The Little Things

When you have a busy family, sometimes quality time gets lost in the shuffle. Our time together lately has been consisting of mindless watching of tv shows on the weekend or maybe a rushed goodnight after dad’s had a long day at work.

My husband has been on an exercise kick since I got him a FitBit for his birthday. He goes off and walks or jogs miles and miles. And frankly, I have no desire to join him. But, I started feeling like I was getting too out of shape, so I wanted to start bike riding. The weather here in sunny Arizona has finally started to cool off, so I’ve been anxious to get out of hibernation mode and be more active.

I was going to just take my daughter, since she could ride with me. We get in the habit of doing things separately now because it’s just easier. One parent goes off while the other stays behind, just to avoid the trouble of dragging little ones around. But one Saturday, my husband thought it would be a good idea to take the whole family for a ride.

And so it began. Most nights after work, my husband comes home and the 5 of us go bike riding around the neighborhood together. It’s relaxing. It’s simple. It’s special family time that makes you remember how important the “little things” are. The little moments that really are big moments that matter the most.

The boys enjoy riding behind dad and experiencing the sights and sounds around them. I am finally getting to know the neighborhood I’ve been living in for almost a year and a half. And my ten-year-old and I enjoy a friendly competition involving who can go faster or outdo the other. I often look at my husband riding in front of us and think to myself, “what a great dad.”

I smile because my children have every thing I ever wanted. It’s not about how much money you spend on them. I know I would have given up a thousand toys to have a dad around when I was growing up. What matters is the time you spend with them. That’s what they will remember.

I don’t know how long we will do this bike riding together. Our traditions come and go. But whether it’s watching the Wolverines play during the Fall on Saturdays (which my daughter could care less about now), dancing together on a Friday night, or making silly YouTube videos, I know we will always find a way to make time together. We’re learning that it’s the little things in life that create the biggest memories.

Featured Image by: jmb_craftypickle