Summer Saturdays

Gone are the weekend mornings of going to the library or walking the mall. The anxious anticipation for lunch  and, let's be honest, nap time as we play blocks has disappeared.

The sun is out, the days are warmer and everything about nature screams, "Be outside." Summer, it seems, has finally arrived.

Mark, Miles and I are finding a new rhythm to our days, a rhythm that's measured in cadence and steps. We visit the zoo, packing a lunch to enjoy in Australia. Other days, we walk purposefully around the garden center before heading home to plant flowers and vegetables. Digging in the flower beds is always a must as we are on the constant lookout for worms.

But the days we enjoy most are the ones where we pump ourselves up and put the pedal to the pavement.

Mark and I recently bit the proverbial bullet, buying the Burley Bee bike trailer that we've been eyeing for two years now. We had been hesitant, wondering whether we'd get enough miles to make such a pricey purchase worthwhile. However, in the month that we've had it, it's proven to be a valuable part of our active family.

On Saturdays, I come home from teaching BODYPUMP and as I grab a bite to eat, Mark will pump up the tires. As he brings out the bikes, I make a snack for Miles - usually a combination of Goldfish, raisins and peanuts - and get a couple bottles of nuun.

Our rides are never very long, in the six-mile range, and we always make it a point to include a playground along the route. We stop and let Miles run free. From the comfort of a nearby bench, we've seen our precocious toddler blossom into an independent boy. One who has mastered the steps and ladder rungs. One who has no time for the swing as he finds it too confining. One who likes to "flide" over and over again.

We were quite amazed today at his prowess and lack of fear, taking on the big boy slide. Not just once but a good five times. (Note: We were not sitting on the bench for that one!)

After Miles is sufficiently wore out and our bellies not-so-sufficiently full, we head home for lunch on the patio. They are never anything extravagant - a plate with cottage cheese, baby carrots and grapes or sandwiches - but sitting in the sun as we eat seems to make the meals that much better.

Summer can often be filled with parties and trips, all fun in their own right, but these days, these quiet mornings are the ones I like best.