Hockey Weekends- Why we love the rink!

With Fall comes the return to the Hockey Rink.  For some the return is bittersweet.  Gone are warm days spent at the pool, sleeping in Saturdays, having feeling in your fingers and toes but there is a definite upside to the return of children to their regularly scheduled extracurricular activities. 

 The rink is a place where Dad is a hero on the ice teaching their child to skate.  They seem 10 feet tall and are as fast as a rocket on the ice.  Even if Dad needs as much help to tie his skates in the dressing room as their four year old. (Pat says in rec hockey they use the 'buddy system' for the first few games to undo their skates when they can't touch their toes do to being stiff and sore and a possible off season weight gain).  The rink is somewhere that our kids have forged lifelong friendships, they have learned about being part of a team, playing fair, sharing, sticking up for a team mate, respecing their coaches, officials and their competition and that rink burger, fries and a blue powerade are a better salary for a goal scored then a multi million dollar contract in the NHL. 

For me there is always someone to entertain the baby so I can watch for at least a minute or two.

 You can see that smile even through his mask.  The first two practices he laid on the ice the entire practice. He is quickly getting the hang of being upright.   

  

Wait, Who took my stick?  Going.....

 

Going......

Gone!

He'll be ok now that he has his stick back.  Pat and Car practiced at home how to use your stick to get up off the ice.  Pat has his own idea what dryland training is!

 Even better the coach gives Carson a speedy ride with his stick.  Thanks Coach!

 The famous rink Ham Egg and Cheese bun.  Not even  a bite fom Mom?

 A juice box for sissy.

 Just making ourselves at home.  The table and chairs here is a bit nicer than ours however. 

  Tim Hotons and Hockey- a pairing as truly Canadian as Bob and Doug. 

 Let's pretend we are talking so I can drink some of this coffee and catch my breath! 

 Like fish in a net! In you go Carson.

Look who is the last one out of the net.  Come on Carson catch up.  He still likes me to cheer for him where as the 14 year old has warned me on numerous occasions, "Mom, don't cheer for me at the game.  Serriously don't it is so embarrasing"  That's like telling a 4 year old, "Don't eat this bag of candy!"

Now just sit back and let Dad do all the work.  What a life! 

The funnest game in the dressing room is having your brother and sister punch you in the can and laugh cuz it doesn't hurt! 

 Good times at the rink.  Thank goodness becuase we have a possibility of 16 years left in minor hockey! And I know we will enjoy every minute!