Thanksgiving break over....Championship Hockey games sadly ends in tears

Monday is here and the long Thanksgiving break is over. As my older son, Robert, said "when you have things to do and have fun doing them, time off from school goes by fast." Just wait until he gets even older, for time just seems to fly all the time!

Looking back, the break was fast. It was a very good one...there was time for relaxing (the boys got to enjoy a couple of sleep-in and pj-days), a time to get some things done (like the dentist and haircuts), a time for the family to be together (enjoyed the movie Fantastic Mr. Fox and a nice family-sit-down meal on Thanksgiving), it was a time for dad-son bonding and mother "me" time (having the house to myself a couple to times to exercise and stitch) and, of course, it was a time for hockey.

Speaking of hockey...you knew I had to work that in, right?...Matthew's (younger son) team made it to the Championship yesterday and it was a nail biter! At the end of the regulation time the score was 3-3 (Matthew got the first goal for his team in this game); because it was a Championship game it couldn't stay with a tie, so we went to the first Overtime. In the 1st OT, the teams play 4 on 4 (during regulation the teams play 5 on 5) for a 5 minute period. Matthew's team played hard & strong and got many chances to score, but the goalie for the opposing team just got in the way (LOL). In fact, both goalies continued to stop pucks from going in for both teams. After the 5 minute OT, the score was still tied 3-3...so we went to a 2nd OT. Not only was the excitement building, but you could see a lot of proud parent faces as all the kids played tough. This was the second game for both teams (they each had to wake up around 4 in the morning to play in the semis which started at 6:15am and this Championship game was at 11:30...so not a lot of time in between for rest).

For the 2nd OT, the teams only had 3 players out for a 3 on 3. Matthew was out and had 2 awesome breakaway chances, but just couldn't get the puck around the goalie...and just when he was going to the bench to allow another teammate go out for a shift, the other team had the puck...skated around our defense...and scored. In the last 53.7 seconds of the 2nd OT, the other team scored and won 4-3.  It was a heartbreaker for our boys. DH and I could tell that there were tears in Matthew's eyes. We knew that he would be upset about not being able to score during the OTs with his many breakaways.

During the ride home, we did let him feel his saddness, his anger...but after awhile, it was time to let him know how proud we were of him. Matthew played awesome for the whole tournament! He was consistent in the amount of energy, drive and passion for every game (in the past there were games that he was strong and then there were those games he would look like he was still at home in bed...but not this weekend). He really has stepped up to a new level in his hockey play and in a leadership role with the team. Yea, it would have been nice for him to have sunk one of those attempts during the OTs...yes, it would have been cool to be the "hero" of them game as Matthew said he wanted to be...but it didn't happen. He worked hard...the team worked hard...the game could have gone either way, but the other team won. Congratulation to the Santa Clara Blackhawks (the other team)...and congrats to the Tri-Valley Blue Devils - both teams played well and were great examples of what youth sports should be like!

The best way to get over a loss is to rake a pile of leaves and jump in!

(Matthew with Flat Lizzie - from cousin Lizzie in Minnesota)

Ok...proud momma done talking hockey! Now for a little update on MW. While I started MW on Saturday and stitched one thread's worth, I had a visit from Mr. Frog. My start was with 2 strands over 2 on a 40ct Lakeside Linen Maple Syrup. For a while I was enjoying the thickness of the design, but then it started to get a little complicated to see the holes and then the stitches just started to look "junky". I was getting that gut feeling that meant "I hate this project....this is not fun....I quit." So, Mr. Frog came...rip-it, rip-it, rip-it. I started over with 1 strand over 2 and the results are much better.

 So there is my 2nd MW start with 1 strand of Rhubarb over 2. Now I am on a roll, right?

Well, time to get going. Take care everyone and have a nice Monday and a good week. And Remember:

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often! Lisa

Don't forget to sign up for my Blogoversary Give-away...go to the bottom of the November 28th post to read about it and enter if you are interested in a $20 gift certificate to www.123stitch.com.