Journey of a Hockey Player

Okay, so were not hockey players yet, but we're gonna be.

Tuesday night we went to Centennial Lakes in Edina. It was a little chilly but nothing we couldn't handle (2 degrees). The ice there kinda sucks. They don't actually go over the ice with a zamboni they just spray water on top to smooth it. Being a lake there are a lot of cracks because of shifting and they don't allow hockey sticks. We took this photo there. I love it how you can see our breath! Notice the heart it makes? That's all natural, no photoshop here!

I should also mention that I kinda suck at skating on hockey skates. I spent my whole life on Figure Skates which have toe picks and more blade. So I am constantly trying to push off the front of my skate and lean on the back. It truly is a miracle that I have not fallen yet. *knock* on wood.

Wednesday night we went to Gene C. Kelly playfield at 104th & Nicollet in Bloomington. This was fantastic! The weather was perfect! It was cool enough (12 degrees) to keep us from getting too warm but not so cold that we were freezing! They had both a hockey rink and a general skating area. The ice was nice a smooth and we only had to share it with one other family, who were really nice.

This was my first time skating with a hockey stick. I was amazed by how much it helped with my balance. We also played with a few pucks. I am surprised by how hard it is to shoot. Balance is key in this and I just never saw that coming. I have definitely learned most of my hockey skills from The Might Ducks and Miracle. So I of course had to attempt the Knuckle Puck - which is SO much harder to do in reality! Ever tried to flip a puck on its side like that? It doesn't work so well.

I'm learning a lot about my body through this adventure. Mostly in conjunction with balance. I'm trying not to think about the skating and balancing so much and just let it happen. Patrick and I are having a lot of fun! Today we're trying out the rink at Oak Grove Middle/Elementary School.