Bringing Home the Gold

We headed north to Spruce Grove for a hockey tournament for Cooper over the weekend.  Yes, I said hockey.

Cooper is playing in a multi sport league this spring where the kids play hockey, soccer, and baseball.  Since they are playing 3 sports it comes with a little bit of a time commitment. April is mostly dedicated to hockey while we wait for the warmer temperatures to arrive.

We entered the tournament unsure of what to expect.  Personally I was expecting to lose every game since spring hockey generally means elite players, which we are not.

We are a group of players that played all 3 divisions in the regular season and hadn't actually played a game together until the first day of the tournament.  Which we lost by the way. 

With each game they played they improved.  They bonded as a team and played more like a team with every minute of each very long game.  Did I mention that it was 20 minute stop time periods with no game max? Such a difference where the Zamboni is ready to plow you over if you aren't on the ice after exactly one hour.  They also zambonied the ice during the second intermission to make the game even longer.

As for Grady, there was a pool at the complex and he swam during every game.  I think he clocked in 5 hours on Saturday....  No, he did not turn into a fish while he was there.  He might as well have.

#redpants

For our gold medal game we played the same team we lost to in our first game.  It started out bad, really bad.  We were losing 3-0 at the end of the first.  I am not sure what the coach told the kids but in the second them came out and scored 5 goals in a row!  Final score.... 9-6.

As if that wasn't enough excitement, we promised Grady that we would go the WEM water park if they were in the B final.  Which they weren't.  But he wanted to go so bad we went anyway which got us home at almost 10pm. 

It was a busy but super fun Easter weekend.  And don't worry, the Easter Bunny found us in the hotel!

It’s a Wrap

I know, hockey again.  Honestly, it is all we do all winter.  From being at the rink to being out of town for 5 tournaments, not to mention the others that we did in the city...  It is also one of the reasons I haven't been blogging - there has just not been time. 

While some may think this lifestyle sounds horrible, I love it.  I never dreamed I would love being a hockey mom because I certainly didn't enjoy being a hockey sister.  Except when my mom left me home alone to go to my brother's out of town tournaments for the weekend.  I really liked that.  So did my friends....

#15

We ended off last week talking about Grady and his team.  They were about to play a very important game against the top team in the league.  Win and they moved to the next level, lose and they were out for the season. They played one heck of a game in front of a huge crowd of spectators.  The game ended in a tie which meant over time.  Because each team had a penalty going into OT it ended up being 2 on 2.  The other team scored in the first 30 seconds.  The hard fought battle was lost, I walked out of the arena that night a proud Mom.  Not only proud my own son, but of his entire team. 

After the tough loss we quickly looked on the bright side that Grady would get to join us in Banff for Cooper's end of year tournament.  It is the one hosted by our team and largely organized by moi.  Being the type A personality that I am all is done well in advance but I tend to feel a little stressed leading into it.  I compensate with wine.  Lots of it.

The weekend was not an easy one for the kids.  They lost the first 2 games, tied the third and finally pulled out a win for the 4th that happened to be the B final.  So third place out of four teams.  But still a win!

Cooper's team has had its ups and downs. A 50-50 win record.  He played a lot of defense, which he loves, but still hasn't gotten that first goal.  I tell you when he finally does, it will be worth it.  He has made some great friends on his team and I hope to see some familiar faces next year.

Despite the time commitments, the early mornings, the cold rink, and the terrible coffee, I love being a hockey mom.  From the friendships that the kids (and the parents!) make to the pizza dinners, parent parties, and game wins.  It is a great way to spend the frigid winter months. Lord knows that winter is our longest season!

We aren't packing our skates away completely for the spring but we are sweeping the dust off our soccer cleats and even investing in a ball glove this year for Cooper.  But not before we go on vacation and take a few weeks off from activities all together.

Go Wolves Go!

This weekend my have been our busiest to date in our hockey taxi cab careers.  Between the 2 kids we had 6 games across town over the weekend, not to mention the extra 2 playoff games squeezed in during the week.  Despite being almost at the end of the season, the hockey has not yet slowed down.



We spent a lot of time in the car driving back and forth from arena to arena, killing time between games and frequenting many MANY fast food restaurants.  Trying to prep a beach body while eating out all weekend is not an easy task.  #givemealltheonionrings #coffeeconsumptionquadrupled



Grady's team is in playoffs and it is double knockout.  We've already had one loss which means we are on our last life.  We had one very exciting game where it it went into overtime and eventually ended on a penalty shot since apparently there are no penalties served in 4 on 4.  No one in the crowd knew what was going on but the game was over and we had won!



Tonight we play the top team in the league which means our team will have to work our butts off to move forward.  Win or lose, I am so proud of Grady.  He jumped a few tiers this season and ended up playing with a lot of new kids.  Coming in as sort of an under dog, he held his own.  He had some great plays, improved his game, and even learned to become a little aggressive on the ice.

 Grady once told me that once there was hitting in hockey he was quitting.  I think that after this year, as the roughness of the game began to increase, he has handled it well.  He still has games where he holds back and doesn't show his full potential.  But when he turns it on that kid can go.  I hope that this year increased his confidence on the ice.  In the end, all I want is a happy player.



Cooper's team track record is about 50/50 as well.  This weekend’s tournament was looking good.   We came out of the round robin with 2 wins and a tie.  That took us to the A final to battle the team we tied.



It was such a close game.  It was 4-4 with 30 seconds left in the game, when the game deciding goal was scored.  Against us.  In the end we loss.  Those kids hustled and I really wanted the gold medal for them.  Gold win or not, the kids came filing out of the dressing room excited to show us their medals.  Which just happened to gold.



Cooper has spent the majority of the team playing defence.  He is a great defenceman.  The one problem with playing defence?  You don't get a lot of scoring opportunities.  Poor cooper is still goaless.  If I had one wish for him this season it would be to pop one in the net.  I am so ready to ring my cow bell as loud as I can as soon as he gets it.  The kid has earned it!



I haven't talked much about their hockey seasons this year and as this season comes to an end I am so proud of them both.  I'm also proud of myself for surviving another season of 4pm practices, tournament planning, and managing a team.  You get what you put in and our family puts in 100% and we've certainly reaped the rewards of having a hockey family.

Go Wolves!

Back on the ice!

This is actually true!  We were in the market for a new car since our van is a like pig on ice in the winter.  Yes, we have winter tires but I have literally been stuck on a slant unable to get up.  The worst was when we went to visit a friend after she had a baby and I had a gift and a casserole to bring and we had to park at the bottom of the hill and walk up because the van could just not make it up.  The kids still talk about that day more than 5 years later!

This past winter with all the snow the van just couldn't be trusted.  We were at risk of getting stuck all the time.  Then throw in 4 out of town tournaments on weekends where the driving conditions were less than ideal and we starting to considering new wheels.  We looked at a few but in the end, I'm not sure we are ready to part with the van when we can squeeze in 4 kids and 3 hockey bags in without a  problem! 

So here we are again, loading our mini van with hockey bags.  Evaluations are in full swing.

This past week we skated every day of the week at least once.  The more you skate means you are moving on up through the different divisions, which is a good thing.  Hockey evaluations are a beast of their own.  Eval results are posted every night after a skate, sometimes long after I've gone to bed.  You need to check the results every day because if you have been move up, you skate again the next day.  So on top of racing around rink to rink, sleep was not coming easily when you are waiting up to see if you skate the next day.  Some nights we would go to bed and check in the middle of the night.  Yes, we could wait until morning, but it was hard not to look when you knew they would be posted!  This is a sign of a true hockey parent. Ha!

In years past, evaluations have been stressful.  All you really want is for your child to try their best and end up the right team with other kids at similar levels.  Having fun parents is just an added bonus!  There is nothing more frustrating then watching your kid go to an evaluation and give a 50% effort.  This was usually us.

This year however, we have ended up where we need to be early in the evals and now we just have to wait for our team.  I often want to wish away these 2 weeks as they cause havoc on our household.  This year, I've been happy to report more good news then bad and to see the excitement on the kids face to find out they got to skate again.  I am so proud of the boys and can't wait for the hockey season to start.

Because of course I'll be volunteering to manage a team again.

Pray for Humboldt

I had a different post planned for today, but in light of the tragedy that happened over the weekend when I sat down to write the post I just couldn't do it.  I have the Humboldt Broncos on my mind.

On Friday night a bus carrying 29 passengers carrying the Humboldt Broncos Jr Hockey team was struck by a semi-trailer and 15 of its occupants died.  The junior team is filled with young men aged 21 and under.  If you want to read the details you can read this.

This hits close to home.  Too close.

It brings me back to the years that my brother played hockey.  We often took a team bus.  Sometimes I traveled with the bus and sometimes my family went without me.  What if their bus crashed when I wasn't on it?  What if i was?

My kids play hockey.  One day they could be on a bus similar to this.  

This took place 150km from my home town. I know these towns.  I've known people that play on these teams.

My brother in law currently plays on a team that travels to game.

We are not immune.  This could happen to anyone.

Life is short.

I find myself reading all I can about the crash.  I need to know as much as I can.  I want to know why.  Why this had to happen.  So many lives affected.  So many people will never be the same.  

I get chills when i think about how tragic this is.

Tonight I will hug my kids a little tighter.  I will tell them I love them.

I will not take life for granted.

If you have a few dollars to spare, consider donating to the team and their families here.  They have a hard road ahead.

#prayforhumboldt

South Side City Champs!

I feel like this season I've talked way more about Cooper's team than Grady's and I am about to even that out with the last hockey post of the season.  I promise.

As I've said, Cooper's team got off to slow start.  They were losing way more then they were winning.  Grady's team, on the other hand, got off to a strong start right from the beginning.  They had 31 wins, 9 losses, and 3 ties over the course of the season. They were a team used to winning and skated hard to keep that the trend, most of the time.

They had some big moments this year.

They had a gold medal win at their hosted tournament in Banff with 4 straight wins.

They had a 13 round shoot out loss in a gold medal match in Decmeber.  This was the first shoot out we had ever been in, not just this season, but ever.  Despite the loss, it was such an exciting game.

They knocked the top team in the league that was undefeated to that point in the season in Esso Minor Hockey Week only to be knocked out by another team (they should have beat) the very next night.  The crowd when went wild that night.

And most recently Grady's team took a run at the city championships and took home the south side tite.

This was our first experience with playoff hockey since it is Grady's first year of Atom.  It is a double knock out structure so you get 2 losses before you are out and the season ends.

They finished 2nd in the season which scored the a bi into the 2nd round.  With only 2 wins they made the semi finals where they would face one of the top teams that had beat us a few times in the past.  We had only beat this team once.

They didn't give up.

It ended up being the most exciting game of the season!  We were up 1-0 for almost the whole game.  We were losing steam and the other team scored with 3 minutes left.  It looked like we were going into overtime 3 on 3 where I wasn't sure we could compete after a tough game.  BUT, with only 16 seconds left our team scored and were off to the finals while the other team headed to the B side.

Unfortunately, we met the same team in the final.  After dropping to the B side they won their way back to the final and we were facing off again.  We knew that they would be coming out to win and we were ready.  We beat them 4-2 and stayed ahead the game.  South side city champions!!

We face off against the north team and sadly lost 3-0 but we didn't let that put a damper on our season.  These kids had a great season.  They came out to play and they played to win.  Grady has been so lucky to be a part of such strong teams and to make so many friends that we seem to keep seeing year after year.  That makes it so much more fun for the kids... and the parents!  Each year they create so many great memories that I hope they remember forever.  And if they don't, they'll have these blog posts to remind them.

Thanks for a great season Atom 4 Red Wolves!

five on friday

This week we wrapped up Cooper's first year of novice with a Moms vs. the kids hockey game and I learned a few things...

{one} Hockey is harder than it looks.  Us parents sit in the crowd and yell for our kids to skate harder and faster but when you are out there it is hard.  I really wanted to score a puck and I barely touched the puck on each shift!  I was out of breath after only a short shift.  What a workout!

My mean look.

{two} Hockey is fun. The competitiveness in me came out on the ice.  I wanted my team to score and I wanted to get the puck.   While I didn't play hockey growing up, I did play soccer and that rush you get while you chase the puck/ball was still in there.

{three}  The fun happens on the bench.  The second we came off the ice we sat down and talked about the plays and watched our teammates.  From just one game, I can tell that is where relationships and friendships start.

Cooper and I are on the far left.

{four}  Cooper is still proud of his Mom.  His face lit up when we were on the same shift and as I rushed towards him he didn't let down. After the game he told me I was better than I thought.  But not the best, that was Matty's Mom!

{five} I think I'll stick to being a hockey mom.  While I loved taking my turn on the ice, I think I am better at cheering than I am at skating. 

What a great end to the season.  It is crazy how at only 7 and 8 years old these kids are way better skaters than us Moms!

Another one bites the dust....

I am coming off a high of a great weekend in Banff playing hockey.  If you don't want to read about hockey and how much I love our hockey family, then this post isn't for you.

I managed Cooper's hockey team this year.  Each year I choose one of the teams to manage and do my best to make the season a good one.  I am going to pat myself on the back and say that this season has been pretty epic.

With only 2 games and 1 practice left for Cooper's team, our season is essentially over and I couldn't be sadder to see it come to an end.  Except for the early morning practices. I was done with those weeks ago!

We wrapped up this season with a year end tournament in Banff. I was the tournament coordinator and terrified that something would go wrong.  This was my first time running a tournament and I really just wanted everyone to have a good time.

Upon arrival at the rink we set up each dressing room with a T-shirt that had their names on the back.  The 3 guest teams got their last names while our team got their nick names on the back.  Cooper is fondly known as Coopman on his team and it has rubbed off on us as well!

After our first win of the tourney against a team that we've never beat we celebrated with a team dinner at Earls.  Don't get me wrong, I love Earls, but why oh why would they agree to a reservation for 50 where half are under the age of 10??? #chaos

Like always, after dinner the kids couldn't wait to rush to the pool and get their swim on.  The hotel we chose has water slides and the kids go nonstop. I finally pulled Cooper out of the pool just before 10pm.  He was 1 of the last 2 team members to get out of the pool.

Once the kids are asleep its the parents turn to have fun!  I won't go into details but after several noise complaints security showed up at our room and waited until each and everyone of us left.  Our team is certainly not short on fun!

After our second win of the weekend the kids were pumped to find out that the NY Islanders were practicing on the other rink so we headed over to watch.  Some of the kids got their hats and jerseys signed by the team.  This was an unexpected treat and certainly made for a memorable weekend.

We stayed at the rink between games and ended the day with a loss against the team we beat in the A Final last weekend.  Does that lower the fun factor?? Not at all.  We ordered and served up pizza for 50 people in the banquet room.  This is what a hockey party room looks like but the picture doesn't so the noise level justice.  Wow.  It takes many hands to feed 30 hungry and tired kids!

Did I mention our pizza was burnt?  We opened up the boxes and just as I was about to pay they alerted me to the fact that the cheese pizza was burnt.  Great, now we have 50 people to feed and a bunch of burnt pizza.

My negotiations skills got us $100 off the pizza that only the kids eat anyway.  They wanted to send us new ones and I'm like do you not see the 30 kids at the table ready to eat... NOW.  And we all know that the kids don't really even eat the pizza.  For the most part they have a few bites and go straight for dessert.

Now let me tell you about this kid....  I am the proudest Mom ever talking about how far Cooper has come this season.  He started the year as a first year novice player who didn't know positioning and offside to a pretty darn good defenseman that can poke check like a champ.  We started the year losing most of our games, then about a month ago everything changed.  It just clicked.  They started applying what they had learned and started to win.  Watching the growth that this team of 7 and 8 year olds had done this year is absolutely phenomenal and I am so proud of each of them, but especially our Coopman.

The best part of the season was not only the friends the kids made, but also the friends that I made.  We have been so fortunate each year that our teams have been full of great kids, parents, and coaches.  This year just seemed extra special.  These ladies went from being the other hockey moms on the team to becoming my friends.  Hours spent at the rink with these woman, pizza parties, weekends away, and more.  I loved spending my early mornings and countless hours cheering on our kids together. Getting up for a 7 am practice is always better when you know that you will get a visit in with a friend.

This group of ladies cheered on the boys in the A Final and despite our loss in our third shoot out with the same team, we cheered on not only our individual kids but our entire team on a job well done.

Though it would have been nice to have ended the season with a second gold medal, I am just happy to end the season with a player who developed so much in a short period of time.  A group of kids that went from team mates to friends and memories that we'll have forever.

Each year I find myself so sad for the season to end.  But each year the next season is just as great as the one before it.  I have my fingers crossed that this trend will continue and our future will be almost as good as this one.

Go wolves! #hardcorehockeymom

five on friday: hockey talk

{one}  After I posted a long post about Cooper's hockey team and how they weren't wining all that much, they proved me wrong.  This past weekend they were in their second tournament of the season.  The first one they lost every single game and brought home runner up in the B final (aka last place!) and this weekend they brought home gold!  It was so exciting for the kids and parents both.  The last game came down to a shoot out where the crowd went wild....  They even made the evening news.  What a fantastic turnaround late in the season!

{two}  It seems we are on a winning streak for both teams!  Grady played his first playoff game ever and they also took home a win meaning that we got a bit of a rest before our next game tomorrow.  I'm really regretting my choice to not go with our hockey colors at my last nail appointment  #hockeymom. Go wolves.

{three} With Grady having a game Saturday along with a soccer evaluation, Cooper and I are headed to Banff this weekend solo for his last tournament of the year.  Since I am the tournament coordinator, it was an easy decision that I would be going and James would be staying.  I wish it was possible to be in 2 places at once since I really want to be there to cheer on Grady's team.  If they win, they'll join us for Saturday night. If not, they are back at the rink on Sunday for another game.

{four}  Planning a tournament is a lot of work!  I knew that but I didn't realize that I was going to stress about it so much.  Thankfully I've had lots of help and gotten to know the ladies on Cooper's team really well.  I am going to be sad to see this season come to an end.  This is what packing 64 swag bags for the players looks like!   Also if you look past the bags you'll spot the kids playing xbox on the tv behind us.  Don't worry, we had a little fun and drank some wine to!

{five} Just like every year, I will be sad to see the season end.  This year, each of the kids made so many new friends.  We had a season full of pizza parties, away tournaments, play dates, team parties and more.  The only thing that makes is easier is knowing that I will see some repeat faces next year, only time will tell which ones.  We are so fortunate to be part of such a giant hockey family that grows every year.

Have a great weekend and throw some lucky hockey dust our way for a repeat weekend full of winning!

My thoughts on.... Losing

Cooper's team is on a losing streak.  They had their very first hockey tournament this past weekend and we lost all 4 games.  All four games.  It was at this point that we started to think back to when we last won a game...  It turned out it was the first week of December.  We hadn't won a game in 2 months.

This is a first for our family.  For 3 years, Grady has been on a winning team.  Last season I remember when we hit a 10 game winning streak and the whole team got Slurpee's for their win.  The coach had a deal with them that if they won 15 games in a row he'd wear a suit on the bench.  Unfortunately, that didn't happen.

Being on the losing side has a taught me a few things.

The parents care more than the kids.  It was the parents talking in the stands about wanting to win a game.  It was the parents that realized that it had been a long time since our last win.  It was the parents that were disappointed after each game that we lost.  The kids hustled out of the dressing room asking if they could go to the pool.

The loss is easily forgotten.  For my kids at least.  While they may be sad on the ice and in the dressing room, by the time they hop in the van all they care about is what is for dinner!

The kids play their hardest no matter what the score.  Cooper played great this weekend.  We are quickly realizing that Mr. Coop is a defense man.  He doesn't care about the final score, all he cares about is protecting the net, whether the game is close or not.

They won't remember the score, they will remember the fun.  This weekend we spent in Golden, staying at a hotel with all the other families.  Swimming, running loose around the hotel, playing vids, playing mini sticks and hiding out from the parents in various rooms.  The kids won't remember what the score was but they will remember who did the best canon ball into the pool!

I use my bell more on a losing team.  When we are on a winning team I choose only to use my cow bell on the first goal or two and then I put it away.  I don't like to be that obnoxious parent that doesn't take the other teams feelings into account.  On Cooper's team I ring that bell for every single goal.  Those kids deserve it.  They work so hard for everyone of them!  I ring it on saves, on goals, and at the end. We are that team.

Our coaches are superb. Win or lose, our coaches support the team.  They are encouraging and positive, win or lose.  From the spectator benches I can see the coaches giving each player pep talks, high fiving them after a good shift and pouring water into their mouths when the players are thirsty.  It is clear that these coaches develop bonds with the kids and vice versa.  I've had more than one of he coaches tell me how much Cooper has improved this season or to email me after a practice and tell me how hard 'Coopman' is working.

First penalty!

Winning is extra sweet.  Last night after a 2 month losing streak we won a game.  You better believe that I was ringing my bell in full force.  We were being crazy hockey moms and it was much deserved.  We were joking that we felt we needed to go over and tell them we weren't crazy, just super excited to finally win a game!  It was smiles all around after a well deserved win.

It's hard to score.  When you are a first year player and you play on team that doesn't win all that much, it is really hard to score.  We have a handful of second year players that score 90% of our goals which is great, but part of the fun of the sport when you are young is scoring the goals.  Since Cooper is turning into a defenceman, he rarely plays forward which means even fewer opportunities to score.  Now that he is getting so much praise for guarding the net he isn't as eager to play forward or score the goals.  He is more into stopping them and I must say he does it well!

In the end, yes, it is nice to win, nobody likes to lose, but not winning doesn't make our season any less exciting.  Cooper has made some excellent friends, ones I hope that he gets to play with in the years to come.  We have a great group of parents and coaches and I will be just as sad to see this season end as I am every season, even the winning ones.

five on friday: out of town tournaments

In preparation for 3 out of town hockey tournaments that we will be leaving town for I thought it would be a good idea to document the top 5 items that you don't want to leave at home.

{one} Flip flops.  We only forgot our flip flops once and never again.  We had to wear our winter boots to the pool.  Wet feet and winter boots just don't belong.  We now wear our winter boots out and about and pack our flip flops for the hotel.

{two} Solo Cups.  I may even upgrade this to travel mug after our latest fail with solo cups.  Alcohol is not allowed at the pool.  But, in most hotels if you conceal it they turn a blind eye. Not at the last hotel.  The only way you could get away with drinking wine in the pool area was in a travel mug.  So my Yeti mug is coming along on our trip.  Coffee by day and wine by night!

{three} Cereal and milk.  Even the cheapest hotels have a mini fridge to put the milk in and it makes a great snack, day or night.  My kids love cereal, and so do I really, so it is the perfect food to have on hand when they are hungry and they want to eat right now.  It saves you having to buy that junk in the vending machine that is unhealthy and overpriced.

{four} Wine.  One will not survive the weekend without copious amount of booze.  With sixteen 7 and 8 year old running around you need booze to keep you sane.  I think many people have the impression that hockey trips are boring and parents don't want to go.  It is quite the opposite. I love out of town tournaments.  The kids are happy, there are no responsibilities other then getting your kids to the rink on time, and every one is packing the solo cups and booze mentioned above.  It is a recipe for a good time.

{five}  Electronics.  Phones, ipads, DS, Switch, you name it we bring it.  Because once those rowdy kids get out of the pool and they are tired and cranky this will give them something to do since we are all crammed into tiny little hotel rooms.  Not to mention it will keep them quiet in the car on the way there for 15 minutes increments if you travel with my kids.....

You pack these 5 things and you are set for a fantastic weekend away!  It is even better if you win the tournament.  But at this age they all get medals so win or lose, the kids don't care anyway!

Happy Friday!

five on friday

{one}  Cooper's team had a short run in the EMHW tournament.  They lost their first game in a shoot out and then lost the second game 8-4 after the game was so close going into the 3rd.  Cooper game out of the dressing room after the second game and looked at me and said 'I can't believe me lost'.  Not in a sad way, just in a factual, flabbergasted way.  #betterlucknextyear

{two} Grady's team face the top team of the league in game to after an 8-0 victory in game 1.  They've played this team 2 times and lost both times.  This team has not lost a single game this season, until Monday.  Our team came out strong and we beat them 3-1 with the last goal on an open net.  We celebrated like we had just won the tournament.  Then we lost in a shoot out the very next day.

{three} Because we are out of the tournament we have Saturday free. I repeat, we have no plans on Saturday. Nothing, Zilch, Nada.  What does one do with a full Saturday with no hockey on the weekend?  I plan to do a Lagree class and James plans to build the hockey net the kids got for Christmas and to finally get the bindings put on his new skis.

{four}  I have Monday off for the first time in 2018.  When you aren't used to working 5 days a week it is long.  You know what is also long? My list of things to do.  I am celebrating my day off with lunch with a friend and a massage after I take Grady to the dentist for the second time this month to have another cavity filled.

{five}  Is anyone else happy that TV is back in full force this week!  This is Us, Scandal, and Grey's Anatomy is all new this week!  That is really going to cut into my Pretty Little Liars screen time. It is my newest Netflix obsession.  The best feeling is finding a show you like on Netflix and knowing you have 6 seasons to watch before the series ends... Score!

A Hockey Mom Moment

Let me just tell you a little about a typical Saturday morning with 2 boys in hockey.  This particular Saturday, we had 2 early morning practices.  One was at 6:45am and the other 7:15am.  James happened to be going to the airport for a 9:30am flight so he dropped Grady off at the rink on the way and I arranged for him to go home with another player and we would meet them at team photos later that morning.

Cooper and I got on the road shortly after 6:30am to go to his practice for 7:15.  So far so good, this morning with 2 practices and 2 team pictures while parenting solo was off to a good start.

Well, that wouldn't last long.

After practice we only had just over an hour before we had to be at pictures which was closer to where practice was then it was to our house so Cooper and I decided to do a pit stop at Tim Hortons which we often do after early practices.  We pull up at Tim Hortons and this is when I realize I have no wallet.

Because I am the manager of Coopers team I usually bring a big bag with the binder and my bell.  I forgot to throw my wallet in.  This isn't the first time this has happened, but usually James is my Pan B.

No big deal, I have an emergency $20 bill in the van.  Lack of coffee and donuts in clearly an emergency so we'll just use that.  We go in have our little breakfast and make our way to pictures to find Grady.

We find him.  He is not happy.

Grady was upset with me that he had to get dressed on his own.  I should have known better than to book the pictures so close together he told me angrily. Since Cooper is younger, and I am the team manager, I had to get them all in line and make sure they were holding this specific piece of paper before photos.  By this time Grady is done and geared down and I've given him my phone so he would stop pouting.

Then he asks me when he can buy his hat.....  sh*t.

How am I going to explain to this kid that I promised back in August when we lost his last hockey hat that I forgot my wallet.  Think, Christy, think.  If I don't buy it today, it will take at least 6 weeks to order.  Double sh*t.

Got it.  I'm going to ask one of the other Moms on my team to borrow some cash.  I'll just repay them tomorrow.  That way the kids get their hats and I don't have to drive all the way home then drive back.

Remember that these teams are new and I only know a handful of them well enough to ask to borrow money without sounding ridiculous.  Thankfully I am the manager that increases my credibility... right?

I ask a mom if I can borrow $50 to buy the kids hat, explaining that I forgot my wallet and we haven't been home since before practice.  She immediately says without hesitation that she doesn't have any cash but that I should just take her Visa and she'll text me the pin.  I tried to say that it was fine and not to worry about it but she kept on insisting so I felt like it was easier to just take it. I did need some means of payment after all.  She texts me her pin and she is on her way and we are off to buy our hats.

For the record, I did ask if they had tap since then I could have used Apple pay, but they didn't.  It would have been so much easier if they just had tap...

The kids each chose a hat and we go to pay.  I tried to memorize the pin so I didn't look like a thief as I checked my text for the pin.  I keyed it in and it was denied.  Sh*t.  I look at my phone and key it in slowly and was denied again.  Double sh*t.  At this point I'm starting to sweat as I look around for anyone that could help me out.

The mom behind me is on our team and I know her a little.  Well enough to ask her to borrow $63?  Probably not, but I did anyway.  After a quick explanation she laughed and paid for my hats and her own.

How embarrassing.

We finally make our way back to the car wearing our new hats.

As we climb in the car I noticed 3 missed calls and a text from the mom apologizing over and over that she gave me the wrong pin. Yeah, I noticed.

It has been an ongoing joke this season and we've since become friends.

All this and home before noon.  Just another typical morning as a hockey Mom.

Brotherly Love

With James away his past weekend, I was left on full hockey parent duty. This particular weekend proved to be a busy one with hockey pictures for both kids and Cooper dressing as goalie for a practice and game both before 7:30 am.  Oy.

Grady was so excited for Cooper to play net.  In Novice they rotate the goalie every game to give all the players a chance to try it out and decide if this is a position that they want to play.  In the end, most of them don't love it and often never want to do it again. Ever.  Unfortunately for us, Grady loves it.  In Atom, they no longer rotate the goalie, your team gets one or two full time goalie with a separate set of evaluations.  We told Grady that he had to be player for at least a year before he switched to goalie.  We were hoping he would forget about, but he hasn't.

Back to Cooper....

With Cooper wearing the #3 jersey this year, he was up for goalie quite early in the season and Grady couldn't wait to be there to cheer him on.  The morning Cooper practiced as goalie Grady had his own practice and couldn't be there, so the next day when Cooper had a game there was no way Grady was going to miss it, even it was at 7 am.

As a Mom, I couldn't have enjoyed this moment more.  The way that Grady congratulated him after their first win of the season.  How he helped him take off his pads.  He even untied his skates and helped him pack up his gear.

He watched part of the game and sat close to the net where Cooper was playing.  Like most siblings, he got bored after a while and asked for my phone.  But he wanted to be there.

There is just something about watching them interact this way.  I never dreamt that I would have 2 boys, or 2 boys that played hockey, and I just can't imagine it any other way.  I love that they have a mutual interest and that every once in a while they have moments that reaffirm that do actually like each other.

From the time Cooper was born, I always hoped they'd be friends and not just brothers.  You are brothers because you have to be and friends because you want to be.  When I see these moments pass between the boys I can't help imagine them and how they will interact in 10, or even 20 years.

Every night before I go to bed I go into their rooms and give each of their sleeping faces a kiss and feel so lucky to call each of them my son.  I couldn't be prouder to be their mom.