July Something

Wow! It's almost August...I haven't blogged but I have lots of pictures, stories, and driving time in the last month since I sat down and made a post. Did I post Lauren's birthday? Did I post the Fourth of July? Hannah's 252 Internship? And now Matthew's Hockey Camp in MN. Whoosh! This week the kids have Motion Conference and next Matthew has a Hockey Camp and then...School Starts!

Lauren's birthday was a bit low key. Dinner at Rosie's (minus Greg who was somewhere in Nevada) and then a little Pinot's Palette for some Impressionism Painting.

THE Birthday Bash

After the Birthday Bash came the Fourth of July. The kids have a sibling celebration (I'll be honest, I'm a little jealous of this but frankly, not jealous enough to go out in the humidity, I'm a desert girl. Southern Summers just kill me). I can't tell you much about their party but we had a great dinner with a patriotic dessert before they left for the Sibling Celebration. Lauren also made the world's best video of her brother. Priceless. Especially, if you knew how shy Matthew normally is...except around family and really good friends.

Take my Breath Away

Yep, Stealing Screenshots of Social Media Posts...Again.

I asked Hannah why she wasn't in this picture and her response was, "I was off petting the dogs." Yep, THAT'S my Girl

Hannah's 252 Internship Squad had a lunchtime celebration

Happy Birthday, America!

Matthew has a wonderful teammate who helped us cut down on driving while Matthew was doing a hockey clinic. His mom took him for some off ice training, a beautiful hike somewhere in Nashville. I have no idea where this is but it is a gorgeous 4 1/2 mile hike.

Finished!

Matthew and another teammate started a Spam Instagram...I still don't understand Instagram Spam...

One part of Hannah's Internship was running a 10K. I got this when she finished. I am so proud of her!

And while Hannah was running a 10K, I was in MN with Matthew for a hockey camp. It turned out      I had a niece in the town next to where the hockey camp was being held so I was able to take a morning hike with her and her girls. It was lovely. 

And since my hotel had a pool...there was a little swimming....

My brother, niece, and great-nieces...Aren't they adorable?

And the Camp at Shattuck-St. Mary's

I'll post some video tomorrow of the Camp but in the meantime, a couple pictures of the quaint little town of Faribault

Zoom

Zoom...it tends to be the word to describe my life. Each time I sit down at the desktop and realize how I've neglected to blog on the comings and goings of my kids, I'm amazed at how quickly the time has passed since I've written a post or...how much they have changed...and how close they are to completing high school and heading off to college. Wasn't I just driving them to elementary school? And now, Hannah will be a junior and Matthew will be starting high school.

Zooooooom, and now it is the Summer Solstice while my brain is still stuck in early spring.

Matthew has been busy helping with a skills Camp at the local rink, performing some duties for the staff, coaching, and acting as a referee.

Hannah is in Atlanta for the National Youth Leadership Forum for Medicine at Emory University. (She is not impressed with the talent she is surrounded by...her words were something like underachievers who barely passed biology...she has even taught the medical students how to do a two step blood pressure reading and has checked them on their inaccurate use of arteries. That's my girl!)

I was wondering why I felt like I didn't get anything done around the house and barely cooked. I evaluated my driving over the past week and upcoming few days...starting with last Friday, it looked like this....round trip to Nashville, Round trip to Atlanta, Round trip to Nashville, home, round trip to Nashville, home, home, round trip to Nashville, over to Atlanta, sleep over with my friend, Karen, drive Hannah home, home, and round trip to Nashville...to sum it up....Zoooooom.

Matthew repainted his skateboard

Hannah is famous on Instagram

My Sweet Hannah made me tea before leaving for 6:45 a.m. bus to Birmingham (I was up but didn't realize she hadn't left yet!)

Matthew's debut as a referee

First Wednesday as a 252 Intern

Hannah's 252 Squad...well, some of them

Coming home from Atlanta, the Prius asked if I would like to take a rest...so polite...No, I didn't because I was zooming home 

Hannah's room at Emory stolen off Hannah's Snapchat to me

Oh, and Lauren...with Greg at Disneyland....so sweet...from 1993...LOVE it.

It's JUNE??? Already?

The Summer is flying by and it is halfway through June. I haven't accomplished much EXCEPT a lot of driving...Matthew has been to Nashville for a Camp, some hockey, and a defense clinic. I drove Hannah to Atlanta yesterday for her Envision NYLF (National Youth Leadership Forum) for Medicine thingy.

I have driven Matthew to the local rink, Hannah to her internship, Matthew to Nashville of Friday, Atlanta and back yesterday, and Nashville again today. I should have a chauffeur's license and cap for this...or at least be registered for Uber for this. If a I had envisioned my life at 56, I don't think it would look like this...it would have me sipping wine at a Tuscan winery...or walking the streets of Paris. Honestly? I wouldn't change a thing, I guess I will wait a few more years and accomplish this dream...and take a few more naps in the meantime.

Frustrated

Technology is the devil's tool. Period. I've been spending hours and hours trying to register my kids and I can't submit their registrations without their transcripts...but I don't have their transcripts. Isn't that the job of the School's Registrar? Get the transcripts so I don't submit false ones? My kids are in limbo. School-less.

Therefore, I am frustrated.

I also hate technology because I see our culture imploding from social media. The hateful things that people write without respect for the person they just wrote a disparaging remark about...or families who sit at a table partaking in food with their faces buried in their phone. I was taught in my literature class that meal scenes in books are pivotal...it's the making or breaking of an important relationship. Pay attention to the meal scene when analyzing a book. Now phones do that...relationships are created through Snapchat or Intstagram...and those relationships are broken through Social Media by blocking or unfollowing...they are also broken through a text. No face to face, no body language, no inflection of voice...just words.

I am trying to teach my children to be respectful human beings and technology is making it really hard.

Therefore, I am frustrated.

Is it too late to turn back the clock to dial phones, stamped envelopes, and face to face relationships?

I think

I think...our decision has been made for Matthew to stay with Jr Preds. A hard decision was made more difficult when his favorite defense partner was cut from the team.

This week has been an eye opening experience. The two tier 1 teams were busy making offers to kids on the rival teams...and I learned I need to learn the art of the deal. Some kids got free deals, some were promised first and second lines. I am so naive. I thought you were selected for a team, signed a commitment, paid your fee, showed up at practices, worked hard, listened to your coach, and earned your spot and ice time. NOT true. You really need an agent for youth hockey.

My husband and I not being savvy deal makers, especially when you don't know you can deal, have decided to stay with NJP. The first two lines for Thunder have been awarded (keep in mind tryouts are today) and the only positions left are on third line. IT would be much easier on the family to practice in Huntsville but Matthew will develop more as a player staying where he is. He is already on penalty kills and power plays, he wouldn't be on those if we move him.

So next season, we will be a lot more savvy and get ourselves a negotiator....okay, that's probably not allowed but we will ask a whole lot more questions and not worry about being unreasonable...I want a team where Matthew earns his spot and isn't blocked from moving to the front line because other parents negotiated their player a spot. So, NJP, we are here...at least for the next season. I probably need to start looking for tire deals, I'm probably going to need a new set before the end of the year.

It's Almost Mother's Day

Here it is the Saturday before Mother's Day and I have no plan how to celebrate.

Hannah is hunkered down with schoolwork. Matthew is in Toronto playing hockey. Lauren is overwhelmed with work.

Lauren sent me a Snapchat asking me the plan for tomorrow. Isn't that the point of Mother's Day? Mothers don't do the planning? The children do? I think this might be a good time to remember that for me, every day is Mother's Day and skip expecting a celebration. This year, it isn't going to be everyone together and I am blessed I have children. That's enough.