At home again!

It's so good to be home again. There's nothing like driving into your yard after being gone a few days. It's like, letting your hair down! Or, putting on a comfy pair of pj's. Or, stretching out on your own bed, with your own pillow. I love it!
What a week it has been! I had Blayze and Kyle with me this last weekend, and we were in Brandon, as the boys had hockey in Hartney all weekend. The boys had four games; their team lost 3 and won one. Hartney is 45 min. SW of Brandon, so we spent a bit of time on the road. They played 2 games on Friday, 1 on Saturday, and 1 on Sunday. That meant alot of driving! Road conditions were interesting! Apparently Brandon had the greatest snowfall on the weekend, and that meant for buildup of SLUSH and ICE on the roads. I had a good laugh about the roads. There's something to be said for having to drive regularily on crappy roads where we live; it makes for more confident driving. There I am, the only one in the bunch with no 'man' in the vehicle, leading a caravan of vehicles. And being concerned that others aren't in the ditch! Oh, well! City drivers!! :) We had a great time getting to know new people! I'm always impressed with Kyle and Blayze. They seem to get along so well. They are wonderful for driving. They are quiet, usually, in the vehicle. I did laugh and then I set them straight, on the ride to Brandon. They're laughing uncontrollably in the back seat, and when i look in the rearview mirror, there they are with their t-shirts up to their armpits, and they're tickling each other with an arm of off sunglasses. Yes, they were still buckled! It was quite funny! But, it was getting a little rowdy, so I did tell them to settle down. I don't have to do that very often with them.
What else has gone on in the last week? I did work on Thursday night. And came home at 8 am, showered, packed, made sandwiches, and left for Brandon, by 9 am on Friday morning. It went better than I thought it would. I ate celery, and texted friends on the ride. A couple good friends phoned me a couple times, to make sure I was staying awake. So, when we checked into the hotel, I had a 15 min. nap, and then we hit the road again. I managed to stay awake and alert until 1 am. I was quite proud of myself. I'm not sure I could recall all the conversations I had tho, that evening!
Our PAC served lunch at the school last Tuesday. We cooked chili and prepared veggies at my house on Monday, and then we served it all at school at noon on Tuesday. That was alot of fun. The kids and staff were so appreciative! I stayed at school for the Metis group that was there after lunch. They were amazing! They danced traditional Metis steps. The members that they had there that day were from 6 years old to 57. It was amazing to see the 4 young kids dancing! They were really good.
We had our first spring calf last week. I haven't gone out to see it yet, as I've been 'gone' since Thursday. I'll go out and see it today. Now, its only 19 more to go! Yay!
My serious thought for today is regarding 'self-control/discipline'. As parents, we need to look out for our kids, and guide them responsibly. So, where is the line of letting our kids learn on their own? And, when is it out of line to defend our kids? This weekend was interesting to see how parents cope with and handle situations with their kids regarding hockey. Ok, this was a hockey situation, but, doesn't this pertain to more than just hockey? Aren't kids supposed to learn to deal with the good and the bad? Or, aren't they supposed to learn to play their sport and their positions as they're meant to be played? And, is it appropriate for parents to 'vent' when children are present? Yes, I'm a parent who says 'suck it up', to my kids. Am I being too harsh? Do I need my kids to be coddled more? Ooops, maybe coddled is not the right word! Is protected better?? My kids are not perfect, by a long shot. But, they have to learn that it's not always going to be the way they want it to be. They have to learn to cope in the situations they're placed in. Yeah, we need to guide them, but I'm a little leary when parents 'control' every situation, so their child is supposed to 'come out on top.' Applying this to hockey-not every kid has a stellar game, every game. That's why its a team sport. Everyone has a role to fulfill. Some kids shine more than others. But to me that doesn't mean that 'shining', is the the most important, or the most successful player. And when someone has a 'not so good game', maybe its time for someone else to step it up for that game. It's called helping each other out! Oh, well, what do I know. Just my opinion. I was so impressed this weekend, with the way the coaches handled their situations. It's a tough job to coach.
Enough ranting, and time to get on with my day. I need to get a tire fixed, pay month end bills, do laundry, unpack, cook, clean, ..........the list goes on! I think I'm going to be home tonight! That'll be the only night this week. Jayde has practise Tues and Thurs night. Kyle has practise Wed night. I work Wed, Thurs, and Fri. The accountant is coming to our house on Wed evening to do our income tax return. The boys are in tournaments this weekend, starting Fri morning. So, spring break will go by too quickly!
Have a wonderful spring break. Enjoy the sunshine and 'warm temperatures!'