Hockey playoffs have begun and the Kings are in!! Its going to be a bumpy ride and it may take any sanity we have left. Oh well, its still a ton of fun. Go Kings Go!!!
Hockey Playoffs
Tag: Hockey
Ellie’s Outfit Choice
This morning I asked Ellie to go in and pick out and outfit for the day. When she came back, this is what she had picked out. I swear I had nothing to do with this decision. It was all Ellie. So proud of my littlest Kings fan!
Kings Season Opener
It was so exciting to have the Kings win the Stanley Cup. Best. Moment. Ever. Then as the hockey season came to an end, the lockout began and seemed to drag on forever. Forever. But that too came to an end and now its time for the season to begin. I was so excited just to go to the open practice at Staples to see the players. And then…. Shaun surprised me with the best gift ever. Tickets to the Kings season opener which includes the banner raising and ring ceremony!
So we arrived early to Staples and LA Live. We enjoyed the view we had of the Stanley Cup sitting in the middle of the LA Live Ice Rink, watched as it was taken into Staples before the game, and then headed inside to enjoy the game.
 |
| The Stanley Cup. Center Ice at LA Live. |
 |
| As close as we will probably get to the Stanley Cup this year. One Day though… One day. |
 |
| Phil Pritchard, the Keeper of the Cup. |
 |
| The Kings come out for their warm ups before the Ring and Banner Ceremony. |
 |
| The captains carry the new banner, brought out by the family of one of the Newtown Connecticut victims, and bring it over for it to be raised. |
 |
| Raising the Banner… Very cool. |
 |
| So excited to see the Stanley Cup banner hanging from the rafters. |
The Kings didn’t win the opener against Chicago, but it was still a great day. We were proud Kings fans who had the chance to see the banner being raised and enjoy it all surrounded by fans who were just as proud and excited to be there. It was a great day and one that I am sure Shaun and I will never forget. Here is to a new year and maybe another great celebration at the end. Who knows!
Hockey is Back!
The lockout is over and hockey is back! To get into the spirit we won a few tickets to see the open practice at Staples Center and luckily the Guerrero Family was able to join us! It was a pretty casual experience but the girls had the chance to eat hot dogs, watch some hockey and hang out with Harrison. So excited hockey is back!
 |
| Back on the ice at Staples! |
 |
| The Captain, Dustin Brown. |
 |
| Ellie enjoying some hockey. She was really getting into it! |
 |
| Cheering on all of the players. My poor Abby was having a hard time with some allergies. |
 |
| So excited that the Guerrero’s could join us! |
The LA Kings are the Western Conference Champs!
The LA Kings are the Western Conference Champs! Yes, you are reading that correctly, The LA Kings are the Western Conference Champs! Tonight they defeated the Phoenix Coyotes in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals in overtime with a score of 4 to 3. Thank you Dustin Penner for that game winning OT goal! Now the Kings are on to the Stanley Cup Final, for the first time since 1993!! I am sure you can tell how excited I am about all of this!
I became a fan when the Kings were at a pretty low point, close to being the worst team in the league. (They have been in this sticky spot many times) In just 4 or 5 years they have come such a long way and now they have a chance to compete for the ultimate prize, The Stanley Cup. Who they will face off with is still being determined but both teams , the Rangers and the Devils, are wonderful and it will certainly make for an interesting series. I thought the Conference Finals were nerve wrecking, I cant imagine what the Final will feel like. Be prepared for me to not be around the blog during this time and if I am, I just might be a tad cranky, even if the Kings are winning. Until then, I will enjoy the moment and now we head to the airport to welcome the team home! WAHOO!!!!
The Los Angeles Kings Sweep Round 2
Yep, you read that correctly. The Los Angeles Kings sweep Round 2 against the St. Louis Blues! That means they are on to the Western Conference Finals. Their opponent has yet to be determined but it looks like it could be the Phoenix Coyotes. They might have that answer tomorrow night… we shall see! This means that the Kings have taken down the #1 and the #2 seed in the West. Pretty big accomplishment of you ask me. Now I cannot wait until the conference finals begin. Here is to hoping that they will play in the Stanley Cup Finals!
During the playoffs the LA media in all of their intelligence and glory made just a few mistakes. Like posting the logo on news broadcasts for the Sacramento Kings instead of the LA Kings. They also seem to think that our star defense-man, #8 Drew Doughty is actually named Brad Doty and that one of the star forwards, Anze Kopitar is called Kopidor. Gotta love the media these days. Learn your sports teams if you intend to report on them! Luckily the Kings PR has created a handy cheat sheet. Take a look and enjoy! I know I got a kick out of it!
The Kings Are on to Round 2 of the Playoffs!
We were at my friend Leslie’s wedding when we heard the news via Twitter and NHL Network. The Los Angeles Kings had won in OT against the Vancouver Canucks! Thanks to Jarett Stoll and his beautiful goal the Kings will advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It has been far too long since the Kings made it past the first round. Needless to say, Shaun and I were thrilled and it added to the already wonderful night we were having.
As the evening at the wedding wore down, we took off and headed home. Shaun had to work the following morning and wanted to get to bed. However, as we drove home we started to recieve tweets from Bailey, the Kings mascot, about heading to the airport to greet the Kings as they landed at LAX. Shaun and I barely had to think twice. Luckily Grandma Zoe was willing to stay the night, so we headed home, quickly changed clothes and then headed down to LAX.
 |
| Fans wait for the Kings to land at LAX |
 |
| Even though its late, Shaun and I are happy to be at LAX to welcome home our team. |
 |
| Bailey making his rounds, heckling the airport police and getting the crowd even more excited then it already was before the team landed. |
 |
| Very excited to get a picture with Bailey. Abby loves seeing him so I know she will love this picture. |
The crowd was pretty big considering the time and the location. It was very impromptu so even the airport police were overwhelmed. The next thing we knew police cars with K-9 units began to arrive. Like everyone around us kept saying… “Geez, you would think we were Lakers fans”. The police were ok with us once they realized that we weren’t there to cause trouble. When the plane landed, the players headed to their cars and drove past a long line of excited fans. Most waved and smiled as they made their way through the crowd. Former players and staff members like Bernie Nichols stopped and gave high fives and shook hands with fans. While no one stopped for pictures or autographs, the smiles on their faces showed us how they appreciated the support. It was a fun night and it was great to be a part of Kings history.
The video below, shows a bit from that night. You can see us twice! Very cool if you ask me. Now that Vancouver is out the Kings move on to Round 2 to play the St. Louis Blues. Cant wait to see how this Round turns out. Hopefully it will mean the Kings move on to the Western Conference Finals, but only time will tell!
Bridal Shower and Hockey… Huh?
Today was a busy day but a fun one! This afternoon I attended a bridal shower for my dear friend Jackie Wessely. Her shower was a wonderful tea party theme and Cameo (another dear friend of mine) did an amazing job as host and planner. She did it all eight months pregnant too! I had a lovely time and it was great to catch up with friends and meet a few new people too!
After the shower I rushed home and got myself and the house ready for the Kings game. Our friends Erika, Byron and Harrison were coming over to watch with us, which really means they came over to talk and have fun while the kids played and the game would be the background. It was! Abby had a special date to the mall with Daddy while I was at the shower which meant she came home with a few new things. Abby was nice and decided Harrison needed something too, so she gave him a cool Lightening McQueen car. They had a blast playing it! Also, lots of credit to Byron for finding the smallest piece on a toy I have ever seen that is crucial to keeping a tire on. How you found it I will never know!
Abby, Harrison and Ellie had a great time playing, having snacks, and occasionally watching the game. Shaun and I had a wonderful time cathing up with our good friends and enjoying the company of other adults. To top it all off the Kings won too! A perfect night and fun was had by all!
Erika’s cupcakes were very yummy… as always!
Taking a small break to watch the game. Chasing a boy around the house is tiring work!
This is what happens when it gets too quiet in the other room. It’s veggies dip art!
Some of April… Where Did it Go?
April… we are a little more then half way through… where has it gone! Boy has that month flown by and its mainly because we have been so busy. What have the Wharton’s been up to? Well lets see…
On the first of April Ellie turned 9 months old. My how she is growing. She crawls like a pro and is standing up whenever she gets the chance. I personally think that by mid-May she will be taking her first steps and then I will never hear the end of it. Ellie chatters like crazy and thanks to her big sister, she has learned how to scream like a banshee! And that scream could shatter glass too!
Ellie also saw Dr. Calig for her 9 Month check up and she is doing very well. Healthy as can be! Her scream is so ear piercing you would have never known she was down with Whooping Cough at 6 weeks old. She has grown a lot in weight and length since her last appointment. Can’t she just stay a tiny little peanut forever!?
Ellie’s 9 Month Stats
Weight: 21 Pounds 9 Ounces
Weight: 21 Pounds 9 Ounces
Height: 28 1/2 Inches
All of April has pretty crazy for us. Between prepping and making some major changes in our lives (more to come on that later), we did find the time to sneak a few moments of fun into the month. On the 19th, Shaun surprised me with tickets to my very first Stanley Cup playoffs game. We had the chance to go to the first home game (Game 3, Round 1) and support our Kings. The game didnt end the way we had hoped for, but it was still fun nonetheless. Maybe next year we will be watching the Kings in the finals?
Despite the loss, Shaun and I had a great time. We even had the chance to see Marty McSorley during the rally before the game began. The energy during a playoff game is so intense but everyone was in a great mood and ready for a fun night. I can only hope to go again next year! Now that the fun is over, its back to reality and to lots of work ahead of us.
Kings Hockey Officially Begins!
Today was the first game of the season for the Los Angeles Kings. Since we decided not to go to the game, we thought it would be fun to have a small get together with our friends Byron, Erika and Harrison to watch the game. If you didn’t already know, they are Kings fans too! We got all dressed up in our T-Shirts and Jerseys, had some pizza, salad, plenty of game time junk food and watched the Kings play the Vancouver Canucks. Erika even made some yummy Kings themed cupcakes and they were super delicious.
The game really didn’t get exciting until the end. In the third period the Kings tied it up 1-1, took it to overtime and then a shoot-out. The Kings won in a shoot-out and we were all very happy campers. During the down time in the game we all had the chance to talk and watch the kids play. Abby kept stealing all of the toys from Harrison, who really just wanted to escape from this aggressive little girl and play on his own. Shaun and I were constantly telling Abby to share with Harrison and to give back the Buzz Lightyear toy that he chose to play with. AH two year olds. The concept of sharing is nearly impossible to teach. But, by the end of the night they were playing together… chasing each other around our house. It was a great night and a great win! We need to do these parties more often!
Hockey!
On Thursday, Abby went with Shaun and I to a Kings Pre-season game. This isnt the first time that she has been to a game, its actually the second time but its the first in which the music and horns didn’t send her into tears. Abby had a blast and was very well behaved. She truly loves to watch hockey. Mommy and Daddy are very proud!
Abby was definitely a part of the team spirit. She wore her jersey, which is a little too small for her now but it works for now. I was able to find some cute purple and white clips to put in her hair too! I wish I had been able to take a picture of the smile she had on her face when we put everything on…. priceless.
When we got to our seats, Abby seemed very content to sit in my lap or Shaun’s lap which was the firs good sign. I was worried that all she would want to do is run around. We arrived early enough to watch the warm ups before the game and the minute the players took to the ice, Abby was bouncing up and down, clapping her hands and started shouting “Hockey, Hockey, Hockey!!” at the top of her lungs. If only I had the chance to video that. Oh well.
Like I said before Abby was very well behaved. She kept her focus and her cool until about 5 minutes into the third period. At that point she didn’t want to sit still anymore and focus on the game. Shaun and I completely understood this and knew it was time to head home. The game was a bit slow anyways, and the Kings ended up losing 3-1. Not that it really matters, its just the preseason and a lot of the players on the ice were prospects and Rookies all trying to prove themselves and compete for a spot on the team. We took off but its nice to know that Abby can focus at a hockey game. Now we know we can take her with us for a special outing in the future.
Its nice to see that Abby enjoyed it so much, I knew that night would be a good night. Maybe this little video was an indicator!
Playoff Ready…
As the Los Angeles Kings move closer and closer to making it to the Playoffs, the first time since the 2001-2002 Season, we have been preparing. Not really but now Abby is in the spirit too! I think she is ready, how about you? Hopefully there will be plenty of cheering for her to do before and during the the Playoffs!
The Wharton Adventures 
