My Week In Photos

Lots of walking, lots of dogs, a field trip, some school, a little game playing, and some siblings getting along. When I accept the fact that re-entry after a vacation is going to be messy, we can still have a good week.

Ice Skating

One of the many sports the kids wanted to try out was ice skating, so we signed up for a session (we are seriously LOVING homeschooling through a charter--they've paid for all the kids sports and art lessons this year!)

6 weeks later, they still aren't pros, but they had so much fun and are much more comfortable on the ice. Maybe it will be enough to at least let them have fun when they get to go ice skating every year or two.

On the Ice

One of our Christmas presents from Uncle C and Aunt R was a trip to go ice skating at the Utah Olympic Oval where the 2002 speed skating competitions were held.
 

The kids were so excited because they have fond memories of the couple times we've taken them to the tiny rink in Uptown during the holidays, and this was skating at a whole new level. Bean didn't stop smiling from the time we got there.

Peanut took one step onto the ice and pretty much freaked out at how slippery it was 

and then happily rode in the stroller. Bug figured out that holding on to the stroller was a much nicer way to learn.

Bug wasn't the only one. . . I quickly learned that after only skating a few times in my life, and not being on the ice since 1996 or so, I can not ice skate. I did a lap with the stroller, and then I watched. And that was fun enough for me.

While we were there, we watched an 11 year old Olympic figure skating hopeful named Christina who already looked good enough to my untrained eyes. She's aiming for the 2018 games and were hoping we'll get to see her there.

'Twas the Week After Christmas

We've been having lots of fun.  We had a couple more days with Rara and Uncle D, which involved a lot of playing games, making puzzles, sitting around in our pj's for more hours than we probably should, and eating.

The kids had fun putting together Bug's new puzzle from his Grandma and Grandpa.  It was a little bit better fit than the 1000 piece puzzle Bean had pulled out the week before which was mostly left to the adults to finish.

The weather has been incredible this month--just right for trying out their new soccer goals Uncle D made them for Christmas.  These kids got soccered up this year--a new ball from another Aunt and Uncle, backyard goals, and Rara signed them up for a 12 week soccer clinic.  (And if you look closely at the picture, you will see they could probably use the clinic.  Yes, they are using two balls, and yes, Bugaboo is playing in rainboots.)

 We made a final trip to Discovery Place before our membership expired at the end of the year--fun as always.

And these three guys got to go ice skating at the seasonal rink in Uptown.  Its a little strange to be ice skating outside when its 60 degrees, but they bundled up anyway and had a good time.

 It was Bugaboo's first time on skates, and I'll admit, when I left Daddy-o with a "Good luck!", I was a little worried about both of them, but from the reports, he didn't whine that much and even had fun.

 Bean has fond memories from her only other experience on the ice, 2 years ago, and while she did have fun, I think she might stop begging me for skating lessons for awhile.

 Those shoes aren't very comfortable and maybe a once a year reminder session will satisfy that desire.  I'd actually be happy to let her try skating lessons if the closest real rink wasn't 45 minutes across town.

And that, mixed in with a couple movies, some attempts to catch up on sleep (in my case, during the movies), and as much time outside as possible, was our week after Christmas.