M & M for a visit!!!

Cue the Marini cousin theme song!!!

Mason and Mikayla were in town this weekend and that is pure bliss for my boys.  To say that they idolize their older cousins is the understatement of the century.  Matthew and Ryan look forward to spending time with them and doing all sorts of fun things.  Matthew was super excited that they were coming in because they were able to come to one of his basketball games.  Matt hadn’t being feeling great, but that was not going to stop him from playing and trying to show off for his big cousin.  Ryan was of course thrilled because he has the best of both worlds.  He has Mikayla waiting on him and wanting to play with him whenever, and he has Mason who does everything he can to include him in anything that they are playing.

Here are Mikayla, Mason, and Ryan at Matt's basketball game.  As much as I love this picture, it is a reminder of how old Mason and Mikayla are getting.  They have grown up teeth and everything!!!  Mikayla just recently got braces and I swear they make her look fourteen!!!  On Friday night when I walked through the door and saw her and this beautiful smile I wanted to burst into tears and say..."When did you become a young lady???"  And then after we hugged and I gushed over her braces and the colors of the rubber bands, she walked over to the mirror and started playing with her hair.  Not the it's in my face and annoying me playing, she was fixing it and doing her hair in the mirror and it was all I could do not to grab her hands and make her sit on them!!!  Enough with the grown up stuff!!

The Marini Boys

Now, Mason showed up with this book about doing things before you are a grown up.  And making a volcano was one of them.  You can tell a grandparent was in charge this weekend, because if I had the kids and they came to me and said, "We want to build this volcano and have it explode!", I would have laughed them out of the room.  But, you mention it to a Nana and she's stopping at the store to buy yeast for the explosion part!

The calm before the storm....

Two very clean boys before the mixing started.

Count them....there are SIX HANDS in this bowl at one time.

When Matt said there was no room for Mason, he laughed and made room for himself.

Please note Ryan is waiting patiently.

Look at Mason owning this look.  Who said boys can't pull off pok-a-dots???

Cuteness.

Finally able to get his hands in there and start mushin'.

Nice family, group shot with Ryan protesting his picture being taken because he was busy. 

Forming the volcano.

Waiting for the eruption....waiting....

 Finally Papa showed up with something to help get things going.  Notice the adult is the only one wearing protective eye wear.

So excited!!!!

Ah, finally the volcano (with help from Papa) had it's little eruption.

Another fun part to this weekend was Matthew and Mason watching the Slam Dunk competition and then going out and trying to re-create every dunk that they saw.  Yep, even the one where the guy grabbed the teddy bear with his teeth and then dunked the ball.  Just short of rolling out Sharon's car and trying to be like Blake Griffin, they did pretty well and got crazy creative.  They also just loved being together!!

Who knew watching someone else play a video game could be so interesting. (Mikayla took this)

Here is Mikayla and I.  She took this too...using the camera from her ipod.  It was hard for me not to whine and say...."But, but, I want one too."  (I did actually whine about this.)

And finally, here we are on Sunday morning taking the doggies for a walk.  I want to give a special shout out to Lulu who was VERY patient with Teddy and tolerated him being around for a little bit this weekend.  I loved that Ryan at one point just reached up and grabbed her hand because he just wanted too.



The Mouse's House!!!!

A little old school Disneyland sign to go with some old school Jackson 5...crank up your volume!  (For some reason Matthew's on a Michael Jackson kick...I have thoughts I won't share)

Boy...give us a three day weekend and we'll make the most of it.  Nothing better than escaping to the Mouse's House for a quick getaway and them welcoming us with 80 degree weather.  Thank you!! 

As I am sure most of you are over me and my DL posts because there are quite a few a year....I get that...this one seems different for me.  This one is going to hurt for a bit and I'll tell you why.  My big boy is getting bigger...older.  The kind of old that makes me want to hit a pause button.  The kind of old that is a prelude to the drop me off at the corner and will you and Dad stop acting like that in public, old.  He just seemed bigger this trip.  I didn't like it.  I didn't like it one bit. 

 

This was taken the first day we got there when we were just about to head out.

And this was the hit you over the head moment I had when I thought....when did he grow up? When did he turn from a toddler to a young boy? And why does he still like the Lakers????

  My only satisfying picture from this weekend....Ha!  Not yet young man, not yet!

And this boy...look at that face.  I really could eat him alive.  He wants to be big so badly, but he is my last drop of what our life with babies used to be like.  I will not let him grow up fast.  I won't, I won't, I won't!

 Our their way to see the big guy right after we got there on Friday!

 Happiness.

The boys playing around on the boat.  I love this shot!

Me and my loves.

Just cuteness!

When you ask my boys what is one of their favorite parts about going to Disneyland, they ALWAYS say the hotel room.  This is their happiness. 

A late night spin on the Tea Cups.

So as I talked about the shift in this trip about Matthew getting older and such, here are a few pictures to prove that he is well on his way to being done with being seen with his family in public.  He went solo every chance he could. :(

Here's Ryan and Daddy on the bumper cars.

And look, Matthew was kind enough to share a ride with his mom and brother.  We had to talk him into this.

The boys on a version of the Tea Cups, but instead made of ladybugs.

Please let me explain these next two pictures.  Matthew's ALL TIME favorite meal is the Chicken Pasta at Pizza Port in Tomorrowland.  He loves this pasta more than anything else.  This is his true request of any trip we make down to Disneyland....just one dinner at the Pizza Port.  So, here is Matthew approximately twenty seconds after Rich set the plate in front of him.

And here is Matthew ELEVEN minutes later.  We did not time him, I simply took the picture of him right when he got it and then when we realized that he was already done, Rich said...take a picture and see the time stamp on each.  In eleven minutes he downed that entire plate.  Doesn't he look miserable?  He does!!!  I told him this isn't Man vs. Food!!!!  There is no prize or picture on the wall for inhaling your dinner!!!  Sadly, he does look happy.

So happy to be taking a picture outside of the Lego store instead of buying something from the Lego store!

Hello Friend.  I missed you too.

Two of my favorite signs....

Is it wrong I want this on my tombstone?  Or just morbid???

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!!!



Ain't Nothin' But A "G" Thing....'

I was a SUPER Sunday in our house as Matthew's (and "Mr. I Follow Whatever My Brother Does" Ryan) favorite team won the Superbowl.  Now...you may ask yourself....Really?  Green Bay Fans???  And really, the ONLY possible explanation for "them" to like The Green Bay Packers is that their uniform is mostly the color green.  Seriously....I really think that's it.  I wish it was more.  Rich doesn't like the Packers and I'm usually rooting for the team who has the hotter quarterback. 

We're ready....bring it!

Even Teddy was cheering!  Or, maybe he was just hoping for a walk.