Julie was back home for a short time...

Julie hanging in the crowd with Aunt Colleen, cousin Erin and hockey fanatic Chris!My how they are all so alike...scary!
Sandwiched between the two Uncles that usually end up putting her in a garbage can!
Hanging around with her favorite Uncles and Aunt...

Godmommy Julie was back from New Zealand for a short time over the holidays and managed to swing by for a couple of visits and see Jenny and Emma play a couple of hockey games!

Now she has jetted off out West in search of Canadian employment...although I really don't think teaching scuba diving and extreme sports are quite what the Western education system is looking for in a teacher! I'm sure she'll wow them with everything else she knows how to do!

We wish you all the best Jules!

Walker Family Christmas

Christmas in the Grove this year...lots of fun! (although we missed you, Trevor!) Trevor, however, had a good excuse for missing this year's festivities...he is engaged to Melissa and was busy meeting and greeting his betrothed family and friends.














Just me and my bro's...Katie leaving again soon for Vienna...boo hoo!






























Henry and sister-in-law Jane just can't handle all of us Walker's at once!


I honestly forgot that I was wearing the hat!




Merry Ho Ho...until next year!

Family skate with Henry's hockey team

Michael, Jenny, Emma, and Henry getting ready to skate...

Karin: waiting for me to stop taking pictures of everyone and skate with her...Casey: ready to push us along!
Henry: looking as if he should be coaching or something!
Jenny, I'm sure telling Tyler what to do:

A short time ago, Henry's men's league hockey team invited all the families to come out and skate. A fun night was had by all!

Karin and Casey and all of their children were there...Michael and Jenny zipped around with cousin Emma. It took me a while to get a picture of friend, Tyler, upright instead of on his butt!

Yes, even I skated...I found it funny that Casey came up behind Karin and I and told us that if we wanted to talk, we had to skate faster (I'm almost positive that he was insinuating something here...)

International Silver Stick Champions!

ELGIN MIDDLESEX CHIEFS

2008 BANTAM AAA INTERNATIONAL SILVER STICK PORT HURON MICHIGAN ''CHAMPION''

The Elgin Middlesex Chiefs made it to the finals to play against No. 1 ranked Detroit's Little Caesar's and came away with a 3 - 1 victory!

Michael played and received the MVP for the game.

"Elgin Middlesex received a strong goaltending performance from Mike Roefs to earn the title.

Roefs earned the Bill Lalley Memorial Award for his effort as the championship game MVP."

As quoted from the newspaper article below...

Here is the write up from the Michigan newspaper...

Bantam AAA Silverstick Champions!

International Silver Stick Finalists!

Michael's team is going on to the finals in the International Silver Stick Championship game this afternoon at 5:00. They will play Detroit's Little Caesars; the top ranked team in North America.

For $14.95, you, too, can watch from the comfort of your own home on your computer as I will be!

International Silver Stick Bantam AAA Chiefs Championship game

Tournaments galore!

Still waiting to download all my photos from Jenny's amazing tournament last weekend. They made it to the finals, played a great game but lost with an empty netter at the end 2 - 0.

Will post photos tomorrow if I can find my camera!

Michael is at Silver stick in Port Huron this week (Thursday - Sunday). I stayed home with Jenny and her three hockey ice times on tap for the week, but thanks to technology, we can pay and watch online (although the reception can be intermittent which sucks when it goes into overtime and you miss the goal!) However, the boys beat the Toronto Marlies tonight and advance to the semi's tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. You can see all the match-ups at the web site below:

Bantam AAA Silver Stick

Mom's best friend...

Henry is temporarily out of the dog-house! (although I still don't quite trust the van starting!)

He decided he had heard enough complaining, and bought me a new man that cleans floors. (I decided it was of the masculine gender just so I could enjoy the idea a little bit more)

His name is "Robbie"...yes, I named my new best friend.I have wanted this vacuum for two years, and it was the only item on my Christmas list this year (to further emphasize how much I REALLY wanted it).

Yes, husbands sometimes listen...and yes, sometimes actually follow through!

For those of you that know that cleaning is not my forte...this is a huge breakthrough for our family and our floors!

Long live the dust bunny!

Happy New Year!

With hockey over for a full four days (we lost in the quarter finals...Chicago won the whole thing), we can now prepare for the new year.

Time to bake rum cake and take our bathing suits (for the hot tub) to go visit friends tonight.

on we go...

1 - 0 win for the Chiefs!


We won against the team that finished first in their division (we were 8th - wildcard)

Michael had a great game in net, and even successfully faced a late third-period penalty shot!

On we go...playing yet another game today at 9:15 p.m...

When Jenny isn't lounging in the hotel pool and hot-tub, she fully supports her brother...

Wildcard...

Scoring 11 goals in our first game helps us get a wildcard to the next round in the tournament...

We will play the Mississauga Senators at 4:00...

Toronto Holiday Classic

No...this isn't a movie. This is where/how the Roefs spend their holidays!


At this point, Michael's team is 3 and 1 and awaiting a wild-card decision to move on this afternoon after a loss of 2-1 in this mornings game against Chicago Mission (last year's tournament champions).

Here is the web-site for anyone wishing to follow along...

Toronto Holiday Classic

Merry Christmas!

When decorating for the Christmas season, I came across a bag that held our 'long-lost' nativity.
Digging into the bag, I only found one Wiseman and the baby Jesus in the manger.

I wasn't going to put them out, as I was missing the rest of the ensemble.

However, this is what Henry said:

"I'm sure if you put them out, the rest will come..."

Happy Holidays everyone!

Breakfast Sunday!

Jim, this is for you...

Breakfast at church IS this Sunday (Dec. 16)

It was really nice to run into you, Jeff and Sandra and have lunch with you all last week!

THAT is what I like about the holidays...spending time with friends (even if it is just a surprise quick visit)

Convenience...

Everything we expect and demand of our vehicles:

Reliability...

Convenience...

Dependability...

To be able to pay off the car loan and actually own the vehicle for at least a moderate amount of time...

That 'time' is coming close to fruition for our van.

That is why I know that our van is becoming the roulette game of chance on whether or not it wants to start. By the way, it is temperamental in the fact that it likes to 'act-up' with me, rather than Henry (probably because Henry knows how to knock it around and make it go again)

Problem, that apparently is just a little wrench fix away from solving (do you hear the sarcasm here???) If this is so simple, why, oh why has it not been permanently fixed during the last week or so???? Anyhow, I digress:

Battery cables lose their effectiveness over time. As the copper in the cable ages, it loses its conductive properties. Cuts or mars in the rubber jacket can also expose the cable and allow it to oxidize. The ends and terminals corrode. If you are experiencing hard starting or no starting, our new battery cables may be the solution.

Nooooooooooo.....

After achieving a masters degree in battery 'adjustment' via the University of Henry crash course, I felt quite confident and was able to solve the 'van won't start honey' dilemma (four times in the past two days!) I just needed to move this 'thingie'.

Apparently, I did not read the fine print in my degree stating that there was a statute of limitations. It ran out tonight after visiting with my friend Shelley. For being naughty, the van is spending the night in a 'time-out' in her driveway.

Of course, it was my night to carpool for hockey. However, stay calm...focus...I am a mother...Plan A: rent a car (NEVER ask Husband before you do this), Plan B: telephone for another ride and BEG.

Did I mention that Henry is far away with Jenny at her hockey tournament for the weekend?

Right about now, I'm thinking this is a good thing.

sad, but so true...

IS YOUR KID'S HOCKEY TAKING OVER YOUR LIFE???

· You base the next purchase of your new vehicle on whether it will hold six kids, six sticks, and six hockey bags.

· You know the location of every Tim Horton's within a 400 mile radius.

· You relate directions to places by the nearest arena.

· Knows every single kid on every single team your child has ever played on... But doesn't have a clue who his school mates are.

· You feel lost when you have a free weekend.

· Your spouse waits until you decide where to sit and then chooses a spot on the opposite side of arena.

· You become a partner in a skate sharpening business to save money (we actually priced a machine last week!).

· Can justify complaining about someone who gives hundreds of hours of volunteer time to your son or daughter.

· You ground your kids for a week (except for hockey practice).

· Can rationalize spending $159 on a new goalie stick for a 13 year old (and new goalie pads, and new helmet), but won't spend $5 on a Birthday card for his wife.

· When someone asks how old your children are you respond, "I have a '94 and a '97."

· Has had to use a family member/neighbor to take kid #1 to a tournament because Dad was in a Different province with kid #2 at a tournament and Mom had kid #3 two provinces away in a 3rd tournament all in one weekend.

· Has more miles on '05 minivan than a '66 Chevy

· Practices make up a very large part of your social life.

· You buy gloves according to how loud you can clap in them.

· You find yourself missing the parents of your child's team mates during the off-season.

· You refuse to make any plans with your friends until you check your kids' hockey schedule.

· Takes out a home loan to pay for all the equipment and expenses.

· Plans birth of next child so he has a good hockey birthday.

· New baby's first word is Zamboni.

· All computer passwords begin with "hockey" or contain child's number.

· Has been barred from more than one rink on more than one occasion

· Purchases new $135.00 stick because old one "didn't have any saves left in it."

· Knows a few 5 year olds that are good but "lack focus".

· Has had kids ask if Christmas is "home or away".

· Asked to decide between try-out and first communion - asked church what his options were.

· Received a letter from AAA Automobile Club and called for more info about tryouts.

See you at the rink!

Evolution

Teenagers with time on hands...
"I wonder if all of us could fit into the vehicle?"

Parents...
"Time for one more?"
(notice that Henry is right in the middle so that he can access more than one Pitcher?)

"Another round please!"



In the end, we were all happy.

i.e. The Chiefs won the Tim Horton's Hamilton Tournament!

out with the old...

Just like that...Jenny decided to redo her room...

nouveau teen mag decor is so passee...

Jenny's room is under 'construction' again and probably will remain a government project (no completion date), as there is no money in the budget to repave this particular section of road (yes, the powers that be decided to allow kitchen upgrades i.e. new fridge and stove-we'll have to devote a complete posting for that event!)

After months of wall to wall teen magazine pictures, many people are surprised to see the lovely decorating scheme underneath. It's like peeling back shaggy carpet and finding beautiful hardwood (well, maybe not...but you get my drift)

when you just can't do anymore laundry or dishes...

As the rest of the week will be spent at hockey arenas, I sat down in front of the TV tonight and decided to watch something new.

This new show, called Dragon's Den is quite something. It is on CBC.

Canadian people show up in front of five millionaires and pitch for money to market/sell their product.

Of course, the topper of the evening went to Gene Simmons Family Jewels
This show is hysterical and everyone in our family loves to watch it. You can't help but break out with laughter (which everyone needs at the end of a long Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday....)

shut up and drive!

I'm proud to say...Just like her mother at a concert!

For Jenny's birthday, we went to a concert on Sunday.

How appropriate that one of the songs is the story of my life...shut up and drive!

Rihanna and Akon were actually pretty good in concert...I only sound a little surprised because they aren't the 'old-school' concert 'bands' that you know are going to be good (like Van Halen...hint, hint Henry)

S.O.S and Umbrella were also awesome.

Michael and Jenny seemed to enjoy Akon better, but I didn't know as many of his songs as Rihanna's.

Jenny was very happy to take her friend, Katie...

as Henry opted out of this excursion...

(and I quote...)

Henry: who is she? (we listen to her songs in the van...)
Henry: that's not music (gee, sounds like MY father)
Henry: I'm not going to go.
Michael: Are you nuts???? She's HOT!!!!

THAT SHE IS...



And Akon isn't bad either!

you know it's time to go to bed when...

I was sorting papers tonight as Henry was annoyingly channel surfing from Futurama to Blue Jays along with a myriad of other flashes of night-time TV nothingness. My annoyance and my sorting came to an abrupt halt as I heard the opening notes of one of my favorite cartoons; Pinky and the Brain. After so many years, Henry knew to leave it right there and put down the remote! Needless to say, we spent a wonderful half-hour chuckling.
For those of you not familiar with this procrastinative past-time of watching cartoons, let me tell you that no average schmuck produced this baby. Spielberg himself is the executive producer on this one. Pinky and the Brain is a Spin-off of Animaniacs, produced by Warner Brothers. Pinky and The Brain are lab mice. One is brilliant the other is a drooling idiot (the tall skinny one: his laugh cracks me up every single time). The plot isn't too complicated (otherwise, why would Henry and I watch it at 9:30 at night?): they do the same thing they do every night: try to take over the world. Unfortunately, they always sabotage their own wacky plans and have to try again the next night.

Works for me...