This is a long one!!!

When it's a little too quiet in the play room, they are up to no good! Markers to each other's face!

Happy Father's Day to the best Dad (in addition to mine) ever!!!!


Mama B comes to visit and Ella the budding photographer takes pictures!

Here they are painting in the shower. Trying to beat the summer heat!!

Love Thy Sister

How funny is this! Audrey's top layer of hair is perfectly straight. When you lift it up, it's Curly Sue!! It was getting so straggly looking the other day that I had to cut the top layer to meet the layer underneath!

Here we are making our own paper mache' pinatas! Remind me not to do that again. The darn glue flour mixture got EVERYWHERE and ruined the patio furniture, making cracks in the wood!!! I have sinced exchanged that set for a different model :)

Ella painting the dried masterpiece. It took a full 24 hours to dry.

As usual, here I am playing catch up with the blog! This time, I have no excuse. The girls are in Pensacola with Grandma and Grandpa for the week, so now it's time to sort through pictures (the very few I've taken, uggg!) and get to business. Each year passes with a fury and I always hope that the next will somehow slow down just a bit, so I don't feel like life is rushing from one event to the next. But, it continues :) The end of the school year was bitter sweet. Ella made such great friends this year and she was so sad thinking about a new class next year. Mostly, she was sad to say goodbye to her teachers. She repeatedly said, I don't want to start again with different teachers, mommy, why can't Ms. Rebecca teach me always? The year ended with their annual Spring Recital. Last year, the recital brought upon much anxiety, and Ella ended up making it on stage, but didn't really participate in the dance that went on around her. This year was totally different. She was nervous, but when it was her class' turn to do their rendition of Dr. Doolittle, my little black cat, danced her best, with a big smile and when it was over, she asked if she could do the recital all over again! Great strides, great strides. Her class also wrapped up the end of the year with a special Mother's tea, where we were presented with gifts, watched a cute dvd of pictures throughout the year, nibbled on tea sandwiches, and dipped our treats into the chocolate fountain, a treat from the teachers. Very impressed! The last day of school was June 3rd and on June 4th we were off on a plane to Wisconsin for a very special reunion. More on that in a minute.

Ella and her teacher Ms. Rebecca

Audrey wrapped up her "school year" with the special award from her teachers of Most Improved :) That couldn't have made me happier. You know that I struggled for so long about Audrey's clingyness when I would drop her off, but boy did she turn things around at the end of the year. Once we finally got her well, not sure if I wrote about that, she was a new little girl. She would run into the classroom, hug Ms. Kim, and didn't look back. She would ask for her friends, noting "my friends, not Ella's", specifically. As the last two weeks crept upon me, I said to the director of the program, wait a minute, we're just getting started!!!! After all of the illness, breathing treatments, steroids, and antibiotics had left her system, Audrey came alive again. She's always been a ham at home, EXTREMELY chatty, and so much fun, but she was so shy with others. Not anymore!!! She has grown immensely in so many ways and we are so proud of her. She's extremely bright (already recognizing numbers in the 20's and 30's, already counting to 100 by 10s) and now that she is confident and comfortable, she is purposefully everyone's comedic entertainment.

So, the day after school ended we hopped on a plane to Wisconsin. It was the first trip that we have taken where both girls had seats on the plane, car seats were checked, no stroller, no pack n play, no sippy cups, etc. It was soooooooooooooooooooooo easy! The reason for our trip was to honor Aunt Ann's 60th birthday. Such a strong role model, like Grandma Hargrave, Ann had recently finished treatment for back to back cancers, most recently breast cancer. She has remained so positive and it was so special to be together to celebrate with her closest friends and family. She is the epitome of living strong. It was great to catch up with the cousins, Dori, Scott, Becky, Steve, and to catch up with family that I haven't seen since my wedding. Also that weekend, we were able to have the long awaited memorial ceremony for Great Aunt Vicky. Special again, and so emotional because she was burried with the other 5 generations of relatives in Ripon Cemetary. The Geric family, however, missed the ceremony at the cemetary......as we were literally walking to the car, Audrey choked on a mint and threw up all over Chris and I (so, typical). so we had to do a quick clean up, change of clothes, and met up with the crowd later. It was the first time I had been to Ripon since Grandpa had passed 4 weeks before Audrey was born. We were able to go into Grandma and Grandpa's house and walk around. A few things were changed and it smelled like dogs, but for the most part it was still the same. I walked through smiling with so many incredible memories.

Becky, Dori, and me

Steve finds a frog

Ella holds the frog.....

....and it jumps away. check out the legs to the left of E.


Becky finds a pollywog!
In the hotel pool.

When we returned, summer began full force. We spent the first week of summer at the pool! I got a trial membership to the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club for the week and we used it to the fullest. The girls and I would go all day and come home for naps and Chris would meet us after work for a swim, dinner, and maybe a drink :) It feels like you are on vacation each day. We're still in the debate to join. Good thing I'll be working soon. (more on that later) I have a bunch of video on my phone to upload of the girls swimming, I just need to buy the cord to plug it into my computer. Audrey has now taken the plunge, thanks to my dad's great teachings in the hotel pool in WI:) Now, she diving !, jumping, kicking, and swimming, with the best of them. However, she's not so great at coming up for air, so someone always has to keep an eye on her, because she's fearless! She has no concept of the "deep end", unlike her sister who remains cautious. At home, Annie, continues to monopolize much of the play. I have drama girls, who love to sing and act out the songs. They'll dance around the room then jump up on the ottoman to hold the long notes, shake their heads, raise their arms, then bow!!

The next week, was potty training boot camp. Audrey has been ready for a LONG time, going without a diaper for hours at a time without any accidents, she just had a hang up about sitting on the potty. We started on Monday and within two days, it was a done deal. She didn't skip a beat, never had an accident and acted like she had been doing it all her life. She even chose not to have a diaper at naps or at night and manages just fine! I was amazed.

Thankfully, it went smoothly because we had guests coming that Thursday! Lydia and Katelyn, our dear friends, from South Florida came to visit. Katelyn was one of Ella's first friends and Lydia was one of my first mommy friends when we moved to Davie. We learned how to be moms together! We hadn't seen each other since the girls were 2 1/2, and it was great to see them in action again, like time hadn't passed. Chris was out of town at a Nova alumni, weekend, so it was just us girls. We hung out, went to the pool, beach, etc. And had a great time!

Meeting our friends at the airport

Reunited!At the airport saying good bye :(playing at the beach fishies in the pool
bathing beauties loves those wavesmommy and girls
books before bed! E is showing K how to play the leapster she got for her bday.
hugs at the Town Center


We wish they lived closer!

At the same time that Lydia left, Mama B arrived from California!!! When Chris came home Sunday morning, we all went to the Sawgrass club to celebrate Father's Day!!! My girls don't know how lucky they are!!!!

The week began with Ella enrolled in camp for the week at her school, "Princesses and Pirates"! When I dropped her off Monday, Audrey asked if she could go too.....whoa! Because she potty trained so quickly, I ran to the front office to see if a space was available for her age and she began the next day!! So, both got ready for camp together each day and Audrey chanted to Ella, "I get to come to your school, I get to come to your school" the whole way there each day. Ella, being the amazing big sister that she is, took Audrey under her wing, lead her, dropped her off, told her it would be ok and that she was only a few rooms away, and Audrey beamed. It was such a success for both of them! Mom and I had our mornings to ourselves, so we did our usual shop and decorate, out to lunch, we had time to drink our coffee and catch up, we met Jackie in town for lunch one day, etc. She and Harry are selling their house in Sarasota, so after a week in PV, we (the girls, mom, and I) road tripped it down south to help mom organized, pack, put things in piles to ship, etc. It would be the last time that mom would be in the home where she and Harry first met, so it was emotional to say goodbye. It's just too tough to take care of and too expensive to upkeep from CA . As usual, I have a tendency to think I'm invincible, which often leads to injury :), so I proceeded to carry HEAVY box after HEAVY box and eventually my "trick" back gave in. I have now truly pulled my back 5 times in my life and each time it takes less and less to trigger it, so I have to succumb to the realization that I CAN'T LIFT HEAVY THINGS! When will I get that through my thick head. After a multitude of muscle relaxers, NSAIDS, etc, I am still suffering, 2.5 weeks later!!!!

We arrived home from Sarasota in time for the 4th of July. Mike and Amy came in town from Treasure Island to play and to also give Chris some advice on the long awaited debate to open his own practice. They looked at some office space and were able to prompt us along on the decision making process. The girls had so much fun with Uncle Michael and Aunt Amy. They brought fresh fish to grill and are always so much fun and helpful with the girls. We went to the beach and to the old hood to watch fireworks. Ella and Audrey partied until the fireworks ended and crashed in the car on the way home.

The week after the 4th, Dad, Libby and I had planned to meet in Tallahassee to do an exchange of the girls and car, so that they could spend their first annual week at "Camp Hargrave". A small wrench was thrown in the system when Audrey took a 5 step tumble down the wooden staircase that Monday. She was going up.....who falls when going up??? and I was only 4 steps behind her, but by the time that I dropped the bowl of grapes and arm full of mail, it was too late and she knocked the corner of the step on her forehead and it immediately swelled like a golf ball. I called the pediatrician and watched for all the signs and she appeared ok after settling down. The next day she had a 103 fever after nap, so I took her in, knowing it was only coincidence and hoping it didn't have anything to do with the fall. Nope, an ear infection. Instead of meeting in Tallahassee, I decided to drive all the way to Pensacola and spend a few nights to get everyone healthy and stable before I left. They LOVE going to go to Pensacola and made themselves at home immediately. Dad and Libby put a blow up queen bed at the end of their bed and they have a big sleepover each night. I left Saturday morning for home. Audrey had a purple bump on her forehead and two black eyes, but she was happy as can be! The girls have had a great week swimming at the club, playing with the fun toys that have collected at gma and gpa's, going to the movies, watching the blue angels practice, watching dolphins swim in the bay, going to the air museum and more to come!!! I envisioned working out, going to the pool and hanging with friends on my "week off", but my damn back is still in so much pain.....from the base of my skull all the way down to lower back..... I have stayed home and relaxed. I have however made some progress on my efforts to get back to work. After coming home from Las Vegas last May so inspired, I contacted a few dentists in the area who might be looking for a part time associate. The one guy who I was in chats with about a year and a half ago was surprised to hear from me and we've been negotiating all summer. This week have actually had the official "hand shake" on terms of a contract, going page by page on the crazy 19 page contract that he came up with! So, it looks like I'll begin working on Wednesdays and Fridays on September 2nd!!! Very exciting and nerve-wrecking! I've requested to work from 9-5 without a lunch break, so that I can still drop the girls off at school (without having to do "early drop off") and get home as early as possible. Jessica, our babysitter, who is a student at UNF only has a night class on Wednesday and no classes on Fridays, so she'll pick the girls up from school and play until I get home. Luckily, she'll be available all day in case someone is sick. So, I will soon see what it is like to be a working mom! I have so much enjoyed spending 100% of these extremely important first years with my girls and if it weren't for my fear of loosing my ability to practice if I wait any longer, I'd continue to stay home with them. And, if Chris is planning on opening his own within the next year, we need mama to bring home some bacon, while his takes off. So, it seems that things are falling into place as seamlessly as possible.

And that brings us to today. I'm still my my PJs, watching the Tour de France, drinking coffee, and looking forward to meeting Jackie at noon at the Yacht Club for an after noon of relaxation and fun. Chris and Grant will meet up with us after work for dinner. Tomorrow I'm at the doctor for my back and wrist (which is still not right, since January), Friday Chris is off and we'll live it up before we pick up the girls on Saturday!!

Sunday will be a BIG day for the reunited family of 4!!! We have gotten tickets to the production of Annie at the local dinner theater! The girls are going to be in awe!!!