THE MARINI FAMILY

WELCOME TO THE CRAZINESS OF OUR LIFE WITH TWO BOYS!

Sunday, March 23, 2014

"Be Conservative....and DON'T GO OVER!!!!!!

Last night was our last regular season Sharks game.  The last two games that we have gone to have been great because Matt was able to see his favorite player, Sidney Crosby, and last night's game Ryan was able to see his favorite player, Alexander Ovechkin.  And, right when we got there, we ran into friends!  Here are the boys with Ryan Streyle, who was there with his dad Todd (who I used to work with at Lakewood Drugs) and Ryan is currently in my class.  Small world.


After we took some pictures of the boys, we headed up and sat in our seats waiting for the game to start.  And then this happened!!!!!


Yep....that is Rich on the big screen (on the right), playing a game to try and win us seats down behind the players bench. 

The Sharks lady had come up to us and asked us if we liked our seats, I said yes, and she asked if we would like a chance to win closer seats. Duh!  We, of course,  jumped at the chance.  She said Rich would be competing against another family, playing a game to guess how many miles apart two random cities were.  Whoever the closest was, without going over, won the seats.  As soon as she walked away, Rich got out his phone and started putting in random cities to get an idea for distances.  After the national anthem, he was to go down and wait for a stoppage in play, and then he would be up.  She had said that we all could go down and wait with him, but I told him he was on his own.  I did not want to jinx him and be too confident with all of us going down, so we waited up top.  I also wanted to be able to video him on the screen.  As he was walking away, I turned and grabbed his arm and said, "Be conservative....and DON'T GO OVER!!!!"

He didn't go over.  :)

Totally unreal.  Not sure if you can hear me at the end screaming, and then saying...Let's Go!!!

Four tickets, two rows behind visitor bench.  To give you a little perspective, our seats are two rows from the top of the building.  This was a bit of an upgrade. 

Our view! 

And there is Ovechkin!

And to our right, the Sharks bench.  The security guard right to the left was the NICEST man.  He was so great with the boys and helped them out so that they could get contact with the players. 

I would like to say that Rich and I handled ourselves like adults, but we really were just as excited as the boys were. 


First goal of the game!!!!!

Right before the start of the 2nd period, here are the boys high-fiving the players. 

Puck drop at start of 2nd.


And he caught a t-shirt!!
 

And, we really can't say enough about the people that were sitting around us.  They were so great and excited for the kids.  The couple behind us sat and talked with us throughout the game and then bought the boys a dessert.   

Hello Brent.  :)

And the kicker to end the night!  The head coach of the Capitals, Adam Oates, turned and tossed a puck that just flew out of bounds to Matt.  The boys went nuts!  He was so cool and we were very grateful!!!


What a night.  To be completely honest, being that close was amazing, but I feel like we missed so much of the actual game because it was constant chaos down at that level.  There was constant movement with line changes and the speed of everything was much faster than it appears on TV.  Half the game we watched what was going on up on the big screen because we couldn't see through everyone.  I AM NOT COMPLAINING AT ALL...but those seats we have, two rows from the top, aren't bad either.  This was a total treat for our entire family.  I am so happy for Rich, because he really did have a lot of pressure riding on how well he did.  I told him on the way home, "I am really glad you won, because I really didn't want to hate you for losing us those seats."  My heart was pounding the entire time he was gone and he later told me his palms were sweaty and he was just as nervous.  We are very grateful to him for the big win!  What a night!  Just wished they had won. 

Friday, March 21, 2014

Spring Break

Last week as I was saying goodbye to my class, I turned to them and said...."Don't take this the wrong way, but we need this break from each other.  I love you all, but we need a break." 

And a recharge.  I have never been so happy to have an excuse to take all day to do laundry before.  And I hate laundry.  But Monday, when I stared at eight loads that would waste my entire day...there was a little flutter of happiness in my heart.  I didn't care.  I had a fully charged nook and hot coffee.  Life was good.

Side note--I recently went onto my Barnes and Noble account and went back the two years since I have bought my nook to add up how much money I have spent on this addictive little hobby.  I am not proud.  I am ashamed, embarrassed, and a little giddy.  I stopped when I was well into triple digits.  WELL INTO....  And, right now as I type, currently on a book hangover (that when you finish a book that is so good, you are tweaking to start one just as great, but don't want to ruin it because you chose quickly without necessary research), all I can think about is finishing this post so I can spend some time shopping genres for my next fix.

Spring break also is a time to catch up on TV.  I have several, several hours of TV that needed to be caught up on and this is a good time to clear some hours off the Tivo...but I have to wait and watch some shows when the boys go to bed because they can't watch them due to the violence.  I mean, let's be honest, I shouldn't be watching The Following either...but I can't stop.  It is insane goodeven though I am usually watching it with one hand covering most of my eyes and the other hand on the fast forward button on the remote while screaming and yelling, "This is the best show!"  And I am completely grateful to my sister Noelle who is still watching it so I have someone to debrief the crazy with.

However, my favorite TV time right now is spent with Ryan.  He is a serious Voice fan, as I am, and this is our Monday and Tuesday night thing.  We watched, we tell each other who we like, we make predictions of who gets let go, and then one of us ends the night with a serious Karaoke session in their room singing Imagine Dragons as if they were on stage.  I wish I had video of this, but as he has said time and again...he is not ready for an audience. 

Serious Voice judges.

Because summer is right around the corner, we decided to do a trial run other day letting the kids go down to the park by themselves and taking a walkie talkie with them so that we could be in constant communication.  I am not going to lie...this has promise.  Serious promise.  I could stand in our kitchen talk with them while they were down the street at the tennis courts.  When I asked them if this was something they wanted to try, they were thrilled.  After telling them that we would have to have constant check-ins, they were ready to try it out.  And boy, did they check-in, and in, and in, and then in again.  The did exactly as I asked, along with a scoring update of who was winning and who was "getting smoked."


My new best friend.

And speaking of kicking off summer...the puppies got a hair cut.  A summer cut if you will.  I will only share one picture because I think this one truly captures the broken heart of Bear who basically went into a state of depression after his cut.  In my defense, I told her to leave his hair at least an inch long.  And it is about a centimeter long all over except his head.  I'm not kidding...he stopped eating, wouldn't play, and basically quit speaking to us.  This picture is of him laying with his head on my stomach staring me down, contemplating forgiving me.  He hasn't made his mind up yet. 
 

And finally.  Nothing says vacation like March Madness.  I have been schooled two years in a row by Matthew and it seems like his reign is going to continue this year as well.  However, in my defense, I do love an upset.  There is nothing better than a small school coming in and knocking off a high seated team off the pedestal they had put themselves on.  (I'm talking to you Duke Blue Devils---I still have UNLV issues from the 90's)  I grew up watching this tournament and I love the little tradition I have started with the boys.  With this being Ryan's first year with his own bracket...he is obsessed and as competitive as Matt and I are.  Welcome to the game Ryan!

 




Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Tahoe Weekend

We will take any excuse we can to plan a weekend away.  Lucky for us, there were several reasons for our trip to Tahoe last weekend.....birthdays and spring break!  After a LONG 3rd quarter, I felt we could not drive out of town fast enough Friday night. 

Saturday was Anthony's birthday, so we headed to dinner. Party of 13.  Six adults and seven kids, and the look on the hostesses face was priceless.  He was a good sport to celebrate with all of us and after dinner we gave the guys a get of jail free card and they passed go and headed straight for the casino.
 

MGC.  And Stateline Brewery knows how to make sangria.  That's all. 

And this is what you look like after you have two...
 Okay, seriously...who tops this?

Vinnie was ALL about this firework.  So smart of the waitress to place this right in front of him...

Right after a successful dinner where no one cried and no one got into trouble. 

Someone didn't get the memo that this was a "cool" shot. 


Don't worry...I took that from my car. 

And because I NEVER get to play "doing hair" anymore, this was my glimpse into girl life.  I did both Kirsten and Leah's hair Saturday night.   


Sitting at the counter as the oldest kid. (by three days)

After dinner ice cream party.

Yeah....Pintrest fail.  So, the goal was to take chocolate chip cookie dough, wrap it around a muffin tin, and then make cookie ice cream bowls.  Nothing was salvageable.  We turned it into cookie crumble for the ice cream.

Sunday was Colson's birthday.  I wish I had a picture of him blowing out a candle on his cinnamon rolls, but I was still in bed sleeping.  And I almost feel guilty about that....

Here are the kids playing an animal monopoly game he got.  See that little one in the blue, she bought everything she landed on and took the game.  She is her father's daughter. 

Annnnnnnnd......this is what they looked like 15 minutes into the car ride home.  Fun weekend!

 

Friday, March 7, 2014

He Needs a Go-To.

My husband has it soooooo easy.  Like, crazy easy.  There are two things in life that make me go to my happy place.  1.  A spa bathrobe, accompanied with a massage appointment.  2.  A Barnes and Noble gift card. 

Case in point...



I say he has it so easy because these two gifts will forever be his go-to for any holiday, birthday, random Tuesday....frankly, any day of the week, and for any reason necessary.  I, on the other hand, have no go-to for him.  I refuse to make a Jamba Juice card my go-to for him, but he seems to be happy with it.  He says he doesn't "need" anything.  But what do you get someone who never really wants anything???

Rich turned 44 earlier this week.  He is impossible to buy for.  Only because he doesn't "want" anything or "need" anything.  Those answers will never come out of my mouth.  I've always got suggestions.  Isn't that what birthdays are for...to ask for things you wouldn't necessarily go out and buy yourself?  He is not helpful.  So, Tuesday night we went to one of his favorite restaurants and had dinner, and I bought him a ridiculously expensive card that Ryan picked out that sang and danced. 

Rich and our cook hit it off during his performance of dinner and when he found out it was Rich's birthday, he bought him this for dessert.

The closest I will ever come to eating a sushi roll.  Fried ice cream roll.

He wants his bike fixed for this summer to ride to work, so there is his big gift.  Don't be jealous as to the creativity that pours from my mind.  I offered to book a couples massage and read him one of my favorite books, but he declined with an epic eye roll.  Rude.  Apparently he needs to find his own happy place.

Speaking of happy place...

I have a new love.  His name is Ken Kirsten and he is Lynn's father.  Last weekend we went to her parents house for pre-dinner cocktails before a crab feed.  Earlier in the day he said, "Hey, you coming over for drinks tonight?"  (Duh)  Then he said, "What do you want?  Pomegranate martini or Key Lime Pie martini?"  I replied, "Yes."  Clearly he speaks Heather, because he made me both.

Key Lime Pie martini.  I have never had a slice of key lime pie, nor do I ever have the desire to taste key lime pie.  Having said that....best drink I have ever had. 

This didn't suck either....

Lynn doesn't understand that I have adopted her father and he is now my favorite hostess.


And just because they are so stinking cute!  Bear looks like Snuffleupagus from Seasame Street, but he is still the biggest love you'll meet. 

And finally...

This kids was SUPER excited to finally see his favorite player Sidney Crosby the other night at the Sharks game.  Because he's cute, we let him still come with us dressed in Penguins attire from head to toe.  He has his Aunt Noelle and Uncle Greg thank for his jersey and hat.  Best Christmas gift ever.
Luckily, the Sharks won...in one of the most exciting games we have ever been too.  He didn't take it too well, but that's okay.  He's still lucky he got to go considering he was not in our cheering section.

Oh yeah...and then there's this kid.

Trying to win a Play Station on the Dance Cam.  We didn't want to break his heart and tell him the cameras can't focus that far up in the cheap seats.