Biking With the Babies

Two years ago Britta worked with Santa to get this bike trailer for me. I didn't use it at all last summer. Austin and Melissa were living with us and Melissa was pregnant and we were all just so busy with house hunting and kid watching that we didn't take the time to make biking a priority. 

Summer time is too hot for biking unless you go early in the morning or in the evening, so now that fall is here, I'm taking advantage of the pleasant weather. Lincoln was pretty excited! They both were--they jumped right in and were ready to get buckled.

The trailer is really easy to attach to my bike and I'm glad that I can do it by myself without any tools.

Ready to go!

The trailer pulls really well. The kids weigh about 30 pounds each, but you wouldn't know it. Next summer Dagny will probably be too big, her legs fit in just perfectly now.

Part of this trail is called Hangman's Gulch and you can get on by the high school. I like the fact that it's so close and you don't have to drive in the car to access the trail.

Plum Creek winds through Castle Rock. The scenery is so nice it's hard to believe that I-25 runs parallel to the trail and is really close. I really feel like I'm in the woods when I use this trail.

There is a tiny little waterfall, you can barely see it. 

One day I almost tipped the bike and I felt guilty that the kids didn't have bike helmets, so I got some for them. They were pretty excited and wore them for half an hour after we got home.

We got back from our ride and I went to get the kids out and this is what I saw--these sweet kids holding hands! My heart just melted! They really do love each other and are the best of friends! We didn't go on as many rides as I would have liked, but it was sure fun when we did go!

My Flowers

I love flowers! I have planted flowers in the front yard every summer that we have lived here. Some years the back yard had flowers and some years it didn't. A few years ago we put in this retaining wall and have been working on adding dirt, weed barrier, and mulch. It's about half way done and I had some beautiful flowers this year. I got these from Mom a few years ago. They are called Snow on the Mountain. They start out as small green plants in the spring. They grow quite tall and the leaves turn white in the fall.

Dahlia's are my favorite flower. I just love how big the blossoms are and how vibrant the color is. I want to have perennials in the back yard so I don't have to plant so much every year, but I want to have a couple of Dahlia's because I love them so much.

I planted some Cosmos a few few years ago. I thought they were annuals, but they keep coming back each summer. They are pretty and easy to care for. I like the thin, spindly ones. Last summer some of the stalks were as thick as a baby tree trunks! That makes them get really thick and they tend to tip over.

This rose bush is one that Kimberlea bought when they lived with us several years ago. It was almost dead and so it was only a couple of dollars. She planted it and took such good care of it that it is now a huge rose bush. This picture doesn't do it justice, It's much prettier in person. I love the color and it is loaded with so many roses!

Kimberlea also bought this rose for a small amount. It is growing, but at a much slower pace than the purple one.

I don't know the name of this plant, but it is a perennial. I tend to always pick flowers that are pink or purple.

The flowers on this are really small and shaped kind of like a bell. I just planted it this year and it will be interesting to see how it does next summer. It takes one summer for perennials to adjust and grow deep roots.

I always put some flower pots on the stairs leading to the front door.

Marigolds are bright and cheery and easy to grow, so I usually plant one or two in the flower bed in the front yard. I also have some lilies in the front. They didn't have very many flowers on them this summer and I'm thinking maybe they need to be thinned out. I love my flowers and enjoy them all summer long!