Exploring Vancouver

Yesterday I wandered around Vancouver trying to find some of those red mittens that were so popular during the olympics.  I was directed to the Hudson Bay company, the original source for those mittens.  Unfortunately they are all gone and I was told there were no plans to make more.  Sounds like an opportunity for someone to capitalize on!  Know anyone that knits???

I also went for a walk around the little bay area outside the hotel.  There is a path for bikers/skaters and a separate track for walkers/runners.   

Here are the olympic rings from the side

The boys got in safely last night and we met up with them at a restaurant next to the hotel around 9.  They hung out with us at the Crime Lab until around 11:30 when we had had enough and said good night.  Mike has meetings until lunchtime and then we're going to head up to Grouse Mountain for lunch and a zipline adventure!  Tonight there is a dinner cruise.  It's shaping up to be a busy day!

Vancouver

This is such a cool city and I have not even ventured out to explore it yet.  I can just tell it is a cool place.  Check out the view from our room. 

 I am using a zoom here, but these planes come pretty close.

I can see the Olympic rings from the room!  They light up at night so I will  try to get a picture of that tonight. 

Here are a few cool things about our room.  The soap is a leaf! 

And the shower is fabulous!

I'll be out exploring around lunchtime today.  The boys arrive this evening so my big "to do" today is to figure out how we'll spend our free time on Saturday with them and options for them on Sunday while Mike and I are in meetings. 

I have an announcement

I have an announcement to make.  You'd better sit down. 

Sitting?

Ok.

I just ate a banana.  

I know, I know, this is not unusual for you.  But for me, having reached the ripe middle age of ### and never eaten a banana, I didn't know what would happen.  Oh, I just remembered that I accidentally ate several pieces of carmelized banana in 1990.  That was a trick so it doesn't count!

I am still living and breathing. 

It wasn't so bad even.

Want to know what prompted me to do it?

I have a recipe for an "Eat your greens" smoothie that calls for: baby spinach, blueberries, pomegranate juice, soy milk (I used almond milk) and flaxseed and half a banana.  I really wanted to try out my new NINJA Rule the Kitchen blender and make a healthy smoothie.  It was really very good.  I wouldn't have known I was drinking spinach if I hadn't put the ingredients in myself.   

I may even do it again!
 

Beach house plans!

Just a quick post on the status of the new beach house!  We think we have pretty firm plans.  Of course, we thought the plans were pretty firm a few weeks ago but then we made some changes.  I am sure there will be more changes to come, but there is only so much you can do with a rectangular box to work with.  Blogger won't let me squish these closer together so I apologize for the spaces between things.  I am lobbying for a terrapin instead of an anchor.  You get the idea though - there will be something decorative on the front. 

Here is the back of the house

Here is the main level.  Kitchen, laundry, bath, Great room and a study that could be a 5th bedroom.  We are going to get rid of the door to the bathroom from the porch and rearrange the kitchen a bit. 

Here is the upstairs.  4 bedrooms and 2 baths and a upper balcony to watch the sunsets over the bay.

Here is the garage

So Yay!  We have something to work with and more importantly for you readers - something for me to blog about for the next ??? months as the previous house is torn down and the new one emerges.  :)

Christmas #2

Guess who that is?  Hahaha right, it is Duncan as the Chik-fil-a Christmas cow! 

We kept the tree up until we could celebrate with Steffi and Duncan.  You can't see it, but some of the branches are really drooping and losing needles.  I only kept the lights on for about 15 minutes.

Santa delivered a winning lottery ticket to this good girl!

Santa delivered a winning ticket to this good boy too!

Topher with his best boy. 

After stockings I made dinner and then we opened presents by the big dry tree.  Christmas still isn't over at Tyndale...there are presents under the tree for Mike, Meg, Katie and Stephen! 

Maybe by March we will be able to take the tree down.

They're back!

Just a quick post to let you know that the kids are back in Austin after their funfilled holidays in the UK.  Here they are at baggage claim, not looking so bad after their 18 hour journey home.

The other day Mike and I shopped for a new front door mat.  I liked this one, however Mike convinced me that we might want to choose something not so frightening to potential buyers...

Welcoming in a new year - 2010!

This is the second year in a row that we have seen Bob (Schneider, of course) on New Years Eve.  Last year we stayed in a hotel downtown instead of driving and enjoyed Bob and his band at Antone's.  It was super great, but Antone's is a standing only venue and I still remember how much my feet hurt by the end of the night!  This year our good friends and the "other fun Whole Foods couple", Mark and Renee generously offered to share their VIP passes to see Bob at the Paramount (a theater venue with comfortable seats!).  The VIP package included a "meet and greet" with Bob.  We stood in line to shake his hand and had our picture taken with Bob, who was looking mighty spiffy.  Because I was starstruck all I could think of saying that wouldn't be too stupid was to compliment him on his hair, which did look so much better than the last time we saw him. 

We cleverly arranged for a cab to pick us up at home and take us downtown and then return to take us home later.  Since we weren't driving, we popped some champagne

it made the ride in the Lincoln taxi that muchmore enjoyable.

Before meeting Bob we had a delicious dinner at the Roaring Fork. I had a wedge salad followed by grilled shrimp and grits. Mike had the caesar and pork tenderloin. We need an excuse to go back there because I "accidentally" walked out with a wine glass (full of expensive red wine that I was not about to ditch just because our taxi had arrived and, uh.. never mind the sheriff standing by the door) and need to return it!  My kids can vouch that I do return things that get borrowed from restaurants!

Here we are at the Paramount.  The photographer didn't do a very good job pointing the camera, but you get the idea. 

Other photos from the evening (that blogger decided were upload-worthy)

We had THE BEST time!  We always have a fun time with Mark and Renee anyway, but the whole evening was just perfect.  Bob and his band were as good as ever, our meals were excellent, we drank good wine and beer, the weather cooperated and we were transported there and back in plush comfort.  The dogs weren't too mad at us when we got home, but we did have to play with them a bit before finally falling into bed at 3.  3?!  a.m.??  Omg.  I need another nap.  Happy New Year!!

Footnote:  Blogger photo uploader is not cooperating so I am giving up posting any more photos.