Casey often spells his name as KC. I suppose it makes sense that he would do that, but on his birthday cake? That's what happens when you send Dad to pick it out...
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Eleven!
Casey often spells his name as KC. I suppose it makes sense that he would do that, but on his birthday cake? That's what happens when you send Dad to pick it out...
Friday, December 22, 2006
Some Photos
Abby with her flowers after her final performance.
Casey dressed up for the grade 6 semi-formal dance yesterday. He seemed quite eager to dress up, but he didn't dance at all.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Last Game of the Year
Sam's hockey team had their first official loss on Saturday, but it was close. Unfortunately, I wasn't at the game as I had to work. Sam was the captain of our team for that game and played forward. However, they won handily last night. They now have time off for Christmas holidays except for a short practice/party tomorrow night.
Leah the Midwife
Abby played the role of Leah the midwife in our church Christmas musical. She did a great job!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Hockey Review
Sam's team had two scheduled games over the past weekend. The first game was exciting. Our previous game against this same team resulted in a tie, and this game also ended in a tie...barely. We dominated the game. We should have had the victory, but we almost handed it over on a silver platter in the final few minutes of the game. Since there is no such thing as video replay in minor hockey, we skated away with a tie instead of our first official loss!
Sunday's game will probably go down in the record books as nothing at all. Both teams showed up, warmed up and were ready for the first drop of the puck; however, there wasn't a referee to be found. So, both teams carried out practice drills for an hour before deciding to play a game of scrimmage without any officiating. Our coaches mixed up the lines a bit which resulted in Sam playing forward instead of his usual defensive position. I'm sure he was excited by the upward move, and he did a good job. To my dismay, he also was on the receiving end of a bone-crushing elbow/body check; however, I was pleased to see our coaches immediately shout out that hitting wasn't allowed. It isn't but it still happens even with referees. Sam was okay, got up and continued on. We finished the game with a 3-1 win, although I'm sure it won't count for anything. Actually, the game ended rather abruptly. One minute we're watching the game. Suddenly, our coach calls our guys over to the bench and sends the entire team out to center ice lined up for the handshaking. I thought that our time was up, but Sam said that our coaches decided to end it because the game was getting too rough.
Wow!
I love our coaches this year! They are awesome. They work the boys hard during practices, but they have such great attitudes and expectations. They're demanding without being overbearing. They wanted a team of 'good' kids with good attitudes and a willingness to be coached. They encourage and build up our kids without becoming sappy and soft. They stick up for our kids.
We lost one of our players last week. The hockey executive made the decision to execute a trade between our team and another team. We received one of their players and were forced to give up one of ours. The problem is that our player has chosen to quit rather than play on that team as he has serious problems with a different player on that team. It is a messed up situation. Our hockey executive has created this problem and rather, than dealing with it at the root, has decided to make the most disruptive and damaging decisions. They don't care if our player quits hockey; they'd prefer to ban him than let him continue to play with us. How sad is that?!
Our coaches wrote a letter of formal complaint which all our parents and players signed. The situation creates a natural discomfort for the new player we have on the team, but our coaches and players are more than accepting of him.
Also, I was so impressed to learn that our coaches ended Sunday's game because of the roughness (mostly from the other team). Two years ago, Sam's team was in a similar position of having no referee for a scheduled game. The only difference was that a coach from each team put on their skates and acted as referees. It was one of the most brutal games I have ever seen my son play in. Those coaches did call a few penalties, but they let so much go and it was too far out of hand. After that game, our coach that refereed laughed it off saying that he just wanted the kids to have fun and play the game. Yeah...only it isn't fun to be crushed into the boards when you're supposed to be in a 'no body checking' league. So, it is refreshing to hear that our coaches this year have a vastly different philosophy about hockey and fun and what is acceptable on the ice. Our coaches aren't pansies. I did hear our coach shout out to one of our defensemen that he needed to keep an opposing player from pushing him around. There is a big difference between defending your territory and throwing your body into a kid much smaller than you. I'm glad our coaches know the difference!
Sunday's game will probably go down in the record books as nothing at all. Both teams showed up, warmed up and were ready for the first drop of the puck; however, there wasn't a referee to be found. So, both teams carried out practice drills for an hour before deciding to play a game of scrimmage without any officiating. Our coaches mixed up the lines a bit which resulted in Sam playing forward instead of his usual defensive position. I'm sure he was excited by the upward move, and he did a good job. To my dismay, he also was on the receiving end of a bone-crushing elbow/body check; however, I was pleased to see our coaches immediately shout out that hitting wasn't allowed. It isn't but it still happens even with referees. Sam was okay, got up and continued on. We finished the game with a 3-1 win, although I'm sure it won't count for anything. Actually, the game ended rather abruptly. One minute we're watching the game. Suddenly, our coach calls our guys over to the bench and sends the entire team out to center ice lined up for the handshaking. I thought that our time was up, but Sam said that our coaches decided to end it because the game was getting too rough.
Wow!
I love our coaches this year! They are awesome. They work the boys hard during practices, but they have such great attitudes and expectations. They're demanding without being overbearing. They wanted a team of 'good' kids with good attitudes and a willingness to be coached. They encourage and build up our kids without becoming sappy and soft. They stick up for our kids.
We lost one of our players last week. The hockey executive made the decision to execute a trade between our team and another team. We received one of their players and were forced to give up one of ours. The problem is that our player has chosen to quit rather than play on that team as he has serious problems with a different player on that team. It is a messed up situation. Our hockey executive has created this problem and rather, than dealing with it at the root, has decided to make the most disruptive and damaging decisions. They don't care if our player quits hockey; they'd prefer to ban him than let him continue to play with us. How sad is that?!
Our coaches wrote a letter of formal complaint which all our parents and players signed. The situation creates a natural discomfort for the new player we have on the team, but our coaches and players are more than accepting of him.
Also, I was so impressed to learn that our coaches ended Sunday's game because of the roughness (mostly from the other team). Two years ago, Sam's team was in a similar position of having no referee for a scheduled game. The only difference was that a coach from each team put on their skates and acted as referees. It was one of the most brutal games I have ever seen my son play in. Those coaches did call a few penalties, but they let so much go and it was too far out of hand. After that game, our coach that refereed laughed it off saying that he just wanted the kids to have fun and play the game. Yeah...only it isn't fun to be crushed into the boards when you're supposed to be in a 'no body checking' league. So, it is refreshing to hear that our coaches this year have a vastly different philosophy about hockey and fun and what is acceptable on the ice. Our coaches aren't pansies. I did hear our coach shout out to one of our defensemen that he needed to keep an opposing player from pushing him around. There is a big difference between defending your territory and throwing your body into a kid much smaller than you. I'm glad our coaches know the difference!
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Sprouting
Hey, Sam has grown nearly 2 inches since March of this year! It may not seem like a big deal, but it is. He is 13 but the same size as the average 10 year old. In fact, little brother Casey is slightly taller than Sam. Casey will be 11 next month.
Sam's growth, or lack thereof, has been a concern for the past few years. We haven't seen growth like this for a very long time. He grew nearly an inch between March and August. There was a visible difference on the wall markings for September. Earlier this month, he had grown some more. This morning, I noticed that Sam is nearly up to my chin now. Tonight, we measured him again, and there is a clear gap between today's measurement and the one done earlier in the month!
Yeah!
Sam's growth, or lack thereof, has been a concern for the past few years. We haven't seen growth like this for a very long time. He grew nearly an inch between March and August. There was a visible difference on the wall markings for September. Earlier this month, he had grown some more. This morning, I noticed that Sam is nearly up to my chin now. Tonight, we measured him again, and there is a clear gap between today's measurement and the one done earlier in the month!
Yeah!
Monday, November 27, 2006
Tournament #1
Well, once again, the photos are not showing in the order that I loaded them. I guess that's okay.
We made it to Nakusp safe and sound. We left around 3:30pm on Friday, so it was dark before we had gone too far from home, and it snowed off and on during the four hour drive. The road was unfamiliar to us and windy, a typical mountain road, but the conditions were not too bad. In fact, I wasn't stressed once because of the conditions, although it would have been nice to have been able to see what was on either side of the road. Or not.
The above photo was taken on our way home shortly after leaving Nakusp. Of course, there were no pictures to be taken on our trip there because of darkness. It was actually kind of weird to drive home seeing the scenery for the first time. I would love to make this drive in the summer; it looks very pretty. 
This is Abby and Casey walking back to our motel from the arena after one of Sam's games on Saturday. Nakusp is only a village of about 1300, so everything we needed was in close proximity to each other. Our motel was basically two blocks from the arena. I still drove to each game; I forgot to bring my winter boots! The snow was just deep enough and slushy enough to make walking in shoes a cold and wet affair.
Here's a picture of Sam...looks like he was eating a potato chip. We arrived in Nakusp around 7:30pm on Friday and since we didn't play a game until Saturday morning, we had time to just relax. 
Shaking hands after our semi-final loss to the home team. We played well most of the tournament despite having three games in one day. We won our first two games (8-0 and 4-3) and lost the lost two (5-2 and 5-1). Sam is the short player in black in the middle. Our next tournament is in January in Oliver, BC.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Maggie and the Mouse
Maggie finally realized her destiny as a cat this morning; she caught a mouse. Thankfully, Master Daddy was up and around to aid Maggie in her quest, to put the mouse out of its' misery, and to dispose of the body. I was blissfully asleep and unaware.
We have been expecting to find mouse droppings as Maggie has taken up almost permanent residence in front of either the stove or the dishwasher, peering at it with an intensity equal to Superman's x-ray vision. Master Daddy and I looked under the stove last week and saw no mousely evidence, but I knew it was too good to be true.
This morning, Master Daddy pulled the storage drawer out from beneath the stove. There was nothing in the empty cavity, but there was something inside the drawer itself. Frightened, the mouse jumped and tried to take off but Maggie was quicker. She caught it in her mouth and took off to a corner of the house to play with it. Ick. Master Daddy stepped in to finish the mouse off and put the body inside a ziplock bag in order to show us all.
Abby was sad to see such a cute little mouse being tortured and killed. Little does she know...
As for me, I am very glad that this didn't happen on my watch! Just the thought of it gives me shivers. While I suspected that the mice were back for the winter, I was allowing myself to be lulled into a false sense of security every time I searched for evidence and came up empty. I suppose we're dealing with highly intelligent mice that know better than to leave their little droppings as calling cards. We've had Maggie for four years now, I think, and this was her first mouse! The kids want a party in honour of the event. I just want there to be no more mice. I guess we'll all be disappointed.
We have been expecting to find mouse droppings as Maggie has taken up almost permanent residence in front of either the stove or the dishwasher, peering at it with an intensity equal to Superman's x-ray vision. Master Daddy and I looked under the stove last week and saw no mousely evidence, but I knew it was too good to be true.
This morning, Master Daddy pulled the storage drawer out from beneath the stove. There was nothing in the empty cavity, but there was something inside the drawer itself. Frightened, the mouse jumped and tried to take off but Maggie was quicker. She caught it in her mouth and took off to a corner of the house to play with it. Ick. Master Daddy stepped in to finish the mouse off and put the body inside a ziplock bag in order to show us all.
Abby was sad to see such a cute little mouse being tortured and killed. Little does she know...
As for me, I am very glad that this didn't happen on my watch! Just the thought of it gives me shivers. While I suspected that the mice were back for the winter, I was allowing myself to be lulled into a false sense of security every time I searched for evidence and came up empty. I suppose we're dealing with highly intelligent mice that know better than to leave their little droppings as calling cards. We've had Maggie for four years now, I think, and this was her first mouse! The kids want a party in honour of the event. I just want there to be no more mice. I guess we'll all be disappointed.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Playhouse Memories
This is Abby and her grandma sitting in front of a playhouse that used to belong to my mom. The playhouse was won in the 1953 Regatta raffle. The current owner bought it from my great-grandmother in the late '50s or early '60s. While they have painted the outside and changed the shingles, the house is very much the same as it was when my mom was a little girl. The current owner was one of the homes in the annual garden tour in our city this year which is how my mom caught up with her childhood playhouse. Abby is very jealous; our playhouse is a shack in comparison.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Tied
Tonight's hockey game was definitely the closest and most challenging game for Sam's team. We didn't lose, but we didn't win either. It was a 2-2 tie.
Our opponent did a fantastic job of tying up our players. I don't think our guys really knew what to make of this team. We lacked our usual speed and team work, although it was evident that they were still trying to work as a team. The other team just came out with nothing to lose and ready to put out their best effort. Our reputation precedes us; we are the team to beat.
Being undefeated is something to be proud of, and yet it is also a curse. Our team isn't perfect. There are flaws to fix and bad habits to break and plenty of coaching to be received, but a team that never loses can forget some of those things thinking that they can continue to win as they always have. Not so! Hopefully, our team will learn from today's game. We may not have lost the game, but we were only a whisper away from putting a '1' in the loss column.
Our opponent did a fantastic job of tying up our players. I don't think our guys really knew what to make of this team. We lacked our usual speed and team work, although it was evident that they were still trying to work as a team. The other team just came out with nothing to lose and ready to put out their best effort. Our reputation precedes us; we are the team to beat.
Being undefeated is something to be proud of, and yet it is also a curse. Our team isn't perfect. There are flaws to fix and bad habits to break and plenty of coaching to be received, but a team that never loses can forget some of those things thinking that they can continue to win as they always have. Not so! Hopefully, our team will learn from today's game. We may not have lost the game, but we were only a whisper away from putting a '1' in the loss column.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Revenge!
Sam's hockey team was once again asked to play an exhibition game against the Bantam AAA girls team this afternoon. Apparently, the other AAA girl teams don't provide enough of a challenge to the Kelowna team. Thursday afternoons are their regular practice times and they love playing us because we do challenge them. Last week, we lost 6-5 in an exciting, hard fought game. Today, we won 5-3 and Sam assisted on our first goal!
He also hurt his wrist early in the first period though he played the entire game without complaint. It doesn't look swollen to me and he can move it without too much pain, so I'm thinking that it is probably a sprain or something like that. He iced it as soon as we got home. Hopefully, he'll be good as new by the weekend. He plays his best friend's team on Sunday, and I know that Sam will want to play well in that game.
He also hurt his wrist early in the first period though he played the entire game without complaint. It doesn't look swollen to me and he can move it without too much pain, so I'm thinking that it is probably a sprain or something like that. He iced it as soon as we got home. Hopefully, he'll be good as new by the weekend. He plays his best friend's team on Sunday, and I know that Sam will want to play well in that game.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
10 Commandments for Our Home
1. We will obey the Lord, our God. His Word is the final authority.
2. Our father is the head of the home. He makes the final decision in situations in question. We willingly obey our father.
3. Our mother is an authority equal to our father. She willingly obeys our father. We willingly obey our mother.
4. At all times, we will strive to express love. Our words, actions and thoughts will consist of kindness and love to one another. As children, we will not do bodily injury to one another, but will in love confront the problem.
5. We will care for the possessions loaned to us by God. We will not destroy our belongings. When we have occasion to use an item, we will put it back in its place. Our rooms will be kept clean at all times.
6. We are responsible for jobs around our home. We will do these jobs well, without grumbling or complaining. We will do these jobs immediately upon being told to do them. We will not procrastinate.
7. Our home is a place where we all live. Therefore we will permit each other time to do things they enjoy without interruption. Each person is entitled to a quiet time each day to be used as he or she wishes.
8. We are all to be present at family gatherings, such as meal time, Bible study, and church services. We will employ love in listening and sharing with each other.
9. All rules which apply within our home we will put in action outside of our home, wherever we may be.
10. The peace of God is the signature of our home. Therefore, we will not disturb, by any action or word, the peace of this home.
Eons ago when we still homeschooled, I came across these 10 commandments among the Weaver curriculum that I was using. I printed them out and that piece of paper has been stuck on the bulletin board in our kitchen ever since. It's time to dust it off and re-introduce it to the kids.
2. Our father is the head of the home. He makes the final decision in situations in question. We willingly obey our father.
3. Our mother is an authority equal to our father. She willingly obeys our father. We willingly obey our mother.
4. At all times, we will strive to express love. Our words, actions and thoughts will consist of kindness and love to one another. As children, we will not do bodily injury to one another, but will in love confront the problem.
5. We will care for the possessions loaned to us by God. We will not destroy our belongings. When we have occasion to use an item, we will put it back in its place. Our rooms will be kept clean at all times.
6. We are responsible for jobs around our home. We will do these jobs well, without grumbling or complaining. We will do these jobs immediately upon being told to do them. We will not procrastinate.
7. Our home is a place where we all live. Therefore we will permit each other time to do things they enjoy without interruption. Each person is entitled to a quiet time each day to be used as he or she wishes.
8. We are all to be present at family gatherings, such as meal time, Bible study, and church services. We will employ love in listening and sharing with each other.
9. All rules which apply within our home we will put in action outside of our home, wherever we may be.
10. The peace of God is the signature of our home. Therefore, we will not disturb, by any action or word, the peace of this home.
Eons ago when we still homeschooled, I came across these 10 commandments among the Weaver curriculum that I was using. I printed them out and that piece of paper has been stuck on the bulletin board in our kitchen ever since. It's time to dust it off and re-introduce it to the kids.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
6-0
Sam's hockey team won their sixth game this afternoon and kept their record perfect. They did lose a game last Thursday (5-4), but it was an exhibition game against the Bantam AAA girls team. Sam's team is only a Bantam house team, so we really can't count that loss in their regular standings now can we.
Today's game was a very good, close game. The final score was 6-4; however, we had to work hard to come back from a deficit and take the lead. My little Sam was dealt a hard bodycheck in the first period and put his team on the powerplay. There is no bodychecking in house league! I gasped as I watched my son fall to the ice, but he got back up and stayed on the ice for the rest of his shift. He worked hard this game and is improving all the time.
I brought the camera to the game and took several shots. When I get the film developed, and assuming the photos turn out, then I'll post them here. I have my eye on a particular digital camera, but the price tag is a little steep and I'm not ready to sacrifice what I want for something cheaper.
Today's game was a very good, close game. The final score was 6-4; however, we had to work hard to come back from a deficit and take the lead. My little Sam was dealt a hard bodycheck in the first period and put his team on the powerplay. There is no bodychecking in house league! I gasped as I watched my son fall to the ice, but he got back up and stayed on the ice for the rest of his shift. He worked hard this game and is improving all the time.
I brought the camera to the game and took several shots. When I get the film developed, and assuming the photos turn out, then I'll post them here. I have my eye on a particular digital camera, but the price tag is a little steep and I'm not ready to sacrifice what I want for something cheaper.
Family Photo
This is the most recent picture of our family taken in September at a family reunion. Don't ask me what's going on with some of the expressions...I don't have a clue! It should be obvious who Master Daddy and I are. Our rugrats, from left to right, are:
Sam, Casey and Abby
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
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