the first weekend of hockey games. brrr. five games in three days, including a trip to frozen pierre and back. nothing like jumping into hockey with both skates on. my boys are on the same team this year...something that probably won't happen again until the varsity years. i wasn't sure how it would go. it's not fun to be the big brother of a little brother who is playing up to your level, but big j didn't seem to care. the two boys actually make a good combo, it was fun to hear a few "jboy to jboy" goals over the weekend. i think they won 3 out of 5 games, but our proudest moments came from their character rather than their hockey skills.

little j had already gotten a hat trick (3 goals) and instead of going for more, he gave up several opportunities to score by passing the puck just before the net to the buddy next to him so that his friends could also score. no one told him to do it. he just did it because he loves his hockey buddies. he has a little bit of his uncle mike in him that way.

as for big j, we have had issues with his temper and his tears since the day he started competing. he seems to be over those years for the most part. he was put in the penalty box and turned to wave to his dad. normally, he would be quite upset. i asked him about it and he said "i just wanted dad to know that those days are over. i'm ok with penalties." he also did not cry or seem upset when they got destroyed in one game, but was a little more upset yesterday when they lost in a nail-biter by one goal. those games are harder to take, i think. but we're getting there. and that is better than a million hat tricks in my book.

beyond hockey, life is good. we still don't really have snow to speak of and i can feel the holidays breathing down my neck, but i don't really feel the stress or the pressure. i don't have a single gift bought, haven't done my Christmas letter or made any holiday goodies...but i'm ok with it so far. i'm sure there will be a mad scramble come Dec. 24. ha.

i guess this post is a bit of a mommy brag, sorry about that. next time i will get back to reality with a post that starts with big j's latest quote "don't you remember when we were little and all the good times we had?" and his little brother replying "like when you would boss me around and i'd actually do it?"

see? it's not all roses :)