When I was a kid, my mom taught aerobics at our church's Christian Life Center. She had it goin' on in her leotards and tights, (very) big hair, and full makeup. Melissa and I tagged along with her in the summer and spent many an hour roller-skating in the gym while she taught her classes. We had it goin' on in our tight-rolled jeans, our layered socks, big hair bows, and huge skates. And of course, we had mad skillz on the gym floor. We came by it honestly because in their preteen years, my dad and his sister Nalda competed locally as couples roller skaters. Is that not the greatest thing you've heard all day? I remember one year at church when my dad won a speed-skating competition. Melissa and I were so proud! At that point we had no idea the past our father had on skates. It was not revealed to us until we were mature enough to handle it.
One time when I was about 7 years old, I went to the roller rink with my bff and her mom. While we were there, I ran into a boy from school who had a crush on me. In fact, I think he was the first boy who ever liked me. He used to sing "Uptown Girl" to me on the playground. We were classmates until we graduated from high school and we had many laughs about that through the years. Anyway, that day at the roller rink I guess my pig tails were extra cute because Jonathan Wise bought me an ice pop from the concession stand. A pretty innocent gesture, right? I mean, he had to get the dime from his mom to buy it. This memory is seared in my mind because my friend's mom was not happy about it. No ma'am. "Why did you let him give you that?" she scolded. She made me feel so ashamed for accepting it. "Now I'll have to buy one for my daughter!"
Fun times at the roller rink. Fun times.
We went rollerskating with a few of our college students last weekend and I know you're just dying to see the pictures. Some of us wore clothes that resembled what we would have worn to the roller rink as kids. Curtis and I went on a real date afterward, so my outfit couldn't be too authentic.
Rachael, Katy, Beth, and me.
Me and my boyfriend skating together.
He bought me a Dr. Pepper. And I didn't get in trouble for it.
40 comments:
I love roller skating!! I also love ice skating, but have never tried roller blading. You guys look terribly cute, and I'm sorry that mother was fussin' at you. My middle name is like Rachael's, it's Raquael. I like Rachael better, though. Sorry that's random...have a great weekend with your family!
Holly
Giggling over your last comment. I'm glad you accepted his Dr. Pepper :)
And loving the outfit! :)
I need to confess that I nearly went on a roller-skating date this past weekend ;) ... but we opted for a walk around the paths of a local mountain instead. The four deer we saw and the big open meadow made my sacrifice of roller-blading worth it :)
I swear! Joanie loves Chachi!
Stop. Keith, a skating champ? Stop. Stop.
The part about your dad and his roller skating fame with his sister? Totally makes me think of that Friends episode where Monica and Ross did their "routine" on the New Year's Rockin' Eve.
Cracks me up. And I'm so glad your parents had the wisdom to hold back on that information until you were mature enough to handle it.
"...my dad and his sister Nalda competed locally as couples roller skaters..."
that IS the greatest thing i've heard all day :)
and it reminds me of the time my dad decided to tell my brother and i that he used to take clogging classes in college...somehow that's just not as cool as a speed-skating champion in the family ;)
This is hilarious and are you for real about your dad? I wonder why I have never heard your mom speak of that?!?!? Also, I broke my arm so bad in the 5th grade (roller skating) that I had to be taken off in an ambulance and was in the hospital for a week. Bad times roller skating for me. :)
Your story made me smile and brought back some memories for me! Roller skating rocked!
cute. cute. cute. I am jealous you got hang out with Beth!!
Amanda,
This is the cutest post ever. My "boyfriend" and I were just talking about skating yesterday -- something neither of us did very well nor did we do it with the fashion savvy that you obviously did!
But I'm laughing until tears are flowing right now. Here is the way your Mom has described your Dad over the years:
a maverick
a hunter
a snake shooter
a cowboy
NOT ONCE - NOT EVER - has she mentioned that he was a competitive rollerskater!! :) Somehow it just doesn't fit and my brain can't fathom it!
Pictures, we must have pictures, to prove this phenomenon!! :)
Have a blessed day!!!
Dori
Rollerskating! What fun! I haven't skated for years..but my girls still do, well they blade..but my boy will only skate if there is a hockey stick involved..LOL even at 11 he has such a view of what is manly! :)
Glad you accepted the Dr.Pepper, and did not get in trouble! Love ya princess! (uptown girl)
Is that Olivia Newton John I hear? "Now, grab your girl, it's time for backwards skate"
Uptown Girl on the playground? Now THAT is a riot.
I'll date myself by telling you we girls used to fight over who got to wear the Princess Leia (sp?) side hair buns so we could be her when we played Star Wars at recess. I never won that coveted role BUT, and this is HUGE, I could jump the highest out of the swingsets which made me the Bionic Woman!
And though your Back to the Future moment seems so much fun, I'll not be jumping out of any swings anytime soon. I'll just wait for the movie which, by the way, is going to rock!
That's cute, Amanda. I miss roller skating rinks - I don't believe we have one around here and my girls are missing out! :)
How fun! I used to be really jealous of Sunni because she had purple pom-poms for her roller skates...she was so cool! Ahh, the good old days at the roller rink!
I didn't know roller skating rinks were still around!
I'm getting a flashback of myself roller skating in my denim jacket, side ponytail, and pleated-front pink jeans. Gross!
I'm dying about your dad winning a roller skating pairs contest. I saw him onstage at LPL in Seattle, and that's just not gelling with the impression I got of him as a dignified, manly man.
Big Mama is spot on about "the routine!"
Were you at Interskate? That is where Will had his birthday party last year...so fun! I think I enjoyed it as much as anybody!
Do you think your dad could come on a skate date with us, and show off his skillz, and maybe bring his sister? Or train your mom. Maybe do a routine? A triple sow cow?
I wish we technology would allow to take our 70's/80's pictures and get them online and see who was the best/most outrageous/queen of skating! Oh..how we would would laugh and love each other more!!!
Oh man, I used to love me some roller skating! Ya'll look so cute!
So the last time we ventured out to skate my husband nearly took out a child. NO More...
how sad.
I too am loving the info about your day :) I so want to go roller skating now. Although, I am a little Klutzy (is that a word) on skates... My knees like to turn in. I hope my 3 boys don't take after me.
Blessings, and you looked adorable.
Your Dad!? No way! How funny! BY the way your outfit was too cute, lovin the necklace!
I loved roller skating! My favorite part was when we would play four corners at the end of the night. I don't know if other rinks did this too, but it was a blast! I thought I was the coolest thing on wheels!
You're bringin' back the old, old memories, Amanda...a good thing except for the fact that I'm dating myself. The "special" skate nights where Amy Grant and the Imperials were typical fare (with a little Air Supply and John Denver thrown in to let us feel just a little bit cool!). And then the years after college when I displayed my mad skillz at the ice hockey rink as the only girl on my team (I was SUCH the pioneer - and well before the term "mad skillz" ever came into existence, actually). It's fun to shock people with that tidbit now, since I don't at all resemble an AMAZON WOMAN. :) Pictures of your Dad in his skating glory - Oh YES, that is what we MUST see!
i am dying laughing at my own memories of the skating rink...and you look WAY too cute to be going retro- we NEVER looked that good!! :) Glad you had fun!! Are you having a GREAT time hanging with your mom?? I know Jackson's loving it!! Take care and have a GREAT day.
Makes me think my guys need to be introduced to roller skating.
I had my own pair of skates but we seldom went to the rink so I skated up and down the streets around my house. Fun times!
How fun! I love to roller skate! We have a rink here in our tiny town and we had all three of our kids 5th birthday parties there. I think the parents were having the most fun doing ....the limbo, the chicken dance, the hokey-pokey. All of the kids just looked at us in horror! "What on earth are you doing mom?"
I loved the comment on how your parents waited until you were mature enough to handle the skate dancing thing! too funny :)
I won't even start with the whole clothing thing.... layered socks and tight rolled jeans....yowza!!
Since my girls are now in school we get to go to skating parties with them and embarrass them with our cool moves! When we attended the first one last year I cracked up when I saw that my husband could actually skate backwards- how awesome is he?
We had the best time reliving our youth, and then realized when we couldn't move the next morning that rollerskating is really exercise!
I met my hubby at the roller rink!
That's such a sweet post, Amanda! I love your shirt.
Amanda,
Oh my side hurts from laughing!! There is so much funny stuff in this post I do not know where to start!!
I love to roller skate! We do not have a rink around here but oh the good times!! I look forward to taking my boys skating. Watching them learn to skate - that is going to be a hoot!
Have a great weekend!
Kim
That story about your dad is stinkin' unbelievably hilarious. I NEVER would have guessed. I think it calls for a photo (if he would allow it). Also...okay...way to be a party pooper friend's mom! I don't think she would be considered "cool" nowadays. :-(
That is great Amanda! I actually met the creator of "heely's" and they make them for adults...so we could probably hook you up with some of those really cool shoes! I have often thought that it would be convenient and would help in situations where I was tired of walking! Thanks for the pic's...they are cute!
christie
You and your boyfriend are super cute. Maybe you can couple skate to a Journey song soon. "Open Arms" is always a nice choice.
THANK YOU to both you and your mother for visiting Stephanie's site!!!! You truly made her day and in turn, I got a huge blessing by hearing the excitement in her post! Thanks sooo much! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
The last time I was on a pair of roller skates I was 17 and involved in a hit and roll where the guy I had a crush on pushed me down causing me to have a cracked elbow and four stitches in my chin.... Hmmm... So much for a boy friend huh... No UPTOWN GIRL HERE. LOL At least I don't push that fear I now have on my 12 yo daughter! LOL I am glad you accepted the Dr. Pepper. hee hee
That post brought back the memories, I was quite the show off on skates too!
Our church youth group went once a month to the most awesome skating rink complete with bumpy curves... for just the experts like me.
I love when my kids get invited to skate parties so I can show off my skills.
Ahh yes...the good ole roller rink. I still have awful pictures from those days. Awful mostly because my knobby knees were bigger than my thighs, how they held me up - I'll never know!
And yes...the even better days of aerobics! Leotards, spandex pants, and side pony tails never looked so good. If I went diging through my mom's house, I can almost guarantee I'd find a video of either your mom or mine leading the class. If you look even harder, you'd see the three of us in the corner smearing cream cheese on our tounges! Good times...
That is such a cute post! And picturing your dad skating? Hmmm... I guess we all have hidden sides to us, don't we?
Jon Wise bought you a treat and you got in trouble...years of friendship and I never knew of this?!?!?!?! Hunter was "reading" this with me and he wants to know why Mommy's friends wear skates with four tires instead of little wheels all in a row...will our boys never know roller skating?????
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