Blast from the past #1

We didn't really do too much this past week and this weekend is a repeat of previous weeks - soccer games and Irish dancing. Since we did alot before I started this blog I thought those events should not be left out.

One of our favorite events of the year was the Olympics. I don't know if being in the host country just makes the Olympics more present but we really got into it this year. The torch relay was particularly exciting and when it came through Calgary I decided we shouldn't miss the chance to see it. We went out to Canada Olympic Park (site of the ski jump, bobsled, luge, etc in the '88 Olympics) for a pancake breakfast (a favorite for Calgarians) and the running of the torch. The torch came down the bobsled, was run through the park to the ski lift, carried up the ski lift, brought down by a snowboarder in the half-pipe, run through more of the park, carried to the '88 Olympic cauldron where the cauldron was lit again. The whole morning was definitely worth taking the kids out of school for!! Here are some photos from a great, inspirational morning:

The lighting of the cauldron. Cool that the US flag was hanging right over the top. Doesn't make for a good Canadian photo but a great American one!

As we were leaving the park we came upon this guy who was waiting his turn to run the torch for a few hundred yards. He was nice enought to take a photo with us. I would give just about anything for the chance to run the torch someday. I heard so many torchbearers on TV and the radio saying it was one of the greatest moments in their life. So cool!

We enjoyed watching many of the events. We rooted for the Americans but couldn't help pulling for the Canadians as well. Except for Emily who rooted solely for the Canadians in the gold medal hockey game against the US. She is a big Sydney Crosby fan and only became a bigger one after he became Canada's hockey hero. I threatened to turn in her passport but I really think there is something a bit Canadian about that girl!