The last of 2015 the beginning of 2016.... it's a good thing!

For many years Mark has told me that the anxiety that I build up in my mind before an event isn't nearly as bad as the event itself.  My children have never traveled well... they get car sick when the car is put in reverse in the driveway... okay... not really that bad, but if they don't have a little Dramamine then we can expect nausea to occur.  Christmas morning our surprise of getting to visit the Orange Bowl in Miami immediately made me have a little worry... By Christmas night, I had decided to ask Emmie and Phil if they wanted to ride in the car with us... you know... to let them experience the throwing up, the 100 questions, and the fighting that goes along with "Riding with the McKinneys".... 

After a little back and forth, it was a "dill pickle" that the Roberts would be joining in the family truckster to head to Miami.... it was a fun trip that will have my children talking for years.... actually... it will be hard to top the laughs we shared as we headed to see the Tigers play.  

We luckily ended up a little better off than the Griswold family and their truckster... We loved ours... It was pouring rain when we left Lincolnton, but by the time we hit Statesboro.... we had better weather.  As we stopped there to get ice, a man asked us if there was a game we were headed to... I wanted to call him a moron, but I said, "Yeah, we are all dressed in our gear, car flags flying, and headed south".... He didn't even know who was playing... bless his heart... some people really live under rocks in areas of our world... I mean I don't follow every single sport, but I can give you the months of the important events in sports... like April is golf, March is basketball, etc... 

On the way down, we stopped for lunch in St. Augustine... and we just happened to be across from the outlets... We had a thirty minute time limit to find Sis some appropriate shorts and Emmie some boots!  We were back in the car with two minutes to spare!  We realized at this point that we were going to burn up at the game the next day!  It was very hot!

We hit the mall when we got to Boca Raton and then had a late supper... after dropping off a few at the Cheesecake Factory... we headed to find some Simply Sleep!  We got to bed around eleven and slept like rocks after traveling and shopping all day.  Ben was so excited that he bought a pair of shoes with his own money!  He was not excited about the $4 he spent on an Italian Ice... he wanted to "earn" that four dollars back because he said it was nasty!  It's amazing the things children will pass up when they have to spend their own money!  

December 31st--- we headed out for the thirty minute drive to Sun Belt Stadium... coffee in hand, game attire on, and nerves were top on the list!  

 It was absolutely beautiful in this area... and we were amazed at the weather... we would have a stretch of pouring down rain one minute and the sun the next.

 Thank goodness Phil had a parking pass... we were able to pull right in and get on the second row!

 Toll booths were everywhere... Pretty neat that they go ahead and charge you before you enter!

The girls... a rose between two thorns... just teasing... We were windblown at this point and just feeling how hot we were going to be... as we were taking this picture, Mark pointed out that we needed to take the next shot... and only use it in the blog if we won... well.... 

Here we go..... we know the results... and we were thinking we drove a long way... wow... they really drove a long way!  Speaking of... there were so many Clemson fans on the road... it looked like driving into Anderson all the way from Jacksonville to Miami.  There was orange everywhere!  

 The McKinneys with the family truckster....

Headed to Fanfest for a little fun before the game.

 We passed by some cute girls... and guess who needed a picture... check out his smile!

 Selfies before the game... yes... we got tattoos on our faces!

 Emmie and Phil in front of the trophy...

The McKinneys in front of the trophy... again... one of those photos we were really nervous about taking before the game!

Headed to our seats!  The excitement on their faces is great!  It makes my heart smile to see how excited they were.

 We were high.... in the sun for awhile... but it was great!

 We were surrounded by Clemson fans and that made it even better...

 John Fogarty was the halftime show... not impressive to KB and Ben, but it will be neat for us to say we have seen him.... I won't be paying to go see him... I can promise you that.

 We picked at Mark the entire trip about his smile... this is what KB made for him on the way home... Bless his heart.....

 We are all smiles... Clemson is headed to the National Championship... we might get "blowed out" as James says and is hoping, but Clemson is going.... So exciting!

 Fans were crazy afterwards.... Ironically, we drove back to our area at the hotel and the man in the background with the Alabama  shirt on was at our restaurant!

Katie Britt's first Clemson ballgame was back in 2004... Ben and I stayed back in Greenville and went shopping... This trip he is still sitting in her lap, they are all smiles, and their little hearts are bleeding orange.







What a fun trip we had... It was a great surprise that had me anxious before we got there... the win made the ride home a lot faster and easier... And that's my wish this new year... that those things that make me anxious, my children anxious, and my family anxious.... will always turn out like this past week.... all smiles!


And for a reminder of the childlike qualities every man keeps...