Gymnastics and Ice Skating

We got to do a couple fun things with both kids' schools this week.  On Tuesday, we got to watch Willow at gymnatics.  Part of the curriculum of her Pre-K program is that every Tuesday, they get to go to Wichita Gymnastics and take a gymnastics class.  She's been learning how to do cart wheels, walk on the balance beam, do handstands, swing and flip themselves around on the uneven bars, and lots more.  It was so fun to watch.  With CCAP's photo policy, it was hard to get pictures of Willow without other kids in them too, so I just have a few that I can post.

On Wednesday, Jayden's school had an ice skating party!  Jayden was super excited that his feet were big enough that he had to get hockey skates instead of figure skating skates.  He got right out there and started speeding around the rink.  He actually fell at one point and smacked his face right on the ice and has a super black eye, but he won't let me take a picture of it.  :)  Willow was a little more timid and stuck next to the wall for most of the time.  Willow and timid, I can't believe I'm writing those in the same sentence, but she finally got a little confidence and could let go of the wall and could skate around the rink, even if it took her 30 mins.  I'm not kidding, in the 2 hours we were there, Willow and I made it around the rink a total of 5 times.  :) ha ha ha

Ice Skating

We went ice skating today with Jayden's school for their Winter Celebration.  It was the first time for both of the kids and they both had so much fun.  So much so, that Willow is now crashed out asleep in her bed and Jayden came home and strapped on rollerblades and is skating down the street!  :)

I wasn't really sure how it was going to all work out with me trying to stay upright with two wobbly kids pulling on me for stability, so I asked Royal if he wanted to take a couple hours off of work to come and help.  Turns out Jayden didn't need so much help, he took a little instruction and then started skating laps around the rink.

When we first got our skates on, an instructor gave the kids a few pointers.  Like bending your knees and putting your hands on your knees.  Then getting them to touch their toes and then reach for the sky for balance, but to always come back to hands on bent knees.  Then he told them to put their arms out like penguins and take tiny little marches and they would move.  He swore to me he could have Willow skating on her own by the end of the day.  I was not so confident since she refused to do anything unless she was holding my hand, and by holding my hand I mean pulling on my arm to keep herself upright.

Here we are getting our instructions.

And here is Jayden taking off, while Willow refused to budge her feet.

Maybe one of the reasons Jayden had such awesome balance out there was because he and I were wearing the same sized skates!  The kid's feet are huge and he might as well be standing on skis!  :)  However, it's also the reason he is able to rollerblade at home right now, because he is wearing my old rollerblades!  :)

Well, turns out that instructor was right.  I kept working on Willow doing a little more and a little more by herself and after about an hour, she could let go of my hand and I'd skate off and turn around and then she'd skate to me.  It was pretty fun to watch!

Jayden is begging to go back, so I'm pretty sure this won't be our last time at the ice rink.