What we've been upto lately...

This was reproduced with kind permission
from TFM Radio

This was reproduced with kind permission
from TFM Radio

Finally after 2 years and an £18.5million refurbishment one of our local leisure centres re-opened their doors to the public on Friday 3rd June 2011 at 9am. With sponsorship from one of the local radio stations TFM Radio we now have an ice-rink back again, along with swimming pools and gyms etc (further details can be seen here). The kids, me and their dad went along to the grand opening and the pictures above were taken by the station of us queuing to get in (Becca got tired so sat on the floor while Stevie got a carry cos he was tired). The weather was absolutely glorious while we were waiting and it was an absolute brilliant way to spend one of the last days of the half-term school holiday.

We decided to go to the first session of the ice-skating and we all had a whale of a time. It felt great to be back on the ice again as I remember going when I was a teenager and while I was courting the kids dad. Our James hadn't lost his skating skill nor did I or Dad, Becca was a bit hesitant to begin with but not surprising as she is still a learner on her in-line street skates. James was off like a whippet skating round and "lapping" everyone. Stevie kind of skated but it was more walk then skate lol but then again he was only a toddler the last time we took him. Dad skated round with Stevie while I worked 1:1 with Becca who insisted she couldn't skate lol ;) Towards the end of the session she was actually skating round without hanging on for dear life to the side of the rink. She'd just got the hang of it and had skated twice round without stopping or hanging on when she went a cropper and landed on the ice (had to be on her poorly knee that had a scab on it), got her patched up and then we came home after she'd skated round with the presenters from the radio station's breakfast show. As she had a splint on for her broken hand she got the presenters to sign it lol they were brilliant with her. Here's a couple of pictures I managed to take while we were skating :-

Becca hanging on for dear life lol ;)

Our Stevie with Dad and James behind him
(there's his gorgeous camera smile again lol)

Look mum I can skate (well sort of lol)

Would have posted this sooner but I was awaiting permission to use the photos at the top of the blog, these were given permission to be used only this morning.