Skating into the new year...

One of the blissful frustrations of childhood, at least in the frigid climes where we happen to live, is learning to ice skate. Blissful because every kid says they want to go ice skating (ooh, what could be more fun? Can I please, mom?) but it's obviously supremely frustrating as you watch their ankles collapse inward and their little feet step and slide backward, going nowhere quickly. And then... whump! They're on their behind again.

The Town of New London floods a small skating rink on the town green right across from our house, so Aiden has been able to go skating quite a bit lately. We started him out with those double-runner "skates" for toddlers that you strap onto your boots- they were pretty stable but they kept falling off every five minutes. So we bought him a pair of real skates of his own. One parent of a 4 year old we met on the town green rink (whose kid was zipping around like a pro, mind you) mentioned that an area rink offers free ice skating lessons to kids as young as 3, so we're planning to check that out soon. We're pretty sure it's a hockey mill to raise up new Kearsarge High School champions from scratch, but hey, if Aiden learns how to skate and never picks up a hockey stick, that's fine too. Mamoo and Dadoo are not very constructive to learn from since we either don't have skates (in my case) or have no idea where they are (in Andy's).

Since Aiden's school was on winter break for the last two weeks, we drove down to North Andover to see the Downers, Becky and Tim for a day. Abbie, Michaela, Livvy and Grayson are as fun as ever, and after Friendly's lunch (including "happy ending" desserts), gymnastics, Wii boxing and tennis, and a pizza party, Aiden (predictably) did not want to go home. Can't say I blame him... it's a tad bit more boring at the Deegan household than the Downers!

Becky holding Grayson (9 mos); the Downer's new Bernese Mtn Dog pup, Charlie

Gymnastics in Abbie & Kayla's Room

Alivia gets twirly...