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Sunday, September 2, 2018

First Half of 2018

There is literally very little to catch up on from January, February, March, April. We pretty much did Yvonne's preschool and stayed at home with three littles.









Soo fun to have Michael, Preslee and baby Everett visit.




Troy turned 4! Kylee threw him an incredible super hero party. He just wanted his extended family there. One time while playing at home, Troy had an imaginary conversation with grandma on a toy phone. In that made up conversation, grandma told Troy she was coming to his birthday party. From then on, Troy was convinced that grandma was coming and was sooo happy about it. So like the great grandma she is, she bought a ticket and came. We are so lucky to have her.




Troy loved "preschool." It was at a member's home and he learned so much academically. He was very shy and didn't make friends but he was oblivious to it all and wanted to go every day. Troy is so smart and very well behaved, but doesn't make his needs know to strangers. I cried when the boys at preschool would leave him out, but he never did. 



The first half of summer was all about swim lessons and routine. The boys thrived on their chore charts. Troy really took off on his ability to swim, and Rocky can swim actually pretty well, he's just scared to do it. Tyler does not cry when dunked, and is always crawling into the baby pool - past when he's able to breath. He loves the water.

We went camping at Government Canyon - probably a little too late in the season as it was HOT. The boys spent the night but Tyler and I went home. On the way home we saw two BIG snakes! I tried to run them over, but I was too scared they would crawl into my engine.

At the end of July we flew to Oregon for a Rampton family reunion. Our family is just so happy when surrounded by family, with moderate temperatures, and days filled with bike rides, croquet, tennis, swimming, eating dinner outside, and games after the kids go down. We had a wonderful time. Rocky turned three there. Three is the age at which birthdays are HUGE. He was so happy to have the attention and gifts. After swimming one day Rocky tripped going up stairs and gashed open his chin. Luckily Dad and Gumpa saved the day with lots of super glue.

We threw him a Paw Patrol birthday party. It was chaos but made him so happy. He wanted mangoes for dinner (we had to throw in the pizza) and a cake. Chels and I also made him a pinata that didn't make it long.

In mid-July the Sasines came to live with us for two months. Oh what fun we've had! Chelsea has showed us the carefree, fun-filled life that we were missing out on. Six flags (three times), Sea World, Truck Show, Soccer Team, the Temple, High Fitness, Overnight Dates, Hemisphere Park (twice) renting scooters, Pearsall Park splashpad and shaved ice, the pool, the park, backyard water pool, Chick Fil A, the movies, laser hair removal/mole removal, watching cousin Everett for 5 days. Not to mention her cooking has all just been the best. She stays with us until Sept 9 and boy, we are going to miss her. Ashley also came to visit last week and we loved having her. She and Troy had a million leg fight wars on the couch.

A couple days ago we were at Wilford Hall about to get laser hair removal and Rocky tripped while running and smacked his head on a little lip on the receptionist's desk. This guy gets a lot of injuries (see above), but this was the worst. His head split open, not far but very deep. I could clearly see his purple shiny skull and the defined layers of fat and skin. Bobby stitched him back up - 12 stitches, 4 deep and 6 on top. Rocky was a TROOPER to say the least. He barely cried. The worst part was getting the lidocaine shots. I was so proud of him and so grateful that I could hold him through it. Crossing our fingers the scar won't be too bad and he won't get an infection.

 Troy started legit PreK at Mireles Elementary School - PM part time with Mrs. Flores and Ms. Vigil. He said it's "even funner than Mrs. Yvonnes" which is a good sign. He loved coloring with markers and the crafts they've made. I am a little uneasy just dropping him off, having no idea what they're doing or how we is acting. But I'm so glad he loves it so much. I already am planning on the days we are alloted to take off and might stretch that as far as possible until we get kicked out. I think homeschooling part time is a real possibility in the future if I ca get Bobby on board. Regardless to say, I miss him a lot. I hate thinking about me missing out on so much of his life. He is such a sweet guy. On the first day of school he walked up to a bunch of kids and said "Hi. I'm Troy. What's your name?" Before he went through the door he wanted to give me a big, tight squeeze hug for a long time and it melted me. I think he's going to have a great year.
Rocky starts Joy School on Tuesday. I think he'll love it as well!





Monday, January 29, 2018

Family of Five

Life has turned upside down and (by evidence of my blogging) is starting to turn back up-side again. I'm getting to that point where I can't really remember what life was like before Tyler. We all LOVE him. He is the best baby, so smiley, so chill, so happy and so gosh darn cute! I can't believe how obsessed with him I still am!

These last few months have been pretty chill. Before baby I stressed about going to the store, but now I do grocery pick up, send Bobby or go when they're sleeping. Funny how things become non-issues. I still think three is a handful though! But the boys have adjusted to their new normal too. Troy is helpful when I ask him to hand me stuff, or tell him to play by himself. Rocky smothers his little brother with so much love!

Since October we've had our favorite guests - my parents and Kylee and Alice and Mark, as well as Michael had a training in San Antonio for 6 weeks and we got to see him just about every weekend, and Preslee came to visit twice. My mom was of course so helpful with the baby (ie delivering the baby). Michael was so fun to the boys. They called him Spider Michael and he just played and played with him. He took them to Sea World too.

We had a fun Halloween, and so much fun anticipating it. I loved those little boys in bat costumes. I was just going to make Troy a costume, but Rocky wanted to be a bat so.bad. So I ended up making two. The costumes were not awesome but well loved. It was the best to have the Ramptons with us for trunk or treating.

Thanksgiving was very casual, we did a potluck with people from our ward.

Rocky had a (million) fall(s) to his face and ended up developing an abscess. We thought it was going to need to be pulled asap, but it's still hanging in there. We'll see. It was a hard pill to swallow thinking he might be front-toothless for 5ish years!

December was the funnest, as it always is. I turned 29 and my friends spoiled me with breakfast, presents, sign on the door. Bobby too, with an instant pot. Children's nativity, concerts, white elephant Christmas party...We drove 13+ hours to Colorado. The car trip was not bad and it was so fun to see the WHOLE Ellsworth fam. Lots of sickness though - some are still lingering... We even got snow in San Antonio!

January we've just been working on schedules, preparing to start chores, getting back to health and routine. Tyler is 13% so trying to bulk him up. Bobby got called to Scouts. We had Tyler's baby blessing yesterday.