Spring Break 2015

We had two weeks off for our break.  The first week was spent down at the park every day playing tennis.  My boys think it's fun to invite me down to play so they can beat me by an embarrassing amount.  I've set a summer goal to take both of them down and rub their faces in it as much as possible. You know, because I am the mom and the adult in the relationship.

 

 

MMC Tennis Tournament

 

 

This is what Spring Break looks like!  Don't worry that it was only 75 degrees.  Don't worry that the temperature of the pool was in the 60's.  Don't worry about anything...this kid is just nuts.  Period.

Ryan is still the ONLY family member that has gotten in my mom's pool.  We are waiting until the time when the threat of hypothermia will not set in.

Our second week of break was spent down n San Diego.  I hope this is the first of MANY.  What a lifestyle they have going down there!  My sister and her family moved to a city called Vista, which is about 35 minutes north of San Diego.  It is an ideal little place to live and my sister's neighborhood is perfect!!  I just loved everything about it!

Cousin love!

And speaking of cousin love!!!  We met our cousin Danny for breakfast the first morning we were there.  We don't see each other very often anymore, but I certainly hope that this opens up many more visits in the future!

After breakfast we headed down to the beach to get Natalie familiar with it because she has never been and we were going that night to take pictures with the kids. 

 And I want it known that before we left for breakfast and the beach, I said to the boys (mostly Ryan), "Do you want to take your suits?  Because you are going to get in the water and it will be easier with your bathing suits on instead of your clothes."  Ryan said, "No, I'm not going in, I don't need it."
I told him countless times that he will go in and he should just take it.  But, nope...he refused.

 

The next day we headed to Sea World. 

Nana and the boys on a water ride that Ryan described as...part California Screamin', part Splash Mountain.  Nana was NOT impressed.

 



 

 

 

YOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!  (When Auntie Noelle called the flamingos over)

"I am a nice shark.  Not a mindless eating machine.  If I am to change this image, I must first change myself.  Fish are friends, not food."

Word for word, from Find Nemo, because I have seen it over a thousand times. (five years ago)

Gross.

 

The last night we were there, Noelle and I went to the brewery where my cousin works.  We had cocktails and ice cream sandwiches.  Perfect!

And finally.  The night we got lucky with timing, sunsets, and kids smiling!

 

And here are some others...

Sharks Winter Classic!!

Saturday night, the wait was over!  Finally. The Sharks vs. Kings Winter Classic.

We bought these tickets MONTHS ago.  And guess what, MONTHS ago we were super excited and all pumped up...until we realized that the game was MONTHS away, and then it was like the game that was never going to get here.  And then it did.

The eight of us piled in our car (the only redeeming value my car still has is that it holds eight comfortably) and headed to Levi Stadium.  We were so excited for a number of reasons:  Sharks vs. Kings games are always good, we got to see Levi Stadium for the first time, and most exciting was that this was the first game that all eight of us have gone at the same time.  Usually it's couples only or each of our family's, which is fine, but we have all wanted to go together for the longest time.

 

 

The three amigos in the WAY back!  Poor Kendall.  I owe her a prize for putting up with Ryan all night.  He was exceptionally bothersome and she was such a good sport!

 

Lauren in the middle row and me photo bombing in the back.

 

The eight is enough selfie.  What a fun group!!!! 

 

This is one of my favorite pictures of the night.  I am so bummed it is not in focus...but they would not stop walking! 

 

They were nice enough to stop for this one!

In all of our BEAT LA glory!!!!  (Apparently San Jose didn't get the memo that they need a win and a point...badly)

I am sad Brent isn't in this, because it is a great group picture. Next time he will have to give his phone to someone else to take it so he is in it!

 

 

 

 

Right before the puck drop.

 

Such a fun evening!!!  Matt and Ryan both said we have to go again with everyone because it is more fun than when it is just us four.  He's right, it is!

The Love Month

 

Here is Matt's CYO team.  We will get to their last game pictures in a second, but I thought they all look so darling here, I would share this one.

The group selfie...my favorite.  What a terrific group of boys.  Getting to know them and their parents this year was such a treat for us.  This was an incredible, undefeated season that was so much fun to be a part of.

Super Bowl Sunday....our annual trek out to the Lindenland. 

MGC.

Kids running around at halftime.

The bet paid off.  Two weeks before during the Green Bay/ Seattle game, Matt and Jason made a bet that loser wears the other team's hat on Super Bowl Sunday.  Matt paying his bet.  He was however thrilled at the end of the night that Seattle lost. 

I don't have the video that shows the effect of Mountain Dew on a three year old....I'm just saying this is NEVER a good idea...and I have never seen a kid slam a soda before. 

 

Some basketball pics of Ryan.  He is playing on a 3rd/4th grade team this year for Upward and holding his own so far.

 

 

And my Valentine's Day card.  Have I mentioned that we are going back to Hawaii this year?  If I have, sorry...but I'm having a tough year at work and the little countdown I have on my phone that checks off the days until I am in a lounge chair sipping a pina colada is the ONLY thing getting me through this year.  This card is from all of my boys and it plays island music and I think it is my favorite gift yet.



 

On Saturday night, we headed to Manteca for Matt's CYO team's playoffs.  If they won Saturday night, they were to play for the championship the following day.

On Sunday....poor Matt....his parents are CRAZY.  This was the first "real" team that he has been on where the competition was harder and he wasn't one of the best players on the team.  He joined a team that has been together several years, and they really did welcome him and treat him well as a player and a guy.  On Sunday, going into the championship game, I was more nervous than him.  And poor Matt, Rich and I spent the entire ride to St. Mary's basically coaching him on what to do, what not to do, what to remember, how serious he needed to take this game and on, and on, and on, and on...  Seriously, I would have tuned us out too.  And I'm 100% sure he did.   

The team played for the championship was the only team throughout the season that really challenged us.  (Who loves that I am using "we" and "us", like I was part of the team)  From tip off...I don't think I took a complete breath.  That game was so intense that my body hurt after from being so tense and screaming, I mean SCREAMING my head off.  And Matt, God bless him, hardly played at all (later his coach told us that he kept asking to go in and Matt was too afraid to).  When they did put him in, I was screaming to him to remember to do things the entire time and had he played longer in the game, I would have lost my voice--and my family would have been thrilled.  The game really came down to the last two minutes and with some costly turnovers for the other team and them getting into foul trouble, our team barely squeezed out the win.  This team of boys were SO HAPPY!!!!!!!  We were all so proud of them and it was a great season.

 

The team picture with the banner.