Much, much too old for this!

Last night I played in my first official hockey game in about 15 years! As you know from my previous blog posts I have been helping out with my local rink's Little Penguin Learn To Play program. It felt natural to be out there playing again, and I was looking forward to joining a team!

I got a call asking about joining a team a couple days ago. I originally wanted to play with younger kids/teens because that is more my speed. Unfortunately, there wasn't any spots in that division so I was asked to play with the adults (or big boys as I call them)! A little unsure I said "yes" and very late last night I headed to my first real game! I need to give a big thank you to my wonderful neice Desiree for coming over to sit at the house while I was gone!

It's a little lonely being the only girl on an all boys team. I have to get dressed in my very own dressing room...alone! And rarely anyone talks to me. I don't know what the big deal is about changing around men or vice versa. I already have a t-shirt on and shorts under my jeans, so it's not like I get naked and plus when you've seen one man...you basically have seen them all...they all look the same! lol But anyway I got ready alone. Oh and I got my very own jersey and socks...which was exciting, and made it ever so "real!"

So then it was time for the big game. I wasn't nervous at all and was actually really excited! Our team isn't very full, so there are only three players who sit on the bench at one time. Which means you play a majority of the game....3- 20 minute periods! YIKES!

The game started and I nearly died seeing how fast the other team was! I come to find out that they are very experienced high school hockey players! What the heck did I get myself into?! The first period trying to keep up to these men was super exhausting! I'm not an overly religious person, but found myself sitting on the bench trying to catch my breath and praying that I either didn't throw up or pass out! lol

When I played hockey in the past there was always an ambulance there in case something happened. Last night there wasn't one, and I honestly thought I was going to have a heart attack and I was going to die right there among a bunch of clueless high school teenagers! lol I was also beginning to panic when I didn't even see one of those glass cases that hold a Heart Defibulator! I was seeing stars and thought I was doomed! lol  I honestly wanted to quit during that first period, but I would never do that because I was part of a team that depended on me! Normally I play defense, which requires a lot of skating backwards, but they were just too darn fast and I spent most of my time just trying to keep up!

By the third period I was physically exhausted! When it was time for a line change I would just roll over the boards and onto the bench! Then I would go out there and last maybe a minute and would need to sit back down...it was crazy! I continued to pray that the time would just go by quickly, and eventually it did! After an excruciating hour it was finally over! And at 11:30 pm nonetheless! I find out that the oldest person on our team according to one of the other guys, is 30-years-old which to them is old! Apparently they think I'm in my early twenties, but will be 33-years-old in just a couple days!

With the late games and priorities as a mom, I'm not sure if I'm going to continue. My team wants me to come back, but I'm still unsure. I would love to continue playing because it's such a great workout, but apparently I'm the only one with parental obligations! The other players go out to the bar after the game and don't have to get up the next morning at 7 am to pack lunches and get a 5-year-old ready for school! And speaking of getting up...I could barely move this morning...I'm hurting in places that I've never hurt before! lol

But to sum up my night and just to give you an idea of just how excruciating it was...I told my husband I would rather give birth to 100 babies than have to endure that again! lol And the two births that I experienced were very long and very, very painful! lol

You're In Steeler Country

It's hard to find a street in my area that is not decorated with Steeler decorations! You'll find several houses that aren't decorated (including mine), but you can't go far without seeing the black and gold!

Even though I am not a football fan, I wanted to share some of my favorite local decorations!

They put a lot of effort and detail into decorating this house!

 I didn't catch it at the time but Alex yelled from the backseat...look at that giant bottle of "hot sauce!" It's not hot sauce, but Heinz Ketchup (a Pittsburgh made product)! I tried to convince him that it was "ketchup" but he didn't believe me! ;) I have seen a lot of inflatable decorations over the years, but never a giant ketchup bottle! lol

 Here is another view of the house. I love how they have made goal lines/yard lines (I think that is what they are called) in the grass. Usually we have snow, so that is probably why I have never noticed them before!

 Also to the side of their yard they have a little black and gold graveyard! Tomorrow they will probably be adding a "Green Bay" tombstone! ;)

 Here is another house. Love the sign: "You're In Steeler Country!"

I really wanted to get a photo of the sign that was hung at a local restaurant. It said we are now serving "Roethlis-burgers!"

Apparently it is a burger named after our quarterback Ben Roethlisberger! :)

Unfortunately, the sign was no longer up, so I couldn't get a photo for you!

I probably will not be watching the game...I'll probably flip back and forth. I'm just not a football kind of girl!

Also, I was surprised to hear that Pittsburgh City Schools have a 2 hour delay in the morning! And this is just because of the Superbowl! I'm glad that we live outside of the city. I would be upset if our school was delayed for something as stupid as football! But like I said before Pittsburgers take their football very seriously! ;)

Have a safe and fun Superbowl Sunday!

Here We Go

Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go, Pittsburgh's Going To The Superbowl!"

Ok let me go back to yesterday.....

My husband picked up Ben from school and around 4:15 he handed me a note from Ben's teacher. The note said that she was having a last minute Superbowl Party at school the following day and it would be great if I can contribute to this party! We had to leave for hockey practice at 5:00, so I only had 45 minutes to run to Walmart to get these supplies for the party! I knew that I could have gone after practice, but I actually help teach the kids to play, and knew that I couldn't go to the store smelling all sweaty and nasty.

Sidenote: The way you smell after playing hockey is the worst smell possible. I knew I could not go out in public smelling that way! ;)

Anyway, this is what I grabbed at the store. I'm not a football fan, so hopefully this will work for a Kindergarten Superbowl Party.

Have you seen these cute football shaped Little Debbie's Brownies? They are sooo adorable and very tasty!

I also bought black and yellow Pittsburgh Steeler tortilla chips! Yes, we have our own Steeler Tortilla Chips that comes out this time of year.

And of course I had to get Steeler napkins and plates!

And then I went to the party store. I wanted each of the kids to have something that was fun and something that they could take home with them. So I bought black and gold Mardis Gras beads! I'm just hoping that they do not know the real use of Mardis Gras beads or we may have a huge problem on our hands! lol ;)

I also came up with a little game for the party. At the party store I bought a little penalty flag, which is like a weighted type of flag. I thought it would be perfect for playing either hot potato or used to throw at a target like a garbage can.

People in Pittsburgh really take their football seriously...it's like a religion! I'll blog more about that tomorrow. But yesterday being Thursday was crazy with people rummaging through all of the Steeler merchandise at Walmart and the party store! It was nuts!

Will you be watching the big game on Sunday? Who are you rooting for?

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Winter here in South Western Pennsylvania sure can be beautiful but sometimes it's just an inconvenience!

I don't have 4 wheel drive, so when I can venture out, I love looking at the beautiful snowy landscape!

Yes, I know that this is dangerous...but sometimes I like to take photos when I drive! lol Here is a shot of the beautiful trees that surrounded the highway!

 While I was driving I came across a bunch of black crows on the side of the road. I loved the contrast between the black birds and the snow. So I turned around and came back and they had already flown away! So here is a shot of them speckled among the trees.

Here is one of my favorite roads! And I especially love it in the Fall! The trees lining this back country road are just beautiful!

Wouldn't you just love a big beautiful house along this road? I know I would!

Also along this road was a farm, and I believe there was a pond under all of this snow! Why else would there be geese in the Winter? They must love this road as much as I do, because aren't they supposed to fly South when it's cold?

Hopefully it's warm in your part of the world. We are supposed to get a huge snowstorm either tomorrow or the following day!