Ice Skating at Alau

December 16^th was Kazakhstan's Independence Day. It was 25 years since the collapse of Soviet Union when Kazakhstan gained its independence status. There were a lot of celebrations in the city but we decided that we would take the kids skating to the Ice Arena (like they don't get enough of skating every week with their figure skating lessons! :) Unfortunately, Veronika and Polina managed to get into a big trouble the night before and were grounded for the day. I left them with babushka to work on their homework and to clean our apartment to earn a trip to the movies to watch Moana that afternoon, and took the twins for a fun morning at the skating rink. Last year when I skated with them, they couldn't keep up with me. This year I couldn't keep up with them. Either I got older or they got much better (I prefer the later one!). They did make an amazing progress over the last year. They do spins and little jumps and a lot of other little tricks and were happy to show them off to me.

Twins on the speed skating rink (there are also two hockey rinks in the middle)

Enjoying themselves!

Lexa getting ready to do a jump

Sophie is doing the same

You get to see all kinds of people on the rink! Love it!

Because of Independence Day, there was a little program at the Ice Arena. Elsa from Frozen was showing tricks with bubbles and fire. They also had a little speed skating competition for kids. Sophie and Lexa wanted to participate, so I signed them up. The kids raced in pairs, and the twins ended up racing against each other. They were the fastest skaters, and of the two Sophie won because Lexa started slowing down upon seeing what she thought was the finish line but it wasn't, and Sophie just couldn't stop because I sharpened her skates half an hour earlier (their description of what happened at the finish line!). All of the participants (they only allowed 8 kids to compete) received a little gift, a stuffed toy Alau, the symbol of the Ice Arena.

Elsa making bubbles dance

And here Elsa is setting a poor kid on fire! The audience was very excited!

 Twins racing against each other.

Racers!

Winners!

Skating is fun!

Happy kid!

Satisfied!

Happy and a little tired, ready to go to the movies!

Happy New Year, everyone!!!

All in all we had a lot of fun that day, and I am so happy that the girls take after me in loving all the winter sports, especially ice skating!