Love this picture... everyone in flight... including Murray !!

My little swimmer

Poolside Fashion

Grape Stomp (she's channeling her inner I Love Lucy)

Picking grapes off the vine

I always love it when the weekend comes because the girls get to spend a lot of quality time with their dad.  This weekend we went to a local vineyard for the "Blessing of the Vine"... Maisie LOVED the grape stomp... I can't wait to show her the I Love Lucy episode... I know she'll get a big kick out of it.
It was also great to see Juliette's face when she realized that grapes grow on vines.. both girls had a great time picking some yummy treats.

The rest of the weekend was spent swimming in the pool... Maisie is quite an accomplished swimmer now... she's able to dive in the water and swim lap after lap... such a change from last year when she wouldn't let go of the sides of the pool.  As for Juliette... she spent her day modeling the latest in swimwear fashion... LOVE the pink boots.  A good time was had by all !

On August 22, 2003 my daughter was born in China.  I held her in my heart for 10 months until the day I was able to hold her in my arms.  She is the light of my life.  My beautiful daughter.  My gift!

We celebrated this year with a weekend of festivities kicked off with a mani & pedi with her BFF in Charlotte.... then we did a little shopping and ate some frosty treats.... then it was on to the Killer Whale birthday party with her sister, cousins and dear friends.... then off to the Jack Johnson concert with Dad and Uncle Colin.  A good time was had by all !!!!

Mani & Pedi Time

These are 2 happy girls !!

Toe-Rific

They asked if they could do this all the time.  The answer:  No!

Tasty Treats

Birthday Girl in her new dress and "go-go" boots!

Cousins

Killer Whale Cake

Silly Juliette

Tailgating at the Jack Johnson concert

Let the music begin !

Two tired girls !!

Maisie is beyond excited about entering the second grade.  She picked out her outfit yesterday complete with socks, shoes (that light up) and hair clip.  She's a vision in pink.   I'm looking forward to volunteering in her classroom again.  It allows me a perspective into her life that I otherwise wouldn't be able to see... plus... I get to keep tabs on her and her friends :)

Before school started, we had one last summer hurrah at our friend's house on Lake Lure.  The girls LOVED swimming in the lake and declared that they wished they could live there.  It was such a fitting end to our summer... Great friends, beautiful locations and fabulous food.

Juliette loved swimming in the lake.

Casa O'Cain on Lake Lure

Summer Fun

Thanks to my friend Beth who works for the South Carolina Aquarium we were able to visit the Sea Turtle Hospital today.  The patients are Loggerheads and Kemp's Ridley and are brought from all over SC to be rehabilitated from disease and wounds.  Our first visit was to "Pirate" who was brought in to the hospital suffering from lock jaw.  The staff had to feed Pirate with a syringe for 9 months until he started eating on his own.

Peeking in at "Pirate"

Pirate comes up to check us out

Pirate meet Juliette... Juliette meet Pirate

Read about Pirate's ordeal

May is having a look-see at Jules

Such a sweet little turtle !