Juds Really Cool

Merry Christmas 2011

2012-01-04T13:09:00.000-08:00

Just seeing all the gifts made him pretty happy. Jud is a lucky kiddo.

Jud has been wanting a $100 bill, so Nona and Papaw sent him one and his reaction was classic.

Jud really likes the Kay jewelery commercials so he took Marc there and picked out a very pretty heart necklace for me. He has such great taste.

Holiday Celebrations

2012-01-04T13:03:00.000-08:00

Jud and Kayla got each other electric guitars for Christmas. Should be "Rockin" in our neighborhood this New Year.

Jud had a few lines in the Christmas program at school. He and the whole 2nd grade did a great job.

My handsome boy and Chloe' .
Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving Hockey

2012-01-04T12:58:00.000-08:00

I know, more hockey pictures. But he looks pretty cool in this one. And below: well someday Jud could be seen hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup on the cover of Sports Illustrated, lol.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-06T12:00:00.001-08:00

We celebrated Marc's birthday on the 21st. We had a great Olive Garden dinner, ten had presents at home for him. Jud loves birthdays!

Thanksgiving was a nice day. We spent part of the day with friends then had a nice family dinner at home. Jud was excited that I made Nona's "homemade" hot rolls.

The day after Thanksgiving we went to the Stars game, and got to see the Stanley Cup. Jud was so excited and said someday he would hoist it over his head, but until that day..."don't touch it!!!"

WE didn't want to risk any bad luck, so none of the Criss' touched the cup, but it was really tempting.

One of our favorite Thanksgiving traditions is putting up the Christmas tree. This year we had to buy a new tree, it is really pretty and just loaded with all the beautiful ornaments we have collected. The most beautiful though is still the angel "Gabby" on top.

Hockey Fun

2011-12-06T11:56:00.000-08:00

Jud is having a great season so far. He had his first Hat Trick of the season. Hope we have lots more.

Then he was the Jr. Starter at the Texas Tornadoes game, the moms and kids scrimmaged during the first intermission. We actually had a shot on goal but alas it was a wash, next time the mamas will win!

Happy Halloween

2011-12-06T11:53:00.001-08:00

Jud likes Halloween, and this year he again went as a soldier. We really got our money's worth out of this costume, he wears it all the time. The real cute part of this is the tooth hanging out. Jud won't pull them out he waits for them to just fall out, lol. I guess he is more patient than he often seems to be.

Goal

2011-10-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

Hope to see lots of this, soon. Jud celebrating a goal last season. There was a whole series of this, he must have skated about 50 feet like this. He does like to celebrate. Wonder if I can do this move if I ever score a goal?

Cub Scout Camp

2011-10-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

On the way to camp Jud and Marc stopped for supplies, and noticed the street name.

The boys went to Cub Scout camp again this year. It was fun, except for the rain Saturday night. I kept waiting for them to show up but they stuck it out.

My boy sure likes guns. He loves doing the BB gun shooting at camp.

Award Day

2011-10-19T19:26:00.001-07:00

My smart boy got the Principle's award for having 95% or higher. We are so proud if him.

All Jud

2011-10-19T19:13:00.001-07:00

Now he really looks like a hockey player! What a gaping hole in his smile. Tooth number three in just 3 months. Took forever to start loosing them and now he is nearly toothless.

During my run down at White Rock Lake, Jud and Marc went kayaking for the first time. Jud had a blast and Marc said he even enjoyed it.

We have had a lot fun lately. Jud really enjoyed the pool in the back yard this summer. This pic shows the last swim.

Second Grade

2011-08-28T13:16:00.000-07:00

The first week of school went pretty smoothly. Jud is with the teacher he had hoped for, and has many friends in his class. We are all excited to get back into a routine, except for the early mornings that is, lol. Jud is growing up and getting to be so big and mature, but he still likes Mama to take him into school each day and always has a hug for me when I pick him up.

August

2011-08-09T12:41:00.001-07:00

Well we are mostly up to date here now. Jud is currently in Wyoming with Nona. Papaw, Unka, Aunt Carie and Cousin Lindsey. I will post pics when he get back, or at least by October, lol. He finished up a golf clinic last week and then we went to the Flow Rider at the mall. He really liked that my little daredevil. I don't know where he gets the idea he can do anything, but I hope he never looses it.
Only 2 more weeks until school starts and the summer has flown by. Jud did science camp, art camp, golf lessons and camp, hockey camp, and vacationed. He leads a pretty busy little life and we hope the fun never stops. Have a great end of summer and we will update soon,
maybe.

July

2011-08-09T12:36:00.001-07:00

In July Cousin Lindsey came to visit. Jud really liked that, it was like having a big sister, except they didn't fight.
We went to Hawaiian Falls and had a blast, also headed down to Dublin for the real sugar Dr. Pepper, yum.
Lindsey got to see me play hockey, and Jud play. She would probably say Jud's game was way more exciting.
We can't wait for her to come back next summer!

Nona and Papaw

2011-08-09T12:29:00.001-07:00

We popped up to Grafton for a few days to visit Nona and Papaw. Jud had a blast with them. He got to climb on te hillside and wonder around the woods a little. Papaw took him fishing and to the pool. They rode the 4-wheeler and fed the wildlife. It was a fun, busy trip.

Jud had never caught lightening bugs, so we got a jar and put about 30 in it before we freed them. Jud wanted to keep them and use it for a lamp, lol.

Can't go to Grafton without visiting the dam.

Oh yeah, Papaw let Jud shoot the pellet gun. Jud definitely likes guns, must be a boy thing.

Vacation

2011-08-09T12:20:00.000-07:00

It was pretty hot,and this looked cool, but as soon as this squirrel heard Jud open his Cheez-Its he came running. Unka had a bad experience with a squirrel in DC once, but this guy was very nice and no injuries were reported.

Jud and Mama headed off a little vacation by ourselves. We flew into DC and spent a few days, then headed over to Unka's for a couple days.
Jud enjoyed the museums and monuments in Dc more than I expected. We walked for hours, in the humid city heat but it was so fun. Jud insisted on seeing both sides of Lincoln's face at that site. A clerk at a book store had told him to do that and that one side was happy and the other angry. I couldn't believe he remembered. He liked the War memorials. And shopped in every museum store he could find, lol.

The President will take your questions now. No wait, can someone get him a step stool? He thought this was very funny.

Summer fun

2011-08-09T12:17:00.001-07:00

Summer has been rough in Texas, we did make it to a Rough Riders game before it became unbearably hot. Jud ate everything they had to offer.

Jud lost his first tooth!! That was super exciting for him, as he was starting to think he never would. It only took a week. At press time he has loose tooth number 2 wiggly and should loose it any day now.

All Star

2011-08-09T12:09:00.001-07:00

We were very proud of Jud, he made the All-Star team this year. There were only a handful of 2004 kids on the teams. He had a pretty good season and really matured as a player. He was pretty proud of himself, too.

Hockey fans may recognize the coach standing behind Jud as Jere Lehtinen(former Dallas Star). Jud thought it was cool to play on the team with his son. He complimented Jud's skill to Marc and was impressed with his abilities at his age.

He got a nice certificate and a jersey and played in a fun game. His final game with Dr. Pepper Starcenters.

School's out for Summer

2011-08-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

For a school project, Jud had to pick an inventor. He chose Frank Zamboni, of course. We know peeps at the rink, so were able to get up close and personal with Mr. Zamboni's invention. (Thanks Coach Jay).

Jud received a Citizenship award at school. We were super proud of him.

Birthday Cont.

2011-08-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

I may be the world's worst Blogger, or maybe the only person still blogging at all. But since you don't get to see Jud very much I will keep trying. It has been a busy spring and summer so I will take you back to his birthday and catch up from there.

Jud's birthday celebration continued and for the 23rd, he and Marc were together at school all day. He had his favorite Donut Palace breakfast and then cake for snack with his class. 7th birthday is going to be pretty tough to top.

Jr. Starter

2011-03-27T18:35:00.001-07:00

The Stars photographer took these awesome pics of Jud.

"Hey whose the new guy?" Morrow.
" Not sure but he looks fast." Benn

" Okay guys, I've got your back. I can stick handle and skate circles around the big guys. Jamie, you push guys into the boards and I will skate in under their sticks and take the puck to the net. My wrist shot will burn through that goalie." Jud

Okay, probably not what anyone was saying or thinking but........

The ref giving Jud the official game puck. That was pretty cool. I am sure we won't be using that one for practice.

Hockey Pics

2011-03-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know, more hockey pictures? I just never get enough of my boy on the ice. Since I started skating and am trying to learn some of the moves he does so naturally and easily on the ice, I just can't figure it out. There have got to be some laws of physics or gravity that explain how he does it. He uses those edges like Picasso used a paint brush. ( maybe a slight exaggeration) But the picture above is one of many where I just can't figure out how he stays standing. If I ever figure it out, I'll let you know.

Jud decided to give defense a try. He did pretty good, doesn't quite know exactly where he should be all the time and for an ex- goalie he kind of left his hanging out to dry a few times. All in all though a good game. The Plano Rep Wolverines won 10 -0, their first win of the season.

Oilers Win

2011-03-27T18:12:00.001-07:00

The Plano Mite Oilers won their first play-off game 14- 0. Those boys played so well. Jud had his first "Hat Trick" and threw in an extra, for 4 goals.

Jud and his buddy "B" celebrate!

Break away Boy, driving for the net. He pushes through those bigger kids pretty good lately.

Our new theme "Be Aggressive, B, E, Aggressive!" Well it didn't work out this time. Jud spent some time in the penalty box for body checking. For you non-hockey folk the definition of body checking:
using the body to slow or stop an opponent. Technically, body checking is legal only against a player who has possession of the puck or is in the vicinity of the puck. ( in this case the player did have the puck)however;

If you are only 7 years old, checking of any kind is a no no. Jud has been playing some very physical hockey, we have decided he is like the chihuahua, who thinks he is a doberman.
The Oilers' ended their season today with a loss to Jud's old team the Blues. Here is to another great season, and all the ones to come, cheers.

Last day of Spring Break

2011-03-22T17:48:00.001-07:00

The kiddos, (sorry Lindsey), enjoyed the carnival together. Looks like poor Lindsey got squashed a little. Good thing Jud only weighs 50 lbs.

Off we go!

Nona, Papaw, and Lindsey going back to WV. Jud was very sad to see spring break end. He thought the time went by too fast. He is already planning his trip to WV this summer and for Cousin Lindsey to come stay with us. Not sure how I will keep him from asking....."is it time yet?" about 4 million times between now and then. Come on Summer Break!!!!

Thank you to all our family and friends who helped make Spring Break and Jud's birthday so special. We love you All!!!

Family

2011-03-22T17:43:00.001-07:00

Jud took Papaw and Dad fishing. They didn't catch anything, but "guy time" is always good.

Ms. Yvette invited the men and kids to catch the Mavs game. This is the only photo we have that doesn't involve cheerleaders. Should have put the kids in charge of the camera.

Jud and Cousin Lindsey always go to Build-a-Bear. They stopped to throw coins in the fountain, too.

Party

2011-03-22T17:38:00.001-07:00

Deb, Amanda, and Michelle, enjoying the party.

Jud and Alex taking a breather.

Birthday Boy and Friends

And this was before cake!

Cake

2011-03-22T17:30:00.000-07:00

It wouldn't be a party without cake. The cake wasn't what I ordered but the kids didn't seem to mind. We had ice cream with toppings and lots of thick frosting on the cake. And, best of all an astonishing rendition of Happy Birthday!!!

.

Cousin Lindsey with a mouth full of cake, or was that ice cream?

Papaw, Mama, and Ms. Deborah serving up cake.

Junior Starter

2011-03-22T17:09:00.001-07:00

As part of the birthday celebration, Jud was the Junior Starter of the Game!!!!

He got to go down in the tunnel before the game and tap gloves with the players as they went out for the pre-skate, watch them from the ice, then tap gloves as they came back in and then again as they went out before the game started.

They announced the starting line and as the junior starter Jud skated out to stand with the team as Celina Ray sang the National Anthem. As he came off the ice the referee gave him an official NHL game puck. It was such an exciting experience for all of us. Just think in another 19 or 20 years I may be hearing his name announced at Stars games all the time!!

Stars Birthday

2011-03-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

Our big boy is turning 7 this year, so we decided to celebrate in a big way. Marc and I rented a suite at a Dallas Stars game. Jud's Papaw, Nona, and Cousin Lindsey, flew out to celebrate with us. It was an exciting evening that we wish we could have shared with everyone.

It is going to take a few posts to cover all the party fun.

We had some private family time in the suite before the guests arrived.

Spring Break

2011-03-22T16:48:00.000-07:00

To start a "Super Spring Break", Jud and Marc headed out to DFW with the Cub Scouts to greet the soldiers coming home from overseas. What a great experience for the kids, and from what I hear, the adults as well. Thank You Armed Forces for ALL you do.

Next up, was a trip to the McKinney airport to see the WWII war planes. Jud loved this. He got to get up inside the planes and pretend to shoot the machine guns. A boy can never get too much shooting or guns.

Our other favorite activity.....
Hockey!!
And Jud's favorite player ever, Marty Turco was back in Dallas. Jud always likes to see a game, but when you combine seeing the Stars with getting to see Marty in goal, well....it doesn't get much better for my hockey boy.

It's A Jungle Out There

2011-03-10T05:54:00.000-08:00

The First Grade presented the program at the March PTA meeting this past week. Jud had a few lines and sang and danced. It was really cute. He is not at all shy and really enjoys doing these programs. The video of his part is pretty long so I will have to wait for Marc to edit it so we can post it. But this was one of the songs they sang.......

Plano Wolverines Rep Team

2011-03-02T20:44:00.001-08:00

Jud is really liking playing on the rink's rep team. In the photo above he is going in hard after that puck. He likes to press into the boards and dig the puck out.
Below, Coach Frawley rallies the team together to discuss strategy to finish the game. We had just tied it up. Jud said he was telling our goalie he was doing a good job, and some other words of goalie wisdom. The Wolverine's lost in OT, but it was a good fight.

Oilers at the AAC

2011-03-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

Jud's team was able to play two games at the American Airlines Center this season. Even though they lost both games, the kids had an exciting time.

Above: Jud and the other center get ready for the face-off, it looks like they are having a pre- puck drop stare down.

Below: Jud had several pretty sweet break-away's. In the second picture of this play you will see an example of how they like to stop him. He got tripped a few times, and on one play a kid used his elbow on Jud's shoulder to push him down. Refs apparently need new whistles since only one trip got called.

Coach Potts and Coach Nic showing Jud what he needs to do. It looks like he is really paying atttention, now whether he did what they told him to do or not is anyone's guess.

Looks like maybe he did! Goal!!!! He shot this from pretty far out, but it eeked over the goalie's stick and right under his glove hand.
He was so excited too score a goal on the Stars' ice.

Various Pics and Topics

2011-03-02T20:12:00.000-08:00

These were taken in WV at my Dad's retirement party. Jud was having a great time.

My Chloe' Belle looked so cute taking a nap, I had to snap this pic.

more ice

2011-02-03T17:38:00.000-08:00

More of Jud skating in the driveway.

Driveway hockey

2011-02-03T17:34:00.000-08:00

Here is some more video of Jud skating in the driveway. He was having so much fun.

Ice Time

2011-02-03T17:25:00.000-08:00

So we had excitement sooner than expected. We are on day 3 of no school due to icy and freezing condition, tomorrow will be day 4!!! So we looked at the ice on our driveway for 2 days before we decided to give it a try. Can't believe we held out that long. Jud was shooting and skating for about an hour. It was so cold!!
Then I decided I better have a try, this may be as close to pond hockey as I ever get. It was fun but I stopped when I heard cracking. I didn't want to mess up Jud's "rink of dreams".

New Year...January 2011

2011-01-27T10:43:00.001-08:00

We are most definitely a hockey family. Recently Jud and I had the opportunity to go to Marc's game. They usually play late on Saturday nights. Some friends came as well. Marc did pretty good, but it is funny to hear Jud evaluate his performance. A total roll reversal for them, lol.

Jud is off to a good start this year, he is playing Upward basketball again. He does pretty good, but I have to say he is a lot more coordinated on the ice.
He also started the new year with a six week award at school. He is such a smarty and really likes to learn.

And finally , we are most at home on the ice, but this year the whole goalie thing may be the death of me. I can hockey mom all day but goalie mom adds a whole new dimension to the game. Jud's team had the first of two games this season at the American Airlines Center, home of the Dallas Stars. It is so exciting for them to skate thru that star and hear the announcer calling their names. Jud was in goal against his former team the Blues. He had a really bad night, except that he was able to hold his buddy Hayden to one goal. Hayden is an awesome hockey player and has been on a scoring streak, so Jud was okay with a 51% save rate as long as he shut Hayden down. Sorry Hayden.

That has you all caught up on the Criss'. I will update when something exciting happens, and at our house that could be anytime now.

More Holiday Fun

2011-01-26T05:26:00.001-08:00

During the holiday break we had to try out our new As Seen on TV brownie maker. Jud ate more batter than brownies.
Jud also went to a hockey camp at the Allen Event Center. He had a lot of fun. Jud is right in front in his blue Crosby sweater.

Holiday Fun

2011-01-23T09:09:00.001-08:00

I am just smidge behind here but to catch you up on our holiday season, here goes.....

We managed to get our house decorated and to take a few pictures of our cute boy. He is such a fun kid, and always very busy.

Next up, we had some family photos taken at the rink for our Christmas card. Being a hockey family is pretty fun, I really appreciate how skilled Jud is on the ice.

The hockey moms, or Ice Cougars, challenged our boys to a little scrimmage, we went big and decided to do it in front of a crowd at a Texas Tornadoes hockey game. The photo below doesn't do it justice. We took to the ice to face 6 kids and when we got out there they morphed into about 12 and were going after that puck with at least 24 sticks, lol. The word swarm comes to mind. They kicked our butts 3-0, but we have sworn to avenge ourselves and will at least get the puck into the zone next game.

Anytime with his Kayla is a fun time. The kids got to spend part of Christmas Eve together, they are so cute together. Jud was looking at a picture of K the other day and told me he would " never forget her smile".

We had one happy little boy Christmas morning. All he asked or was an XBox 360 and Call of Duty. He could hardly wait to play. He also received many wonderful gifts from family and friends, and appreciates all of them. 2010 was a pretty good year and we look forward to a great 2011.

Spider Goalie

2010-11-22T16:48:00.001-08:00

Jud is enjoying playing goalie this year. His first 2 games were the same day and he did pretty good. He has played a couple games as goalie for his old team the Blues, and one for his new team the Oilers. He had a pretty rough game his third time out and decided it is harder than he thought it would be. He isn't giving up but is enjoying some games playing forward or center and even defense. He scored his first mite goal and it was a beauty, skating through defenders and deking the goalie. He is still enjoying the game and learning his new position. We have even played as a family now, that was a lot of fun. Jud is way better than I am. Hope everyone has a very Blessed Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween

2010-11-17T15:41:00.000-08:00

Can you guess who this is? That's right! It is blond Harry Potter. Nona sent Jud the glasses and the tie and scarf, so of course there was only one choice. We made the scar with a lip pencil, and got some dress clothes and the robe and we were all set. Marc took Jud and Kayla Trick or Treating together as per tradition. We are still eating candy and I suppose I will have to step up the pace on that so it will be gone by Christmas.

Cub Scouts

2010-11-17T15:31:00.001-08:00

I am the laziest blogger ever. So much has been going on but I will hit some highlights in the next few posts. Jud is off to a great start this year, he likes First Grade, he joined Cub Scouts and hockey is well underway. Cub Scouts is pretty outside the box for us but he loves it. The boys had their first camping adventure. Jud loved sleeping in a tent and shooting BB guns and bows. I enjoyed the nice quiet house to myself. Jud has already received a couple of belt loops, and likes working on new ones.

Hamster Liberation

2010-09-09T16:47:00.000-07:00

CupCake decided to take a little vacation, and ran off to a beautiful castle overlooking the playroom. We woke up Sunday morning to find her not at home. Jud went in to give her a yummy treat and calmly reported her missing. I had noticed her checking out the castle during her escapades in her ball, so I knew just where to look. Sure enough she had curled up in the castle and was ready to settle in for her all day nap. Once discovered she knew she had erred and put herself in the dungeon. Cupcake does not like to be handled and when Marc grabbed her she took off at a run, however she loves that ball so I laid it down in front of her and she climbed right in. The escape can be easily explained, I had not latched one of the openings and after 5 days of it being open she finally lucked out and liberated herself. Quit an adventure, that I hope she doesn't experience again soon.

First Grade

2010-09-09T16:42:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh, my baby is in the first grade!!! He was pretty nervous and excited. He was a little relieved when his teacher turned out to be the same one Kayla(his wife,lol) had last year. She gave him all the scoop on Mrs. Palmer and helped make things easier. We walked to school, then I came home to a completely empty quiet house. I am pretty sure Jud has a much easier transition back to school than I do.

Rock-N-Roll

2010-09-09T16:39:00.001-07:00

So now I am a Rock-N-Roll stylist. Jud is really into music, thanks XM radio. His look is BonJovi inspired but his musical taste runs more to the metal head. What 6 year old likes Metallica? Jud got this Paper Jamz thing and wanted to have a concert. It was pretty funny.

Tonsils

2010-08-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

We had an exciting day today. Jud got his tonsils and adenoids taken out. He did so well. We opted out of the pre-surgery cocktail and he was so brave. (it helped that Ms. Cheri was back there with him) The doctor said he was curious about all the tools and what they were doing. Sounds like they got a dose of my daily existence, "Mama why......?""Mama what does.....?" "Mama where....." and it goes on and on.
But it went really well, very little bleeding, big tonsils with adenoids to match. This should really help a lot of the strep issues and even his sinus/allergy problems.
Well he just got up from his nap so I am going to go be "Super Mama".
Thanks to all of you who said prayers, and sent good thoughts, and brought goodie bags.

CupCake

2010-08-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

The month of July just flew by. We played hockey, finally got my car fixed and seemed to be always on the go. We have a new addition to our family as well. Jud and I made an impromptu visit to Petco one day and ended up with a Teddy Bear Hamster!!! In all honesty, I never imagined Marc would say yes when we called him. Jud got a female and decided to call her CupCake.
CupCake is still deciding whether she likes us or not. I think it is mostly not. I am still recovering from the hole she made in my finger on our first day, I should try not to hold that against her, but....
Jud likes to watch her in her ball and so far her favorite place is the big wheel on the top of her cage. Here are a few pics.

Our giant cage set up.

And this is where CupCake spends 92% of her time. She drags everything up here and sleeps there during the day.
CupCake has a cool spiked doo. I tried to brush it down but as soon as I finished she used her paws to shag it back up.

Goalie Boy 2

2010-07-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

Jud covering one of the shots he blocked.

Keeping an eye on the puck. Our defense was so awesome for Jud. Coach Ken must have threatened something dire if Jud got hit.

Not sure if he is praying or impressed that his helmet is touching(just barely) the goal.

At the end of Jud's period as goalie his team mates immediately came to him to congratulate him. These are a terrific bunch of boys who really like and encourage each other. Most of them were on our team in the fall, and have gotten to be pretty good buddies despite the age difference with Jud(they are mostly 7 and 8 year olds). In the photo above the boy right in front of Jud is Chase tapping his helmet. Chase is usually our goalie and a really talented one at that.

So Jud's first time as goalie was so positive, now he wants gear for Christmas instead of toys, and I have to get Marty Turco for a goalie coach! He might be looking for a job?!! LOL. Jud finished the next 2 periods as a center and does really good on face-offs. Over all it was a fun day of hockey for all the boys. Picking positions worked for them today, they won 11-5.

Goalie Boy

2010-07-12T10:58:00.001-07:00

So the chance Jud has been waiting for finally happened. He got to be the goalie in his game Sunday. He was so excited and a little scared. Above you can see he was getting his "game face" on. He seems to have that down pretty good, now we just have about a million other skills to work on. He really liked being goalie but has realized it is a pretty challenging position.

Jud only let one puck get by him Sunday, he had some fantastic guys playing great defense for him. He probably only took about 4 or 5 shots. On one he had a big dude coming on a break away right at him! It was a good save and he remembered to cover the puck.

Liam, Jerod, and Rory all supporting their goalie!

Goalie 2

2010-07-02T15:11:00.000-07:00

Here is some video of Jud's first time as a goalie. He had so much fun and was so glad his hockey friends came.

Goalie

2010-07-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

Jud has been playing hockey for two years now and has been asking to play goalie that long as well. So today we borrowed some gear and suited up for open hockey! Coach Ken and several of our hockey buddies came to the rink to support(shoot at) Jud. He did okay, but thought those leg pads weighed a ton. He has a whole new respect for goalies, but he isn't cured. He still wants to give it a try. So on July 11 he will start the first period as goalie in the game at McKinney. I maybe should have bought the Escalade instead of the SRX.

Thursday

2010-06-26T14:13:00.001-07:00

Thursday was boys vs. girls day. The girls headed into Dallas for Hard Rock. We had a yummy lunch and lots of laughs.

The boys hit the lake for some fishing. Then headed to Pro Bass, which Jud kept calling Pro Guard. (they make hockey gear) They had a really good time, and caught a few fish. Jud tried out a bow and bb gun but needs to get a little bigger before he gets either.

Wednesday

2010-06-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

Wednesday the kids wanted to skate. We decided to combine activities and headed to Stonebriar Mall. There was a day care group so we ate and shopped first then the skaters hit the ice, unfortunately after all those kids it was mostly a big puddle, but they got the idea anyway.

Jud of course had to hit the Lego store and hit Nona up for a pirate ship. Unca helped put it together. Meanwhile, Lindsey took a much needed nap.

Tuesday

2010-06-26T13:53:00.001-07:00

Tuesday Nona, Papaw, Carie and I stayed home and watched tv almost all day. We did finally get ready and go to Olive Garden for dinner. But, while we were slugs, Unca, Marc, Lindsey, and Jud went to Hurricane Harbor. They had a blast and were there all day!!
Jud and Marc did the Sky Coaster, so of course Lindsey and Derald had to do it, too. Not sure who really had the idea, but everyone blamed Jud. Can't really see how dropping my child 17 stories could be a good idea. After all that sun and fun they headed to Steak and Shake.

Monday

2010-06-26T13:48:00.000-07:00

Monday was a quiet day, after driving for 22 hours our guests were pretty tired. Jud and Lindsey wanted to go to Build-A-Bear, so we wondered around Firewheel Mall after Jud's skating lesson. Carie wanted BBQ and Papaw remembered the bbq we had from Jud's first birthday so we went to Spring Creek. Jud and Unca spent some time goofing off.

Sunday, Tingler invasion!

2010-06-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

The day started out great, Jud finally got to meet his hockey idol, Marty Turco. Jud was so excited he could hardly talk.
Then we got to the rink for our game and the Tinglers' had arrived. Jud was excited to see everyone and was pretty distracted during his game.

They decided to suit up and play some street hockey when we got home. Lindsey made a pretty good goalie.

Street Hockey

2010-06-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

We do hockey in any shape or form. Jud's friend Chase had a party and the boys decided to make use of the cul de sac and have a serious game of hockey. Chase is on Jud's mite team and is the number one goalie in the league. However, for this game Chase played out and who do you suppose put himself in as goalie???

You guessed it, Jud!!!

Chase as goalie rarely gets a penalty and when he does someone else sits it out, but in street hockey.....

he gets 2 in the box, the mailbox that is, and sits it out himself.

The #1 goalie against the first timer. First timer had a good night and shut 'em down in the shoot out. Jud really wants to play goalie, he was so loving this. He took a dive to cover the ball and scraped his knee(forgot he wasn't on ice), stopped one with his left eye, and got a slap shot in the mouth. Can you really stand in the way of that kind of dedication? Well I am going to keep trying.

Dad Plays Hockey

2010-06-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

"Jud Cool" on our way to watch Dad play some hockey. Woobie got to go since it was going to be a late night. This was his first trip in the Caddy.

Dad played pretty good. It was a little different from watching mites. They had a guy playing who was 71 years old. Hope I still can walk by then, never mind skate!!

Jud hadn't seen Dad play since he was about a year old. Hope we get to go again sometime. We sang silly made up songs about hockey and had a great time.

Hockey

2010-06-14T19:41:00.001-07:00

This might be why we still aren't scoring goals. Did we forget to tell him which end to use???

This was a really good game for Jud, he skated with one of our best and fastest centers and stayed with him the whole game, every shift. Just so it is easier Jud has blue laces on his skates. He just looks happy in the photo below.

For Unca

2010-06-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

We thought Unca would probably like this one. Unca works for State Farm in Maryland. Maybe we could get our first endorsement deal?

Kinder Grad

2010-06-05T16:29:00.001-07:00

Jud was so excited for the last day, but when it came time to get up he was a little sluggish. We are very excited to sleep in for a while. Jud did very well his first year of school. I will brag a bit and say that he got all Ms, which means he Mastered everything. Well except for gym, he got Ds in movement and physical activity, which means he is still developing. We aren't too worried though, his gym teacher hasn't seen him on skates. He also tested into the Gifted and Talented program. So throw all this in with a lot of hockey some basketball and football and I would say we have a pretty well rounded kiddo. Oh, and he is just too handsome, even if I do say so.

Splash Day

2010-06-05T16:23:00.000-07:00

Splash Day at school was sooo much fun. The PTA brought in a bunch of water slides and each grade gets to go out for about an hour and a half and slide and then have popcicles. The kiddos had a blast.

We had our own splash day at home. I got a slip and slide and we ended up with a mud pit. Jud actually enjoyed that as much if not more than the slip and slide. Marc was so proud of him for getting dirty. This is a kid who won't hold a donut because he might get sticky. He did get a little worried when he got mud in his mouth, yuck.

"Flocked"

2010-06-05T16:18:00.001-07:00

So my friend Jamie is going to do the 3 Day Walk for Breast Cancer, as if that isn't daunting enough, they have to set a monetary goal and find ways to complete that as well. This is so funny, she was "flocking" a few weeks ago. Jud wasn't sure at first and wanted to know why someone would do that to our yard, but when we explained why he thought it was pretty cool. The only way to get them removed was to go to Jamie's website and pay "blackmail", but then you get to send them on to the next unsuspecting victim. Too fun!!!

A little Tripping

2010-05-24T17:55:00.000-07:00

A nice break away here early in the game Sunday until the guy on Jud's right decided a little trip was worth the risk. It paid off for him, the ref let a bunch go on Sunday. Jud had two great break- aways that got broke up by tripping. Roman managed to pass the puck out to him before he fell but of course as Jud headed for the net the ref called the trip. Jud had several nice plays, a relief to us after his play in the previous game. We can chalk that up to a dose of strep I guess. He had speed and some good puck handling in this game, which we won 5-3.

Football

2010-05-24T17:49:00.001-07:00

Jud had his last Upward football game of the season. He had a pretty good run here. He wasn't as excited about football, it is a little slow compared to hockey. He met a lot of nice kids and enjoyed the non-competitive nature of the Upward experience.

Butterfly

2010-05-18T17:09:00.001-07:00

We have a butterfly theme going on here lately. Jud is learning about them at school and wants to get the butterfly garden "as seen on TV". So, we took Jud and Kayla to the butterfly thing at Collin Creek Mall. They had a blast and even got to buy a chrysalis.

The spyderwalk was really fun. Jud was a little scared but did do some flips.

Our crysalis "hatched". It was fun to watch, but Jud was a little sad to see his butterfly go. And, we did get the butterfly garden and ordered our larvae, should be lots of fun. I think we will take Cartoon Network off the program guide so we don't have to keep buying these "limited time offers".

Mother's Day

2010-05-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

So where else would I be on Mother's Day, but at the rink watching my favorite boy playing hockey. The Plano Mite Sabres had their first game against the Frisco Seals. Unfortunately, they lost an exciting, high scoring game by one goal, 9-10. However, Jud and Marc did go to Brighton and designed a charm bracelet for me and got me a pair of flip flops.

Hockey Fun

2010-05-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

The boys went to Parent/Child hockey and from the smile on Jud's face they were having a pretty good time. He has been on the ice 6 of the last 8 days and we are going back today.

Field Trip

2010-05-03T06:35:00.000-07:00

Kinder Field Trip
So we took the zoo to the zoo last Friday. Jud was excited to ride the bus. I was a little freaked out about my kid on a bus headed thru Dallas during rush hour. I made Marc follow the bus all the way to the zoo. We had 4 kiddos to show around and they were all really good. They are a pretty fun bunch, but got pretty tired after walking around for a few hours. We were all pretty droopy for the ride home.

FOOTBALL

2010-05-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

Jud really likes playing flag football. We have had to translate football into hockey terms though. He was injured and had to watch one of the games and kept asking me questions about the game. It went something like this......
"Mama, how many periods do they play?" "Jud they play 4 quarters, not periods."
"Mama, where is the music?" "What music Jud?" " The music between playing."" They don't have cool music, Jud."
"Also Jud there is no incidental contact or checking, just try to pull the flag off the guy with the ball."
"The guy with the ball is the puck, go get him."

Random April events

2010-05-03T06:17:00.000-07:00

Jud got a new bike in April. We(Marc and I) are determined to start riding bikes this summer, except for the little problem of "FEAR"!!!! Jud is really afraid of the darn thing. The same kid who takes on hockey players twice his size is afraid of falling on his bike, go figure???

This is the incentive to learn to ride a bike. Marc might regret this when he has to cough up a couple grand for a dirt bike and haul the three of them to a track somewhere.

Jud and Justin playing Pokemon with Coach Frawley. We had a really nice end of season party with our hockey team, a super bunch of boys and their families.

Kindergarten did a program at the PTA meeting, it was really cute. Jud had 4 lines and did a great job. He knew his lines and some of the other kids lines, I know this because when we practiced he kept correcting me if I read the lines wrong, haha.

Bon Jovi

2010-04-19T16:33:00.001-07:00

My good friend Yvette got 2 tickets to Bon Jovi for her birthday and I am the lucky friend she chose to go with her. I really don't think I need to say much, it was really fun, and Jon Bon Jovi, well he is still pretty hot.

April 10, 2010

2010-04-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

We had our last game of the season, the play-off semi final and it was a heart breaker. Our BLUES lost in OT 8-7. Jud had a really good game, he made some nice plays and even had a little break away. We had a really great time this season, even if at times it seemed to go on forever, we were not ready for it to end. Jud will be playing in the summer league this year.
After the game Coach Frawley gave the boys their trophies and had some really nice things to say about all the kids, even Jud. He was the youngest and smallest boy on the team but worked really hard, most of the time. All the boys were really nice and treated Jud so well even though he was so much younger, most were 7-9 years old. His old skating buddy Hayden is the closest in age and size to Jud, we were really glad they were on a team together. We are all looking forward to a great summer season and next fall.

We hit a local carnival in the evening. Marc and Jud had a great time on all the rides. I did go on the ferris wheel with Jud but spent most of the ride trying to convince him to sit still. He made me very nervous, my wiggle worm.

Easter 2010

2010-04-19T16:11:00.001-07:00

We had a great Easter this year. Marc and Jud went to the church egg hunt together, Marc's first in a couple years. No UK this year, yeah. Then Easter Sunday we went to church, it was a beautiful service and a Blessed morning. Then we went to Yvette, Brittney, and Kayla's for dinner and more egg hunt. Jud and Kayla are still best buddies and are always getting into something together. It is fun to watch them grow up together. Oh, and I made an egg cake, my annual Easter project.

Happy 6th Birthday Jud

2010-04-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

The day of Jud's birthday, he did have school, but he and Dad were the WATCH D.O.G. It is a great program where dads come to school and spend time doing various activities with the kids. They get to be on the morning announcements for that and birthdays get announced and Jud was the only birthday that day as well. So he was a super star that day!

We had crazy weather for the birthday boy, it SNOWED over the weekend!!!
Pretty crazy stuff, but Jud enjoyed the chance to play in it for a bit.

STARS vs. SHARKS 3/16/10

With our crazy schedule we didn't have a chance to have a big party for Jud's birthday so this year we went to the Stars/Sharks game and they put Jud's name on the jumbo tron. He thought that was really cool. Kind of funny since he has skated on that ice a couple times now and even skated thru the star, but seeing his name up there really thrilled him. Then it was even cooler when we told him Coach Hatch had seen it, too. Since he is a fan of both teams it was a good night, the Stars pulled off the win. So another year older, where did my little 6 pound baby go? He has morphed into a sweet lovable kid right before my eyes.

Random Fun

2010-04-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

Well here I am playing catch up again. March was a pretty good month for us. We were down to one sport, and it was birthday month.So here goes.....

Jud loves to help in the kitchen, especially when it means cutting up his favorite fruit, Strawberries.

Jud took his buddy Nicholas skating and they had a great time. As some of you know the next trip didn't go as well and Nick ended up in surgery getting stitched up. I will have to borrow pics from his mom to update that fun experience.

The beauty of nature. We had a really great double rainbow one day after school. Jud thought we should go look for the end since that would mean 2 pots of gold.

Jud

2010-03-30T07:21:00.001-07:00

To get March started Jud had Cowboy Day at school and made me take him to Cavender's to pick out some boots and a new shirt. He looked so cute, next thing you know he will be wanting to go to the Ranch House.

So if you haven't seen Jud in a while folks he has grown up on me!! Wow, 6 years old, time flies. I am going to have to load up more pics before I can post more.

Hockey Tournament

2010-03-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

2010 President's Day Tournament Champs
The Plano Mite Blues won their division in our first tournament. We had 4 hockey games in 2 days, and spent a lot of time with our hockey family that weekend. It was so exhausting but so much fun. Jud played pretty well and had a few good plays. We are so lucky that we are playing on a team with super coaches and great kids!

This photo just makes me smile. Jud usually plays left wing but ended up on the right this game and lined up against an old mini mite buddy,Kylar. Kylar is one of the biggest kids in the league and of course Jud is one of the youngest and smallest. Just too funny.

February 2010

2010-03-30T07:01:00.001-07:00

So February was All Hockey, All the Time Month.
Well , with a few extras thrown in. I did finally get my new car. A beautiful 2010 Cadillac SRX Turbo, fully loaded, it has ALL the bells and whistles. Jud would live in it if we could afford the gas to keep it running 24/7. We are resisting hooking up the wii in it. It is kind of lonely for me since Jud puts on his headphones and watches a movie.

SNOW DAY!!!!

It was so cool we had a snow day the Friday before Valentine's Day. Jud and Kayla had a blast building snowmen and Marc even had to shovel the driveway. It was really pretty but we were all thru with snow by about noon. We are snow wimps now and Jud can't take the cold my little Texan.

January 2010

2010-03-30T06:46:00.000-07:00

I guess we have been too busy to blog, so for those of you waiting I am sorry. January was a blur of post Christmas stress and we did nothing but school and sports. Jud had his American Airlines game, and was totally thrilled to skate thru that STAR!!!! They won and Jud had his first 2 assists. It was so fun. Thanks to those who came to watch early on a Sunday morning.
We were also neck deep in Upward Basketball. Jud got to try basketball for the first time. He seemed to enjoy it, not sure he will have the passion for it that Dad had. He guarded pretty intensely, but the shift changes(hockey term) weren't short enough. He likes 45 to 60 second shifts so 6 minute periods were like a marathon to hockey boy. Next up on the sports front football.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-28T16:47:00.001-08:00

Jud finally got his picture with Santa, what an adventure that was. Mama waited in line for almost 2 hours but it sure is cute.

All three of us together. Wow that doesn't happen a lot lately.
Jud talked Nona into letting him unwrap a present early. He had built a custom hockey stick with her but had forgot and could not figure out what was in that tall flat box. A kite, maybe? Nope better, hockey stick.

More Christmas photos soon, I am as always a little behind.

More fun

2009-12-28T16:38:00.001-08:00

Jud's class celebrating Mrs. Seale's birthday.

Jud got an award at school this 6 weeks, he didn't know and was very surprised.

Jud and I had a blast decorating our gingerbread house. Ms. Yvette always throws a good party.

Yvette got us great tickets to see KISS for my birthday, it was so awsome.

Marc and Jud were WATCH DOGS at school, it was a great day for Jud. Apparently being the WATCH DOG makes the kid a rock start for the day. They both had a super time.

Skating

2009-12-23T15:39:00.000-08:00

The Plano Mite Blues

"Shooting the Duck"

It has been a busy month at the rink, we have had hockey practice, skating with Coach Jay and practice for the ice show. We kept teasing Jud that he was in the Ice Capades. He and some hockey boys did a little thing in the skate school ice show, he was all in until Jay wanted them to "shoot the duck". He loudly exclaimed, "no way, that is figure skating!" Well turns out it was okay once he realized he was the only one who could actually do it. He has been doing pretty good at hockey, we are still waiting for the "click" but we do see glimmers of great play.

November

2009-12-21T13:28:00.000-08:00

We have been super busy lately. I totally missed November, here are a few highlights. Jud has been doing okay at hockey, we are still waiting for it to "click" but everyone says it will happen. Thanksgiving was really nice, we were all ready for a break. Jud is still crazy about Kayla, she has gone to church with us a few times. Marc is working hard and I am keeping out of trouble, mostly.

Trick or treats

2009-11-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

My boys like Halloween, I am however, the Halloween Grinch. So the boys got all dressed up in hockey gear(how original) and went trick or treating with Kayla, Brittney and Mike. I sat with Yvette and gabbed while we handed out candy.
Jud was also very excited to wear a costume to school. He wanted to be Racer X from Speed Racer for that, luckily we already had the costume and it was pretty comfortable for school. Jud really likes to dress up and has a ton of costumes to choose from, but I always get talked into a new one, then he usese an old one. Go figure.

The rest of my October post

2009-10-29T16:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, I got distracted and didn't finish my post for October. Some of our fall fun included pumpkin carving and science experiments curtesy of Chick fil A. Jud liked pumpkin carving except for the nasty pumpkin guts. What you won't see on this post is me up to my elbows in pumpkin. Marc did the baking soda and vinegar experiments with Jud. I wasn't real sure it was a good idea to teach Jud to blow things up in any form but what is a mama to do, I got out voted. I did convince tem to take it outside.

October

2009-10-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

Well October has flown by. We have been really busy. We have had a few minutes here and there to do some fun stuff at home.
Jud has started his first season as a mite, so he now plays competitive hockey. He had his first game last Saturday and did pretty well. He is very proud of his new Blues sweater and socks. He looks pretty good on the ice even if I do say so.

Field Trip

2009-10-06T15:54:00.000-07:00

Marc and I helped chaperone Jud's class field trip. They walked to the fire station, took the tour, and headed back. I realized there is a good reason I am not a kindergarten teacher, and have a deep respect for those who are. The kids were really good, but that much energy all together is exhausting. Oh, and in the top picture, Jud is the one making the face on the far left. That's my boy.

Shoot Out

2009-10-06T15:51:00.000-07:00

Jud was invited to participate in a shoot out at a recent Texas Tornado hockey game. It was a lot of fun.

I had some free time and decided to use Jud's old stick as decor. Those scrapbooking skills come in handy.

Just more skating

2009-10-06T15:47:00.001-07:00

Jud got a new hockey sweater from Nona and Papaw. Not sure he has ever really seen the Sharks, but he likes the logo. He and Coach Jay have been having some great sessions. He's doing so well. We are excited that he is playing mites now. His team is the Blues, we will let everyone know a game schedule so you can all come cheer him on.

Last Mini Mites

2009-09-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

August 30th was Jud's last night as a mini mite, they played a game keeping score and playing music(the kids love it). Jud had a great game, he scored a goal in the first 10 seconds and had a couple assists. His defensive play was super, he was skating hard and stealing the puck. It was a fantastic night for him and us. The Cuzzos' came to see him and he loved having people other than Mama to cheer him on.

Jud and Coach John
Coach John has been really patient with Jud over the past year. He and Coach Jay do a really good job with the kids, it isn't always easy getting 5-10 year olds to pay attention and play well.

Kindergarten

2009-09-08T15:47:00.000-07:00

Well, we had a major milestone Aug, 24th. Jud Started Kindergarten!!!!He was pretty excited. We met his teacher on Friday and she seems really nice. I was a little freaked out that he would be gone all day from 7:30 until 2:30 but he is doing fine. Getting up in the morning is no picnic but we are adjusting. He loves carrying his backpack and walking to school. I have to say the walks are my favorite part of the day.He is doing so well, he has had all green for behavior, likes recess the best, and is always glad to see me when I pick him up. He has a homework folder and enjoys doing the assignments. Here's hoping the next 12 years go as well as this one has started. I miss my boy, but he has made some new friends and really likes school.

Hair Cut

2009-09-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

So to start the school year off right, the week before school Jud needed a haircut. I was thinking a nice trim but Jud had other ideas. He wanted spiked hair!!
Here are before and after.

LegoLand Aug 11-12

2009-09-08T15:33:00.000-07:00

To say Jud loved LegoLand is a huge understatement. He could happily live there and ride rides and play all day. Above he is having a saber fight with his favorite bad guy, Darth Vader. Below he cools off in one of the water fountains in the kiddie area. We went Tuesday and just did things as we went, but Wednesday we mapped out a route to hit the big rides and miss out on those long lines. We did just about everything you can and after two days I was ready for a change of pace.

So we hit the beach. Jud had been wanting to go to the beach for two years and finally made it. He wanted surf lessons but I didn't think that was a good idea. So he and Marc dug a trench and made a castle. The water was frigid, next time we will hit one of the south Florida beaches.

Playin' in the rain

2009-09-08T15:31:00.000-07:00

Jud and dad playing' in the rain after the cross country race we ran.
I am just a bit behind again. This was either the beginning of Aug. or end of July. It was a long muddy race and the cool rain felt great.

Hockey Boy

2009-07-28T15:52:00.001-07:00

I finally made it to hockey with the cameras. Jud has turned into a pretty good hockey player lately. Last Sunday he had 4 goals and a couple assists. This Sunday he had 2 goals and one assist. The other night he told me he loves me more than scoring goals, but I think it might be close. The video is un-edited so turn down the volume before you start it, Mama yells.

The "Outlaws" in Vegas

2009-07-28T15:46:00.001-07:00

We had a great time in Vegas. And as the saying goes, "what happens in Vegas......"

Outdoor Fun

2009-07-28T15:43:00.000-07:00

Jud and Dad decided to go out and let Jud ride his bike. They gave no training wheels a try. It didn't go so well, I guess we aren't quit ready for that yet. Skateboarding went much better.

Science Project

2009-06-30T13:44:00.001-07:00

Papaw gave us some coal last August and a recipe for a project to make crystals grow on the coal. Well it only took me 10 months to gather everything else we needed to get this project growing. I forgot to take a picture when we mixed the stuff, but by the next day it had already begun to grow.

I didn't use food coloring like the recipe said, didn't see the point with all the laundry bluing, but next time we will try it. Above is after just one day.

A couple days later we have some serious growth. Jud enjoys checking it each morning.

Wow, that is some crazy crystal growing after about a week, this is what we have. The one area looks like cauliflower to me. It was a fun project and we may try it again soon. If anyone wants the recipe and some coal let me know, I may be able to get more.

Hawaain Falls

2009-06-30T13:34:00.001-07:00

It has been a busy month. Jud is all healed up from surgery and doing great. He has been playing lots of hockey, scoring goals and blocking shots. When we aren't doing that we try to fit in some fun. We had a fun Friday afternoon at Hawaain Falls recently. Marc and Jud tried out the Half Pipe. They both cackled like girls. Jud wanted to do it all day. I guess we won't be going back with out Dad along since Mama doesn't do this one.