Don't Hate Me Because My Bike Is Beautiful.....

I think I am in love......have two other "baskets" to switch to when it strikes my fancy. A wooden crate that needs sealed first and an aqua plastic crate too.

A Good Day For The Beach

My kids play the best together at the beach. I was feeling a little bogged down with house work that needed to be done. My cure?! Come on kids lets go to the beach. It was just what we needed and I was able to come home and get some much needed things down around the house and outside.

It was the perfect not too hot kind of day and a little overcast. But that was okay I didn't mind and neither did the kids.

Once on the beach they quickly made some friends. Three sisters the same ages as my three, God sure knows what he is doing :)

Some crabs were found and shared and examined.

This ham and I were messing around with his beach hair. I love that he loves for me to take his picture, well most of the time.

Then we had to do one together of course.

Then Tripp had to take one on his own. I love his technique, point, shoot, doesn't matter what the subject is!!

One of my favorite parts of the beach we go to....The Shower. This was the end of a good afternoon. I like that we can be spontaneous like that, it keeps life interesting.

My Old Bike

Since I gave an entire post to the new bike, that should be arriving in about 10 days (seriously can't they move any faster?? Patients is not my strong suit), I thought I should at least give a shout out and quick photo post of my always faithful beach cruiser. I call her my mango dream. I special ordered it 11 years ago after seeing it in an add in a magazine. I had to have that orange bike, what is truly strange about it though is that my favorite color is pink, not orange/mango! Something about it in the sunset picture just called my name. So I searched out a local dealer that could get it in.

Recently in my search for a european bike I came across some dutch bike accessories that I just LOVED!!! One of them was the handlebar flowers. Loved the idea was not going to pay the price plus shipping to get one. So I set out to make my own. And this is what I came up with. It is actually for my new dutch bike, but I gave it a go on my beach cruiser for now to get an idea of what it was going to look like. I love it!! I love the peony and all its creamy goodness!!!

And of course I had to do something for my girl too. I hate the stage she is at in her bike owning. My poor girl is a bit like her mom and on the "petite", ok or some just say flat out "short" side. So our options for bikes are very limited. We did get her a beach cruiser that she used for about 2 years and this is a pass over bike from our good neighbors. I would love to get her something cool too, but I either have to pay an arm and a leg or they just don't have it in her frame size (which is around 20" or maybe a little less)....So for now we are dressing up the one that was gifted at a good price (free) until she has some vertical growth and we can get her a reasonably priced one from good old Wally World. I think she is soon in need of a bigger basket.....

My New Bike

I have had my mango Earth Cruiser for 11 years. It still looks brand new. However it is terribly heavy and it was not quite what I was truly looking for. I have gotten my moneys worth from my bike, and I will keep it as a back up. But I was getting antsy for something a little more retro. I knew what I wanted but the beach cruisers I would find weren't quite it.....then I discovered Dutch bikes. You see it wasn't a beach cruiser I wanted at all....it was a european style bike I was looking for. And now I have one that will be here in the next week and I am sooooo excited!!!! These things are built to last and the back racks and front racks aren't just for looks, they are to be used. I like that a lot!!! I still need to order a front head light which I found on a different site, but for now I am just sooooo happy to get the bike! And now here she is:

**click here to go to Republic Bikes. Image from republic bikes gallery

Seriously how cute is that bike???!!! I am thinking instead of a basket I am going to use an apple crate. I mean won't that just look perfect, can't you just see little Piper sitting in it peaking out. Now just to get that silly dog to sit still and enjoy the ride.......

Everybodys Happy on a Jet Ski.....

We had a wonderful time in Cabo. More pictures to follow.......

A Vacation is in my Future

*from our date night this past weekend, pretty happy after 4 months apart ;)

This boy and I are getting ready to spend 7 glorious days together.....by our selves. This is our first vacation alone since we went on our "honeymoon" 12 years ago this month. I hope we remember how to talk to one another....... Pictures will follow! I hope you all are enjoying your summer. It is HOT here, 103 on my outside car temp today. CRAZY