Ice Skate, I Skate!

You know I complain how I HATE the fact that there are more than two season here! (You can take the girl out of the Bay Area, but you can't take the Bay Area out of the girl)! But, one of the saving graces about having an actually winter is that we have outdoor skating rinks.  This year they have popped up everywhere.  We met up with the Arates at the one near Idroscalo (the fake lake near the Linate).  It's actually quite nice and large.

Sophia has asked us since last year to take her ice skating, but we never had the chance-this year I said we are going to to it and I called some friends to see if they wanted to go too.  After I arranged a meeting, she decided that she was too scared and worked herself up about it.  In fact, She didn't sleep much last night and woke up all bugged about it.  I wanted to kill her- after all the whining and begging and then she made it seem like we were forcing her!  

After Arianna and Stefano decided that they were going to give it a try, she changed her mind.  For her size feet they had snap on skates (the ones that go over your shoes) and that have a double blade for each skate -so she was able to go around by herself right away.

It was also Max's first time skating.  He's quite sporty, so he got the hang of it quickly!  Good thing, cuz he was the only adult on the rink with the three kids!  Arianna got the hang of it soon after.

It took a little bit longer for Stefano, but he gave it the good ole college try! 

And of course hot chocolate is just the right thing to warm you up! 

oh i forgot about poor little vivienne, who was such a good sport and cheer leader: