INTO OUR LAST YEAR

Leif has officially started his last and final year of Residency!!!!!!! It is so exciting to see that all the hard work and sacrifice will finally come to an end (well, in 12 months).  My father is a Doctor and because of that I have always understood a doctors hectic schedule.  BUT I never truly understood ALL the hard work, effort, sacrifice, and time that a Medical Student and/or Resident puts into his field.  Leif has sacrificed a lot to be where he is today and we are so proud of him.  Currently, we are in the process of applying for a "real job".  It is all so exciting to see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I normally don't complain on this blog.   I like this blog to be more of a picture-book full of memories, but I am so ready to move close to family and have my husband home more.   I miss hanging out with my sisters.   I miss never seeing my nieces and nephews.  My sisters are always hanging out together and becoming closer.  It is hard to hear of their adventures and not wish you were there.   It is hard to see pictures of these cute little nieces growing up and know that I have yet to meet them.  I hate the Leif never has time off to go on dates with the twins & I.  I so wish the kids could see their Daddy more.  But I know this is only for short while and they probably won't even remember Residency.  So as our last year approaches I look forward to the future and knowing that our life will be normal again (if lives are ever normal). 

Ok.... I'm done complaining.  I love my earthly family and I love life.  I am now going to turn off the computer, go and cuddle with Micah & Savannah while they finish watching Clifford the Big Red Dog.  We will then make banana bread together and go share some with a neighbor.  Service really does bring happiness. Oh, and I am 17 weeks pregnant today!!!

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park

On Monday June 17th we took a little family trip to Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.  It is a natural spring that goes 170+ feet down (they have never reached the bottom) and flows 8 miles out into the Gulf of Mexico.  It is all fresh water.  It is clear, beautiful, refreshing, bright, full of fish, manatees, and mermaids.  Yep, you herd me right.  Mermaids live there and they do a show 5 times a day!!  Not only do mermaids live there, you get to meet them and touch their fins.  Micah & Savannah LOVED the mermaids.  They now honestly, truly believe in them.

 The spring is behind Leif in this picture.  You can see the dock with people jumping into the water.  They also have 4 slides that empty into the spring. 

  Look how fresh the water is.  ALL NATURAL SPRINGS!

Favoirte Pictures

Here are my 2 favorite pictures.  We went to Clearwater Aquarium and saw Winter the Dolphin.  We didn't pay the $55.00 dollars to take a picture with the real winter, but we got a free shot with Winter the walking dolphin.
 I got the twins the best floating devices at a grocery store and they LOVE them.  We now swim almost every day and I don't have to worry about holding each child.

Happy Father's Day 2013

Leif had a good Father's Day 2013.  The twins both made him a card and got him a pack a beef jerky.  They were so excited about their cards, because they told me what to write in them and colored the front.  One of Leif's other presents were "Lucky Charms"  so we all had a nice breakfast and then headed off to church.  It was a nice Sunday Father's Day.

These are the cute ties that Micah & Savannah made for Leif in Nursery

 

After church our good Chinese Friend, Sang Ming, invited us over for a REAL Chinese dinner.  The James' finished a one year Residency program at Largo Med and were on their way to Michigan. So dear Sang Ming cooked for everyone.  It was a really nice dinner and a nice way to spend Father's Day.

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Belly is growing

Yes... we are having a baby.  My belly keeps growing.   Only 25 more weeks to go!!!

Day off

Leif had the day off so we got to take the kids swimming at Days Inn.  It has a awesome pool that slowly goes down to 5 feet.  We all had a lot of fun swimming with Daddy and enjoying the ship-slide.  After the pool we took naps then went and played tennis.  It was a great day.   

Birthday Party

 Micah and Savannah did end up having a small birthday party.  We invited a couple of friends over to go swimming, and paly some games.  I had hand-made my first piñata ever, and wanted to make sure we used it correctly.  And I am proud to say that the piñata was a success.  Micah & Savannah were both so cute opening up presents and swimming.  It was nice to see them so happy.

 

  They had a really nice birthday party.  It was so cute to see them so happy.

True Personalities

   I love these two pictures because it shows their TURE PERSONALITIES.  Micah is my smart little man who thinks about everything and loves to read.  Savannah is my preppy little girl who loves to dance, dress up, sing, and just be a girl.

Aunt Lairen in town

Lairen came to visit us for 5 days.  She flew in on the twins' birthday, to help celebrate.   And for the 5 days she was here.... either Savannah or Micah was sick.  So our big plans of beach, water parks, swimming, and adventures turned into hanging out at home with sick babies.  But by day three the kids were a little better and we were able to make it to some parks, and the beach.  Lairen was a great sport about "taking it easy".  She enjoyed just hanging out at our pool and enjoying the sun.  I think I had a harder time staying indoors then she did.  It was very nice to have her here.  Thanks Lairen for coming.

 

Twins turn 3

My babies aren't babies anymore.  They turned 3 on May 26th.  It is hard to believe that my babies aren't really babies anymore.  Their Aunt Lairen came to visit on their birthdays BUT they were both sick (or getting sick).  Little Savannah had soars on her tongue and couldn't eat anything.  Her temperature was high and she only wanted to be held.  Micah got sick the very next day, so we had to cancel their friend birthday party.  They real birthday consisted of opening their presents, singing Happy Birthday, and going to bed.  Good thing they didn't did have any expectations.   

 

The next Sunday at Nursery the twins' had another little party. We brought in cupcakes and they opened a present from Sister Ross.  Their nursery leader took some really cute pictures and sent them to me.  I am glade they got some special time in Nursery.

 

Sandars in town

Happy Mothers Day to Me!  For Mother's Day our Friends came into town to visit us, and the beach.  Nate just finished his Residency and they are about to move to back West.  So as a treat to themselves they spent 3 days at Disney World, and they 3 days at the beach.  But before we "beached out" we got to spend Mother's Day together.  We went to church, Heritage Village, then went swimming as the men cooked us tacos.  The Sanders have twins that are six years old, and our twins had so so much fun with them.  They are also pregnant with twins, so we have a lot in common.

We had so much fun spending 3 whole days at the beach together.  Day one we went to Clearwater Beach, day two was Fort Desoto, and day three was Indian Rocks.  Each day was a lot of fun.  We made a lot of castles, buried a lot of babies, ate good food, read good books, saw sting rays, dolphins, and fish. Little Savannah has 3 encounters with seagulls eating her food, and Nate turned into a lobster.  It was a wonderful visit.