Running the Ruckus

We've got two kids with bad pink eye, Bobby is out of town and I haven't left the house in 4 days, with no end in sight - so time to blog! 

Wearing light blue for DiGeorge Syndrome Awareness for a friend Jennifer Ward

We loved having passes to six flags! Just had to figure out how to get kids on the rides when mom was required and baby not allowed...

Camping at Government Canyon. Bobby spent the night with the boys while Tyler and I headed home - on the way back we saw 2 snakes in the road! I tried to run them over but I couldn't.

Also, right above the tent was the biggest spider/web I had ever seen.

Troy in his basketball class. He was...interesting to watch lol

9 months

Swim lessons - they pushed him but he became a pretty good swimmer last summer! I hope he picks up right where he left off!

On the verge of walking for months!

With friend Harrison Roberts

4th of July

The Sasines came to live with us for 8 weeks(?) this summer. We had some serious fun!!!! They are our best friends!

10 months

Rocky's 3rd birthday party -
Izzy, Abby, Emma Allred, Troy, Theo Steadman, Wayne Sorensen, Logan Williardson, Rocky, (Walker White)

Cutest 3 Year Old

Sasines, the experts, teaching us how to swim

Rocky playing it safe - his biggest obstacle to tackle 

Rampton Family Reunion at Black Butte. It was the best. Wakeboarding, tennis, bikes, Gumpa singing Rocky Raccoon to Rocky, games at night, Bobby doing Botox to the family, Eliza knitting a sweater for Rocky's birthday, human pinata, were the highlights. 

More Sasines! More six flags! It was their idea to go on a date without the kids - Bobby and I probably would have never done, but we had so.much.fun!

 

Gumpa and Troy around the same age. Troy is such a perfect mix of his grandpas. I see a lot of both of them in him.

Painting the fence

Bobby had a conference in Houston and we went with him.

Everyone is obsessed with yogurt and everyone is always stealing food. 

Traveled with Bobby to another derm conference in NYC with friends and without kids! We had the time of our lives! Thanks to mom for watching the boys!

Roberts, Farnsworths, Sorensen

Halloween

Don't let these pictures fool you - they had SO much candy. I threw away all the hard candy, put aside enough for Christmas, Valentines & Easter, and saved all the suckers for the car and they still had full buckets.

The Holidays - A Pilgrim, Santa, Easter Bunny, Uncle Sam & Cupid

Flu season. Showing our bandaids for vaccine awareness - but I guess mine fell off? lol

New phone with portrait mode! 

Tyler turns 1

A special spot for us!

The North Pole in Colorado Springs

Christmas - Tutu & Gumpa came! Then we drove to Dallas

Drove an hour to see San Antonio's artificial snow. They were so brave going down the sled hill!

Rocky's preschool co-op

Singing "In a little stable" Rocky's favorite!

Rocky - the ultimate gift giver busy at work

New Years - Rocky fell asleep, Troy hid inside, Tyler was home alone down the street

We drove up to Witchita to see the Ellsworths. Picked up dad, Ky & Ash on the way. It was so fun!

Mom, dad & Ky visiting San Antonio - breaking the rules and riding scooters on the Riverwalk

  

Rocky's infamous beds he 'builds' everyday

Troy dropped out of preshool and joined a co-op.

Dress what you want to be when you grow up. 

Tyler hates taking baths but loves reaching in when his brothers take baths.

Troy's new co-op + Ronin Langston & Breanna Milius

Bringing dad dinner at work

Bobby sprained his ankle playing church ball

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!