America Day and Bike Parks

After what seems like rain for weeks and weeks, we finally got a break.  The skies cleared and this weekend was a stunner!  Saturday the wind direction was from the north east, so while it was breezy, it was a warm breeze.  This made the day so so beautiful!  I was able to get out for a bike ride along the Peninsula in the morning.  I thought we should get a kayak b/c it was perfect kayak weather! 

It was the 4th of July week.  This is significant for two reasons at our house.  1) It is Bodie's half birthday and 2) It is America's birthday so we have a party, an American party, every year!  Bodie and I spent Friday afternoon decorating the house and talking about why July 4th is significant.  This year we invited two families we have gotten to know over the past few months and Si's mom and step-dad.  Rules are everyone has to bring an American dish to share with everyone.  I LOVE this part of it!  This year we had hotdogs, French fries, buffalo wings, BLTs, corn dogs, Doritos, pringles, pop corn, m&ms, chocolate pie and red velvet cake w/ cream cheese icing!  Beverages were Budweiser and Sam Adams!  Our guest were awesome and all turned up wearing red white and blue.  The cake and BLTs had little flags in them and I wondered where they got them.  I then looked closer, and they had printed them off, cut them out and taped them to toothpicks!  So much thought and effort goes into this event from our friends each year and it makes me so happy! After we ate dinner we headed over to the park behind our house and Si and I set off some fireworks for everyone.  The kids loved it and I think the adults did too!  I love this day b/c the food is delicious, I love fireworks and it's really cool to have a night that is all about America!  I miss America! 

Bodie making the meringue for the chocolate pie

 Sunday, after a sleep in till 830 (gasp!) we woke up to another beautiful blue sky day, but the wind direction changed to a cold southerly.  After a yummy buttermilk pancake breakfast we headed out to see what the day would bring.  Last weekend Bodie proved that he can ride a two wheel pedal bike, so we took off up the road to the local BMX track, located in Forrester Park on Norwood Street.  

We found that it was a bit too much for Bodie, while he loved being pushed up and down the hills, he hasn't worked out how to/that he needs to pedal harder to go up the hills, so he ended up falling a few times.  That combined with the cold and we ended up leaving to go back to the Dinosaur Park so he could ride on the flat where "there were no rocks".  Bodie ran into a friend from his daycare and the two of them rode around happily for about an hour! 

The BMX park is nestled in a narrow valley between the hills, so in the winter it doesn't get much sun so dress warm b/c no sun and ripping wind makes for a freezing cold place if you are just a bystander! A very cool track for anyone who is into this stuff, go here!  They also have soccer fields, mountain bike tracks and dog walking areas.

 

First time Bodie rode a two wheel pedal bike at Dinosaur Park

Wow Bodie!  You grew!