Endeavor

Look what flew over the sky in Lodi today!

Chills....

Getting a little "protection" from the fighter jet...

Amazing!!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Fishing

I first want to say that I love and adore my nephew Mason.  Love him to death....and that is why I haven't hurt him yet.  Because when Mason gets a hobby....Matt and Ryan get a hobby too.  And when Matt takes on a hobby...HE TAKES ON A HOBBY!!!!  Ryan dabbles in it and shows interest occasionally.  Not Matt...he is all in, every time.  And that is why it is a good thing that my darling, sweet, adorable nephew lives several hours from me because tonight I'm not a fan of his because as a twelve year old would say....HE STARTED THIS!!!!

You see Mason got interested in fishing a couple of months ago and brought his pole to Lodi to do some fishing with his cousins.  Matt and Ryan had fished before with my mom and each of them actually have their own poles for an occasional dip in the water at Lodi Lake.  But they didn't have weights, or lures, or tackle boxes.  They now do.  I'm sure Mason meant well by wanting to share this new fun adventure with Matt and Ryan, but he doesn't live with Matt and he hasn't had to answer the hundreds of questions from Matt about fishing, and lures, and weights, and on and on.  Lucky him. 

Well, when you talk non-stop about something, and a Nana is around, she is bound to jump all over it.  And jump she did.  She has taken them to Lodi Lake several times and to Oak Park in Stockton.  Sadly, not one fish has been caught.  How do we solve that????  Take them to a place where they stock the pond with fish!!!

And it was off to Apple Hill they went.  Fishing pole, tackle box, and refrigerated LL Bean tote in hand, it was time for some fishing.

Not only was he successful in a very short amount of time (again, stocked pond), but he was so successful that he was able to catch four fish.  FOUR!!!  Pretty cool right????  Nana is taking pictures, Aunt Leath is there to help, everyone is having a great time!!

And then I get this picture.

And I send my mom a text that says....  Why does he still have them?????  Isn't this catch and release????

And her response....wait for it...wait for it.... No...$100 fine...must pay and take.  They will clean and cut....you're welcome.

YOU'RE WELCOME?  YOU'RE WELCOME????

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????

Nope, she wasn't.

So, fast forward to today.  One day later because I fear the smell...it is time to prepare the fish.  Please keep in mind that the "clean and cut" she promised...was actually "removed insides, fish still looks like a fish, just now with no intestines".  And you know this boy was right next to me, watching to see how I was going to do this, and asking me why I kept gagging. 

Fishy number 1.

Today at lunch I sat and listened to my co-workers try and help me with how I was not only going to prepare this thing, but how exactly I was going to make it look like the nice men at Safeway do so that I wasn't completely grossed out with it still looking at me. Then it occurred to me that I wasn't going to eat it...and neither was Ryan.... and definitely not Rich.  So why do I care???   As gross as it was, we followed the whole fish microwave directions and zapped this guy like it was a frozen dinner!

I refuse to show the picture of the fish, wrapped in it's damp paper towel coffin.  But I did think this was cool and Matt and I did like looking at the spine and bones.

Here is the proof he ate his catch!!!!  The other three fish are in a undisclosed location and that will stay between me and Waste Management.  

After all of that I asked him if he liked it and what did he think of the taste. 

His response---It's good, but it really just tastes like chicken.

I had to walk away.

I need to get my nephew a new hobby.

Shhhhhh.....

You never saw this.  You have no idea who posted this video. 

I'm totally pleading the fifth!!!

I was lucky by chance the other night to have my phone on and ready just in case Ryan got to carry the ball at his game.  Who knew it would lead to this.  And, by the way, that is Sharon's voice cheering him on.  I wouldn't dare break one of my rules....but you know I was fist pumping like I was at the Jersey Shore after the touchdown!!!

Groomed

Someone was finally able to go to the groomer today.  We were so happy when we were given the green light from the vet that he was clear with shots and everything...because this little dude couldn't see a thing!!

The before shot...

And the after...
Nana, who was kind enough to go and get Bear from the groomer, also brought him by my classroom so I could see him. 

 

 

Now, any of you 80's movie fans???  I used to watch The NeverEnding Story all the time.  Cool, cool, very weird movie.  The minute I saw Bear, I thought--FALKOR!!!!!  Doesn't he look just like Falkor, the dog/dragon/creature from the movie????

 

Or is it just me????

 

Doesn't matter...he's cuter and now he can see.  We just have to hope that his ears don't get any larger or a gust of wind might make him take flight.

 

This has been an exhausting day. 

 

 

Don't worry...you're still handsome too.  



Giants Football

Saturday morning Matt had his first game as a Giant.  I kinda love that they are the Giants this year only because his coach used to play for the New York Giants and he said it is cool that the boys are playing under the same name.

I'm a happy mom because this game I could yell, cheer, and say pretty much anything I wanted.  I feel for the people/families around me because I felt like I needed to make up for the fact that I have to be silent at Ryan's game, and so I let it all out.  It felt good, it felt right, and I am obviously still in denial that only one of my son's accepts this.  I've got a long 15 years ahead of me.

Back to football...I just have to say that I love this group of boys.  It was so cute to see them at the first practice because they were so excited to see each other and play together again.  All but three kids are back this year and in the first game they looked like a team who has been playing together for a while.  I just love them.

This year all of the kids have wrist bands because they are working towards a no huddle offense. 

First touchdown of the game.  Pass off from Ryker to Matt.

I think this picture is a good sign.  As I have said before, Matthew is the more "openly confident" of my two boys, and is not afraid to boast about himself.  This is him walking back after the touchdown.  Calm and reserved.  When I yelled out to him as he was walking back, "Nice run, Matt!", he looked over and nodded at me and that was it.  Progress is good.

This was another good run later on in the game.

It did my heart good to see him not only do well, but as my mother-in-law pointed out...he was a better teammate than in years past.  After every play, he went over to the player who had the ball and patted them on the back.  If anything, that is what I am most proud of.  This is progress and I think it shows his growth in really understanding team play.  I told him after the game that I was most impressed with his support of others.

I can't wait for next Saturday!

Round two for the day...after the football game we headed to Pleasanton to watch our niece Mikayla play in a soccer tournament.  She did so good and I am a very proud Auntie.

You love the shoes, right??? 

And finally...a little follow up from the debacle that occurred at Ryan's game last week.  I had told him that I was upset because I didn't like the fact that we weren't allowed to yell or cheer for him and I told him that we had to come up with some rules or something so that we could show our support.  He thought about it and then said to get a piece of paper and we would write the rules for his games.  Here is a picture of the list that I keep in my purse, so that I can show him at a moments notice that I still have it, and that I will follow the "rules" as he stated.

I wrote down EXACTLY what he said so that I would be reading back to him his EXACT words.  Here they are...

1.  No yelling in his ear when he has the ball.
2.  No yelling when he has the touchdowns.
3.  No yelling good job, just say good job at halftime.
4.  Anytime during the game you can do a thumbs up.
5.  After the game you can say good job and do thumbs up.

*And finally, number 6, which you can see was added in pencil as we pulled up to the field right before the game.
6. No chanting Go Ryan! Go Ryan!

This kid....

Sparks

What do you call the thing right before it becomes a flame?  A Spark.  Welcome to flag football for 4 to 6 year-olds.  We're a flame in training.

Last night kicked off the beginning of flag football season for us.  As I have said in the past, shockingly it is my favorite sport of the year.  Yes, even over basketball, which is hard to admit.  But, listen, everybody is head over heels in the honeymoon phase of any relationship.  It's the good part, the part you love no matter what.  When flag is no longer an option and the helmet and pads become the next level, we're done and I can go back to loving basketball again.  Until then...let's go grab some flags!

Ryan Marini, Number 6 for the Sparks.
His words:  Mom, if someone comes to watch me play, tell them I'm number 6.  If they don't see the 6, tell them my last name is Marini and that is the name on my back.  Okay Mom?  Tell them so they know to find me.

I have no words.  Well, maybe a few.  But I'm practicing to be nicer, and understanding, and....appropriate.

The one difference between Matthew and Ryan....sheer determination.  If Matt missed a flag, he was done.  If Ryan missed, he is back up and full force to his target.

Here's the deal.  I wish I had more pictures.  I wish the ones I took were better quality.  I wish, I wish, I wish.  But it became very evident early in the game, when he saw me raise the lens of the camera that this whole thing was not to be captured on film.  He yelled at me from the middle of the field to put the camera down.  So, I had to get creative.  Oh, and along with not being able to take any pictures, we are not allowed to cheer for him as well.  That's right....No yelling, no cheering, no celebrating.  Nothing.  We are going to become that silent family that others talk about.  People will question why we even bothered to show up if we weren't going to support him.  I'm not used to this.  I told him last night that I am the biggest fan he will ever have...EVER...and it gives me the ultimate pleasure to root for him.  His response...."You can only cheer for me when I have the ball."  HIS FINGERS DIDN'T TOUCH PIGSKIN THE ENTIRE NIGHT!!!!! 

I told Rich that I know what I want for Christmas...A camouflage chair and a telephoto lens.

First Day of School 2012

Look at us!  One big happy Reese Family.  It's official, we are all at Reese now.  As Ryan said, "The whole family is at Reese, except Dad."  I'm thinking of electing Rich to Parents Club, a dose of those ladies will do him good.

Yesterday was great.  My class (fingers crossed) seems great.  Matthew's class seems fantastic.  Ryan's class has a couple of his best buddies in it, so life is great.  Everything is great!  Well, not everything...

I'm not going to lie, I have been worried about this year.  I have been worried about Matthew reaching fourth grade because that means he is in the intermediate area...the same as me.  Okay truth time--I don't have the greatest reputation at school.  My well known nickname is Meanie Marini.  And I own it!  Ownnnnnnn it!!!!  I have no problem with it because the kids who have me (well most of them) come out loving me and say, "You were tough, but fun."  That's all I can ask for.  My problem is this...I'm not just "that" teacher, I am now somebody's mom.  What effect will that have on him?  What backlash will come his way with how I teach and discipline? 
I had yard duty yesterday morning at second recess.  I was so excited because it was the FIRST time I would be on duty with him out there.  I ran out and immediately started to look for him.  I looked, and looked, and looked, and looked some more.  No Matthew.  We are now seven minutes into a fifteen minute recess and no sign of him.  Then, finally, I see him.  He was WAY out by the trees, hiding on the opposite side of them, with his friends.  When the bell rang, he ran in and stood in his spot, refusing to make eye contact with me.  I didn't make a big deal of it, I simply turned my back and carried on with what I was doing.  After school I asked him if there was a reason he was the furthest possible spot away from me and he just smiled.  He was drawing his line in the sand.  I stay on my side, he will stay on his. 

Today I had a prep and knew that Ryan had recess at that time.  I ran over to see him and ask him about his day, knowing that this boy who has been counting the years until he was with me at school, would for sure be happy to see me and talk to me.  No such luck.  He was playing with his friends and there was nothing I could do to break that.  Strike out number two.
Who said it was a gift to be able to work at the school where your kids go?  To be able to see them whenever, to talk to them while walking in the halls, or wave to them as they walk by your classroom?  I got stood up twice!  TWICE!  Ahh, the reality of a mother with boys.  I will not accept it.  I will not back down.  Consider this a challenge, and I hate to lose.

By the way...this was waiting for me in my box this morning from Ryan's teacher.  She said she made me a copy for my desk.  Oh yeah, this is why it is a gift to work where your kids go to school.

Eat, Sleep, Shop.

We just got back from Vegas yesterday...fifteen minutes before I had to be at a school function, you're welcome, and I am embarrassed/proud to say that the only things we got accomplished are the three things in the title of the blog.   Okay, we gambled a little, but clearly we didn't win or "gamble" would have been in the title and it would have looked like this...GAMBLE!!!!
After spending about four hours at the outlets in Primm...we were soooooo dehydrated!!!  And we would be doing our bodies such a disservice to not take care of them, so naturally we ordered drinks immediately when we got to the The Border Grill.

The next day we braved the heat for a little over an hour to get a little sun at the pool.  Then it was off to outlet mall number two.  Luckily we were all in the mood for a little retail therapy because I'm pretty sure the only exercise we got this weekend was walking through stores.

Friday night we out to dinner at The Wicked Spoon and walked around a little after dinner.  Here are some classic hotel room backdrop pictures.

Can anyone else tell I have extra tall heels on???

 Group shot outside. 

Saturday night we headed to one of our FAVORITE restaurants, Tommy Bahama's, and met Jason's cousin and husband for dinner.  The company was great and dinner was fabulous as always.

We had such a great time.  Same time next year???  You got it!

I though it would be fun to add a wedding picture, since it is still our anniversary month.  Times have changed...ouch.

And last but not least, I took some pictures of the kids last week since they are rarely together.  A couple of them turned out darling.

My favorite...

How much do you loved the flipped collar?  He REFUSED to put it down. :)