How did I forget about Friday?

Oops, so busy I forgot to post photos from Friday! Here they are:

Al Roker (really nice guy, and way shorter in person than you would think!)



The crowd gathering outside on a foggy early morning

My BFF and Tracey's next husband, Michael Buble

And US Figure Skating Champion Kristi Yamaguchi (who has been here almost every day since as she is doing segments for NBC)

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy Birthday Mom! Thank you for everything. For your love, your support, your guidance and you being such a good Mom.

I am glad we came up to celebrate it! As Kaylee said, what is a birthday without cake?

Golden Moments

Well, first congratulations to Alexandre Bilodeau for winning Gold on home turf!! With the weight of his country on his shoulders, it was fitting to find out today that he is just another good old Canadian boy. Wanna know how I know?

Well, read on.

We knew today would be a big show for the NBC Today Show. How big - well I couldn't have imagined. I had known for a few days that Wayne Gretzky would be on - the great one - #99. If you love hockey, you know who he is. And in this house, while not a "star struck" kinda person, I thought it would be cool to see him in person. You know, brush with fame. Then yesterday I learned that kd lang was going to be on the show - and after the opening ceremonies for the Olympic Winter Games, I thought - hey cool, she was awesome. The other favorite part of the ceremonies for me was Shane Koyczan (that is with a zed) and of course he was on too! WOW!

So my first brush, literally was with our Canadian Hero - Alex. He was on early and we were trying to get him a Whistler Water toque. All good Canadian boys need new toques after winning gold right?

Well, as timing had it this morning, the toque was running late, and I was the only one who had the chance to give it to him. I walked onto him private tram and said "Alex, you did Canada proud last night - it was an awesome run. Congrats on the Gold." Remember that star struck that I don't get? Stupid me should have taken my photo with him. Ooops. Anyhow, he was very nice about it, and it was cool to meet him.

But back up for a minute, cuz I caught something on film no one else did!! When he was heading down the mountain, coming up was Gretzky! Wayne got off the tram, stopped to congratulate Alex on the Gold, and I was fast enough to take a photo!

In the same instant, I put down my camera, ripped off my jacket and asked Gretzky to sign my (well, Chris') team Canada jersey. I have never asked anyone for an autograph, but this was my opportunity to do so, and now I have (ok, well Chris has) an autographed jersey (to be framed!) by #99. Good wife award for me!!

So back into my morning of opportunities, I got close up to watch Picabo Street do an interview - she is such an amazing skier and I love her attitude.

Ok, then all of a sudden, I find out that Wayne is going down the mountain - the PA asks me to arrange the tram, and the next thing I know I am personally escorting this hockey legend on my own to the Upper Red Terminal. Again, right place, right time.

I find myself next to Shane and managed to let him know that I thought his performance rocked and really captured Canada and Canadians well. He too was cool about it.

One would think that is my day for dealing with high profile peeps, but before I knew it, I was being asked to arrange the tram down for kd lang. Sure thing - I can make things happen. Then they ask if I can escort her down too. Ya ya, of course. Actually, she really didn't want anything to do with my on the way down, but I am the only one who got to go.

After a long day, I was looking forward to heading home and resting. Nope, no such thing today. But after a day like mine, who could complain. Anyone else have this good of a Monday?

Four Flames

Today was another day for my history books. I started it by chasing the Olympic Flame, and while I was wowed by the first opportunity, each one of the next three just got better. Hard to believe eh?

My first meeting with the flame today was watching my boss, the owner of Grouse, carry it. Here he is lighting up his torch, something very cool to see. Then running with his family, friends and team - well you could see how proud he was.

My next bought was something I really wanted to do as a parent - watch my kids watch the flame. I collected Kaylee from daycare and we found Braydon so we could all watch it go by together.

Not sure what he is saying in this photo, but I am going with it's something sweet (even if it wasn't!!).

I had KJ in my arms, so this isn't the best image of the flame, but proves that it's my second location of the day. Chris then took them up to the celebrations in Lynn Valley - where we hope to make it as a family at least once before the games are done.

It was a few hours later, but I have to say pretty amazing to witness. I watched the cauldron light the flame on top of the Skyride. This truly is one of our iconic pieces at the mountain, and not a whole lot of people actually ride ON TOP as they ascend to 3700 feet in the air.

It came back down with another torch barer, the fourth in the leg of Grouse (I missed two legs at the top because I was at the base). To watch these athletes in awe while they hold the torch, it's just something words can't capture.

The games haven't even started, and already my Canadian pride has jumped into gold level. Go Canada Go!

Oh ya, and one photo to prove that I was part of the day!

Wearing our Red Proud

I am excited about the games. Tomorrow, the torch comes through our part of the world. The kids get to see it with their schools, and I am really hoping to sneak up and catch it with them.

As well, Chris wants to take them to Lynn Valley Centre to see the celebrations there.

And then........it's coming to Grouse. Not sure how many to expect, but I am thinking it's going to be a lot.

Of course, Braydon and Kaylee are just as excited, and just as proud Canadians!!

Our Crop

Since I have been so busy, I forgot to share my work from our AWESOME crop last weekend!




























Over the weekend, our members created 246 lay outs - WOW!!! That surpassed everything I had hoped for. Our little site that could still can. What a way to celebrate our one year anniversary.

An amazing day.......

There are some days in your life that you will always remember. For me, there are many. And today was one of them.

After first hearing of the wind turbine that we were putting in at the mountain, I thought it would be something cool. The more I learned about the project, and then fact the basis of it all is so sustainable - well I got more intersted. The more time went on, the more excited I thought it would be.

In September when I got to go in the helicopter twice to take photos - I knew that this really was iconic. No marketing pitch needed, this was something different. Something unique. Something life altering.

Today, I got to take the 25 second elevator up to the view pod at just under 100 meters above the top of the mountain and watch the monsterous blades go past me - well it makes you gasp. In a good way. Even though it was all clouded in (I can only imagine the feeling on a sunny day), watching the power of the blades swoop past me was something else. The only thing I can say that it reminded me of, was the first time I was at the Aquarium and an Orca whale swam by.

With the weather, I have no stunning photos (although my friend Chris took this one for me - the `thing` in the background is one of the blades). But I will be up soon to take a million photos. I cannot wait to take my children up so they too can witness the power of wind energy. For them to know that our generation is doing something for their generation.

It really was a day that I will remember.