I'm Coming Home!

Cleveland, Ohio

There is no better feeling than coming home after a long time away.  Seeing familiar scenery and not having a worry in the world.  Yes, it was a only a short time, but it was just enough.  Home really is where the heart is and nothing will ever change that.  

Don't get me wrong having friends and family visit on the road is definitely nice and much appreciated, but there is something about walking in the door to the place I grew up and seeing the house still decorated for the holidays and sleeping in the my own room in my own bed.  It never gets old.  

It was the first time we have had four days off since before we left for rehearsals back in July, so needless to say, this was my first time home since then as well.  

Ah the country side…

The time always flies and I wished it could have been longer, but it was time to get back and bring all the skating supply presents from the skate shop.  

It was like Christmas all over again!   

And because I was relatively close to home, this time with my family was extended as well as some friends came to visit!

I know I say this every time, but saying goodbye never gets easy.  I know I will see everyone again at some point, its just the waiting process and knowing that they will not physically be there every step of the way.  

However, pushing those thoughts out of my head, it was time to enjoy the time that they were there and soak it all in.  And what a better way of doing so, than at the Chocolate Bar!

I couldn't even believe my eyes! I was lost in chocolate…

It was a great place to warm up after those negative temperatures outside and falling snow flakes.   

Just like all other good things, they must come to end and become a memory in the past.  

Moving forward, we were into a different time zone...

Tis’ the Season to be Jolly!

Philadelphia, PA

We had been gearing up for these two weeks since the day we found out how many shows there were going to be in Philadelphia.  Later of course, more shows were added and in the end we did 28 shows in 11 days including a 15-pack.  It was literally a marathon and on top of that, the bigger holidays for many people were thrown right into the middle of the mix. 

Luckily, everyone was in the holiday spirit and jolly, ready to take on the crazy days that were ahead of us.

Since we opened the show on Christmas Day, most of the holiday celebrations happened on the three days off we had.  It was almost our little holiday treat since that was the first time we had three days off since before the start of rehearsals.  

Enjoying the time off, we all took full advantage of it, from finally finishing the Christmas shopping, to exchanging gifts, Secret Santa exchanges, White Elephant parties, dinner celebrations, and sleep!

Some people were even able to see some friends and family from home while others were able to venture home for the beginning of the holidays.

For the others that were not able to do so, Santa did visit and oh boy did he ever!  The mail load was increasingly larger than what it normally is.  So, even though it may not have actually felt like Christmas with two shows on what normally is a day to spend with your family, we still made it as much like a holiday as we possibly could.

Keeping our spirits high and counting down the shows, it was time to bring in the New Year and no better way than to be surrounded by friends and the ones we care about.  

Happy 2015!  May it bring lots of luck and joy to everyone. 

We all survived Philadelphia! 

On the road again to Cleveland, OH, but not before some much needed time at home! 

More Holiday Festivities

Fayetteville, NC

The holidays are getting closer and closer and the feeling is filling the air.  From visits from family friends to friends from college, it is like everyone is in the holiday spirit already.  Familiar faces everywhere and I am loving every minute of it.  

I know we won't be home for the holidays and some of us may not even see our family or loved ones, but for now we will stick together and know that we all have one another.  

Seeing that everyone was feeling a part of this group it was time to break out the holiday decor! 

We even had a Christmas themed edge class that of course led to the making of our holiday picture and video.  So many laughs and it was definitely a memory that will go down in the books.  Even the little things like simply wearing Christmas attire to the arena for special happenings can brighten the day and break up the routine.  It makes it seem like the holidays are still real and its just not another typical day of shows.  

Aside from the all hype inside, it was time to take it outside and crank up the grills for our very own Christmas BBQ!  

Of course that meant more ugly sweaters; I mean how could you not! 

Even though the holidays aren't here just yet, we are definitely keeping the spirit alive! 

See you all at the home of the Liberty Bell! 

Happy Holidays! 

Started the Christmas Season Off Early!

Raleigh, NC

Even though we were in the south and snow was the furthest thing that came to mind, it was time to celebrate the Christmas holiday a little early.

Working off all of those extra holiday cookies at the big local gym just so we could eat more and more! Yep, its the holiday season!

We were lucky enough to have a crew member that lived in the area and he and his family opened their home to us for us one night.  There were Christmas decorations outside and a tree in every room!  Topping it all off were not only the homemade cookies and warm apple cider, but the grilled burgers and multiple chip dips.  There was so much to choose from that you could never just have one of anything and it kept you coming back for more.

It was so nice to be in a real home for the night.  It really felt like Christmas time and even though I was not at home with my family, we are all a family now.  We are always there for each other and are each other's support group even on the holidays.  Our meals are not the same if someone is missing, just as it is at home if someone does not make it to the holiday dinner.

So, keep everyone close this holiday season, eat too much, and spread the cheer!

Happy Holidays!

See you a short ways down the road before heading north.

Show Buzz #3

D34!

Well, we are part way through tour and we are becoming more and more like a family now especially since the holidays are here.

And even though it is becoming the crazy part of the year, if it could get even busier, but it is and we are making it through.

Halloween was right around the corner and it was going to be a big one in Baltimore, Maryland.  We were finally able to hang out and spend time with everyone outside of work.  Everyone could let loose and have a good time at Howl at the Moon and the costumes were amazing!  It’s crazy to work with these people everyday and you think you know them, but until you get outside we are all our own individuals.  It was good while it lasted, but the holiday came right before the 3^rd 9-pack of the tour.

After all those shows we did catch a little break in Uniondale, New York and were rewarded with multiple one-show days.  Along with more rehearsals than shows, we also got break workers for not only skaters, but the crew as well!

We also hit 100 shows!!  It is so crazy to think that we already did that many shows so soon in this tour.

Still continuing to increase with the amount of shows we are performing in each city, we were on to Brooklyn where the audiences were crazy.  It got to the point where a woman and her family were asked to leave because she was yelling at the skaters during the performance so she could capture the perfect picture. 

On a bit of a calmer note, Brooklyn literally has the smallest hotel rooms ever.  You cannot layout two large suitcases in the room let alone fit all of our luggage in the room.  The lobby of our hotel was so small that only one bus could unload at a time and the others had to circle the block until everyone had cleared the floor. 

Luckily, heading to Newark, New Jersey the rooms were quite larger and we all had space to breathe.  This was also the last trip in the Big Apple for most of us.  Topping it all off was the PR event for Good Morning America which was a blast and the welcome home for a military father to his family!

Aside from the national PR events, we were all focused on which celebrity may make an appearance in the audience each day.  At the end of the week Robert Di Niro, Chris Rock, and Bruce Willis all saw the show! 

Continuing the excitement we were on to East Rutherford, New Jersey and it was Thanksgiving!  We only had one show in the morning on Turkey Day and then we had time to change and shower and get fancy for dinner.  We actually felt like a family this year.  There were lots to eat with a turkey, noodles, macaroni and cheese, corn, cranberries, pumpkin pie, cheesecake, and so much more! There were fancy tablecloths and a beautiful Christmas tree that brought us all together as a family of about 135. 

With one holiday under our belts, it was time to keep moving and make this nine-hour bus ride happen. 

It was warm again when we arrived in Greensboro, NC.  Unfortunately it did not stay that way.   Preparing for winter even in the south it was time to kick off our Secret Santa gift giving!  Some people did not get off easy though and had to spend the three-show day wearing whiskers or walking like penguins backstage or even singing songs at the board in front of everyone just to get their first gift.  It’s going to be fun a gift-giving season!

Happy Holidays!

Places to see:

Baltimore - Inner Harbor, Federal Hill, Baltimore Aquarium

Uniondale ­– Thank you break-workers!! 100^th Show!

Brooklyn – New York City, shopping all around the arena, Dinosaur BBQ

Newark – Good Morning America, Military Soldier comes home – ABC Family, New York City, Dinosaur BBQ  

East Rutherford – Happy Thanksgiving! First holiday on the road for this tour season

Greensboro – lots of restaurants around and places to eat, Secret Santa gift exchange begins

Heading South

Greensboro, NC

And just like that we are out of the New York / New Jersey area and we are in the south!!  Finally we are hoping for some warm weather.

After a long bus ride through the night, we pulled into the hotel around 8:30 AM and even though the sun was shining, it was back to bed for all of us.

Waking up for the second time that day it was a nice surprise for it to be 70 degrees outside!  The sun was shining and it almost felt like summer had returned after we left an area where it was snowing earlier in the week.  Unfortunately, the warm weather didn't stay all week.

However, on a brighter note, it was only a few days and my family came to visit over the weekend!  Even though I will not get to see them over the holidays, before and after works just as well.  And no matter how many times I see them on the road, each time is just as good as the first.  Time always flies by when they are around and I always wish I had more time to spend with them.  Things never get old and there are always new stories to tell.  Each time they leave, it has me looking forward to the next time I will get to see them.  Until then though, its back to the good times with my family on the road.

And no better way than to keep the morale in high spirits with Secret Santa!

'Tis the Season!

See all the elves in Raleigh!

Bringing in the Holiday Season on the Road!

East Rutherford, NJ

Well, the New Jersey / New York run is about to come to end as this is the last city in the area that we will be visiting this year.  This is round two for this city as well and I must have to say that it all still stands, the second time is always so much better than the first.  Although there wasn't a whole lot of time off, which we are used to at this point in time, we really came together as a family. 

It was our first holiday on the road and our first holiday all together.  Although it was coming up on a busy week with nine shows in three days, we still had time to enjoy the holiday.  

We had one show in the morning on Thanksgiving Day and as bad as we all wanted to watch or be at the Macy's Day parade, it was time for a show.  Everyone was hyped and in a good mood and excited for lots of food to come after.  

The show flew by and before we knew it, we were back at the hotel getting ready for the family dinner and it really felt like a holiday this year.  We spend so much time together and got so close so quickly, that we really are a family.  For the rest of this year we are going to be each other's shoulder to lean on, to be there when we need one another, to laugh with, and to have a food time with, and this was the start of it all; our first holiday together.  

There was so much food lined up down the tables.  So much turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and even pumpkin pie!! Ah, I could go for another Thanksgiving dinner! 

Looking forward to the next holidays to come with this group of people; but until then, bring on this nine-hour bus ride down to the south!