Skating and Skiing

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Matthew "ice skating" and Margaret taking off...

As with the others, we've introduced ice skating at age 4 so that they could build another skill set, have the ability when fun opportunities arise, etc.  Michael played pick-up hockey for years and absolutely loved the sport and exercise and Little Miss is fascinated by figure skating, so it's something worth doing for a couple of years.  

But Matthew has shocked us with this one.  The kid who was riding a bike at lightening speed at age 2 and swimming at 3 simply cannot manage to stand up to save his life!

Bless his heart, he has stuck with it and given it his all each week without complaining...and his poor bottom MUST hurt.  But his final week, we turned a corner after free-skate and "nailed" it during his lesson.  That's all relative, of course, but he suddenly was able to prevent falling, get back up, make intentional forward progress AND backwards motions!

Successful ice "skating", finally!

And then, there was skiing.  During the mildest winter we can remember, we're desperate to teach him before our trip out west next week but there's been no snow!  We've literally had lessons cancelled because the entire mountain was closed:-( 

Of course Matthew surprised us again by not wanting to participate during the first part of his lesson, but after I talked to him, he was back out and eager to learn.  By the end of the day, it was, "Mom, do you want to see the awesome things I can do?!?!"  

Matthew's first time on skis.

Off to the lift with his buddy and instructor....

"Want to see the awesome things that I can do??"

Down the training hill...pay no attention to the dirt and grass inches away:-(

Crash landing, but smiling...

The mark of a great ski day...

Now, it's off to Steamboat, today!!!!!