Spring, spring, spring!

I forget every year about the feeling I get inside the second I smell spring in the air and feel the first breeze......maybe I have a case of seasonal affective disorder? If so, thank goodness it's spring....

And, man, it feels sooo good....makes me just want to spend 24/7 (or more likely 9/7) outside and feel the feeling of spring outside....

I am excited of what's to come this spring! We have been busy with birthday parties, get togethers with friends, soccer, work, life and we feel blessed!

I thank God every night for this beautiful weather and, most especially, for my little blessings...

(Love these little dirty faced monster/princesses) :)

**Thanks to the Teddy and Boon photographers for capturing a few pictures - I have been such a bad photographer lately - a/k/a - bad blogger.

Friday Funday!

Just realized that I started this post a few days ago and my little "helper" published it before I even had a chance to type! :) Just a few pictures from my iphone from this past week. We continue to stay busy and sometimes we have to cool off with some DQ.... *Ali was so excited that Dairy Queen was not just a "swim house" treat - but there is also one in Marietta! (Even though we have been to this one before - she had it in her mind as a St. Simons signature restaurant!)
On Friday night, the whole Patrick clan split up to go on our own different excursions...

Ali got to go on a special date night with her Papa to the Huddle House and to go see Ruth Mitchell's production of Peter Pan....she was SO excited....

This Mama got to go out with fun friends to go see Bethenny Frankel at the Cobb Energy Center...a big thank you to Laura for the box seats! It was so much fun!
Bethenny's husband, Jason, (if you even know who she is!) was sitting right below us - unfortunately, my iphone did not have zoom - but he is sitting in this row right by the microphone)

And, last but not least, Ryan and Rhodes had so much fun on a daddy/daughter night playing and eating with friends! (cute picture here...http://littlehappything.blogspot.com/) I have to admit - we have a lot of nights out - but I have major mother's guilt leaving my entire family - including Ryan - on a Friday night! I was thrilled to be able to go out guilt free knowing Ali was excited to have some special one on one time with her papa and Rhodes was having some with her daddy (and with her friends - she never gets a playdate where she isn't the "little sister!").

Catching up!

I hate that I always start my blogs with "we've been busy!" - hasn't everyone?? Between tax season for me, Ryan having some big projects at work, putting our house on the market, winter break, and just daily life - I feel like there is never a minute to sit down and catch up! So is life - and I do enjoy staying busy! (just get a little overwhelmed at times...and I know I'm not the only one! :))

First, putting our house on the market...I have been wanting to move forever, LOVE our house, LOVE our neighborhood, LOVE our commute to the square/work/school/church - all in 2-3 minutes/1 mile! We plan to stay very close - somewhere in this general area - just need some more space! Who knows how it all will go - I keep reminding myself that it may take two years to sell our house in this market - trying not to keep my hopes up too much...but looking forward to a fun change!

Last week - the girls and I decided at the last minute to join Mimi on a trip to St. Simons. We hadn't been to our beach house since August! It was fun to get away, but still a little cool for swimming (which was disappointing for the girls!)! We are hoping to get back there again for spring break...this time with Ryan! (so maybe then it will be a little more of a "vacation" for this mama! :))

In other big family news, this week, Ryan's law firm is officially changing names - it will now be Smith, Tumlin, McCurley and Patrick. Moving on up and now Ryan is big time! :) We are so proud of him and his hard work!

All in all, we have been enjoying this gorgeous weather and are ready for Spring! Lots of fun events coming up with us (I am counting down the days until my trip to the Hamptons in May!) to look forward to and hopefully lots of blogging for me to keep up with our fun adventures!

Sweet Valentines

It's March, but I am finally catching up from Valentine's Day! The girls both came down with pink eye the Friday before Valentine's - poor things! We were housebound for 24 hours with lots of hand washing!

The doc told me that it was a 24 hour incubation period, so we were excited that Ali and Ryan did not have to miss their Daddy/Daughter dance 48 hours later. :) Her poor eyes in these pictures of Ali (and Rhodes) with their valentine...

We had fun making Valentine's cookies (and eating a few!)

And the girls and I had a fun Valentine's Day lunch at Chick-fil-A - as you can see, they were very cooperative taking pictures! :)

Valentine's was a fun treat for our whole family! Ryan and I had a fun date to celebrate on actual Valentine's Day to go see Romeo and Juliet in Atlanta! (He planned way ahead - I was so impressed!) The girls and I loved getting cards, flower deliveries and special Valentine's surprises from Ryan, Mimi and Papa, Grandmommy and Granddaddy and Aunt Ashley! Ali even got a rose from a precious little boy in her class and she couldn't stop smiling! :)

Hello sunshine!

Hello blogging world! I have been MIA from blogging - mainly due to the serious case of Winter Blues I have had! It has been a rainy, cold, dreary week around here and even though we are back full speed ahead in the swing of things again, I have been seriously unmotivated! So happy to see the sunshine back outside today and some motivation set back in. If you're a reader of my blog (ahem, family!) and you're like me - I hate when blogs that I like to read go MIA for awhile - so I am happy to say that I am back! :) Sorry for such a delay in posts. And, in case you forgot what my little bits look like during these few short weeks...here's just a glimpse at a few pictures I got today. (Not the best pictures...but, really, they were just taken so I would have something to put on here! :))

This morning (Saturday), Ryan had to go to work and since the girls and I have had a lot of togetherness stuck inside the house this week...we decided to have our own spa morning. Now, this spa morning did not go as I had in my dreams (I think I was just dreaming of a much needed spa vacay for this Mama!), the girls came out bubble bath cleaned, with hair dried, curled, and even some manis and pedis! With an slightly impatient 4 year old and a wiggle worm, busy body 2 year old, the manis and pedis somewhat ended up as full foot pedis and full fingered manis! :)As soon as we were done primping, our spirits were revived by the sunshine that came out just in the nick of time! We headed out to lunch on the square with Mimi and even got some cupcakes at Miss Mamie's!





I am going to try my best to be better about blogging and recording these memories of the girls! Between school, gymnastics (lessons on two different days for the girls!), music class, choir, ballet, and lots of playdates in between...we have an activity to keep us out and about every day! I have to admit I have moments where I miss the days of a complete day off! I think that is what summer is for, though, so we are enjoying our fun activities and getting to be with lots of friends!
Hope everyone had a fun January!! Spring will be here before we know it! (and I can't wait!)

Snow Daze...

So, it's Wednesday of our Snow week and I feel like I am living in the movie Groundhog Day - I have no idea what day it is - our days have been filled with playing in the snow, eating, playing with our babies, watching movies, more eating and lots of family bonding time! :) Other than the fact that the snow days are seriously ruining my new years resolution diet and that I am watching a week's worth of preschool tuition (and lunch bunch - it gets expensive - and there are no make up days!) go down the drain - I am secretly loving it! It's so nice to be able to stay in pjs and know that no one is waiting on me to be somewhere and most people are in the same boat!

Last night, the Holles came over and we built two snowmen for our front yard this time! It was a lot easier than the day before since the snow was so compact and filled with ice - and our one snowman turned to two when the snowballs got too big too fast! The kids loved it and Ali and Libby ended up having an impromptu spend the night party! (which of course made them even happier!)

After a morning making Mickey Mouse pancakes (and decorating them with sprinkles, cool whip and strawberries - great idea when you are stuck at home, Mama!), we have been l-a-z-y (and loving it!). Ryan went into work today - it is hard to stay snowed in from a 1 mile commute to work! The girls and I have had a fun day though of much-needed baths, staying warm, watching movies, playing school, cutting out snowflakes, drawing snowman pictures and making snow ice cream so far! The snow ice cream was a huge hit...and while we were in the middle of making it, it started snowing again!
(the picture above is supposed to show the snow falling...but you can't tell from my iphone pic! :) But, you can see all of the snow we still have left on the ground!)
The girls had a taste of the ice cream to make sure it tasted yummy (and surprisingly, it did!)

Then, after a Chick-fil-A lunch (thanks to Daddy!), we went in for the real deal!

And, yes, immediately after this, it was time for baths! (and you can see in these pictures, we were in desperate need of a bath!)

I just found out (via facebook - gotta love it!) that school is out again tomorrow! It's official - since we only go to school M/T/Th - we are off an entire snow week this week! Plus, Monday is MLK - so by the time the girls finally go back to school, they will have been out 11 days!!! So crazy - but we are enjoying the craziness! Thank goodness Ryan loaded up on sweets/snacks and a few necessities (again, the diet -ugh!) yesterday at the grocery store! If anyone has any other fun snow day activities - please pass them along! Happy snow week 2011!!

Snowpocalypse 2011

After much anticipation, the great snow storm of 2011 (at least so far!) came, we played and now we are ready for it to move on out! :)

At school last week, Ali's teacher (Ms. Michele) told her what she needed to do to get the snow to come to Marietta - inside out/backwards pjs, a frozen spoon under her pillow, ice cubes flushed down the potty and last, but not least...the snow dance! All of these important steps were taken on Sunday night and we anxiously watched out the window....
When the girls went to bed, they had yet to see a snowflake! But, within an hour, the rain was falling hard and fast and we woke up the next morning to a winter wonderland!!





I can't remember the last time we got this much snow!!

We hiked over to our friends, the Holles' house...thank goodness Ryan got me a new Bob double stroller for Christmas (I love it!) - I do not think my old stroller would have made it! For such a short walk, it was quite the hike - interesting and crunchy walking on deep snow and ice! We had fun building a snowman (well, I watched everyone make the snowman), drinking hot chocolate and playing with our friends!

We came home to naps, lots of eating and staying warm and even some sledding...

Ali....

Rhodes...

And even Daddy...

Today, the girls and I have yet to leave the house and are enjoying the warmth of another day off school (day 1 for Rhodes and day 2 for Ali!). Ryan went out to the grocery store for us and got us lunch and now did a drive up to the office to check things out. It has been a fun couple of days and honestly, I wouldn't mind one more like this...but, as some point, we may be doing a reverse snow dance to clear these icy roads up! Happy Snow days 2011! (and happy 1/11/11!)