Breaking up is hard to do!

Dear Left-over Chocolate Cake,

I hate you.  Ok, I don't hate you, I love you.  Which is why I hate you.  You sit there on the counter barely wrapped in plastic.  You don't even have the decency to properly cover yourself.  I wish you were never baked!

P.S... I see you have been hanging out with that fork again.  Every time I look at you,  that fork is hanging out on your dish.  I think this is the main cause for our problems

Sincerely,
The Hockey Wife

Dear Snow,

I hate you.  Ok, I don't hate you, but lately you have become so needy.  I cannot always stop what I am doing and shovel you every time you pile up.  I didn't want to have to tell you this, but you have overstayed your welcome.  Please melt!

P.S... I think it is best we spend time apart.  Maybe next year I will be ready to see you again.

Yours Truly,
The Hockey Wife

Dear Red Wine,

I hate you.  Ok, I don't hate you, I hate what you do to me.  It is like drinking with Jekyll and Hyde!  One moment you make me feel so good, and then the next morning I don't even recognize you.  I cannot take the headaches, nausea, and exhaustion you cause.  What is that?  You have heard this all before?  You think I will come running back to you?  This time I am serious.  It is over!

P.S.  Please wear your best label tonight, we have company coming over!

Cheers,
The Hockey Wife

Dear Hockey Game,

I hate you.  Ok, I don't hate you, I hate what you have become.  We used to have fun together.  I would often dress up and look forward to seeing you.  But things have changed between us, you don't seem to understand that.  I know you are the same game; sixty minutes, three periods, and two intermissions...but I am not the same girl as when we met.  I now have children.  I have new priorities, and you have to be placed on the bottom of the list.  I hope you understand.  I am sure we will always have a connection, whether I am there or not.

P.S... It's not you, it's me!

Best of Luck,
The Hockey Wife

You Have To Earn It!!

As a Hockey Wife with a young son...I am currently training for my "Hockey Mom Badge".  I don't want to use the term "Hockey Mom" loosely.  I am far from a true Hockey Mom, as my son is only three years old.  I do not receive my official Hockey Mom Badge of Honor until next year when my son starts playing in a league.  This will be my Beginner Hockey Mom Badge, there are many different badges you can earn...did you not know this?

You cannot be a true Hockey Mom until:

• You get up at 4:30 am on a freezing and snowy Saturday to take your child to practice or play hockey. 
• You must have sat for at least 325 minutes (in total) on a freezing metal bench in a cold arena during a regular season.
• You can unsnap a cage with one hand while not spilling your coffee.
• You waste valuable hotel points on hotels in places like London, Ontario for hockey tournaments instead of romantic vacations in London, England.
• The smell of hockey equipment no longer makes you gag or causes your eyes to water.  
• You buy Mr. Clean Magic Erasers in bulk at Costco to clean black puck marks off the basement wall.

From there you earn different badges, for example:

• The mouth-guard-boiling badge
• The skate-lacing badge
• The jock-strap-&-cup badge
• The hockey-bag carrying badge (My husband says "hockey bags don't have wheels")
• The four-games-in-two days badge

There are many more badges, but you get the idea.

My son loves hockey, and has been around it from the time he was born.  He sat in the Stanley Cup when he was six months old, he has been on skates since he was barely three years old, and whenever he plays, it involves some form of hockey!  It is not for me to say whether he will become a professional hockey player like his father.  Only time and talent will tell us that.  But I will support him if it is his dream.  It takes a lot of time and commitment...and money to be a Hockey Mom, but I will wear my badges with pride! 

However, some Hockey Moms get a little too involved, and they are given special badges!!

I am not just a Hockey Wife...

YES SIR, THAT'S MY BABY!

Thank you FTLOB for posting this picture as your Photo of the Day!

Please make sure to head over and let them know what a great job they are doing!

For those of you who so kindly <clicked> on the photo, Welcome!  Please feel free to snoop look around and make yourself at home.  

If you want to know a little bit more about me, be sure to <click> here and here!  In honor of this momentous opportunity to share my blog with others, I have decided to lift my anonymous veil (just a little bit) and let you know a few things about me that you definitely probably don't know.  I am not just a Hockey Wife...

• While I blog...I listen to political television on my computer. (I am listening right now as I type!) I have very strong political views.  I will not discuss politics on this blog! 

My last meal would be an entire box(or two) of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese dinner.

I am not good at ice skating!  I live a life that revolves around hockey, and I cannot stop.  I also fall a lot!

I have had the same best friend since I was nine years old!  I call her my Life Partner!  She knows everything about me, but I haven't told her about this blog...yet!

I love to paint rooms.  I find nothing more calming and relaxing than painting.  My husband will tell you I have an addiction!

I am involved in Pole Fitness.  I have done it for over a year now, and I am currently training to become an instructor.  (I will devote a full post to this fabulous workout if you ask politely!)  

Look ma!  No Hands!

So there you go, a little more information about me.  Thank you so much for stopping by!  Feel free to <click> here and link your blog so I can return the favor.  But before you go, please feel free to snoop browse through my previous posts and let me know your thoughts.     

Raise Your Cup...

It is Thirsty Thursday at For The Love Of Blogs....So, in honor of today (which is really tomorrow...but not for you, today is really today...unless it is now Friday, then it is yesterday!  Does that make since?  Hold on, let me pour another martini.  One for you and one for me!  Ahh, that is better!) Anyhow, I decided to make a cocktail while I set to work on my latest post.  No really, it was the least I could do.  I consider it more like research, or a duty.  Each week, FTLOB will ask that we link up with a post containing yummy beverages, and I always feel a wee bit guilty for linking my blog up and not really having a tasty drink to share on Thirsty Thursday.  To ease this horrible guilt, I guess this will have to be a daily weekly challenge.

Raise Your Cup!

Chocolate Orange-Stick Martini

Ingredients:

Orange-flavored vodka

Chocolate-flavored liqueur

Milk chocolate chips

Ice

Martini Shaker

Martini Glass

Shot glass

• Melt a small handful of chocolate chips (on a plate) in the microwave (about 45 seconds) Stir until melted.
• Dip rim of martini glass in chocolate and place in freezer.
• Pour vodka in 2/3 of shot glass & pour Chocolate liqueur in remaining space of shot glass.
• Pour alcohol into the martini shaker with crushed ice. SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE! 
• Get martini glass from freezer and strain alcohol into glass.  
• ENJOY!!

Chocolate Orange-Stick martini

Be sure to check out my latest post, Mommy-Dating

Mommy-Dating...

Today I had a blind date!

There is a new girl in my daughter's class.  She just moved on Monday, and my daughter was picked to sit next to her and make her feel welcome.  Now, my daughter knows a thing or two about being the "new kid" in school.  She started kindergarten a few weeks after everyone else, and three weeks later, she left that school and started once again at a new school.  I never mentioned that she also started preschool late when I had posted about the Hockey Life vs. School.  I am fortunate that my daughter doesn't know anything different, and she never seems to have a hard time getting right into the mix and making friends.

Anyhow, my daughter came home and was telling me about her new classmate.  I was just packing her backpack for the day, and I decided it was a good idea to pass my name and our number along to the child's mother.  (I seem to know a thing or two about moving to a new place also!)  No more than 2 hours after school let out, I received a call from a lonely friendly mother.  We set up a (play) date for our daughters, our sons (both the same age) and ourselves.  They would all come to our house.

In preparation, I mopped the (tracked-in) salt off the floors, picked up clutter, wiped counters, and lit scented candles.  Yes, my hope was that she would be amazed at the fact I keep such a tidy home!  I never made it to the bedrooms upstairs, so I hoped she would not ask for a tour of our home.  I would somehow have to keep her on the clean main floor.  I picked up the kids from school, rushed home, brushed my teeth and touched up my make-up.  I wanted to look good for our (play) date.
I call this Blind Mommy-Dating!  

Every time we move, I am forced to go out and meet new mommy-friends.  I refer to this as Mommy-Dating.  My husband never has to worry about it, since he is instantly surrounded by new people to become friendly with while at work.  Meanwhile, I am stuck in the lonely world of Mommy-Dating.

She's Just Not That Into You...

My husband and I took our kids to the park last year.  While we were there,  I made friendly chatter with another mother.  We chatted about kid's activities, good restaurants, schools, etc.  After we had left the park, my husband asked if I had asked for her number?  I had to explain to him that as nice as she was, I wasn't interested enough to meet again for another (play) date.  "I just wasn't that into her!"

Online Mommy-Dating...

I decided to join a online mother's group.  I was asked to complete a short bio about who I was, my parenting style, and what I was looking for in this group.  I also had to submit a photo of myself.  Of course I filled out my bio with a bit of humor, hoping my personality would shine!  I searched through my photos for the best picture of me (I wish I had known about this!).  I pressed send, and was told they would contact me once I was "accepted".  Accepted?  I had to be accepted into this mother's group?  Was I funny enough?  Was I pretty enough?  It took two agonizing weeks of self-doubt...

Then, I received my email.  I had been accepted into the group.  They liked me, they really liked me!  I put the kids to bed, and began to read through the email.  There were rules I had to follow...

1.  You will be invited to mommy events...you may accept or decline the invitation.
2.  If you decline, you will need to give a reason for not accepting
3.  If you decline three times in a row, you will no longer be in the group! (I assumed it was to keep the events productive and well-attended.  I had no problem with this...)

So, I started browsing the pictures of the other moms.  You could click on the pictures, and read the submitted bios.  I found myself clicking on the pictures of moms in the most superficial way...I was clicking on the moms who I thought looked like moms that I would like to associate with!!

<click> Sarah likes co-sleeping, does not like chocolate, and her children never watch television.<click> No Thank You!

I received my first invite...Breastfeeding Mothers Morning Tea...um, nope!  I decline and give my reason."My children can pour their own milk, from a milk container"...<click>

I received my second invite...Baby-Wearing Mom's Bowling...um, nope!  I decline and give my reason. "My children don't even need a stroller anymore, let alone a baby sling!"...<click>

I received my third (and final) invite...Vegetarian, Breastfeeding, Baby-Wearing Mom's who run Marathons...um, nope!  I decline and give my reason. "I can only run 5k at a time!"...<click>

I was kicked out of the online mommy-group!  I no longer Mommy-Date online!

Of course, there are great places to go out and meet other available moms:

• School Activities:  This is a Mommy-Meat Market!  Watch out for moms with mommy "business" cards...they are too eager, and far too organized.  I like to find moms who write their number on empty candy wrappers they dig out of their purse!
• Parks:  Usually these are moms who are stir-crazy and just have to get out of the house.  Watch out for the super-playful mom...she is far too into being a supermom.  I prefer the moms who have three or four celebrity gossip magazines for their reading enjoyment!
• The Gym:  Anyone willing to exercise in exchange for an hour of free daycare is OK by me.  The best is meeting the mom in the sauna...because there really is no rule saying you have to exercise for the full hour!

Now it is your turn.  Where do you go to meet available moms? Do you have a great Mommy-Dating story?  Please leave a comment and share!  I will post the best story! 

Dinner With The Menu Mama...

I swear, I spend $150 - $200 per week on groceries,and never have anything to show for it!  I will watch shows about large families with too many twelve children and they say they spend around $600.00 per month on groceries.  I see their pantry and it is stocked from top to bottom.  By the end of the week, my refrigerator looks like this...

Old Mother Hockey Wife Hubbard

I always feel like I buy a lot of food, but I never have anything to prepare for my kids after the third day. Maybe if I was a certain wife in Beverly Hills, and had 4 nannies and a "house manager"...I would never have to think about it...but I am not, I am just a hockey wife in need of help,  and I have decided to ask for some assistance with grocery lists, and weekly meal planning!

Let me introduce my personal blog chef guest blogger, The Menu Mama!

The Menu Mama creates weekly menus which consist of 6 meals and one dessert.  Not only does she create the menu, she also breaks down the grocery list for all items needed to prepare the meals.  I am following her menu for January 24 - 30 this week, and today is day three!  It is like having a "house manager" and a "personal chef"!  Just call me a Real Housewife of Blogger Hills!
Tonight's meal is Chicken Fingers and Potato Wedges!!!  (Sure beats the guilt I have when my kids eat McNuggets and french fries!)
So grab an apron, pour a glass of wine and let's make some dinner for our kids!

Hi everybody, Menu Mama here, aka Heather, aka "Mo-om!" You can relate, right?

I am so excited to be able to share this meal with you today. If you're like me, it is all too easy to hit the fast food drive-thru some days, whether it's because we're busy, out of meal ideas, or just in the mood for some french fries. That's why I came up with this meal.  It satisfies those cravings with a couple of easy recipes from ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

Yum, right? I love that I can feed this meal to my kids without feeling guilty, because I know every ingredient that went into it. My daughter Hannah loves it because it is perfect for dipping in her favorite condiment: ranch dressing. 

I start by getting the potatoes in the oven, then move on to the chicken.

printable recipe

Potato Wedges

serves 4

2-3 large russet potatoes

2 large garlic cloves

2-3 Tbsp olive oil

kosher salt

black pepper

dried rosemary

Scrub the potatoes with a clean, wet dishcloth (so much more sanitary than a potato brush). 

Cut the potatoes in half length-wise.

Then cut each of those halves in half.

Cut each of the quarters in half, so you have 8 wedges from each potato. Mince the garlic cloves.

Place the potatoes and garlic in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil.

Season generously with salt, pepper and rosemary and toss with clean hands until potatoes are completely coated.

Place on a baking sheet one cut side down and bake for 20 minutes at 400F.

Flip wedges to other cut side and bake for another 10-15 minutes until starting to brown. Season with additional salt, if desired.

While the potatoes are baking, prepare the chicken:

printable recipe

Chicken Strips

serves 4

2 large chicken breasts (1 to 1 1/2 lb chicken, you know best how much your family will eat)

2 cups flour

seasoned salt

black pepper

paprika

1 egg

Canola oil (enough to fill skillet about 1 to 1 1/2 inches full)

Line up three bowls on your counter. Put a cup of flour each in both the first and third bowls. Season the flour generously with seasoned salt (I probably put a rounded 1/2 tsp in each bowl). Add about 1/4 tsp black pepper and a dash of paprika to each and stir to combine. Beat the egg with a fork in the second bowl.

Cut the chicken breast into strips and dip them one by one into the flour, 

then egg, 

then flour again, coating well each time. 

Heat oil in large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken strips a couple at a time and cook for 2-3 minutes each side, until golden brown. The two strips on the left side of the picture are ready to be flipped.

You will probably need to start at medium-high heat, but turn it down to medium if the breading is browning before the chicken is cooked through in the middle. You don't want the heat to be too low though, or else the breading will absorb too much grease and become soggy. Everyone's stove is different so do what works for you!

Once the chicken strips are done, place on paper towels to cool and add another batch to the oil to cook.

**Thank you to The Menu Mama for helping me create easy meals to prepare for my children while my husband is away.  Be sure to head over to her site!  Then you too can have your own "personal blog chef" and become a Real Housewife of Blogger Hills!**

**UPDATE:  DINNER WAS A SUCCESS!

Wow, did I really cook this?  

My kids loved the chicken fingers, and I was impressed how easy it actually was.  No more McNuggets for my kids!  Be sure to check out THE MENU MAMA if you need help creating easy meals for your family!  I will be making these again for the children (and adults) during our Superbowl party!  

I have a question...

It is Monday again and time to answer the questions I often get asked when people find out (A) What my husband does. (B) What our crazy life entails.

"What do you do for school with your kids?"

Good question.  We are just discovering the craziness of the hockey life vs. school for our children.  My daughter is in 1st grade, and my son is now in preschool...so we are really just having to deal with the challenges of educating our children while on the move twice a year.

Once upon a time, when my children were young(er)...and I was thinner...ahem, excuse me, I got side-tracked.  We never worried about moving so much.  Sure it was hard to pack up and relocate over and over again, as I explained here.  But schools were never a worry in my head.  I would take my children to visit my family for a full month in September, while my husband was in training camp.  We would take off during All-Star break in February without a worry in the world.  When Hockey season ended, we would pack up our things and head for the cottage to begin our (non-playoff) long summers.  Life was good!

Ahhh, vacation!

Then my daughter turned five and it was time for kindergarten.  She began her kindergarten year a little late, because we spend our summers at the cottage.  She began school about 3 weeks after the first day of the school year.  But my daughter has an AMAZING ability to go with the flow.  She made friends, rode the school bus, and loved her teacher.  I purchased $50.00 worth of school supplies...and three weeks later we checked her out of Kindergarten to move to a new city.  She had known this would happen, as I gave her the choice to attend school in our previous city or wait for the move.

First day of the first Kindergarten class!

We enrolled our daughter in school in our new city, and within one day she had made friends and made a place for herself.  I am so thankful to have such an amazing "hockey daughter"!  My daughter loved her school and enjoyed the seven months there.  When the hockey season ended, there still was over two months of the school year remaining.  We checked my daughter out of school and took her to the cottage.  We never enrolled her in  a new school there, as kindergarten was not required for graduation into first grade (weird, I know) for the following year.  It was an early and long summer for our daughter.

The same school, finally!!

We returned to the same city this year, and my daughter even made it for the first day of school!  (It was her first time!).  Although she is in a new school (they closed her old school), she is with the same kids from the year before. (Another first!)  However, here comes the big but (no, not BUTT, we are not talking about me right now)...My daughter knows that we will be headed back to the cottage, and she will finish her first grade year there.  She is okay with that, because our cottage is the only "home" my kids know because we always return each summer.  She has many friends there, and since it is a small town, they will all be in her same class.  She is actually excited to finish school with them...she says she has the "best of both worlds!"

So yes, we move A LOT...Our kids will see many cities, and many different schools along the way.  But I truly believe that it is not the school, but the HOME that makes your child who they are.  I have known many acquaintances who grew up in the same home and went to the same schools their whole  adolescent life....and they turned out quite messed up.  If I make our home (where ever it may be) a loving and safe place for our children...they will turn out just fine!

How about you?  Did you stay in the same school district, or did you move around growing up.  What are your thoughts on this?

Photo Session...

My son got a Nintendo DS for Christmas.  The other day he came up behind my derrière (as they would say in France)!  As he did this, I heard the sound of a camera shutter go off.

"What are you doing?"


"I am taking a picture of your butt!"


"Oh, I see"

I still refuse to look at the result!

Need a Little Break?

Have you seen this yet?  It is a chance to take 2 minutes and DO NOTHING!  If you touch your keyboard or mouse, you will FAIL! Refresh and try again.  Close your eyes, and listen to the waves crashing on the beach...don't open them until you think you have reached the two-minute mark. (I kept opening my eyes too soon, clearly I am impatient!!)

If you choose to do this, let me know our thoughts and if you succeeded!

Click here

I thought this was connected to my most current post here!  In the post, I talk about CHECKING OUT and taking time to yourself!