Indoor Tobaganning Disaster

Right when I got back from Christmas break, I got to have a sleep over with my faves!!! It was so great to see them for more than a couple of hours. We got to see each other lots and did tons of fun things together. First, we met up and headed downtown to go ice skating. We had gone once before when they were in like 5th or 6th grade and so we figured we were due for a do-over. The first time we went, it was a new experience for several of the girls, quite hilarious. Even though they have a little more experience now, it was still quite humorous.
I would take them individually by the hand and skate around as fast as I could and they would freak out. It was pretty funny and thankfully no one fell and we didn't run into anyone while we did that. Now, for the rest of the time...as you can see there were a few falls, but nothing that would cause for serious injury, thankfully. We also all skated in a line and we would have to break apart to avoid running over the fallen skaters. You know, when you go to Rosa parks and it only costs a dollar total to skate and rent skates, let's just say you don't encounter the most experienced skaters.

After the ice skating episode, we took a family photo by the giant christmas tree. It just so happened that Andrew, Emma's brother, was walking by at the exact moment, so we didn't have to ask a stranger to take the awkward family photo. That's always a little strange. Look, don't we smile pretty???? In this particular photo, the correct answer is no, haha.

Then we headed to Biggby to get a warm up before we went and got our nails done...a new experience for some. I have pictures of that, but they are less than thrilling because we're just sitting there either sticking out our hands or feet. But, since several of us are doing pointe, we were like, "Uh NO! Please don't scrape off the callouses, I actually want them and need them. I know it's weird, just please leave them there!!!!" Oh, well, actually my sister said I needed to post a picture of my toenails because "it's something I would do" so I guess I'll do that. I apologized to the lady who did mine for them being so ugly, but she didn't mind...except I'm sure she said something to her co-workers that I couldn't understand. So yes, this is what they look like from pointe and in case you're wondering, they do hurt.


From there we went to our final destination, the Carlson's where we would spend the night...after getting chinese food and heading to walgreens while we waited for chinese where Jessica got her groove on going through the aisles. Jessica had brought a mummy sleeping bag...I think she was the only one out of all of us to bring a sleeping bag. And somehow we had the brilliant idea to go tobaganning down the staircase. It started out great where Pants was inside the sleeping bag and Emma, in her sleeper, dragged behind. Then we did it with Pants on the outside, but she was wearing shorts and didn't slide and just got a rug burn so she let go. Then I made a tunnel for Emma to go under. Then, it happened. Both Aubrye and Emma went inside the sleeping bag together. They sat down and pushed off. They got going so fast that they one of their feet went through the wall!!!!!!!! Thankfully, Mrs Carlson was very cool about it and just laughed and said it wasn't the first time it had happened. It really was so funny and the girls couldn't stop laughing when they were trying to tell her what happened. I have it on video and I'll try and upload it, but here's a picture in case it doesn't work. It is on my facebook. 
We just spent the rest of the evening enjoying each others' company. We played some dance game, did the traditional grape monkey face, exchanged gifts, watched movies...and I slept. There was a funny joke during the gift giving part because I got them a mug with pictures from the summer on it and last year I did a calendar. So I took a picture of them with their gifts and they were like "Oh, this has to be a good one because who knows when it will show up again. You never know what gift it might appear on and you don't want it to come back and bite you".
But, really, I don't always get them picture presents. But, they said they liked getting them. We'll see what next year turns out as. I had such a good time with them though. I really love them a lot and miss them tons when I'm here. It's hard that they're all in high school and doing various things and I'm not there to be at their dance or see their recitals or be at church with them. But it's cool cause we get to talk on the phone and text and facebook and we have a super fun time when we do get to see each other. I heard they are planning a trip to Issimippi and I have a sneaky suspicion that might be somewhere close to Mississippi!!!!!!!!