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When we first moved to Amsterdam I was grateful that we didn't have a car. A life without children's car seats felt liberating. Bicycles seemed simpler. I still appreciate our bike, but I'm no longer convinced that it makes an outing with two children any less labor intensive. Maybe during the warmer months when jackets, hats, and mittens aren't required...but now that the cold weather has set in I find myself forever preparing for and then cleaning up from our multiple bike outings each day.

The girls are bundled and ready. Two hats, two helmets, two jackets, two mittens, a change of clothes and diapers for Sophie, a lap blanket and a map! We are finally ready to go.

I always have to load Sophie in first because if I leave her unattended on the sidewalk she will take off down the street with a big shit grin on her face.

In the chaos of packing for our trip I forgot to buckle Maisy into her seat. She is pretty good at reminding me when I forget, especially after Sophie was catapulted from her seat one sunny afternoon when I hit a bump in the bike path at the park and had forgotten to buckle her in!

Look behind Sophie's left shoulder. That's me bent down taking off the bike chain that has become the bane of my existence! I always seem to forget to take it off until the girls are loaded in their seats and piled high with bags and blankets. The chain is stored under their bench seat, so I have to take out all the bags and ask Maisy to lift her legs up in the air!

Daddy waving goodbye from our apartment window. He's smiling because he is about to spend the afternoon relaxing on the couch watching football in a quiet house. Ahh, what a luxury.

Bert watching us from our apartment window.