USA...USA...USA

There are 3 posts form our Olympic outing, so keep scrolling down.

So, while our night started out much better than the previous, it went south about 2:30AM. And it wasn't Kat. Poor Dan had either food poisoning or a norovirus-type bug and he was violently ill for a several hours. He was up and down puking till about 7AM. Kat slept like the dead, at least. Dan would get up, run to the bathroom, puke his brains out, then return to bed and actually fall asleep. Until the next time.

When Kat and I got up, we headed to breakfast and to ask for a late checkout (and to see if they had a room for us for that night if necessary). Then to the pool, which of course she loved. And she attached herself to an 11 year old girl who had a great time playing with her, so I got to ride on the really fast water slide. Then back to a sleeping Dan to see what he wanted to do, as while he hadn't been sick for a few hours, he felt like he got run over by a truck. And of course, there was no guarantee that he was done being sick....

But he soldiered on, dragging himself to the shower and the car, so we could go to the hockey game. Luckily we were able to pick up our tx the day before. So off to University of British Columbia for hockey. USA women VS Finland. It was so exciting to be at an Olympic game. We were in the 9th row, so had an awesome view of the rink. And Kat was mesmerized by the game. The first period she sat in her seat and waved her flag, watching the action all over the rink (okay, mostly in Finland's end). She even nudged/yelled at Dan multiple times for not waving his flag. She totally got it- it was amazing!!!

The second period she was still nearly transfixed, but had a hot dog to attend to, and the 3rd, well, she was interested, but was also playing with the lady next to us. But in her defense, it was a blowout, 6-0, with 4 in the first period alone.

It's not Canadian Olympics without mounties......

We were so close to the action.

She's just so cute in her USA basketball jersey. That's the best I could do on short notice, but I think it was pretty good.

It was the coolest thing to be in the arena when the game ended and the crowd started chanting "USA...USA...USA". Then, as the crowd moved out, we found where the women were coming out to see their families. I had no idea who was who, but it was cool to see. I tried to get Kat close enough for knucks, but alas, we didn't get close enough.

Then we headed home, poor Dan elated that he went to the game, but still feeling like he got run over by a truck. So we hurried home, just in case it is a bug and would be hitting myself and Kat soon (we'd really rather be home for violent puking, I'm pretty sure). We made it home by 9:15 after a one car wait at the border. And while Dan's still feeling the effects of the bug, he hasn't been puking and neither Kat nor I have seen any sign of it. Hopefully it will stay that way.

We are so glad we went north. It was an experience of a lifetime and Kat will remember it forever. Well, maybe not, but she has the red mittens to prove it. I'll have to get a pic of that soon.

If anyone reading is interested in getting up there, hop on a plane and get out here. Kat and I, at least, are flexible and can make a Vancouver day trip almost any day. Tickets are still available, though they are likely getting more expensive and rarer, but just wandering around DT through the thick of it all is worth the trip (well, possibly).

Here are some hockey videos. The one where we score gets a little shaky, but it's so cool to hear the crowd go crazy (it was only the 2nd or 3rd goal).

DT Vancouver, the flame, etc.

After the taping, we said goodbye to Ann and her cousins. And thanks to her cousins for their Olympic ride, their bathroom, use of their printer (for our ticket pickup), Kat's tattoos (which were expertly applied, I must say) and directions to DT and where to park.


Ann looks like she just stepped out of a Bay catalog.....

We drove DT and parked at Pacific Place, a mall pretty much near everything and had no trouble getting around by car. We headed over to where Mare & Darrell were staying to meet up with them for a bit. Mare played with Kat while we joined Darrell at Irish house for a beer. I blocked most of the light behind them but not quite all....sorry Darrell.

Sure, she's adorable and innocent now......no one offered to push me around in a stroller so I could catch up onmy sleep!

Then we headed to the waterfront to see the flame (behind fences) and then raced across town (back where we were) to get to the ticket office to pick up our hockey TX before the place closed.

We finished the evening with dinner in Yaletown, which we had to wake Kat for. Then back to our hotel, about a 45 minute drive southeast, to watch more coverage and get us all to bed. Kat went down without a fight this time. Luckily, cause I know I didn't have anything left in the patience department (and I start each day with soooo much).

Stephen Colbert taping at the Olympics

Well, I'm pretty sure that we didn't win any medals, but we had a great time at the Olympics.

No wait at the border, which was unexpected and awesome.

The first morning, we went to the taping of the Stephen Colbert show, after a painful night. Kat refused to sleep until 3AM. And then we got up at 6:30 AM, and we headed to Ann's cousin's in the city. We piled in their official Olympic vehicle and, headed to the show's taping. It was a beautiful, sunny day. A bit muddy at the park, and a long wait for Colbert to show up, but as we were hanging out with Ann and Mare and Darrel (from Calgary) and Kat was playing in the mud and at the playground it was all good. We hardly noticed that we hadn't eaten anything. He showed up eventually and he was very funny, as per usual (but don't look for us in the show, I'm confident that you won't see us). And Kat found some interesting friends in the meantime.

Doesn't she look happy to be awakened? We explained that it was her fault. To her credit, she was a champ on 4 hrs sleep- she was up for anything and quietly crashed in BOB for a few hours, so we could move around DT Vancouver easily (no demanding to walk, etc).

Th polar bear folks were handing out stickers. Some said something like 'the oil sands are killing me' . I had to get a pic of the sticker on Darrell, the oil guy!

Here's our disheveled little one. Pocket untucked, zipper down, milk residue all over her face, and she's not covered in mud, YET.

There's the giant polar bear. You'll see more of them in the video below. These folks were polar bears with a giant 2 (or more) person polar bear, with a sign "ColBEAR report" and drawing attention to the plight of the polar bears. Kat was their biggest fan.

Colbert on stage, with the moose and flag in the background (if you're looking from the front).

This was so friggin cute. Kat followed these folks around for a long time. She had never seen a walking/talking/dancing polar bear before.

OLYMPICS....HERE WE COME!!!!

Well, we leave this afternoon for Vancouver!!! We have tickets for Thursday's USA/Finland women's hockey game. Tomorrow, we are getting up and into the city early to meet up with Ann and go to Stephen Colbert's taping and meet up with Mare and Darrel later on.

It should be a really fun and interesting experience. We will take LOTS of pics and I'll post after our return. We expect to return sometime Thursday night, so will probably post on Friday. Check out Ann's blog- top of my faves list, as she's been up there all week, saw Gretzky and the torch, etc go by, and in general has been in the thick of things for the last week or so. We would expect nothing less from Ann!!

Very hurried group pics with Ann before every scattered. As I said, who knows when we'll all be back together again.....turns out it will be tomorrow AM, as we meet up for taping for the Colbert Report in Vancouver and the Olympic festivities! Well, the idiot twins won't be there, but the 4 humans will be.

This is Kat & Charlotte dancing at a kid's concert this past weekend.

Ann's Visit

Well, Kat couldn't have more fun than she has visitors and Ann is one of her top tier fans!
Ann got her a baby that could go in the tub with her, which she had to try out for her second bath of the day. And don't ask why she's in her bathing suit-going swimming would always be Kat's #1 choice, only distantly followed by running around butt-naked. Somehow she conned Ann into getting the bathing suit out...
She actually focused on pulling each and every ribbon out of the bow.

Ann & Kat yoga....

plank position, for some....

Not sure what this one was.

This one is warrior.

And of course, downward dog, one of Kat's faves.


Today, on the slide. Not my idea for the photo op, but since she was doing it anyway and the camera handy....

At least she gets her hands down for the landing.

Mariners Fan Fest

Well, my laptop bit the dust last week, so I'm using my new, cheap Gateway laptop and haven't figured out how to do everything yet (like drag the pics around to where I want them to be). But so far so good, anyway.

Today was Mariners Fan Fest, followed by spaghetti (followed by ice cream) at the spaghetti factory. The down side to raising a munchkin with dogs....she doesn't realize that she isn't one. It just may be time to work on restaurant manners...... and the proper use of utensils.

During the clubhouse tour- the players have really nice digs down there. And a chef who cooks everyone's favorite pre or post game meals. It looks like a pretty good gig. Here's a family portrait in the weight room.

I suspect the lockers don't look this neat during the season.

In the dugout.

melting down just a little bit.

From the field, where we got to run the bases (well, first to third, anyway).