THE MARINI FAMILY

WELCOME TO THE CRAZINESS OF OUR LIFE WITH TWO BOYS!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Tidbits

  • Two more days until vacation.  I told my class yesterday, "I love you all, but I need a break from you so that I can like you again."
  • Last night, Matthew did the entire shower process by himself.  My boys have been doing baths and showers by themselves for a while now, but last night was different.  Last night he washed his hair by himself!!!  Huge night for the mom who is beckoned nightly to the shower to wash his mop.  I watched him do it last night...right amount of shampoo, right amount of scrubbing, and right amount of rinse.  I walked away slapping my hands together in a joyous tone singing...YES, YES, YES!!!
  • It's conference week at school.  I can almost see the finish line, eleven more to go!
  • A shout out to all parents who make a conference appointment and actually keep it!!!  It's appreciated.  Thank you, All Teachers of America.
  • And speaking of conferences, will the Matthew Marini who is the ideal student in Room 25 everyday please tell the Matthew Marini of his household to share the goods.  Thank you, Your Mother and Father.
  • The last three Sundays I have worn my pajamas all day and watched football all day long on the couch with my boys.  Not proud, just truth.
  • And finally....EIGHT MORE DAYS UNTIL I AM IN WEST VIRGINIA WITH MY SISTER!!!!!!  Can you tell I'm excited????

Thursday, September 15, 2011

License and Registration, Please.

Uhhh!  I don't know how this started.  I have no idea when it started.  All I know is that it has become a fixation and it needs to stop before it gets even MORE embarrassing.

So, a while back we were driving in the car and Matthew asked, "Why haven't you changed your sticker?"  I looked at him in the rear view mirror and said, "What sticker?  What are you talking about?"  He said, "You know, your 2011 sticker, the one that is on your license plate."  What???  "Oh, that sticker.  Um, I'm not sure.  Probably when my registration is due."   Then the conversation started of him asking what is registration, why do you have to pay for it, how often do you have to pay, when do you get the sticker and why does it come in the mail.  You know, all necessary questions for a seven year old to know in order to get on with his day.  I thought we were done with it.  So not the case....

It seems like every car we pass, whether it is in the Target parking lot or while actually driving down the road, he is paying attention to EVERY ONE'S registration.  "That one is May, that one is January, that one isn't until December."  It's like driving with a cop, who is only working for the DMV. 

Then one day he asked, "Why do some people have different months?"  I told them that it depends on what month the car was bought and that is usually the month the registration is due.  I told him that every year during that month, people have to pay the Department of Motor Vehicles to "have permission" to drive their car. (Regardless if that is right...it's my story for him and I'm sticking to it)  Of course there was a lapse of about three minutes in the conversation with dead silence and then he said, "Well, so, if it's 2011 and their month has already passed and they still have a 2011 sticker...what does that mean?"  Well crap...  "Um, it usually means that maybe they just forgot to put their sticker on or maybe they haven't paid the DMV yet and that's why they don't have their sticker."  Dead silence.... Then he says, "Well, what happens if the police see that they don't have the sticker?"  I say, "Well, maybe the police just ask them if they haven't put their sticker on yet.  If they don't have it to put on, then sometimes the police give them a ticket."  Out of nowhere, Ryan chimes in, "HAVE YOU EVER GOTTEN A TICKET????"  I assure him that I haven't and the conversation is over.

In all of this education of the laws of registration, never in my wildest imagination did I think the kid would remember any of it.  Which is my own fault, because as he always says, "I've got the best brain in the family for memory."  Which, he's kind of right....my memory sucks!!  Unless we are talking mindless TV and movie trivia, then I'm your girl!!! 

Here's where it has backfired. 

About a week ago we are getting out of my car at school.  Walking in, passing all the cars in the parking lot as we do every morning, when it happens.  "Mom!!!  Look, *^$&%#$ (name omitted due to confidentiality) has a 2011 sticker and their month is March!  MARCH MOM!  I need to tell them that they need to pay their registration so they won't get in trouble.  I'm going to go find them now."  Me (screaming) "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"  He doesn't get it.  I wait until we are in my classroom to explain to him that it is not our business, I am sure there is a perfectly good explanation as to why they haven't put their sticker on and I remind him again to stay out of it!!

It's September.  My registration month is October.  The boy has been asking DAILY about when am I going to get my sticker because it is almost October and he.....can't.....stand.....it!!!!!!  Finally, it came.  Rich came home the other day, walked through the door holding the mail and told Matt the good news....my registration was finally here.  Every night he asks...."When Dad?  When can we put it on???"  Believe me, his brain will function well again when that sticker is finally put on.  Saturday morning a time has been set for the sticking of the sticker and all will be good again in Matthew's world.

Welcome to the insight of the Marini Family.....We can't make this sh*% up!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Weekend Fun!

We had our first weekend in a while with no sports...YEAH!  Don't get me wrong, I love the sports and the boys playing...it's the laundry and "stuff" that comes with me bring prepared and ready to leave the house at 8:30 and not come back until 1:00.

This weekend Mike and Stacy came up with the kids.  Mikayla got Taylor Swift tickets for her birthday and the concert was Saturday night.  She brought up a friend to go with her, Stacy and Nana.  They had an absolute blast at the concert and Mikayla looked so darling all dressed up for her big night!

Funny story...Ryan was SO excited (Matt too--but Ryan more so) that Mason and everyone else (yes, in that order) were coming up to Lodi.  He knew that Sharon, Stacy and Mikayla were going to be gone and I was the only girl that was going to be home.  He kept saying, "Mom, it's a boys weekend.  You're not invited, you know, because you are a girl."  I told him I was fine with that...I was more than happy to spend a nice quiet evening to myself.  What was hilarious is that Ryan repeatedly said, "It's going to be me, Mason, me, Matt, Daddy, me, Uncle Mike, Papa, and me."  He was definitely NOT going to be left out of boys weekend!

Here is Mikayla and her friend looking fab for the concert!  So grown up!

Here is all the girls right before they left!  Sooo cute!

My favorite...I just love this girl!

And these turkeys!!  Don't they just look like trouble!

One of the few times they were all together!  Love!

THANKS TO AUNTIE STACY FOR THE PICTURES!!!  :)