September

September marks back to school and the beginning of hockey. Calder started grade 3 at Ecole Holy Mary in Martensville. This brand new school just opened up and offers French Immersion. We did a couple of biking practice runs and because of it Calder and his buddy, Kohen, even got to ride their bikes on a number of days. He is loving the freedom and the decreased time on the bus when he isn't riding.

Hockey got going at the end of August with 3-on-3. It was pretty exciting for Calder as he got to play on the same team with his school buddy, Blake. Blake lives in Saskatoon, so they hadn't gotten to play hockey together before this point.

At the end of August, we got a new addition to our family. Brad is playing with the Saskatoon Blades and is billeting with us. When Brad first arrived at our house none of us were home, so we gave him the code to our key pad. Once he hauled in his stuff, he had a look around at our family pictures on the wall. I can't imagine what it would be like to arrive at a home where you knew nothing about the people, but knew you were going to spend a better part of half a year living with them. Hugh was the first one home and immediately went down the stairs to Brad's room to introduce himself. Brad wasn't exactly sure what to think, as the man he saw in our photos was not the terrorist bearded guy in front of him!

In the picture above Calder wrangled Brad into helping make some sort of Pokemon card map. I guess I shouldn't really say wrangled. Brad is so great with our kids and truly likes to spend time with them. In fact, the only 3-on-3 games and tiering sessions of Calder's that Brad missed where the ones where he had his own hockey. Brad is so great with the kids that on the way in to one particular tiering session, I was carrying coffees for Hugh and I and happened to look back. Brad had gotten Lawson out of her seat as she was on his side of the van and then he grabbed my rink backpack at her feet and was carrying it. Some time after I locked the van Calder had persuaded Brad to carry his bag, so he also had that over his shoulder. To top it all off, Lawson was dawdling and there were cars wanting to pass them in the parking lot, so Brad was herding her with his foot! Brad also been known to fold our laundry, empty the dishwasher, clean up supper, accompany me on my weekly Costco run, and plays endlessly with the kids among other things. I may be calling him my manny behind his back. 

Calder and I got to have date night to the Blades' home opener as Hugh had to be at the rink for tiering. Calder is so in love with Brad and the Blades that even if he doesn't go to the games he listens on his radio until he falls asleep. There was even one night that when Hugh and I got home he was still listening to the post-game show. We have started watching some of Brad's away games online which Calder also enjoys!

We spent one fall afternoon at the race track. It was really a great time and I want to remember to do this with the kids again. We knew a bunch of people at the track and it was nice to be outside on such a great fall day.

Boone did great at the track. He didn't cry and only whined a bit. These are his favorite things to do. And he is really good at them. He also doesn't love to be outside, particularly when it might not be that warm, so the smile on his face says it all. Also, the fact that he isn't looking at the camera is saying something. I have very few "good" photos of Boone. He truly is his own guy.

Lawson spent most of the race on my knee bundled under a blanket. Lawson is a sucker for her mama and loves to sit on my lap or be carried. This can be exhausting, but I do my best not to complain as it is all I wanted after having experienced the opposite with Calder. Also, I have the circulation of a 90 year old, so I appreciated the blanket and mini heater on my lap.

There was an NHL pre-season game in Saskatoon in September. I honestly can't remember who Edmonton played. All of the Blades got tickets. One of the players had the flu, so Brad was able to muster up the sick player's ticket and asked if he could take Calder. Not only was Calder at an NHL game with Brad, he was seated with all of the Blades. He was SO excited. I asked Brad for some pictures and I got a number of Snaps. This was the best of the lot :-)