Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Vancouver Olympics 2010


We love the Olympics. Winter or summer, it doesn't matter. The Olympics promotes peace in our world, teaches geography, provides worthwhile entertainment on television and introduces us to some of the most talented and dedicated athletes in the world. It also gives us the opportunity to do some really fun things with our kids!


We started opening night decorating our table for dinner. I covered the table in plain brown paper (we didn't have white like I thought we did) and put a red ribbon down the middle. We stamped a couple of Vancouver 2010 signs along with some red maple leaves and added snowflakes. We traced some round things (cookie cutters, glasses) and made the Olympic Rings in the right colors. The kids drew the rest, including the flags, on their own.




What are the Olympics without the lighting of the torch? Here are some of the kids versions which are very easy to make. If you are interested, see the sidebar for the website with instructions. Brooke added blue to hers which was a really nice touch.



The best torch of the night (though it doesn't show very well in the pictures) was when we made Feuerzangenbowle (which is also known as the Flaming Fire Tongs Punch), a traditional New Year's Eve drink here in Germany. It is similar to Gluhwein but even better! The recipe can be found on the sidebar. We highly recommend it!


I hadn't really planned out a special drink for the kids and was feeling a little guilty since I had this warm and delicious rum-wine-carmelized sugar concoction that had just been lit on fire, so I came up with these:


I took some ginger ale (that we keep in the house in case someone gets sick), mixed it with some homemade lemonade, topped it off with whip cream and put it in these glasses and hoped they looked like torches. The kids loved them!

We needed some medals so we made sugar cookies, cut them in circles and let the kids decorate them gold, silver and bronze. D didn't want gold, silver or bronze. D wanted yellow. D loves yellow.




I found a great project on the website Kaboose.com for downhill skiing. I made one like on the site:


Then we had a great idea, the kids would each make a jump and then we would make their skiers separate so they could compete at each other's jumps.

Taylor's:

Brooke's:

Here are the jumpers, if you look closely, you will see that Taylor made her skier from Germany, note the flag on his shoulder!



Here is D's skier visiting Brooke's ski jump:



Looks a little like Switzerland's Simon Ammann to me!

I will post the website for the downhill skiing and the torch project on the sidebar, if you need help making the skiers, just let me know!

1 comments:

Catherine said...

How much fun!!!!! I love those torches and am going to have to remember that for my next Olympic party!!!! you are so good at everything you do!!! the kids look awesome...and i love the fact that D wanted a yellow medal...awesome. love you.

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