Still Lovin' These Games

I'm loving that a 38-year-old woman won the 26K. I'm loving that a 41-year-old woman can swim as well as, and better, than women half her age. I'm loving that the Baltimore Bullet actually pulled it off. I'm loving that our women went one-two in the gymnastics all-around for the first time ever. But mostly I'm loving that this is the first Olympic Games that I'm enjoying with my kids. Daniel has really only shown an interest in Michael Phelps, but Ben has been right next to me for all of it. He even corrects me on occasion (on Friday night, I really thought Dara Torres had won gold, and as I was pumping my fist in the air, Ben leaned over and said "Mom, that was just the semi-finals.")

I've LOVED having little boys, but I'm beginning to see how much fun it will be to have young men.

What I Was Reading Before the Olympics Started

Dark Angels by Karleen Koen.

This book is the prequel to a book called Through a Glass Darkly. I read TAGD in high school, and remember next to nothing about it. I remember I picked it up because I like the title, and, at the time, didn't even know it was scriptural. Apparently, there was a sequel as well, which I may look into at a later date, if this one is good.

I started it right before the Olympics started, and have not done any reading since then. I'm sure I'll pick it up again next week some time - it was good - historical English court intrigue. Lots of Ladies-in-Waiting, Dukes, and policital agendas. Good times.

A Sad Realization

I noticed a couple of things in the decor of my home today, and I came to a rather sad realization...

(The Dining Room)

(The Master Bath)

...I might be a redneck.

All the Cool Guys Play Bass

School music programs have come a long way since I was a kid.

Last spring, Ben announced that he wanted to take Orchestra in middle school, and he wanted to play the bass. Yes, that large instrument you see to your left.

My concern was, of course, how an eleven year old who rides the bus might transport such an instrument.

Apparently, for a measly $35 a year, Ben can rent a school-owned instrument to keep at home. He can also use another school-owned instrument in class, and in concerts. So outside of the trip home tonight, where the bass rode shotgun and was almost impaled on my dashboard, the transportation issue will not come up again until May.

Ben also has access, for a mere $25 a year, to a computer program that blew my mind. The teacher uploads music and assignments. The student downloads same. The student can have the computer play the music, and hear it played correctly. The student then plays the same song into a the computer mic. The program takes every note played correctly and turns it green, and takes every note played incorrectly and turns it red. Then student and teacher can look at what is going well, and what needs improvement. A far cry from my days playing clarinet in the band.

I always thought the bass was cool, especially when you pluck it like that bear did in the The Jungle Book. Maybe I'll take advantage and learn to play it myself....

More Olympic Fun

So, did anyone notice that Alain Bernard, the trash-talking French swimmer who was humiliated in the Men's 4X100 relay, set the world record in the semi-finals of the Men's 100M freestyle on Tuesday night? What a great moment for him!!

He held the record for all of about five minutes and then an Australian swimmer broke his world record in the very next semi.

What a great Olympics this guy is having...

Hey France?

How do you like us now?

What's For Dinner?

Salmon filets, roasted green beans and tomatoes, and a baked potato.

Put salmon filets in a prepared casserole dish and cover them in the juice of one lemon. Sprinkle with dill. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.

Toss green beans and cherry tomatoes in olive oil, salt, pepper, and basil. Lay them in one layer in a casserole dish. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes. (I stole this one from Rachel Ray.)

I think most of you know how to bake a potato.

Delish, and healthy too! (Don't look too hard at the butter and sour cream.) This is my favorite way to cook salmon, and the veggies work well with it because they can cook at the same time. Throw the taters in the microwave, and you get to sit down and watch the Olympic swimming heats while dinner cooks itself!

Weekend Update

Apart from a short bout of housecleaning and a cookout with Ben's baseball team, I have been parked in front of the TV watching the Olympic coverage all weekend. I've watched men's soccer, women's cycling, swimming, women's volleyball, water polo, beach volleyball, rowing, men's gymnastics, men's basketball, and something I wasn't even able to identify.





Looking forward to more swimming and gymnastics tonight. Go USA!

Write Your Own Caption

All I ask is that you keep it moderately family-friendly.

Opening Ceremony

Last night's opening ceremony was so spectacular, I had to change my vote in this week's poll.

Nothin' But Net

Ben's First Day of Middle School

Believe it or not, Ben started Middle School today. He was really pretty calm about it. He wanted me to come in with him, to find his hall (they live by the hall, apparently), but when we pulled up, the principal directed me into the traffic flow. I asked where I should park if I was coming in, and she smiled real big and said (as nicely as anyone has ever said this to me) "You can't come in." So I turned to Ben and said "Looks like your on your own."

And he was fine. It was a half-day, so I picked him up at 11:30 and we met Mark for lunch at Fuddies so we could both get the low-down on Ben's first day. He has two friends from elementary school in his homeroom, and one of his best friends is on his hall. One friend from church is on his hall as well, but she's in 7th grade. His homeroom and math teacher is a guy, and apparently really cool. His language arts teacher gave him five "style points" for his Yankee jersey. He also reported that his new school had the top test scores state-wide in three out of four subjects, but he said he would pull their social studies scores up. :)

I think he's going to have a good year. We're excited for him. It's hard to believe he's just entered a world where I will become less cool, and other girls will become much cooler. He'll start talking about dances, and school sports, and lockers, and detention (hopefully, not too much about detention).

Several of my friends knew I was taking him to school today, and asked if I would cry. Funny thing - I don't ever really cry with Ben. Ben is my trailblazer. Whenever he does something, it's a brand new adventure - it's exciting, and kind of scary, but never sad. Daniel, however, is a different story. When he does something, it affects me in a whole different way. It's the LAST time we do this thing. It's like I feel a door closing to a place that I can never go back to.

But for today, doors are opening. Life is good.

Different Strokes

Four, to be exact. Ben shows off the new strokes he learned this summer:

What's That Smell?

What's for Dessert?

Chocolate Pizza!

To cap off our last official day of summer vacation, we made a chocolate pizza for dessert. I got the idea from Paula Deen a few weeks ago. I made my standard pizza crust (except I used white flour, not wheat) and then covered it with chocolate and white chocolate chips. I topped it with three different toppings: marshmallows, M&Ms, and melted peanut butter. Then I put it back in the oven to get nice and gooey.

Delish!