Bicycles

I love taking pictures in the Spring.  Everything seems to be so fresh, so green, so blue, and so fun.  On the day I took this picture, we had just gotten back from the store where Evan picked out his first bike.  It's a pirate theme.  You can't quite see it in this picture, but there's a skull and cross bone flag.  Carter has to prove he'll actually ride a bike before getting a new bike.  Evan's bike is bigger than Carter's.  Let me paint a picture for you.  

I see this moment where both boys are on the bikes, laughing, and having a good time.  "Hold on, let Mommy go get her camera!"  As soon as the shutter opens they can't seem to laugh, they can't seem to smile.  They can however make "tough guy" faces.  They're boys.  Tough guy faces are cute right?  

Also note Carter's elbow pads and knee pads.  He won't ride his bike (WITH TRAINING WHEELS) without them.  Prior to this picture we had to work through Carter's complete and utter melt down over the suggestion he ride his bike (WITH TRAINING WHEELS, THAT WON'T TIP OVER) without the protection of elbow pads and knee pads.  

Right after this picture Evan and Carter got to ride their bikes down to the end of the street.  What fun!  Toward the end of our street there's a slight hill.  We were coasting down the street with the wind in our hair.  The boys laughing.  Evan has this really throaty laugh.  Carter's is so loud he can break glass.  It was bliss.  I signal that we're going to turn around and go back toward the house.  Evan turns, Carter turns, I turn, and I realize.....up hill.  Someone should have taken a picture of me walking up the driveway balancing three bikes and sweating.