Olympic Moments

Well, the Olympics are almost wrapped up. I have been watching off and on, whenever I can boot the kids off the GameCube to steal a peak at what is being broadcast on tv. I don't think I get much live but I do try and watch the coverage in the evening where they will show the highlights of the day. I got to see Phelps in the relay that won him his 8th gold medal that way. As a family we enjoyed catching the tail end of the game where Nadal won gold in tennis for Spain. We cheered him on in the semi-finals too. The kids and I cheered for a team of table tennis players (it was a week ago so I can't remember if it was an american team or spaniards. Most likely it was Spain since they showed the whole match) against China. My 8 year old got so into it that he was crying when the Chinese team came back from being down 2-0 to win the whole match 3-2. (He is a bit competetive and really has a hard time losing. We need to work on that).

I miss getting coverage of the USA like I would if I were back in the States. I really miss being able to hop online and catch the video clips from NBC but I am blocked from viewing them since I reside overseas. I am glad to at least get the American "news" via my AOL browser.

I am disappointed in the clothes (or lack of them) in so many of the sporting events. I even heard the other day that the women playing table tennis were being encouraged to wear "sexier" outfits and not the shorts and t-shirts they normally wear to try and create interest and increase ticket sales. And here I was watching table tennis and thinking "good for those girls ... wearing something comfortable that they didn't have to readjust every two minutes. Finally a women's sport I can feel comfortable letting my prepubescent boys watch."

I think the quote from my #3 son the other night sums it all up. As we flicked around and landed on the olympic coverage for a minute or two we tuned in to the last 5 minutes of the women's beach volleyball gold medal match. It was pouring rain and the USA won the point and then proceeded to win the gold medal match point. We cheered for our beloved USA team and then Mr. Competetive cheered with a big smile on his face, "Yeah! They won the gold medal!! And their underpants stayed up too!"

Banished at the end of the world

OK, I am not really at the end of the world, but I am banished in a way from the internet. We are staying at a timeshare in Germany and the only internet access is during the limited hours that the reception office is open. There are 2 terminals open for everyone to use so we are limited to 15 minutes at a time. I am sneaking some extra time today since there is noone waiting for the computer. i have so many posts going around in my head. Perhaps I will get them in my laptop on our two long travel days this weekend and then post them when we get to a McDonald´s with WIFI or once we get back to home sweet home. I am having a wonderful time relaxing and playing tourist with the family. We have eaten in McDonald´s in 4 different countries in the last 2 weeks, ordering in 3 languages. Interesting since we only speak 2 languages, and we haven´t ordered in English yet. Ü

There are pictures galore in the laptop and digital camera ..... but no way to post them yet. Be patient .... I will probably do tons of posts later in August and September, although there will be regular life to get back to once we get home.