Salt Lake City Memories - Junior Nationals Competition 2011

As 2010 draws to a close, our family will never forget how hard the kids worked all year long towards competing in Salt Lake City. I've put together photos and videos to help us remember that experience. Who would have thought a few years ago that ALL THREE Schneider-Farris kids would compete at one Junior Nationals!?!?

For those of you who read this who don't "know figure skating," doing this meant skating 6 days a week from two to four hours a day. It meant waking up at 5 or 5:30 AM most mornings. It meant a lot of driving on Jo Ann and Dan's part.

It meant sometimes missing drama club at Mountain Vista Homeschool Academy so the kids could perform in many, many Fire and Ice exhibitions on Fridays evenings. It meant getting a lot of costumes made. It meant fixing the girls' hair and make-up over and over again.

It meant passing several figure skating tests. It meant doing run-through after run-through of competition programs and pattern dances. It meant a lot of falling down and trying moves that seemed impossible over and over.

Most of all, it meant loving one another.

That's what figure skating IS! Happy 2011!

Visit to See My Sick Mom and My Dad in Illinois - December 22 to December 23, 2010

I'm writing this on Friday evening, December 24, 2010. I'm sitting on the couch in my parents Illinois home. I arrived in Illinois on Wedesday morning 12-22-10.

Many of our friends and family have known that my mom has been very sick since early September. My dad left it up to me and my brother Billy and sister Lynnellen to come out to Chicago only if we had the time.

I thought about squeezing in a very quick trip, but I just couldn't find a time where I could be away from my own children. They've just been so busy with school and skating. We had one obligation after another. When Junior Nationals ended last week, I realized that there were two weeks ahead of me without obligations.

If I wanted to see my mom before we lose her, this was the time. So, here I am!

My mom still seems to know who I am. She gave me the okay to take a video and photos of her.
The kids and Dan are back in Colorado at the Schneider family vacation home. I miss them, but I'm glad I get to see my mom and my dad.

Dan lost his father on February 22, 2010. Some of our other friends also lost a parent in 2010.

Thank you to everyone who has been thinking or praying for my family during this difficult time.

• About My Mom - Edith Kadison Schneider

The Three Figure Skating Schneider-Farris Kids Are Competing In Multiple Disciplines At the 2011 U.S. Junior Figure Skating Championships

Way back in "my day" there was a figure skating family with 2 girls and one boy. The boy did pairs with one sister and ice dance with the other.

That's the way things are in our family.

The three Schneider-Farris kids are members of the Broadmoor Skating Club. The skate and train at the Colorado Springs World Arena. They will be competing in multiple events in the upcoming 2011 U.S. Junior Figure Skating Championships that will take place from December 14 to December 18, 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Rebekah Schneider-Farris and Joel Schneider-Farris will be competing in intermediate dance.


Annabelle Schneider-Farris and Joel Schneider-Farris will be competing in intermediate pairs.



Annabelle Schneider-Farris also does ice dance with Val Katsman. Val and Annabelle will be competing in juvenile dance.
Val is also competing in multiple events. He will be competing in juvenile boys.



Does this make sense? It does to us!

• Broadmoor Skaters Are Heading Off to the U.S. Junior Figure Skating Championships


• What Is the U.S. Junior National Figure Skating Championships?
  

The Kids Were In the Parade of Lights 12-4-10

Annabelle, Rebekah, and Joel got to march in the Colorado Springs Parade of Lights 2010 with Mountain Vista Homeschool Academy. Joel and his friend, Andy, carried the school banner and the girls got to twirl glowing batons! They also got a cool school warm up suit to wear in the parade.

It was very emotional for me to see my kids in this parade. The Colorado Springs community really enjoys the parade and I was proud to be part of such a great city tonight. Only in a city like Colorado Springs would an opportunity like this happen. There was so much happiness and excitement tonight!

Fire and Ice and Chanukah - December 3, 2010

Fire and Ice went well on Friday, December 3, 2010.

Annabelle and Joel did their throw double Salchow for the first time in a public performance. Although, Annabelle fell, the jump was high and would have been clean!

Rebekah and Joel's and Annabelle and Val's free dances were also good. Everyone's twizzles are improving. Joel and Rebekah's step sequence may have achieved a Level 2 which was exciting for the kids.

After Fire and Ice, we were fortunate to be able to go to services at Temple Beit Torah. It was a special night there since it is Chanukah. There were tons of menorahs lighted at once. The youngest children in the religious school were honored. All the kids left with Chanukah goodie bags.

I got a kick out a song that was sung at th end of the service: "If you're Jewish and you know it, clap your hands!....."

Anyway, this was/is the 2nd to the last Fire and Ice before we leave for Junior Nationals! The kids are pumped up and excited!

Thanksgiving 2010

We spent our Thanksgiving at the Schneider family vacation home in Colorado. We invited Hellene, Jeff, Sam, and Leo Orenstein-Anderson. They joined us for a wonderful overnight and "Rugrats type Thankgiving" experience.

I am thankful that my family had such a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. I am thankful that we have one another and that we have so many family and friends that have been there for us through thick and thin.