HOCKEY

My boys started hockey this past weekend, and I have to admit, I am not all that thrilled about them taking up this sport. It is one of those sports that pretty much consumes all of your free time with its horrible ice times, numerous practices each week, and tournaments filling up the weekends that would have otherwise been spent as a family, doing fun family things.

Another reason for my lack of being thrilled is that the Mr. was the catalyst behind this whole hockey thing. The boys? Not so much. Don't get me wrong, once the Mr. sold them on the idea, they were excited - This will be so much fun boys! I played hockey when I was young like you! You get to skate on a big rink with all kinds of other kids your age and use a stick and shoot pucks into the goals. I will even skate with you at all the practices!" Really, what 4 and 6 year old boy wouldn't be excited after hearing this?"

How the Mr. tried to sell me on the idea? He said he wanted the boys to play hockey, that it was a good sport for them to get started in at an early age, that he played hockey when he was young and he wanted the boys to have the same experience. Yada, yada, yada. All I heard was there go our weekends to do anything like head out to the cabin for the weekend, or spend a Saturday out at the zoo, or the Mall of America, or spend a lazy Sunday laying around in our pajamas watching T.V. and reading the paper.

Call me Negative Nelly, Debby Downer, whatever you choose. 'Cause I know, this sounds all sorts of selfish on my part, but it's the truth and I am all about being honest.

Anyway, Dad spent the week running around with the boys, spending a small fortune on sticks, pads, cups, mouth guards, hockey sticks, helmets, hockey bags, etc in preparation for their very first practice. The boys were over the moon excited, and of course Dad was as well, so how could I not be excited for them? This was a good thing.

Staying true to his personality, my Anthony Thomas cried and cried before getting ready for practice Saturday. "I don't wanna skate! I don't like falling. Pleeeaassse don't make me goooooo!" That soon subsided after some encouraging words from the Mr. and I, and he was ready to get suited up for practice.

A few of my Lucas...

And what do you know, both the boys loved it and can't wait to skate again next weekend.

This hockey thing may be taking up our weekends and making it pretty well impossible for us to have time together as a whole family from now until March, but I think I can live with that. The boys are going to get some much needed quality time with their Dad, doing something that makes all of them happy. It makes me happy when they are happy, and happiness is a good thing, no?