08-08-08

Wow. Let's just start off by saying that since 8 is my favorite number, I knew I had good things in store on this day.

It was Jeanette's 30th b-day, so that was a wonderful occasion to start. Next, it was the opening ceremonies for the Beijing Olympic games, and I LOVE the olympics. So that was also wonderful. I mean put those two things together, and all the 8's, and it was a fabulous day indeed.

I started the day by going ice cream shopping so I could make an ice cream cake/dessert for Jeanette's b-day party that night. I have made a pact that I will not drive anywhere in town (to save fuel/be more green and to be healthy since everything is within 5 miles in town). I decided I would bike to Kroger with my cooler backpack because walking would lead to melting. However I was so concerned about getting home with the cold goods that I forgot to get the main ingredient (Oreos) which were not a cold item. So I spent several hours working on Sunday's message before biking to the other Kroger in town to get the Oreos. (I was wearing a yellow cycling jersey and didn't want the same Kroger workers to see me twice...I just knew they would remember
me. After all, I was a Kroger cashier for a summer in college and I totally remembered customers!)

I then joined Terri and Jeanette at Moe's for lunch, although I cheated and packed my own. I was feeling pretty good at that point and considered biking to the mall to meet them for the movie, but time didn't allow. I frantically made the ice cream cake and rushed off to pick up the two of them and Sarah. We then headed to the theater (where we met up with Kati & Jackie) to catch a matinee of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. It was a wonderful movie -- full of out-loud laughing (thanks Sarah!) and a number of tears (to quote Kati, "Who would have thought we'd have cried that much at Sisterhood 2?"). It was definitely a girly feel-good movie and in my view, a must-see.



As you can tell, Jeanette was definitely enjoying the b-day celebration.


There is no story behind this. (You only turn 30 once, right?)

We headed to Souvlaki's in downtown Bburg for dinner, before ending back up at houseofchinn for the Olympic opening ceremony/bday party.



We learned that kids aren't really entertained by the opening ceremonies. Toys are much more exciting than watching a gazillion chinese people in lighted costumes.


This picture needs no explaining.


This one might. :)


And here is me, breaking the ice cream fast. I made it. I'm not sure what day I started exactly, but I know when I did the math in my head at the beginning I think I calculated about 30 days or so. The point was not the days -- it was the exercise in self-control and self-discipline.


Some highlights of the evening were:

-Ddubb's toga
-Jim's frequent line,"China does have a lot of people."
-seeing Steve & Amy again (who were gone all summer at LT)
-"Does anyone know where that country is?"
-"Oh look, they're showing us a little globe to help us!"
-Sarah's cinnamon croissants
-"You know what China does have. A lot of people."
-"Is that an LCD screen?"
-Terri & Jackie's fashion critiques of the country outfits.
-"When will the U.S. be marching out?"
-"Those poor cheerleader girls -- they have been jumping/clapping a long time."
-Terri's funfetti cake
-The ice cream cake
-Us singing to Jeanette -- TWICE :)
-Did I mention "China does have a lot of people"?

Once the U.S. team marched in, we were all tired and said our goodnights. There were more countries still to come, but some of us had enjoyed a wonderfully packed day, and it was time to bring 08-08-08 to a close. Definitely a day that will be remembered for me, though. For very good reasons. :)