A Winter's day...time to play.

The ice is safe. We got 2 inches of snow last night...just enough to make it festive. Today was our first full on Winter outside fun day....and Gavin's first ever time on ice skates. here's how it went down:

I went out before breakfast and shoveled us a skating rink on the pond. After a delicious french toast breakfast, we made our way outside and got our skate on.



Before today, Gavin had never been on ice skates. I haven't skated since about 1992. I grew up on this lake. I skated and played pond hockey pretty much every possible day from age 10 through 17. at 18, I went to college in Pennsylvania and then lived in New Jersey until I was about 27...with no real availability to get on the ice. At age 30, by the time I had moved back to MA, I broke my right ankle so severely that it required 3 surgeries, 2 metal plates and 8 screws, 4 months of rehab, and a 10% permanent range of motion loss. I have no feeling on the top of my foot or in 3 of my toes. In my mind, I pretty much put ice skating behind me. This Winter...I bought Gavin and I ice skates. We tried them out for the first time today. Not to blow too much sunshine in either of our directions but, we both skated great. (I bought that hockey stick in 1989...still works like a champ :^)



I had big plans to fabricate an ice skating trainer out of 1/2" PVC for the kid...kind of like a walker...something he could hold onto and push while he got the basics down.....no need. The kid was a natural. He was all over the place. he had a great attitude. He took some colossal diggers but got right back up....his first time on brand new skates and he rocked it for almost 2 hours. I was one proud papa today.



Chrissy took this picture. Pa taking Ivy for a ride on the sled. Me and Gavin cruising around. Gramma in the background with the crash helmet....she took a major digger early in the day...call it damage control.



Too young for skates....just right for sleds.



Like a champ, I tell ya.



The girls getting their sled on....the boy getting a hot cocoa fix.



we ended today's session with a bonfire AND the annual tradition of.....



Christmas Tree Burn Down.

A wonderful New England Winter's day outside with the family.

I am so thankful to be able to teach Gavin how to skate. Honestly, after my ankle injury, I pretty much had it figured in my mind that I'd never be able to be on skates again. I thank the Lord for the second chance to be able to be out there skating today for the first time in decades.....and to be able to teach my son how to skate....what a blessing.

Praise God from who all blessings flow.