Baby Update Paisley – Day 8

Happy Tuesday!  Although it looked super dreary outside, today brought many surprises.  My nurse came in to check on me and do all of our monitoring and I told her I was surprised I hadn’t seen my Dr. this morning…she then told me that she had come really early and I had been asleep.  I was a little sad because I had a list of items to ask her about.  The nurse told me that she would let me know if she came by again.  About 20 minutes later my hospital phone rang and it was my Dr.  She talked to me about my sonogram and then said that she found out that a Thursday morning time had opened up for us to deliver and that she was confident that the baby would be good…she was worried that if we stuck with the Friday time that we could get bumped a bunch of times and then it would be all day and I would have not eaten or anything.  She said that it wouldn’t make that much difference to be one day earlier because I was pass the goal of 34 weeks 1 day.  She asked me to check with Kevin and call back if it is what we want to do.  I called Kevin and he was all for it, so I called to tell her that we were a go for Thursday SUPER early!

It was super exciting to think about that I really only had the rest of today and then tomorrow and then we would get to meet her:)  It was exciting and a little crazy at the same time!  There were quite a few things to coordinate and think about…it kind of made me feel like I had been waiting and waiting and then all of a sudden it is here!  My day was pretty busy working on coordinating where the boys were going to be, making lists for Kevin to pack for the boys and few other items for me and Paisley (poor hubby), asking my Mom to pick up or bring a few items that I will need and figuring out when my sister is going to come and how she can help while she is here too.  I even asked my SIL to make some “big brother” shirts for the boys…which I would have planned and had her done earlier…but oh well!  She is awesome and said she could do them for me:)

The afternoon was full of some sweet visitors:  my neighbor Debra and her youngest daughter came by and brought us a Baby Girl pink balloon, Kara and her littlest came by and brought Paisley a new preemie outfit and blanket, Amanda and her littlest came by and brought us some outfits and Amy-Beth came by to visit and keep me company!  It was crazy that they all happen to show up at the same time, but was fun to see everyone.

I rested for a little bit and then my BOYS got to come see me!  I was so excited to see them…they both had big smiles on their face when they saw me.  Lincoln especially since he doesn’t really express his feelings in words.  Aunt Ashley brought them up to the hospital to meet up with Kevin and she got them McDonalds on the way.  As soon as they got here, they climbed in bed to sit with me and were focused on eating their food.  It was nice for me though, because I just got to love on them…which was awesome!  They hung out and checked out all of the different buttons and things in my hospital room…then after an hour or so, they started to break down because they both hadn’t had the naps that they needed.  I gave them lots of hugs and kisses, we sang a few songs and then Kevin gathered them up to take them home.

This evening I ordered a few things online that I was needing that hadn’t been ordered before I got put in the hospital, finished making the lists for Kevin and getting ready for the next two days:)  I can’t believe it is so soon!

If you don’t mind, please pray that the c-section will go well and specifically that I won’t get sick during the procedure and that the pain will be controlled.  Also pray that Paisley will come out with strong lungs, super healthy and that she won’t have any difficulties…and will have the least amount of time in the NICU as possible.  Lastly, that my mind with remain peaceful and trusting that everything is going to be fine:)  Thank you so much for walking on this journey with us!

Baby Paisley Update – Day 7

Monday…it is the week that I will meet my sweet baby girl!  Today was a pretty calm day, just resting and relaxing.  I got a “get things done” wind in me and knocked out a few things on my list that I have been needing to do FOREVER!  I also had a quick sonogram and the sono dr said that she looked good and my fluid was really low.  I asked him if that was bad and he said it wasn’t as long as the baby monitoring was okay.  He confirmed that she was still breach…so even if I had thought in my mind that I might try to do it the “natural (with drugs of course) way”…this way the Lord knew and just confirmed that we were destined for our third c-section.  My hubby came and brought me a few more items that I needed and we got to hang out for a little bit before he had to go pick up the boys.

The boys are feeling way better!  Jude still has a left over cough, but he is doing SO much better.  My mother in law was awesome to watch them for us even though he wasn’t feeling 100%.  We got to facetime again before the boys headed to bed early.

I had a surprise visit from Hayley, Tori and Katy on their way home from an event nearby.  It was nice to have a little distraction before I went to bed.  I don’t know why, but I didn’t feel very good last night…the nurse checked me out and said that everything was okay.  I drank some sprite and just decided to go to sleep so that I wouldn’t be anxious about it.  Overall it was a pretty good day!  Only a few more days:)

Baby Paisley Update – Day 6

Sunday morning was pretty much a blur since I slept on and off to make up for the “fun contractions” in the middle of the night.  I didn’t know what to expect for the day since of the sickness and didn’t want to set my expectations too high.  Kevin texted me and said that his Mom had offered to come watch the boys so that he could come and visit me…I was SO excited that I kinda had a moment!  I know…super silly, but blame it on pregnancy hormones and the fact that I hadn’t seen my hubby in person in 2 days!!  He showed up mid morning and I was thrilled to just sit with him.  We watched church online and then just spent a good part of the day chatting, eating lunch and just spending time together.  It made me SO happy!

Late afternoon, my awesome friend Vanessa dropped by and brought me some SUPER cute preemie clothes for Paisley.  Seriously…they are SO cute and I really can’t imagine that she is going to be that tiny!  She was so awesome to wash them and give me a few headbands and bows for her to wear too!!  Seriously…I am SO blessed by such awesome friends!

Kevin had to go home to relieve his Mom and get the boys dinner and such.  I spent the rest of the afternoon working on a few projects and doing more “shopping” online:)  During the evening, I was pleasantly surprised to find out the Screen Actors Guild Awards were on tv and I was super excited because I love award shows!!  I can’t say that Kevin shares my love…but often will watch them with me to make me happy…but this time he didn’t have too:)  I got to facetime with the boys before they went to bed and hopefully Jude will be fever free tomorrow so that I can see them soon.  Here are some of my views from our facetime:)  (please ignore my hospital appearance:))

Lincoln likes to drink!

sweet lincoln

Jude and Daddy

If you have a minute, say a prayer that our family could all be healed from all sickness so that at least they can come and see me so that we can make things as “normal” as possible.  Also, today we haven’t had any major contractions…so that is a praise!

I am pretty sure I get another sonogram tomorrow, so I should know more tomorrow…thank you for walking on this journey with our family!  We appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers!

Baby Paisley Update – Day 5

Saturday began a better day because I finally did sleep better.  I think I might have slept like 4 hours in a row…which is kind of a record…even from when I was at home:)  I was really looking forward to Saturday because my Mom and Dad were going to take the boys and Kevin was going to come and hang out and spend the night with me.  Although, those plans quickly changed…Kevin text me and said that Jude had been sick with the stomach bug in the night and that he was running a fever…AND my Mom text me and said that she was sick with different symptoms of a stomach bug too!  I have to admit at the moment I was sad and pretty emotional thinking…really?  Don’t we have enough going on with our family trying to keep running while I am stuck here in this hospital room…do we REALLY need for people to be sick?  And then very SELFISHLY I was super disappointed because I wanted to spend some quality time with my hubby:(  I felt so horrible that Kevin was having to handle all of the yuckyness by himself and I felt so sad that I hadn’t got to love on my sweet boys in a couple of days.  Honestly that is why it took me so long to update the blog…I was worried that all my “positive” attitude would be gone and it would sound like I was being all whiny…which is not what I want!  I know that there are others that have been here SOOOOO much longer than me and that it is a blessing…I just think that it is normal to have a few moments of feeling down:)

Thankfully my friend Bethany came by and brought me a pretty plant with pretty pink flowers to brighten my room.  It was nice to have a little conversation to take my mind off of the disappointment.  The day was pretty uneventful and then I decided to make the most of my time and get some extra rest and research some cute outfits for all “soon to be” 3 babies!!

Later in the evening my friend Christi and her sweet daughter Hannah came by and brought me a yummy chocolate milk shake:)  The conversation and the ice cream made my day better.  Karen also came by and stayed late until it was almost time for me to sleep.  I know it is a sacrifice of time for them to come and hang out at the hospital and I really am so grateful!  It was late after Karen left, so I got all settled to sleep…or so I thought.

Around 1:30AM I had some pretty strong contractions, so I called the nurse and they made me get hooked up to the contraction monitor…turns out I was having pretty consistent contractions and had them for the next 2+ hours.  I ended up having 2 shots to get them stopped…which make you feel all jittery and makes your heart beat super fast.  Thankfully the contractions stopped and I was able to go to sleep!  Praise the Lord for another day for Paisley to grow!

Baby Paisley Update – Day 4

Thursday evening ended with some discomfort and what I thought were contractions.  After being monitored they said everything was fine, just to let them know if something changed.  Another aspect of this process that is a little difficult is trying to know when something is a big deal or not.  The great nurses ask so many questions and some make a big deal about things that others don’t even think is a big deal.  So, after that evening, I was a little uncomfortable…more because the baby moves around and it is more uncomfortable because there isn’t that fluid bumper…and probably because night time is always a little harder and I was missing my sweet family.  But, after getting the glorious sleeping pill (which I have never been a huge fan of…but is a must when trying to sleep in a hospital)…I knew I would feel better if I just went to sleep.

Friday started off even better because I did sleep better…it is kind of like when you stay at a hotel, it takes a couple of days to figure out the best ways to sleep.  I was encouraged that it was a little easier to sleep:)  There was a little confusion with my Dr. knowing that I had already had my sonogram, so I didn’t get any breakfast until she came in to see me and realized it had already been done.  She confirmed that the sono dr said everything looked great and that we would be good for late next week…probably Friday.  She was encouraged by everything that the sono dr had reported, so that is good!  She also said that I could eat and apologized for the confusion.

After breakfast, my hubby called to let me know that some guests were coming to visit.  Soon my sweet Sister in Law – Kat and Brother in Law – Charlie came in…and she brought gifts!!  Who doesn’t love gifts?  You see my SIL is one of the people in my life that makes all these super cute gifts, outfits…you name it.  I had secretly been stalking her facebook page Little Prince and Princess Boutique to see if any of my items would be on there…since my shower was suppose to be this Sunday and obviously I will not be able to be there:( She surprised me and brought a few items that she said that I needed now!!  They are TOO cute!  Here is a pic of the custom gown with her name, newborn tutu onesie with her name, baby legs and a headband with two rosette flowers.  Seriously…TOO CUTE!!  After we visited for awhile my Mother in Law, Kevin’s Grandma and his sister Malisa came by to visit.  It was fun to have so many people come by to visit.

My sweet friends Hayley and Tori came by to visit and Hayley brought me a wonderful smoothie and a fun gift for Paisley.  Here is a pic…it is a cute little outfit with a “mccarthy style” jacket…love!  Two sets of bows, a flower clip and a hat with flower…which is perfect because I don’t really have any of those!  It was fun to visit and see their  babies.

After they left, I had to do my morning baby and contraction monitoring.  Then lunch and then I thought I might venture to take a shower.  It was again so glorious to get all cleaned up.  After getting cleaned up, they told me that we were moving yet again:)  This time would hopefully be my last room until Paisley decides to make her arrival!  It is much nicer though…bigger and has a couch for people to sit or Kevin to sleep on…which is must more comfortable then the tiny little chair couch in Labor and Delivery.

I was looking forward to Friday night because the boys were suppose to come up and we were going to have a family movie night…but…they were both acting like they were not feeling well:(  Lincoln had been fighting a cough and yucky nose, but Jude was showing signs of worse…so even though it wasn’t ideal we thought it would be better for them to rest and for them (and me) not be exposed to any extra hospital germs.  We got to facetime so that I could see their sweet faces, but it was difficult to not see them.  I was pretty sad, but my Mom came to the rescue and brought we some dinner (other than awesome hospital food) and we chatted and hung out.  I am so thankful that she came to make the night go by quickly.  After she left, I settled in and tried to get some rest.

Baby Paisley Update – Day 3

Day three started pretty early…I thought I was going to get to sleep a little more, but overnight I had to have two dosages of antibiotics and was up a lot going to the bathroom.  (Warning…TMI)  Because the baby is still producing fluid, you are continuously “leaking” fluid and you have to be aware of the color of the fluid to make sure there is no bleeding or infection.  In addition to that in the morning I had some cramping, so they took me to monitor the baby and the contractions early in the morning. (Done TMI)  I was having some contractions, but they weren’t too consistent so they weren’t too worried about it.  Paisley decided to sleep, so they made me eat my breakfast while they were monitoring to wake her up.  She woke up and gave a good reading, so I got to go back to my room.  I was pretty tired from all the overnight activities, so I took a little nap while I could.

I expected the day to be pretty uneventful because most of my appointments were done until Friday.  Other than the normal checking in, I did my best to relax and rest.  Early afternoon my sweet friends Azu and Karen came by to bring me some lunch and chat.  I also got Paisley’s first “preemie” outfit…that is super adorable!  (maybe I can post a pics soon)  It is crazy to me that she will be here so soon and that she will be so tiny to fit into it.  It was great to have conversation to help remember how life is going on outside this tiny room!  While they were here my Dr. came to visit and told me that we had a tentative date for when Paisley might arrive.  She said probably next Friday…not tomorrow, but the next Friday.  Initially I was a little surprised because the sono dr had said maybe Mon or Tues…but, want to make the best decision for Paisley.  She said that I would have another sono tomorrow and then we could make a tentative plan.  I felt good about it because at least some plan is better than just not knowing.

Later in the afternoon my parents came by and chatted with me.  My mom had made the first panel of Paisley’s baby bedding to make sure it was what I was wanting.  It is going to be super cute!  We also made a list of some of the items that we need to work on before P’s arrival.  As a surprise in the middle of our visit my nurse came and said that the sono dr was here and decided to go ahead and do my scan today.  So, not only would be know more information, but my parents would get to see her!  He told me that I had good fluid for someone that had ruptured, she was breach with her feet up to her chest like a check mark and that he thought everything looked great.  He thought I should deliver anytime after 34 weeks 1 day…which would be Thurs or Friday…of course unless we have complications.  That basically confirmed what my Dr had said and helped to have a “tentative” plan…which can always change.

After my parents left, I rested for a little while and then got to visit with Kevin and my sweet boys.  That has to be one of the hardest things about this whole journey…being away from them!  They are doing great, but I worry that the non-schedule and being taken between different houses will bother them and they don’t really understand what is going on.  But, I know that God has this all in His hands and trust that His provision will help us all get through until we can all be at home together!

Kevin and I are overwhelmed by all the support via phone, text, facebook and in person…helping watch the boys and providing extra support.  We are so thankful for your prayers and support and feel beyond blessed to be going on this journey with you as our friends.  Until tomorrow…good night!

Baby Paisley – Day Two

Yesterday started off a little difficult as we decided to have Kevin go back to work so that he wouldn’t have to use all his days before we really need to use them when Paisley actually makes her arrival:)  We were surprised early in the morning to get to have our specialist sonogram before he had to leave.  The sonogram Dr. said that the fluid was low, but not totally gone, Paisley was transverse (meaning horizontal)…which was helping me not to go into labor and that he estimated that she was around 5 lbs 1 ounce!!!  Which was super awesome news!  The NICU doctor had said that if she was less than 4 lbs she would have to be in an isolate, but hoping that the sonogram is closer to what she weighs…then she won’t have too.  He also suggested that we wait until at least next Mon or Tues to deliver so that she is 34 weeks unless infection or labor occurred.  When we got back to our room, our Dr. happened to be there and she was excited about all the news from the sono and said that it would most likely be sometime next week.

After the Dr. left, Kevin had to leave to actually go get some of the projects done that he had at work and for a moment I was a little emotional.  I am sure it just hit all at one time, but that was really the first time in all three of our pregnancies that I had been totally by myself.  I knew it was the best decision, but didn’t mean it made it any easier to see him walk out the door.  Thankfully I had a super tasty:) hospital breakfast to take my mind off of it!  I also got to relax a little bit and take a morning nap.

Mid morning I was disconnected from the continuous baby and contraction monitors (just twice a day)…and then she taped up my IV so that I could take a GLORIOUS shower!  I was so excited and felt SO much better after getting the chance to clean up…it made it such a better day!  Because the hospital is renovating and adding a new building that just happened to be right behind the room I was in, there was a lot of very noisy construction going on.  Enough ladies had their babies, so I got to move to another Labor and Delivery room until a Antepartum room became available.  The new room was great…it was less noisy and best of all had a better bed that was way more comfortable.  Once I got settled, I took advantage of the “free time” to think about all the things that I have been wanting to work on, but have a hard time since there are usually two little guys needing me most moments.  I was doing my best to keep my mind on all the positives and knocking off a few things on my list:)

The afternoon was broken up by my sweet friend Vanessa and her twins that came by and visited.  I never really realized how awesome it is to have friends that will drop everything to help you take care of your children or just come and chat to help the time go by…I am so thankful!

Later in the evening my sweet In-laws came by and Kevin came by to say hello.  They helped me move to yet another room…an actual antepartum room and get settled in again.  I also got to be removed from the IV unless they were giving me antibiotics…so that was awesome to have so much more freedom.  Kevin had to leave to go pick up the boys, so quickly after I had to go get my monitoring done.  Once done with that, I took my sleeping pill and packed it in for the night.  It was a busy day, but a great day and one day closer to meeting our sweet baby girl Paisley!

Baby Paisley is trying to make an early arrival!

Note:  I decided to utilize my “being boring time” (as my Dr. calls it) to write down this adventure so I remember…and thought I would post in case anyone wants to know what is going on…don’t feel obligated to read all of my silly details:)

So…we have had a little kink thrown into our plan.  My water broke around 12:45 AM on Monday night or early Tuesday morning really.  Most of you know that Lincoln also made his arrival this way…but he was a little over 35 weeks gestational age.  Paisley on the other hand was 33 weeks yesterday.  You wouldn’t think 2 weeks would make that big of a difference, but as I have learned over the past 24 hours…1 week makes a big difference.

So, my water broke at home…I woke up Kevin and both of us were VERY shocked!  We called the Dr. on call and he told us to head to the hospital to get checked…because it could have been a “bladder event”….which basically means that he was telling me that I could have just wet my pants:)  I was pretty positive that it was my water since I had experienced it before…but without most of the items that I had planned on taking with me…we headed to the hospital.  Oh…and I called my sweet parents and my Mom came over to be with the boys.  I was a little overwhelmed with emotions not knowing what would be next…not being prepared (which is not my favorite thing)…and most of all worried that Paisley would be okay.

We arrived at the hospital and they tested to make sure that my water had in fact ruptured…which it had.  They began monitoring me and the baby.  I started having pretty consistent contractions, so I had to take this yucky shot to make them stop…twice.  They also gave me another “not” awesome steroid shot to help with Paisley’s lung development…twice.  And no food…just ice chips.  We pretty much were told to hang out and that we would probably talk to the Dr in the morning and know if we were going to try and stay pregnant for a little while or if we were going to deliver.  I was feeling a little better after being re-assured that 33 weeks is early, but there are lots of babies that are born even earlier than that.

We made it through the rest of the night and were hoping to see the Dr. early…because she is usually an early bird!  But, we didn’t hear from her until after noon…the nurse came in and told us that we were going to try and keep me pregnant for a little while to let Paisley develop a little more.  I had mixed feelings on this decision…obviously, I want what is best for our sweet baby girl…but, my crazy analytical brain started thinking…what does that mean…how long? 1 week…or 6 weeks when she is due…and who will take care of the boys?…and so on…so forth!  Later in the afternoon we got to talk to my Dr and she said that she would like to try and make it to 34 weeks at least…which would be 7 days.  But, she wanted to have a specialist do a sonogram to see how big she is and check the fluid levels.  This was some what of a relief…I can do 7 days…that is WAY less than 6 weeks:)  And even though we will have to stay longer because of c-section (3rd one for me and she is transverse), but also because she will need to be in the nicu for a little bit.

In addition to making plans for the boys and figuring out the best plan, the day was full of different hospital people coming to visit.  We talked to the NICU specialist to help us understand what the risks are with a 33 week old baby compared to a 35 week (which is what Lincoln was).  Basically, depending on their lung development, there is a bigger chance that she might need help breathing initially…could be a lot of help or just a little for a very short period of time.  And then the additional confusion with the sucking, swallowing & breathing combo (which is what Lincoln struggled with).  Overall, he was very encouraging and said that she should be fine, but would have to spend time in the NICU.

Other than that, we had the practical items…I didn’t have anything that I needed to stay…no shower stuff, no extra clothes, no toiletries…so Kevin headed to the house to follow my big list to pack my bag and bring me some entertainment for the next 7+ days!  Then there was the silly stuff…my toes needed to be painted really bad, my legs were less than smooth and I really wish that I had taken a shower before we came to the hospital.  Fortunately, two of my sweet friends came to sit with me…brought lunch, chat and PAINTED my toenails and fingernails.  Seriously…I have the best friends in the whole world!  They really helped me keep my mind on the goal and helped me feel like we could make it all work.  That is walking out “doing life” with your spiritual family!

After they left, we got settled it – had a short visit from our sweet boys…more for me then them…since they were ready to leave within like 30 min:)  Then after a little TV, we both went to sleep early so that we could be rested for the next day of adventures!

Christmas Events – All Season Activities – Part 1

Gift of Lights at Texas Motor Speedway
Date:  November 21st, 2012 – January 6, 2013
Time:  Sun – Thurs open 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm and Fri, Sat and Holidays open 5:30 pm – 10:00 pm.  If you arrive at the gate and there’s a line when it’s time to close, don’t worry.  We’ll let everyone through.
Where:  Texas Motor Speedway.  3545 Lone Star Cir, Fort Worth, TX 76177
Cost: Monday – Thursday:  $15 at the gate and Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays:  $20 at the gate (Purchase discounted tickets in advance at Walgreens or Tom Thumb)*  see special date below for 1/2 price date!

The Gift of Lights has more than two million LED lights in dazzling displays every night.  A special note for large vehicles:  maximum height is 13′ 6″.  A portion of proceeds from Gift of Lights benefits the Tarrant Area Food Bank, Goodwill Industries, and KLTY Christmas Wish. Special note:  Monday, December 10 from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm if you bring 3 canned goods you can get in half price and it benefits the Tarrant Area Food Bank

Prairie Lights
When:  Nov 22 – Dec 31st
Time:  Sun – Thurs from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm and Fri – Sat from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Cost:  Sun – Thurs is $20 and Fri – Sat is $30 (there are also out of car experiences that cost additional – learn more here)
Details:  4 million lights set along 2 miles of path. Hundreds of ALL-NEW displays in shapes of all kinds line and arch over the roads. Half way through the drive get out of your car for a stop at Holiday Village where you will find food, gifts, Santa, and our 2 Holiday Magic attractions the Light Show Theater and the Lighted Walk-Through Forest. The finale of the show is the world’s largest light tunnel.

Lonestar Christmas at the Gaylord Texas Resort
A winter wonderland of great Christmas decorations including 1.5 million holiday lights, lavish décor including 12,000 ornaments, 5,600 feet of garland, a 52-foot rotating Christmas tree, magical miniature train sets, and a life-size gingerbread house (yes, it’s made of real gingerbread), just to name a few.  You can even visit Santa and have a special holiday dining experience.

• ICE! featuring DreamWorks’ Merry Madagascar
  When: Tuesday, 11/06/2012 thru Tuesday, 01/01/2013
  Time:  Sun – Thurs from 10:00 am – 9:00 pm and Fri – Sat from 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
  Cost:  Prices vary from $11.95 – $26.95 based on day and age check here
  Details: DreamWorks animated holiday TV special will be brought to life in an interactive world of colorful ice sculptures and 20-feet tall ice slides carved entirely from TWO MILLION pounds of ice. Relive the story of how Alex the Lion and his friends saved Christmas after Santa and his reindeer crash onto the island of Madagascar. ICE! is hand carved by 40 artisans from Harbin China.
• DreamWorks Dragons Holiday Adventure
  When:   Sat & Sun, November 10 – December 30, 2012, plus open daily Dec 24 – 28, Dec 31 and Jan 1
  Time: 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., except Sundays (11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.)
  Cost: $29.95 plus tax (includes one child and one parent). Due to space restrictions there will be a $5 plus tax fee for additional adults.
  Location: Lower Level Texas Station
  Details:  Watch yourself fly through the clouds as you ride on the back of a life sized Night Fury with our Dragon Flight Simulator, enjoy a festive cup of Viking “YakNog,” learn sword and shield skills with Astrid and Hiccup and have a face to face meet and greet encounter with Toothless himself!  Admission includes:   Official Diploma declaring you a certified Junior Dragon Trainer, Dragon FLIGHT TRAINING on our life-sized Toothless the Dragon-in-flight simulator!, Learn about the dragons of Berk Island in Dragon Training 101 with Hiccup, Viking Sword and Shield Skills with Astrid, A cup of festive Viking “YakNog”, Meet and Greet encounter with Toothless himself
•  Kung Fu Panda Snow Tubing
  When:  Nov 8, 2012 – Jan 1, 2013
  Time:  Daily from 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
  Cost: $16.95 for all ages and includes 10 runs OR a combo with ICE ticket is $35.95 for adults and $25.95 for children 12 and under
  Location:  Located in Longhorn Exhibit Hall B
  Details: an extreme eight-lane, tubing hill that’s filled with dragon-warrior AWESOMENESS and covered in REAL SNOW! (Double riding tubes are available for parents with small children.)
• Lots of other great events including Character Meet and Greets, Gingerbread decorating and much more…check it out here

The Trains at North Park
When:  Nov 17, 2012 – Jan 6, 2013
Time:  Mon – Sat 10:00 am – 9:00 pm and Sun Noon – 6:00 pm (check times for holidays)
Cost: $6.00 for adults; $3.00 for children (ages 2 – 12) and senior citizens (age 65 and older) Children under 2 admitted free. *Discount tickets at Tom Thumb
Where:  Northpark Center, Level Two near Barneys New York
Details:  The most elaborate toy trains exhibit in Texas, The Trains at NorthPark includes trains rolling across 1,600 feet of track on a journey across America

Holiday in the Park
When:  11/23/2012 thru Sunday, 01/06/2013
Time:  Varies – check website
Where:  Six Flags of Texas

‘Tis the season for festive family fun and enchanting experiences—and Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Over Texas has it all. Our magical winter wonderland features lots of delightful family activities to help capture the holiday spirit. Gather with your loved ones to enjoy sparkling lights, glamorous decorations, festive scents and seasonal treats, playful activities, breathtaking rides, and heartwarming shows.

Whose ready for Christmas events…Week 2

How many of you went to some Christmas events last week?  We did – we hit the Keller Holly days (see post).  Here are a few events that are coming us this week!

Saturday, December 8 – Monday, December 10th – Northwood Christmas Festival
Date:  12/8/12 – 12/10/12 from 6:30-9:30 nightly
Cost:  Admission is free, but costs $15 to park unless you purchase early here and it is $11.24 – all proceeds going to programs for kids with special needs
Location: Northwood Church, 1870 Rufe Snow Dr., Keller, TX 76248

The highlight of the NorthWood Christmas Festival will be the Story of Christmas Hayride. Much like “Life of Christ” that we’ve done in the past, these 13 scenes share the gospel through living panoramas. Each night will also feature food trucks, bounce houses, a huge petting zoo, live music, local dance companies, games and so much more!

Each night has a special event:

• Saturday, December 8: Food Truck Competition – Local area favorites will do their best to impress. $10 Sample Coupon Books get you 10 samples from whatever truck you choose and includes your voting ballot.
• Sunday, December 9: Fireworks – We’ll end Sunday night’s event with professional fireworks at 9:30pm. There will be low altitude displays that you’ll want to be at the church to see.
• Monday, December 10: Snow Tubing – Come be a kid again with two lanes of snow tubing hills.

Monday, December 10th – Live Reindeer at the Keller Library
Date: 12/10/2012 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Keller Public Library, Story Room and Back Patio area – 604 Johnson Road, Keller, TX  76248

Take your picture with a real reindeer and his sleigh! On Monday, December 10 at 6:30 pm, immediately following a special 6:00 family storytime bring the whole family to meet a live reindeer. In addition, feel free to snap pictures of your children sitting in the sleigh. This free event, held off the back patio of the Keller Public Library is open to all ages. Please note: Due to scheduling conflicts, Santa Claus will not be attending.

Family Storytime will be held from 6:00-6:30 in the Story Room off the children’s area of the Library.  The reindeer and sleigh will come to visit outside immediately following the program, so please bring warm clothing depending on weather.

Wednesday, December 12th – Paint-n-Take Ornament Craft
Date: 12/12/2012 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Keller Public Library, Meeting Room – 640 Johnson Road, Keller, TX  76248

On Wednesday, December 12 at 4:00, join the Keller Public Library for a Paint-n-Take Ornament craft program. Children ages 7 and up are welcome to attend, and registration is required. Please contact Catherine Neel at 817-743-4842 or e-mail us at library@cityofkeller.com.

December 15, 2012 – Log Cabin Village Holiday at the Hearth
Date: 12/15/2012 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Cost: Admission price of Log Cabin Village plus a $2 craft fee to make a punched tin ornament (4.50 – 5.50 based on age – under 3 free)
Location:  2100 Log Cabin Village Ln., Fort Worth, Texas 76109

Enjoy holiday music, string popcorn and cranberries, spin the dreidel, help make pomander balls, tamales, paper chains, embossed cards, ornaments, and more! You can even have your photo taken with our historic St. Nick ($5 fee for photo and folder). No reservations required.

While visiting – come enjoy the delightful sounds of Buttermilk Junction, an Old-Time & Anglo-Celtic band, from right here in Fort Worth. They play and sing historical “Roots Music” – tunes and songs from frontier Texas of the mid to late 1800s. No reservations required. Cost is regular Village admission.