Hockey Photos...

Got some hockey photos...
Cooper played in his first holiday tournament of many to come I believe....It was played in Wake Forest.
He had a great time and played really good considering the teams in the tournament were 8U Advanced Teams and his is 8U Intermediates. So the advanced teams are mainly made of kids in 2nd and 3rd grade so between 8 and just about to turn 9. Cooper is in First and is 6 and a lot smaller than some of those guys out there. I had to laugh at one point when he got called for a penalty because he took out the biggest kid on the other team and got called for tripping. He was just going after it! He was really aggressive Friday night, Saturday morning and then Saturday night and Sunday morning you could tell all the kids were really tired.
Now back to our normal schedule of just Sunday morning games.

Here are some photos of some recent games...I forgot the camera for the tournament...here are some from the month of December.

 

The Best Christmas Present

I got the best present from Cooper at Christmas! He made it at school and he had hid it under the tree and he was so excited to give it to us that morning. The teacher made a copy of a cd of their first grade class singing from the Veteran's Day program and then at the end Cooper recorded a special message for Charlie and I. It was what he loves about each of us. I was not only in tears because it was the sweetest thing I had ever heard-I couldn't help but think of those families of the first graders in Newtown, CT and I hugged him more than ever!
My prayers are with them daily!
As I looked at him, I saw the pictures of those children flash through my mind. I thought of those parents waking up that Christmas morning some may even had wrapped presents under the tree that weren't going to be unwrapped. I thought of the sadness that they are experiencing at this time of year.
This was such a tragedy! I was just watching all the coverage speechless with tears running down my face. Later, as pictures were coming out on facebook of the victims another sense of sadness came over me. It affected the nation!
I know there may be a lot of talk about gun control after this incident but all I have to say is that is not the only issue with this problem. Guns and people shooting people has been around for quite along time. I just watched the Hatfields and McCoys documentary and there was a lot of gun slinging going on back in those days. That was family members shooting each other! I am not going to get into that debate on my blog about gun control. My husband is a hunter and likes to hunt. All I will say is that isn't going to make the problem go away because if a crazy person wants a gun they will find one!
Mental Health is a sad situation in this country and it only gets worse as the economy and societal problems get worse!  
I will treasure this cd. What a wonderful thing his teacher did for us! I will forever have his voice on cd at 6 years old. The children at Newtown will forever remain 6 years old and may the memories of their children bring them peace and my prayers are with them as they start their New Year. 

For My Boys

You only know
the beat of my heart
because you are the
ones who have heard it
on the inside and out.

You know my love for you
is as wide as the ocean blue
You knew my voice
if I had my choice
I would do it all over again
my angels God sent.

A part of me will always
be in you
take that in trouble times
all the days through

I Love you!

Ended 2012 With The Flu

I am back! Happy New Year!
My year did not end so well but started great!
I have been absent from blogging because we got hit with the flu at our house at the start of break in the middle of December. It has taken all of Christmas break to become healthy.  It was an awful nasty bug going around! Seems no one can avoid it.
December 13th is when it started because I won't forget! I ran 13 miles that day for the 13th day of the month. It was a Thursday and Braedyn got sick on the way home from hockey-he was in so much pain he was crying as we pulled in the driveway. It lasted until about December 28th. We all were finally better and healthy by the 29th which was the start of Cooper's holiday hockey tournament.
Braedyn actually had tested positive for Influenza at the Dr.s office. I had taken him him that Friday morning so he missed his last day of school before break. His fever was 104 all through the night. He then started Tamiflu and was better by Sunday and Cooper and Jordan had gotten sick over the weekend so took them in and got them started on Tamiflu just to be on the safe side. We didn't get our flu shots done this year and it seems it wouldn't have mattered. It is hitting those that did get their shots. Charlie had it really bad. His lasted from Friday to Wednesday and finally he was able to go back to work the last couple days of that week.  Then I got it Wednesday night. Yes, mom ended up with it last. I was hoping I was going to get lucky and not get it. I didn't feel the greatest along with Braedyn but that was just a cold and when the flu hit me I was down for the count. I hope we do not have to go through that again! Mom's shouldn't be allowed to get sick! Not only is it hard to get sick but it was Christmas on top of it and I had done nothing. I finally wrapped up the presents got them under the tree and ended up in the bathroom later that night.
We were feeling better by Christmas morning but just moving a little slow...
We had a wonderful day watching the boys open their presents and their excitement.
We spent the day at home playing with their new toys and just being together. We also went to my friend's house and enjoyed a Christmas evening with some friends.
I am happy to be back on my feet. A person appreciates their health and realizes how important it is to stay healthy after going through that experience!

Time flys by so fast
It's hard to remember the past
Carrying him up the stairs
or sitting for hours in the rocking chair
kids have grown and days have changed
but one thing still remains

We take our breaths
with a sense of urgency
living in a state of emergency
I want to know this
I may not live perfectly
but I have lived purposely

Have you looked back
on the things you did wrong
Only to find
it's made you who you are
and it's right here
is where you belong.

All the roads I've traveled
all the crossroads
that have come along
and here I am
in your arms
right here where I belong.

Proud Mom

During all of those Dr. appointments and tests Braedyn had AIG testing. They test for that at the 3rd grade level. It's the gifted program~is what it stands for but I just tell him it is because those students need to be more challenged.

I was a little concerned since he was getting those headaches that week and would have to stay focused on the testing. I had actually asked the teacher about it and she said if he needed, he could retake it at a different time.

Well, he did not to retake it! He got in the car so excited on friday after school and he told me he did so good on his AIG's that he is going to the AIG teacher now for Math.  I was so proud of him, I almost got a tear in my eye when I told him I was proud of him and he said, "I am proud of myself too." It was a great day and such a self-esteem booster for him because he gets so down on himself sometimes. He is hard on himself when it comes to his school work.

Way to go buddy! You still amaze me everyday!