Whistle While You Work

Well, that week before vacation turned out to be even more insane than I had anticipated. Most days I did not even have a chance to sit down and I think we logged about 20 hours at the IcePlex (no exaggeration)! We also had to find a time for Alex to belt test in TKD since his scheduled time conflicted with the ice show. He tested on Thursday night and I was not even there because I was hosting book club, which I cooked boatloads of food for and then only 3 people made it and only one had even read the book. Seth felt so sorry for me because he knew I really didn't have time to host that week but even though we had a low turnout and didn't even talk about the book, I was grateful just to have a few hours to sit down and chat with friends and take my mind off the busy life that was swirling around me.

And as for missing belt testing, you may think that is awful but they just changed the policy so that you have to test for every belt twice, which also means you pay $60 to test, twice. The reason? Because they let you test every 2 months so some kids were testing every time and getting to black belt in two years when it is supposed to take 3. Ummm...that is their fault for letting us test too often, right? I have always made Alex wait 4 months between testing because I don't think they really improve that significantly in 2 months and because I didn't want him to get his black belt before the specified amount of time and now I feel like I am being punished for it because I have to pay for extra belts. So, I felt like he had already tested for blue and this one was just a formality. Next up is brown and then red, which they have always been required to test for twice so at least I only had to pay for one extra belt. So I will resume attending and photographing belt promos from here on out.

But for now, back to the ice.

I was blown away when I showed up for the technical and dress rehearsals. The ice moms were wheeling in full suitcases full of make-up, glitter, and pony tail wigs. I put make up on Lyssa for one show and she hated it so the other nights I just handed her some lip gloss. We also had lots to learn about the ice show ins and outs. After her first show, when they skate out for the finale, all the girls were carrying flowers and gifts. I planned to get her something for the Saturday show but didn't know they were supposed to skate out with their gifts. I learned that they sell all this crap in the lobby and then deliver it to their locker rooms when it is time for the finale so they basically strong arm you in to buying their junk for every single show, or be the parents with the one giftless kid in the finale. Tricky, tricky! They also charge you to attend dress rehearsal so in the end I bought multiple tickets for 4 different shows. Mercy!

So I am not a pro at the whole ice mom thing yet, but I am very happy that Alyssa participated in the show. This year has been rough because mean girls seem to emerge in 5th grade. They did for me and they have for Alyssa. Making fun of her clothes, saying her grades are too good, or whatever they feel like being mean about that day and then the next day when they are targeting a different member of the group they expect her to join in the nastiness. I went through the same thing from 5th-8th grade and learned to trust one girl and be friends with boys. I remember how much it hurt and it has been even more agonizing to watch my child go through it. But skating has given her an outlet. She loved hanging out at rehearsals and with the other kids in the locker room and it gave her something that was her thing. I get a lot of comments from people about my busy schedule and about the amount of time and money we spend on activities for the kids. Not mean comments, just comments from people who would not choose the same path. I am not trying to make any of my kids pros at any of this stuff and I am not competitive or pageanty about it but I feel like it is worth the time and money to let them do something they love, to let them have their own little place to shine, to teach them to work hard and to fail and to succeed, and to keep them busy, focused and out of trouble. This madness may not be for everyone and I respect that, but right now it works for us.

And I am sure all you really wanted was a picture or two.

The set.
 
My pretty little Snow White! We didn't know if she would be Snow White or a dwarf but as it turned out there were 15 Snow Whites and the one boy in her group was the only dwarf. There were only 5 boys in the whole show, 4 of them under the age of 6. Most the boys here take skating for a few sessions and them move to Hockey. Only one teenaged boy, who was very talented, was in the show. I love when boys are confident enough to skate or dance because they have so much speed and power and it is awesome to watch.
 


 
I did not order the group picture but here is the copy that was in the program. A few girls were assigned to yawn so Alyssa is covering her mouth, which is why I did not order a copy. I did order her solo shot but it has not come in yet. She is the oldest in her group by a couple years but since she is a itty bitty thing she is not even the tallest one in the group.
 
After the Sat. afternoon show we had gifts sent out for her and also bought a bouquet from Grandma for the night show which they delivered during the day show. 
 
We gave back the bouquet that was supposed to be delivered that night and asked them to deliver it again so Grandma wouldn't feel like she had to buy another one, but you know Grandmas...she bought another one anyway so she got two that night as well.
 

So there she is, our princess in her first ever ice show!!! We couldn't be more proud of her. Now we have to decide if we do it all again for the Holiday Ice Show or if we skip that one and wait until next spring but I will wait a few months before I even think about that.