Olympics 2010

It has been on our Bucket List for a long time and we can now cross it off- we got to experience the Olympics!  With this being our 10th year of marriage, we decided a while back that it would be great to celebrate by treating ourselves to a trip to Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics.  We started making preparations over a year and a half ago.  My sister was able to enter a ticket lottery for Canadians in which we got 2 events- curling and hockey.  Last month, we decided to splurge and buy some more tickets from StubHub.  I don't say "splurge" lightly- it was costly, but we really wanted to see short track speed skating.  We flew out from Fresno on Feb. 14 (we spent Valentine's Day and Vietnamese New Year traveling!) and were incredibly blessed to be able to stay with our friends, Thao and Peter's parents the entire week.  They were so generous and welcoming.  My sister spent the week with us, and my brother and sis-in-law, and Thao, Peter, and their daughter Sam were able to spend some time with us for a few days as well.  There is so much that I could blog about, but due to limited time and space, here's as short of a summary as I can write!

DAY ONE
*Robson St.

As soon as we met up with Sarah, Thao, and Sam, we immediately headed to downtown Vancouver.  Peter, Peter (aka: PT my brother), and Teresa met up with us on Robson St. and we walked around.  Robson St. is a major attraction in Vancouver.  During these games, a huge portion of it has been blocked off for pedestrian traffic.  It was crazy to be there- Canada just got its first gold medal in Canada earlier that day, so people were really celebrating.  All week long, the energy and patriotic pride was evident everywhere. 

*Olympic Cauldron

There has been major criticism regarding the cauldron- there is a chainlink fence surrounding the whole thing due to security concerns (the riots that happened after the Opening Ceremony).

*Olympic Superstore

Somehow, we managed to get into the Olympic Superstore without waiting in line (maybe because it was 11:30pm).  I wish we would've known how busy that place was so we could have gotten all our souvenirs that night.  There have been major lineups, with people waiting over an hour just to get in.

DAY TWO

*Vietnamese home cooked meals

We woke up to a huge Vietnamese breakfast courtesy of Peter's mom.  Every day this week, she has had iced Vietnamese coffees ready first thing in the morning for us.

*Skytrain
Jason LOVES using public transportation and we got to use plenty of it.     
*Yaletown

We took Skytrain to one of the live venues, Livecity Yaletown.  There were huge screens set up to watch the Olympics.  Unlike NBC's coverage here in the States, the games are being broadcast live in Canada.

*Waterfront

We walked along the waterfront to see the Athletes Village across False Creek (it is inaccessible by the public), inukshuks (rock sculptures created to stand as landmarks, trailheads)

*Sushi and Bubble Tea (We ate a lot of Asian food this trip!  Jason even tried pig ears and a calpis bubble tea drink)

DAY THREE

*Workout

Can you believe that we worked out while on vacation?!  Found a nearby community center and got free admission simply for being from out-of-town.  I wish Fresno had community centers- this one had gyms, an ice rink, a fitness center, library, and daycare.  It was a packed place!

*North Vancouver

Our friend, Bobby, drove us to Lynn Canyon, just north of the city.  We crossed a suspension bridge (not Capilano Suspension Bridge) and hiked to Twin Falls.  Next, we went to Cleveland Dam.  We also stopped by a salmon hatchery, but were too late by 20 mins.

*Curling: Canada vs. Germany, China vs. France, USA vs. Norway

Much to everyone's surprise, curling was a really fun event to go to.  If you still haven't figured out what it is, the best way for me to describe it is that it's like shuffleboard on ice.  There were 3 games being played simultaneously.  Anyway, Canada beat Germany, but Norway beat the US.  Imagine 5000 excited and screaming fans- trust me, it was fun!

DAY FOUR

*Dim Sum

We met up once again with PT, Teresa, Thao and some other friends for a late Chinese-style brunch called dim sum. Usually, I only get to eat it once in Edmonton- this year, looks like I'll get to eat it at least twice!

*Short Track Speed Skating:  Women's 500 M Quarterfinals/Semifinals/Finals, Men's 1000 M Qualifying Heats, Men's 5000 M Relay SemiFinals 

I don't have enough words to express how very cool it was to see this event.  It was awesome!  I get to say now that I saw Apolo Ohno and JR Celski race in person.  It was interesting to see how the events are run when the cameras aren't on.  There were strict guidelines about use of flash and spectator noise immediately before the racers are called to the start line.  Still, there were tons of false starts due to cowbells being prematurely rung or spectators yelling out loud.  It was also very cool to see an event from beginning to finish (the quarters, semis, and finals).

*Richmond O Zone

This was another live venue.  We went late at night to see if we could catch a great band.  We saw Hawksley Workman, a Canadian band.  Kind of weird, but they grew on us.

DAY FIVE

*Gastown

Another touristy area in downtown Vancouver.  We walked around before heading to Canada Hockey Place.

*Hockey: Canada vs. Switzerland

We knew we didn't have the best seats in the arena, but seriously, we were the very top row!  It worked out great because we still had amazing views of the action and were able to sit/stand however we wanted without getting in anyone's way.  The game was insanely close so it was exciting!  To be among the crowd when the game winner was scored in the shootout was amazing!

*Livecity Downtown Vancouver

We waited in line to get into Livecity, then waited in line to get into Canada House, then waited in line to pose with the Stanley Cup.  Unfortunately, our picture turned out blurry, but still- we got to touch the Stanley Cup!

DAY SIX

*Granville Island

This is another major tourist attraction in Vancouver.  It is a really artsy area.  The highlight is the Public Market, which is very similar to a Farmer's Market.  The place is packed with vendors selling fresh, local products as well as items made locally.  So cool!

*Russia House

Many countries (and every Canadian province) have set up pavilions around Vancouver to highlight their culture and bring attention to their nation.  Russia House set up in Science World, and since they are the next host country of the Winter Olympics, everyone wanted to know more about them.

*Commerical Drive

We stayed very close to this popular street that is filled with one-of-a-kind businesses and were able to enjoy several meals in restaurants in this area.  On our last evening, we were able to watch Men's Skeleton on a big screen before calling it a night.  

We didn't have internet access this past week- sorry to everyone who has been checking our blog regularly for updates! We have tons and tons of pictures- I tried to pick the best ones for our photo albums along the right side of our blog.  Hope this summary gives you an idea of how much fun we had on our trip!    GO CANADA, GO!

Valentine's Day Party

Yesterday was Grace's Valentine's Day party at school.  I remember loving Valentine's Day as a kid.  I loved to look at all of the cards my classmates would give me- it made me feel special!  Grace got to pick out cards to give to her classmates.  There were so many to choose from- she was adamant about getting ones that were diecut shapes with a maze on the front.  Her choice reflects her love of mazes.  We also stuck a chocolate heart with each card.  Tons of kids personally thanked her for their cards and she just beamed.

Happy Valentine's Day- may the day remind you of how special and loved you are!

Super Bowl Party

Jason is a huge sports fan, so when Super Bowl comes around, it's a big deal.  For the last few years, we've watched the game at the Cos' home.  This year, the gathering included the McCrearys and Macks.  I love getting together- the guys were glued in front of the t.v., the girls spent some time chatting (yes, we did watch parts of the game), and the kids played, picked oranges, and watched Cars in Mandarin (see, it was educational, too).  Jason was going for the Saints so of course their victory was very exciting!

Thank you to the Cos for hosting and including us in such a fun event!

Disney on Ice

Grace and I went to see Disney On Ice's Worlds of Fantasy show today. I had originally considered taking her when she was still interested in learning how to ice skate. Well, she has since decided to do gymnastics instead, but I was secretly hoping that she'd think it was cool enough that she'd want to switch back. Well, that didn't happen, but we had a really fun time! (I'll post about gymnastics some other time). We invited her school friend, Madison, and Madison's mom, Heather, to come to the show with us. They had been to a show before, but this was a first for Grace and me. The show included storylines from the following movies (which all happen to be favorites in our household):

Cars

The Lion King

The Little Mermaid

Tinkerbell

Look who came to say hi during the intermission (Charlotte came to the show with Christa and both of her grandmas!) After the show (and the long wait in the parking lot to get out), we met up with Jason, Jeremy, and Madison's family for dinner. It was really nice getting to know them better and we hope to spend more time with them in the future.

Happy 100th Day of School!

Grace's class celebrated the 100th day of school today. It's a day that lends to many teachable moments, particularly with counting, so many primary grades recognize this day. Grace's class spent the whole morning working on "100th-day" themed activities. They also had a party and each student brought in 100 of a food item to contribute to the class "soup." After Mrs. Butler combined everything, each student got a bowlful to munch on. Grace was very particular and insisted that she bring Sour Patch Kids. She worked on counting out 100 yesterday. One of the rewards of being a teacher is to see your students learn. This year as a parent, I can't explain how much more exciting it has been to witness Grace learning how to read, how to add, how to write... how to count to 100... The joys of learning! We're so proud of her!
Can you believe that more than half of the school year is gone?!

100th Day Hat and glasses, 100th Day "soup"

"If I had 100 dollars, I would biy los of candy."

Time with Grace

A few weeks ago, my school district called to ask me if I was planning on returning to work next year. Even though I have really enjoyed my time this year as a stay-at-home mom (ok, some days are definitely better than others), I am looking forward to going back to work. I am so grateful that I've had the opportunity to be at home focusing on my family this year! I definitely feel closer to Jason and to our kids. One of the things I am grateful for, is the chance to spend one-on-one time with both Jeremy and Grace. When Grace is at school in the mornings, I get Jeremy all to myself. He is so much fun to be with- he just makes me laugh- he is sweet and endearing, says the cutest things... I don't need to plan anything in particular with him because all he needs is play time! In the afternoon, Grace and I get to spend time together. Being a person who like structure, I couldn't help but make a schedule for us. This past week, I took some pictures to document (for myself) the things that she and I do every week after she finishes her homework and Jeremy is napping.

Mondays- Writing Day: she chooses a person to write a letter to or she writes in her journal. On this day, she chose to write in her journal.

Tuesdays- Baking Day: we bake together... We've tried all kinds of recipes this year and we've both become better bakers. We've made cakes, cookies, banana bread, cheesecake, muffins, cupcakes... It's a wonder that our family hasn't gained a lot of weight over these past few months! On this day, we made Strawberry Cupcakes (to go along with one of Grace's favorite stories, Pinkalicious). Goodness, they tasted sooo good!Wednesdays- Art Day: I prepare art projects for Grace to do. On this day, she made Valentine's Cards from scratch for some loved ones. Thursdays- Game Day: Grace and I play board games together. Sometimes, I make educational games for her, but usually, we play games like Candyland, Memory, or Chutes and Ladders. Friday- Paint and Playdough Day: Grace gets to paint with watercolors or play with playdough. It makes me glad that out of all years, we chose this year for me to take my leave of absence. If she was in school for the full day, we wouldn't get all this great bonding time!

Ice, Ice Baby

We've been really open to letting Grace try different activities to see where her interests and strengths lie. She's taken swimming, dance, gymnastics, and soccer. For this upcoming semester, I gave her some suggestions: t-ball, karate, gymnastics, ice skating (I figured it was worth a shot!)... She actually chose ice skating! That was before Christmas. Since then, she has changed her mind and asked to do gymnastics. She said it looked too hard and she was scared of getting hurt. So, I called "Break the Barriers" and was put on a waiting list. With no idea how long it'd be before she'd be able to join a class, I suggested she try ice skating anyway. I shared about how I grew up knowing how to skate, and I showed her videos on YouTube of beginner figure skaters. The U.S. Figure Skating Championships were on t.v. last week, and she watched with a lot of enthusiasm. Well, tonight was Grace's first skating lesson. Jason and I were amazed- she did wonderfully! She fell a lot, but got right back up and kept trying. It was nice that Grace had a personal helper. I really thought she was going to start crying out of frustration, but she was completely determined to keep up with the rest of the class. As we left, I asked, "Did you have fun? Was it hard?" "Yes, it was hard but I had a lot of fun." "Would you want to come back next week?" She responded with, "Yes, since there's no room for me at gymnastics." Hmmm... she obviously still has gymnastics on her mind...

Well, we found out earlier today that there is in fact an opening at Break the Barriers. Maybe I should've just let Grace keep believing that there's no room at gymnastics, and let her continue discovering skating. I don't know if I could feel ok with that. So, as I was tucking her into bed, I asked her again which she'd prefer because there was an opening at gymnastics. She sighed, thought a moment, and said, "Maybe I'll do gymnastics." Can I confess that I'm slightly disappointed!?!!

Ok... so she won't be the next Michelle Kwan... Maybe she'll be the next Mary Lou Retton?!

Jason's Home Turf

I've blogged about this before, but did you know that Jason ran track years ago? That he was so good, two of his records still stand at his high school? That he got a scholarship to run track at Fresno State? That he recently began training again to compete in track meets? I am so proud of Jason for how much dedication he has put forth into his running. Four times a week, he wakes up early to go run or go to the gym. Last year, he ran in several All-Comers Meets, and made it a goal this year to run in many more. His long-term goal is to run this July in the USATF Masters Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento. Yesterday, he competed in his first meet of the year- Los Gatos All-Comers Meet. These all-comers meets allow athletes who are beyond their college years to still compete competively. The ones at Los Gatos are also heavily attended by high school teams from the area, hoping to qualify for other meets around the state. Los Gatos happens to be Jason's alma mater, so it was familiar turf and he was able to see former coaches and teammates.
While we were waiting for Jason's race, I drove the kids to a nearby park called Oak Meadow. It was Jason's favorite park as a kid, and I could see why. Our kids had a blast- there was a plane and a train for them to climb on, slides, swings, a climbing wall, etc. It was much better to let them run around at this park than on the bleachers at the track. It had just rained and everything was wet, but with nowhere else to go, I had no choice but to let them play. We were able to eat lunch before heading back to the track.

I was worried that I would miss seeing Jason's race (has happened before!) because of the kids needing my attention, so right when Jason got into the blocks, I bribed them each with a small box of Smarties (Canadian M&Ms). It worked and I was able to watch Jason's race. The time finally came for his race- he ran in the 100m and placed 3rd in his heat with a time of 11:92 secs. He had to ease up partway through his race because of his hamstring tightening... yup, another injury to contend with! I am glad he improved his time from last year, but it's a bummer that his body isn't cooperating.

Here he is, icing his hamstrings. I know it's so disappointing for him, particularly since he's been training so hard!

After the meet, we had the chance to reconnect with Paul and Heather Slayton. We headed over to their home. Paul was Jason's best man in our wedding but over the years, with crazy busy lives and the distance, we lost contact with them. We had so much to catch up on- kids and parenting, jobs, marriage... LIFE! The kids played while we talked- it was wonderful to spend an evening with them. We are confident it won't be another 5 years until we see them again.

Bye Bye BeeBees

Some of you might think it's weird what I'm about to post, but one of the reasons why I blog is because it's a great way for me to journal and archive memories about our kids. For example, I don't want to forget that from an early age, Jeremy has shown that he handles change pretty well as long as he initiates it. He initiated the transition from the bottle to a sippy cup, from a sippy cup to using a straw, etc. The latest? Pacifiers (beebees)!!! He was so attached to them, we really didn't think we'd be saying goodbye to them so soon (I don't know why, but he was attached to three- they had to be in his crib together). He has pretty much weaned himself- can you see why he no longer needs them?!
Next step will be potty training! I keep asking him whether he's a big boy (because big boys use the potty) or a baby (because only babies wear diapers). He consistently says, "Jeremy baby." I'm thinking we'll just wait until he initiates it!

Our Family Band

Monterey Bay Getaway

Both Jason and Grace got 3 weeks off for Christmas Break. The first week was rather hectic, getting last minute things ready for Christmas and the second week was busy with gatherings and New Year's. So, it was great to have the third week- it really was a break! We headed to Monterey Bay for 3 days/2 nights. The first night, we arrived in time to go to dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., first time for all of us. We chose that place because we knew it was kid-friendly. After dinner, we headed to Ghiradelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop for dessert. Their World-Famous Hot Fudge Sundaes are to die for!
The next morning, we headed off to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The last time we were there, Grace was only 14 months old. This time around, both kids clearly enjoyed themselves and couldn't move fast enough to see all the exhibits. It was so nice to visit without any crowds, probably because most kids have gone back to school already. Grace said she loved the whole aquarium, but her favorite part was being able to touch the starfish. Jeremy's favorite was the tropical fish tank that had fish similar to those found on the movie, Finding Nemo (we're assuming this was his favorite, based on his excitement and the amount of time he stood completely fixated on the tank). My favorite was watching the cute sea otters, and Jason has always loved the huge Outer Bay tank, with the tuna, sardines, sting rays, etc. After our day at the aquarium, we dropped by Nestle Tollhouse Cafe for a snack (personally, Ghiradelli's is better, but who really says no to cookies?!). On our next day, we went to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Pacific Grove to see if we could catch a glimpse of the monarchs. Every year between October and March, thousands of butterflies gather at this very spot. Unfortunately, we only saw a handful of butterflies! It was disappointing... On our way back into Monterey, we stopped by Lover's Point Park.What great ocean views! Here, we watched the waves crash against the rocks, collected shells, and observed life in the tidepools. For lunch, we took a chance and went to Monterey's Fish House. We hadn't read any reviews or heard anything about it, but every time we drove by that place, it was packed with people. Since it's not near the touristy area and not mentioned anywhere in the touristy brochures we got, we assume that the place is frequented by locals. Jason had calamari steak, I had clam pasta, and Grace had the clam chowder. The place isn't exactly kid-friendly (no kid menus- a good place for a date, or business dealings), but they went out of their way for our kids. It was soooo good and we would definitely return!

Before heading back to Fresno, we spent a few hours at the Dennis the Menace Park. Several people had recommended that we visit this public playground. The park was designed by Hank Ketcham, the creator of Dennis the Menace and long time resident of the area. Our kids had a blast- there was so much to do: a maze, play structures, slides galore, a bridge, some tunnels, rock climbing wall, swings, and even a real train. After this trip, we can truly say that we had a great Winter Break! School starts up again on Monday! (more pictures in the album on the right hand side)

Happy New Year!

We rang in the new year with our close friends, Jill and Adam, and Christa and Aaron. I don't know how long it has been, but we've been "ringing in new years" with these special friends for quite a number of years now. No gathering is complete without food, and we had plenty of it! We started with appetizers, had a chocolate fondue, and then finished off with Jill's New Year's Cookies (aka fritters). Throughout the night, the boys decided to do a "Around the World" beer tour, in which they sampled beers from different parts of the world. Jason printed off scoring sheets for each beer, and Aaron shared information he had researched on each one beforehand. He even found out how to say "cheers" in each country's language before they drank each sample. Right before midnight, we turned on the t.v. to join the countdown and watch the ball drop. Of course the night wouldn't have been complete without games- we played Perpetual Commotion until about 1:30am! Earlier tonight, we joined the Lee and McCreary families for dinner. It has been so long since our families have spent time together- it has been so long overdue! It was wonderful to catch up with these great friends!

A Blessing for the New Year (taken from Dayspring)

Lord, as a New Year begins

We come to you and ask for your blessing

We pray that you would give us joy to fill our days

And peace to fill our hearts and love to fill our lives.

Thank you for the plans you have for us in the New Year.

We thank God for you and pray that your new year is blessed in every way! Happy 2010!