Ice, Ice Baby!

For Christmas, the Griner boys gave Kinsey and Max a night at Corndawgs, a fun winter wonderland park with and ice skating rink. Last night, we all decided to cash in and make it a date. Oh what fun it was watching (and playing with) all the kids on the ice! The all did wonderful and were patient and hard-working and everyone had a great time! Thanks guys!

Girls Scouts Everywhere

Movies Friday night, cookie sales Saturday morning and UGA Equestrian Saturday afternoon. Phew!

Stock in Philips

After NOT going to the Philips Arena in over a year, Jack and I have now made TWO trips in less than a week. The last-minute trip to the circus was last weekend and then yesterday, and even MORE last-minute date night to see George Strait and Reba McEntire with Lee Ann Wommack. I literally had the idea at 3:30, arranged a sitter, picked up the kids from school, called Jack and asked if he could leave work early and we were out the door by 4:30. Wow, what a show! It was wonderful. And as our luck had it, we ended up on the 9th row with an amazing view--check it out!

Reba and Lee Ann battle it out in the duet, "Does He Love You?"


George looking good strumming the guitar!

Zing Zang Zoom

Our trip to "Big 'Lanta" as Max called it to see the disappearing elephants, sassy tigers and runaway zebras.

Pampering

It has been a long week for me and don't ask me why. It was a short work week, no basketball, but twice I was so tired at night that I fell asleep in my clothes! So when Friday night's SPAjama party rolled around, you can bet I was pumped! A fund-raiser for the Girl Scouts, the evening was set up as a night to put on your PJ's and be the best diva you could be. Manicures, facials, massages, reflexolgy, makeup and hairstyling, along with dinner, wine and dance lessons--everything from belly danging to hula-hoop dancing. Nope. Not me. But I did let my inner-shopping diva out when I bought my first fancy purse, some earrings and some shoes! And how cool was it to come home and just crawl straight into bed!

Jumping Good Time

Is she a little teenager or what?!? Kinsey and I enjoyed the basketball team's Championship Party at the inflatable warehouse this week. I do have quite the collection of burns and scrapes on my knees from out wild night! ;)

Arrr, ye scurvy dogs!

For Valentine's fun, we decided to take the kids to Blackbeards Island fun park for the day. What a cute little place and a great way to blow some energy (and some cash!) Kinsey and Max had a blast playing on the "Poop Deck" (a suspended bounce area/obstacle course above the room) and the inflatables while we all enjoyed a little skee ball and video games.

More seafood on Sullivan's and a quick tour of Papadad's beauty, "Lured Away", then Jack had to hit the road for his long drive home.

Tomorrow, we will sadly head back to our reality and wait until our next fun trip to the coast!

Thanks a bunch, Nanny and Papa!

Happy Valentine's Day

With love, The Patricks

BEACH SNOW!

So, I must admit, it was tough to hear and read all about the snow we were having back home while we were at the beach in the cold, dreary rain. Sure, the forecast for the Charleston area was for snow, too, but, really? Snow at the beach? What were the odds?

Well, it happened! The last snow in Charleston was in 1989, so we were here for the recordbooks. We went to bed Friday night to heavy snowfall and woke up the next morning to 2 beautiful inches of the white stuff. With temperatures on the way up, we hurried outside to play in the snow, made snow angels and a snow girl, then drove to the beach to check it out. Definitely not covered in snow, but still cool to see snow and sand together. Jack had braved the blizzard-y roads (or foolishly defied all odds) and driven through the night to join us, so it was a fun day for everyone.

After we played, we had a yummy shrimp lunch at Buddy Roes, did some Valentine's shopping, then hit Sullivan's for a late night seafood dinner. Kinsey was so whooped, she fell asleep sitting up at the table. Phew!

Children's Museum of the Lowcountry

For winterbreak, the kids and I hit the road a bit before Jack and headed down to Mt Pleasant/Charleston area for the long weekend. It has been a while since we've seen Nanny and Papadad and the first time we've seen Nanny or that she's traveled since her surgery a few weeks ago. Boy, was she a trooper. She didn't slow down one little bit.

Day one we decided to hit the CML for the morning. What a cute place. Max loved the golf ball room and paint-a-train while Kinsey loved the pirate ship and the craft room. She even custom designed a pair of pants for her soon-to-be new cousin, Davis. I can't WAIT to see them on him. They should be very easy to change his diaper, too, as the pants have no inseam at all. Cute! MY personal favorite was the medieval castle room with the secret passageways and the dress up clothes.







Fun, nautical-themed dinner on Shem Creek and then, guess what?!? Snow began falling for the first time in 21 YEARS!!!

Would it last???

Four Dozen Cupcakes Later...

Making cupcakes for Kinsey and Max's Valentine's parties.

Super(bowl) Friends

Our little Superbowl gathering.

Super Sunday

Kinsey with the gals


Kinsey, Daisy and Hairy Dawg


Mary Claire's birthday party


After a fun day yesterday, Sunday called for more to do. A super-early 14-mile run for me, then church and after lunch, Kinsey and I hit a UGA basketball game with some of my players then off to yet another birthday party.

Now, for some Superbowl fun...Go Colts!

Date Night

So, after the "big win" last night, Kinsey and Jack had special plans. They had their first Daddy/daughter Valentine's dance at her school. While the two of them were out cutting a rug to Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift, my Max and I decided to have a date of our own. We decided on Mexican and a movie. We rented a flick, but ended up just watching Polar Express (go figure) instead. All four of us went on a movie date today since we're so sick of this cold rainy weather. Max's first full-length movie! And now, Jack and I are getting ready for our date night out! Nicholas Sparks, here I come--guess this is probably my V-day date! ;)

We Are The Champions!

4 years in the making, our girls basketball team has finally brought home the prize! We have made it to the championship game 3 times (twice in my time with the team) and this third time was apparently the charm. What an exciting game and the girls did just fabulous! Way to go Lady Lightning! I am so proud of you all!