January Fun

January had us pretty cooped up.  Grey, dreary and rainy days were plentiful, and it felt like being up north again.  I don't remember a winter since moving to Houston where we did not see the sun for a whole 3 weeks!  So, on a couple of occasions, we took advantage of the cold to go ice skating at the local rink. Usually, it is so warm that the ice is full of puddles, and if you fall down once you are soaking wet.  I'll take the cold temps over that!

The first time, Scott took the boys ice skating alone, and I told Mikayla she and I could go to the mall to ride the merry-go-round.  It still brought out the dimples, but it won't be long before she has outgrown that small thrill.  And I could have edited it, but don't miss the sore on her chin from her pacifier, from sucking too hard the night before.  I won't try to make excuses or tell you we have a plan for getting rid of it.  It just is.

However, when we got back to the rink to watch the boys a bit, she had a melt-down and was determined to try. 

Two days later, we had another opportunity to go ice skating with friends, so we headed there right after school and let Mikayla get on the ice as well.  Our friends let her use a two-bladed skate, so she was able to stay upright and really improved after a while.  The boys had a ball with their friends, and we all took turns pushing Mikayla and picking her up off the ice.  The boys have really improved since last year.

The boys and neighborhood friends Bas Houwen, Shreyas Vatts, and Trey Hammond...the neighborhood "gang."

It is tradition that after skating, you put your skate sticker on the stop sign on the way out to the parking lot.  There are stickers everywhere, just trashing the median. The Woodlands is so uppity, I'm surprised they let this go on, but it is a fun way to mark the end of a good time, and I'm glad to report that The Woodlands knows when to loosen up the reins a bit, even if it is just once a year.