ice skating

When we drove into Chris' hometown on Christmas day, it felt very strange because there was not a flake of snow to be seen. 

He could only remember one time in his life when they did not have a white Christmas. 

Well this year was definitely the second. 

 This meant that the pond was available for skating...frozen over and all clear. 

We had just been talking recently about ice skating as a family.

 It's surprising that none of our kids have ever tried it out. 

 Grandpa collected the ice skates for us. 

And the next day it was off to the pond.

Carlie ended up being the only child big enough to fit into the skates who wanted to give it a go that day.

Everyone was a little tentative at first while Chris checked the ice.

But it took no time before they were all "skating" around all over the place.

Sliding, diving and rolling, too.

Grandpa helped Carlie get the feel for it.

While Chris tried to channel his inner Evan Lysacek.

Pretty impressive.

I'll just take a second here to say that, for a moment when we were getting ready to go,  I had the thought that I should find some skates to fit me.

That I should join in.

You know,  you do miss 100% of the shots you don't take. (you know?  it's the old life is too short thing.)

But then the better judgement part of my brain kicked in and reminded the cliche part of my brain that you also suffer from 100% of the knee injuries you ask for.

You see, the one and only time in my life that I ever went ice skating was in college.

I went to Sun Valley with some friends and I did ok.

But before we took off our skates, we wandered outside in the deep snow.

A snowball fight started somewhere.

I really don't remember now if I was trying to throw a snowball, dodge a snowball, dance a jig, or just walk through the snow.

But somehow I dislocated my kneecap and injured the ligaments in my knee.

The end.

Of my ice skating.

Good bye forever.

Maybe that has something to do with why my kids haven't been before.

I guess it's not such a big surprise after all.

Neither is my klutziness.

For the record...this was during my freshman year of college.

Long before Chris and I were together, but we did live in the same dorms and were good friends.

He still remembers me climbing hills in the snow in that wretched leg brace.

Wow!

I know how to digress.

(Someone likes to talk about herself...)

Carlie started to get the hang of it.

And the little kids loved pulling Chris around.

The kids found this abandoned little boat next to the pond.

It had thick pieces of ice in the bottom.

They were yelling for me to come and take a picture of them inside.

What a fun day!