Olympics!!!!!!!

WHOO HOO....the day finally made it! We had been looking forward to Friday, February 19th for almost a year! Going to the Olympics was one of the most amazing and completely unforgettable things I think any of us will ever do! There is just something about watching something for years, never thinking in a million years you could be there...and then YOU ARE! Yesterday was pretty surreal, I don't think it actually hit me that I was at the Olympics until it was almost all over and I was surrounded by thousands of screaming curling fans...that's when I got all misty eyed....fully taking it all in! Of course it could have been the lack of sleep that finally hit me, but never the less....it was completely AWESOME!

We started out bright and early, leaving Edmonds at 5:00 a.m. We wanted to make sure we had plenty of time to get downtown and take in everything before our event at 7:00 p.m.! We had to park about 35 minutes from downtown Vancouver--they were not letting any unauthorized vehicle into downtown, so you had to park off site and take the train or bus everywhere! Not being ones that are usually keen on public transit...this was a little intimidating! But, once we got the hang of it...it was actually super easy! We started off at the venue for curling...being a crazy woman, I wanted to familiarize myself with the area before it was too busy and we wouldn't be able to find where we were going...once I got my craziness out of the way, we headed downtown to check out the rest of the Olympic must sees! We started off at the Cauldron...once we found it! Actually everything was very well marked out.....we just had to be pointed in the right direction! The Cauldron was a lot smaller than we had pictured, but still awesome none the less! We took the necessary photos and then headed off for souveniers! We ended up with way too much stuff, but after all this was a once in a lifetime event, right?! We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around downtown Vancouver taking in all the people and sights!

Around 4:00 we headed back to the Curling venue....being the over-prepared one I am..we were an hour early, but we got ahead of the game by going through security early and getting lots a great photos without hundreds of people in them! You couldn't get into the venue until an hour before the start, but they had a holding area where there were entertainers and you got to see some of the mascots up close! Once inside the venue the excitement really started! I would have never guessed Curling would be rowdy or exciting at all....but was I ever wrong! We were actually lucky enough to get to see the Canadian Women's team play...and the Canadian filled crowd was charged up! I guess this is actually a sport where the crowd is to behave more like golf, but the non-curling spectators seemed to have missed that memo! They were yelling, screaming, jumping up and down, ringing cowbells, banging on tamborines....there were times I was afraid we were going to be on the nightly news because the stadium seats we were sitting in had fallen! It was crazy fun....I'll admit, we went in to the event yesterday...going because Curling tickets were some of the cheapest tickets we could get...but after last night, I would gladly go again...we even watched two more matches today! We're hooked! It helped that we were sitting right by a professional curler last night...he explained the game, which definitely made everything a lot more enjoyable!! I am so happy we had this opportunity....we took tons of pictures in hopes that the boys will also remember this awesome thing we were lucky enough to experience!! ABSOLUTELY FANTASTICALLY AWESOME....Yep, that explains it!

Seattle Children's Museum!

On Monday with everyone being out of school, we headed down to the Seattle Children's Museum with Carla and Josiah! The kiddos had a great time running from one room to the next, dragging the exhausted Moms behind!
Gabe and Grady coming out of the underground cave in the Forest area!

I know what you are thinking...we have all missed our calling of becoming home builders...who wouldn't love the half open roofing we offer! Half a roof = Half the cost!

Next, we hit the supermarket...Josiah did the majority of the shopping while Gabe and Grady took turns being checker and working in the deli!

After spending most of the day at the museum we ended our day at the fountains....it was all fun and games until Grady got wet! We had a great day...thanks Carla and Jo!

Hittin' the Slopes!

For Valentine's Day we decided to head to the mountains! We had a great time....Grady was practically skiing all by himself....shhh, don't tell him, he still thinks Shawn's poles were actually holding him up! Gabe and I became daredevils and I decided to embrace the snowboarder carnage and use the bodies scattered all over the mountain to improve my skiing...and by golly it worked! I used the bodies to ski around...that really helped me with my going back and forth...no more snow plowing for me! I can now stop on my edge! Thank you snowboarder people who rest in the middle of the mountain! While the boys and I took a break, Shawn headed off and did some blacks by himself...or as his fellow skiier on the lift called them "suicide runs"! Well, thankfully he made it back in one piece! Gabe continued to get better as well....he is still way faster than me and a whole lot braver!
Are they not the sweetest little fellas ever??!!!

My handsome fellas, all geared up and ready to go!

Daredevil spot #1....Gabe double dared me to do this...I took the dare and loved every minute! What you can't see is the end where it goes back up and you end up "getting air"! I made it without falling, so I thought I should stop while I was ahead....Gabe however did it over and over! I didn't get a shot of the second Daredevil spot...I was too busy rolling around on the ground trying to get up! Yeah, that one didn't go so well....Gabe went through it first and neglected to tell dear ol' Mom to stay on the left because the right was really hilly and I would lose control....oops! At least a crowd was able to gather...I really would have hated to keep that embarrassment to myself! HA!

Shawn and Grady making their way down.....Grady actually let go and Shawn is chasing him with the poles!! We had an awesome time.....I love the time we spend together as a family while we are skiing....no T.V., no Wii, no phone reception...just peace and quiet....except for the constant stream of laughter...usually at my expense!

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner!!!

This is an update to an earlier post.....Gabe won the Valentine's Box contest in his class!! When I walked into the classroom for the party...I walked over and checked out the other boxes and his teacher came up to me and said, "Wow, you guys really did a great job....it's really different from everyone else's!" Everyone else's was covered in pink, red and white and were different variations of a mailbox.....ours was totally in left field...which I guess worked out for us!!! Way to go Gabe!!!

That's one fancy Valentine's Day Box!

This year for Valentine's Day, Gabe was given the assignment of making his own box. There were a few rules....it had to be made at home, it had to have a slot in it for your Valentine's, any materials could be used, you could enlist anyone's help, it could be any shape and size and it had to be done by the 12th! So, with Gabe being a football fanatic and this being Super Bowl weekend....are you really surprised with his??!!

Woo Hoo!! We really have it this time!!!

Late last summer, Grady started learning how to ride his bike without training wheels...but after one pretty bad crash, he said he would not ride his bike again....and he hadn't...until today! I'm not sure what got into him, but after dropping Gabe off at school, he said he wanted to ride his bike! Well, around our house it is next to impossible to learn to ride a bike...there is not a straight road to speak of anywhere close to our house, so we loaded up and headed over to the baseball park! There was noone else there, so we had the whole parking lot to ourselves! After about 5 minutes, he was off....no need for Momma anymore! His feet actually touch the ground now, so he is able to even stop and start...with just a little balancing help from me! He spent a full 30 minutes just riding back and forth...he even got turning down! I was pretty impressed!!!
I chased after him for the first 10 minutes or so, but after that there was no keeping up!

He even got brave enough towards the end to navigate the ramp to get up to the park....he didn't crash once! On the way home he said he was ready to ride bikes with Gabe and Anthony (our neighbor boy)....hmm....I wonder if that was the motivation?!

FUSiON!!!

Sunday was Gabe's 2nd FUSiON performance! He did an awesome job.....it makes my heart so happy to watch him dancing, singing and praising God's love! We are so extremely proud of Gabe!!! He will have one more performance on Easter Sunday....we are hoping when we are visiting in March, some of you may get to see him practice!

Grady is also dancing in the front row as you may notice....he knows all of the dances as well!

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Friday was my big day.....what a spoiled girl I am! I started the celebrating off a few days early with some friends from church...we had treats and gifts....what a blessing these ladies have been! On Friday morning, Shawn won the "first to wish me a happy birthday" prize....he pretty much has a corner on that market at 4:30 a.m.! Gabe and Grady both wished me a groggy happy birthday as soon as they were up.....how did I get so lucky?! I was lucky enough to receive a ton of emails, cards and phone calls all day as well.....you all really know how to make a girl feel special! I have to tell a funny story before I get any further....Gabe had Friday off from school and on the way to pick up Grady from preschool he said, "Hey Mom, we should go out for lunch for your birthday!" I thought what a sweetie...until I found out the boys had McDonald's in mind.....and I was paying to boot! Oh well...it's the thought that counts! HA! Anywho, after lunch, my awesome friend, Carla, surprised me with a birthday visit! And, if that wasn't enough she brought me a beautiful picture of us together and a wonderful card! A gift I will treasure FOREVER! For my birthday evening....the spoiling continued! Shawn and the boys made a fabulous tasting chocolate cake---I think my husband may be a little impatient as the cake was a little interesting looking...but I told him I don't look at cake...I eat it! They also made my favorite meal...enchiladas!! YUM!

After filling my belly with enchiladas and cake it was present time! The boys "presented me" with my presents one at time.....thus saving on the wrapping...very inventive! I received awesome gifts....a new table cloth and napkins, a picture cutter, tiny binoculars...mine mysteriously disappeared at the Seahawks game!, 2 platters, and of course my new red cabinet!


Here is my wonderful antique find.....all filled with "junk" as my guys would put it!

My beautiful babies....

On Saturday we headed up to Snohomish to go antiquing....this is becoming one of my favorite things to do! I found some great star napkin rings, 2 candles and a vintage Uncle Sam's Apples apple crate sign! I have been looking for one of these for about 6 months.....I was very particular in what I was wanting... perhaps why it took so long to find it! Every antique shop we have gone in recently, Shawn and the boys kept finding other apple crate signs, but none of them had been quite right.....well, the one I found on Saturday was exactly what I was looking for! It was almost like when I turned the corner.... the music started playing and a spot light was put on it...it was perfect! Dramatic, I know!

Bubble Fun!

Last week we were blessed with some pretty nice days...on one of our lazy days, Grady and I headed outside to do some summery stuff! We had a blast chasing each other with sticky bubbles and decorating up the front driveway....what a great job I have!! As my sis said...she wishes she had craft time at her job!! Wouldn't trade this job for anything....pay isn't great, but the rewards and benefits can't be beat!