Fiesta Bowl

Anyone who knows me knows that I live for sports. So much so that the top of my bucket list consists of every major sporting event. Tony has had the good fortune to attend many of the sporting events that I would die for...The Olympics, The Rose Bowl, The Final Four (just to name a few) and I never let him forget it. So when the news came that the Fiesta Bowl was going to potentially be a better game than the National Championship, he decided that we would treat me for Christmas (so I would lay off him for a while!) 2 days after the holiday we drove to Phoenix to show the kids what big time college football was all about!

AJ Flexing Before The Game With His Nintendo Switch

We prepared to tailgate with corn hole, food and beverages only to be sidelined by raging flu like symptoms and artic winds. Not exactly the tailgating extraveganza we were hoping for. But it was the kid's first time seeing the Goodyear blimp and they had fun none the less!

We had great seats in the end zone and the crowd did not disappoint. The Ohio State fans might be the most obnoxious people in the world. But they sure make for some fun people watching!

Cienna with Tomato Head from Fortnite

In the end, the best team won...Clemson! And I can cross off the Fiesta Bowl from my bucket list!

Christmas 2019

This is our 3rd Christmas in the "new" house and our 1st Christmas that was more about quality than quantity. Both Cienna and AJ's lists were short, sweet and expensive! But with age and expense also comes sleeping in past 5am...something that I am truly grateful for. It was only when I became a parent that I understood why my parents had to make coffee before the present opening began!

Truth be told, I had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year. Usually on December 1st I am lugging all of the decor from the back storage area to the house, putting wreaths on everything in sight and pumping Christmas music throughout the house (and car.) 2019 was a struggle for me. And I think that the reality that my kids are not little anymore made me a little sad. Eventually I kicked it into gear though and I decided that we needed a real tree (2 weeks before Christmas.) Man are they expensive! The tree lot by our house wanted $120 for a 6ft tree! I don't think so! So we got our butts back in the car and went to Lowe's. $60 for a 6ft tree is more like it! Of course it would not be a Mazotti trip to the store if we didn't all disagree for an hour about which tree to buy, but we did it!

Ricardo, our life-size nutcracker, stood by the door per usual, and Diesel did too!

Tiny Quinn and Tiny QT came back for a month of mischief starting with Tiny Quinn barfing. Which was fitting because both Cienna and AJ had just gotten over barfing during Thanksgiving break.

By Christmas Eve we were ready for the fat man to make an appearance! The stockings were hung on the buffet with care with hopes that Santa would bring hundreds of dollars of stuff to the kids with care!

The smiles are genuine. Santa did not disappoint!

My final Christmas protest was not doing Christmas cards this year. I...just...couldn't...do...it. So this was a good as we came to an "official" Mazotti family picture in 2019!

Merry Christmas!

Halloween Hoard

We kicked off the Halloween season with our annual Pumpkin Carving / Costume Contest at the house. Each year it seems to get bigger and bigger, with more people and layers. This year it involved outdoor tables and heaters, a potluck and a newly added costume contest! And although I didn't win the contest (I mean, I didn't want to make any kids cry!) I thought my hauling job costume was totally tubular!

Like Gag Me With A Spoon Becky!

I know my trick or treating years are numbered. Being that Cienna is almost 13, I was pleasantly surprised that she still wanted to dress up and beg for candy from strangers. Of course this year she wanted to bring a friend and walk ahead of AJ and I, but I was happy just the same. Middle school has not broken her Halloween spirit!

Cienna as "Mermaid Man" from Spongebob Squarepants

AJ as "Dog The Bounty Hunter"

Unfortunately Tony had to work at the fire station and could not join us on our quest for the most candy ever. We ventured over to Tanoan (the ritzy gated neighborhood) where the legend of full size candy bars did not disappoint! By the time we made it back to the car my fingers were frozen straight and I could not grip the steering wheel. But it was worth it in the end. Each kid brought home at least 10 lbs of candy in their sacks!

After warming up by the fire, we capped the night with a viewing of "The Shining." It was a magically spooky Halloween 2019!