This summer, MiniBury will be sharing stories, adventures and fun ideas from local guest bloggers. If you’d like to participate, email us your ideas anytime! This week, guest blogger Lauren B., a nurse and active mom of two young boys, shares her experience slowing down, taking in the scenery and spending quality family time. There have been so many great things to do around Addison county, now that the sun has come out. However, one thing I’ve noticed recently is that our 2 1/2 year old tends to lose it on Saturdays. I started thinking about this and noticed a pattern. While my husband and I work all week, our two boys head off to daycare. Every Saturday, so excited to get a day out together, we pack up the bags and shove the kiddos into the car and off we go. Gymnastics, the playground, lunch out – maybe a nice walk around town. Each of these mornings ends with our toddler pitching a fit in the middle of Agway, while strangers stare, gawking at our pathetic attempt to instill a “time out” while we check out. Yep – that was definitely me.

I wasn’t about to apologize, however, for trying to regain some control of the situation. I was, however, going to pour over the situation on the drive home, to try to find a reason why this kept happening. Then it hit me. After spending the whole week out of the house, maybe all he wanted to do was be at our house.

I’ve never for one second forgotten how beautiful Addison county is – but on this particular weekend, I was happy to be reminded of the vibrant landscaping that I call home.

After pancakes and train-track-building, we hopped on our bikes, threw the boys in Chariot, and headed down the road. Veering away from the poop sprayers, as they’re referred to in our house, we peddled down 125 and practiced numbers by counting farms. We played I Spy with the tractors. We Ooo’d at the mountains and Aaah’d the lake while our youngest whined because his helmet didn’t fit and our oldest sang Old McFarmer Had a Dog and Bingo Was His Name-O. My husband and I enjoyed the beautiful sun and the manure-tinted breeze that blew in our faces. But most importantly, we rode in silence and listened to our kids singing and whining and giggling, and for the first time in a long while, our Saturday was peaceful and perfect.

Thinking your kiddos might enjoy a nice afternoon ride? Pack a bag with some pitas and humus, fill up the water bottles, lather on the sunscreen, and snap those helmets in place.  Take Route 7 North out of Middlebury and take a right onto River Rd. Follow the river until you reach the New Haven Mills, and take a right onto Munger St.  Follow Munger St. for a little over 4 miles, and take a right onto Painter Rd. Take Painter Rd. to Route 7, take a right, and finish the ride.

Looking for a few more rides?  Check out www.mapmyride.com or www.champlainbikeways.org.

Happy peddling,

Lauren