Game Night

(Maryanna, Elizabeth, Beth, Jody, Sheala)

We held our first game night where we have friends over and play whatever games everyone wants to. We do potluck style and just have a good time.



(Olivia, Tori, Eric, Hannah)

Eric challenged the girls to a Dance Dance Revolution 2 Dance off. I won the first couple of dances but lost the last ones.

New Year's Day Dinner

We had lunch at Maryanna and Elizabeth's house. As you can see cleaning up was fun.

Diva, Emma and CJ had a blast running all over the place. Beth took a chance for a photo shoot before they took off again.

The Game of Risk

We got the game Risk for Christmas and wanted to play. Patrick, Hannah and I kicked off a game at about 7:30 one evening. Now the original game was about global domination but we all know now that it is not Politically / Morally or what ever correctness to think that way so the new game is objective based. Well with only 2 objectives left, Patrick decided that he was going to play old school and take over the world.

So at 12:30am, Patrick finished off the board.

We had a lot of fun and look forward to playing when we can have 5 players.

Christmas Dinner

Christmas Dinner was fun. We had about 16 to 20 people over at our house and we had a lot of good food. At one point we talked about eating outside because it was such a beautiful day, but it ended up getting really hot about 80 degrees and so that idea was scratched.

Elizabeth making the mashed potatoes.

Everyone getting food.

We set the tables up so that everyone could sit around them and it worked out really well. we were a couple of seats short but overall it worked. There was a lot of conversation.

Patrick, Hannah, Collin and Olivia sat outside under the umbrella.

After dinner is was play and relax time. We had the Wii hooked up and the kids and adults all played on it.

(Above) Hannah doing the pipe slider.

(Below) Collin doing the pipe slider.

Not sure exactly which game Olivia is playing but she is into it.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day was great, The only major downfall was that it was 80 degrees.

Maryanna and Elizabeth came over mid morning so the kids got Christmas when they woke up and then again mid morning.

These are some of the pictures of the house decorated for Christmas.

Everyone opening gifts

Elizabeth playing Outdoor Challenge on the Wii

Run Elizabeth Run!!!!!

At the end of the day, even Diva was tuckered out. She ended up wanting to sleep for the next couple of days.

Ice Skating

We all went ice skating with some of Patrick's and Hannah's friends before Christmas. JoAnna and Hannah did well because they roller blade, Patrick fell a couple of times and looked like one of the cartoon characters with his feet moving 90 mph but his body not going anywhere. We had a great time and hope to go back again before it's done. It is hard when you are dressed in shorts and t-shirts outside but have to dress warmly to go skating.


JoAnna

Johnathan and Savannah

Morgan and Hannah

Hannah, Johnathan, Savannah, Patrick and Morgan

Patrick's Christmas Concert

Patrick had his Christmas Concert on December 11. It was a great concert and they have improved a lot over last year. Patrick is very excited, because while he will continue trombone for the jazz band, the director is going to try him out on the tuba for concert band. He can't wait.

I hope you all enjoy.

Patrick's Holly Ball

Patrick attended his first formal Holiday Ball with his cotillion class. The ball was at the Landings Ballroom and he had a great time. He looked very handsome and grown up.

Patrick prior to leaving.

After the ball.

Patrick had his dance card almost full. They danced the foxtrot and several others. We look forward to when we get to attend a ball with him in March.

Georgia State Level 4 Meet

Hannah had her Georgia State Meet this weekend in Tifton Georgia. It was about a two and a half hour drive each way but that is the life in gymnastics competition (This was actually a really close one to home)



Anyway, Hannah had a great closing meet. While she did not place overall, she did place 8th on the Beam and scored a personal best of 9.0 on the vault. I was looking back and she did not place in the top 11 last year so she has definatly improved!

She wobbled a bit on the beam routine but that seemed to be par for the course with all competitors.

Still recovering from a sprained elbow, her round off back handspring was not as solid as in the past. Her elbow is getting better so in turn she will be improving more.

The vault is hard to see. The winning score was a 9.975. There are four judges on each event and the winner received a 10.0 from two of the judges. The vault has been Hannah's hardest event.

She had a problem on the initial start on the bars but did great on the rest of the routine and kept her legs straight on the shoot through.

The biggest challenge for Hannah this year was her growth. Every time she would get a routine down pat, she would wake up and will have grown an inch or two. That then throws her body out of whack changing everything she just learned.

Thanksgiving

We made the annual trek to N.C. for Thanksgiving. Everyone had a great time and good food.

I realized after the fact that I had not taken as many pictures as I thought. I guess that's what happens when you are having fun.


It was a milestone year in that there were two men in attendance. Myself and Chris. Chris was in Africa last year so it was good to have him home. His son Anthony and Patrick are about at the point where we can move them up from the kid section so we will have more company.





Elizabeth and Maryanna

Jeanne


Sheila brought her Wii so Dance Dance Revolution was the game and Eric was the name (to beat). It was a lot of fun and everyone did well. JoAnna and I got Wii music for our anniversary (14 years) and everyone had a lot of fun with that as well.
Sheila all tired out after trying to beat Eric's score!
(Eric is on the floor waiting for the EMS! LOL)

Anthony and Alyssa battling it out on the dance pads.

JoAnna and I went out at 5:00am Black Friday to experience the rush and people watch. The kids stayed in bed so it was like a date out drinking coffee and hot chocolate. We actually opened a Starbucks. (How sad is that? LOL)