Wild~

The Excel Energy Center hours before game 4 of the Playoffs.

Rick's panoramic photo of the packed Xcel Energy Center.

I'm slowly acquiring the posture of "embracing."  Of leaning in and trusting that despite going outside of my comforts,  I can feel okay.  In fact, how I feel, can take a back seat if I am willing to propel myself right through.  

So on Tuesday, we embraced the opportunity to surprise the boys.  We picked them up from school early and had their bags packed and ready for them.  As an early birthday present for both boys, we got them tickets to the Minnesota Wild Playoff game.  It meant pushing other obligations to the side for awhile.  It meant lots of rescheduling, canceling and opting out of other things.  But... we just knew it'd be worth it.  We'd never gotten to see our own #7, Matt Cullen play in the playoffs before. 

The atmosphere was electric.  The Wild had just won at home on Sunday and we all were looking for a repeat performance.  The white towels waiting for us across our seats swung wildly through the air.  We stood more than we sat for the first period.

But when our back-up goalie was injured, and the first shot went in against us, the Xcel Energy Center slowly deflated.  Despite repeated power plays, we couldn't find the back of the net and the Wild lost to  the Blackhawks in game 4.  Last night, the Wild lost in game 5 of the playoffs with Chicago, and are now done for the season.  

The Wild went from a lockout all the way to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in a year fraught with a roller coaster of up and down moments.  We're so proud of our team!

As we customarily do, we used Hotwire to find a hotel room.  We've figured out that we can secure a room, at a 4/5 star hotel for a fraction of the cost of their usual rate.  We just don't always know what hotel we will end up at.  

The Commons turned out to be a real treat.  Even though we arrived late, crashed and had to leave first thing the next morning, I managed a few shots of some of the cool features I loved.

We arrived home Wednesday night.  By Thursday, I was so tired I couldn't muster enough energy to get out of bed.  

Today, here I am, one day before my son's 13th Birthday- two days before Mother's Day and 3 days before my other son's 11th Birthday, and I have nothing ready.

So I am going into the sun-filled day, embracing all that awaits as we plan our next few fun-infused days and praying for energy enough to see me through!  

"Wild" for Minnesota

What are the odds?  I can never fully wrap my brain around the statistical odds of not one, not two, but three professional hockey players, all hailing from the same home town.  Not just any town, but our home town.  Three players, three different teams, one small hometown.  Plus, any day now, we fully expect a 4th player to get called up by the Edmonton Oilers.

It was a complete fluke when Rick asked for a press pass from the Wild last summer in June to shoot photos.   His thinking was, if the Wild are playing Carolina, Anaheim, or Ottawa, he would have access to shoot photos of at least one of our guys playing on one of those teams.  A week later we heard the news that Matt Cullen had been traded from Carolina to the Minnesota Wild!

The Wild media guy made good on his word last week. On Wednesday, the Anaheim Ducks came to play the Wild and Rick, with a full media pass, drove down to the game.  He got some great hockey action shots and left excited to return again.


Matt Cullen, #7, of the Minnesota Wild.  Matt Cullen drives through center ice against the Anaheim Ducks in the first period.  

Jason Blake, #33, of the Anaheim Ducks.  Blake curls in towards the slot looking for a pass from a teammate against the Minnesota Wild, Wednesday, November 17th at the Xcel Energy Center.

Martin Havlat, the intensity in his eyes is undeniable.

George Parros, #16 for the Ducks, taking aim at Rick as he stood on the bench shooting photos during pregame.    He came at him full speed then stopped short, sending up a spray of ice...  pretty sure he smirked as he skated away.  

After the game, the players got a few minutes to chat with family that came to see them play.  Jason allowed Rick to stay and snap a few photos of him sharing a few personal moments with his family and friends.  

For more hockey news and all of Rick's action shots, check out his site at Spudsports.net. 

The Wild won the game 2-1 in overtime.  Our hockey fever is officially ignited! 

River crest, Huskies and Fighting Sioux.

We arrived back home from Minneapolis Sunday night to the news that the river had crested at 36.99 feet! Such a blessing and a huge relief! Other than some minor inconveniences and the weight of the whole will it/won't it debate, the flood was downright manageable this year. It still ranks in the top 7 of floods for the river. But its highly unusual that two of these seven historic floods have been back to back. Regardless, a permanent solution in the way of a river diversion has been a major source of debate for a couple of years. But funding, at the tune of billions of dollars and placement, as in which side of the river does it belong, have been great sources of debate.






















We knew we had made a good decision in leaving for our big hockey trip as the temperatures soared into the 60's our first day. We were downright hot in our coats and long sleeves and it felt good to shed our heavy clothes along with our stress.

The first photo I took as we drove to the Xcel Energy Center, home of the Minnesota Wild, NHL team.  We were on our way to watch the Western Conference Hockey Association Final Five teams compete for the Broadmoor Trophy and seeding for the 4 different regional tournaments these teams will play in next weekend.  16 teams will compete in 4 regionals next weekend, 8 the next weekend and finally the frozen 4 and a national NCAA winner will be crowned.

Our small community of Moorhead, happens to have 6 of its hockey alumni playing in the Final Five tournament this weekend.  Division I hockey is a very high level of hockey and for 6 of our alumni to be playing this weekend is a major feat for our hockey community.  Rick scored a media pass to go and photograph the entire event and bought tickets for the boys and I to go cheer for our Moorhead players, playing for St. Cloud State, University of North Dakota, and Denver University.


























Chris Vande Velde is in his last year with the UND Fighting Sioux. He comes back to Moorhead in the summers and coaches Nolan's hockey camp. Nolan has looked up to him since 2005 when he played in high school for Moorhead Spuds. Vande has been drafted by the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL and is due to join their AHL affiliate as soon as he finishes his college career this year.

Nolan made signs for his favorite players as daddy spoiled us with tickets "on the glass." We had front row seats for the first two games and Nolan was hoping for his chance to be on tv. When we got home Sunday night, he was so excited to see himself as well as Colton and I in several shots on the recordings we had of the games.

John Lee, younger brother of Brian Lee of the Ottawa Senators in the NHL. John has been drafted by the Florida Panthers of the NHL, but is currently playing for Denver.

Jordy Christian, playing for St. Cloud State University, has been a friend since we first moved to Moorhead and enrolled Nolan in his first year of hockey. Jordy has deep hockey roots dating back to his grandpa who won a silver medal in hockey for team USA in the Olympics in the 60's. Jordy's uncle, Dave Christian, played on the 1980's Miracle on Ice hockey team that brought home the gold medal. What we love about Jordy however, is his passion and the exemplary manner in which he conducts himself on and off the ice. He has taken a genuine interest in our boys and has been known to take them golfing, or to come watch them play hockey when he is on break.

Our final night, the championship game pitted Jordy Christian and the St. Cloud Huskies, against Chris Vande Velde and the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux, against each other. While it was an easy decision for most of us to wear out red and support Jordy, Nolan has been a Sioux fan for too many years. He bravely wore his Sioux jersey and cheered loudly against all of us. But the one time he took off his Sioux stuff, was when he waited for Jordy to come up from the locker room to see us.

Nolan, Ryan, Jordy, Riley and Colton.  All of these boys have been Jordy fans since they were very young.

A highlight for Nolan to get his picture taken with Vande.  The Sioux came out on top in a close game, 5-3.  Vande's parents live in our neighborhood and instantly recognized our two boys who are always in the yard playing some kind of ball.

Of course the Final Five games weren't our only hockey games for the weekend. Nolan and his friends were invited to play in a hockey all star showcase. In case you weren't completely filled up on hockey already, I have more news and photos to share tomorrow...

I can't wait to come and check up on all my blog friends... I will be slowly making the rounds soon!