HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Fall Around Our House and Neighborhood

Early Saturday Morning Practice

I woke up at 5:45am to get MacDaddy to the arena by 7:00am. MacDaddy has changed lines again. Now he is on the green line. At least he is keeping the Christmas colors (went from red to green jersey). Oh, and yes the shirt was washed before he switched.

Carving Pumpkins

MacDaddy said that we had to carve our pumkins into

Jack-o-Lanterns so that they would keep the vampires away on Halloween night. Apparently, vampires don't like the smell of pumpkin. Hmmm... in my day in was garlic. I think he remembered a previously viewed episode of Wizards of Waverly Place on Family Channel.

My Hockey Knowledge

MacDaddy, I know I didn't play hockey growing up... and I am trying to learn the game so I can help you and your sisters... but I do not think the stick goes that way... Love you man.... Dad :-)

Visit to Chudleigh's

We spent the afternoon at Chudleigh's Apple Farm in Milton. We picked 2 1/2 bags of Empire and Jonagold apples (13 lbs).

How Do You Get 15 Nine Year Old Boys to Pay Attention and Behave?

Bring them to hockey practice om Friday night. What a great event!!! Great practice and fun to watch. If it wasn't cold and rainy outside everything would be great. MacDaddy traded in his black defense sweater for a red line sweater. He is officially a center. A great opportunity to learn another position. Have fun MacDaddy!!!

MacDaddy Played Centre Against Port Credit

MacDaddy played Centre against Port Credit this week. (Centre spelled the Canadian way)

MacDaddy Room Tour

I am very sure that no TV personalities are at risk with the video below. I really do like MacDaddy's room. With our last move MacDaddy switched from a cowboy themed room to a sports themed room. MacMom did some magic.

Friday Night - Hockey Practice & Public Skate

MacDaddy had Friday night hockey practice, and the girls went to public skate at the other rink in the arena.

Volleyball Game A-Mac

"Money, it's the shoes"... is a famous quote from a 1980's (maybe early 1990's) Nike commercial. A-Mac is #33 with her school volleyball team. I snapped these quick pictures while standing on the stage watching the game. Back to the shoes... A-Mac is wearing, new from last year, Nike "Air Jordan" color court shoes. A great purchase at an outlet mall in the US, and a great retro look. They won their volleyball game.

Canadian Thanksgiving Day (a.k.a. US Columbus Day)

US Columbus Day is Thanksgiving Day in Canada. Very few stores are open, everything shuts down. After 4 games in a weekend tournament, MacDaddy had a league game against the Applewood Coyotes. MacDaddy played his best hockey game ever, and the Spitfires also played their best game coming away with a 4-1 win. It was fun. MacDaddy is on the right during his team's workout.





The video below is MacDaddy chasing down a break-away. He also had sevearl (4+) shots from the blue line on goal. It was a fun game to watch.

Day Two - Burlington Hockey Tournament

Two hockey games today for the Erindale Spitfires. MacDaddy is #13 in the pictures. Needless to say I am confident we will only have one game tomorrow, unfortunately missing the elimination round.

MacDaddy got the chance to play center and take a few face-offs during their game.

MacDaddy found some snow on the way out of the arena. Watch out for Zambonis.

Burlington Hockey Tournament - Day One, a School Day

MacDaddy and I hit the arena in Burlington before the sun came up for his first hockey pool game in the Burlington Thanksgiving tournament (Thanksgiving in Canada is on Columbus Day in US). MacDaddy's hockey bag is pictured below with the appropriate hockey music. "Da Boyz" were warming up.

They lost to Grimsby and have a game at 8:30am Saturday.

A Great Way to Spend an Evening

The Major League Baseball regular season has come and gone without us attending one single game. I can not recall watching many games on TV. Most of the season came from Sports Centre (Canadian spelling) highlights and internet articles/stats. I guess this is the result of busy kids, a compromise I gladly embrace. Last night, however, we had a break in the kid's activities and were able to watch the one-game playoff for the AL Central championship. MacDaddy, laying on the couch, and I watched two hours of the game and enjoyed every minute. We were rooting for the Detroit Tigers. They lost in the bottom of the 12th inning after MacDddy had gone to sleep. I will have to let him know this morning when he wakes up. Lil Lefty watched a little. A-Mac tended to her homework. She has early volleyball this morning.

The Great OneS - CAPITAL "S"

All three kids had hockey games last night. MacMom took MacDaddy to his game for a "0 - 0" tie. I took A-Mac and Lil Lefty to their games, that were back-to-back at the same arena. Lil Lefty is #9 in blue. Lil Lefty's team lost by a "bit". She had fun and fell on the other team's goalie, who happens to be in her class at school. It will give them something to talk about during recess.

A-Mac played her second game of the season and after being shut out in the first, they won 3 - 1 in the follow-up. Even more pleasantly surprising was that A-Mac scored a GOAL. This is the second season to play hocey for A-Mac and Lil Lefty and so far they have both been able to contribute... maybe not the best skaters but seem to understand where they belong.

A-Mac is also #9, but in the black sweater .

Early in the season, for each of their teams a MacGrandle was the leading scorer. It got me thinking, that maybe the kids were born in the wrong state, or country even. What if their slow exposure to hockey was my fault and all three have God-given natural talent in hockey. What if one day they would become the "MacGrandle Line" on the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs and go down in history as the greatest hockey siblings ever. Nah!!! MacMom doesn't like the cold arenas... let's just play for FUN!!!

Pool's CLOSED!

Ball Hockey

MacDaddy and Lil' Lefty playing ball hockey with COCO looking on.

Lil' Lefty chose to be in net.

Don't hit the dog!
Note to self regarding Ball Hockey....Make sure net is in the street or at bottom of driveway.
DO NOT PUT THE NET IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE DOORS!
or you will have broken glass panes to replace in garage doors.

Sunday, Brantford, Rainy and Cold (See Saturday Post)

A-Mac and I woke up at 5:45am on Sunday morning to get to Brantford by 8:oo am. It was 50 degrees at 8:00 am when we pulled up to the park. Note the artistic picture with the field, the clock and the temperature on the mirror. And they say I'm a numbers guy.

A-Mac played another 3 games at first base without any rotation. It seems she has found a home. It rained on and off during the day. The picture below just gets the top of the umbrella I am sitting under. A-Mac is in the on deck circle waiting for her at-bat.

I did notice during a meeting on the mound that A-Mac is the tallest person on the team. I really believe she has grown a couple inches since July... or everyone on the team has shrunk, in unison, a couple inches. Probably not likely.

The first video is A-Mac driving a ball to right center in the first game of the morning. She hit well the entire tournament. I like her using the bigger bat. She needs a bit of strength training during the winter, but her timing has been spot on. The second video is A-Mac driving a hard ground ball through the hole between short and third to score a runs. Good clutch hitting and she later scored in a 4-3 loss.

A-Mac chose #33 as a symbol of her goal from last year. She wanted to play 3rd and bat 3rd... hence #33. Well, in baseball scoring First Base is actually the number 3. This tournament she played position 3 and hit 3rd... number 33. Congrats A-Mac. Keep setting goals.