Cousins Kate, Eva, and Lucie Visit Florida

We were SO happy to have Kate, Lucie, and Eva visit us in Florida this past weekend! It was a quick trip, but we enjoyed every second. Seeing them leave was hard for me!

using the self-timer on the phone

seeing the incredibly tame pelicans on the pier

Lainey! Looking silly on the airboat ride.

wrecked cargo plane in the Everglades

lots of theories about this cargo plane

Lucie, Kate, Eva

Walker had a LOT of sports this past weekend; he didn't get to do a lot of the fun things with us, aside from a couple of meals out. :( However, he still loves this computer that Stefo (Kate's husband) gifted him several years ago... :) 

Thanks for visiting, Kate, Lucie, and Eva! We loved our time together!

The day that the Hagan/Millas ladies left, Lainey played in the pool with our neighbor puppy Maple. Is she not the cutest? :) They're working on swimming!

Gracie :)

Oh this DOG. She makes me crazy but she brings me so much joy, as well. 

 

hunting something...always

I call this "walking a kangaroo" - she will frequently walk on her hind legs when she gets excited. In this photo, she is eyeing an iguana. I think her record is nine "kangaroo steps" in a row. :)

the cutest feet

snuggling with Lainey

Clearly needing attention...chewing on a five-pound weight. She does this when she wants attention! She'll grab anything she thinks I'll react to. She's basically a toddler.

Walker is 12 Years Old!

with his best friends...Jacob, Nico, and Jonah

the best, tiniest party ever

Actual birthday...means birthday presents!

And a squirt of whipped cream...

Happy 12th birthday, Walker. We sure do love you!

(This is a replacement flying orb. I accidentally tossed his brand-new birthday gift into the lake...ON HIS BIRTHDAY...so this is the replacement. Thank you, Amazon.)

Gracie and Friends in Boca

Gracie and Daisy, best buds

They see each other two times a week! And they have the best time. They wear one another OUT and it's so wonderful for everyone involved.

The Boca girl gang...Piper (brown/white), Daisy (between Piper and Gracie), Gracie, Bindi (digging), Cici (in the hole) and Zoey (off to the right). I'm not sure who the little black dog is. 

They are all mutts and they're all friends. It's so funny.

asleep on the floor at the dance studio :)

NYCDA Convention / Competition

Lainey and I went to Orlando this past weekend for NYCDA. She had a BLAST. All of her buckets got filled...except the sleep bucket. She LOVED being there with her friends and she loved the dancing.

hairstyle for her solo

looking all adult-is

with her sweet friend Nia

with her beloved teacher and owner of the studio, Jessica

Nia, Bella, Lainey

Lainey's solo "Brass Tacks"

I cannot do this.

Muscles!

Lainey's solo "Brass Tacks" placed 14th overall in the Teen Division...13, 14, and 15 year olds! She was so thankful! 

Someone besides me doing her hair. AMEN!

Such a sweet group of girls in this. No fuss, no drama. So unique.

Bella, Lainey, Nova, Victoria, Nia, and Caroliny

The title of this dance is "Soon." It's beautiful. 

Lainey and Nova

again, with Nova :)

(We love Nova!)

Lainey was selected as an Outstanding Dancer Runner-up AND she received the "Rising Star" award from one of the faculty members, Joey Dowling. Lainey was thrilled!

Meanwhile, back at home...

Walker got to play for several hours with friends from school - Nico, Roxy, and Jonah. There's a fifth kid pictured, but I have no idea who that is. :)

with Jonah and Roey the following night at Jonah's house

The temperatures dropped over the weekend and my friend sent me this picture of a frozen iguana from our neighborhood. When the temperatures drop, iguanas "freeze" - their body temperature drops so low that they freeze...but only temporarily. They fall out of trees and land like this. They will lay like this until the temperatures warm up and then they'll move again. So crazy, right? I'd never heard of such a thing until I moved to South Florida. :)

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All in all, a fun (yet exhausting) weekend!