4 on 4 Tournament

What do you do when your are on break? Play more hockey...And you win the tournament...Undefeated. Yeah, Baby!

Matthew had a great time mixing it up and playing with friends that he doesn't normally play with...they were a great team...and the hair! Look at all that hair!

It's a Beautiful Day!

Christmas has come and gone...there are no obligations on my calendar this week. I can just breathe. I can lounge in my pajamas until noon. I have leftovers from Christmas and my birthday to graze on for days. Life is grand.

Our walk up on Monte Sano was beautiful Lauren even spotted a deer. I missed it. Like usual. I was busy taking a picture of moss on the rocks. Silly, I know but if you grew up in the desert, you would totally understand.

Christmas celebrations at Church is my favorite time of the year. Our church believes in doing everything with excellence to honor Him. I put "learn to play" drums on my bucket list after seeing the cool drum at church and then when the snowflake drums dropped, I moved learn to play drums to the top of my list.

Giving Hope was a blessed day. 107 kids received gifts for Christmas. The families were given lunch and then the parents "shopped" while the kids played, we wrapped, loaded the gifts, and sent the families on their way. One family left without their ripstick and one of the families helping with wrapping drove the gift to them (and they didn't live close by). The mom said "God must want them to have a special touch of love from us. You will see from the "store" our church members were generous with their donations...you don't see all the bikes and toys in back room to make sure families "shopping" later in the day had plenty to choose from. It was a really great day.

Lauren gave the kids a Star Wars extravaganza for Christmas. They had a blast...

I have some photos from the beautiful breakfast and dinner my two fabulous daughters made for me. A few pics from my birthday walk on Monte Sano. Very few photos from Christmas...I slacked in this area. I will have to try and make up for it on the birthdays that are just around the corner.

All in all, a very blessed Christmas Season.

.

Mini Tournament

Hannah's Middle School House League Team won their mini-tournament this past weekend. I'm so proud of this girl!

Hat Trick

v 04 Duluth Phoenix - Game 1, 12/10/2016 Bice, unassisted 3 from Ben Faulds on Vimeo.


v 04 Duluth Phoenix - Game 1, 12/10/2016 Bice, unassisted 3 from Ben Faulds on Vimeo.


v 04 Duluth Phoenix - Game 1, 12/10/2016 6-Bice, unassisted 1 from Ben Faulds on Vimeo.

Proud Mama

I am busting at the seams...I may have to stop stranger's on the street...yes, I'm that proud...my little hockey playing daughter (all boy team except her) was just voted Assistant Captain. Is that not awesome? She has only been playing since January. I tell I am proud. So proud.

Hat Trick

Third Period and 1-2-3!!! Boom, boom, BOOM! Three goals by my D-Man and I wasn't there to see them. (Greg and I were at a Church Conference)  His first hat trick! What an exciting day. His team won the game 3-1. That's my boy.

I am thankful for his sister to chauffeur, feed, and document the day for me.

I should probably miss more games because we made it to the second game and our D-Man had 3 penalties. Whoops. 

Team Christmas Party after the game. The men got the seat by the fire...the women and children got the seats by the drafty pull down garage door-like windows. Matthew was thrilled to the get the "Dirty Santa" gift we brought...it was a black mug with hockey tape. The boy loves to tape his stick. 

A blessed day for everyone.

Let the Season Begin!

This past weekend came and went like this "Whoosh!!!!" Lauren, Matthew, Greg, and I served setting up for our Church's Giving Hope which occurs on December 17. All the gifts had to be unloaded, sorted (This storage area you see in the first picture was filled to the top with bags of donated gifts.) and organized.

Hannah helped with the annual figure skating program doing hair, makeup, and running errands

Matthew helped scrape ice for the UAH hockey game (Hannah was asked to do it but she was already engaged, see above)

Yep, stole this from Instagram

Lauren supported her girl! She is in Lauren's Small Group for Middle School Girls and decided she wanted to be baptized.

Greg had to take Matthew to spend his Christmas money from Grandma. They may have come across Bark-Lee, the closest thing we will have to another dog since my cat/dog allergy shots do not seem to be working very well.

Gilmore Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving prep was underway early on Wednesday morning. Greg took the kids to a hockey clinic and Lauren put her time in at work and I started chopping...I prepped the pan and found Mr. Tom did not defrost in the garage refrigerator like he was supposed to...bad Tom. Very bad Tom. Later that day, I headed off to get my haircut and Lauren picked up where I left off. It is good to have elves.

We watched our annual Gilmore Thanksgiving episode...but never got around to Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving...one of the elves insisted it must be watched ON Thanksgiving. I am still and always will be a night before Thanksgiving advocate.

Thanksgiving prep went into overdrive during the Macy's Parade. I hate to say it, the parade was just background noise and I completely missed Santa Claus. Lauren is missing her Anthropologie Apron even more than I miss watching Peanuts and seeing Santa Claus. (I will have to watch Miracle on 34th Street to make up for this catastrophe but only if I can find it in Black and White. I detest colorized versions of anything.)

Our guests from Canada arrived and we commenced eating. One guest defected from Socialist Hungary to Canada and has her PhD in evolutionary genetics. I am not sure what she made of saying grace and my verse on the wall of Psalm 100:3. However, she and her son met up with us at the hockey game last night, so I guess she wasn't too offended.

The girls went to a 2:01 a.m. Gilmore Girl Party, complete with junk food for the launch of new episodes that were released on Netflix...at 2:01 a.m. Crazy girls...but I LOVE them.

The elves returned yesterday and decorated the house for Christmas...even without sleep. But, I don't think elves sleep until after Christmas anyway. My house looks fabulous. The elves even stored the Thanksgiving and unused Christmas decorations. And the elves even cleaned up the glitter. Amazing elves.

Saturday Serve

Yesterday, the family loaded up to begin the Season of being grateful. We are so blessed. It is only right to share the blessings. Our church delivered meals to families who need a little help this holiday so we were able to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I forgot to snap a picture but someone at Church posted one on Instagram and tagged me. Look closely, and you will see my little blondies.

The family we delivered lived by Matthew's hockey coach so we were able to visit a bit with his family after delivering a meal to their neighbor. A good morning all around for us.

Snap Steals

It's that time to show the crazy things my kids do with some stolen screenshots.

Lauren had 21 Youth Leaders over while we were at the hockey rink to celebrate "Friendsgiving." They ate and watched Elf. Let the holiday celebration begin. (I expected chaos when I returned home. I found my house cleaner than when I left it. Great Young People)

Lauren in Nashville celebrating a friend's birthday