Don't Yell at Me

     The other day my kids and I had a fantastic time at our local lake.  It was a hot day, but I was excited for the first afternoon of summer and a family bike ride.  We made it there fine. It was not a bad ride at all, even though my 11 year-old was sure it was too hot out to be riding.  We zoomed right past the parking lot attendant without paying a thing, and we had a great easy time at the lake and in the sand. I didn't even have to worry about bringing towels.  Everyone would just wind dry on the way home.  Our only trouble was the big left turn we needed to make on the way home.  Emma(my 9 year-old) did not get started as soon as the driver behind us wanted her to and he yelled something out his window to me like, "Get your kids off the road during traffic."

What a scuzz.

Does he expect me to stay clear off the roads during the hours of 5-10am and 3-8pm each day?
Are my children to stay safely in homes playing video games their entire lives?

Do you know that it is always, always old men drivers that yell at me and my kids on our bike(s)?
(just something I've observed)

And of course, it's not all old men that yell.  Its just when there is yelling, its coming from an old man.

But I shrugged it off and home we rode.

Or so I thought.

Today, we wanted to go to the lake again.  It was a beautiful day. Simply gorgeous.  It would have been beyond perfect to ride there today, BUT...... I hemmed and hawed and thoughts kept coming....

"What if we get yelled at again?'
"What if there is more traffic on the road?"
"It is high school graduation day."
"What if the roads are full of crazy graduate drivers celebrating and texting while driving?"
"What if their impatient dads are on the road too trying to hurry home to get the graduation party going?"

"What if they are all so impatient and distracted and reckless that they don't see my little Emma trying to get her bike pedaling across one of their intersections?"
(of course I am right next to her the whole time in my bright yellow big butted bike, but still...)

I wasn't able to shrug off that yeller as I liked.

We drove to the lake, and now my car seats are wet and covered in sand and I have a large load of sandy towels to wash and dry AND I didn't get to ride my bike today.  I love riding my bike and I love having my kids do it with me.

Old man driver who yelled at me, I repeat, "You are a scuzz."

People of my town. You have only one road through town. We don't have much choice of routes.
***Be alert, watch for bikes, share the road, and have some gosh darn patience.

And my cuties will wave and smile at you,
Kayla Marble

Christmas Piano Concert

The girls had such a good time performing for a nursing home for their Christmas concert.  

They each did so well.

 Gracie has just started having little five minute lessons before the other girls and she is loving it.  It is the cutest thing to see her sitting at the piano plunking out simple Christmastime melodies.

Not everybody enjoyed the concert.  

It put a few of the spectators asleep.

We love our Miss Loraine.  She is the best.  So fun.  She remembers ALL my kids birthdays and brings them little treats on holidays.  And she has a pretty adorable doggie.

Thank you Miss Loraine for another great piano year.

Thanksgiving is Always the best Weekend Ever!

I have really grown to love Thanksgiving.  Christmas was always my favorite and still is by a slight margin, but I love all the extra time you get with family and friends Thanksgiving weekend.

Of course there is always preparations to make,

the making of menus and list,

the shopping,

 assignments to carry out,

and getting a jump on the cooking.

If all that could be left out(I could really, really embrance Thanksgiving).

In order to bring in some non-foodish traditions to our family on this food filled holiday, this year I instituted a Family Turkey Trot.  Adam took a picture of the temp to prove to the world that I am cruel.  But he went along with me.

It was a blast.

We only did about 2K, but we'll increase it next year.

The kids did super.

It's a keeper.

Then it was home again to pull all the food our of the oven.

No one(me) ever remembers to actually photograph the final ensemble nor the eating, but it was glorious.  So much good, good food.

Then the after party with dominos and gingerbread houses.

Friday was our NYC day.  Its been a while since we've taken the whole family down.  We spent the day with our friends the Shaws.  Rebecca and I left early to fit in a temple session before the boys came with the kids.  We spent the next few hours at the Natural History Museum before heading home by way of the Rockerfeller center and Apple Bee's for Alexander's birthday dinner.  It was a nice day in the city.  It was properly cold, but not horrible.  All that hiking we have been doing really helped us out too.  No one complained of sore legs or feet.

"Dumb Dumb, bring me some Gum, Gum."

Saturday night was Light up the Town, a favorite tradition.

The kids had fun with the hola hoops, live nativity, Santa parade, and bumping into school friend after school friend.

A little Christmas decorating.

I never know how many decorations to put up.  

We were leaving super early this year for AZ, and of course I didn't see the point to drag all our stuff out, but my kids were not up for that.

So out came the count down calendar, a few special items, and our new chalkboard traditional "kids" tree(inspiration found on pinterest somewhere).

And that brings one of my favorite weekends in the year to a close.