Ice skating

Here is what I have learned this year.. Don't take a 5 year old ice skating if the rink doesn't have one of these walker thingys!  Even if they do have one of these walker thingys, make sure you do lots of back stretches first.  This picture was taken up in Park City at their outdoor rink last February.  Paige thought it was so fun.  I stood behind and pushed her, while she enjoyed the free ride.  After an hour, I was stuck in a Hutchback of Notre Dame pose.  It was great bonding and fabulous weather.
Well, that experience made Paige think that she was heading to the Olympics.  She kept begging and begging to go again, so I took her and her two siblings to the Murray indoor rink.  BIG FAT MISTAKE!  First of all, this rink does not have those cool walker thingys.  I had to hold Paige the entire time. (OUCH!) Second, her sister and brother had never been ice skating, so 3 kids+1 adult= CARAZZY MOMMA!  The oldest child was so uncoordinated on skates that he was in tears out of embarrassment. The second child was in tears because I wasn't watching her amazing skills of holding on to the wall AND moving.  The third child was in tears because she thought she was a pro since this was her second time in a rink, and could NOT figure out why she kept falling.  After an hour, mom said ENOUGH..but that is the exact second that child #1 and child #2 finally got the hang of it, and didn't want to go.  So THE HUTCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME returned to the ice, hunched over Paige  and carried her for another 2 hours! 
I don't know what the heck I was thinking when I decided to try ice skating with 3 kids.  I must have had some delusional moment when I thought they may actually be handing out Mother of the Year awards.  I must have had a vision of me receiving accolades and maybe even a cool tiara when they (the Mother of the Year award show hosts) saw how amazing I was.  But, alas, there is no such show or hosts.  Instead, I got sympathetic looks from other mothers that said, " ha ha, been there done that!"  Well I have one word to say to those people..WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN ME??
So, this is my warning to you..
You will not receive an award for taking 3 kids ice skaing by yourself. 
You will have back pain for 3 days after ice skating.. and that is even if you don't fall. 
Your kids will love you for taking them.  It is this last item that will probably make this insane mother take them ice skating again in the very near future.  What a weirdo I am :)