Camp Fun and Juliet's Girls Weekend!!!

Sisterly love in the pool.

My friend Jennifer Rice Scrivener, that I have known since first grade, was in town visiting family and she brought her daughter Keely over to swim. Keely is a couple of months younger than Maya. Jennifer moved up to Maryland at the beginning of the year and had a baby named Sam a month ago. It was so good to see them and the girls had fun swimming together.

Tennis camp and dress like a Superhero at Camp Hawk Ridge!

Swim day at the Splash Pad at Saluda Shoals Park at Camp Hawk Ridge!

Last day of tennis camp at Rockbridge.

Maya insisted on wearing her swim cap.

Getting ready to leave for my first girls weekend since the girls were born. Yes...I will repeat that. I have not left my children for the weekend without my husband in six years. Holy crap. Yes, this all my fault because I am too clingy with them but I am putting on my big girl pants and doing it. Heading to North Myrtle!!!!!

The sand animals on the beach were pretty incredible.

Emily, Elizabeth, and I arrived first and we took advantage of a nice beach stroll before the other two arrived.

I kept checking the Hawk Ridge facebook page because it is always fun to see pics of the girls that they post. I caught this fabulous one of Maya at the splash pad. See that cutie patootie in the back ground wearing her little blue suit and swim cap? Love it.

This is basically how we spent the weekend.

It was Caitlin's birthday while we were there so we celebrated with balloons and chocolates and probably some more beverages.

The clouds were rolling in a lot and we had intermittent rain showers but we didn't let it stop our fun. We would go in for a while and play games and have some beer and then head out again.

We had such a wonderful weekend! Chatting and hanging out with a wonderful group of girls is so needed and so refreshing. I feel truly honored to have this group of friends (also Raven and Cheryl who couldn't make the trip). We all met from the first daycare, Trenhom Road United Methodist, and we are all very different girls but we have truly bonded just from our children being in the same classes. I hope we are like this for a long time!

Camp Hawk Ridge, pool, cousins, crabs, Nanas, and sister farewells

Dress up camouflage day at Camp Hawk Ridge.

Camouflage day at Camp Hawk Ridge. My girls don't own camo so they went their own creative ways---here is a zebra.

And here is her sister the unicorn.

Playing at Dr. French the dentist.

And what is now becoming our after dentist treat--Dunkin Donuts. Probably not the best thing after getting teeth cleaned but it keeps them from not whining while at the dentist!

It's Jaws!!!

Maya putting her face in. Like Delaney---this was a long time coming.

Swim fun with Aunt Maxie.

Silly girls!

Bring your pet to Camp Hawk Ridge day. We selected Olive as she has the best temperment. Delaney wanted to bring Mia. I don't think our 18 year old cat would appreciate that.

Olive did amazingly well. She let all the kids fawn all over her and I think she really loved the attention.

Members Night at the Zoo. While Randy attended a social for his 20 year high school reunion I took the girls for a night out.

Delaney did awesome on the rock wall!

Some me and my girls selfies.

Randy read about some "Crabfest" that was at Saluda Shoals Park. It was all you can eat blue crab and said there was lowcountry boil also and it sounded like a good time. We found a "deal" groupon for $20 tickets---normally they were $35 I think. We packed up the girls and headed out there and Morgan came also because we thought it would be a good time. Well--when we got to the location at the park there was Kenny G blaring from the loudspeakers. Then there was just a picnic shelter with no beer and no outside entertainment or even a play structure for the kids. The crab was inedible due to no seasoning and we didn't realize how tough it was to get into the blue crab. The lowcountry boil consisted of basically just potatoes because they ran out of the sausage and shrimp early on, and by early on I mean 3:15 and it started at 3. Worst $40 we ever spent. We left after about 20 minutes and took the kids to the good park area at Saluda Shoals to make the trip somewhat worthwhile and then went home. The kids weren't fazed by it but Randy and I were hugely disappointed.

Fun with the cousins on a pool day.

Swim lesson with Mr. Greg. This was first big lesson and it went really well! No screaming like the first child did and just some whining beforehand and then she was a trooper. Maya still is fearful of the water but does really well with Mr. Greg. I think she will be a swimmies girl for a while though.

Nana's 88th birthday celebration at Za's!!

Maxie and Ryan joined in the festivities because they are leaving tomorrow for Pittsburgh. Maxie will be starting her four year radiology residency there and we will miss her so much. It has been truly special having her here for a year and I wish she was living here longer. The girls have really bonded with her and I will miss having my sweet sister around. 

This was from Vacation Bible School week but forgot to add it last post. I love it when I pull out a baby toy and the girls turn into babies again.