say it was a tense afternoon as Brian attempted to repair the garage, dismantle the roof rack, and assess damages.

But enough about that! I'd rather tell you about the previous weekend, when we went to the renaissance festival near Annapolis. A much happier tale. All the costumes and decor were right up Claire's alley. She insisted on wearing her fairy wings and her fanciest dress. We participated in the children's storytime show, watched a jousting tournament, and enjoyed live music and dancing. I apologize that there aren't any pictures of Tyler! He was quite content to chill in his stroller for most of the afternoon.

No, that's not red lipstick. Claire got a red snowcone as a treat. I'm sure it was made according to the authentic medieval recipe.

It was a wonderful afternoon!  I really want to dress up for the festival one of these years. What will I be? I'm sure that it will end up being a last minute decision.

Biking around the tidal basin

It has taken a couple of years, but we finally have all the necessary equipment for family bike rides.  New bike for Mommy that doesn't get a flat tire every time you ride it -- check.  Chariot carrier for the kids so they can ride in luxury while Daddy sweats like a pig -- check.  Expensive roof-rack and bike rack for our two bikes -- check.  Away we go!

For labor day we took the kids to DC and rode around the tidal basin to show them the monuments.  Why have we never done this before?!  It was a gorgeous ride.  The kids did great riding in the chariot, mostly because there were so many stops they didn't have time to get restless.   We started in Georgetown (where there are bike shops open at 10 am so you can fix the flat tire that you notice right after strapping the kids into the chariot) and biked on the Rock Creek Trail down to the basin.  I'm hoping we will get out and do it again in the spring when the cherry trees are blooming.

Brian and I had never seen the FDR Memorial before.  What a beautiful surprise to find on our ride.

The MLK Jr Memorial is relatively new, right? 

Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the National Arboretum

Saturday morning unfolded in typical fashion for us.  The kids woke us up at 7:00 and we stumbled around the kitchen fetching them something to eat.  Brian and I had our usual weekend morning conversation over waffles:  "So what do you want to do today?"  "I don't know."  "How about _____?"  "Hmm, ok that sounds like a good idea."

There goes another opportunity for a lazy and relaxing weekend at home.  We just can't help ourselves!  We have to get out and explore.

So on Saturday we went to the Air and Space Museum, along with everyone else in DC and their visiting relatives from overseas.  Yep, it was THAT crowded.  Nonetheless we did manage to see a few exhibits and Claire and Tyler seemed to enjoy all the planes and rockets.

Today (Sunday) we took a lovely walk around the National Arboretum prior to meeting friends for lunch in DC.  The koi pond was definitely the kids' favorite, but there are also some old columns from the capitol building in the arboretum, which surround a kid-accessible fountain.

I better explain the next photo.  My sandal strap broke half way through our walk, and I came up with this temporary fix.  It's a spare tire tube that we keep in our jogging stroller, for flat-tire emergencies.  Voila!  It doubles as stylish footwear.

Day trip to Harper's Ferry

It was a hot day for hiking, but we went out anyway.  It's hard to find a bad unshaded trail out at Harper's Ferry, a national historic park about an hour away from our home.  Though even with the shade we were still sweating like crazy!  Our little girl is an awesome hiker.  Claire did great with the 2.8 mile hike and she even ran down the mountain on our return to the car. 

After all that hard work he had to reward ourselves with ice cream!  I wish my kids preferred vanilla instead of chocolate.  The stains on their chothes are tremendous.

Claire wasn't done with her cone, she was just taking a break.  Nice, huh?  Tyler's technique is to power through and suck the ice cream like a vacuum cleaner.

Beach babes

We experienced the east coast beach scene for the first time last weekend.  My sister Jane currently lives in Virginia Beach, and we drove down for a short visit.  I have decided that if there is a beach involved, then a long drive is justified!  (Jane, you were an important reason for our trip too!)

Family time on the beach is an ever-changing experience.  I never know how the kids are going to behave!  They might be terrified of the waves.  They might eat gobs of sand.  They might run up and down the sandy beach.  They might spend the majority of the time sitting in the sand.  I love that Claire and Tyler are so unpredictable.  At Virginia Beach, Claire was all about jumping in the surf and making trips to and from the water to "wash" her hands and legs.  Tyler however was terrified of the crashing waves, and when we set him in the water he would run back up the beach waving bye bye to the ocean.  He chose to observe all the ruckus from the safety of our beach umbrella, which he would hang on like a monkey.

Brian is always acting like a child (in a good way), so his usual antics were on display:  boogie boarding, hand stands, burying himself in the sand. 

We have to get back to the beach again soon.  I love NOT picking up clutter, NOT doing laundry, and NOT doing dishes.  It's way more fun to see all the smiling faces at the beach.

Tyler waving "bye bye" to the water as he scrambles away as quickly as he can go!

The next day we experienced the crowded strip of beach, which wasn't really that bad to us.

The people watching was significantly better at the resort area of the beach.  Amazingly Tyler did not throw sand on any of the sunbathers nearby.

Tyler returning from a Daddy-imposed excursion into the water.  He was not happy with Daddy.