Bicycles, Birthdays, and Beer

3 Things that I love:

Bicycles. Beer. Birthdays.

This week we celebrated Nicholas' big 2-4.  It was a week filled with fun events and celebrations.  Tuesday we celebrated with our bible study group at McDuff's where we played Trivia. Wednesday we delighted in sushi from a beautiful lakeside restaurant, spending time with close family.  Thursday (the real birthday day) I cooked Nicholas a New York steak and mashed potatoes...his favorite meal!  I then proceeded to fall asleep by 8:30. I guess 24 means we're pretty old...or so you would think judging from our bedtime.

 Dinner with Family @ Shoga

The fun continued this weekend.  We woke up to a gorgeous fall morning.  It was sunny and 70 degrees, and the sun seemed to shine saying "Today is a great day for a bike ride!"  After loading up our bikes, we drove to the Idaho-Montana border. Here, we bought passes for the Hiawatha bike trail.  I had never even heard of this trail until 2 friends of ours from Boise traveled up north to ride it this summer. Let me tell you, there were some of the coolest trails I have ever seen!  We had so much fun cycling through the dark abandoned train tunnels, and looking out over the mountainous terrain! The fall colors of all of the leaves made for such a picturesque ride. Half way through the day, we stopped for lunch, munching on the salami and sourdough sandwiches we had made earlier that morning. It was a picture-perfect day.

Happy Birthday!

Such a gorgeous ride!

After our bike ride, we stopped in downtown Coeur d'alene for their annual Oktoberfest celebration!  We just happened to hear about this event the day before! Here, visitors can find various beers from all over, and people dressed in traditional wear--including cute girls in lederhosen at each of the kegs.  We purchased a tasting mug, and walked around various shops and tents serving beer.  We ended the evening on the dance floor. As the band played, we giggled, and spun each other 'round-and-round!  

To top it all off, we spent this morning holding little babies and playing with toddlers in the nursery at church (this is my favorite part of every week.  I simply adore spending an hour holding little ones, listening to them babble, and getting snuggles from wide-eyed one-year-old babies).  

It was the perfect week, to celebrate the life of my favorite guy.  

Now, off to spend the evening grading papers while listening to the new Mumford and Sons album.  


This week, I encourage you to remember this little saying:

"Delight in the beauty that surrounds you."

 This is such of a beautiful world we live in.

-Kristin