Afternoon with Auntie

There's a snowstorm expected overnight and it did us the favor of holding off to let me take the kiddos skating this afternoon. It's been great to go ice skating earlier in the winter this year, but the ice on the pond has been ravaged by winds and snows. Dedicated skaters (including my brother and niece) have been clearing off a little rink out towards the best section of the pond but there's no telling what the conditions will be like after tonight, so we went while the going was good.

The cleared "ice rink" is a popular spot for hockey players of all abilities to do some stick-handling.

Auntie didn't just bring hot cocoa, but there were marshmallows too!

Proving sharing works.

I guess I didn't do a bad job with the hot cocoa!

Hey, you can't exactly explore the island in the middle of the pond in the summer -

there are no boats on this pond!

We stayed late and even skated in the dark! Then it was off to the Sunset Diner because we skated till after sunset (and it is the appropriately named conveniently located diner to the pond). Sharing still comes in handy when it comes to Auntie's colored pens. Thank goodness for paper advertisement placemats for handy coloring!

Sharing means Auntie gets to sit with Luke from the time we order till the food comes.
It also means Sarah gets to take a picture with Auntie's camera first.

And then Auntie got to sit with Sarah, and Luke gets to take a picture.

Here's a short video of the kids skating as the sun set. In a few weeks, I'll be moving to a new blog forum that will allow me flexibility with posting pictures and movies. By then, I'll have a movie of the kids ice skating ready. I'll be able to post it and the movie of our afternoon sleigh riding on that site - so stayed tuned to hear about those details when they are ready!

The Second Day of Christmas

with just a few hours before the big blizzard arrived, we got down to the pond and got our skates on! Luke likes falling just as much as he did last winter, but he's got more hankering for hockey!

Sarah getting her game face on!

And there he is....debating the merits of snowblowing the ice again....only time will tell.

"He ain't heavy....he's my brother"

Thanks to The Hollies I have a title for today's blog.

And thanks to my little brother
I could go skating after the weekend snow
because he hauled the snow blower over to the
pond and cleared a chunk of real estate on the ice.

Today he brought my neice and nephew to get some more
skating in before sledding tomorrow in the anticipated storm.

Lugging the goal over to be closer to our little set up

Luke liked the black (and biggest) hockey stick
over the ones closer suited to his size.

Helping dad take some movies.

The photographers at work.

Check this out - it rolls!

Little brothers think of the darnedest things
and one day you will be very glad for his ingenuity.
I know I am - thanks, Jim!

Sharp skates!

My dad spent the day getting skates sharpened.
My nephew carried his out of the house but left them in the yard.
So, while Grandpop returned home for skates, Luke found his tracks from Wednesday.

My niece had hers and practiced turning by following the face-off circle
the hockey players painted on the ice.

School's out! Time to play hockey -
the neighborhood kids showed up and they were fierce!

Grandpop returned with the skates but the
hockey stick and puck were in my brother's truck.
If you know Grandpop you know how nervous I was with his
multiple knee and hip replacements out here.
I wish for him that he could skate - he misses it very much.

Sarah getting her groove on in a slush free
path carved after Wednesday's snow.

I knew Grandpop had the camera but I didn't realize
my skills were being photographed.

Luke and I played "Auntie skate backwards and pull me till I fall!"

"Skate fast, Auntie, really super fast!"

Sarah and I practiced circles
with Grandpop's handy walking stick.

She really is getting the hang of it.

Then they invented the ice train! All aboard!

It's been a good week of skating.
Hoping the blizzard doesn't destroy skating conditions
but looking forward to a snow day and enjoying the weekend.

Yep. More ice skating!

Mother Nature is going to let me skate for free?
I am there!

No new friends or relatives today.
I guess homework and stocking up for the
impending storm had them busy in other places.

Same Time, Same Place - Whole Different View!

A little overnight snow couldn't keep me
off the ice today

Or my niece who loved making skating tracks in the snow

She likes skating fast and is learning to skate backwards

My nephew loves to fall down - alot!Sometimes I think he stands up just to fall down.

A rare shot of him standing and without his hockey stick.

I made a friend today!

This is the view I had at 4:58 PM on Groundhog's Day.
There were a few kids there right after school but I guess
they had to go home to do their homework. Too bad.
It was like having a private rink.

It wasn't lonely though. I made a friend
and her husband volunteered to take our picture.
Personally, I am not all that upset with the groundhog's news today!