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Sunday, February 28, 2010

Oh Canada!

My mother was born and raised in Canada. My father was born and raised in California. They met about half way between and settled in California. Not until the year I was married did my mother become a US citizen. So, growing up, I considered myself half and half. While I treasure my US citizenship, I also have deep roots and love for Canada, and my Canadian relatives are the salt of the earth! Though I don't see them often enough, it is always a joy when I do.

One of my happy memories of visiting Canada as an impressionable teenager was going to my aunt's boyfriend's hockey game. How quickly I learned - Hockey is THE Canadian sport. I also learned, dress warm, buy hot chocolate, and keep your eye on the puck - if you can. Knowing nothing about the game at first, it wasn't hard to figure out the purpose, get the puck in the net. What was really amazing from an inept skater like myself is how in the world do they go backwards and crash into each other at breakneck speed and not fall? I still have no idea, but the thrill of it all left me with happy memories.

Fast forward over thirty years and now I have teenagers. While I have enjoyed watching hockey on the Olympics even more than ice-skating for all these years, now my boys were excited too. I've taken them to the ice-skating rink more than the bowling alley. They love to skate and have figured out skating backwards (I know living vicariously through my children, sadly.) Anyhow, with much anticipation the US Hockey team was watched. These pictures are all from last week. Tonight was too riveting to move. When they beat Canada a week ago, it was shocking.
Well, it was exciting too, though I felt from the beginning, no matter which team won, I couldn't lose. But, clear kudos to the designer of the US Goalie's helmet - LOVE THAT! And, what a goalie Ryan Miller turned out to be!
Even MyGirl joined in the family experience, wrapped in a patriotic fleece blanket.
Now, while in my heart I loved both teams, I had to cheer for America, or "find myself new sleeping quarters," MyMike said with a smile, kind of. . . .

So, tonight it was SOME GAME! Fast, Exciting, Close, and then it was over - Gold for Canada. And, I was happy, knowing my aunts, uncles, and cousins were happy. I am proud of how well the US team played, but I was proud to hear O Canada sung with great fervor. I always get a lump in my heart whenever it is sung because every time I ever saw my mother sing it when I was a child, she had a lump in her throat too. It represents being far away from those we love, but knowing we're connected still. In my heart, Canada is partly my team too! And, since I know Uncle Dennis has helped spread my blog to that part of my family, Congratulations to all of you in the land of the maple leaf. My heart is with you too!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

The week before Valentines

Well, this is what happens when school is canceled for a week - you make other plans. Some involved creativity, some involved play, there were some work projects that were accomplished, but mostly it was a fun week to enjoy my family. . . toasty fires, cuddling under blankets, playing games, practicing our instruments, watching movies, just being us - and this is what makes Valentines so wonderful - to love the ones you're with! Happy Valentines to those of you far away that are so dear to my heart! As the mail man only made it up our street twice all week, and I never knew when those days were going to be - consider this your Valentine by proxy. Love You!

Snowboarding

Making 6 foot banks Everywhere - we've done more shoveling in the last ten days ...


Snow angels


Olympics - Mario bros. for Wii and NBC

Homemade sugar cookies

Puzzlers

Homemade cards

Chocolate - sorry no picture of the homemade brownies!

Love jars - little gifts for my family with different loving messages inside. I told them when they don't feel loved, pull these out and remember how much I love them.

And, last but not least, this week there was plenty of time for scrapbooking. All these pages are from the last 5 - 7 months. Something about all this snow put me on a green kick. . . every page seemed to be calling out for green, so here it is.




Baby love, there's just nothing like it!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Birthday Weekend


I'll get to this in a minute. . . .
We couldn't let 30 plus inches of snow stop us from celebrating LittleBuddy's birthday. . . eleven! So glad it didn't snow like this eleven years ago. Fortunately his best buds live across the street and were more than happy to spend hours on Sat. with us, eating, watching a movie, playing in the snow, eating again, having fun! Their flight is scheduled to leave for Florida today. . . lucky them! He woke up to presents and waffles this morning, and has been busy ever since.

The Lego creations. How much longer will he love to build these and use his imagination? I know he's having fun when I hear the swooshing sound he makes for the Star Wars lightsaber.

Three cute kids who couldn't wait for the snow to stop to go out and have fun in it.

Its an ice rink at the bottom of the driveway, but at least you get an idea of what we're experiencing.

4 hours in the front 4 hours in the back, including the neighbor's. All the muscles are sore and everyone slept in this morning!

That's BigBuddy doing flips in the snow. How does a 6'3" person do that? Lots of sledding and snow fun to be had, especially when their Dad gets hot water to "ice the ramps really good" ?!?!?

One last look down the driveway with a six foot wall on either side.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Last Week of Cubs

 
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The last week ever as a Cub Scout and it's the Pinewood Derby. Last week I put together this shadow box for him to remember his Cub Scouting days. His dad was dreading this event. This is our sixth one. We never do very well. MyMike was hoping they would drop it this year, but they didn't. I reminded him it was his last year ever, then retirement from all Cub duties. So, he and his boy went to work, with the boy's design and his dad's skill with the saw and the drill. They sanded and shaped it together, primed and painted, while munching on treats. . . good bonding time going on down in the basement. I think big brother came down too to help with the work. One morning I came downstairs to find MyMike on the internet looking up tips and suggestions on pinewood derby cars . . . a first. So, last night was the big race. In his shyness and anxiety, MyMike didn't really want to go, but of course, he HAD TO GO, and he got a good seat so he could watch his boy and their car. My boy was pretty calm. He didn't expect much, but there is always hope. For him, part of the joy is just being with his buddies and having a little friendly competiton, though my boy is really not very competitive.

At the start of the race . . . .

Wow, he won that race. (And can I tell you how thrilled I am that I have a camera - and know how to work it this year so that I can actually get a picture of an object in motion without it being so blurry you can't tell what you're looking at - seriously loving that!) Maybe someday I can it without ANY blurriness - we'll see.

It was close, but the little yellow car won every single race!

Here he is with Sis. Pelech. I told her a couple of weeks ago that she is the "Child Whisperer," of our church. She works with the Bear Cub Scouts and every boy that has ever had her has a friend for life. She has the right amount of discipline and love that no child no matter how rebellious can turn away from. She has never been a biological mother but she mothers and nurtures with the very best of them. My boy has a special place in his heart for her. She was sharing in his victory this evening, sitting at the end of the track, just being there for the boys, win, show, or place.

And here he is, receiving his 1st place medal. He and Sis. Pierce go back a long ways. She was his Sunbeam Primary teacher. I remember in the grocery store one afternoon with tears in her eyes she told me about how sweet he was in class, and made me tear up too. That doesn't happen to me a lot in the grocery store, so I remember that day well. She was his teacher again as a five year old which surprised me. Not often do you have the same teacher for a whole year twice, but I already knew how much she loved my boy, so thankfully I watched him go happily to her class and continue to learn. When he was 8 she became his Primary President. She motivated him to learn all his Articles of Faith and he knew that she loved him even when she told him to go back home and try it again next week. She was just released from that calling in December and is now his Cubmaster, and again, part of one of the special memories he'll have of his childhood. I thank the Lord for people who give so much of themselves to bless the lives of others, and especially those who help me raise my children.

One happy boy.