Slapshot and Popcorn!

We made an impromptu trip to Raleigh to watch the Hurricanes play on Saturday. It was not only a rarity for us -- wow, a nighttime activity that didn't even START until some people in this house go to bed! -- but we were so lucky to be given free tickets. We felt very special knowing our children's butts were gracing $100 a piece seat! (That is such a tacky sentence isn't it.)

It was both Greta and Clara's first hockey game, not counting the last one Clara attended in utero, and Greta really had no clue what we were even taking her to. Hockey just doesn't get the face time down here like up north. Don't even get me started on the obnoxiousness of basketball season....

The only downside, was that our seats were slightly apart, just by apart 3 rows up and a few over. We took turns, and even though we of course would've had more fun sitting together, ended up with a nice family outing and a great Saturday evening. The game in and of itself was nothing special, but that wasn't the point.

Greta was decked out in her Red Wings jersey, of which she noticed the number 14 on the back. We were so close to the Hurricanes players bench, that watching them was the highlight of the game, and Greta always had her eyes on the Hurricanes number 14 (Samsonov) immediately declaring him -- and eventually the rest of the team -- her very best friends.
She enjoyed me watching them during warmups, and we were right there where they came on and off the ice. The zambonis were naturally a big hit as well. During warmups she was very concerned as to why they all were not wearing helmets, and why some didn't have their helmets fastened. As well as why they were drinking out of their water bottles by squeezing them like that and then -- gasp -- why didn't they take their water with them, what if it got lost, etc. It was all a little much for one anal control freak to wrap her head around!
Clara did equally as well. Just like her sister, she got into the music, enjoyed watching the sights, and eventually became a clapping machine. She didn't fuss or get antsy once and really seemed to enjoy herself as well.
This was still pregame, but we were literally 3 rows up from the ice behind the Hurricanes bench between the red and blue line. The other two seats were just a few rows behind, and actually you could see the game so much better from those, but these seats had more action for Greta to take in. She was truly fascinated.

All in all, it was just a wonderful experience and I was very proud of not only how interested the kids were and how much fun they had, but that they maintained themselves the whole time even with it being waaaaaay past bedtime. The car ride home was very quiet while the backseat passengers snoozed away, and this morning Greta woke up still talking about her 'best friends' that she watched play hockey last night.