For the love of the game

Hockey. Formerly this would have been posted as "For Nick's love of the game", but since meeting and marrying Nick I have come to enjoy and even love watching the game. Don't let me fool you, I wasn't exactly hard to convince since I grew up watching my Dad and brother play. But back then it was just about running around the rink playing and drinking hot chocolate. Now I actually pay attention to who's playing, and for the most part I understand everything that's going on.

Nick and I playing a friendly game with the Schow family Christmas 2007

Nick with His Uncles Ernie & Brad, and cousin Vincent after playing hockey Christmas 2008

Nick started playing hockey when he was just a little kid so I guess you could say he was raised to be a hockey player, it's in his blood. When he was little his dream was to make it to the NHL. Unfortunately that didn't quite happen, so he gets his fill from Men's League hockey, and watching his beloved Oilers play. We try to get tickets for a game once a year, because (atleast for me) it is so much funner to watch it in person!

This year Nick played in a Men's league with a bunch of his friends

When the games weren't too late at night Kay, me & Erin would come out to support our husbands

This was the second Oilers game Nick and I went to together, our first was with Tom and Ashley. For this game Melvin & Kay scored us some sweet free tickets!

Watching the team go back to the ice inbetween periods. Go Oilers!

I love Rexall Place. Pretty much any seat in the house is a great seat!

Nick and I hit up an Oilers game on our 2 year anniversary just a couple weeks ago :)

I figure a post about hockey wouldn't be complete without pictures of the injuries that come along with the sport. When Nick and I were first dating, he got high-sticked in the face and I had to take him to the emergency room for stitches in his lip. It took four and a half hours, and from that experience we learned never to go to the University Hospital. It's WAY too busy there! A month before Nick and I got married he took another hit to the face and had to get more stitches on the side of his jaw. The scar is quite visible in some of our wedding pictures... Then, about a month and a half after our wedding he got high-sticked in the face yet again, and required more stitches on the front of his chin (sure glad this one didn't happen pre-wedding!). In 7 short months, we had 3 emergency trips and 18 stitches total.

When we were first dating, this was his first set of stitches to his lip.

Pretty gross close-up.

This was after we were married, stitches set number three!

This year because Nick now has braces I finally convinced him to wear a full-cage on his helmet so his whole face is protected. He agreed with me that thousands of dollars of orthodontic work is worth protecting. And I can gladly report that he has agreed to wear it indefinitely. Whoo Hoo! Hopefully our days to the Emergency Room can be over forever.

Congrats & Happy Birthday Nick!

Happy Birthday Nicholas, I love you! Just a few days before Nick's birthday, he finished his last exams at NAIT, and graduated from the Electrical Apprenticeship program. He is officially a Journeyman Electrician, and we are so excited!!! I am so proud of him, congrats honey!

Nick's parents took us out for dinner at the Olive Garden to celebrate

Nick had wanted the Nixon "Graduate" watch, and considering the event we were celebrating, I figured it was a perfect graduation/birthday gift! (He is too spoiled...)

Nick's birthday was on March 29, so I am a couple weeks behind in getting this post up. Ohwell, I guess better late than never, right? On the 28th, Brandon & Kalli came up from Calgary to hang out with us and stay over at our house. Shay came with Kalli and I and we went shopping at West Ed for a bit, then met up with the boys for dinner at Red Robins. We came back to our place after and played games. Sunday morning we got up and had a big birthday breakfast for Nick, then Brandon & Kalli had to leave. After church Nick's parents, and sister Alysha & her boyfriend Mike came over. We had cake and icecream and just had a good time visiting. Nick's parents gave him money to get a new hockey bag, and he's pretty excited for that, he needs a new one really bad!

Brandon & Kalli - we miss you - come visit more often!

Blowing out all 27 of his candles!

Nick opening his presents....nice bed head, hey :)

Nick with his two little cousins; Jaylin & Kyla - helping him blow out the candles on his second cake

A few days after Nick's birthday we got together with a bunch of our couple friends and went bowling. The boys played on one lane, and the girls on another, but we learned that we could hold our own pretty well. A couple of us (namely me...) even beat our husband's score! Haha Nick is usually pretty good and I'm just average, but I fluked out and did really good during our second game. He was pretty peeved...

The boys: Albert, Mac, Melvin, Ben & Nick (hamming it up in front)

The girls: Shay, me, Kay, Christa and Melanie (Kay and Christa are both prego---too cute!)