Sunday, February 28, 2010

THE 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS

On February 27th, one day before the closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver B.C., we made our once in a lifetime trip up to experience the Olympic Ambiance!  Since Vancouver is only an hour and a half away from our house, I felt like if we didn't take the time to go up there during the Olympics, then I would be missing out!  When else will the Olympics be this close?  So we started our trip at 7:30am with 8 people in our car, Me, Steve, Rhona, Erin, Xavier, Harper, DJ & Lindsey.  We parked in Surrey BC and took the SkyTrain into Vancouver.  Vancouver has done an amazing job with their SkyTrain transportation system.  There are 3 lines that go all over the Vancouver area, so you don't have to drive into the city!  We went to the waterfront to see the torch and the rings, we went to Robson St. and walked down through all of the Olympic happenings, we went to the O Zone in a rain storm, we went to Granville Island where they have a Public Market (indoors) that puts Pike Place Market to shame, we braved the LARGE Hudson Bay Company Store with all of the official Olympic merchandise and we ate lunch at the largest restaurant in Vancouver, Steamworks Brewery!  It was such an amazing 15 hour adventure and at the end of the day we even had to pull over at the USA Border because our lanes computer system went down right when we pulled up...we still blame it on Lindsey, our Persian cousin with dark skin, dark hair and a passport that stills has Azarpay as her last name!  We are for sure going to go back and visit soon!  


Where it all started...on the SkyTrain!
Lindsey & DJ

HEEYY...dancing in the street!
in front of something!
paper lanterns hanging in downtown made by children 
Xavier was stopping people who were walking by him....kind of like red light, green light!


The Neyens bobsled team!
The zip liners coming down across the street
Lindsey doing a grab...or is she trying to stay on?!
Yeah doing some jibbin and bonkin on the snowboard!  Watch out Shawn White!
Walking down Robson St.
Here Mom, want a bite of my cheerio?
Way down at the bottom of the street we spotted the torch...so we started walking towards it!




Family torch photo...minus the sleeping Harper
Harper's picture in front of the torch since she was sleeping...I don't know what Xavier is doing!
The rings out on the barge.  They would have been beautiful all lit up at night
AAAHHH...finally got close to the torch...just wish there weren't fences around it!
This is the tent you always see in the background when the reporters are reporting live from the Olympics!
 Our view from Steamworks Brewery
Getting all bundled up for our walk in the rain
After lunch...so ready for a nap...but he actually never took one!
The Hudson Bay Company Building!  HUGE
Walking...Xavier was obsessed with the UMBRELLA!
The side of a building in downtown Vancouver
CUTE!  Harper and Grandma!
I know it looks like their engagement picture, but Lindsey wanted to show off the sleeve of her shirt!
On the street car on our way to Granville Island
Waiting...on the street car
Granville Island...Home of the most amazing Public Market!
Huge TV screens were all around Vancouver so you could watch that days events 
The O Zone in Richmond
We finally made it to the Holland House, but the line was so long to get in, even the cop told us that the people were waiting there for no reason...they weren't getting in....so Rhona had to settle for a picture in front of it!
Erin in front of the Holland House
Steve was making his mommy happy by posing in front of the Holland House!
The O Zone Stage
The busy street at night in downtown Vancouver
The end of a long day...he finally crashed

VALENTINE'S DAY!


I first must mention that my husband does not celebrate Valentine's Day.  He has always told me that he loves me every day of the year not just one day!  So since Steve had to work on Valentine's Day, we decided to have my mom and Tim up for a lunch of heart shaped pizzas!  I have the best kids cook book and it has all the holidays with fun recipes to make with the kiddos!  I have been wanting to make the homemade heart pizzas every Valentine's Day, so this year we finally did it!  Basically you just buy the can biscuits and make them into a heart then add your own toppings!  Poof...heart shaped pizzas!  It was such a nice day out too and the geese were visiting us really close to the house, so Nana and Xavier got a good look!  The night ended with me and the kids watching a movie together and going to bed late while watching the Olympics.  It was a great Valentine's Day.

The best picture of the bib sent by Aunt Linda...eyes closed and all!


Cheese Mom!
Photo shoot attempt number 1,234...
I told him to give her a kiss...so it looks like he was going to and then....
This happened...
Then this...
So we settled for some solo shots of the one child who sits still!
Isn't her heart outfit CUTE!
LOVE the fur hood with your blue eyes!!
Just lounging around
The heart pizzas...getting them ready for the toppings
Papa Tim entertaining Harper while we did pizza stuff
putting on our toppings
Nana doing her and Papa Tim's toppings
the finished project...
YUMMY!
Nana brought Harper a Sally pillow and Xavier a Mater Pillow
I love how she is sitting playing with her dolly and stroller
Heart outfit number two!
HEART BREAKER

My Valentines
Checking out the geese and swans
A cute picture of Harper and Ruby's BUTT!
Wanting to go outside with Nana and Xavier