Biking License

A few weeks ago I started to ride a bike instead of driving. I'm not some crazy biker... I have never owned my own bike. Some of you may think that I was deprived, but to be honest I was only ever interested in roller blades (The 90's fad). My parents couldn't get them off me. During the summer they wouldn't come off until the sun went down or we were called to dinner.
So after years and years of not riding a bike and never having one of my own meant that I had put in very minimal hours on a bike.
Paul laughed a little as I proposed the idea of "biking everywhere" to him. At the time I thought he was thinking that I couldn't hack the kind of exercise it took. Now I'm pretty sure he was just worried about my competence on two wheels.
My first attempt went okay. I borrowed Paul's "Moab Edition" mountain bike. I kind of felt like I was learning how to ride a bike again ...trying to look cool to all the neighbor kids but not succeeding. I'm pretty sure I look retarded. And I guess people don't care to put their butts on the seat when mountain biking because it's hardly the size of a small child's back side.

The next day Paul helped me pick out this flashy seat tailored more to the real size of a normal persons butt. I love it! Although, I'm pretty sure it doesn't exactly fit on a Moab Edition; in fact it probably lowers the value.

Over all I'm pretty amazed that I haven't crashed into a light pole yet. And surprisingly this ride is super comfortable.
I'm trading in my car for this baby!

Blast from the Past

When we arrived we were greeted by warm faces and warm smiles. I don't know what it is about Grandmas and Grandpas but they always seem to give the best hugs! They hurried us to the table were we sat down to a meal prepared of garden vegetables. Someday I too will have a garden. There's something about a home grown tomato and a little cottage cheese that makes me smile.



Paul's grandmother seems to be a very wise woman. I can say I already love her as if she were my own. I really wanted to have the type of conversations that would lead to advice for "young people" like us, and memories of their own young adult experiences. She seemed to know just what I was looking for. She told me that not to long after her parents had passed away she wished that she could have had one more conversation with them. She had so many questions that she never asked. She gave me the best advice she could have. Ask questions, and make memories with your grandparents before you look back and regret that you haven't.

This conversation led to this perfect swing in their backyard. She told me her father had one that was similar. When she got married she made sure that her husband built her a swing just like it. As I sat in it I envisioned our (someday) new house where this swing was hung in the backyard. I took pictures of every piece to make sure mine would come out an exact replica.

We then took a trip to Paul's uncles house where Grandpa showed Paul his fathers truck that they rebuilt. It seemed from the reaction that this was Paul's favorite part. Especially the part where he took it for a test drive. Thanks to Bruce and Jolene for making his dreams come true!!