We have a bad habit of keeping the training wheels on the kid's bikes far past the point that they are truly necessary. Well, Aidan was no different in this regard.
I had noticed back during the summer that, on the straightaways at least, he really wasn't riding on them. Despite this, we continued to make excuses and put off their removal. That was until today.
As we were out enjoying the unseasonably warm temps, and with Mom out for a run, I grabbed a wrench and off they came. After a few jogs along side him up and down the side walk, away he went. And the rest is history.
As Christmas neared, and this difficult year began to draw to a close, we decided to do Christmas eve a little bit different this year. With a very gracious invitation from Nana extended, my clan, Uncle Jason, Aunt Debbie and their brood AND Grammy and Granddad all came together for a joint Christmas Eve dinner. The evening was awesome and many spirits were lifted.
Christmas day followed and continued the non-traditional trend. Not only was Christmas perched on a Sunday this year, but Mom and Abby were scheduled for nursery duty at church. So we arose early, opened some gifts, then dashed out the door to worship our Lord and Savior in both song and service.
The non-traditional theme didn't end after church. We returned home and prepped to host Christmas day dinner at our house with Grammy and Granddad in attendance. On the menu: Lasagna and Chicken Divan.
And things didn't end there. On Monday, we celebrated Christmas with Uncle Jeff and Aunt Jenn and their family. We again hosted dinner but this time served hot-dogs and hamburgers from the grill. You should've seen the faces of the guys at the gas station when I went to exchange the gas tank for the grill earlier.
As Christmas approaches, so to do the school Christmas programs.
The season began back on December 6th with the RLCA program. The evening began with a few selections by the After-School Choir featuring Amanda. The video below highlights one called Rock 'n Roll Snowman.
Following the ASC was the main production entitled Christmas Hang Ups. All of the children were dressed up as Christmas ornaments, hence Amanda wearing the bell costume in the following selection; On the First Day of Christmas.
Our second and final program this year was the GCA program featuring Aidan which took place on December 13th. Due to the length of the program, I was actually able to include basically the entire Kindergarten portion below...
Back in August, Mom, Pop-pop and I finally began a long gestating construction project. The basic idea was to provide the girls with individual cubbies for their beds by laying claim to some of the wasted attic space adjacent to the their bedroom.
Well, after months of sawing, hammering, sanding, and painting, I present you the (mostly) finished project.
This past Saturday, November 19th, as a spur of the moment thing, Mom decided to take part in the 38th annual Turkey Trot 10k in Newark.
Mom and I awoke early and headed out to Handloff Park. With a chill in the air and a frost on the grass, Mom registered on the spot and found herself amid a field of 248 runners.
When all was said and done, Mom finished the hilly course in 56.53, coming in 132nd over all and 11th in her age bracket (full results here).
Aidan has always kind'a marched to the beat of his own drum. From his frequent desire to actually go to bed to his actually liking his vegetables and eating them first, he's not your average 5 year old.
So it shouldn't have come as a surprise when, last week, he announced that he thought he was getting too old to sleep with a blanky. Slightly taken aback at this announcement, I initially just wrote it off as just a passing thought he had had, and continued to leave the blanket in bed with him. That was, until last night.
As we were putting him down to bed last night he announced to Mom that he was done with it. Her initial reaction was similar to mine, so rather than completely remove it from his bed, she set it off to the side, within arm's reach, turned off the light and closed the door.
A few moments later, we heard him call out from his room. I opened the door and found him holding out the blanket. He was done. And that was that. They grow up so fast.
Hot on the heels of Halloween, Amanda got to play dress-up again. Only this time, her effort wasn't for the sake of sugary confections but was instead for a grade. As part of a biography project for school, Amanda was required to give an oral presentation while dressed as the subject of her report.
Amanda had chosen Molly Pitcher. Molly, whose real name was Mary Ludwig Hays, was an American Revolutionary War hero who was credited with providing water to soldiers of the Continental Army as they would pass by her home. History also tells how, when her husband was overcome with heat exhaustion at the Battle of Monmouth, Molly took over for him by swabbing and loading the canon for the rest of the day.
This past Saturday, we put another GRPC Soccer season in the history books. Aidan and Amanda both had really good years.
Aidan was a force to be reckoned with, scoring multiple times almost every game. He also had some natural defender skills bubbling to the surface as we would see him frequently dart around the opposition to protect the goal.
Amanda spent a lot of the season playing midfielder. While she would have liked some variety, she did play the position well and had a good time on the field with some good friends.
Ha! Do you see what I did there? Déjà Boo? Instead of...you know...(sigh) Yeah, I know, Mom didn't think it funny either.
Anyway, Halloween this year was a bit of a muted experience. Not that we go gonzo over Halloween normally, but this year was even more sedated, what with the kid's sports schedules, homework, and other family goings ons. But we did carve out a small window to take the kids out around the neighborhood.
The déjà boo part (I still think that's funny) is that, you may recognize some of the costumes. Alex went as a hobo. I know, try to hide your surprise. Abby, having just come from practice, went as a field hockey player. Amanda, being the most original this year, borrowed an outfit from a neighbor and went as a nurse. And Aidan went as a kangaroo.
All that's left to do now is police the consumption of the plunder.
On Saturday, October 29th, a day that brought us our first snow fall of the season, Alex headed out to his first Homecoming dance.
With one of his close friends having won a limo ride from the school, their well dressed crew converged at said friend's house down-state to make the most of the ride.
The theme for the dance was Forever Young...A Night in Neverland so the school gym was given a fairy tale make-over. Not having been in attendance myself, and Alex being a teenage boy, details remain a bit light at this point:
Me: How was the limo ride?
Alex: Awesome.
Me: How was dinner?
Alex: Good.
Me: Did you dance?
Alex: Yes.
On Sunday, October 23rd, our crew headed over to Rockford park to support a classmate of Alex's who has Juvenile Diabetes by walking in the annual JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes. The event attracts several thousand participants from all over the country and plays like a carnival, replete with live music and dancing, moon bounces, stilt walkers, games, food, and more.
After the walk, with (nearly) 5k under our belts, we headed over to the host family's home for lunch and what works out to quite possibly be the highlight of the day: A free-for-all soccer game involving all the kids. Honestly, I think this part of the day is as much fun for the adults watching as it is for the kids playing.
In the end, the team raised over $6k and we got to spend a beautiful day with some great friends.
This past Thursday, Abigail and the RLCA Middle-School Field Hockey team faced off at home against Ursuline.
Despite the cold and the wind, the Lady Lions took an early lead. After only 3 minutes, Red Lion scored first putting them up 1-0. Their next goal followed about 5 minutes later making it 2-0. By the time the half rolled around, the score was 3-1 and Abby had chalked up an assist.
I finally arrived about 20 minutes into the second half and found Abby and the girls doing battle right at the goal. Next thing I knew, Abby pushed it in. The girls were now up 4-2. Despite a strong effort from Ursuline, the Lions held that position through the end of the game for the win.
This game marks the girl's first win and Abby's second goal. Congratulations, Ladies.
In many ways, a child's early development mirrors their primary source of exposure: Their parents. For example, while Mom and I spoke with Aidan last night regarding how he was feeling (his stomach had been hurting earlier), he stood there with his hands in his pockets in a stance that mimicked the way I myself frequently stand.
But as kids age, their own personality begins to break through. Case in point: Alex, of his own accord, and quite unlike his parents, pursued the office of Treasurer for his class government.
After the votes were tallied the first time, Alex found himself tied with his competitor. The tie forced a re-vote which resulted in Alex coming out on top.
Congratulations, Alex: Class Treasurer. Mom and I are both very proud of you.
This past Saturday, immediately after Amanda and Aidan's soccer games at church, our clan met with the family of one of Alex's close friends and headed out to the Cherry Crest Adventure Farm near Lancaster, PA.
Cherry Crest is a vast wonderland of farm-themed activities: A petting zoo, pedal tractors, the 'hay chute' slide, and much, much more. We spent several hours petting the sheep, playing volley ball with a giant inflatable corn ball, and coloring hobos with dry erase markers (?).
All of this was but a prelude to the main attraction: The Amazing Maize Maze - a 5 acre corn maze at the center of the farm. The maze is incredibly elaborate and original each year. This year's theme: "Once Upon A Time...A Corny Tale". To try and complete the maze and finish the quests hidden within can take up to 2 hours.
When all was said and done, we had a great day with some great friends and look forward to tackling next year's maze.
There are times, in every family I'm sure, when diet is dictated by circumstances rather than health value. The past few days fell into this category.
Between soccer and field hockey games, sports practices, doctor's appointments, youth group and whatever else I've since forgotten, we went from Sloppy Joes and frozen pierogis on Thursday night to hot dogs and mac & cheese on Friday.
As Mom is placing the meal on the table she says, "I'm sorry dinner is so..." and she pauses, searching for the right words.
Aidan decides to interject his own opinion at this point: "Yummy?"
On Tuesday, Abby and the Red Lion Middle School Field Hockey team faced off against St Anne's Episcopal School.
During the second half of the game, Abby took the corner. She put the ball in play then rushed back onto the field behind her drive. The receiver passed to another player who was blocked by the opposition. Abby dove for the ball and scooped it into the goal. Score!
Not only was this her first game-time goal ever but was also the first for the team this season. Awesome! Congratulations, Ab.
Yesterday, September 26th, Alex and Mom (and Aidan) took part in the rescheduled 3rd Annual Glasgow Fiasco 5k Run/Walk at Glasgow Park.
The event kicked off with the Kiddie K which Aidan spontaneously took part. Little guy came home with a medal for his participation which he was very excited about.
After the Kiddie K, the main event kicked off. Alex and Mom started off in the back of pack of 71 participants. After running the whole thing, never breaking to walk, they completed it in 29:40 (37th overall) and 29:53 (38th overall) respectively. Mom even brought home a plaque, coming in second in her division.
It should be noted, this is Alex's first official run ever. And as for Mom, this run took place only 9 days after her 2nd and last surgery.
Sunshine only creates only desert. Dr. Charles F. Betters - Senior Pastor, Glasgow Church
Things have been a bit rough in the Tokarski household as of late.
To begin with, 6 weeks ago, Mom was diagnosed with a small breast cancer. Since the diagnosis, she has undergone 2 surgeries, the second of which was just this past Friday the 17th, and should soon be starting 6-7 weeks of radiation. On the bright side, she caught it early and the Doctors keep echoing that she will be cured.
As if this hasn't been enough to contend with, the health issues haven't been isolated to our household. On the date of Mom's first surgery, Grandad went into the hospital having difficulty breathing. He was released 4 days later. Two weeks after that, Mommom Granny was taken into the hospital, having suffered a stroke. She has since had surgery for a blood clot and to have a pacemaker put in.
On top of all of this, last Sunday, when we got home from church, Amanda went to the basement to fetch some food from the pantry and found water all over the floor. We spent the whole day cleaning up the mess as well as trying to diagnose exactly where the water came from.
Oh, and Amanda came home from a birthday party last night...and promptly threw up in the drive way.
Thanks to everyone who has helped out, offered to help out, or been praying for us. The calls, emails, visits, meals, etc all mean more than you know.
If you will recall, last July we had a bit of an ordeal with a bird nest in the back yard. Well, thanks to my work of strapping that nest down, it continues to reside in the Redbud adjacent to our deck.
Said nest was vacant until just a couple of weeks ago when an apparently expectant Mourning Dove moved in. Mama promptly remodeled the place to her liking and laid a clutch of two eggs. Those eggs have since hatched and we now have two wee babes staring back at us every time we take Sadie out.
I had a song stuck in my head last night (thanks Top 40 radio) and really wanted to hear it (lemming that I am). So I logged into Napster, found it, set it to play, and walked away from the computer.
Aidan likes to sit at the computer and try to read things. So with Napster still on the screen:
Aidan: "What's the 'boo' button?"
Me: "The what?"
Aidan: "What's the 'boo' button? Is it for when you don't like a song?"
Now, his logic was perfectly sound. And quite astute for a 5 year old. In this age of digital social networking, a 'boo' button would logically be for when you didn't like something. But I don't ever recall seeing a 'boo' button on Napster.
So I wander over to the screen and he points...to the "Bio" tab.
This past Thursday, August the 25th, was all of the kids first day of school. As always, the day was filled with much rejoicing. Ha! No, not really. But at least I'm not the only one getting up at the crack of dawn any longer.
Normally, this would be the end of this post. However, this year, things didn't go exactly according to plan. This because of an unwelcome guest named Irene.
As the concern mounted over her arrival, our local government officials took the cautious route and declared a state of emergency early to help the state prepare. This decision lead to the cancellation of what was to be only the second day of school on Friday.
The rains began Saturday afternoon as we made final preparations around the house: moving trash bins into the garage, tying down deck furniture, and gassing up the generator. At this point, the eye of the storm was still far south of us; just making landfall in North Carolina.
The wind and the rain increased steadily through the course of the day. During this time, Alex kept a weary eye on the radar providing us regular updates, Mom made cookies, and I worked to finish the girl's bedroom (more on that soon).
Around 8:30 PM, as I was showering the drywall dust off myself, the power went out. Shrouded in darkness, I raced to rinse and dry, then dashed downstairs to fire up the generator. My haste was due to the fact that the sump had already started running regularly and we had 12 more hours of storm to weather. I didn't want to lose my 90% finished basement before I had a chance to finish finishing it.
Surprisingly, around 9:30 PM, the power came back on. Thank you, Delmarva Power.
This was about the same time that the tornado warnings began rolling in. Emergency broadcasts on WSTW and text messages from WDEL first warned of a twister on the ground in Lewis. Then one west of Dover. When warnings for New Castle county finally came in, specifically for Wilmington and Stanton, I took up sentinel duty, watching the skies for anything swirly.
About 10 PM, after the kids were already bedded down, lightening flashed and the trees and the rain suddenly blew horizontally. I called to Julie to grab the kids. We ran upstairs, woke some and carried others, dragged the dog by the collar, and ran to the basement.
Conditions eased after 10-15 minutes. But with the uncertainty of how many more warnings could be issued and not wanting to keep the kids up all night, running up and down the stairs, we ultimately decided to setup camp and leave them there for the duration.
After that, around midnight, Julie laid down on the couch and tried to get some shut eye. As for myself, I headed into the living room with the intention of staying awake in-case we needed to fall back to the generator in a hurry. I passed the time reading The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, playing Angry Birds and WordzUp, and checking the radar and Facebook.
The eye passed us between 2-3 AM. The sun came up around 6 AM. The rains ceased. And I went to bed finally.
By God's grace, we took no damage to the house. In fact, the whole neighborhood fared very well with only one tree that fell and that was on Sunday morning from the winds on the back side of the storm.
And despite the dodged bullet, the kids were off of school on Monday, too.
To celebrate Amanda's entry into the world of double-digit's, we followed up an earlier family get-together with a friend birthday party this past Friday.
The party kicked off at Blue Hen lanes and was followed up back at the house with a pizza dinner, presents, games and cupcakes.
Check the pics below. And, Happy Birthday, Amanda.
As I was putting dishes away this afternoon, I noticed that the glasses in the cabinet were rattling. Thinking a train was passing by, I opened the back door to confirm. But alas, no train.
While on the deck, I noticed that everything was swaying. But there was no breeze. Then it hit me. I poked my head back in the house, "Guys! We're having an earthquake!" Everyone was immediately up on their feet, unsure of exactly how to react.
It was at about that time that the shaking got the strongest. The house creaked like on a windy day.
Then, just like that, it was over.
It also just so happens that today, Alex got a Facebook account.
Today, Grammy was out and about with Abby, Amanda, and Aidan. As they made their way down Kirkwood Highway, Grammy spotted something small and furry in the middle of the road. With no other cars nearby, she slowed the van and drove over top of it, straddling it with her tires.
Once the van was just past it, Grammy stopped in the middle of the road, lit the hazard lights, and got out to investigate. Sure enough, it was a very young kitten. And it was mostly unhurt but for a small patch of missing fur on her hind leg. She immediately scooped it up and quickly got back in the van.
Once home, it became apparent just how young the wee babe is. This little one should still be nursing. But now, separated from its mother, Grammy has had to take on the role. But its a role she happily accepts.
After over 4 years of steady blogging and untold numbers of blog posts about beach trips, its getting harder to not just copy and paste the text from one post to the next.
So rather than sound like a broken record, let me summarize: We spent July 4th week at the Delaware shore. Spent a lot of time at Tower's Beach. Met up with an old High School friend. Played some miniature golf. Rode bikes.
And beyond that, I'll let the pictures do the talking...
I think most every kid at one time or another has dreamed of making their own cartoon or stop-motion movie. I know for myself, growing up with the likes of Rudolf and Frosty Christmas specials on TV, I tried to figure out how I could use my parent's old Super8 camera to make some kind of movie.
Fortunately for the kids growing up in this technological age, accomplishing this feat has become much more of a feasibility. Between the proliferation of digital cameras and free, easy to use video editing software, making your own movie is now just a matter of patience and vision.
So with all that in mind, I present Alex's very first attempt at a stop-motion movie.
Please note; I hadn't finished adding sound effects before Alex moved on to filming his 2nd version, so at this point, we're chalking this up as an unfinished experiment.
On Saturday, June 4th, the GRPC Inferno soccer team, along with Alex, headed to the DYSA 2011 Inter-club playoffs being held at Kirkwood Soccer Club on Rt 9. They entered the tournament seeded 3rd with a season record of 6-0-1.
The first game found our team pitted against the KSC (Kirkwood Soccer Club) Ohio team. After a good showdown, our team prevailed 2-1 and progressed to the championship game.
Our boys and girls broke for lunch and some rest, then took to the field, this time battling against the HSC (Hockessin Soccer Club) Phantoms. This time, the Inferno found themselves in unfamiliar territory, largely playing defense. Despite this, the first half of the game passed by scoreless.
After a bit of encouragement from Coach Kevin, the Inferno came out of half-time swinging. About 10 minutes into the 2nd half, the Inferno were the first score. Now they just needed to hold on to it.
With about 2 minutes left in the game, and victory seemingly in sight, things seemed to go awry. The Phantom's scored. The wind seemed to leave our sails as the Phantom's and their family and friends erupted into celebration.
But their celebration was short lived. The referee called the Phantom's off-sides and took back the goal. We were up 1-0 again with mere minutes on the clock. Surely feeling robbed, the Phantom's fought harder then ever.
In the end, they were unable to catch up. The win and the championship went to the Inferno. Congratulations, Team!
What follows is this year's highlight reel I assembled as a memento for the team...
Winning comes in many forms. So many in fact that sometimes we win things that we don't want. Like Aidan today.
Aidan was coming down the stairs after a bath this afternoon. Just like me when I was little, he's taken to jumping down the stairs. Usually from about the 3rd step up. Unlike me, this time he failed to stick the landing.
Head, meet banister.
After a quick trip to the local Medical Aid unit, our little man is now the first of the four with stitches. Three, in fact.
As the school year at RLCA wound down, we found ourselves awash in various awards ceremonies for the kids.
Without listing everything out here, I just wanted to highlight that all three kids, Alex, Abigail and Amanda, were awarded the Principal's Award. This award is bestowed on students who achieved Honor Roll in all 4 marking periods. Congratulations, you three.
The below slideshow displays most, if not all, of their accolades.
Something else I wanted to highlight was some examples of the art that Alex and Abigail were awarded for. Neat stuff.
On Thursday, May 19th, in a ceremony held in the sanctuary at RLCA, Alex was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society along with 29 other students.
Membership in the NJHS goes beyond just having good grades. The society is looking for specific qualities in its inductees: Service, Leadership, Character, and Citizenship.
Congratulations, Alex, on this outstanding achievement. Mom and I are both exceedingly proud of you.
On Friday, May 13th, RLCA presented the 2011 Spring Band concert for the Elementary and Middle schools.
The night kicked off with the Elementary Band, with Amanda on clarinet, presenting a few choice selections. The video below is from a song titled At the River.
After the Elementary band wrapped their portion of the night, the Middle School band took over the stage. With Abigail on clarinet and Alex on percussion, we were treated to a piece titled Junkyard Jam that featured some unconventional instruments.
On Tuesday, May 3rd, RLCA presented the 2011 Elementary Spring program. This year the show was entitled Under God's Sea in 3D. As always, before the show, the After-School Choir got to strut their stuff.
In clip featured below, the choir performs the song titled Live Out Loud that was originally written and recorded by Steven Curtis Chapman. Amanda had the privilege to be one of the first soloists.
My children do amaze me sometimes. Just when you think you know them, your eldest writes a phenomenal piece of historical fiction for his English class. Here's an excerpt.
It started like most other Tuesdays. I woke up, brushed my teeth,got dressed, and ate my breakfast. The only unusual thing about that day was that I was skipping school to go with Dad to Marsh and McClennan USA, where he worked in Tower 1 of the World Trade Center. They hadn’t had a “Bring your Child to Work Day” in a long time, so I was naturally excited to go. We hopped into his brand new 2002 Honda Accord and sped down the Long Island Expressway under the cloudless sunrise. This is how that September 11, 2001, changed my then nine-year-old life for me, Michael Croft, forever.
Click here if you would like to read the rest of the story.
Runners have this unique way of encouraging one another. They say things like, "Oh, if you can run a 5k you can definitely run a 10k," and, "Oh, if you can run a 10k you can definitely run a half-marathon," and so on and so forth.
Mom found herself among a field of 925 (registered) runners running in the half (with another 715 running the full marathon). The course started at Tubman Garrett Park on the Wilmington Riverfront and snaked around the city hitting Bancroft Parkway, Wawaset Park, Union Street and Little Italy.
In the end, Mom finished 419th overall and 31st (out of 63) in her age group. She completed the course in 2:17, having run the entire time (complete results here). Truly amazing! Way to go, Mom!
No, the Tokarski family has not fallen off the face of the Earth, been abducted by aliens, or gone off the grid and adopted a luddite lifestyle. We're still here and still kick'n. And now we're back and ready to once again preserve our lives amongst the cloud for posterity.
So, here's some of what you missed:
For starters, a whole slew of birthdays have passed. In January, Aidan turned 5. Then in February, Abigail turned 12 while Mom turned...another year older. Finally, in April, Alex turned 14.
Back in February, Alex and his friend Zach turned in their project for National History Day. The over-arching theme this year was Debate & Diplomacy: Successes, Failures, Consequences. The boys had to choose a subject that fit that theme: They chose the 1979-81 Iranian Hostage Crisis. Weighty stuff, indeed.
To make a long story short (a tale fraught with iPod videos, hobos, toaster-ovens, and "THE SHAH!"), the boys took first place at the school level. Congrats, guys. They then went on to compete at the state level on April 9th at the DelTech Stanton campus. Here, despite a valiant effort, they failed to place. Better luck next time, fellas.
And in sports, Alex and Abby are both on the tail-end of their spring soccer seasons; Alex for his second and final season with the
U14 GRPC Inferno and Abby with her first season for the RLCA Middle-School Girl's Soccer. Both have played extremely well. We couldn't be prouder.
There has been a lot of other happenings but at this point, lets look to the future.
Note: This post disappeared for several days due to a problem with Blogger. The above version is a rewrite that I did from memory.
Yesterday, September 26th, Alex and Mom (and Aidan) took part in the rescheduled 3rd Annual Glasgow Fiasco 5k Run/Walk at Glasgow Park.
Alex - "Chuck Norris can blow bubbles with beef jerky."
Normally, this would be the end of this post. However, this year, things didn't go exactly according to plan. This because of an unwelcome guest named Irene.
As the concern mounted over her arrival, our local government officials took the cautious route and declared a state of emergency early to help the state prepare. This decision lead to the cancellation of what was to be only the second day of school on Friday.
It started like most other Tuesdays. I woke up, brushed my teeth, got dressed, and ate my breakfast. The only unusual thing about that day was that I was skipping school to go with Dad to Marsh and McClennan USA, where he worked in Tower 1 of the World Trade Center. They hadn’t had a “Bring your Child to Work Day” in a long time, so I was naturally excited to go. We hopped into his brand new 2002 Honda Accord and sped down the Long Island Expressway under the cloudless sunrise. This is how that September 11, 2001, changed my then nine-year-old life for me, Michael Croft, forever.
After it being loose since April, Aidan lost his first tooth today.
Runners have this unique way of encouraging one another. They say things like, "Oh, if you can run a 5k you can definitely run a 10k," and, "Oh, if you can run a 10k you can definitely run a half-marathon," and so on and so forth.
So, here's some of what you missed:
Back in February, Alex and his friend Zach turned in their project for National History Day. The over-arching theme this year was Debate & Diplomacy: Successes, Failures, Consequences. The boys had to choose a subject that fit that theme: They chose the 1979-81 Iranian Hostage Crisis. Weighty stuff, indeed.
And in sports, Alex and Abby are both on the tail-end of their spring soccer seasons; Alex for his second and final season with the 
This evening, the girls treated us to a sock skating show, replete with costumes and wigs.
