Joe

Dear Joe,

When Tony and I first met you, you were an energetic 16 year old, eager to work and eager to learn. You quickly became Tony’s side kick, his right hand man. Both of you were navigating the junk removal business together, learning the ropes through trial and error. You each could see the value in everything, and because of that you were a perfect pair. And while we have had others try to take your place…no one has ever measured up to you. We ask “does he work as hard as Joe?” And the answer inevitably is “no, Joe would run circles around that guy!”

It didn’t take long for us to realize that you weren’t just an employee. You were special. Though I don’t think you intentionally tried, you worked your way into our lives and more importantly into our hearts. We saw so much good in you. We saw your caring nature, your extraordinary work ethic and your great sense of humor. Despite your circumstances, you had something in you that was different from the rest. While most teenagers walked around with their hand out, you never asked for anything. And because of that we wanted to give you everything.

Throughout the years, we have had so many funny moments. Like the time you and Tony removed a huge satellite dish from a customer’s house. You had never seen one before…and you asked the customer if they could watch “moon channels” on it! You and Tony had so many little jokes it is impossible to list them all. Thankfully, he has them as memories. I am sure that he will replay them in his head every time he goes on a job without you.

I could always tell what kind of mood you were in as soon as you walked through the door. If I got “what’s up wit cha?” I knew it was a good day. A simple “hello” meant it might be a rough one. No matter what mood you were in, we were always happy to have you around. In hindsight I wish that you would have been around even more.

Why is it that we wait for an event like this before we tell someone how we truly feel? I know that you knew that we cared deeply for you…but did you know how much we loved you? Did you know how much your passing would devastate us? Did you know that it would shake us to our core?

Joe, even though we were not related by blood, you were family. Good and bad, we took you just the way you were. There will never be another Joe in our lifetime. You were a special part of our lives that can never be replaced. We will miss you beyond measure, and we will love you forever.

Love,

Tony, Alexis, Cienna & AJ


R.I.P
6/6/87 - 10/14/12

Wow...Where Did September Go?

O.M.G. I did not blog last month. At all. Not once. Where did the month go?
I remember this much...at some point I turned 33 years old. We went to the state fair once and the cabin twice. But that's about it!

Life has become a series of repeating events lately. School, laundry, bank, cheer leading, grocery store, soccer, PTA meetings, gymnastics, and other such things. The Mazotti Family is in full scheduling mode. Everything is down to a science. No wonder parents say that the years fly by once your kids are in school. There is no time to even think!

Even though I failed to blog last month I did not fail to take pictures! So now, without further adieu, September 2012 in pictures!

Goofing Off At The State Fair

Ram Hunting in CO

Playing Dress Up

Colorado in September

Children's Arts & Crafts Fair

September 2012

AJ Turns 3

Today our baby boy turned 3 years old. I wanted to take the time to do a little post commemorating everything AJ.

AJ is a feisty one. He likes to spit, punch, kick and use words like "stinky poop." He enjoys catching butterflies (and he is really good at it!), putting bugs both dead and alive in his "tainer buggy" (bug container) and you might say that he is obsessed with all things Toy Story and Cars.

AJ loves playing on my phone, playing baseball and soccer, and playing on any and all playgrounds. His drawings consist of one line on a page, he loves "meat" which means anything resembling an animal product of any kind, and he does not leave home without his flip flops. He is not potty trained nor does he appear to ever want to stop pooping his pants. He sweats...a lot. He has the most beautiful skin color that I have ever seen. Every day when I drop him off at pre-school he says "oh mama hug and kiss!" And when I ask him what his name is he says in his deepest, proudest voice, "AJ Zotti!"

I can't imagine our lives without you AJ. You are our baby boy. Our mister mister. Our little monster. We love you more than words can say. We look forward to seeing your little personality develop with time and hope that you will always know how much you mean to us! Happy 3rd birthday AJ!

School Daze

August 15th, 2012 was a day that I had been waiting for for roughly a year. It was the date that I continued to repeat in my head every time I wanted to lay down in traffic somewhere. It was the date that I repeated every time I wanted to pull a runaway housewife. August 15th, 2012 was everything that I imagined it would be. Absolutely freakin fabulous!

August 15th Cienna started kindergarten at Coronado Elementary, a Spanish immersion school about 5 minutes from the house. It is the first time that she is going to school 5 days a week and it is an extended day from what she is used to at pre-school. We have already seen signs that this is a little stressful on her, based on the fact that she cries almost every night before bed time begging not to go back to school because the day is too long. I feel so bad for her. I tell her that everything will be fine and she will get used to it, but in the back of my mind I am thinking "oh girl you have no idea! You have like 15 years of this ahead of you!"

She seems to be adjusting well to being taught exclusively in Spanish. She has made some new friends, most of whom loyally follow her around the playground, and has already had to work out some issues with some not-so-nice kids. Today I surprised her by coming at lunch time to hang while she ate and played and I hope to do that about once every 2 weeks. I love being able to drop in from time to time.

August 15th AJ started pre-school 3 days a week from 9-1pm. I thought for sure that he was going to have problems sharing or throwing or hitting but so far I have not received a negative report card. The teacher has however told me that AJ was born with "extra testosterone" and said that he likes to tell her "don't tell me that" from time to time. He loves the playground that he watched his sister play on for 2 years. He loves riding the tricycles. And everyday when I pick him up he is a little ball of sweat who says "mommy can I play on your phone?" Super cute.

I am thoroughly enjoying my Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. I go to the gym, do yoga every Wednesday, and have time to get some errands done. This makes for a nicer mommy and wife. I spend Tuesday and Thursdays focusing all of my attention on AJ because I am able to get my other stuff done when he is at school. It is everything that I imagined it would be and more. I am loving it!

The World of Disney

Now that I feel like a reasonable amount of time has passed since we returned from the "Happiest Place on Earth" I have decided to post about our trip...sans the chip on my shoulder. Don't get me wrong. I love me some Disney. But this trip was at least one day too long and as a result I experienced what Tony pinned a "magical meltdown."

We arrived in Disneyland Monday afternoon and immediately rushed over to the park to get a jump on our 4-day parkhopper passes. Holy lord I did not know that many people could be crammed into the grounds in the middle of summer. Don't they have capacity rules and regulations? Where is the fire marshall when you need him? In one word, the lines at Disneyland were RIDICULOUS. Smile!

We Can Do This!

Granny came along for the trip and she was able to eek out a few smiles as well. If it weren't for Tony's "magical pass" that he appropriated I am pretty sure she would have jumped ship and flown back to the Bay early. It was that RIDICULOUS.

The next day we treated both Cienna and AJ to makeovers at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Cienna became a princess for the day and AJ became Sir AJ the Knight. I am pretty sure my mom started wondering where she went wrong as a parent at this point. She kept leaning over to me saying things like "your children are spoiled" and "you never did anything like this when YOU were a child." I felt like a bratty teenager again when I gently whispered in her ear "see mom...money really does buy happiness!" and then sat back and watched her eyes roll permanently into the back of her head. Hahaha! Nothing like messing with good ol' mom to keep things lively!

The rest of the trip was full of fun, sun and magical moments. Even though I threw a tantrum of a lifetime, I would go back again in a heartbeat. After all...I love me some Disney!

I say "Till Next Time Disney!"
Tony says "If There Is A Next Time Disney!"
Granny says "Lord If There Is A Next Time Please Don't Invite Me!"
Cienna says "I Love Disneyland!"
AJ says "Are We Go There Tomorrow That Disneyland?"

Lake Powell

Last weekend we took a kid-free trip to Lake Powell with my best friend from high school, Jen, and her husband Justin. True to form with every road trip we have ever taken, Tony and I wanted to kill each other before we even got in the car. Eventually we both managed to relax and enjoy the almost 7 hour drive to the lake, even though at times it seemed that we were on a road to nowhere...

This Is About The Time That We Would Have Run Out Of Gas Had We Not Packed Gas

After arriving in Halls Crossing, UT, we were greeted by a huge windy storm front that almost knocked us off the dock as we were trying to cart our goods to the houseboat. I was really hoping that this was not a sign that we had made the gods of the lake mad in some way, considering we were about to board a boat with 4 people we had never met before for the next 4 days. It could make for a LONG weekend.

The storm passed, Jen and Justin arrived after baring the brunt of 2 flat tires, and the festivities were underway. It was one long first night...
The following morning we awoke and tried to be good. You know, coffee, water, shower, food. That didn't last long. Before I knew it we were picking up right where we left off the night before. And that is the way it remained for the next 3 days.

Thank God For Boat Beverages Being Served At 7am

Ditto

Experienced boaters Jen and Justin showed us what wakeboarding was all about. They made it look easy, while Tony and I made it look really, really hard. I got my butt kicked by that lake and I have the bruises to prove it! I look like I was in a high speed car accident and my arms have never been so sore!

I Prefer This Seat On The Boat

As Hank Williams Jr. so cleverly sung, "the hangovers hurt more than they used to." I would add to that by saying "next time I will show some self control." But then again, what fun is that? Hell, it was worth it!

Our Very Own Jay-Z Video

Absolutely Breathtaking! We Will See You Again!

Conquering Colorado

July 5, 2012 I began my exploration of a Colorado lifestyle. Could I do it alone? Could I survive the long days and very dark nights? Would one of us die? The answer turned out to be yes...and no!

Our trip began great. The kids and I arrived with Tonka on a Thursday evening, unpacked and went to bed. I was so exhausted from packing and driving that I didn't have time to be scared of the dark. We woke up Friday morning and I strapped shoes on everyone's feet and we headed up the mountain. We had fun, looked for cool rocks and found what I told them to be "airplane parts." I don't know what it really was but they wouldn't stop asking and it was the coolest explanation that I could come up with.

Saturday we headed to the Colorado Alligator Farm for their annual Eggfest. We bought gator chow, fed alligators with names like Elvis Presley and King Kong and even got to see some giant tortoises "wrestling." Funny...they wrestle just like giant humans do. Or so I've been told.

After Seeing This Sign I Asked If They Needed Any Year-Round Help On The Farm

BW - Before Wrestling

Saturday night I took the kids to their very first rodeo. They saw mutin bustin and bull riding. AJ decided that he wanted to be a cowboy with a horse and a hat when he grows up. Cienna decided that rodeos smell but the rainbow was pretty.

Sunday was a go to the park, go on timeout, go for a walk, go on timeout kinda day.

Monday Cienna went into Del Norte with her friend Skylar for a day camp for kids. AJ and I had a chance to do some mother-son bonding by the river. He is so cute when he is doing something outdoors with all of my undivided attention!

God He Is Just Like His Father

Tuesday we ventured out to the Great Sands National Park just outside of Alamosa. We had high hopes that it would be a day of great fun and excitement. Instead what we found was 100 degree heat, sleds that don't slide on sand and a 2 year old that completely melts down when he doesn't want to walk anymore. I think I was crying by the time we made it back to the car.

This Is What Happens When You Tell A 5 Year Old and A 2 Year Old To Say "Cheese"

Wednesday. We all spent the day on timeout.

Thursday we went for a hike around Big Meadows lake and looked for ducks to feed. We walked for 3 hours and didn't see one damn duck. AJ decided he didn't want to walk anymore. I begged someone to carry me. This was the beginning of the end.

Friday. After being awoke for the last 3 days by being punched in the face by AJ I decided that I could no longer do it alone. I needed to remind AJ that he had a father and that his father was more than just a voice on the phone threatening bodily injury if he wasn't nice to his mom and sister. I threw in the towel and drove home.

Not quite the 2 weeks that I had planned but hey...that is why it was a trial run. Next year I am going to bring more rope and duct tape.