Have I mentioned that Declan is wild about hockey? His walls are decorated with hockey memorabilia. He reads hockey magazines. He knows hockey stats. He plays hockey and he is very concerned that the right people in the NHL won't know exactly when he's ready for the draft (believe me, kid, when you're ready for the draft, your mother will make sure EVERYONE knows). He talks about hockey. He dreams about hockey. And we've discovered he likes to play goalie (you know, the position where you have to buy goalie pads, the cost of which rival your mortgage payment).
Anyway, the kid eats, breathes and sleeps hockey.
Under any circumstances, hockey requires some travel, but more so here in the valley where unless you do travel, you can really only play one other team locally--the "up valley" team in Vail. We figure we've got years of travel to hockey games all over the state ahead of us and we're stearing clear of travel teams for now. But for fun, once or twice a season, the coaches put together a little out of town tournament. Nothing big, just a day's journey, no overnights involved. They've had the opportunity to go to Glenwood Springs and Steamboat Springs in past seasons. Over the weekened they went to Breckenridge where the elevation at the rink was about 9,600 feet. We live at 6,600 feet, so that was quite a little hop to go out and get physical and play three hours of hockey.
February 15, 2009
WECMRD Eagle Mites--Breckenridge, CO
Not surprisingly, Declan was pretty exhausted when he got home. It was a great night to take advantage of his fatigue and put everyone to bed by 7pm--I always love that--and look forward to a night of DVDs and popcorn with Eamonn.
However, I discovered someone else needed to go to bed at about 7pm as well.
(Happy Birthday, Sleeping Beauty)
Which begs the question: Who is more exhausted? The kids who play the game? Or the parents who get up and drive them there?
7 comments:
It's not just the driving ... its the packing of the equipment bags, the filling of the water bottles, the packing of the extra snacks and drinks and clothes and remembering to bring money for admission fees and convenience stand items ....its the keeping the other children entertained and listening to their whining when they're bored/hungry/tired/did I mention bored?????
Truly, substitute "soccer" for "hockey", and you've described my life .... it's exhausting.
Holy Cow, how awesome that he has discovered a passion so early on!
Happy birthday to El Hubby!
LOVE that pic up top... he looks like a natural!! :-)
I notice that Declan has his Columbus Blue Jackets jersey on - no one has beat him up for that yet? Tommy used to be enthralled w/hockey and wanted to be a hockey player when he grew up. His 2nd bday cake was hockey players (cop out on his parents' part, b/c all they had to do was put white icing on a cake, draw a few lines, and buy some plastic hockey guys!). Apparently his passion isn't as great as Declan's b/c he no longer says he wants to be a hockey player - maybe it had something to do with being afraid to fall on the ice during skating lessons...
I officially declare Declan a honourary (we spell it with a U in Canada) Canadian. All the boys and many of the girls in Canada are Hockey fiends - they can’t get seem to get enough of it and most of them and their parents think the NHL is in their future. Except my son who likes baseball and basketball thanks to the influence of his American born Dad. I am just happy to escape the 5am practices and the out of town tournaments + I like my son’s face with teeth and I am not partial to the screaming hockey parents that seem to come along for the ride in many sports these days. I'm sure you are not one of those...
Wow! I'm sure the parents are more exhausted. Besides all the traveling, cheering and worrying, the parents are the ones who have to pay for it all!
Declan looks terrific. I'm sure I'd be more impressed if I knew even a slight amount about hockey. My kids are all geeks, the most sporting they get is on the Wii!
Way to go Declan!!
Love the pic of your "beauty"!
Post a Comment