Happy New Year

Looking back on 2013, it's been a good year! The kids are growing up into big boys, doing well in school and are healthy. I learn a little more every year what it's like to a mom of three boys!

I have been one year skin cancer free and Charlie was diagnosed with Melanoma stage 0 in the spring and we are very lucky that we caught it early enough that it hadn't spread! He has gone back for two checks with no recurrence! 

Our life revolves around our kids and his work! They keep us busy! 

We feel very blessed and miss our family and friends!

Hopefully we will see some of you in 2014! 

Happy New Year and best wishes for 2014! 

Love, Allie

Cooper's Holiday Hockey Tournament ~Crabtown Showdown Baltimore, MD December 27th-29th

Cooper played in a hockey tournament in the Baltimore area. We repacked after getting home from MN then Jordan, Cooper and I headed out on the road to Baltimore. I am thankful to a friend who took Braedyn for a couple days. Charlie had to work and could not go on the trip.
I was very nervous making this trip by myself and driving that far with two kids. I am very thankful for my new car and technology! I was able to meet another family to caravan up. The car ride was wonderful as far as the boys go, they were so well behaved! It was the traffic that drove me insane. I hate traffic and we were stuck in it for a very long time. I could never live in a big city again! It is a drive that is supposed to take around 5 hours. It took a little over 7! We saw a really bad car accident were two cars were engulfed in flames after crossed the Washington Harbor drawbridge which they thought the bridge was cool.

I was very happy to arrive at the hotel and so were the boys! I then had to unload the car on the cart by myself and haul it up to the room (that is usually Charlie's job) and those dang things are hard to push! I can only imagine what I looked like. We got checked in and ate some dinner. We had an early morning game.

Tournament started for us on Friday at 7 am. We played the Bowie Bruins, a local team at their rink in Bowie, MD. They were a very good team. They beat us 12-1. The highlight and what made the crappy drive worth it was Cooper scoring! He had to fight for it as he was being hooked almost the entire way. He shot it Hugh and it went in off if goalie's glove! I instantly jumped up and hugged the person next to me and luckily it was another hockey mom who knows my excitement!  He was so excited and mom was proud! It's always so cute when the team all piles up and gives each other a big hug!!

congrats!!

Yes!

finally getting away from the guy

going in for it
 

Then it was my first experience having to navigate back to hotel by myself! The person I followed told me about google maps and how it works in my car with Bluetooth. It was great! The boys acted like it was such an accomplishment every time we made it back to the rink by myself! 

The team at the showdown skills competition

The evening was Olympic skills competition and while I was getting Cooper ready Jordan fell asleep and then I got ready and Cooper fell asleep with all his gear on. I almost just let him sleep and forget the competition. Great I have to leave in 10 minutes and he is not going to be happy when I wake him up and I can't carry both of them to the car! The competition was interesting to watch And Coop did good in the event he was put in.


tired boys!

 

silly crab



Abby and Sharon, Me and boys in Laurel, MD

The next morning we got to sleep in a little and we had a 10 am game in Laurel, MD. They played hard against a well matched team finally. We should have won that one. It was a close game and cooper hustled his butt off. He also had local fans come watch! I was I happy to see our friends the Drells. Warren was my dad's best friend from the Navy and was best man in their wedding! His wife and daughter came to Coop's game! It was so fun to see them it's been 20 years or so. Her boys grew up playing at that rink so it brought back memories and just seeing them did too! Abby surprised and flattered Coop by asking for his autograph and told him remember I was the first to get your autograph when you are famous one day...he turned red and signed it! Was a fun morning! 



We went back to hotel while some others went out for lunch and also went sightseeing. I was not going to attempt that. I was just happy to make it back to the hotel and Cooper was tired. They had fun swimming and playing knee hockey but mostly Cooper just hung out and relaxed in the room. He was saving his energy. They played again that evening against another very good team that wasn't evenly matched which is par for the course this year. It was a good thing he saved his energy as that game was played on the Olympic sized rink! It looked huge! They fought hard and never gave up. Cooper is always going hard.

We had the last game on Sunday morning against the team we had evenly matched up with but late in second and third period the score got away from them. We were tied and going back and forth in first and beginning of second period. Cooper played well again. He had to sit in the penalty box for tripping the goalie while one of his teammates were scoring and so the goal was taken away which he felt really bad about. But it didn't cause him to let up. He plowed over a guy with the puck at the blue line full on and they both wiped out and Coop got up and skated away like take that as his teammate was able to get the puck on that play. He is one tough little guy! We lost that one too....so yes we lost all of our games but we came away with some great memories.

In the box~Sometimes it happens...

 

After the games ended I thought I was following that same family home but their plans changed so here I was very nervous to go alone! I almost started crying...I rely on my husband for a lot and this was something I knew I could probably do I was just very uncomfortable about it. We had lunch and We took off with the help of google map and Bluetooth! I did it....we just took it mile by mile thru the city and traffic but it really is a straight shot home on 495 south to 95 south to 85 south. I was very proud of myself! I did it and it only took 5 hours and 20 minutes! Cooper commented on how proud of me he was for making it home! I should give myself more credit! 

I am happy to finally be home after being gone 14 days and slept one night at home in that mix. I am very thankful to have one more week of break with the boys to enjoy some down time at home! 

I won't be driving that again for a very long time or ever again will be fine with me! 

Is December Almost Over Already?

So this month has flew by! December was filled with fun, memories, emotional and exciting travel adventures.
The month started off with the boys finishing up the 2nd quarter of school. I was proud of the report cards they received and the awards they received at school. They have been working hard. Cooper has been working especially hard this quarter as you would have read in previous posts. He is coming along and I think this break is just what he needed. It's not that he doesn't want to do the work he just wants it to be perfect and he gets frustrated. HMMM wonder where he gets that mentality.

Me and MaryJean

We were very excited to travel to MN this year to be with my family. We had been back for my sister's wedding 3 years ago but it had been 4 years since we had a long stay and be able to celebrate Christmas together. It was a wonderful 9 days in MN but it went too fast as it always does. Mom and dad picked us up at the airport after our early 6 am flight out of RDU. On our way home we stopped in Jordan to meet up with an old friend Charlie had played baseball with and is now the H.S. coach and we had lunch and caught up. On the way to our old neighborhood we stopped by Braedyn's old preschool. I have so many wonderful memories from that place and still keep in contact with many of those people. I had my dad stop so I could see if anyone was around and it was awesome as the director who I had become close with was in her office and I surprised her! There was lots of hugging and I had tears in my eyes!

Our Old House~Great Memories!

I miss that place! We then drove through the old neighborhood to find the house that we had designed and built was changed with the new owners but some of the same people were there and one in particular, two doors down, who I was with alot, had her front door open. I think she about choked as I knocked on the door and she said "come in" before she realized who it was! She couldn't believe it. That was a great visit and I got to see her 4 month old twins. It was hard driving through there and I get teary eyed thinking about where we started our family and we have wonderful memories of that house, the town and the friends and family we left. Nothing had really changed in Jordan. Yes, we moved from Jordan, MN and Jordan came after we moved :)

We went onto Byron and on the way home we had gotten word that Grandma Baudoin was in the hospital again for the 7th time this year with her heart. We were very blessed to be able to spend time with her in the hospital before she got discharged. I didn't think our hugs would end. She looked in good spirits when we were there and her face lit up. She has been in poor health for so long now and we got word about hospice care for her now. Hospice doesn't mean end of life care for her but it just means being comfortable at this stage. She told dad she wanted to hand us our card and gift in person this year and that meant a lot to her. She was able to do that and we had a wonderful visit with her. I am not sure if and when we will see her again. That's what made that visit the hardest on all of us as I write that in tears. She is an amazing lady in so many ways and I am very lucky to have her as a Grandmother! I just wish I had more time to spend with her as we all do.

Me and Grandma Baudoin

Grandma and all of us

We got to spend a Saturday with all of my mom's side, the Nelson clan! We have to have it at a hotel because we have gotten so large not one person can host it. There was around 50 people. There was only two families that could not make it. So it was so much fun seeing everyone. Everyone has grown up so much. I am the oldest grandchild and now Grandpa and Grandma not only have many grandchildren but have just as many great grandchildren.  I had not even met many of my cousins kids so it was fun seeing all these little kids running around and all the little cousins playing with each other. We always get wild and crazy! Fun times!


Great Grandma and Grandpa Nelson

Me and Grandpa and Grandma

Again, it was hard to say goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa Nelson and my aunts and uncles. Goodbyes are hard! Hopefully we see each other again before Braedyn graduates High School. As kids get older it gets harder and harder to get back home.
Of course, we could not make a trip to MN without hockey involved! We couldn't get back up to Minneapolis for a Gopher game or Wild game but we took in the MN Jr team the Rochester Ice Hawks and they loved it. It was a lot of fun and they have never experienced a game like that before. There was some knock down fights with gloves off, helmets ripped off and even a jerseys thrown off. They spent a lot of time up at the outdoor rink in Byron. That was fun, I have to admit the cold didn't bother me or the boys. I skated with them. I lived there for how many years and that was the first time I had ever skated there! The first two minutes on the ice Cooper yelled, "this is awesome, I want this in my backyard, can we move here?" He absolutely loved being in  MN. Even the day that it was 6 below he was out in the snow playing! It's in his blood and he is a true Norwegian!

Jordan playing at the rink

Cooper is in love with this !!

The boys having a race!
 

Uncle Mickey passing with Coop

At the Ice Hawks game and Jordan found a new friend! They got to skate with players after the game!

Night of new snow~Had to get one more night in it!

Jordan and Braedyn all bundled up!

Cooper and Grandpa

Jordan, Braedyn, and Daddy out for a night ride on fresh powder

The last night they got to go snowmobiling with Grandpa and Charlie. It snowed almost 4 inches the last night we were there. They ran out with their borrowed snow gear on and played in the snow and went for some rides. So glad they got to do that.
It was fun spending a lot of time with my brother and his son Drew.

Me and Dom ~Miss you!

Jordan and Drew- buddies

Chloe and Jordan-"hey wanna play cars"

The boys all played so well together and I hadn't seen Dom in a very long time and be able to spend time with him. Same with my sister who I had last seen Chloe my niece when she was six weeks old and now she is turning two in March! The cousins all had fun together! I can't wait for them to come visit us sometime! Christmas Eve we all spent time together at mom and dads opening gifts and a nice dinner.
I even got a shopping and lunch day with my mom alone! That never happens!
We had a wonderful visit that ended with a long snowy drive to the airport on Christmas day.

It was a long early morning drive back to the airport for dad on one lane on hwy 52

It was emotional leaving and having it be on Christmas day. Goodbyes at the airport aren't fun! We had to get back for Cooper's hockey tournament and I also have a thing about Christmas day being "our" day at home. Santa comes and we open gifts and have our Christmas. This year it wasn't in our jammies in the morning but at night. So of course we got home after our long travel day and Santa had been there and put the gifts under the tree! They were so excited!
We unpacked and got organized and then the boys excitedly opened up their gifts. They must have been good boys since Santa was pretty good to them this year and they were thrilled with what they received but unfortunately playing with them will have to wait. 

and Santa came to our house when we were gone

Then I had to repack for morning!
As Cooper said while we were there after coming in from playing in the snow with his brothers, "This is the best Christmas Ever!"

Ralphie trying some Hoops

Basketball

We have decided to add more crazy to my life! They all want to play basketball and since its just down the road a few miles I have agreed. It's pretty low key with neighbor country folk out by us. It's a fun time. Jordan first started going to it in a car seat and now he's out there doing the drills. So he will play on a 4-6 year old team and Braedyn and Cooper will play together on the 7-9 year old team. Finally a sport they are on the same team! It was cute watching the 4-6 year olds, sometimes they dribble or sometimes they just run with it! 

We will see how it goes schedule wise but seems it will work. We just have to make sure there's no Monday and Tuesday night practices and we will be fine... Games are always Fridays. It's not very long and also will help Cooper with his endurance! 

Jordan had a lot of fun and so did the other two... Cooper hasn't played for two years and Braedyn took last year off too. Will be fun to watch them together. This is more Braedyn's sport so we shall see how Coop takes to that... 

Jordan on a breakaway!! 

Santa going Broke!

Ralphie was breaking into Cooper's piggy bank! Things are expensive these days!!

Before and After Hair

I was badly needing a new brighter style and something different. I had grown custom to a ponytail and ball cap.  I had gotten bangs in the past but as you can see in the before picture I didn't keep up with them... I really like the brightness of the red and the new bangs! 

Cooking Lesson

They baked chocolate chip muffins all by themselves today... I had to restrain myself from the mess and doing it "right". They had a blast and no fighting. They had to read the box, get the ingredients ready, turn on the oven, put all the ingredients in and mix, then grease pans and fill them up... And they tasted wonderful! I supervised and it was great for them and a lesson for me... I need to let them get messy - they are kids and boys and a little mess isn't going to hurt anyone! I'm reminded of those toddler days in MN being stuck inside for around 9 months... We baked a lot, made messes, had forts, somehow I still had a clean house when I went to bed....

Looking forward to some Christmas baking! Something I did every Christmas with my grandma! A tradition I started with my own boys and they love it. Charlie says it looks like an explosion of flour but worth the memories:)! I still remember baking with my grandma! 

This is we roll

This is how I have been getting my runs in lately!! He loves to rollerblade and he can't go while 3 miles so he gets on when he gets tired or needs a rest.. He probably does a mile total... Now if I can just get him to take the training wheels off his bike. That's our next obstacle. 

Day 6

Acrobatic Elf

Mouth Guard Or A Chew Toy

Every season of hockey or football Cooper has went through mouthpieces like a dog goes through a chew toy. We have bought the nice expensive Nike one to a couple Walmart cheapie and Howie's brands. I am amazed at how they look after about a month. I have been wondering if they make a chew-proof mouth guard. 

While getting his skates sharpened last night I struck up a conversation with the employee as I was looking at mouth guards. He suggested the one pictured below. So I purchased it and we shall see if it truly chew proof because Cooper is a good test subject! It supposedly molds to your teeth better for a tighter more snug fit, and you have to pull it off to remove it. You can drink with it in too. So once his helmet is strapped he doesn't spit it out and it's not hanging on his helmet to play with. It comes in a nice case to store it safely. 

Day 5

Rainbow Looming didn't quite workout for Ralphie!

Braedyn and Daddy day

Charlie took Braedyn to the Carolina Panthers game this past weekend... They left Sunday morning for Charlotte for a 1:00 game. At least it was a little warmer. They had a lot of fun and had a good time spending some one on one time together. But Cooper made sure to tell them he will be going to a Hurricanes game with JUST dad soon too! 

Game Face

I snapped this waiting in the locker room -as it pretty much summed up how I felt by 2:00... After his morning clinic from 9:30-1. He had a game at 2:30!  I was surprised he wasn't exhausted. He was ready! 

It was a great game and just spending time with those guys this weekend I could already tell the difference in his skating! We will be going back to them! He had two breakaways and headed to score when a kid on his own team stole the puck from him I was surprised Coop contained himself on those! It's been a frustrating season but he seems to be having fun so that's all that matters right now! We lost yet another one but they never gave up... 

Day 3 Ralphie

He got held up by the joker and penguin but apparently they caught batman and Spider-Man crashed his bike...

Day 4

He's trapped:)

Thanksgiving clinic

Cooper had fun at a Thanksgiving clinic this past weekend!!