Great Songs to Skate to....

Okay so I was talking to a friend about. Well actually about the Jonas Brothers. Yeah I listen to the JoBros. No, I'm not 8. And of course you can't get the hype if you've never even heard their music. DUH!!!
Here are 2 of my favourites that I think would be awesome showcases to skate to....


What a great movie - if you haven't seen it go rent it or something.


As far as i can tell the Jonas Brothers seem to be really great kids. And children are always going to have idols. People in the spotlight that they look up to. Our kids could do a lot worse than Kevin, Nick and Joe. That's all I'll say...

On another note a few years ago Lexie skated to Cinderella. Which is really ironic because even at that age we talked about her touring in terms of Cinderella. Lexie has dedicated the last 5+ years to figure skating. We'd talk about how when she grows up she could be Cinderella and travel all over the world with DoI. Not every skater can be Cinderella but you don't have to be the star of the show to be a professional skater. Somebody has to be the ugly step-sister or play all the other girls at the ball wanting to try on the glass slipper (skate). Being able to get paid to do something that you love and getting to see the world would be an amazing experience for anyone. How many careers can you tour with. Its something that I've always wanted for her. She has to really want it for herself. Not just say she wants it. At 8, its impossible to map out your whole life of what you want. Most of us don't even know what we want to be even after we are all grown up. Lexie's is all mapped out. She wants to tour (skating - DoI), tour (rock star), go to art school and become a fashion designer. Oh and be a famous actress. Famous enough to star as herself. We call this plan of hers "growing up to be like Richie Rich."
So I hope you like this one too...


***Updated to add this one from NBB***

and a few comments... i don't really think they sing that good. But a lot people obviously do like them for something other than what they look like or their name. So whatever - to each their own. I don't get why people have to slam them and be so vulgar on youtube. They are a band that a lot of little kids like. And I don't like my 8 year old reading that stuff. I think people are jealous because they are having fun and making a lot of money doing it.

Week 2

Well week 1 of camp was a bust. I won't complain about it - just say that I have high hopes that this week will go better. Lexie spent last week with the folks. I was lazy without her around this week. Honestly - didn't do too much missing her either. I enjoyed the alone time. I ran the other day for the first time in a week. I've been so sore I could hardly walk since. We went to see Wall-E last night. It was pretty good but I was expecting it to be better. The theater gave Lexie a Wall-E watch that looks like one of those little rubber arm bands that say stuff on them like PEACE or LOVE. Hers says WALLE on it and has a digital clock embedded in it. And we're about to go skating in a few minutes. Hopefully my leg muscles will work enough for me to be able to skate.

**UPDATE** Not only did my legs manage to skate for an hour and a half today. I ran 3 miles when I got home. Okay well I walked a little of it. But not bad overall. Something is better than nothing - Its the mantra I live by these days just case I haven't told you. I feel really good right now. Keep your fingers crossed that tomorrow goes well.

First Day of Camp!

Well some of you know that aside from the weekends and a couple of days I took off from work Lexie has been away from me most of the summer so far. She has been at my parents. And I've been alone. I've made good use of the time - extra hours in the office getting stuff done. I did some housework at home. And I spent 1.5 - 2 hours working out most every day. I didn't lose any weight but I feel stronger. I was hoping I'd lose a few pounds. NSL. Anyway she is back home now. We've spent this weekend Ice Skating (I worked on my spins, turns and backward crossovers) - Lexie worked on all her single jumps, spins, and pre-pre moves, we went roller skating yesterday and hung out and watched cartoons and movies together.
And tomorrow she is going to camp. I'm having a 'my baby's growing up' moment. She has to be responsible for herself starting tomorrow. By putting on & taking off her own skates, wiping them down good and putting on soakers so they don't rust, and putting on guards before she puts her skates on. We've been practicing this weekend. I keep telling her nobody is going to do it for her at this camp. I'm just a tad bit worried. Hopefully someone will help her for a day or two at least until she adjusts. And at the same time, I hope someone tells her she is old enough to do that stuff for herself now. I don't know what I want. Except for tomorrow to go well so I can stop worrying.

Another video... 2006 Nutcracker on Ice Solo

Well my last post's video was a hard act to follow. But check this one out....


This is the video from our last Nutcracker on Ice. Lexie was the clown doll. She was adorable. I bought the doll dress. Lexie didn't particularly like what they had in wardrobe. And when I saw this dress - I knew she had to wear it. Everyone said it was the best clown doll dress they had ever seen. Hopefully whoever plays the clown doll this year will be able to fit it. I painted her face, the same way I had painted her face when she was a clown for Halloween in 2001. With hearts on her cheeks and blue tear drops down her cheeks. Did I say she was adorable yet? Anyway check out my old videos. Still no videos of my skating. But I promise to share videos of my skating if the show goes on this year.

I Got My DVD!!!!! 2008 State Games

Pre-Pre Test Track Freestyle event Champion!!!!

I want my DVD

It has been almost 3 whole weeks and still no dvd from State Games. I keep checking my mailbox everyday.. nada. It is all I can do to not send email to complain. I know the order form said allow 2-4 weeks for delivery. I just didn't think it was really going to take four weeks to get here:( Remind me not to order anything again that needs a month delivery time.
Argh.

While I wait for my dvd I'm going to be sharing some thoughts about some skating related movies. When I started this blog I mentioned something about reviewing some movies and telling what I think. I think I'll start with Blades of Glory. What a funny movie. Quite vulgar though. I wouldn't (if I were you) let my pre-teen watch it. But I'm not -you that is- and I already did. I had no idea. She watched it with me the first time I saw it. As we tend to watch movies together unless they are scary movies - then I wait until she is in bed. Anywho nobody reviewed it first and told me it was inappropriate for children. I've been seeing a lot of Blades of Glory popping up lately. Pictures from the movie made their way onto the calendars at our rink. The movie was shown at the skating camp an online friend's children are attending.
You ever notice how in skating movies nobody ever does anything in their programs (just fluff)? Like for instance Chazz Michael Michaels did 2 jumps in his program one of which was a split jump which my daughter's coach tells me doesn't even rate any points under IJS. And he did 3 spins. Everything else was just skating around doing nothing. I don't know about you (or your kids) but my daughters' programs are and have always been packed full of stuff. Her last years program had 2 solo jumps and 3 jump combinations. Seriously. Also what about the short/long programs in this movie. Hello everybody at the senior level has to skate 2 events. And dance has to skate 3 events. And we all know thanks to Johnny Weir that you can't tie in figure skating at the senior level. And even if you did tie (like in lower levels of figure skating) if there were 2 first places the next place would be third. And senior mens doesn't allow vocals in music. Vocal music is only allowed in dance. Unless it is a showcase. Which was more what Jimmy & Chazz did. But that wouldn't get you a gold medal at the Olympics. Okay - yeah I have fun picking out the mistakes in movies. There are a lot in this one.
Just don't expect it to be remotely accurate to figure skating. Take it for what its worth as just a funny movie. And don't let your kids watch it. Lest they embarrass you doing the Chazz Michael Michaels dance in public.

I drew a pattern

Now to get back to something skating related. Last week I drew a pattern. I actually watched Lexie skate something and sketched it out on a piece of paper. Waltz eights has been one of those things that she hasn't worked on a whole lot. She skated it to pass Freeskate 3 a little over a year ago. And she skated it some during a few times where we had planned to have her test Pre-Pre moves finally. At this point she is planning to take the test in August. She was going to take the test in May but I had to cut back the lessons due to some unexpected financial issues. At any rate, lest anyone think shouldn't she have already learned a waltz eight. And shouldn't I actually have a real diagram somewhere for reference? Without me having to try and draw something myself? I swear patterns make absolutely no sense to me. I think I kind of have the idea behind some dance patterns like dutch waltz and cha cha but only because I've seen them skated enough that I can begin to relate to a bunch of lines on a piece of paper. But I certainly don't think I could look at a bunch of lines on a piece of paper and transfer that to ice. So for me to see something skated on the ice and think I could translate it to paper from my head is huge. I was very proud of myself - even if it wasn't a whole bunch of complicated lines.
So here is my attempt....

And guess what Lexie was correct - I did not get it exactly right. And then I found an actual diagram online.

Oh well, I'm still proud. A pattern almost made since to me. I think I'll stick to knowing my jumps and spins and let the coaches handle helping her learn the patterns. **sigh**