Our New Bike

I has been over 10 years since I owned a bike. We just made a serious upgrade.

I don’t enjoy spending time in the car, but that is tricky with four kids to transport. We are fortunate to have many of our destinations within close proximity in our neighborhood. Still, little legs can still only walk so far and even if I have the energy to walk, I can only fit so many kids in our double stroller. Enter the Yuba Mundo bike. This cargo bike is awesome.

I met the Mundo through my husband and our local bike shop. I was inspired and convinced by this family of six.

Finally, this week we officially took the Mundo leap of faith and brought our bike home! T rode it back home from the store with the three oldest. The verdict? "This bike is so fun, Mom!"

Our Yuba crew

As you can see, the full outfit includes our attached chariot stroller, a front handle iBert seat and a back "peanut shell" seat, not to mention the "monkey bar" attachment for the big kids.   Admittedly, the bike will take some getting used to.  It is HEAVY with all the kids on it!   And, the kids feel super secure on the bike, which can give them a false sense of security.  I don't want them climbing in and out of the monkey bars without me, because of the danger of tipping the bike.  But, with the ground rules and a few miles under our belts, we are a super happy crew.

T and I can't wait to be out with the Yuba this summer!  We'll be sure to share updates on our Mundo escapades.  Cheers to warmer days and outdoor family travel.


Happily Ever,
Queen B

Help with sunglasses

Buddy Bear and J-Bear are quite the pair.  

Like their sister and brother before them, these two are fast friends.

The other day, J-Bear snuck into the kids room and found some sunglasses.

Hmmmm, these look nice.

Now, if only I could figure out how to put them on.

No, not quite.

I know,  I'll wake up Buddy Bear!  He can help me!

Buddy Bear, will you help me?

Well, sure, J-Bear!  That's what big brothers are for.

 Hoooooold still.  Watch out for your eyeballs.

There you go, little sis.

 You look great.

Fix your heart on Jesus

One child is fussing.   A diaper needs to be changed.  Two children are tussling.  The phone is ringing.  We're late for school.   Backpacks are missing.  Shoes need to be tied.  A child needs help on the potty.  The new lawn needs to be watered.  Toys must be picked up.  Breakfast is burning.  The bills must be mailed.  We're out of milk.   This is just one moment of many in the day, and it is only 7:45am.

Thank you, Lord, that I am reminded:

"We are surrounded by many events that move us from one place to another. But we asked for the grace to have a fixed heart, like Paul: so as not to complain about the persecution he went in search to another city; he began to preach there; to heal the sick; realizing that that man had enough faith to be healed; then, calm this excited people who wanted to make a sacrifice to him; then, to proclaim that there is only one God, with their own cultural language. One thing after another ... And this can only come from a steady heart".

Is my heart steady today in the Lord?  Or do all of these tasks, interruptions, demands discourage my heart and make me want to hide? 

"With this example, we can ask ourselves today: What kind of heart do we have? Is it a fickle heart which like a dancer, like a butterfly flits from one to another…always in motion; Is it a heart that is scared by the vicissitudes of life, and is hiding and afraid to give witness to Jesus Christ; is it a brave heart or a heart that has so much fear and is always trying to hide? What does our heart care for? What treasure does our heart custody? Is my heart fixed upon creatures, the problems that we all have ? Is my heart fixed upon everyday gods or is it a heart fixed on the Holy Spirit? "

"Do I let myself get carried away by these things or face these events with a fixed heart, that knows where it is? The only one that gives firmness to our hearts is the Holy Spirit. It would do us good to think that we have this great gift that Jesus left us, the Spirit of fortitude, of counsel, who helps us to move forward in the midst, surrounded by every day trials. We should do this exercise today, ask how our heart is: Firm or not? And if it is firm, where does it dwell? In things or in the Holy Spirit ? It would do us good! "  ~Pope Francis, Monday morning homily

Grocery Bag

May it a busy month, but don't give up on meal planning just yet!  It saves so much time--time we could be spending playing and riding bikes outdoors.  We still have cooler, rainy weather around here, so I am keeping it warm and comfortable this week.

Day One

Roasted zucchini and tomato pasta by Everyday Food Magazine

with raspberries and romaine salad

Day Two

Penne with smoked ham, peas and mint from Fine Cooking

with mixed green salad and pears

Day Three

Curried lentil and chickpea stew by All You Magazine

with homemade rolls and orange-broccoli slaw

Day Four

Veggie fried rice from Cooking Light Magazine

with potstickers and cabbage slaw salad

Day Five

Soy-maple glazed tofu with broccoli from Everyday Food Magazine

with jasmine rice 

Blessings on your kitchen!

G-Bear on two wheels

Zoom, goes G-Bear on her bike.  

Today, she asked me to take off her training wheels.  

A little while later, she was riding her bike in the backyard!

A ride around the block solidified it.  Our girl is officially on two wheels!

E-Bear can't wait to make it happen for himself.  Hang in there, buddy!  Be patient.  You're almost there too.

Celebrating the Eighth....

Yesterday, T and I celebrate our eighth wedding anniversary.

Together, we have embarked on great adventures, tackled every difficulty, faced everything that life can dish out.  Truly, T is my prince.  Yet, eight years together proves that love isn't found in fairytale.  Love is found and made in the real life moments we face together.  Love is patient, kind, not envious or boastful, not proud or rude, it does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things (Cf 1 Corinthians 13:4-8).  Does that sound too simple, too easy?  In practice, it can be really hard, a huge gift, and a tremendous overcoming of self.  Love never fails. It never ends, which is why we promised "for better or for worse." 

Thank you for these eight wonderful years, my love.  I look forward to many more.  I love you.

Happy Mother's Day

On Mother's Day morning, T woke me with chai tea in hand.  I could hear the kids were already up, but I didn't know what they were up to until they arrived in our room a few minutes later.

"Happy Mother's Day!" They cried.  

"Come down stairs, we have a surprise for you!"

Down in the dining room, the table was set for breakfast, "just like you do for us, Mommy!" Donuts from our favorite neighborhood bakery were on each plate, courtesy of T. 

My kids have never done this before, and I was really touched.  They had done it all themselves, without any prompting from T, and it was so sweet for me to see the pleasure in their eyes when I commended them all.  My smiles brought them so much joy.  

E-Bear made me a lovely potted flower and G-Bear painted a flower pot for me as a gift.  There were also colored paper bracelets and a paper crown for me to wear from the kids!  What a treat!  I felt like one treasured momma.

I am so grateful to God for the opportunity to be a mother.  My latest reading is Holiness for Housewives and other working women by Hubert van Zeller.  It is the perfect food for my soul this month.  In it, van Zeller quotes G.K. Chesterton:

"How can it be a large career to tell other people's children about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone? No; a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute. I will pity Mrs. Jones for the hugeness of her task; I will never pity her for its smallness.”

― G.K. Chesterton, What's Wrong with the World

Increasingly, I am aware of the hugeness of the task of motherhood.  It demands my every resource, talent and ounce of energy.  God, that you would make me worthy to the task, for your glory, for the sake of these precious little souls and for the good of the world.  

Happy Mother's Day!

Thank goodness for the Kneekers

When you are learning to walk,

it helps to have a fan club,

a sturdy shopping cart,

kneekers on your knees 

the proper stance,

and the determination to try again.

J-Bear has all of these.

She's blazing a trail, and it is hard for me to keep up.

Way to go, sweet girl!

Crew on the bikes

Any given afternoon when we get home together, a familiar chorus rings out:  "Mommy, can we go biking?"  G-Bear is trying her bike without training wheels.  E-Bear is storming the pavement, speeding away with courage.  Buddy Bear has switches off between trying his strider and pedaling the trike.  J-Bear is content in the backpack.

I love taking my kids to the nearby quad and watching them speed around, free as birds.  I am thankful that they love their helmets (an affection I never developed as a child) and for their bravery and persistence when they fall down.  We're a cautious group, but a determined one!

I can't wait for warmer weather and summer days.  Hopefully we'll see some training-wheel free biking, some striding, and maybe even a bike for me.......we'll see :)

Another One Year Old

Every time we go through the one-year mark, I am amazed by how much I still have to learn about this stage (or every stage, for that matter).  Is our house child-proof?  I thought so, until two weeks ago when J-Bear started furniture walking.  What foods can make her choke at this stage?  Never mind my medical training.  Can I possibly make it through the day with only ONE nap time, not two?  How am I supposed to make it through daily Mass when my wiggleworm starts wriggling while I am still genuflecting?

I remember how, as a first time mom, I marveled at the mothers who seemed to have it all together with multiple children.  If I ever give you that impression while we’re out and about, I assure you, its a ruse (albeit a well-intentioned one).  These days, I take comfort in the value of my experience, while trying to enjoy the greenhorn feeling again.

So as I raised the celebratory single candle in honor of my daughter, I also raise it in salute to all of my fellow moms who have helped me through this stage before and will surely help me through it again.