Skating...

Today Jenn, Cherish, Hallie and I went skating at an outdoor rink. The way they have it set up there is a rink enclosed in boards where the "hockey" people are supposed to be so little people don't get hit by pucks or sticks. Just outside of the rink they have a little flooded area that is specifically designed for these little people who are just learning how to skate.

This was Hallie's first time on skates EVER and so, she was a little leary. Two tuff guys, well, one tuff guy (now known as Mr. Punkbrat) and his little twerpy follower (now known as Mr. "I'm with him" were playing hockey on the preschooler part and slapshoting the puck off the boards so it was bouncing all over the place. Another mom and I asked these boys to at least stay on the other half of this area so no one got hurt. Mr. "I'm with him" moved immediately while Mr. Punkbrat decided to gun us down and swear at us. Eventually other mom and I gunned him to the point that he felt uncomfortable enough to go where he was supposed to be. At this point the little brat (who is as tall as I am when he is on skates) started flipping the puck out of the rink and at Hallie and I.

I saw red and threw his puck out into the playground; if he was going to do it again he at least had to walk through a foot of snow to get his puck to do so. Much swearing and pottymouthing ensued, all directed towards me and I called him a little boy and told him that perhaps he should show a little respect or I would tune him in. He and his little goons then decided that they were going to put their sticks away for awhile so they could skate on this side and were going to trip Hallie every chance they got. They never had the chance.

One dad that was there with his children was trying to help because he really didn't want his kids to get hurt by these kids either and he had all ready been hit by Mr. Punkbrat's stick. There were several hockey dads in the "hockey" rink and not one of them would try to rein this kid...er, brat in. It got to the point that these kids were being vicious enough that I got on the phone and called Bill who came to talk to him and he ran away. It was not until then (and Bill calling one of the dads a tough guy too) that any of these "hockey" dad's decided that they should get involved.

It turns out that the one dad who then did get involved is our dear ward leader and a wonderful, wonderful (oh, insert sarcasm here) neighbor to our good friends. We had so much fun.

So here is my pet peeve (and then I will put up some pictures of Hallie skating): Do I really need to hire protection just to take my kids skating? Is that not ridiculous that we need to fear for these little kids because some parents have not taught their children enough respect? They have no respect for themselves, for others, for life...for anything....

I will go back to this skating rink and just to prove to this kid that we weren't afraid of him, we wouldn't leave until after he did (and besides that Hallie wanted to finish "practicing")...but anyway

Here are the pictures I took of Hallie. She had SO much fun aside from the "attempt on her life" .

She can't wait to go back
and didn't really want to
leave in the first place.
I have to admit, "episode" aside, I had a really good time with the girls too.