"Summer" Sports with Sticks

Mid-summer pic of the kids...at an ice arena.

We weren't able to sign the kids up for many activities this year because our beginning of the summer vacations cut into most of the available recreation programs. It is probably a good thing since we have had something scheduled nearly everyday.

Paige geared-up for her first hockey game!

Paige decided that she would like to give hockey a try. So Henry and I decided that a good way to test the water was to send her to hockey camp with Blake. For their age group, it was a day camp conveniently located about 10 minutes from our cabin. They absolutely loved it! I must say that I was a little apprehensive about the lack of supervision, at first. You must realize that level of supervision is rather subjective in nature. Coming from the compulsive head counter, they were pretty much on their own. Blake and Paige were at camp from 7:30 until 5:00 Monday through Friday with ice time on Sunday and games on Saturday, an entire week.

Hockey Huddle
(Paige is #4 with the pink tape on her stick)

I experienced one of those parental bitter-sweet "moments" with Blake on the first full day of camp. The kids were in separate groups, with Blake finishing before Paige. When I arrived to pick them up, I found Blake in the pro shop trying to decide what to buy. They each got some money in an account at the beginning of camp, and they both went a teensy bit overboard on their first day of freedom...slushies, ice cream, candy, powerade (the only restriction we gave them was no pop). I walk in the room and get a casual "hey Mom". He is hanging out with some friends so I try not to impose. A couple minutes later he bellies up to the snack counter. It is supper time so I head over to check the situation out. All cool and casual, "Can I getcha' anything?". Well, he does have his own account money. "No thanks bud. What are you getting?" "Ah, I was just going to get a pizza." Delicate situation here. It is supper time but I don't want to squash the tiny bit of independence he seems to have acquired in the last 9 hours, "Well, it is supper time as soon as Paige gets back from ice time.". In retrospect, I guess my response could be interpreted differently than intended by a 7 year old. I walk to the doors to check for Paige's van. As I turn around I hear Blake asking about small versus large pizza, both in terms of cost and actual size. Needless to say, our supper was pizza in the pro shop, compliments of my baby boy.

I was so unbelievably proud of my munchkins that week. Blake was able to spread his wings, a little. He is generally shy and uncertain in new situations, just like me, so it was great to see him have to fend for himself. Paige is more like Henry when it comes to personality and she put it all to good use that week. She was the only girl in her group and the only kid that was not already involved in hockey. This meant she was the slowest, slowest, slowest skater in her group. From what I saw, she never gave up and never took shortcuts. I both envy her and am infinitely proud of how she handled the situation. She is a firecracker!

Now where is that darn puck?

The realization has now fully sunk in that hockey is, in fact, a year round sport. Regular season runs from October to March, Spring League from April to May, Hockey Camp in July, and Fall League from August to September. What, we missed a month!

Two kids worth of gear...you can identify the kids
by smell that don't air out their gear...nasty, nasty, nasty.

Blake also played Baseball this summer from June through July. I know, everyone thinks we are insane. I am really glad that we are able to provide our kids the opportunity to try out different sports. I never had that chance and can't even hold my own in backyard pick-up games. I hold no illusions that Blake is going to be a superstar athlete, he takes after me remember. I could be wrong, we'll just have to wait and see. Regardless, it is a great chance to learn some valuable life lessons. And my favorite part is how amazing Henry is with all of it. He coaches every chance he gets, cheers from the stands, and holds practice session in the backyard and driveway. He is such an amazing Dad, so involved and loves every minute of it.

Complete focus.

The Team

The camera refused to focus on anything but the fence.
It is kind of artsy, I guess.

Cue Alice Cooper

Who's ready for SUMMER?

School's Out! Yes, I know school has been out for a few weeks already, but this felt like the first week of summer for us. The beginning of June was hectic (in a good way) with vacations and Spunktacular Days Fun Run planning. Last week was our first chance to get into the summer routine of having no routine. It was fantastic! We slept in, picked fresh veggies from the garden, mowed lawn, rode bikes, ate ice cream, hit the beach, played baseball, and went to the cabin, just to name a few things. And the weather was HOT, HOT, HOT with some good old Minnesota humidity. I love it!

Paige's first black eye.

Last year Blake hit her in the head with an aluminum bat. This year he hit her in the face with a pitch. This baseball injury looked much worse in person, but I just couldn't capture it quite right on camera. However, I do love the added pout for emphasis.

I ran outside when I heard the commotion. Henry said, "I don't know why she stepped into it. The pitch was obviously inside." It takes my brain a few seconds to process this language that I don't speak. It just looked, to me, like she got hit in the cheek with a baseball.

Blake biking in the rain.

I truly believe that playing in the rain is one of the greatest parts of childhood. This is, of course, closely rivaled by playing in mud puddles. I have some wonderful photos of the kids during these magical moments that only happen a couple times a year.

Blake (aka Mr. Cool Sports Kid) at Spunk Days.

Bring on Parade Season! Blake seemed so much older that weekend. Going off on his own a little and hanging out with friends. Not to mention, how serious he was about collecting the parade loot. He didn't do too bad. Does anyone have any recipes that call for Tootsie Rolls?

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop

Blake and Paige are rarely sick. There have even been a couple years during which the only time they went to the doctor was for their wellness check. Despite that, they sure do seem to pick up some dandy illnesses.

Paige had RSV when she was 3 weeks old. The doctor scared us with all of the possible repercussions that could follow her throughout childhood. Nope, she is as healthy as a horse. In fact, she sometimes thinks she is a horse, or a dog, or a cat, or a cheetah. She also had Scarlet Fever when she was about 2 years old. No big deal.

Last week, Blake tested positive for Pertussis (Whooping Cough). The only reason I took him to the doctor was because the school district had just sent home another letter asking parents to get their kids tested for any cough lasting 5 days or more. I am such a rule follower! Blake coughed a couple times, and I knew he had been exposed, so I took him in to the doctor with a mild, mild, mild cough and zero other symptoms. Henry thought I was nuts especially since I generally try to avoid taking the kids in to the doctor unless I am really concerned. Well, the test results were positive so the whole family got to take a course of antibiotics. Top it off with multiple calls from the Minnesota Department of Health, and the whole saga seemed very silly considering that he only coughed a handful of times, there were no coughing spells and no whoops. Blake thought missing school (school policy) was pretty cool since he didn't feel sick...and with the long holiday weekend, he ended up with an entire week of vacation.

Busted!

Remember when you were a kid and you always wondered what your parents did after they made you go to bed?

Remember when you finally realized what your parents did after they made you go to bed?

It was then that you realized why it always seemed so urgent that you go to bed RIGHT NOW, even if it was still light out.

Parents out there...have any of your kids discovered your dirty little secrets?

Today Paige opened a drawer and stumbled upon one of ours...

First Curiosity

Then Disgust, Rage & Anger

Finally Disappointment

That's right kiddos.

We make you go to bed so early so we can eat Dairy Queen...WITHOUT YOU.

Sweet Dreams.

I'll Always Make Time for You

There are always laughs to be had when children are not sure what is to be taken literally. Now that Blake is getting the hang of the concept, he loves to tell Paige "Ugh, it is just a figure of speech!" (with ubiquitous eye-roll and head shake...which he gets from me...just ask Henry).

My favorite "not literally" moment with Blake was when he was about 3 years old. We were outside doing yard work on the front lawn when he decided he had to go to the bathroom, NOW. I looked around and some of the neighbors were outside so I told him "go pee on the side of the house". After a few seconds, I walked to the side of the house to check on him. He was doing exactly what I told him to do...peeing ON the side of the house. Of course, I just have to laugh because I can't possibly get mad at him for doing exactly what I told him to do.

I had a pretty humorous "not literally" moment with Paige the other day. I made her toast for breakfast and told her to hurry up and eat it because we needed to leave as soon as Daddy got home. Paige does not hurry up and do ANYTHING. She walked away from the table to gather up some of her beloved stuffed animals, leaving her food unattended. This is a huge no-no at our house...a few seconds later I hear Paige shriek (she shrieks a lot) "Bad Ringo". She comes running into the laundry room crying, very upset that Ringo is eating her toast. I told her I could make more. This made her even more upset. "There isn't enough time. You said we had to hurry because we have to leave. I won't have time to eat." So I reassured her by saying, "It is okay. We can make time." Wrong answer. Insert strange facial gesture of anger and confusion mixed with crocodile tears. "YOU CAN'T MAKE TIME. NOBODY CAN MAKE TIME. HOW DO YOU MAKE TIME? YOU CAN'T!" Whoa. My mind was caught between laughing at how much this upset her, being upset at her for yelling at me, and being proud of her understanding of the concept of time. "You are absolutely right sweetheart. No one can make time. It was a figure of speech. What I meant was that we will wait for you to finish eating your breakfast." Thankfully, this appeased her.

I love to try to imagine what is going on in their little brains and how they see things with their level of understanding (strange carry-over from the background in psychology). What I pictured made me giggle...

Mmmmmm...Fresh Batch of Time Comin' Right Up