Skating

There is a skating rink at the school (1/2 km. away), and they got the ice ready just before Christmas break was over. Since our boys discovered it was ready, they are skating-crazy. Niclas has probably been skating 3 hours every day. And it was coooold some of those days (-18C), so let's see how much they want to skate now when the weather has warmed up. It's about -2C today. Travis and Derek both love to skate, too, but haven't been out there as long has N has been. I'd like to get the girls out there more often now too, so they learn better than I ever did. Only so they are more confident and can enjoy it when the days come that all their buddies are out skating. It's easier to learn now when they're still young - not as far to fall! The girls do both skate, but not like the 3 musketeers!

Cole (2 1/2 years) got himself ready to go outside today - only couldn't get his snow suit down over his boots, and needed help with the second mitten. Our baby is growing up ... it's true as I've heard from so many mom's, the crazy-busy years when everyone is little go by in a blur. I think I'm still in that blur phase to some extent, but things are (I think) starting to come into focus a bit!

Lucas is at such a fun stage as far as his talking - he's 4 1/2, and he doesn't always know how to use all the words he uses, and it's so cute! For example, he calls an avalanche an 'ambulanche'. And he told me the other day that we should sometimes 'throw a present over to Aleksi, and maybe Aleski's mom will throw a present over here for me!' If he is saying he's lonesome for America and I ask what is he the most lonesome for, he says, "For Aleski and Aleksi's toys." :-)

Back to the grindstone ... 3 kids coming home from school in a second, 1 out driving 4-wheeler, 1 tucked into her bedroom listening to a cd and looking at books, 2 active little boys 'playing hockey' with floor hockey sticks, a real puck, and broadcasting the game in 'Finn'. Oops - just realized the reason the one who was 'tucked into her bedroom ...' was not answering when I was calling her a bit ago, cuz she was actually out driving 4-wheeler, too! They have a track around the yard, and have a great time (of course) with their 'wheels'.