Mid Winter Days Off = Fun Time!

Not that I'm trying to be Debbie-Downer starting this wonderful entry with a complaint but for realz - we've been off since Friday and it's Monday....and I want more time to hang with the kids. Not enough chill time - I feel like we've been going and going and going. We love it and I'm so glad we've gotten to hang out with all our family and friends but I'm kinda jealous of you south end districters (is that even a word?) - your kids are off all week! Boo. I want mine out all week too.

Okay, enough complaining - let's get to the good stuff! Saturday was SUPER BASKETBALL Saturday meaning for two weeks in a row I've been a good big sister and have watched my bro and sis play + my sweet oldest nephew play their hearts out.

My husband made a promise to our nephew - $5 a basket. So, the last time we went - we paid up with his 1 basket! :)

Gabby and Tyler didn't score any that weekend but Husband agreed let's let them have the same shot. Sweet. Fair is fair no matter if you're 12 or 7, right? Of course.

SO, we got up early that morning and headed to the games. Husband had to work so he didn't join us for the early 9am game in the south end.

Oh, the joy of coaching girls! My Dad coached my brother and I KNOW he realizes now that the girls are older the world of difference. Not in talent (because that would be a sexist remark ;), right?) but in attitude and drive. Look at the girls' posture as they listen to my Dad - I don't have to stand next them to hear what they're saying. "Uh-huh." "Okay, Coach." "Yeah, I should have rebounded that shot." They were so tired by 1/2 time because they only had 4 players from 1st to mid 2nd quarter. So, Dad's speech was kinda...in one ear and out the other. Exhaustion had hit them.

See? 4 players? Well, they had 8 by the time it was 1/2 time. I then offered Gabby my incentive. $5 a basket, Gab! Go, get 'em! She got 'em all right. She scored 16 pts. I told her the deal stops at $20!! Then, she stopped scoring...incentive goes along way. :)

We had an hour break - then it was time for my (one of) brothers to coach his son's team. My brother, J.J. coaches his son's, Jun (J.J. Junior)'s team. I love watching them. The ref ensures that every player plays and that it's fair for everyone. Husband and I love that about him.

My nephew is the one on the far right with my baby brother, J.J. in the middle coaching.

My niece, Kaydalin at her brother's basketball game.

My nephew is guarding his man - they match up the kids with wrist bands so they have to stick with their matching colored player. If they stop another player that isn't matching their color that person gets another shot in scoring. I love this idea. It's kinda genius! Madi was really squirmy at this point so I was in and out letting her run around right outside the gym door so I could multi-task.

My son and daughter, Dev and Nana wanted to blog and take pictures. Take it away kids.

Italics = Nana or Dev Non-Italics = Me

I was flashing my eyes. I loved taking my picture upside down.

He also had a ton of shots of random floors and ceilings (and people) but I figured you didn't want to see my son's random picture taking. :) Just know - he loves to snap whatever is around. He even zooms - he calls it "basketball art".

Nana's turn with the camera. Here's her story...

While you were peaking your head in Jun's game - Madi and Jaydes were being naughty. They were playing with a window (on ground level, folks. No potential of falling a bizillion flights or anything). Jaydes kept unlocking it with the handles while Madi pushed it open.

I eventually had to stand in front of it so they would stop and go play somewhere else. The window is really in a silly spot. As you walk in - if you are under 3.5 feet tall you are for sure heading to play with that window with it's fancy handles. Urgh.

My Face.

My Costco UGGs.

Tyler was pretending to punch, Grandma. They were playing though - he wasn't really going to punch her.

I keeped on telling Dev to get up and not to crawl on the floor while you were on the phone talking to Daddy but he wasn't listening. Then, he heard your Mommy Voice telling him to get up and I told him "I told you."

Because big sisters sometimes need to relinquish the need to control the situation and let the Mommy handle it. :)

Um, I asked you to cheese and you did. Except you had the camera on a timer so I sat there for a good few seconds before it snapped so my will to smile vs. my need to go follow Madi was losing out. I could hear her trying to escape back to that silly window!

My brother, Tyler's game...for some reason I don't have pictures of it. Probably because I was chasing Madi around. It was 1pm and nap time so meltdown was approaching. Quickly. After that game - we left to go home and meet Aunty Tina with her sweet nieces - Adrianna and Marianna. Since 2005 - they have spent twice a year at our house overnight. They love our kids - as we love them.

Here they are snuggled up in 2005 for their 1st sleepover together.

We made a Pre-Valentine's Day dinner since we were going to my brother's birthday dinner at my Mom's on actual Valentine's Day.

This kit was amazing. We got all this for next to nothing. It totally totally rocked! Thank you, Whole Foods!

Hi, I'm the biggest dork EVER. The sign said 2 pizza building kits...yeah, I made one pizza. I feel like Stimpy from Ren and Stimpy. I kept saying "you stupid idiot!" - aw, well. It was still super yummy! And, it made me happy it was an even better deal than I thought.

Tina and her brother, Fred went to the Bravern and got Trophy Cupcakes for me. She knew Hummingbird was my favorite but it was Saturday so alas they didn't have it (dangit!). They had red velvet though and chocolate vanilla so that was fine. I was happy to receive cupcakes from there no matter what kind they were! They took Adrianna, Marianna and Isa to a fancy lunch at Neiman Marcus. I gobbled up their leftovers for my late lunch and it was delish!

PS the kit came with a nacho kit and BBQ chicken to go with the nachos or the pizzas.

Dessert.

The flowers Isa received for her Orchestra Concert that I used as a center piece for their Valentine's Dinner.

Then, it was movie night - we had G-Force in the playroom for Nana and Dev.

We started the movie at 7pm because my little ones were super duper tired from getting up so early for the b-ball games. They were fast asleep by no later then 9:30pm.

Isa had spent the night with the twins at Aunty Tina's house the night before so they watched Coraline and then...more Wii (Super Mario Bros. and Wii Sports Resort - my kids LOVE both these games.

I made them promise to have lights out at 1am...and they happily agreed. They said they didn't even finish G-Force that night. We had a lovely BIG Valentine's Day brunch filled with Daddy made Belgium Waffles, sausage and bacon!

This is Marianna and Isa playing Swordplay on Wii Sports Resort. I was laughing so hard because Isa was totally kicking my butt so I asked Marianna to come take over because I hate to lose. Isa's a lot like Daddy - she is super competitive!