Blades of Glory

The nice weather has blown the dust off of the summer toys. The bikes are no longer hanging in the garage. The supply of sidewalk chalk is getting dangerously low. And the kids decided that this was the year to try out their roller blades.

We had gotten the kids each a pair of roller blades a couple of years ago but neither one was very interested. This spring, however, Sweet Pea really wanted to attack the road with them. Number One Son was less enthused. I think he was a little intimidated by trying something new. So the first day was all Sweet Pea shuffling inch by inch around the street. She got good use out of her wrist guards and knee pads. Toward the end of the afternoon she was actually gliding a little. The next day after school she strapped them on to get the mail across the street. Fifteen minutes and a red face later I was sorting bills.

Number One Son saw SP skating and must have felt that he could do anything his little sister could do. With his sister motivating him he too wore himself out trying to figure out how to get passed the gutter at the end of the driveway without a pillow bungeed to his butt.

Now the only odd one out is me. Lady Di has been blading for years and now she has two skating partners. I have no skates and brittle butt bones, so I will have to ride my bike when the family decides to roll out.

On an unrelated note, here is my parenting tip for the day.

SP doesn't not like to eat carrots. I will only put two baby carrots on her plate and usually have to plead, threaten, bargain or blackmail her to nibble on one of them. So last night we were finishing up supper and two lonely carrots remained on her plate. To make them more exciting I told her that these were different carrots. She is old enough now to know when a snow job is coming but she still humors me.

I told her, "These are carrots on the cob.". I then held the ends of the baby carrot and gnawed all around the sides like a chipmunk. Both kids started eating their carrots on the cob in the same manner. After the fifth carrot I asked if they were done so I could put the bag of carrots away. "No!", Sweet Pea yelled. They actually finished the bag. So next time your kids doesn't want to eat something, no matter what it is, try eating it like corn on the cob. If it works, you're welcome. If it doesn't, I'm sorry you looked so ridiculous.