It's Freezing Outside!!

Well, it's been below freezing here since I returned from Ohio. When the canals and ponds freeze here in Holland, something really special happens... everyone dusts off their skates and glides across the ice. Evidently, the canals haven't been frozen enough to do this in years, so I feel lucky to have been able to see this. I didn't have skates, so Karyn and I ventured out to a sporting goods store where I had two options - 1. Buy really expensive "speed skates" with a super long blade on them or 2. buy some less expensive "strap on skates" that I could simply put on over my shoes. I opted for the strap on skates, figuring that this would probably be the only time I would wear them. Probably a bad choice. What I had forgotten was that skates that lace up all the way kind of support your ankles so you can push off... not so much with the strap on skates. Karyn and I made one loop around a frozen moat that once surrounded a fort, and then I opted out. My ankles were killing me! But, I was really happy to get out and experience this wonderful Dutch tradition. Here are some funny things I saw out on the ice:

* A young couple pushed their baby stroller out on the ice, and they were pushing their stroller and walking around the moat.
* Parents teach their kids by having them push a chair around the ice... so lots of little kids with chairs
* Two older men skating on a tiny patch of ice in a not-so-frozen part of the canal near my house (Yikes! Three Dutchies have already died this year by falling into frozen water - let's use our noggin's!)

All in, all, a lot of fun, and nice to get out of the house in this freezing weather!


Dutch ice skating on the frozen moat in Alcoude


Karyn, the pro skater, making her way around the ice


Buds... note the strap on skates are not on my feet, but in my hands! I really did not like them!

The skates... purchased today, will be posting on a community "for sale" site today

How quintessentially Dutch... a windmill with ice skaters... we came upon this during our drive home.

I really dislike being cold, so if I don't have something really important to do outside (like skate :)), I try to stay warm. For Christmas, my parents got me something I've been wanting for a while - a complete cake decorating set. Saturday, I baked a new recipe for yellow cake (this was the first cake I have EVER made from scratch), and then today, I got out all my new tools and did a little experimenting. Some turned out better than others, but I think there is potential there. ;) I had a lot of fun, and am looking forward to bringing them in to share with my team tomorrow.

Random cupcake decorations... just trying out all my new tips

Gift packaging