Monday...the start of the week and the final count down before vacation! Wow where or where does time go....there is so much to do and like normal i have waited on most of it (except work i am caught up there and should be fine going into my vacation if i keep up...). Today I took Boo school shopping (Gigi decided to sleep in which is ok since she will not start for a few more weeks). We went to Target. which i have not been to in months, and i was happy. I forget how much i love that place! It rocks! And i found some fun scrapbook stuff (and what made it better was that it was on clearance!!!). We are hoping to catch some more of the Olympics (if not it will be DVR'd which will be cool!!). I was able to catch the swimming relay this morning (courtesy of the wonderful DVR!) and WOW!!!! AWESOME!!! INCREDIBLE!!! All of us (i saved it to make sure all 4 of us watched it) were at the edge of our seats and so stunned at the end!!! WOW!!! To me that is what America is about...coming out on top!!! Wahoo!!!!! I think Phelps just might so it this year! I am keeping an eye on our soccer teams and let's hope for Gold!!! wahoo!!

The Olympic Torch 　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　

The Beijing Olympic Torch boasts strong Chinese characteristics, and showcases Chinese design and technical capabilities. It embodies the concepts of a Green Olympics, a High-tech Olympics and the People's Olympics.
The Key Facts about the Torch
The torch is 72 centimetres high, weighs 985 grams and is made of aluminium. The torch is of a curved surface form, with etching and anodizing being used during its production. A torch can usually keep burning for approximately 15 minutes in conditions where the flame is 25 to 30 centimetres high in a windless environment. The torch has been produced to withstand winds of up to 65 kilometres per hour and to stay alight in rain up to 50mm an hour. The flame can be identified and photographed in sunshine and areas of extreme brightness. The fuel is propane which is in accordance with environmental guidelines. The material of its form is recyclable.
The Artistic and Technical Features of the Torch
The torch of the Beijing Olympic Games has a very strong Chinese flavour. It demonstrates the artistic and technical level of China. It also conveys the message of a Green Olympics, a High-tech Olympics and the People's Olympics. The shape of the paper scroll and the lucky clouds graphic, expresses the idea of harmony. Its stable burning technique and adaptability to the environment have reached a new technical level. The torch of the Beijing Olympic Games is designed, researched and produced in China. BOCOG owns all intellectual property rights.
The Fuel for the Torch
Under the concept of a Green Olympics, environmental protection was a key element listed in the invitation documents to the design companies, by BOCOG. The fuel of the torch is propane, which is a common fuel which also comes with a low price. It is composed of carbon and hydrogen. No material, except carbon dioxide and water remain after the burning, eliminating any risk of pollution.
The Burning System
Its stable burning technique and adaptability to the environment have reached a new technical level. It can stay alight in severe weather conditions such as strong wind, rain, snow, hail, etc. The flame can also be identified in sunshine and areas of extreme brightness so as to satisfy the requirements of capturing photographic images and video footage.
The Design Timelines
2005 August BOCOG developed the design concepts and requirements of the torch.
2005 December BOCOG recruited potential torch designs from the design society. In total, BOCOG received 388 pieces of works.
2006 June-August BOCOG selected the structural designer and the burning system designer.
2007 January Beijing Olympic Torch was approved by IOC

The 2008 Olympic torch

The Torch Relay lantern

The Torch Relay lantern will be used to store the Olympic flame. Its main purposes will be to receive the Olympic flame kindled in Olympia, to light the Olympic torch and to exhibit the sacred flame.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) requires the flame remain lit during the entire course of the Torch Relay in order to protect the sanctity of the Olympic flame and the purity of the Torch Relay. If the torch flame should be extinguished, it must be relit using the mother flame stored in the lantern. This is to ensure that the flame used to light the Olympic cauldron at the Opening Ceremony comes from the sacred Olympic flame kindled in Olympia.
The inspiration for the original design of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay lantern comes from the traditional lanterns used inside ancient Chinese palaces. The silver luster of the lantern coupled with crystal-clear glass serve as a foil to the flame and communicates the Olympic flame's sanctity and purity.

The Olympic cauldron

The Olympic cauldron plays a major role in the Olympic Torch Relay. The lighting of the Olympic cauldron symbolizes the end of the Olympic Torch Relay and the beginning of the Olympic celebration.
The Beijing Olympic cauldron is based on the concept of a "round heaven and square earth" and takes after a typical cauldron from the Chinese Bronze Age. The cauldron shares with the torch and lantern the design element of the "lucky cloud."
The 56 "lucky clouds" hollowed out of the curved plate of the Olympic cauldron symbolize well wishes to the world from the 56 ethnic groups in China. The base of the cauldron has four legs with eight faces, symbolizing that the Beijing Olympic Games welcomes friends from all directions across the world. The Olympic cauldron stands 130 centimeters high, symbolizing the 130-day duration of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay. The cauldron plate is 29 centimeters deep, symbolizing the 29th Olympiad. The cauldron post is 112 centimeters tall, symbolizing the 112 years that have passed between the staging of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and the 2008 Olympic Games.

Medal Update

Gold ...... 3

Silver..... 4

Bronze .. 5

Yesterday was full of the Olymipics, chicken and scrapbooking (wahoo!!!). Here are some of the layouts I completed (it also includes some from this week)...

wow!!! I spent the day scrapbooking (i finished a project i started a year ago and a few challenges...fun!) and watched the Olympics (at one point i was watching 3 different channels showing 3 different events!). I watched...archery, cycling, rowing, basketball, water polo, soccer, beach volleyball, men's volleyball and tonight...we are watching women's gymnastics (I wonder why they call it women's when they are all young girls...hmmmm) and synchronized diving (this is so fun to watch and watching the Chinese win was amazing!). We are looking forward to seeing the men's relay!!! Go Phelps and USA!!!


Medal Count

Gold........2
Silver......3
Bronze....4


Design of the Medal for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

front of medal
reverse side of medal

The medal for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is designed with inspiration coming from "bi", China's ancient jade piece inscribed with a dragon pattern. The medals, made of gold and jade, symbolize nobility and virtue and are the embodiment of traditional Chinese values of ethics and honor, sending forth strong Chinese flavor.
The medals are 70mm in diameter and 6mm in thickness. On the front side, the medal adopts standard design prescribed by the International Olympic Committee. While on the back, the medal is inlaid with jade with the Beijing Games emblem engraved in the metal centerpiece. The design inspiration of the medal hook derives from jade "huang", a ceremonial jade piece with decoration of double dragon pattern and "Pu", the reed mat pattern.
Noble and elegant, the Beijing Olympic Games medal is a blending of traditional Chinese culture and the Olympism. It gives the winners of the Games great honor and acclamation as recognition of their achievement.

Note: bi, a flat jade disc with a circular hole in the center
Huang, a semi circular jade ornament

reverse side of the medal

front of the medal

*all the Summer Olympics information provided has come from the 2008 Summer Olympics official site***

wow!!! I was able to watch some of the starting ceremonies and what i saw was incredible!!! i have never seen anything like it (live). At points it looked like they took a picture and enhanced it (the drummers in the begenning of the ceremony). The count down was incredible. Well... it was awesome! I wish I could have seen more...but i was so tired when i went to record it i recorded tonights olympic coverage instead of last nights!!! *sighy* My baby girl and hunny bunny said the part I did not see was even better!! Wow!!! And the talk around town is it was the best opening ceremonies and who knows if it will ever be matched?

Update on the medals...

Gold.................1

Silver...............1

Bronze.............1

(all of them came from fencing)

The 2008 Summer Olympics Mascot

The design of Fu Niu Lele derives its inspiration from the farming cultivation culture of ancient Chinese civilization, and bears the following salient features:

(1) Showing the rich concept of the Beijing Paralympic Games
Cows, symbolic of a down-to-earth, diligent, staunch and never-say-die spirit, are adopted to show the unremitting spirit of athletes with a disability in being the best they can be. It dovetails with the upbeat spirit of Paralympians and the concept of "Transcendence, Equality, Integration" of the Beijing Paralympic Games.
The determined, optimistic and diligent spirit of cows reflects a positive attitude to life. The Paralympic Games calls for people with a disability to enjoy the same rights to compete in sports as anyone else, and to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the World, and thus develop their strength to add vigor and vitality to social progress.
Fu Niu Lele invites people from across the globe to come to Beijing, enjoy the splendours of the Beijing Paralympic Games and see the inspiring performances of Paralympic athletes who achieve the unexpected

(2) Embodying the harmony between man and nature
As one of the animals closest to human beings, cows are well-known for their friendliness and their affinity to the humans who care for them. Throughout the history of the development of world civilization, poetry and songs have clearly expressed the aspiration of humankind for a harmonious life. Cows have often found their way into the natural, cozy and poetic country life reflected in literary and art works, showing public expectation for the harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
In the traditional culture of China, cows are also depicted as animals considered auspicious in inviting good weather and bumper harvests.

(3) Carrying rich national style and cultural features
The design scheme absorbs the modeling and design styles unique to China's folk engraved prints, New Year drawings, and toys. This, plus features unique to the modeling of modern cartoons, shows an integration of traditional folk style and public interest with that of modern times.

(4) Cows are widely accepted internationally
Cows were one of the first animals depicted in literary and art works. Cases in point include the Lascaux mural in France and Altamira rock paintings in Spain, which all contain drawings of cows. Therefore, adopting cows as the mascot of the Paralympic Games, instead of traditional rare animals, is a creative act in terms of design to a certain extent.

(5) Commanding space for future designs and marketing

The design scheme conforms to the principle of stability. Its basic image facilitates the combination of the modeling of sports with souvenirs of the Paralympic Games, and is also good for the adoption of down, plastics and other materials. The mascot could be made of simple as well as different materials in accordance with the need for combined modeling.

Wow....08/08/08!!! Today is the start of the Summer Olympics! I am so excited and I have heard some awesome things about the opening ceremonies! We will get to see them tonight and I always get ecxcited about them! It is great seeing the USA and all the exciting faces...no one knowing if they will get the gold or not). So....here is to an exciting time and who knows maybe we will bring home lots of gold!!!!

Today was a really interesting day for me...My team went on a team building outing. We choose to go fishing on a boat. We stayed on the boat for over 6 hours! We fished and fished and fished some more! I am normally a very "city" girl...take me to the mall, shopping, movies, a fancy dinner and I am in my element. Well...as a team player I wanted to do what the majority of out team wanted so...fishing i went! I bought a fishing license and a scooby fishing pole (i have pictures of the event but to be truthful I am to tired to post them...i will do this later). I worked last night so I think this was perfect. i was able to be mellow and enjoy the "moments'! It was GREAT!! I really enjoyed being on the water and sharing some down time with my peers and boss. Boy, it fishing relaxing!!! I think I was able to leave my normal mentality on dry land and in doing that I was able to enjoy myself! I also enjoyed taking pictures and watching my peers relax and let their "guard" down. It was great! I could see where we all needed to do this and I could see where we all enjoyed it! Yes, the water smelled fishy, it rained (which i discovered brings the fish up and after hours of catching nothing we were able to catch 7-8 fish!!), some of us had water come up from the waves and "get" us, the sun burned some of us, there were some "hook" injuries...but all in all IT WAS A BLAST!!! I am so glad I participated and... I can't say I would do it again...but I can say I am soooooooooooooo glad for today!! It was awesome to put away worries, concerns, work, home and just enjoy the "moments" with my peers!! Who would have ever thought that would happen on a team building event! teeehehehehe!

Is it so wrong to have a passion so deep you just can't quit? Is it wrong to love something so much you do not know when to stop? Is it wrong to say no and then change your mind? Personally, I don't think so. I admire his passion and his love for what he does. He is human...he is allowed to change his mind (I mean who has not changed their mind at some time?). I love that he LOVES something so much he is willing to take whatever comes his way (negative press, age, silly talk...)and does not let it stand in his way...Passion...Determination...Drive...Love...who can ask for more????

I wish you all the best and may you have a killer season!!! Go Jets!!! Go Favre!!!

"If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick the trait of persistence. Determination. The will to endure to the end, to get knocked down seventy times and get up off the floor saying, "Here comes number seventy-one!"

-- Richard M. Devos

Yummy Goodies (and they are not fattening!!!....if anything they tend to "slim" down the pocket book....teeehehehe).


I was at Michael's and found some fun stuff (I can't wait to use the flowers and stamps)...

Fun stuff from one of our LSS. I love the paper (daisyd's has the cutest sock monkey paper...love it!!). And...more flowers!!! Yummy....I can't wait to use the huge black flowers on my baby girls prom book!

i was going through some of my baby girls graduation pictures....

Gigi and Nina Lucy and Elena

Grandpa Griego and the diploma!

Gigi and Grandma Griego

Gigi and Grandma and Grandpa Burgess

The Graduate!!!

The Class of 2008'

Tuesday...teeeheheheeh you know what that means...LISTS!!!! I know, it has been awhile but I really need to get some things "tackled" this week so...here we go...

* make reservations for Vegas
* finish the clothes (wash and put away...yuck!!)
* get the family room finished!
* purchase some ink for the printer (i need to get some pictures done!)
* get caught up with my layouts (i.e. entering in 2Peas)
* figure out what the next step is for baby girl
* get my scrap area "presentable"...teehehehehe!
* make a list for Vegas....(luv those lists!)
* find some time to read (you are getting behind..sigh)


****today is the first day (in 24) that we are not in the 90's...wahoo!!!!***

wow!!! I am "chewing" on some scriptures and words that I heard Sunday morning (and last Sunday as well). Great stuff...but it is like trying to eat 5 crackers at once (without water)...close to impossible to swallow all at once. Brother Pastor has been speaking about being a light in the world and showing you "good" works. WoW!!! Some real basic stuff but if you go to the heart of it...some hard stuff. Being a light...a reflection of HIM! Someone who shines and illuminates goodness. Someone who people are drawn to...not because they are funny, beautiful, rich...no they are drawn to them because there is something "different"...something they "can't put their finger on"...something beyond "good". Wow!!! Someone who turns the other cheek, someone who knows people don't like them but likes them anyway! Someone who can treat others like they themselves want to be treated (WoW!!!)...and when i say this I mean really treat them like they themselves would like to be treated (respect, love, kindness, honesty, friendliness...). It means being that light when everything else around you is darkness...WoW!!! It means being a light when someone has come and blown your light out (notice i say someone...which means we allowed it to happen...), and yes it means being a light when we ourselves have let the light go out... How do we do this? Well, my guess is we return to the one who originally gave us the "light". He is the ONLY one who can rekindle that flame. If we try to light it ourself it will not be a "true" light and eventually people and yourself will see it for what it is..a flameless light! WoW!!! to be that kind of light? I know I am unable to accomplish this on my own...I know I have no flame on my own. Maybe that is where we start...admitting we are no light within ourself. But then the next step is so hard...to be a true light you MUST extinguish anyone (including yourself) and everything that is within you (kind of like pouring all the oil out of the tiki stand...without it there is no way it will light...even if you have the wick...it will not light). By doing this you are putting faith in HIM! And you are allowing HIM to fill you and when the time right light you up! And then...you will shine, you will glow and you illuminate HIM!!! WOW!!!! Such incredible thoughts to chew on...and at some point swallow...

Yummy for the Tummy!!! That is what think of Batman!!! Yes! We did see The Dark Knight (last Sunday). WoW!!!! What an incredible and intense movie!! I LOVED it!!! It was action packed and wow!!! Talk about a movie within a movie! I loved it (i know I already said that!!). I must tell you...if you have not seen it YOU MUST!!! We were also lucky because we were able to see it in the huge theatre!! Wow!! There was NEVER a boring part (and it was long...but you never notice!). All 4 of us give it a THUMBS UP!!

And Heath Ledger! Wow!!! He played an incredible Joker! He was so intense and you were captivated by him. There was only one time where I remembered his death and it was sad (but only for a moment). I would love to say more but I do not want to spoil it! You would hate me. All I can say is he looks great in a dress (teeehehehehe). When he was on the screen he owned it!!! A GREAT actor!!!

I will say the movie was "dark" and the characters were very very "dark" and in Batman's case..."sexy"!! However the city did not seem to "dark" and that took some getting use to. It was filmed in Chicago,,,how do I know? We were there when it was being filmed!!! If we knew then what we knew now I would have taken lots of pictures of the sites and posters!!! *sighy* Other than the city (which was not much at all) IT WAS GREAT!!!!

Happy August!!! It is so hard to believe...August 2nd!! Wow!!! I love August, it is such a full month for me. Boo's birthday, Mom's birthday, my birthday and our anniversary! Wahoo!! This is the month to celebrate!! Fun stuff!! I wonder if i should make a mini book for this month...hmmmmmmm. Speaking of scrapbooking I signed up for another class and will be attending it in a few hours. I hope it is as fun as the last one (smile...i am still needing to get some b&w prints so I can "finish" it).

Hot...Hot...Hot!!! Ohhh Mylanta!!! it is going on twenty-something days of 90+ degrees!! Wow you talk about a heatwave!!! We are soooo having one. Today is is suppose to hit the 100's!!! Wow!! Yesterday it was 104 degrees. Wow!!! I am so glad I work nights...it allows me to sleep during the day and avoid some of the heat!! Whew!!! A heatwave...we are having a heatwave!!!

ohhhh...i was blogging and found the cutest most adorable little characters!!! PON AND ZI!!! I luuuuuuv them!!! teeehehehehe...

One in a Bajillion!!!!

i love him....he is singing his little heart out!!!! :)

ok...this is my favorite so far!!!!

my heart is sad. this weekend we had another church killing (2 killed, 7 injured). my heart and soul were sad when i heard about this on the news (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,391786,00.html). why would someone be so cruel as to walk into a church and start shooting? why? It does not make any sense (and i guess it should never ever make sense) why someone would do this? and with children in the building? why? i remember when it happened a few months ago in our state...it was horrible then and it is horrible now. *sighy* Our hearts and prayers go out to them and the community.