biker chicks

Brooklyn's new wheels

Summer vacation is officially in full swing and we really enjoyed our first week off of school.  One of Brooklyn's summer goals (other than earning a mermaid Barbie for excellent behavior) is to learn to ride her bike without trainers.  And as with any goal, there must be steps taken to reach that goal:

Step 1: realization that her 12' inch bike would only be appropriate if she was wearing a rainbow wig and red nose and worked under the Big Top
Step 2: trip to the thrift store in search of a more size appropriate bike (since birthday and Christmas are 7 and 9 months away, we had to go with the more conservatively priced bike).
Step 3: trip to Walmart for "temporary" training wheels (while in the bike section of the store, Brooklyn innocently asked, "Why didn't we just buy a bike here, these are all brand new.") PS- no trainers purchased, they were all out of the cheap ones and who wants to pay more for training wheels than you paid for the bike itself?!?
Step 3: duct taping the torn seat of the "new bike"
Step 4: borrowing trainers (did I mention this was a conservatively priced endeavor?)
Step 5: taking her for a spin
Steps 6+: will inevitably consist of several arguments with mom as to how she already knows how to ride and please take the training wheels off now, as well as numerous scrapes and bruises that will (hopefully) eventually end in life on two wheels.

Ellie's new wheels

(and yes it is completely appropriate to ride your bike in a tutu and flashing shoes)