The Curse is Broken

In the past 2 years my baby Boy has been in 6 Championship series and finished SECOND in everyone of them....until today!

His football team won the Varsity Division Championship!

They were total underdogs going into the game playing against kids that were huge,  we grow em big her in Ohio football country but even for us they were big. Check out #77 blue going against my kid in the red...and my kid is the biggest on his team! Oh in case you wondered these kids are only 11-12 years old!!!

Baby Boy was in tears through most of the award ceremony and just to show you the sweetness in him, when it was all over he gave me the big ole, "thanks mom" hug and then asked to call his Grampa (who used to coach him) to tell him about the game.

here are some pictures (My kiddo is number 95).

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Editing

And now right before your very eyes I will magically transform our Cedar Point brush with hell Americana into a warm and cherished family memory...in a few years this is just how we will remember it (so long as I delete yesterday's post).

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Car Talk

The Scene:   The Sequoia, Nolan crammed beside Nina and Macy in car seats, Dart and I are riding up front and "Mulan" is playing on the truck's movie screen.


The Prevailing Attitude:  The girls are tired and cranky.  Nolan is 11.


Nolan:  Macy, Mulan is from China just like you.

Macy: I am not Mulan.  I am Pocahontas.

Nolan:  No you are Chinese so you have to be Mulan.

Macy: No I'm not.  Mommy did braids in my hair.  I have Pocahontas hair.

Nolan: No you have Mulan hair because you are Chinese.

Macy:  No I don't!  I am Pocahontas!  I am going to marry John Smith!

Nina:  I have magic hair.  It's turning yellow...like Tangled.

Nolan:  Your hair is turning blond because you are in the sun.

Nina:  Mooooom-meeeee, Nolan says my hair is not yellow!!!


Me:  Nolan leave them alone!  Nina you have magic yellow hair.  It is beautiful.  Macy you can marry John Smith.

Dart: No she can't.


Nolan: (snicker)

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Called to the Principal's Office

We found an envelope in Nolan’s book bag.

From the school principal.

Crap, this can’t be good.

But what the heck can you do in 5^th grade to get into trouble?

(Paranoid mom imagination goes wild….)

Double crap, there’s A LOT he could do in the 5^th grade.

If you think about it.

(I just did.)

5^th graders are practically monsters.

(Open the envelope as if it is laced with anthrax)

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Printy,

(Anticipatory wince)

Congratulations!

(Hmmm, this is an odd way to expel a student???)

It is my pleasure to inform you that Nolan was selected to participate in our Principal’s luncheon.

(Stop. Read that line again.)

Pleasure. To. Inform. You.

(The sound of air escaping from my lungs.)

Of course I knew it would be good news all along because of course MY kid is a totally awesome kid who never gets in trouble and always makes me proud. 

No really, that last part is pretty much true.

Warning: The rest of this post is dripping with unbridled mama bragadosha

The Principal’s letter was an invitation for Nolan to attend a luncheon honoring kids who showed exceptional character at school.  The kids were each nominated by a teacher and the letter included a nomination testimony from Nolan’s teacher that absolutely captures the essence of my sweet boy’s soul.  It read;

“ Nolan is an outstanding young man.  He has the kindest heart and shows compassion to each and every one of his peers.  Nolan is accepting of everyone regardless of their differences and has been a welcoming face to any new student!  What a wonderful young man!”

(Bask in the glow of mama pride…)

(Wait. Just one more glorious moment please…)

What a brilliant teacher.

You know, I couldn’t agree more.

And not just because I’m his mom but because (among other things) I know he does have a welcoming and loving  heart.  I’ve watched him open his heart to two sisters so fully and completely the term “adopted” seems out of place.   

That bit of his character gives me more encouragement as a mother than just about anything else I can think of.

Turns out mail from the principal isn’t so bad after all.

Please don't make me beg for votes. Pleeeeeaaaaase.

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The Curse

Nolan played in a local hockey tournament this weekend.  The team did well and ended up in the Championship game on Monday afternoon.  It was really quite an accomplishment since they were playing against kids that normally skated a division higher up. I doubt anyone expected them to make it that far much less go into the finals as the top seeded team.

I’m even more certain that I am the ONLY one that really didn’t want them to get to the Championship game.

Why?

Because when you play in the Championship game, you might come in second.

I know you’re thinking I’m not cut out to be a hockey mom.  But hear me out.

For four years now Nolan has been cursed by second place.

At first even second place was cool for him.  He still got a trophy and after all, hardware was hardware. So he happily accepted his second place trophies and medals, still optimistic that first place was around the corner.  

But this year it was different. Second place had lost all luster. This year he wanted the big trophy.  The gold medal. First place.

Second would no longer do.

Fate had other plans.

He played in Pittsburgh last month and suffered yet another second place finish.  Even though they seemed the odds on favorite somehow just couldn’t pull it off.

Curse of the second place trophy strikes again.

After the game Nolan sat in the locker room crying in frustration and disappointment.  He stayed there for a long time. When he finally emerged he slumped out to the car without a word, his head hanging low and eyes still puffy and red.

He left his trophy in the locker room saying he didn’t want it.  Luckily Dad slipped back in and retrieved it.  It was a long quiet ride home.  I think the trophy is still in the car.

Adding insult to injury the big boys in their usual loving and sensitive way made comments like “Nolan you’re not second. You’re first loser”.  They thought they were being funny.

But sometimes big brothers just suck.

It seemed the curse would not be broken.

So going into the tournament this weekend all I could think was please, please, PLEASE don’t come in second.  Lose every game but dear God not second.

(Don't vilify me-I just thought it-never said it out loud)

True to form the team played well.  In fact they won EVERY game. Once again they went into the finals as the undefeated team to beat.

I’m a pretty laid back hockey mom (really it's true) but watching this game gave me chest pain.  By the third period they were down by two.  Then Nolan's team got a goal.  They only needed one more to tie,  two to win.

Nine minutes still on the clock.  It was possible.

First place, NOT second place within reach.

I screamed. I yelled. I cringed. For a moment I forgot how to breathe.

Get a grip right?

But can you blame me?

This wasn't a hockey game this was my son's fragile little heart that was about to get broken.

We needed a goal.

Pull the goalie!!!!!!!!



Well I won’t make you wonder.  No perfect ending here.  You guessed it.

Second place.

Again.

Nolan did win the tournament MVP medal which took a little of the sting out of his "first loser" finish.

Vote by clicking this link. Don't make me beg.  You know I will.

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Backyard Pond Hockey

This afternoon Nolan's entire peewee hockey team showed up at our house for an old school pond hockey scrimmage.  

The kids seemed to have lots of fun skating, shooting the puck and even shoveling snow-which they had to do several times as it snowed the whole time they were out there.  My super hockey dad husband set up a make shift locker room in our lower level, cranked up the out door speakers and even had a nice backyard  fire going. Everything a hockey player could ask for right?  I thought it was brutally cold but the kids played for hours.  

When it was finally too dark to see the puck anymore the kids came in for hot chocolate and cookies while they thawed their rosy cheeks and wet feet. Got to admit it was a fairly perfect cold weather afternoon. 

Sometimes the frigid Midwest has its moments...

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