Obsessed with the Chicago Blackhawks

Tom gets a lot of free tickets to the Chicago Blackhawks which has certainly made Hailey a huge fan. So we go often. But twice in one month might be more than I can handle even with the best seats (on the glass) and free food/drink. 

Dennis Savard in the Club!

On Sunday, Hailey once again got to attend a Chicago Blackhawks game. Her favorite player is Connor Bedard and she can tell you everything about him too. Along with our amazing tickets, we get to arrive for dinner early where we catch glimpses sometimes in the hall on the way to the locker room of Connor and his teammates juggling a ball for their pre-game warm ups. Sometimes they just film it and put it on the TV in the club too but either way we get to assess these hockey players soccer skills (some are better than others).  

While in the club on Sunday night for dinner, they sometimes have famous retired players walking around too so we got to meet Denis Savard. I asked him if he used to live in Wheaton in Stonehedge and he said yes he did. The he added, that that was all he could afford back then! Funny. He lived in the same development as I did growing up. He was very nice and even let Hailey try on his Stanley Cup ring (which he earned with the Montreal Canadiens). 

Then it was on to the rink for warm ups where Hailey got a warm up puck from the game and got to watch Bedard score a goal in the 1st period. Alas, the Hawks went on to lose 3-1 but Hailey was so happy just to be there watching her team. 

Next game she is attending is in November so she has to wait a whole month for that one. Peyton and I are playing rock, paper, scissors for who gets to stay home for that one!

Savard's Stanley Cup Ring

Peyton's First Official Date

Of course she's been asked to Homecoming two years in a row by different boys and been talking to lots of boys over the last few years but she's waited to really commit to going out with one until she found someone she really likes. 

Homecoming date was too quiet she told me. She likes a boy who is way more outgoing which is funny because I wouldn't describe her as the most outgoing person with people she isn't truly comfortable with so I always told her, give him a chance! But nope, she knew what she wanted and she wasn't willing to settle. 

So she's been talking to a boy and hanging out with him for several weeks now. He's a junior. Can drive and attends our rival high school. He's a soccer player (though she told us recently she hates watching all sports) and she met him through one of her friends who is dating his best friend. 

They've done a lot of SnapChat, gone to Six Flags and some parties but recently they had their first official date. She said they were going to the mall for dinner at California Pizza Kitchen and then hanging out and he was picking her up at 6pm. 

I saw a car pull in front of our house at 6pm so I told her he was here. She ran out the door. I wasn't going to put pressure on him to come in and meet us - isn't that old school? But, he did. He made her walk back into the house so he could meet us AND he bought her a dozen roses. 

So even though he goes to the rival high school, he earned major points in my book (and Tom's) for doing that. He brought her home at a decent hour too and we learned he's the youngest of three with his two older siblings in college already. So if they want to date, he has my permission.

Let's see where this goes!

Hailey Turns 12!

Last Saturday, Hailey turned 12 and she had very specific things she wanted to do. She actually had a sleepover birthday party for another friend on Friday night until Saturday too. However, she is still not a fan of sleepovers and she didn't want to wake up at someone else's house on her birthday either. I didn't think it was that big of a deal but she did. So one morning after I dropped her at school I came back to a one page note on my bathroom counter laying out all the reasons why she did not want to sleep over her friend's house. None of my kids were big sleepover kids and for that I should be grateful but I also think there's something you miss out on by not sleeping over at your friend's houses too - especially at this age. However, Hailey's letter was so well thought out and persuasive that I immediately texted the parent and asked if we could just pick her up at 11pm. 

Presents!

So it all worked out. We did that and Hailey got to wake up in her own bed on her birthday. It was a lazy morning of breakfast (her usual chocolate chip pancakes) and opening presents before heading to the city. Hailey loves the city and if you ever ask her what she wants to do it's usually go to the city (which we usually tell her no as Tom and I lived there for so long and got our fill - we aren't too keen on heading back there every weekend!). But, for her birthday, we relented and took her to the city. She wanted to eat at a sushi place on our old street that is one of Tom's favorites and he took her to one time (so now she always wants to go back). So we went to Butterfly Sushi for an early dinner then of course her next plan was to head to the Blackhawks game for the home opener. Usually, we have free seats to the Blackhawks game but not that night so for the first time in forever we had to purchase some seats (nosebleeds which were still pricey) that weren't on the glass like she's used to! But we still got a good view and it was a great game. The only thing that could have made it better was a win but they lost in the final minutes.

We went home and serenaded Hailey with a birthday dessert (from Sweet Mandy Bs in the city) and Austen did not go out that night so he FaceTimed us so he too could sing to Hailey. 

I think it was a pretty good 12th birthday considering she got the Birkenstocks she wanted, an Aviator Nation sweatshirt, hockey sticks/gloves, sweatshirts and sweatpants as well as $ which she used to buy her coveted Connor Bedard jersey. Wonder if a year will change all these likes. Here's to another 365 days around the sun!

Hockey gloves and stick!

Butterfly Sushi

Her Happy Place

The Very Last Row

Austen Comes Home for Peyton's Soph Homecoming

On Friday, I drove two hours down to Champaign to pick up Austen and bring him home for the weekend. Illinois did not have a football game so it was a good weekend to come home. Plus, he wanted to see the high school soccer team play at least one game and they were playing on Saturday morning after the Homecoming parade (he did not get up to see his sister walk in the parade). 

Then there were 3...again

The ride was a quick two hours down. I got gas and picked him up and after grabbing Starbucks we were on our way home and arrived before 5pm. They have a great bus system at U of I but the times didn't work for him to take that home or back so we drove him. It was really nice getting two hours in the car with just him. It was like old times when we used to travel to soccer together - whether it was practice or a faraway game or us traveling together. Boy, I really missed that time together and our conversations. 

We arrived home - to a home he'd never lived in before. He said that was a bit weird. And, of course he didn't know where anything was located. He didn't have keys to the house. He didn't even know where his car keys were located so I had to keep reminding Tom that we needed to leave stuff out for him the next morning or he'd have a hard time finding things. Anyway, we went to Ruth Lake for dinner (his request). He told us how bad the food really is down there so he was glad to eat more at home (I did bring him chocolate chip banana bread muffins to eat on our way home). After dinner it was figuring out the golf simulator in our basement. 

The next morning he woke up in our house and drove his car for the first time in two months to the high school soccer game. We met him there after the parade and watched the second half. They lost in the last 5 minutes of the game after leading 1-0 the entire game. What I'm realizing now is what a gift last season truly was for him and their team. After that, Tom and Austen went to Ruth Lake to play golf before Tom had to be home for Peyton's HoCo pictures. Austen went out with some of his old high school soccer buddies who were in town then had them over for a bit. 

Peyton went to pics then boarded a party bus to take the to dinner and then to the dance and then to the after party. We were awaiting her call to get picked up from the party when Austen came downstairs (he had gone to bed) to let us know that Peyton wanted him to pick her up. What a nice brother to go and get her. 

The next morning, we made a big breakfast and then Austen finished some homework while Tom cut the grass and I headed to the grocery store. Papa came over to visit with Austen and try out the golf simulator. We ended up doing an early dinner at Grill 89 before Tom drove Austen back to school around 4pm. Saying goodbye again was almost more difficult the second time since I know I won't see him for another 7 weeks (until Thanksgiving). Tom will get eyes on him one more time before then when he heads down there for Dad's weekend in 3 weeks. 

It was a great weekend. Peyton had fun at her dance. Austen got recharged at home. Hailey had a bday party to attend, and Tom and I had all of our kids under one roof again. What could be better?!

Peyton & Trevor

All ready to go!

 

Peyton's HoCo Preview

Peyton & Trevor

Homecoming week is a busy week especially for the cheerleaders. However, I would be remiss if I didn't mention a few weeks before that she got asked to Homecoming by a sophomore boy. He is a golfer on the Hinsdale Central golf team. They had been planning to go for a bit but she was just waiting for the ask. He did a great job finding out her order from Starbucks for her "Refresher." Actually, any boy that asks a girl to Homecoming these days does a great job because this ask is a lot - it's not just a text of hey, will you go to Homecoming with me. So I give them all a lot of credit!

Peyton peeking through the crowd at the parade

Onto Homecoming week - cheer practice, spray tans, nail appointments, cheer games (sophomore and varsity) and Homecoming Parade all before the big dance. Peyton did them all including a stellar halftime performance where she showcases her tumbling (she's on the left wiping her hands!) and then follow her to the front row on the right for jumps and second row for the dance part. Finally, if you can track her, she's one of the main bases flipping and lifting the middle flyer. She did a great job and her cheering has really come a long way.