ice skating

Kade has been wanting to go skating for weeks now but since we can never do it during the week, weekends are the only times to do it and somehow all of our weekends have been too busy or we were too sick or the weather was too bad to go.  Anika has never gone ice skating before but she has some borrowed skates  this year and she's been wanting to try it so bad.  I was trying to explain to her 4 year old mind that even though it looks pretty to skate like those figure skater girls on tv, it is way too hard to do it and it takes a lot of practice.

So finally today came when I promised the two of them I would take them ice skating.  At 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 C) I didn't think it would work to go to the outside rink, but there was going to be public skating at the big indoor arena in town so that was my plan.  But when we got there it was pretty clear we are not going to do any skating today since some high school kids were having a big tournament all weekend, which somehow didn't get to be put on the arena schedule.

In order to not disappoint 2 very excited kids, the only thing to do was to go to the outside rink.  It has a nice warming house at least, so it can't be that bad, I was trying to tell myself.  I purposely didn't put my warmer pants on and didn't wear my nice warm gloves because I would be too hot inside.  Anika didn't wear her snow pants either but I thought ok, we're already in town, all ready to skate we might as well just try it for a little bit.

I am so glad I listened to that inner voice because both Kade and Anika had so much fun.  Kade was just cruising fast around the little rink and I was really surprised at how Anika was able to stand on the skates and not just flopping all over the place.  She did really great for her first time.  We went inside to the warming house 2 or 3 times, mainly because my fingers were frozen and I had to try to warm them up so I could move my hands.  At first we tried using the guard rail for Anika but towards the end she just held on my hand and was able to skate that way.  Next time I think I might be able to get my skates on and skate around with her.  

It is just amazing sometimes how these tiny things we do with our kids mean so much to their little hearts.  And how much it gives them in terms of being active, doing stuff outside rather than sit at home and do the same things they always do. 

On the way home, I was thinking how nice it would be for our whole family to go skating together one day.  I know it won't be too far from now because our big Kason will pick it up quick.  He was napping today while we went but next year he should be able to start.   I love my growing family, every stage seems to be better and better along with the feelings of sadness that they are growing up too fast and that they won't need us any more.  It's just life.