The World's Best Sporting Competition

Image via Wikipedia

I know we're just coming off of an exciting Superbowl, but for me life wouldn't be the same without the Olympics. I have loved these events since I was a little girl watching Dorothy Hamill and Nadia Comaneci and now love to watch them with my boys. The events are in my backyard this year - Vancouver, Canada - and I am thrilled to be going! Getting tickets wasn't easy (or cheap), but this is truly a trip I've looked forward to all my life.

For families, I think the Olympics offer some truly great entertainment and life lessons. Amateur athletes from over 80 countries will be attending and chasing their Olympic dreams. I know there is a lot of carbon involved in getting all these people to Vancouver, but I think the benefits far outweigh the cost. Uniting young athletic competitors from around the world is one way of forging those bonds we need to realize we all have a responsibility for this planet.

I hope you take a chance to take in some of the Olympics with your families. Beyond the exciting competitions, it's also a great chance for fun geography and cultural lessons. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies are great because they represent all the countries (in alphabetical order, I believe) marching into a stadium parade-style. Kids will have a chance to see their flag, as well as some of their local dress and customs. One fun activity is to pull out a world map and have the kids locate the countries as the athletes stream by. They can also check out an online interactive map with details on the athletes (including a cross-country skier from Kenya!) The athletes come from five different continents - that is actually what the five Olympic rings symbolize (no Antarcticans have entered yet!)

Two days and counting! I'll be up there shortly after and hope to blog my way through my trip. Vancouver has gone to great lengths to use sustainable building practices in creating the Olympic venues and I can't wait to see them up close. We are leaving our car at home so this will be public transportation from door to door. Thanks to Vancouver for promising to make it easy! Stay tuned...

The Dark Days Challenge

Challenges in November must be the new thing to pull ourselves out of the winter doldrums. Maybe if we're busy, we won't notice that it is cold, rainy, and miserable outside? As if attempting to write an entire book this month isn't taxing enough, I've decided to take on The Dark Days Challenge.

I first read about this in The Everett Herald on Sunday - the challenge is to make one local meal each week between November 15th and March 31st, 2010. Sure, eating local in the summer is easy when the farmer's markets are teeming with fresh fruits and veggies. Even local meat is easier to come by then. But, the winter? Nah... that's too hard. I would need months to prepare for that.

Yesterday, the Eco Geek columnist/blogger wrote about it again in the same newspaper and announced she was taking the challenge. She also mentioned that she didn't have hens out back, a freezer full of her bountiful summer garden, or anything else. And she has a toddler. We all know that makes cooking, eating - everything - more difficult!

Okay, if all these other people can do it, I decided I can too. Having just decided this morning to take the challenge, I have done absolutely no preparation. They are already 4 days into their first week so I had to think fast. Voila... the smoothie. I know some might not consider it an entire meal, but it is what I eat for breakfast so I'm counting it!

I actually do have a ton of frozen fruits that meet the SOLE (sustainable, organic, local, ethical) requirements of the challenge so it was a natural starting point for me. I started with the Organic Valley milk (Duvall, WA) and added local strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and peaches.

Stay tuned to see if I can handle this challenge... My husband is stopping by the buffalo farm on Whidbey Island today so maybe he'll bring home next week's meal! I'm thinking that dusty pasta maker may finally get pulled off the shelf too!

Anyone else want to sign up??? If not, then feel free to encourage me, give me ideas, and go check out the (not so) Urban Hennery blog to see what the other Dark Days people are up to.