The BEST Day Ever!!!!

Today I started the day by dragging 2 kids out of their warm little beds so I could make it to my 8:30 dentist appointment.  Fun, fun, right?  Well not so... I have to have 2 old amalgam fillings refilled.  There goes my 2011 FSA money already.  Oh well, it got better from there.  Me and the girls rode over to my work because I had to drop off an ornament exchange gift for later this week.  Then we went to Showmars for lunch.  We wanted to go over to The Melting Pot for dessert, but they don't open until 5pm during the week.  Emily was crushed but we decided to go visit daddy at work and use the internet to find the closest ice skating rink.  Emily has been wanting to ice skate ever since we went to Gatlinburg at Halloween.  We found a place out in Indian Trail that had an ice rink open to the public so we headed down there to check it out.  Neither one of my kids has ever set foot onto ice with sharp blades under our feet.  I figured I would go and pay the money, they wouldn't be able to do it, and then we would turn around and go home.  Well, I paid the money, suited them up and let them loose.  About 5 minutes of watching them and I was just torn up.  Abi was clutching to the wall and had only went about 10 feet and Emily wasn't far ahead of her.  I couldn't go out there without ice skates so silly me said a short prayer (for those of you that don't know-I have a metal plate and screws in my ankle from a roller skating accident), and then went and paid for my admission and rental fees.  I felt like a big goof, but hey my kids needed me!  When I first went into the rink area, Emily just thought I came out there to talk to them, but when she realized I had skates on she was so excited.  Abigail was relieved too and I stepped out on that ice and thought to myself, My God Lisa you are 32 years old and have a huge medical deductable, what the hell are you thinking!  But my babies needed me!  Abigail and I got our rhythm figured out and before the 2nd time around we were really skating.  The more we went around the less we needed the wall and it was the most wonderful thing I have done in a very long time! I LOVED IT!!!  Then BAM!! down on our butts we went.  I had my sunglasses on top of my head and they flew in the air and then came down and landed in my lap.  I was laughing so hard at myself I couldn't get up and the few seconds I was down I got my butt wet.  Abigail said her butt got hurt, but I said Oh, you're ok, let's go!  Besides, it's all about the kids, right?  Then we ran into one of Emily and Abigails softball aquaintances and her mom.  The other mom got Abigails other hand and the 3 of us followed Emily and her friend around the rink.  We would make a few laps and then rest a few minutes, then repeat.  It was wonderful.  Why in the world did I wait this long to ever try this?  I think it is better than roller skating.  Abigail got hungry, I got 2 bleeding blisters, and Emily got a small rubbed place on her ankle so we left after about 2 1/2 hours.  Apparently when you go ice skating you need to eat well before going and wear socks that are thick and tall up your legs so the skates don't rub.  We will know next time.  I am going to try to get Brandon to go with us then.  The kids were asleep by the time we got home and Abigail was ready to do some stacked Christmas tree cookies.  Then Brandon came home and no supper was on the table (all we had were sugar cookies) so we had no choice but to go out to get something, dang what a shame!  So to say the least, our 1st official day of vacation was fabulous!  Here is a picture of Abigails tree creations.  I think she did pretty well by herself.  She is such a cute thing working in the kitchen.  She put herself to bed by 9:30 tonight.  I think I got all I could out of her for 1 day!