Sunday in the kitchen - the holiday Monday edition

"This is the awesomest day ever!" exclaimed Finn, grinning from ear to ear. "My dream has come true!" No, Christmas did not come early to our house, nor did it start raining gumballs, a wish this little ginger has prayed for for a really long time! So what has this kid so over-the-moon excited? The training wheels came off his bike today! And for this bike-riding family, we were equally as excited! It's been a long road getting Finn to ride his bike. Each spring, the bike came out of winter storage, all of us crossing our fingers that this would be the year he would do it. We begged, we pleaded, we encouraged. "Just try...please!" But if this six-year-old ginger is not ready to do something, even promising all the gumballs in the world could not get him to do it! Something changed this year. Our pleas for him to try just one more time were heard. He sat on the seat. He started to peddle. Before we knew it he was biking to the corner. Then around the block. Then begging his older brother to let him tag along on friend bike rides around the neighbourhood. We weren't sure what was going to happen last week when he blew a training wheel. Completely wore it right off. The safety net was gone. Was he ready for the next step? Would the bike get stored away for another year? There was only one thing to do - get the tools, take off the training wheels and see what happens. G had barely taken the tools out of the way before Finn, in all of his new-found biking confidence, hopped on the seat and took off down the street. Then he was off for a ride around the block. Then off for a ride uptown with G. "Can we ride our bikes to my ball game?" he excitedly asked. While thrilled to no end at this new enthusiasm for biking, I had to say no. The 20km ride to the town hosting the ball game is a little ambitious for this new rider (and for this old one too!). But I did promise this cold treat after the game - homemade popsicles!

Coconut milk popsicles

1 can coconut milk
2 tbsp rice syrup - or more to desired sweetness
Zest of 1 lemon
1 C blueberries
Mix milk, syrup and zest together before folding in berries. Pour into popsicle forms and freeze.