Sunday get together at my nephew Matt's house.

Here is my brother Steve and daughter Macy. He just had knee surgery.
Maggie rocking out on guitar hero...

Carson on drums....

Yes, that is my older brother mike singing!

Happy 23rd Birthday Matt!

Carson and I went to the Grizzly game at the Carlson Center tonight with my dad. I have to tell you it was very fun. Much different vibe than Nanook games. (not that they aren't great too, just a different feel). So during warmups, a kid comes up to us and hands us a ball. Turns out his dad (who is one of the scorekeepers) knows my brother and my Dad, so sent his son up with a ball. It was cool!

Also during warmups, we go down near the far end (end zone) and we are chatting with my brother, my nephew Matt and his girlfriend Tarynn. While we are talking I lean over and say to Carson "this doesn't look like a safe place to stand." Just then I see a football coming for my face like it was just fired out of a bullet. I lean to the side and it goes just between Carson and I. It hits the back wall and bounces back and hits a lady right in the face. She has a bad gash on her nose, with blood dripping out of her nose. (at least I think that is what happened, it was so quick) Her glasses apparently flew off her face and hit my dad. During this time, my Dad leans down to pick up her glasses, and poor Carson thinks my Dad is the one who was hit, as he didn't really see what happened as he was ducking out of the way. Anyways, word to the unwise...be careful at those games. Those balls fly fast and hard and will hurt! No net around the arena at all. It was kinda nerve wracking after that for Carson and I. Anyways, it was still lots of fun! Great music! Oh and I almost caught a ball too! They throw footballs into the crowd occasionally during the game. So Im waving my arms like crazy as one of Carson's baseball friends were there. So I was going to give it to him if I could get one. So it gets thrown and is coming right for me, I mean right for me. Im ready to catch it....my dad tried to catch it to, and I think he knocked it away from me, and he couldn't hold on to it. It bounced across Carson's lap, as he was holding the football he already had, plus a tshirt he had caught earlier in the game, so he missed it too. Our neighbor seat guy got it, and was about to hand it to Carson, then he saw Carson already had one, so he gave it to his son, who was a teenager kid. It was fun! I plan to go again sometime.

Writing woes...

Carson is a really good student with good grades. We are very fortunate with that. One thing he does hate doing in school is WRITING. The kid can read Harry Potter novels within a few days...I have waited in lines for new releases in certain series for him, he loves to read, and will reread books over and over until I buy him a new one....but when it comes to writing...he just hates it. One of my earliest memories of this, was when he was in first grade. Since I work at the school, his teacher came to my class one day to tell me he was having a hard time. He was suppose to write a story about a ghost. She showed me his paper, and it was crumpled and erased all over....it had the words BOO BOO BOO BOO BOO and so on, written on the whole paper. I kinda secretly thought it was funny, but of course unacceptable, which he was told. So anyways, he has always hated writing since a young age.

His teacher this year, I think grades him unfairly. Since he is a A student, she expects these long, drawn out papers written by him, and Im telling you, unless I tell him exactly what to write, it just is not going to happen. (I've explained this to her, and read her many emails how he was practically in tears over having to do a writing assignment in class). Anyways, while cleaning up some of his papers laying around the house, I came across a writing practice test that he did. I thought it was very cute.

(the question was: Think about meeting someone from the past, whom would you like to meet? And what would you talk about with this person?).

These are his words...

I would meet with Bobby Orr. We would talk about hockey and other things. Then he would tell me the secret to be a great defensman. Then I would ask him about all the old timer players. He would say that Wayne Grektzy was the best player he's ever played. I would talk about being his biggest fan and watching his old videos and having a signed picture of him. Bobby Orr would tell me the tales of him rushing the puck and leading the league in goals. Then he would have to leave and he would give me signed cards of him. That's who I'd meet.

Of course the teacher wrote in RED writing:

Too short-needs more details and organization.

I liked it, and thought it was perfect!

Maybe someday he will surprise us all and become a best selling author!

This is my nephew Matt. He graduated with a degree in Process Technology a few years ago, and seems like he is their 'poster boy' now. He got a great job up North, right after graduating. (2 year degree). Makes great money, 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off! My mom and dad saw this hanging in the NP Mall today, during the taste of NP. They called Matt and made him come over to pose! =)

This is taped in Jared's baby book. My dad cut this out of the paper and mailed it to us in North Carolina. I think hockey was just meant to be part of Jared's life!

He was born 1 week after Derek's playoffs ended. He was almost 2 week early, so it was nice that we didn't have to wait in NC that long for him to be born.

The main thing about his birth that I remember is that when we went to the hospital and I was doing my thing, somehow the nurses found out that Derek was 'a Raleigh Icecap hockey player. Hockey was very new in NC (no NHL team back then) and this was one of the first semi pro teams that had seen in that part of the country. Pretty much they viewed them as famous pro players. (too bad they didn't make the same pay as those pro's!). So anyways, one other couple was in the waiting room. He was a teammate of Derek's and was good friends with his wife. The nurses just about went crazy over Derek and his teammate Mike. I remember them asking Derek if is was okay if they went and got some of their other nurse friends to come down to meet them. They all wanted their autographes. I just remember thinking to myself "um hello, woman in labor way over here getting ignored!"

Needless to say Jared was born big, happy, and healthy!

Happy 16th Birthday Jared!

This was taken in some motel when Jared was 11 days old. He was born in North Carolina about 1 week after Derek's hockey season ended. We waited until he was 7 days old, then we made the trek back to Derek's hometown in Alberta. We were driving and it took about 4 or 5 days. New young parents....It was quite a drive!
This picture always cracks me up. We had it taken when Jared was just 3 months old. Shortly after we got the pictures back, Derek went on a European hockey tour for about two weeks later that summer. Many of the players on the team were from his Raleigh Icecap team, so I was very excited for Derek to bring this picture to show all the guys. Most of the guys left right after the season ended, and I didn't have Jared until a week later, so they never got to see him. When Derek got back from the tour, of course I was all over him about what all the guys thought about my beautiful, beautiful bundle of joy! Derek said they all said he had a BIG head! I was crushed! How could they say that about my beautiful baby.
Now I see it. =) It's still a beautiful head!

This was our very first Christmas card. Taken at the Dortan Arena where the Icecaps played. I think Jared was pretty much born into hockey.

Almost 7 months old. This was Bear, our dalmatian dog. He was a really great puppy.

Jared and his toybox. I bought it at a outdoor market and painted it. Hockey of course!

Almost 1 year old. Notice the hockey PJ's and also that mini stick.....always had it in his hand.

Derek in his Raleigh Icecap jersey after one of his games. I think it was meet the Icecap night.

This was taken by Jared's Grandma Linnell. This picture always cracks me up. See his hockey outfit? Makeshift skates and the bike helmet!

How oh how, is this little boy of mine 16 today?

Easter!

My dad and brother enjoying the company and some wine!

We had all the 'kids' wait up stairs while we hid the eggs. Carson is the first one out of the gate!
Jared and Carson searching...

Jenna shakes her egg to hopefully hear the sound of coins....

Maggie scored!

Carson checking out the loot in his eggs.
Even Macy found an egg!

Connie and Macy...

My brother Steve

Jenna and her boyfriend Logan

Happy Easter!

Jared took this photo of Carson with his phone. He has some application on there, that turns any photo black and white, and then you can add color to whatever part you want. (the sunglasses).

I thought it looked neat.

Carson with his baby cousin Macy! She is already 5 months old. Seems like I was just posting her birth...and now look at her? Carson would have made a good big brother......

My older brother Mike, and my Dad at the Grizzly game yesterday.