Let The Games Begin!!

Competition begins today!  (Actually the soccer tourney began earlier this week.)  If you need me for the next 17 days or so, you'll find me at home--as often as possible--glued to my TV, watching all the events I can get.  Say it with me now: "U-S-A!!"

 

 


"In the name of all the competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, committing ourselves to a sport without doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams."
                                                       --The Olympic Oath



This from a 2009 article in the Los Angeles Times:
"To this day, that oath really means everything to me," says Moses, who at 53 remains lean and lithe and bright-eyed. "Winning the gold was a great thrill. But right behind that was saying the oath. We can't let ourselves forget its deeper meaning. . . . It's about having a battle without wars that is fair and ethical. It's about humanity. You look at sports and the problems we've had since 1984, it can be pretty numbing. But we can't stop fighting for what's right."

Building Design

One of the areas I explored in Old Town San Diego was the Victorian village.  Old homes from the turn of the century, or slightly older, had been removed from their original location and relocated to a little street.  The display of architecture and design was charming and quaint and being able to see about 8 homes in that one little location was delightful.

A commercial management group is in the process of restoring the interiors to create a series of Bed & Breakfast inns.  The informational video mentioned they expected to be ready for guests by the end of summer 2011.  I guess the money and restoration weren't as fast as they'd liked to have thought.  In addition, two or three other old homes in the San Diego area were being considered to join the Village Inn party, but no sight of those yet.

This one was my favorite...I love the look out on the top of the upstairs.

Base Business

It is hard to see in the photo, but we had helicopter maneuvers over all day...from the base on Coronado to the ships out in the bay.  They were sure cool to watch...but sooner than later you just heard their noise and kept on playing.

And here, below--right in the middle, just barely above the treeline--is some kind of bomber coming in.  There was a sign as you drove to the beach-front parking area that read "Caution: Yield to Low Flying Aircraft".  Indeed, they came in low.  The landing strip was just the other side of the trees. 

And at one point, I heard what sounded like a jet dragster coming to the line.  But it wasn't a dragster...it was an actual jet.  Brenda said it was an F-16 and that they lift off from there once a day or so too.  Seeing as we were just down the freeway from Miramar (the base made famous in the movie Top Gun) it wasn't really a surprise that the "big boys" popped over once in a while.  I never got a shot of them, though.  But they sure sound cool.

When we stay on the Navy Base, I guess we can't really expect any less.

Beach Bums

Our San Diego trip was an extended family vacation...not that the trip was super long, but as in the family we vacationed with included Grandmama, Aunties, Uncles, cousins and even little Keili--the kids' second cousin.

Ginger-haired cousin Spencer did not utilize the sunscreen the day before...and he was not in top form.  But he played hard all day anyway.

Grandmama missed the sunscreen on her face the day before too so she spent the day pretty well covered up, but enjoyed watching the kids frolic in the waves.

Aunties Kathy (left) and Brenda (center) chat while Uncle Joey naps...

Little Miss Keili LOVED the water and waves and sand...and enthusiastically wanted to show her Grandma, our Auntie Lori, everything she was doing.

Of course, that included burying cousin Taylor (in the hat) and  her Uncle, our cousin Garett, with the help our darling youngest cousin, Holland.

We BBQ'd on the beach...while the seagulls waited for theirs.  Not that much different from our monthly family dinners at Grandmama's ...but for the ocean, the beach, the seagulls, the helicopters, the F-16s...but that story will come later.

If we lived any closer to the beach, I believe I might have trouble with The Boy...who took instantly to the boogie board and tubes and body surfing...a beach bum in the making, right here.

Taylor and Garett were one half of the boy-cousins-crew...who would play out in the waves, then come in and warm up and then go back out into the water for more fun and sun.

Yikes.  High school girls...be warned.  Beach bum, bronzed, braces-less...babe-a-licious.

And The Girl too, for that matter. She just hates her photo being taken more than he does...she seems perfectly at home on the Southern California coast.  Uh-Oh.  SDSU, Pepperdine, and others might find their way into her "list".  But then, how much studying would she get done, really?!?

Review and Preview

On one of our days in San Diego, we stopped to do a little sightseeing in Old Town.  One of the stops was the Mormon Battalion museum/visitor's center.  It was delightful.

 It was well done and very interactive.  The sister missionaries were great too--even Sister Rasmussen, from Orem, who was only on her 3rd day on the mission.

 It is hard to imagine the physical trials the battalion members faced.

 Or the difficulty of their journey.

But I can understand their faith in going and  their trust in the Lord to get them through it.

It kind of reminds me of all these darlings....from Trek three years ago.  

And Sunday we were told the dates of next summer's stake youth trek...June 13-14-15.  

Makes me giddy thinking about it.

Getting Back to Normal, Whatever THAT Is

We are home from Girls' Camp, and the family trip to San Diego.  Laundry, for the moment, is done. The car has been vacuumed, and will soon be getting a bath and getting smogged to renew the registration...but that bit might wait until tomorrow.  We were back at the pool this morning for the beginning of the last week of summer swim team. And the Olympics begins on Friday...in case you'd forgotten while I was away.

I'd like to share one portion of our trip with you today...probably one part of many to come. But we were at Disneyland on July 17th--Disneyland's birthday, #57, by the way--but we were most excited to see the new CARSLAND!

Here's is what we saw...and thanks to The Girl who lugged the camera around the whole day and shot everything in sight.  She was a little exited.

 This little shot was just so cute.  I loved it.

 Flo's is the place to have lunch...but not when the other 60,000 people visiting are trying to eat there too.

 This one looks like a painting, but it was real...life size and just like the movie.  In fact, on the way home through the Virgin River Gorge, I thought about Cars again and smiled to myself.

 Doing what Disney does best...the details.  See you can't look at this board of "city clubs" a little closer.  They are terrific!

 Who can resist the Cozy Cone?

 Tail light flowers.  So cute.

 Lightning McQueen welcoming the guests

 Luigi sells tires, or course, but did you know you could get his white-walled Fettucini Alfredos?

 Radiator Springs...the reason for the name.

 The canyon bridge...just like in the movie.

I loved Carsland...but if you go, be sure to go first thing in the morning, ride the Radiator Springs Racers as single riders and  then come back later in the day to check out the rest whent he crowds subside a little bit...and, the other plus for later is the neon lights go on about 8 PM....you'll know it's coming because they pay the same song from the show as they flip on the lights.  So cute.

Video Sunday

Sometimes you just have to have a little fun with your friends....