Ice skating with Maddie

Madison's girl scout troop went ice skating yesterday and boy was she excited to go. We'd been watching the new rink go up for about a year now every Monday as we'd pass it to go to her tutoring lessons. When it looked like it was finally up and running, she would start asking me when we were gonna go.

It was fun. Because it was a girl scout activity they took us on a little tour first. We watched a movie about the making of ice-skating rinks, then we toured the facility, watched some performers practice (they have two rinks, one for the masses, and one for performers and hockey players) then they showed us the Zambonis they use to clean the ice. The kids each got to sit on a Zamboni, and at one point one of the Zambonis returned from cleaning the ice and dumped a bunch of "snow" onto the grate that empties into a holding tank which I think they clean up and recycle to resurface the ice with again.

I probably haven't been ice-skating since high school. There was a park somewhat near my house with an outdoor rink that was pretty fun to go to. But like I said, it's been years. I watched the skaters for a minute at Rockefeller Center in New York City last winter, and wished I could be one of them, but figured I'd probably break my wrist or something and ruin the rest of the trip.

Madison was a fun little skating buddy. She was nervous at first, holding onto both me and the wall, then by the end skating on her own. She loved it. She said that yesterday was "the best day ever". Then she would say other cute things like, "Thanks for skating with me mom, it wouldn't have been as fun without you." And "Mom, you're always there for me whenever I fall" and my reply would be "that's my job".

We both had fun. It was easier for me than I thought it was gonna be. Their skates are pretty sturdy. I only crashed the one time. Madison's tail bone was hurting by the end of the day, but she said it was totally worth it. I think she even revised her list to Santa last night to include ice-skates.