baking and skating and bowling...oh my!

I realize this sounds insane,  but I actually created an activity schedule for our Christmas break.  The last thing I needed to hear about from 5 girls for 14 days was that there is nothing to do.  So with that in mind we started with baking.  Margo loves to help in the kitchen and was all about putting on the apron and getting out the ingredients.  Mekdes, however, feels like the best time for her to become involved is when we make Grandma Tipton's frosting.

 Next up, ice skating.  I was already sweating by the time I got all the girls in their skates and laced up.  I sent the herd out on the ice and so began the show.  Emme and Kate took off around the rink adopting the ice names of Kane and Toews (Blackhawks players) furiously racing to see who could complete the lap the fastest.  Margo found an orange traffic cone and took off around the rink pushing the cone for balance.  That left Mekdes and Anna.  After about 5 minutes Anna made her way over to the glass where I was sitting to tell me her back and ankles were killing her from picking Mekdes up off the ice repeatedly and trying to hold up her rather "solid" youngest sister.  Having a complaining adolescent daughter coupled with my Ethiopian princess who was rarin' to go left me no choice but to lace up and go out on the ice--yikes!  I hadn't skated since I was a kid, but it was like riding a bike and Mekdes and I had a ball!  Every time we got to the side of the rink that had the benches like we see the Blackhawks go in and out of during their shifts, Mekdes loved to open the door and hop on the bench....just like the pros.  When enough time had passed, she wanted to get back on the ice and skate another lap.  Her resilience was amazing as she kept picking herself up spill after spill.  It was so dear as she declared to her sisters as they flew by..."I LOVE ICE SKATING!".  Her father was beaming with pride when he heard.  The hours of time spent watching the Blackhawks was clearly paying off!

Finally, our Manning cousins came!  We headed to the bowling ally for another Mekdes first.  She loved the shoes and wanted to wear them home!  Other than the shoes, Mekdes really had no interest in the game.  At least not until the disco balls, flashing lights and music started at which time she announced, "Now, this is fun!".