Merry Christmas!

Here's wishing all my blog friends a very Merry Christmas. Have a safe, happy and relaxing holiday with your friends and family.

I am now kinda a hockey mom- and I love it!

I have never been a hockey mom- I fact I was almost the complete opposite, the girls have always done water sports, not ice sports. I have spent many, many years at the pool side cheering them on whether it was a synchro meet or a lane race I always went to show my support.

Early on in our marriage Shawn used to coach hockey- this was a passion for him. As the years have gone by and we have been more involved with the girls Shawn stopped coaching, he still played on a team so he got his hockey fix that way. I have been to see my god sons play games and to watch the leafs. I love live sports but I never really got that into it as I didn't really have anything invested in the games.

Well over the past year this has changed. It started last year with Nicole's boyfriend Josh. Josh plays house league hockey and Shawn and I would accompany Nicole to the games to watch Josh play. It was fun. I enjoyed watching Josh tear up the ice and score goals. I still had no idea what was going on other then the fact you need to get the puck in the net but hey it was a start!

This season Josh is still playing and Shawn has started coaching again. Shawn helps out coaching the Kitchener Jr Rangers AAA midget team- now this is where it gets a bit convoluted so follow along- Josh's younger brother Jeff is the goalie on the team, one the girl's high school teachers is also a coach and my girl friend Kirsten's husband is the head coach ( it really is a very small world)

I have now become obsessed with the sport. I try to get to all the games. I know who the players are, I get to visit with Josh's parents at the games, I have a common interest to share with Shawn but mainly I am just in awe of Jeff! This guy can grab a puck out of thin air. I can't even figure out where the puck is and he has it. The reflexes it takes to be a goalie are astonishing. Jeff is the most flexible guy I know- he does the splits and is up and down on the ice in an instant- it is great to watch.

The team mom's have taken me under their wing- they answer my silly questions and explain things to me. I am starting to get the hang of the game, I still don't get icing but I am sure it will come. I appreciate their support and patience.

So now I spend my time in icy cold arenas, I cheer when we get goals, I hate it when we get penalties and I am like a proud mom when we win. I say things like- "no I can't go scrapbooking this weekend we have a game"- words I never in a million years thought I would hear coming out of my mouth- as Nicole likes to point out- I don't actually have a game- Josh, Jeff or Shawn may have a game but I don't - although I do like to think of myself as part of the team!!

Go Rangers Go!!

The Night Before Christmas

I love Christmas. I love the sights, sounds & the smells. I mainly love getting together with friends and family. I am lucky in that both mine and Shawn's families live here in town so we don't have far to travel to see anyone. I love relaxing and spending time doing nothing. Over the past couple of years I have come to realize what is important about the holiday time. I have scaled back on the decorating and prep work. I put less pressure on myself and others and that has really paid off. Who cares if the house isn't done up to the tee, if the cookies aren't done perfectly- no one- we care that we can take a moment to be together, to rediscover one another, to stop and smell the cedar!

I love the routine and tradition of Christmas and I really, really love my Night Before Christmas books. I have been collecting them for years. They really are the only thing I collect. I have pop up books, lift the flap books, one that was published the year I was born and one that was quilted for me by my sister in law. They make me happy. As long as I have them and my Hallmark ornaments I am good to go.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Shawn Got A Job!!!

Finally after months and months of waiting, disappointments and stress Shawn has gotten a new job! I am so very happy and excited for him. As you may remember Shawn was laid off from his long term employer in April. While he did get a years severance package it was still a very stressful time for our family.

Shawn has always been a very hard worker, in reality a bit of a workaholic. There wasn't much down time for him. Shawn has worked in Toronto for the past 12 years, the commuting meant even longer hours and time away from the family. Well over the past 7 months we have made up for that. We had a bit of a struggle in the beginning getting used to Shawn being around so much, changes in routine, TV watching and meals were hard to get used to in the beginning. Shawn likes to be busy so all kinds of jobs around the house have gotten done- we even had our Christmas lights up in October this year! He spent a lot of time on the golf course and the one thing I am the most happy about is the fact that Shawn has gotten back into coaching hockey. It is great for him to be involved in something he loves and now can make time for. As hard as it was in the beginning to get used to having him around I know know we are going to miss him. The time he has had to get back in touch with the girls and their lives has been wonderful. It has help him see where his priorities now lie. So now I will have to take over the grocery shopping and meal cooking again.

Shawn starts his new job on Monday. It is in Toronto again but with a much more flexibility which means he can still coach and make it to important events for the girls. Shawn is our rock, he is the provider for our family, he is the one who is meant to protect us. It has been hard on Shawn, feeling like he failed us in some capacity. I always held on to our motto of everything happens for a reason, that there was the perfect job out there for Shawn we just had to wait for it to show itself. Well it has, I hope he is happy there and that it is everything he wants because he sure does deserve it!!

Josie Turns One!

I don't really have a very big family. There is just me, my parents and my two brothers here in Canada- all our other relatives live in England. Over the years as we have grown up and gotten married our family has expanded. I never had grandparents or cousins around when I was growing up. We did have a group of close friends, all also first generation immigrants, that become my "adopted" Aunts and Uncles.

One thing that I really enjoy is watching the interactions of our ever growing families. My girls have great relationships with my parents, we typically eat at at Mom and Dad's once a week. The girls will call up their Grandma just to chat, I speak to my mom daily and we take family vacations together. I am glad my girls get to have these experiences that I never did.

Another great thing about our extended family is the cousins! We have 6 granddaughters now in our family. My girls, Nicole 18, Katie 16 and brother Paul's daughter Jadyn 14- these 3 spent a lot of time together as they were growing up. My mom babysat them a couple of days a week and we did a lot of day trips and such together. My brother Adam is 8 years younger then me- he was my baby when we were growing up. When I started dating Shawn Adam was 10- we took him everywhere with us, Wonderland, the movies- it was great.

Now Adam is a grown man with a family of his own. Drea 4, Addie 3 and baby Josie who turned 1 on Thursday. I love having these girls around. They keep our family young, full of laughter and I get my baby fix in since I have a few years before grandchildren. It is fun to have them for Christmas and Halloween as these events can always use some childhood wonder and spirit. I love seeing my girls with their little cousins, all down on the floor rolling around. The girls are very proud of their cousins, love spending time with them, love how the girls scream when they see them, and love posing for silly pictures with them- they may be the most photographed kids on the planet!

Josie is my youngest niece. She is just about the happiest baby I have ever seen. I don't know if it is being the 3rd child or what but she very rarely cries, she laughs and giggles all the time. I was privileged to be present when Josie was born. I really wanted to see a birth from the other end so to speak and Teresa was comfortable enough- being the 3rd time maybe- to have me and her mother there when Josie was born. Other then my own girls she is the freshest baby I have ever seen. I think that is a special bond that I will always feel towards her.

GLEE

I have found my new favourite TV show. If you have not watched this show - you must!! It is on Wednesday nights at 9:00. I love that fact that it has all the old songs from when I was younger, that my whole family sings out loud along with the cast, that there is at least 2 song/ dance numbers per show and they really do sing. It is just a feel good, happy show- maybe a bit silly or cheesy but oh so funny- watch it and let me know what you think.

Thanksgiving

Next To Christmas I think Thanksgiving is my favourite holiday. I love Fall and the colours, with the crisp cleanness of the air. I don't like to days and days of rain we have had this year but Saturday was was perfect for our annual plans.

We host Thanksgiving dinner every year for both sides of our families. We are luck that everyone lives in Kitchener or very close by. One of the reasons I also love this holiday is that other than Katie's cranberry sauce- Shawn does ALL the cooking. I get to piddle around setting up the tables and making centre pieces while he does all the hard stuff- I love it!!

We start of with a family hike, for the last few years we have been going to Huron Natural area as it is only a couple minutes from our house. It is a great place to get photos. Above is my brother Paul and his daughter Jadyn. Below is me and the girls.

This was our first year with Josie - she will be one in a couple of weeks. My brother Adam is very lucky to have a wonderful wife, Teresa and 3 beautiful daughters. This year was a bit strange in that my parents were not here. They go on a trip down south every Fall but are usually back by Thanksgiving, this year they left later and will not be back until next week. They certainly were missed. My sister-in-law and her husband have a farm near by and my nephews and they were busy doing some excavating so they missed our walk and photo session but did make it for dinner. Popa stays behind and helps Shawn out in the kitchen and Nana didn't want a photo so it was just my side getting photographed but they all love it as you can see.

I am very thankful for my family and friends. I couldn't do it without them!