Gooooooooold!!!!!

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Malin

I don’t think I ever been so nervous and excited as I was yesterday when Knut and his Wilmette Braves was played the Wolves Cup final in Northern Illinois Hockey League. When we arrived at the ice rink in Joliet the entrance was covered with balloons and confetti hanging from the ceiling and a light show before all the players was introduced and handed over a rose to their mothers.

It was an even game although Wilmette had more shots and chances on goal when the third period started it was still 0-0 and then the Admirals scored the first goal and my heart just dropped thinking this was it. I think the boys wanted to win so badly so at the next faceoff Wilmette gets the puck and scores and we are back in the game again.

They kept on fighting and when there was about 2 minutes or so left of the game Knut scores the third goal and we won 3-1. All the parents were so proud and we were cheering and clapping for our team when me and Freddie was approach by one of the representative from the NIHL telling us that Knut had won the “Most Valuable Player” award and that we were going out on the ice to meet Knut when he got his trophy.

The Wolves Cup Champions 2013

After the game three players were interviewed and when Knut got the question “why he started to play hockey” he answered, “Well…I guess I was born to play hockey”. Haha…Don’t you just love the honesty of an eight year old and I must say I am a very proud and happy mom! It has truly been a fantastic season and all the hard work that the lads have put in really paid off. We have had a lot of fun and we have got to know great kids and great parent…Thanks again for a very entertaining and great hockey season!

Now we are going outside to enjoy the beautiful weather and just hang with the kids.

Hanging with the kids on the ice rink

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Malin

I could not for my life fall asleep last night and it started with the rainstorm that kept me awake half the night and I when the temperature dropped this animal started screaming outside my window. I don’t think my head was not turned on straight as I thought maybe a cat got tuck on the rink and frozen it’s tiny paws to the ice!!! Hmm…good thing I got a sleep in this morning as the kids had another day off school today as well as t there was no animals in sight anywhere near our house, thank god!

I managed to convince Knut to come with me to Life Time Fitness this morning. He is getting too old for the childcare and think it is boring, so I did a four mile run and I wanted to be done fast knowing that he wasn’t enjoying himself that much. I always do intervals and started 1 minute running at 7.0 and 1 minute at 7.5. And then I increased the speed every five minutes i.e. 7.1 and 7.6 till I got to 7.5 and 8.0. At that point I just kept on increasing the speed till I hit my four miles and I think I finished roughly at 32 minutes.

When we got home we had lunch and then we spent a good hour skating together and we had so much fun. Yesterday Mira got an ice skating outfit for her American Girl Doll as it was her 6^th birthday so she was practicing with “Elisabet” while me and Knut was playing hockey. I never realized how much of your “lats” you actually use shooting the puck but it was a gently reminded as they are very sore from yesterday’s workout 🙂

I will never ever be able to skate as fast as Knut that just flew over the edge…lol

(he was ok and laughed)

A record breaking week!

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Malin

This morning Mira woke me up by calling for me and as I turn around in bed I could feel yesterdays workout. Moving one limb at the time I was assessing how bad it was and realize it was pretty bad but not as bad that I couldn’t make it over to Life Time Fitness for a run.

Over at the gym it was a free trial weekend and there was cars parked everywhere and I had difficulties finding a treadmill that was not occupied. With Thursday fresh in my mind of my next-door neighbor running like there was no tomorrow I could not do any less than my record time of 5k in 25 minutes. So I started my run by doing intervals and five minutes into it I felt I really had to go to the loo. I’m not sure what distracted me more from the boredom of running on a treadmill, was it the need of a wee or that every leap I took my legs were hurting. Anyhow I kept on running because I had a goal to achieve and I kept on increasing the speed of the intervals. When I passed the five mile mark I realized I could make 6 miles under 50 minutes and I cranked up again and finished 6 miles under 49 minutes a new record!

On stumbling legs I’m now going to watch my hero play his Saturday soccer game…Go Wilmette Wings!

My true inspiration!

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Malin

If I would to describe my family I would say that we are a sports orientated family. I started practicing gymnastic at a very young age and if I wasn’t in a gymnasium I was stretching, throwing a ball or a pair of clubs in our living room (my dad actually claimed I cracked a floor beam from doing the splits in midair, he never had any real proof).

This is not me by the way!

Freddie was a very good soccer player and he used to drive 60 miles one way to make it to practice during his military service. He is a huge Manchester United and Chicago Blackhawks fan and he and Knut will set the alarm for 6am on a Saturday and then they snuggle up on the couch to watch the games!

So both Mira and Knut are doing a lot of “activities”, more Mira so then Knut who has moved into travel soccer and travel hockey (this is no longer an activity, this is a commitment). And even that he is only eight years old the leagues are very competitive and very demanding. He practices a lot and normally they have one to three games on the weekend. Knut also takes semi private group lessons before school once a week and he makes sure himself that he sets the alarm the night before. He seldom complains about getting up in the morning or going to a practice and when it happens I still have to drag him off the ice so he wont be late for the school bus. This year him and his team has worked their little butts off and yesterday they received the banner that the club will hang in the ceiling of the ice rink for winning the Presidents Cup 2012-2013.

Go Wilmette Braves!

There is nothing more that inspires me than my children…they are funny, they are bright and just simply awesome!

The last game

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Malin

Yesterday Knut played his last game before the playoffs, and what a season. It has really been a pleasure watching the kids develop throughout this year and lets hope they’ll bring home their own “Stanley Cup”…

After the game Knut went to a friend’s house and me and Freddie managed to squeeze in an hour at the gym and that Brazilian workout made it self reminded as I was climbing he stairs on the Stairmaster. As soon as we got home we opened up the rink in our backyard. Freddie was skating with Mira and she is really starting to get fast. She keeps on saying she wants to do the “other” hockey…figure skating that is but we’ll see. Annika came over with her family to skate and those who no longer practice ice skating could watch the children from inside celebrating Grandma Barbro’s birthday with a glass of champagne!

2013-02-02 20.06.32

Wilmette Braves is awesome!!!

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Malin

Last night we all went to bed real early because we were supposed to have a game at 6am on an ice-rink half an hour away from the hotel. At 9pm the other team handed in a forfeit so we ended up not having to get up at 4am. Trying to be ambitious I thought I get up early to get a workout in, but it just didn’t happen (I am a bit bummed). I was so tired; I think spending a few days at a water park with a hockey team really takes it toll. We checked out and the rest of the day we spent at different ice-rinks and it turns out the lads did really well and we won silver. Wohoo Go Braves!

We didn’t leave Wisconsin Dells till around 4-ish and the weather was just god-awful and it took forever to drive back. Around 6.30 we realized it would be way to late to make dinner once we got home, so we stopped over at Rockford and ended up in a restaurant called Thunder Bay Grill. I ordered in a plane stake with broccoli and guacamole, a lot of protein and right up my alley. Tomorrow is a new week and I am charged up to make it a good one!

steak

Bringing my own food was not a bad Idea!

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Malin

So our first game was at 7am this morning at an ice arena in a land, far far away so the alarm went off at 5am. This is ok for me, but I normally have to drag my kids out of bed at 7.45 to get ready for the bus so they were not exactly flying out bed.

There is nothing fancy or romantic with bringing your own food to a hotel but I mixed my oats with water and put it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. I have to admit that porridge do taste better when you make it in a pot but my omelet was fine. On our way to the ice arena we stopped by and picked up some McBreakfast and jeez compare to that the microwaved porridge was like a gourmet breakfast. 2013-01-26 05.30.03