Friday Flashback: Olympic Flame

Here is a memory for us from a little while ago:

This morning we went and saw the Olympic flame. It was running through our town and so we bundled up the crew and stood in the cold waiting for the flame.

We are huddled together with all sorts of community members, including an elderly couple, a guy who keeps starting his sentences with 'man' and a few families.

We watch as the Coca-Cola truck and the RBC truck come by blasting music and cheering us up. Followed by the local vehicles and a few police cars.

"Man, this is one time I don't mind seeing the police drive by, " says the guy who starts his sentences with 'man'.

Oooookayyy, I think.

The runner who is going to do our 300 feet of road arrives. She smiles and tells us that since her company is a sponsor she was drawn randomly to carry the flame.

She lets my girls pose with the torch.

Man, she was so nice to let us hold the torch.

She was, I think.

Then people from all around take photos with her. Interspersed with "Do it quick, here comes the flame."

Here comes the flame!

It draws closer. I jump up onto the wall and steady my camera to capture the moment. Crowd frenzy is starting to build.

Suddenly, I realize that a stampede of running kids who are following the flame are heading straight for us. It results in a shaky video and bad photography. If you squint you can kinda see that the flame is lit. But you can't really tell, since I'm trying to take photos and shield my kids as the local Bulls of Pompleno head our way. But...

The torch is lit. And she's running our stretch of road.

Shouts and hoorays fill the air as she makes her way down the road. Suddenly, everyone feels connected and we're all screaming and shouting and encouraging the girl who let us hold the torch.

"Go! Go! Go! Come on, Ashley! " we scream.

She starts to fade away as she heads further down the road, the flickering flame shining above her head.

"Man, Canada does it right, eh?"

Yeah. Canada does, I think.

My name is not Inigo Montoya

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I did not watch Princess Bride yesterday.

And even if I had--which I didn't--I would never say, "Stop rhyming and I meant it! Does anybody want a ________?" I wouldn't say that with the actors because I don't speak out loud when I watch films. I am quiet like a stone.

In fact, finding me giggling at Vizzini saying, " You fell victim to one of the classic blunders - The most famous of which is "never get involved in a land war in Asia" - but only slightly less well-known is this: "Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line"! " Me, giggling at that? Inconceivable!

And I don't get scared when Buttercup is swimming in eel-infested waters. I did that when I was a kid and I am so not afraid of shrieking eels growing closer and closer and aaaahhhh! Becoming afraid like that would mean I've become totally engrossed in the film and I find I am watching the film as though I was little again. I never pretend to be little again. Ever.

And I did not pick up on jokes that I missed when I was younger. Because I am astute and nothing gets by me. Not even when the man in black says, ' Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.' I think I would've caught the first 20 times I watched it. After all, I am observant like a stone.

And I did not snicker when the clergyman said, " Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam... Snickering isn't something I do. It sounds like you are coughing through your nose and I don't know how to do that.

And I never imitate the Albino. Imitating requires skill and a good ear to be able to deliver the lines, "The Pit of Despair" with a raspy voice. I don't have a raspy voice, even though I am an albino. And I never guffawed as Prince Humperdink says to Buttercup "Please consider me as an alternative to suicide." Guffawing is awkward out loud laughing that draws attention to yourself. I don't draw attention to myself. Ever. I am part of the background. Like a stone.

And I didn't have the biggest smile on my face when Princess Buttercup flies through the air in her wedding gown looking like a beautiful falling star. I wouldn't get so much joy over seeing a beautiful bride, after all it's only a fairytale. And I don't believe in fairytales.

And I would never think about my own love story and the romance that I have with my own hero. That sounds so girly and silly. You'd have to ask me to dream to do that. And you know what I'd say to that, don't you?

As you wish.

Friday Flashback: Flushbacks

This has been my week.

We now keep all doors to the bathroom closed.

Anyone want to guess what my third child is busy doing these days?

Keeping his Mom employed in the department of rescue services

Love is in the air...mail

We're getting all our love packaged up and shipping it out to those who live far away. We may have snuck a few candy hearts along the way.

F is for...

...February!!!

We're under the blankets recovering from the flu.

Wishing we could keep down food.

Reading about flies swallowed by ladies, fudge and full moons.

Counting down the days to the upcoming fun with the Olympics, and following the flame.

And getting ready for fruit salads and funny valentines given on the fourteenth day of February.

What F words are you celebrating today?

Marshmallows...For His Glory

I've been camped out in John 14:13 lately.

"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father."

To be quite honest, many times I was focused on the first part of that scripture: Jesus will do whatever I ask in His name.

That in itself is huge...as long as it goes hand in hand with the second part: SO THAT the Son may bring glory to the Father.

It's changed the way I pray. It's helped me realize that maybe my motives haven't been as pure as I thought. Maybe sometimes I was more interested in getting glory than watching Jesus bring pleasure to the Father.

I am camped out here today.

Marshmallows, anyone?

I fought the Pilates ball and the ball won!

I love doing Pilates.

I love video workouts.

I walk with my kids for exercise too, but we all know that you don't get your heart rate up walking with your kids unless you have a runaway stroller on your hands.

So I do Pilates. On DVD.

I *heart* Pilates. I love the slow breathing, the calm movement, and the soothing stretches. It's all so slow. S L O W. S L o w

Pilates has a bit of a trick to it and the trick is the breathing. It's almost the opposite of how you normally breath doing exercises. But once you conquer the breathing, you feel it. Oh, my friends, you feel the burn the very next day.

Another trick to Pilates is to do the exercise on the workout ball. First of all, the ball requires that you pay more attention to your muscles and breathing. And we all know: I need to pay more attention (to life in general, but here especially).

Here's my story. It all starts with a new DVD.

We start with familiar moves. Moves I know all too well. And I don't need to follow Jennifer--the girl on the DVD whose been crammed in the back and is doing moves for those who can’t keep up who want to do variations of the exercises.

And it begins...

Ok, now stand up with the ball behind you. Put the top of your right foot on the ball behind you and roll the ball back with your foot.

Oh, this is new.

Breathe deep and as you exhale, making little circles with the ball.

Wha-??

My son comes up and hugs my leg.

Not now, son.

--your foot is in front of your knee. You don't want to hurt it--

Wait, wait. Go back, who's going to get hurt?

That's right. Now breathe deep. And repeat.

Repeat what? I don't know what's going on here.

(My son understands repeat as he comes up and hugs my leg. Again.)

Now one more time--

I haven't done it the first time--

That's it. Now come to a standing position.

I decide to put my boy into a bouncy chair and continue my routine. We're on the floor now.

Now for some abdominal work. Place the ball on your head.

Easily done.

Inhale to start and exhale and go down one vertebrae at a time as you lie down.

I'm back in my groove.

Now, keeping the ball on your head, arms by your ears, come up to a seated position.

Um...easier said than done.

If you are finding difficulty, follow Jennifer.

Heck, no!

And now for our final move, the Mermaid.

Oh, this is new.

From a seated position extend your legs sideways and bend them. Then cross your ankles. Put one arm over the ball...wonh-wonh-wonh-wonh. You should look like this:

Mermaid - Pilates Stretch

_{by Peter Kramer, courtesy of Kolesar Studios, (c) 2006}

(Only your supporting arm is on the ball and your legs are extended a bit more. Imagine it. You can.)

This feels like a good stretch.

We're going to roll up onto the ball.

Wha-?

I look to Jennifer to guide me but she's still getting into position. Slacker.

Now with control, roll up onto the ball.

I roll up the ball.

And then I keep going up. Up, up and away and I roll over, legs splayed, arms flailing as I fly to the other side of the room.

I'm sprawled on the floor, the ball leaving me as it rolls away. My daughter, who is sitting on the couch points out, "That's not how they do it on the video, Mama."

I laugh. "Nope. It's not quite like that."

And exhale.

I exhale.

If you are doing this exercise for the first time, follow Jennifer.

Oh, shut it!

Perhaps I don't have to rule out having my own cookbook one day

Success! Success!

I finally did it! No more smooshed, flattened cookies. No more must I bear the burden of delivering burnt cookies to loved ones. No longer, friends, no longer.

I made yummy, and puffy with a bit of crispiness to it type of cookies. They were gobbled in mere moments and the hit of this house.

I know what you're thinking. Diva, we remember the last time. Are you sure these are not a store bought mix?

I'm positive my friends. I made these with my own hands.

You're dying to know my secret aren't you?

Ok, I'll tell.

These are actually blueberry muffins gone horribly wrong.

Introducing Nestor...give him a great diva welcome

This is Nestor. Named for The Nester and her wisdom found here.

I place him at on the bedstead, but he tells me that he wants to try some other places first.

In the hall? No. Not enough natural light.

Ummmm...no.

Back to the bedside table!

This is colorful--but it's my garbage can lid, so no.

This could work. However, look at that dinosaur. He's all bones. He will devour Nestor in mere moments.

Ah, perfect. On the bed stand.

See his smile?

Flashback Friday: So that's what happened to the bangs

I found this the other day. I remember it all so clearly.

Antics and mischief that day. I was at my wit's end. I needed a creative solution for correction and this was all I had:

How about you? Any hair cutting stories you care to share?