I had to laugh, because my friend Becky at http://analaskanmom.blogspot.com/ was looking at t-shirts from thinkgeek.com and she posted one she really liked. Yesterday, I was looking at t-shirts from x-tremegeek.com/shirsts and found this one that I really liked. (look close it is Han Solo from Star Wars). I don't know why, but it makes me laugh.

13 Things I heard this week
1. The sound of dogs barking. Everytime Hunter is outside he barks non stop. At what? Who knows? A plane, a bird, the wind....the same neighbor who walks out to get his mail everyday? He never stops!

2. Derek's snores. He worked nights last week. So his first few nights after that, he is catching up on his sleep, and boy does it bring the snores out!

3. Jared and his keyboard. It is non stop. He should be in lessons. He plays for hours on end, practicing songs he already knows, or learning new ones off of utube.

4. Jared yelling about having to clean up one of Harley's poops in the garage. "Who me?" Yeah..YOU!

**dog outside barking**

5. Carson saying "Hockey again?" He really does have fun when he gets to hockey, but this boy is just a homebody type of kid. He hates leaving the house.

6. My Christmas clock. It actually plays other songs at every hour, but it has a Christmas setting that it is on right now. I really like it.

7. Me, yelling at the kids about missing homework that they didn't bother to turn in that they missed while on hockey roadtrips. They both have good grades, but I just hate seeing that 'zero' on something they could have had a 100% on if they would have just made it up! arrrgggg

8. The 'beep, beep, beep sound of our new washer and dryer going off. Derek washed all of Jared's bedding yesterday. Wasn't that nice?

9. The TV. It is always on. I mean always. I am such a tv person, can't help it, I just am.

10. The answering machine always going off from the 1-800 people. Who knows who there are. Some of them even call everyday at the exact same time. EXACT SAME TIME. I never answer them. I love caller ID.

11. The sound of keyboard typing, then a sniff, then more keyboard sounds, then a sniff...over and over, at 4am while I am in bed. Turns out it was Derek. He could not sleep, so he got up and got on the computer. I thought he was writing someone a tearful letter!

12. Carson telling me about his school day. He who "hates" school. He always has so much to say about it, and it all sounds pretty good.

13. The sound of people's blog music. I have added some of those songs to my Ipod as I hear them so much, I get hooked on them!

NP Patriots Win!

North Pole dominant in its first conference win By Danny Martin Published Wednesday, December 10, 2008 NORTH POLE — The second period Tuesday night at the Polar Ice Arena provided an excellent example of North Pole’s depth and work ethic. The Patriots, on the way to a 6-1 victory over the West Valley Wolfpack in the Mid Alaska Conference high school hockey game, were outshot 13-5 in the second, but scored four goals while being short two players. Defenseman Seth Haines and center Nick Crutcher were serving 10-minute misconducts along with their checking-from-behind minors in the period. Haines, who produced the game’s first goal with a slap shot at 44 seconds into the contest, is also one of only four defensemen among 18 Patriots players. North Pole, though, adjusted to help it improve to 7-2 overall and 1-0 conference. “We rotated three defensemen, and they all stepped up,” North Pole assistant coach Derek Linnell said of the second period. “We had two really good (forward) lines and our third line is solid, and we had a couple of extra guys on the bench that could step right in and fill spots for us. We have great depth.” Included in that depth is right wing D.J. Carnley, who scored a hat trick Tuesday, and goaltender Phoenix Copley, who denied 35 shots by the Wolfpack. Carnley’s second three-goal night of the season started at 6:46 of the first period and gave North Pole a 2-0 lead. He lined a low shot from the right circle and the attempt had enough power to squeeze between the post and the glove-side pad of West Valley goaltender Cacy Wilfer. “I was just getting shots on net, crashing the net. ... That was my game plan,” said the 6-foot-3, 200-pound junior. Carnley has built a chemistry this season with sophomore linemates Jared Linnell (center) and Hank Parra (left wing), who already had a chemistry from their years of playing youth hockey together. Linnell also chipped in two assists Tuesday. “It’s a good line. We all work hard and we help each other out,” Carnley said. North Pole helped itself to 6-0 lead in the second period after generating its final four goals of the game, with three of them arriving within 47 seconds late in the period. The surge began by the Patriots capitalizing on a two-man advantage. Mark Sanford got his second point of the night by redirecting in Vance Bridgman’s shot from the right circle at 13:29 and 19 seconds later, Carnley made it 5-0 with an unassisted backhand shortly after a faceoff in the Wolfpack’s zone. Bridgman, with his second point of the period and third of the game, completed the flurry with a goal at 14:16 of the period. Carnley had given North Pole a 3-0 lead at 4:54 of the second, scoring in front of the crease with a redirection of Linnell’s pass. It seemed the second period, particularly because of its advantage in shots and gaining two power-play chances, should have been an opportunistic 20 minutes for West Valley rather than a stanza which they ended in a six-goal hole. “We had our chances, we didn’t bury them,” West Valley head coach Wayne Sawchuk said. “I’m sure Cacy has a few of their shots that he’d like to have back. I know that wasn’t the best game he’s played all year, and he’d be one of the first ones to admit that. “Their goalie made the big saves when he had to. If we could have scored a couple, who knows what could have happened.” Wilfer, following a 13-save night, was replaced in the third period by fellow junior Katrina Lydon, who had 12 saves for a Wolfpack squad that seemed more energetic than in the first two periods. A second-intermission speech by Sawchuk helped the Wolfpack deny Copley of a shutout in the third period. Johnny McGee, during West Valley’s fifth and final power play, stationed himself near the left post to redirect in Benny Henne’s shot from the left circle at 11:38 of the third. “We talked about what it’s like to be a hockey player, and it’s a privilege to be a hockey player,’’ said Sawchuk, “because one day, those skates are going to be gone. We have to compete because we’ve only got 22 high school games per year and this is one of those games. “You’ve just got to go out and compete and be a hockey player.” Justin Woods had the other assist on the Wolfpack’s lone tally and North Pole had other helpers in the game from Tyler Keturi and Cody Kurkowski.

Relaxing Saturday...

Remember when you were a kid and mom came to the end of the wrapping paper roll? Not much has changed over the years with those, have they?

Jared helped Carson construct the gingerbread train, then Carson decorated it.

This picture was on my friend Becky's blog and she sent it to me. Tonight Carson's Arctic Lion team played the Northen Knight team. After being down 2-0, the Lions came back big for the win 3-2. This picture is of Carson and his good friend Jason. They have been in school together since Kindergarten, and have been playing baseball together for the past 3, 4 or 5 years, for so long, I have lost track! Although Jason didn't score tonight, he had a heck of a game! He is the fastest kid I know (Im not joking) and had so many shots on net and a couple of great passes!....Way to go Jase!

What is your Christmas like?

Did you believe in Santa Claus when you were a child? Yes, of course! Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas? I did, until last Christmas, when fuel and electricity were so much. I think I will put some out this year, but haven't yet. Do you eat a turkey dinner for your Christmas dinner? Yep! Do you enjoy singing Christmas songs? Yes, it is on my radio station in the car now. Do you go to church on Christmas day? On Christmas Eve yes, but day...no. Do you hang up a stocking? Yes I do. Do you have any plans to go to a Christmas party? No plans as of yet. Do you remember when you found out that Santa Claus wasn't real/ or when your children found out? What was your/their reaction like? I don't know....Cant remember, I think it was sometime around Junior high, but I had a older brother, 5 years older, so I am sure he broke the news to me at some point. Do you see your relatives at Christmas time? Yes. Do you usually put up Christmas decorations in your house? Yes How about at your school of the place where you work? Some....but you know there are some people who it offends....so at a Elementary school that is just outrageous.......stupid. Does your family have any special Christmas traditions? Church on Christmas Eve, then we go to one of our family members house, and usually do a 'Chinese' gift exchange with some new stuff, and stuff that has been lying around the house. There is a picture that someone took of my dad in green Elf shorts that usually is in there as the gag gift, and one of us usually has it for the next year. Does your town get decorated at Christmas? I live in the North Pole, it is decorated year round! Have you already finished your Christmas shopping? No! Have you ever celebrated Christmas in a foreign country? Yes, one year in Canada. Have you ever made your own Christmas cards? Yes I have. How do you usually spend New Year's Eve? Usually with a party with my family or a neighborhood block party. How long do you keep your Christmas tree up after Christmas? Usually till New Years Day. How many Christmas cards did you receive last year? Probably about 35. How many Christmas cards do you send? About 70. If you could go anywhere during Christmas vacation, where would you go? Paris would be cool. Is your Christmas tree a real tree or an artificial tree? Artificial What do you eat on Christmas Day? Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, rolls, deviled eggs, pickles, black olives, pumpkin pie. What is the weather like in your country around Christmas time? anywhere from 30 above to 50 below. What is your favorite Christmas song? A few of my favorite things What time do you wake up on Christmas day? This year probably around 4:30 or 5 am. What time does your family open the presents? Right when we get up. When do you do your Christmas shopping? All year round. Will you have a Christmas party at your home? Maybe the Christmas Eve party will be at my house, we haven't talked about it yet. Do you give something to homeless people? Sometimes I do.

What do you want Santa to bring you this year? Carson- "I don't know." (This is the kid with a butt load of cash in his wallet, cause he don't spend his money!) I think he takes after his dad. Jared- Ping Pong table, XBox 360 Call of Duty World at War, Wii Hockey 2K9, XBox 360 Guitar Hero World Tour. (with the new guitar). Just to name a few...Hmm wonder who he takes after? Patty-I like to get new Shampoo and socks. Derek- Don't get him anything, don't buy him nothing, he don't need nothing. (this is what he says when I ask him what he wants). What do you want Santa to bring you?????