on the way back from TARGET in Columbia Heights

the boys are getting older
their capacity to ride a bike a longer distance is increasing

there was a time when riding back and forth in the alley could entertain the boys and their friends for hours
hours and hours
day after day

then a ride to Heller's Bakery in Mount Pleasant just up the road would be considered and extended trip
while a trip to the box stores in Columbia Heights would be a journey
no longer
those rides are mini-jaunts
best done on bike rather than car
but not enough to constitute exercise for them

this weekend we were going to a class party
in an effort to assure them entertainment

I had the boys gather all the NERF GUNS
many guns... vests... and goggles were gathered
but there were not so many bullets

so... we got on the bikes and did a quick up and back

we all got on the bikes and did the short neighborhood ride from Mount Pleasant to Columbia Heights
locked the bikes up... did our shopping... then rode home so that we could drive to the party

the NERF GUNS were a hit
the kids had plenty of fun before things devolved into a coed Lord of the Flies

there was no count on goggles... guns... and bullets before the party
which left us with no measure of what we returned with
at a glance
we got most of the stuff
but very few bullets
oh well... a small investment to achieve some fun