Things I Love: The Summer Games

Today feels a little like Christmas for me. Why you ask?
Because the Olympics are starting!!
And imma an Olympic FREAK!!!
In 1984 I was only 2 years old but i still clearly remember & cheering on Mary Lou Retton as she locked in the gold. I was amazed by her and her abilities and drive.
It was so exciting to buy the Wheaties box with her on it. I remember staring at that darn thing so and being so envious of her gold medal and her Star & Stripes leotard (I STILL want one of those!!)
I was so enamored by her that my mom commissioned my Dad & his friend to built me a balance beam out of four by fours. And they plastered my Mary Lou Retton wheaties box picture on the base of the eight inch high beam.
Little two year old AdHd me would work that beam all day long. I was a toddler PRO. Soon after I started gymnastics with dreams of making it to the Olympics.
But those dreams were dashed early my flexibility, beam skills and poses were not enough and i was slowly weeded out. Kind of sad how children's sports turn in to full on competitions at such a young age and even if you enjoy a sport your always told you're not good enough.
I practiced gymnastics up until i was in high school not once ever on a competition level but  i still practice the mediocre skills I have now.
But every four years when that torch gets lit i get chills and it brings me back. The next couple weeks I'm most likely to be found glued to the TV and my schedule will revolve around the games. Four years when the games were held in Beijing I literally ended up getting on Chinese time because the events were on SO late.
Which was helpful when I traveled there a year later to see where all the magic happened!!
I deemed this the Matt Lauer tower... it was how all the magic was sent to me!!

Me + The Cube. I crushed HARD on Michael Phelps, I mean be both Loved Lil Wayne so it was bound to work. Can't wait to have some new Olympic crushes agains soon. I mean I haven't had one since Sean White.


and of course the Bird's nest.

But my favorite part of the Beijing Oylmpic park was the cheeky sign translations.


and of courseI had to show off my skills, Lei had me in that position but my splits are top-notch.

SO excited to watch the opening ceremony tonight. I can't wait to see the Royal family and all the athletes representing their countries!! Beijing will be a hard one to top, though!!
Now my dream is attend the Olympics, and ideally while working there .... I've got four years to work on that. Starting NOW.