Golden Experience

Vancouver 2010

Winter Olympics

Just to get a feel for the whole Olympics experience, we decided to visit the box office.

Big decision!  As it turned out, there were 'suite' tickets available for the US vs Canada Gold Medal women's hockey game.  For a small fortune, we were able to attend a fantastic Olympic event together at Canada Place.  You should have seen the looks on the boys' faces when we told them we would be going to a Gold Medal game!

Security was tight, but the lines were very well managed and people were so friendly and compliant.

Here's the view from our suite (sweet!) seats at Canada Place.

The crowd was absolutely ALIVE with (mostly Canadian) pride and excitement.

The stands were a sea of red, and the pre-game noise was almost unbearable.

Then the game started, and the noise truly became almost unbearable!

The Canadian Cow Bell Factor was well out of any reasonable decibel range!

We had to keep our ears plugged to stop the obnoxious COW BELL frenzy from giving us

permanent hearing damage!

You can imagine the uproar when Canada took Gold...

It was a tremendous electric excitement.

The bonus was being able to watch the bronze, silver and gold medal awards being presented.

The medal ceremony was so dignified and honorable.

Our gold medal experience will last a lifetime!

Twelve

Joseph is 12 today!

He planed a gathering of friends for swimming, Nerf wars, and lunch/dessert.

Joseph enjoyed his cards (almost all handmade) and gifts, but mostly the company of his friends and family.

Nerf wars seen taking over our neighborhood... rain or shine, these boys love their Nerf battles.

And the diving board extravaganza wouldn't be the same without an intentional belly flop by Peter!

We'll head out to Mass soon, followed by Stations of the Cross.

Celebrating the life of Joseph!

Amazing Sights of

Vancouver 2010

Tim played hooky from work today so we could take a family trip up to Vancouver to take in the sights & sounds of the Winter Olympics festivities.

First stop: The Olympic Cauldron/Flame

Quite an attraction, with a huge crowd and a long line for the prime viewing (& photographing) area.

We stayed in the cheap seats, and our friends from Sacred Heart (whom we ran into at the train station!) snapped this photo of the family.

As we were preparing to depart for next attraction, Tim spotted a lady with a badge bearing the title "Athlete" and we asked if we could take a photo with her.

She told us she is an ice dancer, and that she competed yesterday.  Her attendee told us she was a world champion 2 years ago.  Turns out that must have been right before a break for maternity leave!

A quick Internet search when we got home turned up some interesting and amusing facts about our French friend...

The medal for most unusual costume change goes to French ice dancer Isabelle Delobel, who mid-performance on Monday stripped away her black tube-top to reveal a light-colored bustier covered with rhinestones and sequins. The idea was to show her transformation from wanting to be a ballerina to becoming an Olympic skater, she said after the competition. "We tried to surprise the audience. It was nice because everybody clapped," she said. Some also gasped.

(from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704188104575083553253874376.html )

More on our day trip to the winter Olympics soon....

Hope's First Birthday

Our littlest Goddaughter turned one yesterday.

We celebrated together by attending Mass and having a party at Hope's house for a gang of hungry kids ranging in age from 1-15 years.  A few of them got very muddy playing in the backyard after lunch...  too bad they hadn't changed out of their nice clothes!

One 4 year old guest in particular, was very excited to eat the cake he imagined would be the

highlight of the party.

He even gave up asking for gum after Mass when he realized that might compromise his

cake-eating eligibility.

But Hope's mama made a better choice for dessert: this beautiful bowl of fruit!

Hope (with help from her big sister, Hannah) blew out her baptismal candle as her first birthday candle.

Happy Birthday, Dear Hope!

Born to Perform

Peter offers a joke (after an on-the-spot request by the Cubmaster).

Peter hams it up in a skit (after a last-minute request by his den leader).

Zac and the Boy Scouts are entertained (probably by each other more than by the Cub Scout skits!).

Peter loves a stage.  At his Cub Scout Blue &Gold pack meeting last night he led the flag ceremony and the opening prayer, did a bit of stand-up comedy on the mic, and took a lead role in the (last minute) skit.

I didn't think much of it, but after the meeting a friend said something like, "Peter's a born performer, isn't he?"  I had to agree.  He doesn't shy away from the spotlight, in fact, he seeks the spotlight!

Airborn!

Peter catches a little air...

Peter and Joseph together on the track.

Unbelievable view!

Nothing like a day of skiing with dad to wear out a couple of young lads.

The weather was spectacular, the slopes... much less so, but ski-able.

Tim's taking the boys mid-week skiing this season, cutting out of work to get up top when the lines are non-existent and the lift tickets are a bit less expensive.

 My nagging injury (hip) prevents me.

Seeing photos like these is the best inspiration for recovery ever!

Now that Zac's swim season is drawing to a close (he's an alternate on his swim team this weekend at the state meet), maybe he'll get a trip up the mountain before the snow's all melted away.

Lent Begins

O God, Jesus fasted forty days in the desert, and there chose obedience and love for you over every temptation.  Through our lenten penance, deliver us from preoccupation with ourselves and our needs, so that we may be free to do the work of prayer and charity in sincerity of heart, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Magnificat morning prayer, Friday, Feb. 19, 2010)

BLESSING AND GIVING OF ASHES:

After the homily the priest joins his hands and says:

Dear friends in Christ,

let us ask our Father to bless these ashes

which we will use as the mark of our repentance.

(pause for silent prayer)

Lord, bless the sinner who asks for your forgiveness

and bless + all those who receive these ashes.

May they keep this lenten season

in preparation for the joy of Easter.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Together with Father, lay ministers (including Zachary) distribute ashes

on the forehead of all who come forward.

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS:

Lord, help us to resist temptation

by our lenten works of charity and penance.

By this sacrifice may we be prepared to celebrate

the death and resurrection of Christ our Savior

and be cleansed from sin and renewed in spirit.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION:

Lord, through this communion

may our lenten penance give you glory

and bring us your protection.

We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

I have jotted down in my notebook my lenten resolutions, but I want to confirm them here.  I must truly renew my life, and it is God whom I ask in all simplicity to transform me.  I want to live interiorly more  spiritually, exteriorly more gently and lovingly so as to make God better loved, who is the beginning and end of my spiritual life.  More than ever I want to hide in the heart of Jesus my good works, my prayers, my self-denial, to preach only through example, to speak not at all of myself... But whenever someone approaches me, or whenever it seems to be God's will that I should approach another, I will do so simply, very prudently, and disappear as soon as the task is done, mixing in no thought of self with God's action.  And should I be misunderstood, criticized, and judged unfavorably, I will try to rejoice in remembering our divine exemplar, and I will seek to be of no consequence in the esteem of others, I who am in fact so poor and little in the eyes of God.    -- Elisabeth Leseur

Elisabeth Leseur (+1914) was a French married laywoman.  Her cause for canonization is underway.