Iceskating...and lessons learned!

Yes, it was a great day for hockey (as former coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Bob Johnson used to say)...and for iceskating, too! ( I thought!) It was 42 degrees in Bethel Park, and I thought it would be a great idea to all go iceskating at South Park, while I had a beautiful roast and all the fixins in the oven to come home to. Meghan doesn't like to skate, so she was the official family photographer.Ron and Ronnie....it's a great day for hockey! I think Ron had the most fun out of all of us today!
Happy Anna....getting her skates on and not knowing what was going to happen next!

Anna and her big brother...she thought skating would be easy because she's watched Ronnie and he makes it look easy....

Sara did a great job and really improved today! (but she still couldn't catch Ronnie!)

This is the first time she insisted on getting off the ice...look at her face...I'm trying to talk her into trying again.

She did pretty well walking with her daddy....as long as it wasn't on ice.

We all took turns helping her, but she kept trying to 'walk on her toes'....and wildly flailed about! Poor thing was afraid of falling.

This is funny....who's face looks more afraid, Sara's or Anna's?!

Here's a smile....I kept saying "Whee!"...Anna you're doing great! Then she would start to turn around backwards....she didn't like it very much.

Sara was hamming it up for the camera...as usual! She really did do very well, though! At one time, Sara and I linked arms and skated together singing " By the light, of the silvery moon...."

Now we have a happy Anna! Her big sister bought her a cookie and played with her....she was so happy to get her pink tennis shoes on again!

Our tired little girl! She told me that maybe she would skate again when she is older!

~Oh, my goodness....well, the lessons learned part. #1 When you THINK something would be a wonderful family memory...be prepared to accept whatever the day brings...whether it is tears, correction or attitudes. #2 And....see the bright side....make them laugh...and remember that as memories fade...they soften the 'rough edges' of some memories that are less than what we thought they would be.

I know I had a good time....but we did have opportunities for correction and different perspectives pointed out...but these were learning opportunities.....opportunities for good dialogue between parent and child, opportunities for examples to be set....especially as they say that children "catch" our examples much more than just our words. I'm grateful for our day together as a family....maybe next time, Ron and I will go on a "date" iceskating just the two of us....we used to do that all the time before we had children. I will say....Ron was surprised at how well I did! (no, I didn't fall!).....I hadn't been on skates in years...but, it was like riding a bike...you just fall back into it! I grew up in South Park and at the skating rink at least twice a week for years! I remembered how to do lots of things....once I got my balance on the ice! Here is to our next family outing....always a learning experience! Have a blessed night! ~Sue~