As I’ve mentioned here before, I really like to walk and I try to walk every morning after the girls go to school. The other day, I wasn’t feeling motivated in the morning and didn’t go for a walk, which I regretted later when I realized just how nice the weather was. I decided to bribe the girls to go for a walk with me after school:
“I have an idea! Let’s walk over to Cappellino’s and get cupcakes!”
The girls agreed because they know that Cappellino’s has the best cupcakes in the world.
[Local peeps: It's true. If you haven't tried them yet, get yourself downtown and do so.]
What I failed to mention to my children is that it’s a one-mile walk to downtown. We set off.
Because I know how much my girls love koalas, I made a point to walk by one house that has some sort of eucalyptus tree in the front yard:
Then we walked by an old cemetery. Elegant didn’t want to go in, but Graceful did. She thought the old tombstones were very interesting and I’ve promised that she and I will walk over sometime soon and explore thoroughly.
Finally, we made it downtown. The girls had long since figured out that it was a longer walk than I had led them to believe, but the cupcakes were worth it:
The flowers are edible — made out of sugar, sparkles, and who-knows-what-else.
I’m not sure why each girl felt compelled to carry a messenger bag and haul who-knows-what with her, but who can explain the mysteries of women’s purses?
Then it was time to head home. We took a slightly different route and ended up at the library:
As we walked home, I marveled at how tall my girls are getting and how quickly Elegant is catching up to her older sister.
The photos end at this point because some people started whining about being tired and why did we have to walk and why couldn’t we just drive to the bakery next time and maybe we could call a taxi to drive us the rest of the way home.
(Which Pete totally predicted in advance and I would have too if I hadn’t been so impatient to go on a walk that day.)
But hey, we now know that bribery works. I wonder if I could try it again?
wow, that is an imposing and impressive library…lovely girls too!
I want a cupcake! Bribery needs to work for the coming and the going.
I would walk a mile for that cupcake any day of the week! I love that they both brought ginormous bags. That rocks!
Ooh, those cupcakes are beautiful! I’m jealous that your girls are wearing capris already. I just sent mine off to school in winter coats.
A mile is not that far for a cupcake of that quality! I’d walk for it!
Good luck with that. Let me know how it turns out. They are onto the mile walk now. The cupcake might not be worth it. You might have to add some more bribes in there next time.
I love walking into town, hence why I am moving where I can walk out my front door and be in town. Well 6 blocks from the shops and restuarants.
Only a few more weeks, yah!
P.S. I do the same damn thing with bags, it is such a girl thing. Ridiculous I tell ya! I always regret all the extra crap I am lugging around mid way!
any walk that includes a cupcake is fine with me. i’d have brought a messenger bag too. because you just never know.
I love old graveyards! Most of the older ones have great walking paths through them, too (shameless pop for another pictorial walk)
What a great day!
I would easily walk much more than a mile (each way) for one of those cupcakes. : )
Here’s an idea for you that might get Elegant more into that cemetery – do a scavenger hunt! We had a 100+ year old cemetery near our house growing up. I remember going out as part of one of our summer camps. There would be a list of things to find (like someone over 100 years old, a child, an angel on a tombstone, etc. etc.) They brought big rolls of paper and old crayons so you could do rubbings of cool stuff and the things you had to find. That was really the spark to my history fascination.
What a lovely way to spend a day–those cupcakes look as terrific as the company with whom you at them!
In my book, bribery is a perfectly legitimate parenting too.
What a lovely outing for you and the girls.
I’m still smiling from remembering Graceful’s bow.
Hell yeah, bribery works!
And those cupcakes look fantastic! I’d totally blow off my diet to try one if I ever make it out that way
I’d go for it…but you’ll have to come up with a different treat!
I’d love to go on that walk with you – and if you bought ME a cupcake I wouldn’t complain at ALL on the way back!
Awesome. I can’t WAIT for the day that I can bribe my kids like that.
I love that you have a great downtown to walk to! It’s an added bonus that there’s great cupcakes there too
Those cupcakes look divine.
They look they’re worth the hike!
I am now flashing back to Rachel’s ceaseless whining on the walk back to the hotel from the subway station. And like your E, she seems to be gaining on her older sister in height too.
Your library is so beautiful. I love my little library branch, but it’s a retrofitted vehicle garage for the Diefenbunker, not very architecturally interesting.
The cupcakes look divine. Do they taste as good as they look? Leah wants to make cupcakes this week inspired by her choice in reading material. We are going to make Lemony Snickets. Does anyone have a good lemon cupcake recipe?
I’d do almost anything for cupcakes that looked like those, so I’m guessing bribery will work for a very long time to come.
Wonderful pics! I especially like the one with the gorgeous photographer in the window.
Gorgeous cupcakes!!
Sometimes bribery is the best way to make things happen.
Ooooh, I’ll walk with you if you buy me a cupcake like that!
I could really go for a cupcake right about now!
Just reminds me of how much I miss Charlottesville!
Those cupcakes look divine! Way to get out on a walk!
I’ll do just about anything for a cupcake…..