Back on the Ice

Back to the rink it was for the LightChildren ...

While LightGirl took a bruising from large young men (college men!!) ... she did hold her own and managed to keep a cool head. I am constantly amazed by her self-possession. LightBoy had given her some serious props before she came out on the ice to these NCAA players, "Wait til my sister gets out here ... she's the best goalie EVER!" A hero to the boy, but she's only ever been in goal two times.





Meanwhile LightBoy was getting along with these young men like their long lost younger brother. And, he had to skate like the wind to do so. Suddenly his skating improved and so did everything else. He rose to the occasion and then some. Here he is up on his edges and flying along ...



... he then went on to pass his skating class with flying colors!! And have a mock battle with his skating instructor on the side.

It Is To Laugh

I am a Zen Mom ...

this, according to a silly on-line test at chatterbean.com. The test was entitled "Are You a Slacker Mom?" I was pretty certain that the answer would be a resounding, "YES!" So I took it to laugh in it's face (thus anthropomorphizing a computer test ... not a productive use of my time). I found a lot of the questions difficult to answer because they didn't have my precise answer as one of the choices. So I picked the closest one. And here I am, a Zen Mom:

How do you do it? Even when explosions are all around, you are able to take a deep cleansing breath and chant your mantra "this too shall pass." You are a calming influence on your kids in a hectic world.

That just pretty much makes me laugh out loud.

Easter

LightHusband's parents are here. It's COLD ... brrrr. We had snow yesterday. It's the first time I remember having snow in April in Virginia. They all went into DC to see the snow on the cherry blossoms. And to see all the people. It was crowded. I stayed home. I can't handle all those people in one place anymore.

When they came home, the LightChildren and I dyed Easter eggs. We all still love to do this. It was late. But we still had fun. We dyed and painted and stickered.

Four cracked when I boiled them.

We are now the proud owners of 20 colorful, beautiful eggs.

Light Dinner Conversation

Normal Monday nights include me, myself and I dining alone (or with BlazingEwe) while LightHusband has LightChildren and FlamingLambs at the rink for hockey practice and skating lessons. Today was slightly different due to LightBoy's odd case of chicken pox (for which he received a vaccination last May ... who knew?). So LightHusband, LightBoy and I had dinner together while BlazingEwe was at the rink with the girls. Here is a snippet of our conversation:

LightBoy: Dad, do you always start with the onions when you make spaghetti?

LightHusband: Yep. I do that to make them soft so my nine year old can't taste them.

LightBoy (looking at me in exasperation): Why did you marry him?

Me: So I could have you!

LightHusband (with a big cheesy grin): So I could make soft onions in your spaghetti!

LightBoy: He's impervious!

And we all fell out laughing ...

You've Come A Long Way, Baby!

Here is a photo montage comparing LightGirl's first hockey game to her most recent hockey game. Her first game she played in late September of 2006. The most recent game was played this past Sunday. It is interesting to note both games were played against the same team. But it's clearly a different player in each picture!! Same girl, different player.

Self Portrait

Here is a photo that LightGirl took of herself yesterday. She says a friend taught her how to take photos like this. I'm not sure what she means by that. But it's a good pic.

More Hockey

This past weekend held hockey and more hockey. Two outdoor games on the coldest weekend of the year thus far. The first was held at a snooty country club in Maryland. The weather was cold but sparkling and beautiful. It truly was a perfect day for a game. The ice was hard and slick. It made all the moms slightly jealous and wish they could skate for a bit too.

The second game couldn't have been held in a more different venue. An old outdoor rink that reminded me of the rink they built in Barre when I was a teenager. It was state of the art back then. "Back then" being the key to that phrase. It was in the 20's when we got there and we were protected from any sunshine that might have helped us out.

However, the old, scarred plexiglas created a unique lighting effect for LightHusband to take his photos. Here is our personal favorite from the weekend. See if you know why.