So it goes

Last week after a couple of months of preparing a resume, testing, and interviewing, Thad was promoted to a sergeant position at the police department. This means no more juvenile detective, no more M-F (I say that loosely because that wasn't the reality with that job either, and back to life with a shift worker. (more on this in a bit)
He was sworn in last Friday. Kate had been sick all week, and for as nice as she looks in the photo, she was still quite miserable. The police chief spoke briefly, gave a brief bio on each officer (two were promoted to sergeant and one to lieutenant), and then the wives pinned the new badge on our spouses. You can guess who had issues pinning her spouse. Yes me.

I am so proud of Thad. The reality is, he couldn't see himself dealing with the crimes he was for another fifteen years. I still think he was the best man for that job, but you grow exhausted and jaded (more jaded) by hearing what horrible things happen to juveniles.
He started his new position last night. He is working 4pm-1am. Basically we don't see Thad now. This could last until March where he may move to the midnight shift, or there is a strong possibility he will stay on evenings indefinitely. How we are going to coordinate nightly activities for the kids and weekend travel for hockey, baseball, and dance is not clear to me. It will get done. For those who have asked, this is not a M-F position. It's five on and three off. I've been lucky that he has had a somewhat M-F schedule since Olivia was born. Two kids, many more activities, and lots of homework later, it will work out. My mother is my personal angel. She helps out with all the kids, driving places when I can't, and is a savior.
I have a job where many kids dislike cops. I get that. I never felt that way, but I certainly feared them. Like I tell my students though, "You wouldn't hate them if you had to call 911 and you had someone trying to break into your house, there was a crisis at school, or in any emergency." Both of our jobs, as of late, have proved to be potentially dangerous. It's a new and scary time, and I have no answers.
I will say that I LOATHE reading people on Facebook (why do I still have an account?!?!?) writing how guns are the problem, mental health is the problem, banning guns is ridiculous, we need prayer in schools and that's why this happens (what??), etc.
Seriously if there was one reason, you'd think we would have solved it by now. We can only do our best to teach our children right from wrong, to defend people who aren't being treated well, and hope that nothing terrible happens to them. That probably sounds lame, but I just don't know what to say.
What I can tell you is that highlight of my night last night (insert massive sarcasm) was when Olivia came down crying not only because Kate woke her up, BUT also woke her to tell her about the rampage in CT. Seriously??! Oh I was mad...fuming...
Yes my kids still drive me crazy. :)

Sweet Olivia

She has a plan should Thad (or I) become President of the United States. 

As of tomorrow...

...I will be the mother of a teenager. Good lord what is up with that?!

I have been reliving the day before I gave birth in my mind all day. I've been reminiscing. I've been wistful. Then I came across a box of pictures...lots of pictures that show proof of a) how young I was, b) how horrible my hair was prior to owning a flat iron, and c) how quickly time flies by.

Here are a few pictures I found. I didn't find any newborn photos of Ryan. They are tucked safely in scrapbooks, where I wrote every last detail of my pregnancy, labor, delivery, and his early life. As you can expect, those kinds of 'hobbies' ended once Olivia was born.
I had Thad scan a few photos, and as you can see....obviously he didn't get it quite right. I have no idea how to fix this, but click on them and see my cute, sweet, spunky little Ryan.

A favorite

See this picture at the top? This was taken over TEN years ago. It's of Kate and me. I was going to have you guess, but I really doubt few people are reading my blog anymore since I bailed for so long. Anyway I had a student who was such a good drawer that I asked her if she could draw something for me. I really don't remember her doing it, and I know for sure she wasn't even in art, but the second picture is what I was given.

Now granted she didn't really get my nose, chin, or jaw quite right, but she capture Kate to a "T." I look at this picture set every.single.day. I'm at work. It just dawned on me that I have never shared this beautiful piece of art with anyone in my family.

I miss my sweet Kate. She used to be so easy, so amiable, so soft spoken, and so gentle. Kate spends much of her time at home being creative (read making HUGE messes), doing hand stands and back bends (read thumping), and sassing back (read becoming a pre-teen).
But, every night and every morning, she still is the only child who, without fail says to me, "I love you mom."

I'm on a mission--Camping 2012

See? I really am on a mission to blog more. This August I did something I'd never done before, and in turn afforded my children an opportunity to try something they had never done....CAMP. Now if you know me (I mean really know me), I was raised by a father who taught me that roughing it was staying at a Holiday Inn. We took maybe two trips my entire life, and one was to Minneapolis. Yes I'm serious. 

We drove five hours to Silver Bay, MN, an hour northeast of Duluth, along Lake Superior. Our friends, two families and neighbors had this trip in the works, and had tried to talk us into it for a few months. When we realized that Ryan had no football, Thad could get work off, and that Bonnie was willing to let people lend us a tent, friends would provide the stuff to cook with...well how could I say no?

It was.....the best decision ever.

 Brady enjoyed using his flashlight to see the starts. Doesn't everyone stargaze that way?!

 We took a ski lift to the top of a spot in Lutsen. So beautiful. The kids loved it. Brady did not. Like not at all.

 At the top of the lift were bobsleds to ride down. That was the fun part. The kids went twice.

 

Well, most of the kids. Brady decided once was enough, so he and I stayed down and he hung out with his buddies and god parents.

Then we took a gondola to the top of another spot. The view was incredible. We had lunch...nothing to write about as far as lunch was concerned, but more fun exploring.
It baffles me that these girls have been part of one each others' lives since the older girls were two. I have pictures of little Lucy holding newborn Olivia in the hospital.

 These guys used to play all the time. Ryan is a year older, and they've grown apart, but they enjoyed being together.

 I love this picture. That is classic Brady...

 The next day we went to a few state parks and enjoyed hiking and waterfalls.

 I can't write enough about how wonderful Ryan was to have around. Okay yes right around this time he lost his cool with me over something, but he bounced back quickly.
I always worry about Ryan when we do this stuff. I expected he'd think this camping thing was lame, be bored, etc. He is a pretty private kid, and he doesn't show anyone much emotion.
I asked him a lot, and every time he said he was having fun. And boy did he take care of Brady. He climbed steep embankments with Brady on his hip. He taught him to throw rocks in the water. Ryan just takes such good care of Brady.

 And this is our family. It was not easy getting us all on that darn slippery rock, but we did it, again thanks to Ryan and Thad.

My pictures vanish from this point on because I was crossing a waterfall with Ryan, and I slipped on some rocks. My shoes went down stream, my purse was submerged, Brady was screaming, I was laughing, my family was laughing, and then Ryan held out his hand to help me. I can't convey how slippery it was.
But we made it. It wasn't until I got all the way across the water that I realized that a) My phone was in my soaking purse and b) it was too late to salvage, c) my connection to the "real world" was dead. Like deader than dead.
It was worth it. It was worth it to be soaking wet the rest of the day. It was worth feeling my socks squish in my shoes while we went from place to place.
It was all worth it.
Camping was worth it.
We have asked for a tent for Christmas.
My kids love, love, loved Disney World this summer. But I think that camping was equally, if not more, memorable.

I haven't been blogging--duh

Reading blogs is something that I love to do. I love to read about my friends, family, and people I don't know personally but feel a connection to. Sometimes I read posts that I don't agree with, but I do enjoy reading them.
This morning Brady and I were up early on a Saturday, and I was showing him pictures of him when he was a newborn--on my blog. I haven't taken the time (or been willing to spend the money sadly) to make him a baby album (or four) yet. I realized that he hasn't been blessed with a book to pour through the way the other kids have. I showed him what I looked like shortly before I was born. "Mommy you look fat!" Well, yes Brady I was a moose, and here's proof. I showed him pictures of his brother and sisters holding him, his baptism, well anything that is posted here.
It hit me that I used to do this for a reason, and that reason was my children. Then I began blogging to vent or reach out to others. I read blogs for that same reason, and each and every one of your blogs enriches my life.
So what happened?
I guess I got busy. Too busy to stop and reflect. Or maybe I was so busy reflecting within that I didn't want to publicize it. I'm not sure. I could make excuses, but there is no excuse.
I just sort of quit blogging.
But I want my kids to read this someday and know all the crazy things they did...I want them to know that they gave me something to laugh about or ponder regularly.
I'm going to try and make a comeback.
I'm going to share with you that Brady announced proudly in front of the Redbox that "I've seen this movie!" and I had to tell him, "Um no honey we haven't seen Pandora Double D or whatever it was called."
Or that he told me last week when I told him I loved him with all of my heart, "You don't have a heart mom."
Or that he called me a crap the other day when we was mad.
Or that he's obsessed with Peaches humping him. Yes I know. Not good.
I'm going to tell you that I'm trying to figure out how to get the girls to church & Sunday school tomorrow, get Kate to two different performances, miss Ryan's game in Fergus, and figure out where Brady will go.
Or that my daughter Kate is obsessed with me being an unfair and unkind mom if she doesn't get something every.single.time her siblings do.
Or that Ryan has practice at 6:30am which means I am getting up around 5:40 to get him there.
Or that Olivia cries at the drop of the hat and it drives me crazy, she still is a picky eater, and spelling doesn't come quite as easily to her as it did her big brother and sister.
I'm going to tell you that my 'baby' turns 13 in a few days and I can't believe it.

But for now I'm just going to say, I will try to post more. I love when all you do. And happy December 1!

May as well...

Well it's quite obvious that I've seriously fallen off the blogging wagon big time. But AJ posted this, and then Melissa did, so heck why not

Describe your self. What do you think about yourself and do you think people perceive you in the same way?  I would say I'm soft hearted, sentitive, introverted although I am outgoing...I think others see me as quick witted, quirky, sensitive, and an extrovert.
Which is your most favorite book ever?  I can't say I have one. I've read Helter Skelter a million times and I could read it again. I loved Hellhound on His Trail...I love most books I read.
Which is the one television character that you simply adore?  Character? Cam from Modern Family, Alex P. Keaton from Family Ties, Dr...well whoever the hell George Clooney played on ER, anyone on Friends, and Mrs. Garrett from Facts of Life.
What kind of music do you like? I am a music junkie like AJ. I love 80s, pop, rock, classic rock, hard stuff, country, hell all of it.
Which is your favorite genre of movies? (Comedy/Romance/Suspense/Action/Horror) I'm too ADD for movies, so generally I only sit through comedies or romance
What do you do when you feel very sad or depressed?  Keep to myself and shut down
What makes you angry? Are you short-tempered? How do you overcome your anger? Mean people who think they are better than others, laziness and helplessness, the inability to accept responsibility for personal decisions
Which is the best vacation you've ever had? I love traveling so wherever. Family: Florida or camping, Couple: Honeymoon Cruise or Vegas, I LOVED my trip to the Southern US, and next summer our group is spending a (free) week in Boston
If you could have a luncheon with any three people (real or fictitious/from any time period/dead or alive), which three people would you choose and why?  My grandma Ada, Franklin Roosevelt, and Harry Truman
Which is your most cherished childhood memory? I have no memories
What kind of kid were you? I was very mouthy and always got in trouble
What is the craziest thing you've ever done?  I'm pleading the fifth
Name one person you love the most and one person you hate the most. My entire family...I don't hate anyone
If we were a couple and we had a fight, how would you try to patch things up?  I would apologize, probably cry, and explain my side again
What is the funniest prank played on you or played by you? I sent Thad a fake letter from Planned Parenthood saying I had an STD and that my partner gave it to me. Looking back, this could have seriously blown up in my face, but it was creative.
If given a choice, which animal would you want to be? Why? I can't imagine being an animal b/c they don't talk. Ever.
Who was your first crush? Did you ever tell him/her about your feelings?  When I was in kindergarten, my family was at a basketball game. A senior dove for a ball and fell on me. I developed a huge crush.
Which is your most favorite place in this earth? Home
If you were stranded on a lonely beach, what are the five things that you would want to survive?
water, music, books, my cell phone, and People magazine

Serenity

God grant me the serenity to stay out of a mental institution.
Assure me that my children are "normal" for:
Using (loudly) a whoopee cushion in the dentist's office. So glad they gave that as a reward.
For fighting 800 times a day.
For asking 25000 questions a day, most of which are identical to the question asked five seconds prior.
For hating every.single.meal I make, and for requesting McDonald's every.single.day
For being three and running through the doctor's office saying it's ok, because he's running bases.
For sliding into said bases.

I really could ask for more God, but I'm too tired. So instead I'll be thankful they're healthy enough to want to make me mentally ill. :)

Smiles

Every.single.day this child cracks me up. Whether I'm exhausted, stressed, crabby, you name it, I am reminded that each day.with Brady is an adventure in smiles.

Summer...so far

To say that this summer has been busy is a huge understatement. I don't know if we've ever been going non stop the way we have this summer. I'm not complaining. I won't share all the things we (I) have had going on, but there have been work commitments, family travel, BASEBALL, Thad's 20 year reunion, etc.

This is marked the "kick off" to our summer--a weeklong trip to Florida. I am itching to go back. I want to retire here.

A LOT of baseball (and tball). This will likely be Olivia's one and only year playing. But Brady sure enjoys getting to play too!

Travel baseball is an all-consuming summer sport. It's like hockey during the summer. I love it. I don't mind the heat.

For as much baseball as Ryan plays, he finds the time to golf *at least* 18 holes a day. If there is no golf, he'll do more. His energy is insane. I know understand why boys weren't half as interested in us girls when we were his age.

I have thoroughly loved watching my 'baseball boy' blossom as a player. While coaching Olivia's team this year, I have watched a little boy who reminds me of Ryan at the age of seven. Then I look at Brady, who is the unofficial baseball mascot. He LOVES the kids, the game, and sits and watches the games. If he's not watching, he's off to the side acting out the moves he sees.

The boys treat Brady like royalty. Ryan and his friend use some bizarre lingo. For awhile Ryan has called Benny. None of us in our house even hear it, because we just tune out Ryan's 'talk.' Low and behold, though, we have realized that Ryan's teammates don't say "Brady!" They call him Ben or Benny. Go figure.

The girls aren't really fairly represented in any pictures. My girls are doing well. Kate is just blossoming. Sometimes I catch myself looking at her wistfully. She is now ten. Her look is changing....she's growing up.

Olivia is seven. She isn't aggressive at all with baseball. She has enjoyed playing with friends, prefers to swim everyday, and is still my emotional child.

Moorhead hosted the state baseball tournament this weekend. Our first two games were big wins. We took down Baxter easily. We moved on to Waite Park, where we won 13-0.
Next up was Bemidji. They got us...and got us good. It was a double elimination tournament, so we weren't out. In fact we had to play Waite Park again today, and it was another decisive victory. Unfortunately one boy badly hurt his knee and gave us a scare. He was taken to the ER, and the boys resumed play.
Next up? Bemidji. But even if we beat them, we would have to play them again, tomorrow....
The start of the game wasn't looking so good. In fact after two and a half innings, 90+ degree temps, and knowing Brady must be exhausted, I wrestled him home so he could nap. Within a minute or two of leaving the texts started rolling in: Ryan got a grand slam!\ We are up one! Ryan is pitching awesome! Crap the other team scored! We are going into extra innings! After innings 7 & 8 were played with no score, Thad texted me, "Wake him up and get here."  So I woke up a deep sleeping Brady, who was covered in sweat, told him the boys were still playing, and we had to go. Luckily he gave me a huge smile...
As we ran into the stadium, I heard cheering...for the other team. Bemidji scored. They won. Those boys played their hearts out, and we were all so proud. I know that they are proud of themselves too.

Playing catch up...and a sweet story

Here I go getting caught up with things! Olivia turned 7 last week. She is in soccer right now, and just started tball. She is a doll, and yet still quite sensitive. At the same time, she is a little go getter on the soccer field.

 

Ryan had his final orchestra concert of the year last night. He was hell bent on not doing it next year. In fact, he thought I was a mean mom for refusing to allow him to quit mid-year. Sorry buddy, quitting won't happen. Lo and behold today, I saw that he brought home for form for summer orchestra camp AND is signing up again next year. Go figure.

Oh yeah, and baseball is in full swing again.

Now on to Miss Katie.  These is something about this little girl...she is blossoming before my eyes. I am showing you the email I received tonight from her teacher. Her teacher is (to coin my Grandma Ada) a true gem. She is the most compassionate, sweet, kind, loving yet with high expectations teacher. Kate has been asking all year if she can just loop so she can have her for fifth grade. But this teacher doesn't do that. To set the story up, the fourth graders had a track meet today. I watched as Kate hung out with her friends...and her teacher. When you see the second picture, you will get a glimpse of what I saw while I was there. It was precious to me.

Kate did the long jump, 400 meter dash, the 4x4 800 meter relay, and the mile. She told me she took last place in the mile...at 8.01. Okay seriously? That is a good score and all the kids who did better ran FAST! Wow. I was certainly proud of her. Kate isn't competitive at all. As a matter of fact, I know Kate was probably grateful she took last rather than someone else. Like me she gets a little...fixated on feeling badly for others. She told me a few weeks ago out of the blue that the reason she never went after the ball in tball (four years ago) if someone else was also going for the ball, was because she didn't want them feeling badly. 

So here's the email....and why I love this teacher...and why Kate loves her....

I just wanted to let you both know how PROUD I was of Kate for all the events she was in...& her finish of the mile!  Of all the girls in our class, Kate ran the most today.  She just finished the co-ed relay and the first call of the mile was given.  She didn't even hesitate.  She trucked right on over to get ready to run!  Since I was on the field cheering the milers on...I could tell Kate was hurting on the last lap.  However, she picked it up and coasted to the finish line!  That takes a lot of courage in front of all your peers!   She did an AWESOME JOB!   When we got back, I asked them to write one thing that stuck with them from the meet.  She wrote about the 400 meter dash and the mile run....getting last place.  I whispered to her..."You know how many years I have watched kids quit in the mile because they weren't winning?  I am soo proud of you!"  Not every kid has that kind of courage!   WAY TO GO, KATE!   That's a true winner. 

What is so cool about this teacher is that she sends emails like this regularly. I simply cannot say enough good things about her. I really can't say enough good things about ALL of the teachers my children have had. 

Next time I swear I'll talk about Brady..and Peaches!

She's ours!

After a weekend of fun with Peaches (can't get over that name), we are now her owners. We fell in love with her, the kids adore her, and her owner realized that to find someone/somewhere who could love her and give her attention is too important to take her away from it again. My heart breaks for her owner. We all have lost dogs, and it is such a painful experience.
Peaches is doing well. She walked into our house on Friday night without so much as one jump, bark, or annoying behavior. She is a little...okay a lot overweight. We have been walking her, and she's thrown up a couple of times after. But it's good for her to move around more.
Brady, who has been forever scared of dogs, loves her. He calls her Doggie. Thad mistakenly calls her Lazzie, because she looks like my parents' old bulldog.
So now we have five kids. Literally a dog is like a child. She needs to be wiped down every time she takes a drink, her folds, eyes, and ears need to be cleaned daily (if not more), and she has horrid smelling gas.

I will provide more pictures soon....

Tonight Thad and I are going to coach Olivia's tball team. It's her first night. It's my first time as a coach. This should be...interesting.  I have to leave tball early and run Ryan to his orchestra concert. Then I will sit in a sweltering gym  with several hundred other people while it's 85 degrees outside. So it will be around 105 in there. Whoo hoo.

Tomorrow is the AP government test. I can't believe I made it. I can't believe my students made it with me.I've gained around 8-10 lbs in the last few months. I'm pretty ticked about that. I guess when I eat healthier more often I don't gain so fast. Whoops.  I was blaming hockey. Now I'm blaming work and soccer. Then I will blame baseball. What would be the best choice is to blame myself, only eat healthy, find time to work out more (impossible), and just quit blaming everyone and everything else.

Peaches

This is Peaches. We have been asked to foster her beginning in July-January. Thad is only going along with it for my sake. What a guy! Seriously though, she needs a home while her daddy is away at military training, and we are happy to help. You have to truly love bulldogs to see their beauty. We may have her this weekend and do a trial run. I will let you know how it goes!

Amen sister

I saw this on facebook tonight. I love it. I loved this show. I love it even more now.
Some people use their blog to discuss their personal views. I haven't really done that. But I am today.
I respect other peoples' opinions about issues, so please respect mine. You don't have to agree with me. You don't have to like what I think, but I, for one, do not find this to be detrimental to society.
What I find detrimental is a home life that lacks love, lacks care, involves fighting more than anything. Even my dear sweet husband who probably doesn't agree with me on this has said, "In my job I see more broken homes, more neglected children, more sad situations that most people can't even imagine. If two loving people are raising a child, who am I to say that's wrong?"
Guess what guys? Most of those homes he sees aren't gay couples having kids. They are just people who have had kids.

In life, we need to try to move away so much from labels, and just think of everyone as a person. It's not easy, and we are only a couple of generations removed (in my case one) from ending segregation.

So how about we stop worrying about: who's Black, who's white, who's Hispanic, who's Native American, who's gay, who's straight, etc. Let's all just be.

**This is the (hopefully) last PSA coming from my blog for the next year!**

Differences

AJ's post inspired me. How can kids be so different yet come from the same pool of genes? I would argue the greatest of differences lies between my sister and I. Just the other day she said, "Boy we are different. From personalities, to coloring, to body shape, everything." She's so right.

Ryan: Hot and cold. Strong willed. Pushes until there is a breaking point. Only will give up if he gets his way or has lost several privileges. Autonomous, athletic, funny as heck, very quick on his toes, and at the same time, one big fat giant pill in our house day in and day out.

Kate: Warm. Bizarre as all heck. Loves being weird to get a reaction.  Unique, creative, unaffected by perceptions of her, doesn't care about peer pressure, and by far the most loving of our kids. Tells us every night she loves us, kisses us good night, offers kind words daily. Tries to be mean to Olivia when we aren't looking and can be quite sassy.

Olivia:  Less hot and cold. Her emotions aren't tied to anger, but frustration/crying. Private like Ryan. Cries when things don't go her way. Easily hurt. Seems to need a lot of reinforcement in general. Hardest to feed.  Yet she is easy...easy to please, easy to have around, not annoying at all, and overall very sweet. Easy but rather needy.

Brady:  Always been happy, easy, kind, loving, etc. Recently has become strong willed. Loves his daddy. Loves his big sister "lii-ee-uh" and loves the big kids who come over.  Makes everyone smile and is quick witted. Just last night insisted when we got his hair cut that he wanted it "up." I figured out he wanted a buzz cut. So we got him a buzz cut. I'm realizing he is growing up terribly fast as the result of having older siblings.

d

Ugh

I was just reading my friend's blog post about February kicking her a$$. I can relate...too well.
I don't like to complain about being stressed, because we ALL have life issues that cause us concern. Many have it way worse than I do. But for my own sake I am going to blog about my personal stressors.

I am teaching a new class. It is kicking my a$$ into a whole new territory of stress. I am teaching Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics. Let me tell you what. This is NOT a class I would have taken in high school had it been offered, and I know I wouldn't have passed! Everyday at school I am pouring over about five or six different AP workbooks, the book, online sites, heck anything that can offer me help. I also teach another class, so that needs my attention. Then at night between the kids' stuff, I spend anywhere from 1-2 hours on it.

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS CLASS! I'm sorry, but I have no clue (but I'm learning) about PACS, Super PACs, Election Laws, and okay I could write until the cows come home. So not only do I have to get it, but I have to present it in a way that the kids think I sort of get it. These kids are the best and the brightest in our school. It's no secret they are more intelligent than I am. Almost daily they ask me questions that I can't answer. The best part? I have a student teacher who seems to be able to answer the questions. They call him "prof." Yeah that's not a kick to the gut. I've been in tears more times over work since January than any other time in my job.

This is what I need to tell myself each day...:
I will get through this
I am healthy (okay except for the awesome 24 hours migraine I had for the first time in my life this weekend. I blame "the class.")
My family is healthy
My husband supports me and lets me work as needed
I am a better person because of this class
A professional challenge is good
So I have to give up a week of my summer vacation to learn more about this stuff this summer. So I can't apply for a history seminar. So what? I am so happy. (okay that's a lie)
And again one of my favorite mantras: What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

Back I must go to work on my presentation about Interest Groups. Sounds thrilling huh?

Last night

We went to dinner with my dad. Luckily Wayne was in a laid back mood because we looked like a three (four) ring circus...
--Brady walked in with hockey gloves and a hockey helmet
--Ryan was sharing some foul smelling....love with us.
--Brady announced he had to poop...very loudly.
--Brady returned from the bathroom and not only announced that he did his business, but the color as well.
--Kate spilled her pop all over.
--Brady started choking, gagging, and regurgitated a bit of food into a napkin I held. Awesome.
--Brady announced again he had to poop.
--Brady announced his butt hurt.
--The waitress was clearing our plates...even Kate was done eating. If you know Kate, she is always the last to finish. Brady said very loudly, "Don't take mine!"

Really this was just a typical hour spent with my family, but sometimes you just have to roll your eyes

Hibbing Tournament

This weekend our family (minus Kate who opted to stay home with Grandma and Grandpa) headed up to the Iron Range for a hockey tournament. The scenery was pretty, the weather was beautiful, and the company was excellent.
Of course Brady chose the car ride to be the first time to skip a nap. He slept for maybe twenty minutes. Otherwise he chatted with us the entire ride. We checked in, dumped our stuff, got Ryan some food, sent him with another family and hit the pool.
This is THE highlight for every kid who takes a trip. They were in heaven.




The first game we played was against Orono. Here is Ryan warming up. Vicky's husband Rick (who is equally as sweet and kind as she is) whispered something in Thad's ear that got Thad's attention. He told Thad that the coach for Orono was Rob Maclanahan. If you are a hockey fan, you might know that he was a member of the 1980 USA hockey "dream" team. And dang were they good....
We lost...and again in the morning at an early game.

Brady looks out like a light here after the Saturday morning game, but this also only lasted 25 minutes. Where he found his energy, I have no idea.

But the boys won against Evelyth, so that meant a little celebration pizza AND a Sunday afternoon game. The parents were a little bummed that it would be a long day AND evening, but the boys could have cared less.
Look who's part of the crew?


We left our hotel in Mountain Iron, MN, today and by about ten minutes away from Hibbing, Olivia and Brady were out. So we decided to hit a range in Hibbing.
Um....yeah they also have a Greyhound Bus museum. I thought about stopping in....wait no I didn't. Wth?

Then we saw this. My cell phone doesn't do it justice, but it's pretty amazing that there are not only actual hills, but a big iron range in this state.

Mining was going on in the distance.

Olivia was half asleep, Brady was in the car, but Thad and Ryan were all smiles.

The boys won their game. It was a great time. Brady slept on the way home for (again) maybe twenty minutes. The other two kids didn't. He talked about hockey, the pool, and the hotel the entire.car.ride.home.
And guess what? We get to do it again in a few weeks. The boys have four games in the cities the end of January. So we'll pack up the car, stress about money, tune out bickering, and cheer very loudly. I can't wait.