Valentine's Day

It's 7 am I have been up for a while. Could be we found out less than 24 hrs ago that we are expecting twins or it could be at 8 am we have an apt to make sure the two babies are in separate  sacs.Lots running through our minds. We did a little research last night about what they were looking for this morning and read there is a 1% chance that there will be no membrane present.
After meeting the doctor who little did we know we would be getting to know well over the next few months Dr. Guerdo. He explained to us and pointed out how relieved he was that he saw a small membrane present, two sacs, and one placenta. With that being said he explained we had identical monozygotic twins. What does this mean? Well we got past the first of many obstacles!
We will be monitored very closely because since they are identical and sharing the same life line ( one placenta) there is a danger of TTS ( twin to twin syndrome). One baby could start taking on more of the nutrition then the other, resulting in one being much smaller and in danger than the other.
But for now we are focusing on the most amazing thing we saw today, two babies,healthy, growing inside me! Praise be to the King!

8 weeks along and already showing off!

The unexpected

It was finally the day, we had an appointment with Dr. Rebenack to ultrasound me to make sure we had a healthy heartbeat. It was afternoon as we strolled in, the office staff was happy to see us back as just a few months ago they embraced us as we found out our baby had passed away. Now I lay on the same exact table with the same exact ultrasound machine. Praying the prayer over and over just want to see that heartbeat God please just that.
I brace myself for I have had many experiences on this same table I have lost two babies and found out I was welcoming a baby boy right here and discovered a little girl right here. It's time, David moves closer, the doctor says his usual "Lets take a peek". Staring at the monitor my eyes are fuzzy and it seems to be taking a little longer than I remember to find the heart beat and then the words I had been waiting for "There is one healthy heartbeat and then seconds after there is two healthy heartbeats". I assume he is joking until I see the biggest smile on the nurses face that tells me its all true. David bursts out giggling and proclaiming he knew it all the time. I'm quite and in total shock the doctor is still scanning so maybe he is not sure. He asks if I am ok and I told him I am just waiting for him to confirm before I react and he laughed and said "theres two alright".

He points out our two 7 week gestation babies and sure enough there are not ONE but TWO healthy heartbeats. Both measuring exactly 7 weeks. My God sure answered my prayer and up'd it one!
We are given a moment together as David helped me off the table every time we looked at each other we could not stop giggling. We moved to another room so we could discuss the ultrasound.
I spent all this time worrying about not miscarriaging now I really felt I had more worries. The doctor explained of course the dangers of twin pregnancies, we discussed there births, I was really beginning to understand that I knew nothing about twins.
And then he did have a concern during the ultrasound it looked as though the babies were sharing the same sac. What does that mean? If the babies are sharing the same sac there is a greater chance of them becoming entangled with each others umbilical cord and these babies usually need to be delivered very early because it is safer for them to live outside the womb then inside. The Dr did not see the membrane separating them clearly enough.
Seeing that my doctor is incredibly awesome and has been through everything with us he was on the phone within minutes to get me in the next morning at a high risk doctor who he wanted to follow us. Our apt is at 8am tomorrow, there he will ultrasound again with a much more powerful ultrasound. Until then WOW we have a lot to praise God for and we will not dwell on this factor right now because God wants us to feel the love he has poured into our hearts.

This was our announcement! I guess we need to redo our math now!

Pouring out his love

  It's that time again. It's been 5 months since our miscarriage. Our faith has grown stronger than ever before it's amazing to me how God works, how he heals us through our tears. We have come out on the other side as a stronger family especially the kids they have seen now how God gives and takes away but our hearts choose to stay.
   Today is different the answer is different  I just found out we are expecting again today. David is at work and I am home with the kids schooling with a few errands to run. My heart is heavy I want to rejoice but I back down in fear. I pull out my bible and read I need encouragement and fast. I come across, God has poured out his love into our hearts, Romans 5:5. I quickly took a big marker and wrote it across my bathroom mirror and prayed for God to allow me to feel that love he was filling me with. I left the verse on the mirror to remind me of the sweet gift we had received and I left it for David to see when he got home.
   Later that day David and I set down with the kids and explained to them that God had answered there prayer. They had been praying for God to send us another baby and it was so awesome for them to see God had answered there prayer!

Christmas 2012

This Christmas I really wanted to focus on the season and lots of fun things to do around town. The last few years we have started our Christmas season with the boat light parade downtown followed by an amazing fireworks show. We continued this tradition this year we packed dinner, chairs, blankets, and met lots of friends in our annual spot and camped out from around 5pm until after 10 for the fireworks show. It is an amazing way to start the holidays.

The next three weeks before Christmas consisted of St.Augustine night of lights and dinner also becoming an annual tradition that we do at the beginning of December before it gets too busy now that the kids are getting older outings like this are so relaxing for everyone. 

Next stop we were invited by some amazing friends to join there church on a hayride through riverside to view the luminaries it was so much FUN!! Kids had fun throwing marshmallows and candy at people and shooting the marshmallow gun. We are blessed with amazing friends!

Picture it Saturday night in December at the lake with more food and goodies than your belly can hold, Santa, white elephant gifts, and hay ride singing Christmas carols. Yep you guessed it the annual  lake Christmas party. It's great watching my moms family grow every year by so many. We used to have the party on Christmas eve until my moms aunt moved out to the lake house now it's a little far for Christmas eve. Jacob and I took some time to walk to my parents lake property next door where we have been working so hard to get it cleaned up and to our surprise the water was up so far!

The week before Christmas David was pretty sick and trying to rest at the house so the first day I kept the kids busy baking all of our goodies to pack up to take to zone 3 police officers. The next day they were starting to go crazy so we packed up and headed to the town center we shopped for Christmas PJs, rode the train, and even stopped in to see what Santa was up to. Jacob is starting to understand and ask questions about Santa but I really think he likes the excitement of believing. 

Our biggest Christmas excitement this year was both kids were in the Christmas play this year. It was actually a Christmas musical and was so funny. Jacob was a Shepard and Lu was a bee. Yes a bee as in a barnyard animal who's to say there was not bees when Jesus was born? They both were amazing. 

Christmas day came with lots of excitement as usual kids wanted lots of out door stuff this year so they got bikes, scooters, and skateboards. We had a big lunch at our house and then visited my dads family. All in all a great time with the family celebrating our Saviors birth!

Walt Disney World September 2012

Finally back home our longest vacation in  a while 10 days. We are pretty much experts in our Disney vacation planning now. Nothing but the best restraunts, shows, and itinerary's. Yes, I make us an itinerary to make sure we cover max amount of activities without hopping all around. Oh and nap time is on there also. Yes, usually about two hrs when we are there, enough to get rested to party late. I get asked about restraunts and shows a lot we book our reservations 180 days in advance that way you get the best times and you are sure to get every where you want.

My top picks Cinderella's castle, Chef Mickey's for breakfast, Via Napoli ( Italian in Epcot), the Hoop Dee Do Revue ( Fort Wilderness), horse and carriage ride at the campground,  Jedi training at Hollywood Studios (FREE), Chip n' Dale campfire singalong, the Trail's end buffet and the bakery on Magic Kingdom's main street.
Our least favorites that we have tried in the past the Luau at the Polynesian (bad food, bad seating, and not interesting), the  backyard barbecue with Mickey and Minnie fun but not worth the money and the Mary Poppins breakfast at the Grand Floridian it was just O.K.
We always get the dining plan. If you stay on sight you have the option to buy all your meals ahead of time and save 30%, so this allows us to go to some of the more expensive places. Our bill at Via Napoli was $150!!!! OUCH! That's where the dining plan comes in you pay one price per day and eat where you want to. We each received a snack, a fast food, and a sit down dinner a day. And I did not have to cook all week!
Our first day we did Hollywood Studios Jedi training. This is where the kids get to learn how to use a light saber on stage and afterwards get to fight Darth Vader up on stage in front of the crowd. You have to get there early to sign up. So when the park opens David and Lu run to get fast passes to Toy Story and Jacob and I run to sign up! Its a mad dash but the kids get so excited about it! That evening we had dinner at Via Napoli and our waiter surprisingly was from Naples! The food is amazing and just what we have in Italy. The waiter made Jacob count to 10 in Italian for his dessert. We always bring a little something for the kids to keep them busy at dinner so we can enjoy our time and not have to rush. Afterwards we only had an hour before the park closed so we split up and Jacob and David went to Spaceship earth and Lu and I went to Nemo! But little did the boys know we snuck over to Soarin afterwards and Lu was tall enough!! I just told her we were going on a little ride, little did I know how awesome it was going to be and how great she did on such a big kid ride! She loved it!

Day two was Magic Kingdom and then dining with the Princess's in the castle. The park was so empty 5-10 minute waits if that. After naps we got our princess and pirate all dressed up and headed to the castle. I always love the atmosphere there they really do there best to make it memorable, First you meet Cinderella and get your photo taken (and its actually included in the price of dinner). Then you take the elevator up and are seated. The princess's make their grand entrance and there is a sword and magic wand on the table waiting (even one for mom and dad). You meet Belle, Snow White, Aerial, and Sleeping Beauty while you dine. Good way to not wait in hot lines to meet them. Good tip though if you get to the park at 9am go straight to the right, you can meet all the princesses and Mickey and Minnie in just a few minutes there is never a line in the morning.
Day Three was breakfast with Chef Mickey I had heard great things about this restraunt and it was great. It's a  buffet which is so yummy and you meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, and Daisy! And then it was off to Magic Kingdom to ride the rides we had missed the day before. We get to go on Splash Mountain as a family now. Although Lu still is not sure about the big "bump". This time we made it through the bump then the ride stopped, then it started to rain. So we had to be rescued off the ride and escorted behind the scenes and that point we figured it was time to take a good nap in the camper in the rain.
We have a great tradition when we leave the Magic Kingdom, you know that rush of people that are racing for the boats and monorail to leave after fire works? Well since we have had our naps and are not in a rush to get back, we make a stop at the Main Street bakery. Sit down relax and eat something really yummy while we watch everybody else filing out all at once. It gives us a chance to reflect on our day and our next day and savor in something sweet! ( on your way out its on the left side of the street).
My family has been going to the Hoop De Do Reevue for a few years now. Amazing food and amazing entertainment. One time we set right in front of the stage so cool, with kids I always feel that it is better to pay more for better seats so they get the most out of it.
If you are looking for just a great buffet ( no characters) the Trails End Restraunt is such a good buffet! Once again they take reservations so make them so you get a good time. They also have little games out front to keep the kids busy while waiting for dinner. Afterwards it's always nice to catch the Chip n Dale Campfire Singalong.
Other catches we always do the light parade at Magic Kingdom the day time one is just too hot ( I think it's at 2?). Fireworks at both Epcot and Magic Kingdom.
I think some of our best family memories have been on our yearly vacation to Disney World. Once the kids know what you expect of them at a theme park and as long as you go with the flow AND prepare it can be a great trip!!