Me...

Okay, I know some of you ask why there is never a picture of me on the blog. Well, there's a very simple answer to that question - I am ALWAYS the one standing behind the camera taking the pictures. Hayden took this one after I had just showered and put on my nightie for the evening. Enjoy it, because you won't see too many more.

Hello

Hello Everyone:

Well, I have not blogged in so long. I have been so busy with all of the goings on around here, sports, end of school, getting ready for camp at my place of employment, job interview, etc. I am going to try and find some "up to date" pictures to put on the blog and will try to keep on top of it as much as I can.
Bob and Sara are getting ready for another week of soccer camp starting tomorrow. Sara is a regular employee now that there are so many "little ones" attending camp. She does a really good job with them. Nicholas also tried his hand at it, and did a great job too. Nicholas will be having 6 stitches removed from his finger tomorrow so that he will be able to play in a golf tournament starting on Tuesday. He cut his finger while attempting to slice up a watermelon! The knife slipped and cut deep into the finger... a couple of months ago he had 5 stitches in his foot, and 2 days before Christmas we had to call the paramedics out and take him to the E.R. I think I need stock in the emergency room!!
Hayden and I will be leaving for Philadelphia in the early hours of Wednesday morning. He is playing in an ice hockey tournament with a team based out of North Carolina. Long drives for practice are finally over - only 3 hours and 45 minutes one way! Anyway, we are excited to be heading to Philly and can't wait to see the competition. We don't expect any miracles, but the experience will surely be a great one, and hopefully we can surprise everyone and at least make it to the semi-finals next Sunday. If not, we will head home on Saturday - (10 1/2 hour drive,) arrive home Sunday, pack and leave for a family vacation on Monday (another 5 hour drive.) I think my bum will be ready for a long walk by then!
Okay, I will see what pictures I have. Will post soon.
Love to all.... :0)

Nice one Nick

Nicholas caught this fish in the pond behind our house. I was in the kitchen and heard him yelling that he "had one" I told him to hang on, that I would be right down there with the camera. Thank goodness I always have that thing handy! When Nick, Hayden or Bob are in the yard fishing, Sally always stand guard of them. The white pole to the right of Nick is where they leave their poles and if they see their bobber go under, they run out and see what's on the line.

Let me see

Sally wanted to get in on the action too. As soon as Nick brought the fish out of the water, Sally jumped on it and wanted to see it was all about. Not sure that she was really too impressed with it though.

smaaaaaash

Hayden and I drove 3 1/2 hours up to Charlotte, North Carolina for him to tryout for a team that will be made up of North and South Carolina players. If you made the team, you would need to travel back to Charlotte for 3 weekends for training, then you would have to travel another weekend to Raleigh to play in the SC/NC State games. After this, there would be another training session (2 days) in Charlotte, and then we would travel 10 1/2 hours to Philadelphia to play in a big tournament up there. We would play a scrimmage game on Tuesday night @ 8pm and then the tourny would start on Wednesday and go through Sunday. Hayden wanted so badly to make this team. He made me proud! He went out there very focused, worked hard and did not mess around at all. I think he may have sent home several players with some severe bruising though!

This is Hayden on the "puddle" with a different player from another team. You will see Hayden against the boards wearing white. Yes, he is literally "smashing" a kid against the boards. He is playing in the Squirt league where there is no checking, but because they will be playing kids older than them and they check, this team must also learn to check. No problem with Hayden doing that - he lives for checking! I figured the coach would either pick him for the team because he was tough, or he would tell me to take my child home because he was a bully. Fortunately, he was picked for the team. So, we will now be spending Memorial day weekend and then each weekend through the end of June traveling to train and play hockey! I hope the tires are good on my car!

The Puddle

This one is Hayden on the "puddle" with his fellow team member from the Charleston Wolverines. They played 2v2 with an additional goaltender each. This is Hayden getting a shot off on goal. The idea of this drill was to be the team to score first.

Look Mom, no hands

Jenn (our trainer) decided to give Sara's legs and balance a really good work out. She lined up 3 jumps in a row - short, a little higher and then even higher. She asked Sara to jump all 3 in a row with no hands. Badger was great, he did as he was asked and took only 2 strides between each jump. Sara's balance was super. As you can see by the picture she was out of her saddle and balanced superbly! She was so proud of herself. Doing stunts like this, gets the adrenalin flowing and she wants to do more! When Mom is there though, there is a limit!