Work Hard and You Shall Be Rewarded

Awards and Praise and Accolaides have never been a high priority in my life and we've never pushed our kids to be THE best - we incourage them to be the best they can be and do what they love to do....and hopefully they do it with passion and determination. Parents who live through their childrens accomplishments have always irritated us. This doesn't mean I don't love to brag on my kids about their accomplishments!!! Face it. I love being a dance mom with medals around my neck at competitions. I love hearing my kids called up to receive trophies and medals at bowling banquets and I love getting letters in the mail saying basically - your kid rocks! It's been a good spring, full of awards, praise and accolaides!

Dancing - my kiddos love to dance. Emily LIVES to dance. She dances with passion and determination to be the best....this is her choice. Her groups earned a bronze and a gold medal at the Brandon competion. Owen LOVES to dance and it's bizzare that this shy little kid has absolutely no problems getting up on stage and preforming. It's fun stuff and he enjoys it. His group earned a silver at the competition. Tyler used to dance and maybe one day he will dance again. I don't think he has that deep love like Emily or gets the enjoyment out of it like Owen and it was his choice not to dance this year. It was a hard choice for him to make....and it was a heartbreaking one for me to hear - but ultimately it was his choice and I'm proud of him for making a choice that was right for him at the time.

Bowling - my kiddos love to bowl. Emily, Tyler & Aarica all participated in at least one if not many tournaments this year. Tyler's 3some team placed 2nd at provincials this spring and he went to the bowler of the year tournament representing his age group from Gimli this year. At the banquet both Tyler and Owen racked up handfuls (and then some) of tropies and awards - they both won Bowler of the Year and high single in their age group, Tyler won most improved bowler for the Jr catagory, Owen won high double & high average trophies. Owen and Uncle Russel won in their catagory durring the family tournament and for the second year in a row Tyler and I won the family tournament in our catagory. I was extremely proud of Emily, who watched her brothers receive trophy after trophy while she did not. The look on her face was one of disapointment but she receives from me the highest praises for being a graceful sport about it all. She perked up though when she received a perfect attendance medal and a handful of badges as did the boys. Aarica's banquet is a couple weeks - I've never been to the special o banquet so I'm not sure what sort if any awards & trophies they hand out but whether she brings home the hardwear or not - for her first year of bowling, she did amazingly well. We are proud of all our little bowlers!!!

In the middle of March, I got a phone call from one of the hockey reps in our area asking about Tyler's reffing the past year. He had been chosen by Interlake Minor Hockey to receive an award from Manitoba Hockey. We didn't tell Tyler and waited till the letter came addressed to him from Manitoba Hockey in mid April. The look on his face was priceless when it finally sunk in that he was being given an award by Manitoba Hockey and the Hockey Hall of Fame for his efforts as a young ref. Unfortunately, we did not attend the banquet but one of his fellow refs received a scholarship that night and his mom brought back a program from the banquet for Tyler which is so nice to have ....and his face beamed when he received his plaque in the mail about a week later. I still feel really bad for not going but I was not feeling well that day and we decided that instead of going to the banquet we would get a sitter for the other kids and take Tyler out on the town - just the 3 of us. We went bowling and out for supper and had a great time hanging out. I'm SO completely proud of the Most Improved Young Official in the Interlake --- he's MY SON!!!!