Axels, Roller Skating

Today I went to the rink and I landed 1or 2 axels - it was an okay amount, but my friend Felicity can land 8 or 10 a day.  Not to worry.  I will post video of me doing my best at axels tomorrow.  

I did a layback spin with my foot really really close to my other foot today. It was scary!  I felt like I was about to fall over I was leaning back so far. I'm headed back to the rink early tomorrow morning to go for it again.  

In other news... my Mom is my beehive leader (young women's leader at church) and thanks to her, we get to go skating as an activity for our group!  Weeeee!

Yesterday, I went roller skating with that same church group.  I kept falling, even though it is similar to ice skating, you can't turn on a dime and the only way anyone could stop was to fall down. Weird, right?  Plus, the music was so loud it was vibrating the ground.  Can't wait to get back on solid ice. :)

Yeah-Yesss!

Hi Everyone.  I passed my test!  Next stop: pre-pre free style test for jumps and spins. Diane won't let me take that test until I have an axel ready for competition.  That's gonna take some time, but I am totally excited about it.      Big thanks to my friends at the Lloyd Center Ice Arena for their help and encouragement.
Thank you Diane, for helping me be the best skater I can be.
Now, time to stretch. And get my little sister to give me enough room in the living room to practice jumping.

New Boots!

It has been many days since I have blogged, but for good reason.  I have been practicing for my pre-pre test and getting up a 5am every morning to go to the Lloyd Center and Mountain View Ice Arena to learn from Diana.  It has been a lot of work, but I am happy with the results.  The days have been long, too.
My poor dad has only been getting like 4 hours of sleep every night because he has coworkers in China and he gets up early to take me to the rink.  My mom has been a huge help, too. She went with me today to get my new boots and blades!  The boots are baked on so they are an exact fit.  They were really hot when they came out of the oven, but when they cooled down they felt really nice.  They're very tight in the heal so that I can skate better and do jumps better.  What a difference!
Of course, I won't wear them until after I am done with my test. They will take some getting used to.
Look for videos later this week of me doing spins (including sit-spin!) and generally having an awesome time on the ice.  Oh, and my old program will be reworked, too.

At Home & Giveaway!!

Today I wasn't able to go the rink because my Mom threw out her back and it was really hard for her to move at all.  (Mom is a little better, moving around now, but what a pain for her!  I'm sorry Mom!)  So, I did a bunch of off-ice exercises to fill in the time.  Mostly, I focused on jump-arounds and pilates exercises.
I'm thinking of cutting my hair (sort of).  Well, it would be easier to manage - put it up, keep it out of my face, stop whipping people who stand next to me when I turn my head.  :)
In other news...I am happy to announce that I will be doing our first giveaway!
Anyone who knows Lovejoy Bakers in Portland, OR knows how awesome their breads and other baked goods are.  They even have sandwiches and other nice things to eat for lunch & dinner. They are one of my favorite places to eat in Portland!  From now until Friday August 12th at noon Pacific Time, any new followers of my blog will be entered to win a $20 gift certificate to Lovejoy Bakers!  As always, donations are also always welcome.  Join my team, donate today!  Thanks for your support. Every bit helps.

All the best,
Bonnie

It hurts to smile :|

I mentioned earlier that I had some bad mosquito bites. Now you know what I mean.  Please tell me no jokes.  My cheeks just can't hack it right now.  Kthxbai.

Long, long day

So here is the deal friends: it has been a super long day. I'm beginning to think that the mosquito bites on my face and foot were actually spider bites. Yuck! they are weeping a little bit, but they're starting to get better.  Diane gave me something like peppermint oil (?) to help draw the poison out, or whatever it is that makes them itch, etc. It's working.  Thank you, Diane! Too much information?  My daddy says what everyone really wants is to read about what's going on day to day. So now you know. :)
I'm working on edges and footwork, getting ready for testing.  I'm also working on spins and jumps, but most of the time is all spent on edges right now.  First things first. Time for sleep.

All my best,

Bonnie

Axels, Axels, Axels!

Today, during practice, I landed a ton of axels, more than my mom could count.  I even over-rotated on one of them.  In case you're wondering, an axel is when I spin one and a half times in the air and land backwards.
Mosquito bites are bugging me big-time now.  On my right foot and on my cheek, of all places.  It itches like crazy, but my dad keeps telling me not to mess with them.
It's time for a late snack: saltines and ice water.  Mid-afternoon snack of champions.
Daddy tells me we will have a raffle/giveaway coming soon.  Look for more info right here in the next week or so.

All the best,

Bonnie