ice skating

We went ice skating twice last week. It actually worked out really well. The first day Rose had lots of her friends there, so that put her in a good mood. She and Miriam both helped David skate. The second time they helped David, but his skating was the best I'd ever seen him do. Rose started making noises about wanting to take lessons. She wants to be like the fabulous twirlers in the center. So, I went up to chat with one of them. He had been skating 6 days a week since he was 4. Rose took the news well, but she still wants lessons. Some of you may remember my horrible review of skating lessons at this rink. If she really wants to try, and David is willing to try. I'll try.

jazzercise

I made the kids come to jazzercise with me Wednesday morning hoping some of their buddies would be there. No. They were the only big kids in the childcare, so they played card games together. A moment of respite in the bickering.

Thursday was the big jazzercise extravaganza where we have 75 of us moving and grooving and give the money to charity.

hike around the Arboretum

Thursday was also our traditional Thanksgiving day hike around the arboretum which I sent the kids on ahead with my sister, and then joined them half-way in. As I walked peacefully around the woods, trying to find them, I had flashbacks of one-year-old Rose wanting to nurse in the bitter cold and two-year-old Rose refusing to walk and having to haul her up and down hills. I was feeling so happy about the state of my life, and then I met up with Rose and she threw a temper tantrum about continuing the hike. We continued, but the physical wasn't the hard part.

walking around the playground

I scheduled four play dates for David and for almost every one of them, I took the kids to the playground. They kicked the soccer ball around and chased each other up and down the slides. I kept warm by walking. Right before break I asked him who he wanted to have play dates with, and I was really glad he had two new people on the list. I was even happier when they all said yes. The boys had so much fun racing around the house with light sabers and dumping out all the legos, and I got them to clean up.

lots of dancing

Tuesday I went blues dancing like I always do. Wednesday, because the kids and Sally wanted to have a date to make count down to Christmas/Hannukah/David's birthday chains, I got to go to John's swing dance class. Friday was a free dance at Sonny's to celebrate the dance community, and John stayed home with the kids, so I could go.