Hockey is over! (Sniff, sniff..)

The end of the hockey season here has been hectic, to say the least, but I am a little sad that it's over.  Not sure what to do with my time now....ahem.

Anyway, it was a successful year for both teams.  Derek's team swept the Provincial D draw, winning the final game against Conquest 13 - 0.  Still a little disappointed that they didn't go in a bigger draw, but maybe next year!

 

We had good fan support, too!  Lots of familiar faces in the crowd.

And to top it off, Dad won the 50/50, the lucky son of a gun!

The Midgets year-end was bittersweet.  They lost the first game of the Provincial C final round in Redvers by two goals, but were sure they could take them at home.  They almost did, but nerves or over-confidence threw a three-goal lead with three minutes left in the game.  I had already headed over to the penalty box to take the celebratory pictures!  They won the game 5 - 4, but lost the series by one goal.  Heartbreaking, but Redvers was a terrifically strong and well-coached team, so there is no shame in losing to them.  

The Thunder sloughed off that loss, and went full throttle two days later to beat Wilkie in the league final.  The boys played a great game, keeping a strong Wilkie team at bay.  It was a good way to end the year!

 

Lots of celebrating went on, as this was the last minor hockey game for Adam and a few of his friends.  

I will miss seeing my two boys playing together!

The day we went to Redvers, some of the football players stopped in early to drop off the new jackets.  It was a rather intimidating sight to see all these big brutes in my house!  Nice jackets, though!

The morning after the big league win, we left for Saskatoon at 5:30 in the morning with some hurtin' boys to begin our trip to Italy and Greece.  Stay tuned for more on that!!

Thanks for checking in!

Chandra

Is there anything BUT hockey?

There's an old country song that twangs, "Well, life on the farm is kinda laid back..."  Ha!  He ain't been on this farm!

Went to three hockey games in the last four days, one of which was nearly in Manitoba, and I swear my butt, while never terribly attractive anyway, is now permanently conformed to the shape of a bleacher.  I guess I'm just lucky I take my own padding wherever I go, since we have four more games to watch before Adam, Stephen and I get on a plane to Rome.

The Pee Wees easily handled Conquest (7 - 2) last night in Elrose in game one of the Provincial finals.   I heard one of our cheering grandmas comment that this series isn't going to be a cakewalk like the others have been.  I want some of what she is on.  I am predicting a bit of a massacre on Friday when Conquest returns.

The Midgets finally lost a game this year.  Unfortunately it was game one of their Provincial finals!  That was in Redvers - an 8 hour one-way trip, folks.  And that's only if your bus doesn't break down in Regina on the way.  Long, expensive story, but we did get to Redvers and back.  Redvers is here on Saturday, and the boys are certain they can overcome the 2 goal deficit and become Provincial champs. Should be a good game if you're in the area!  Or you could take in one of the league final games, in Wilkie tonight and back in Kerrobert on Monday!  Hockey, hockey, hockey!

For a bit of a diversion, we had Music Festival in Luseland in the middle of all the hockey.  I have been playing piano for the Community Choir there (my flat butt fits so well on the piano bench!) and was hurrying to my beloved hometown for their performance in the festival, when I decided to slow down and pull over.  Actually, that decision was quite easy to make when I saw the red and blue flashing lights in the rear-view mirror.  At any rate, I met the Luseland police officer, who was very polite and who asked me if I was in a hurry.  I replied that yes, indeed, I was, for there was a group of old people waiting for me to accompany them.   After inspecting my license, he asked if I was Adam Schraefel's mother.  I got a sinking feeling in my gut, and figured I was pretty much hooped at that point.  But no, he just said he hadn't seen Adam around much lately (good thing), and that he would let me go with a warning (really good thing!)  After a little chitchat about the moose in and around Luseland (didn't he hear me when I said I was late???), I continued on my way.  And the choir performed wonderfully at the festival.

So that's about it for now.  I likely won't be back here until after we return home for Europe, so take care and thanks for checking in!
Chandra

Sunshine! We have sunshine!

We have been enveloped in fog so often lately, everyone is just a little grumpy.  It's amazing how moods change for the better when the sun peeks out!  Just makes you feel good, and that perhaps the snow will be gone soon.

But not too soon, for we have hockey to finish!  The Midgets won round three of Provincials with a really good game against Wilkie on Friday night.  We are still waiting to hear where they go next.  It's either Drake or Arborfield, where we went last year in the same round.  Those two games will take place next weekend.
The Pee Wees are off to Lake Lenore on Friday, and will play host on Sunday here in Kerrobert.  Here's hoping for a little competition this round.  It is also round three for the Pee Wees, and they will be off to the finals if they win.

We had a bit of excitement, so to speak, last Saturday, beginning with an early morning phone call from my cousin in New Brunswick who had heard about the earthquake in Chile, and who was wondering if we had heard from my sister, Lisa, who lives in Santiago.  Well, we hadn't, and when my heart started beating again, we turned on the TV to follow the devastating news and pictures, until I thought I was going to be sick.  Then I got on the internet to see if there was any way to contact her and get news about her.  Most of my calls to her cell phone didn't get through, and the one that did went unanswered.  She is a free spirit, and had just moved to a new apartment, address unknown to us, and as far as we knew hadn't yet registered with the Canadian consulate there.   After a few stressful hours, Mom received a phone call from a friend of Lisa's saying she was fine.  It turns out Lisa had been away for the weekend, at a beach town farther away from the earthquake's epicentre, and wasn't in any danger.  They made it safely back to Santiago Saturday night, and had power and water again already on Sunday.  I think the aftershocks are still giving them some grief, but for the most part, all is well. Thank goodness!

The Kerrobert Senior Tigers hosted a Deon Volk Memorial game and event yesterday.  The Montreal Canadiens Fan Club came from Saskatoon to take on the Tigers in a very entertaining game.  The Initiation team joined them on the ice, as well, making for lots of laughs.  The game was followed by a banquet, program and silent auction, with all the proceeds of the day going to a trust fund for Deon's son, Avery.  Clem and I played for the cocktails before the banquet, and were there ever a lot of people there!  We were pleasantly surprised to see Tim and Jan Helle here.  Tim used to play bass in our old band, Stillwater.  Any of you readers remember that?  Do you realize how long ago that was?  My goodness!  Anyway, Tim and Jan still look exactly the same (how do people do that? maybe it's because they didn't have any boys, just girls!), and it was great to see them and catch up for a bit.  Clem and I didn't stay for the evening's entertainment, since Derek was at his first babysitting job ever, and his mom was just a little nervous. The other mom was just relieved to actually have a babysitter.  I think you have to be just a little desperate to agree to an eleven-year-old boy who has never babysat before and has never even met you or your kids, but that's just me!  Turns out he did fine - the first time I called, he was making the kids grilled cheese sandwiches, which of course conjured up all sorts of disastrous scenarios in my mind, none of which occurred.  He arrived home about one o'clock in the morning, just pumped, and with a pocket full of cash that he will spend at his earliest convenience, I'm sure.  In fact, I'm guessing it will probably be gone just before he needs spending money next weekend for his big hockey trip!   Ah, life with kids...

Well, I'm going to quit now and settle in for a relaxing, non-hockey day at home.
Thanks for stopping by!
Chandra

Winter wonderland

Saskatchewan is a wonderful place to live.  The weather and scenery change frequently, even minute to minute.  If you don't like one or the other, you can be sure it will change soon.  If you do like it, take a picture!

Lately, we have had a lot of fog.  I mean, a LOT of fog.  It makes driving a bit tricky, but it also makes for some spectacular views.  I went out one morning after a foggy, foggy night, and here is what I found:

                                     

Thanks for stopping in, and have a great day!

Chandra

Still at the rink!

Such a busy life we lead!  However, after my near-death experience yesterday (I fell down the stairs, but doesn't "near-death experience" sound so much more dramatic??!) I have been taking it easy today, and find I have some time to catch you all up on the exciting life and times of the Schraefel family!

The Midgets have finished their league play, undefeated.  They are also in the middle of the 2nd round of Provincial play.  They won the first game against Paradise Hill 5 to 0, and will go there for the second game next Sunday.  It won't be a cakewalk, but I'm pretty sure they can beat them, as it is a two-game, total-point series.  Adam and Stephen are both playing some good hockey.  And I finally saw the Schraefel/Schraefel goal for which I have been waiting years!  Adam got a pretty goal off a pass from Stephen - so sweet!  I remember the first time they played together, thinking how nice it would be to see such a goal.  Alas, they got the first two penalties of the game, one after the other, and sat in the penalty box together.  I have since learned not to wish for such things, at least not out loud!

Clem decided to try his new camera on some sport shots.  Turns out he, or the camera, is very good!  Here are some photos from a Midget home game.  The first is Stephen carrying the puck up the ice, followed by Adam.  I'm thinking that would be a fairly intimidating sight for the defender, as they are two of the biggest guys on the team!

Stephen

Adam:

Adam #3 celebrating a goal with his linemates:

A shot of both of them on the bench with the coach, right after my special goal!

Derek's team is still going strong, as well.  They just beat Edam in the first round of their provincial playoffs, and will head to Paradise Hill for Round 2.   (I will know that road well!)  Clem took some pictures at the Lloydminster Tier I tournament that they won in January.  Derek is the tall one (ha, ha!)

Hoisting the trophy!

The Rage, the new Junior B team in town, is wrapping up their season on Monday.  It has been a long, hard haul, and hopefully next year will be better.   Why do I take on these tasks???

All the boys have survived the first term of the school year, although I marvel at how it happened.  Our next focus will be preparing for our trip to Europe at the end of March.  I sure hope the hockey playoffs are done by then!  We leave on March 30 - last year the final game was on April 4!!!

Take care, and thanks for still checking in!
Chandra

Spring? Winter? Someone tell me which coat to wear!

Wow, has it been beautiful these last couple of days.  Our first spring of the year - be a couple more months before the real one, I suppose.

We are back into the thick of things around here, mostly at the rink!  I know - you are probably shocked to hear that (insert sarcasm).  The Midgets are still undefeated, playing some very good hockey.  I'm still waiting for that elusive Schraefel/Schraefel goal, and there isn't much time left!  Adam made it onto the first line this week, and does some amazing passing.   Stephen has decided to become more offensive-minded, and is spending a lot of time around the other team's net, very out of character for him but nice to watch. And it's paying off, as he is racking up some points.  He played with the Junior team again on the weekend, and assisted their first goal of the game.  He and I are off to Kyle this weekend (woo-hoo!) for the Midget Zone camp.  Adam is staying behind to go with the Midget team to Macklin for an exhibition game, which was scheduled before we knew that we will play them in the first round of Provincials.  Could be an interesting match-up!

Derek's team went to North Battleford last weekend and quite easily beat a tournament team there.  Derek got a goal, too, but unfortunately it was for the other team.  It bounced off his leg and past our unsuspecting goalie!  He didn't seem too upset about it, and luckily his teammates didn't give him the gears over it.  He and Clem are going to Lloyd on the weekend for a tournament there.

Adam's and Stephen's passports are currently on their way here so that they and I can partake of the school's biannual Europe trip.  This year it will be to Italy and Greece, and includes a four-day cruise of the Greek islands.  Sounds heavenly, if you don't think too much about the fact that it is mostly teenagers in the group!  Actually, I am really looking forward to it, and to spending some time with the boys on a holiday, something we really haven't done much over the years.  I think it will be a valuable experience for them, as well.

And that's about it for things going on around here.  Thanks for checking in!
Chandra

Merry Christmas!

Well, another Christmas Day has come and gone, and it was wonderful yet again.  Family, friends, food, laughter and love.  Oh, and Copper.  What more can one ask for?

The crowd started trickling in around 3 o'clock.  Rob and Amber arrived first - they had traveled out from the big city.  Shortly after that, the crew from the farm arrived.  (Jason and Terri had driven from Calgary Christmas Eve day, and Ashley had been here for a few days already.  Mom and Dad had also arrived a couple of days early.  We spent Christmas Eve at the farm, and it was so nice to gather there again.  Lisa didn't come from Chile, but we did connect on Skype!)  Aunt Linda and Chris joined us for supper as well.

Jason prepared tur-pork-en, rather than the turducken that we have had before.
This year it was pork tenderloin inside a bacon-wrapped chicken inside a turkey, with layers of dressing in there as well.  We would be able to hear the cholesterol marching to our arteries even as we ate.  He started cooking it at Mom's, and brought it out here to finish.  There was much discussion over how long to cook the poor thing, and when Jason, Mark, and Chris went to retrieve a meat thermometer from cousin Don's,  the real cooks (Mom, Terri, and I) decided it was done and proceeded to prepare the rest of the meal.  We were just about done when the men returned.  It is not a long drive, but I believe cocktails were involved.  So we finally sat down to eat, about two hours later than predicted, but no one was too concerned about the time.  After all, it was good to just be together.  And anyway, there were a few nibblies around all afternoon!

Clem experimented with his new camera all day, and here are a few samplings from that!

Skyping with Auntie Lisa (until Copper decided the microphone was a sucker!)

  

 

 

The Calgary Huck family.

 

Cousins

 

Sisters

 

 

 Laughter

 This puppy barks "Jingle Bells"!

 

The "turporken" and the crazy chef.

 

 

Digging in.

 

The Saskatoon Hucks, who brought the excellent wine.

 

 

(You'll notice there is still lots of food left in the serving dishes.  I had to bungee cord the fridge shut because of all the leftovers!)

Happy pappy.

 

Copper and Auntie having some fun.

 

Goofing off!

 

The girls.

 

 

I think this one showcases her attitude exactly!!!

 

(Come on, you knew there were going to be lots of pictures of the little girl!)

Thanks for stopping by, and from our house to yours, a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy 2010!
Chandra