The Ramsey Clan

Communicating with Men...or, Eating Soup with a Butter Knife

2012-02-10T05:37:00.000-08:00

Papa Bear and I stayed up way too late talking. This usually results in me bearing my soul...staying up late is never a good idea for me.
Papa Bear isn't really the soul-bearing type. So we end up with a lot of conversations like this:
me: "What do you love about me? you can't say 'everything', that doesn't count."
husband: after a few quiet moments, "I think what I really love most about you is the deep and affirming love that you have for (here is where I wait for something about what a beautiful, loving mother I am) Lizard Lick Towing."

**for those who aren't familiar, Lizard Lick Towing is a show on television. I enjoy watching it. Don't judge me. It's hilarious. My husband thinks it is really funny that I watch this show, which I totally don't get because he is the one who introduced it to me in the first place. Hypocrite.

OR, this:

me: "Sometimes I just feel like I'm not a very good mom. I'm not a fun mom or a cool mom. I'm just the laundry-folding mom. The diaper-changing, dish-washing, tub-bathing, cheese-shredding, spaghetti-making mom."
husband: "Yeah, we should just go back to buying shredded cheese."

Really? That's what you took from that conversation? Geesh. Men.

Who Needs Sleep?

2012-02-01T12:31:00.000-08:00

Um, I do, for one. I know that our Heavenly Father has a perfect plan in place for each of us. Sometimes I really don't understand it. For example, I don't understand why He created our bodies to require sleep and then put us in situations where it is IMPOSSIBLE to do so. Then I remember that I was the one who wanted all these ~~creatures of the night~~ children and I kinda don't blame Him so much anymore.
Occasionally though, I don't really think it's my fault. I mean, the math is simple. Humans need sleep. All humans...big humans and small humans. How was I to possibly know that I would be blessed with the five humans who defy the laws of nature and never need to sleep? See, I'm innocent!
But my kids aren't the only problem. There just seems to be some sort of sleep conspiracy. Kid.You.Not.
There are these rare moments in time where I actually get to lie down and rest during the day. Most days, these moments remain an illusive dream. And on some days, I will manage to get both little boys to sleep while the three wild things are still at school, but I force myself to be productive and use that time to do my dishes or laundry or what have you (even as I type the words, my fingers feel sick and shameful. what a waste of lovely sleep time). Then there are those few and far between moments, when I decide I am going to do it. I'm going to take a nap.
This is how it usually goes:
Little boys fall asleep, I have one hour before the bus comes, I lie down on the couch and start to doze off and one of the following things takes place:
1. The phone rings. It never fails. I will turn the ringer off on my cell...the home phone rings. I ignore the call because my home phone is usually only used by telemarketers...it turns out to be my tax guy. My refund will likely be delayed because I put off the call for twenty minutes.
2. The dog starts barking. If I lie there for long enough MAYBE he will stop...or maybe I can tune him out.
3. The door bell rings. Are you kidding me? Sometimes I forget I actually have a doorbell, because it only rings when I try to nap. I peak out the curtain and it's a random girl (maybe 11 or 12) standing on my front porch. I ignore it. The truth is, if I open the door I am a little afraid that I will kick her in the knee. So I go back and lie down. Then I start feeling guilty and all sorts of random scenarios run through my head: She is trying to raise money to go to florida and fulfill her life long dream of playing the clarinet and because I didn't buy her $17 box of cookies she will end up on the street. Or, she was approached by a stranger and ran to my house for help and now I am going to find her face on a milk carton. **As it turns out, she just wanted to play with my kids.
4. All of the above. I'm telling you it's the universe. My kids leave me alone for forty minutes and the rest of the world steps in to fill their shoes. Unbelievable.

On most days, this would make me angry. Today, I somehow still managed to get a little rest in between all the madness so it's just funny.

The Category "C" of Mothering

2012-01-10T11:04:00.000-08:00

In pregnancy, they rate medications on an alphabet scale. Category "A" is considered totally safe for women to take during pregnancy. This category involves mostly vitamins. Category "B" drugs are considered generally safe. These drugs have been tested and are not shown to have adverse effects in humans or animals. Tylenol, for example, is a Category B. It goes all the way down to a Category "D", which is the stuff you just don't touch. These are medications that have been tested and are considered harmful during pregnancy.

The thing is, I understand the Category B and D things. But there is this other category, Category "C". That's the tricky stuff. Those are the things that are sometimes considered safe in pregnancy, sometimes not. Generally they include drugs that haven't been adequately tested on humans and should only be used if the potential benefits outweight the potential risks. For example, I used Zofran (a Category C anti-nausea drug) during my pregnancies, because my doctor felt that the risk of taking the Zofran was less than the risk of dehydration from my severe morning sickness.

I don't like Cateogry C. I don't understand Category C. Category C is secretive and sneaky and not black and white. It's gray, and I don't like gray.

In the last 8.5 years I have come to realize that much of motherhood falls into the Category C. There are so many things that are in that gray area. They might be good, they might be bad, they might be worth it if the benefits outweight the potential risks. It's a big huge pot of uncertainty. Uncertainty and I don't really get along well.

Some things fall very easily into a nice, safe category. Giving your child hugs, Category A. Beating your child with a stick, Category D. Letting your child cry himself to sleep? Well, that's a Category C. Some say it's fine. Some say it isn't. The real question is, does the benefit outweigh the risk? For me, it's safer to let my kids cry for a few nights than to wreck the car on the way to soccer practice because I am totally sleep deprived. Lot's of things are Category C in parenting. Here are a few that I have tried:

Crying it out for sleep training
Not washing hands before eating dinner
Using a binky up to age 4
Having a bottle in bed
Eating ice cream/cookies/cupcakes for breakfast
Giving solids before 4 months of age
Giving my kids Benedryl on roadtrips
Co-sleeping
Skipping school for no good reason
Watching television ALL day long for an extended period of time
Not doing pre-school

The list goes on and on...but those are a few. My point is that a lot of things fall into that Category C. Maybe they are ok, maybe not. I think as mothers we need to do the best we can, forgive ourselves if we screw up once in a while and support each other along the way.

I know I'm biased, but I'd say that even with all the Category C activities we have participated in, they sure don't seem any worse for the wear. :)

Just Grin and Keep Walking

2011-12-20T19:29:00.000-08:00

Food is good. Toilet paper is also good. Shampoo, paper towels, laundry detergent, hummus (if you don't like hummus there is something wrong with you. My husband doesn't like hummus. He is a strange man, but i digress)-these are all good things. The fact that there exists in this world, a place where you can buy all these things at once is a little slice of Heaven. Actually grocery shopping, however, is akin to a stroll through the seventh circle of hell. I don't say that lightly. It's just the truth. Let me explain...
It's not the five crazy children hanging off the sides of my basket...I brought those. It's not the isles that are way too small, the broken seat belts in the little grocery-cart-car, or the strategically placed candy bars at check out. All those things, I can deal with.
What makes shopping miserable, at least for me, is the people. Now don't hate me just yet. I actually really like people. A lot. I'm a people person. But for goodness sake, sometimes I just want to take a riding crop and walop them on the forehead.
You might actually be one of these people...it's okay, I still love you. You probably just don't know any better. That is why I am here. I have come to educate you. Here are a few of the things you should never say/do to a woman(or man-I am nothing if not supportive of a dad's right to grocery shop)who is shopping with children. You might want to write this down.
#1- Instead of saying "wow, you have your hands full" maybe you should just donate a quarter. If everyone did this, I wouldn't have to pay for my groceries.
#2- Don't ask her questions like "are they all yours?", "do they have the same father?", etc. It's not that the questions are horribly offensive or anything, but for the love of Pete, I am shopping with FIVE CHILDREN, I don't have time for your questions.
#3- If your cart is in the way, move it or lose it. We take up a lot of space and those buggies are hard to navigate when you have two kids swaying back and forth singing "Jingle Bells" and one strapped to your chest and two more pulling on your pant leg. In addition, if you get run into, don't give a dirty look, the first time was an accident but the next time can totally be on purpose. Oh yeah, I mean that!
#4- If one (or more) of the children is screaming, please don't make comments about how "someone isn't happy". We moms have this crazy awesome mom power where we can actually hear if our children are screaming. It's pretty acute. Oh, and don't look at me like I'm burning my child. Lastly, if screaming bothers you, sorry, them's the breaks. Kids are kids and you were one once. I don't mean to be insensitive but seriously, take some advice from Pete and his dragon- "there's room for everyone in this world, if everyone makes some room."
#5- For Pete's sake (man Pete is coming up a lot in this post), PLEASE don't tell a mom who is shopping with her children that she is "brave". I am taking my kids to the grocery store, not Alcatraz Island. I am buying oranges, not diffusing a bomb. I am not "brave" for going to the store-stupid maybe-but not brave.
#6- If you can't say something nice...nevermind, if you can't say something supportive...ya know what, it would be better if you just didn't speak at all. Moms who are shopping with kids just want to get in, get their junk and get out alive and with shoes on. So just smile and do your stuff and leave them alone. I promise, they are doing the best they can.
Well, I feel better.

Diary of a Dorky Girl...

2011-12-19T15:21:00.000-08:00

My son is really into the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series. In fact, all his classmates are as well. It's an elementary school phenomenon. I read the first book, just to see what the hulabaloo was about. The thing is, it's a cute book and all, but it's sort of my autobiography. That's right, I was (still am slightly) a wimpy kid, a dweeb, a dork. I was the full package, complete with gangly stature, crooked teeth and big poofy hair...I'm talking frizz fro ya'll. My nickname in middle school was "poodle puff", and not in the cute way. (I'm not posting a picture, so don't ask.)

For most of my youth I was pretty awkward. It might have been my over-active immagination, my quirky sense of humor, maybe it was the unsocialized only child thing. Who knows. The point is, I was never really "cool". I kind of understood cool. I had cool friends. I tried to be like them. Personalities are somewhat inveitable though. My inner geek would slip out at all the worst times, no matter how hard I tried to hide it. Such is life.

But don't go feeling too sorry for me. The truth is, being a dork isn't as awful as it seems. I mean, all in all, I had a really fun childhood. The teen years weren't too bad either. Here's the best part...I actually turned out to be a somewhat normal adult. For serious. I know how to work a hair straightener now. I wear pants that go below my ankles. I turned out okay.

It's true folks. Despite my dorky origins, I graduated from high school, got accepted to college, found friends who really didn't mind my dorky-ness...I even found a husband. He's pretty cute too. He was actually one of the popular kids in school (oh the irony). Secretly, all those popular guys like dorky girls, just ask Juno.

Not only did I get married, I somehow convinced my cute, popular, athletic husband to reproduce with me, and even with the 50% dork genes...my kids turned out to be pretty freaking awesome.

So there ya go, sometimes being a dork turns out ok. Just don't ask my husband how it turns out for the popular kids...some geeky habits die hard. :)

Mr. Sandman, Bring Me a Bed

2011-12-13T10:49:00.000-08:00

I tend to think of myself as a relaxed person. I don't get too bent out of shape about too many things. One thing that I am really funny about is beds. I have this thing about people in my house having a place to sleep. You can ask my husband, when company is coming, I kind of freak out. I want to know where everyone is going to sleep. I want to make sure they have clean sheets, clean blankets, a nice pillow, easy access to a bathroom, properly functioning light fixtures, temperature control...these types of things. I get a little nuts if I think that people won't be comfortable in my house.

So of course it stands to reason that my children have always been really fond of pulling the pillows and blankets off their beds and camping out on their bedroom floors. I let them do this, mostly because I don't want my husband to think I am a lunatic. On the inside, I am having a nervous breakdown. Don't they know what beds are for? There are THINGS on the floor. It's hard on the floor. It's cold on the floor. The floor is covered in cracker crumbs...dirty underwear...floor-type-things. GROSS! I hate it. But, I try to be accomodating-and cool-and go with the flow mom (even when my skin is crawling). Also, I have a slightly irrational fear that Child Protective Services is going to show up at my house one day (with all the noise in our house, I am sure the neighbors have thought about calling) and they are going to see my kids sleeping on the floor and be like, "you rotten mom! Why are your kids on the floor?!?!" I have seriously rehearsed what I would say to them if this happened. That does not make me weird. Don't judge me.

So, knowing how I feel about beds, it's really no surprise that I would get the puppy a bed when we brought him home. Everyone needs a bed...even puppies. It's fluffy and cute and honestly, I wouldn't mind having one in my size (it's even machine washable...BONUS!). So where does Watson sleep?

Behind the toilet...of course. Where else? In a house with FIVE boys, he wants to sleep behind the toilet, who wouldn't?

The Doctor is in!

2011-12-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

Well, as some of you already know, last week we welcomed a new member to the family: Dr. John Watson. "Watson", for short.
The good doctor is very cute. He is very small and white and fluffy and puppy-like. I have to say, I'm not really a dog person. My previous attempts at dog ownership have resulted in...well, not owning a dog. However, the doctor is manageable and I actually find that I (gulp) like him.
He's so stinking adorable, how do you not love this face?

Dr. John likes lots of things. He likes mostly chewing on shoes. We have lots of shoes, so he's kind of in Heaven. He also likes Tyler. A lot. Tyler is his boy. Sometimes Tyler wishes he wasn't Watson's boy. Sometimes the other kids wish they were Watson's kids. But they aren't.

Dr. John gets into a lot of mischief. He chews on my Christmas tree. He piddles on my floor. He does some other things on the floor sometimes too. But, of course, when you are as cute as this, you can pretty much get away with anything.

Unbelievable

2011-11-11T04:02:00.000-08:00

When Suzy came down for school this morning I got a little choked up. If you read my previous blog post you understand why!

Is that purple pants with a green top and a MAGENTA sweater?!? This might sound a bit silly to some, but little things like this strengthen my testimony of a loving Heavenly Father. It has been a rough week in the Ramsey house and seeing my daughter decked out in a way that would have done her grandmother proud, to me, was a tender mercy from the Lord.

It's That Time

2011-11-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

That time of the year that I love so much...the holidays! I love them. I love Halloween, I love Thanksgiving and I especially loooooove Christmas! Food, lights, candy, feasting, music, decorations, feasting, feasting (did I say "feasting" more than once? I did...don't judge. I have a very special relationship with food. You should too, it's very nice.) and general merry-making of all sorts.

It's also the time of year that I really start to miss my mom. Don't get me wrong, I miss her year round...but I miss her double around the holidays. She loved the holidays like I do.

Sometimes one of the hardest things about not seeing her is that I kind of forget all the little quirky things that I loved so much. There were lots...she was a super quirky woman...that's where I get it.

A few of my favorite quirks (I so wish I was clever...I could set it to the tune of "My Favorite Things" and it would dove tail perfectly with the Christmas season...ah well):

1. My sweet teeth come from her. Most people have only one sweet tooth...those of us who are super special in the handling sugar department, have many. My mom could take down a box of Little Debbies or a bag of Pepperidge Farm Milanos in one sitting. The two of us together were lethal.

2. She had this pair of purple sweat pants...I mean REALLY purple ya'll. And she liked to pair them with a bright green sweatshirt, her blue cloth clogs, some random socks and her down vest which was...wait for it...MAGENTA! That's right folks, magenta! I have never seen a woman wear so many uncoordinated colors. The thing is, she was so content with who she was that it totally didn't matter. She liked what she liked and that was that. I want to be just like her when I grow up.

3. We used to drive to school/work in the mornings and home in the evenings. It was about 45 minutes each way. It was my favorite time of the day. We'd fight over what radio station...she always won, until we switched over to listening to tapes full time. Christmas was nice, we NEVER fought over music selection, plus I got a break from NPR.

4. I frequently caught her cussing to food while she was trying to prepare it. Pie crusts in particular. I actually don't have a hard time with pie crust, I think she psyched herself out. In fairness to the universe, she was good at literally everything else, so it's only right that she should have one area of which mastery eluded her.

5. She called my first boyfriend "dog breath" after he took another girl to a dance. Not just once, I mean, that is what she called him...all the time. As in, "are you going out with dog breath tonight?" or "dog breath called while you were gone." I lived in constant fear that she would say it to his face, which she thankfully never did. Thank you for that mom.

6. She called every spider that she ever saw, "Charlotte". If I was afraid of it she would scold me. "Jenny!" she would say, "Don't be silly! It's just Charlotte!" Mom, they can't possibly ALL be Charlotte. And Charlotte or not, it's a spider, it's gross, it's frightening and it should not be near me. Go figure, I married a man who will not kill spiders. He scoops them up and takes them outside. What is it with me and these spider loving freaks?

I'm going to stop now. I have this two year old who likes to get into trouble. I should really go attend to that situation. Thanks for indulging me in my long-winded post.

Character Creations

2011-10-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

So every year, on a random Friday, our elementary school has "dress as your favorite storybook character day". I know, it's super random. Ya know what's even funnier? They won't let the kids dress up on Halloween...but on random Friday in October, it's totally acceptable. Weirdos.
Anyway, Gavin and Caeden have never expressed any interest what so ever in this day. Thus I assumed that this year would be the same...this was a mistake on my part.
My kids came to me last THURSDAY NIGHT and announced to me that they wanted to dress up after all. Mike was working late, the baby was wanting to be held, the house was a mess...sure, I can make costumes. No problem.
We did the best we could and the kids seemed pretty content. Gavin was Greg from "Diary of a Wimpy Kid", Caeden was the wolf from "Peter and the Wolf" and Suzy was Cinderella from...um, "Cinderella".
They were very excited and I thought they looked pretty darn cute. I was especially proud of Caeden's wolf hat because I, Jenny Ramsey, sewed on his wolf ears. That's right, I did it. Go ahead, be impressed, it's okay.

These are the Moments...

2011-10-20T13:07:00.000-07:00

Gavin: Caeden, can we use some of our money to buy a game? We could go to Gamestop and get a used one, so it would be cheaper.
Caeden: Gavin, we had a deal. When we get to $100 we could spend $50 and save the other $50.
Gavin: I'm just not myself without a game to play.
Caeden: Gaviiiinnnn!!
Gavin: So is that a no?
Me: Well Caeden, you guys have $62. If you spend $20 on a game you will still have $42 left.
Caeden: I think we need to separate our money. It's not working out. He's the spender, I'm the saver.

Do You See the Resemblance?

2011-09-30T06:09:00.001-07:00

Sugar and Cinnamon and Donuts, OH MY!

2011-09-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

So today started out a little frustrating. I tried to run a few errands, which ended up taking me much longer than I had planned, and sadly were less fruitful than I had hoped. Not to mention, we have been passing around a little head cold so I just haven't been feeling too spunky.
After I got home and had lunch and got the little ones settled for naps, it started raining. Not raining like "I might need an umbrella" raining, but more raining like "I might need a paddle boat". Then it started thundering...a lot. Again, not the mild, gentle, rumbling kind of thunder, but the scary kind. All in all, I started to feel that urge that I always start to feel around this time of year, the urge to hibernate. Basically I want to crawl into a space in my house and hide...hide with food...good food...buttery, warm, soft, chewy food...like donuts.
Well, why put off to tomorrow what you can eat today? I broke out the donut maker and cooked up these little beauties.

Mini pumpkin donuts...genius! These guys are so sweet and soft and they are baked instead of deep fried, which makes them a little healthier, unless of course you dip them in butter and then roll them around in sugar and cinnamon like I did. But it's so worth it and we are hibernating after all. You can find the recipe here:

http://bunsinmyoven.com/2011/09/13/pumpkin-donuts-and-a-thank-you/

Enjoy! I certainly did. Oh...and good luck not eating the entire plate in one sitting.

Dare to Dream Part 2

2011-09-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

I promised you pictures and I deliver...ENJOY!

Dare to Dream

2011-09-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

Last night Suzy and I got to go on our second annual trip to see the Disney Princesses on Ice "Dare to Dream". I can't even tell you how much we have been looking forward to it. I bought tickets months ago (firstly so that I could get us good seats and secondly so that I could use the tickets as bribery to get Suzy to behave. If you don't bribe your kids you should really try it sometime.)and we have been anxiously awaiting this day ever since.

This year was even more special because we got to go with some friends of ours. I remember being little and being able to go to see shows with my mom and best friends. There is something about being with a girlfriend that just amplifies the excitement of an event...by like a thousand. We had two very happy little girls...two very happy mamas too!

So, a few highlights from the show. First, I think it is a gross mis-justice the way that these skaters are represented. It is always depicted that the performers in these shows are the ones who are past their prime for professional skating. Kind of like, this show is for skaters who didn't make it in the big league, type of thing. This is utterly ridiculous. There were hundreds of people in that stadium last night and I didn't see a single one without a smile on their face...not too shabby a career if you ask me. Basically, I think they have the coolest job ever.

Next, one of the coolest things about last night had to be our seats. We went all out and got front row seats...as in, I could literally reach my foot out and touch the ice. I am not even kidding. We were also in the corner, so when the skaters did their little dances on the platform they were right in front of us...AND...Prince Naveen (of Maldonia) winked at me. I know what you're thinking..."he could have been winking at anyone"...but just trust me, he looked right at me and he winked. That's the story. Evidently this old girl has still got it, eh? I even texted Brother Ramsey to tell him about it. I may have also asked him if he would wear frog tights for me...he said "no". Oh well.

So here is my advice about Disney on Ice, if you haven't gone, you really, really, REALLY need to. Is it worth the money? TOTALLY! Is it worth the extra money to sit up close? EVERY PENNY! Put aside $10 every month and get the good tickets, I promise you won't regret it. Don't expect Naveen to wink at you though...he might still be pining over me. It hurts me to break his heart but come on, I'm a happily married woman.

A few things you might want to take with you? A snack, because you will get hungry and unless you want to spend $30 on concessions, you will stay that way. I watched one guy walk up to the cotton candy vendor and ask if he could get a different bag because the one he bought (for $12) was mostly air and had very little cotton candy. The vendor refused and told the man that "they are all like that", which was true. Oh yeah, be prepared for those vendors too...there are about seventy five of them within a ten square foot space and they swarm over you with their glowing swing sticks and princess crowns and good-smelling popcorn because they know that you want your sweet princess to have all those nice princessy things. Twits. Aside from food, you might also want to take a sweater, it is ice after all.

Oh, and when you leave, don't put your trash on the floor. That's rude. Throw it in a trash can so that I don't step in it. Gross.

Seriously though, it was so much fun and we fully intend to go again next year. It is a tradition worth keeping. I didn't have my camera but my friend is going to send some pictures. Once I get them I will post them. Note: Fussing at me will not get you your pictures any faster.

LOST:

2011-09-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

Last night Gavin came downstairs and was unhappy because he couldn't find his stuffed "Boog Bear". I didn't take him too seriously because he isn't devoted to Boog in the sense that he has to have him every night. He will go for weeks or months without mentioning Boog, then have a spell where he sleeps with him. It's not a serious relationship...or so I thought.
This morning I came down and found this poster:

Well, to the victor go the spoils, and I was getting that hug! Mike actually took a quick break from work to come home and look for it. He wanted that hug too...but I was not going to back down on this one. Gavin hugs are pretty amazing after all. We seriously tore the house apart trying to find that thing. Just when I was thinking we would NEVER find him...I FOUND IT! I FOUND IT! I FOUND IT!! Go Jenny...go Jenny...WOOT!WOOT!!

Okay, seriously, I don't like to brag...but I totally FOUND IT! Because I was the winner and that is what winners do...they find things first. There is nothing wrong with being a loser, which I wouldn't know because I didn't lose. I won! Sorry, forgive me my indulgence. If you had been married to Mike Ramsey for ten years you would understand how nice/rare/miraculous it is to actually beat him in something...anything! And that hug was mine for the taking!!

It was a fantastic hug and boy and bear were reunited at last. What a lovely day!

And...Back to Public

2011-09-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am moving my blog back to public. Why you ask? Well, because once upon a time I got comments on my posts. Lots of comments. Some were witty, some were nostalgic, some were loving, some were creepy (which is why I went private in the first place, but hey, at least they were comments). But ever since I made the move to private, the comments have become few and far between. And a blog without comments is a sad blog indeed. It's like a boat on dry land, a movie without popcorn, a dry turkey, a dead plant...you get the point. Ergo, I am making the move back to public. Now my friends and family have no excuse not to read and comment (insert menacing tone).

To lure you back into reading my blog I decided to break my personal code and post pictures (don't get used to it). One of the fun things about my older kids being in school is that I feel like I can actually leave the house again. So today I called up a few girlfriends and asked if they wanted to meet for lunch at Sweet Frog, this divinely amazing frozen yogurt shop. My friend suggested we go at 12:30, so that it was after lunch. Evidently some people don't think that frozen yogurt is a proper lunch...I know, weird huh?

So we met up at Sweet Frog and let me just say, an afternoon of good company and frozen yogurt might be the cure to most of the world's problems. Perhaps the next political sit-down needs to take place at Sweet Frog.

As promised...here are the pictures. Check out all these cute kids!! And now that my blog is public again AND I posted pictures, you are all going to come and comment right? Right?!?!

Tyler McKay

2011-08-06T14:07:00.000-07:00

I guess I missed the official announcement. So...better late than never as they say. And better WAY late than never as I say. So here he is...dadadadaaaaa!!! Tyler McKay Ramsey was born on July 20th at 1:57 pm (glad I wrote that down because I will forget tomorrow). He was 8lbs 4.6oz and absolutely perfect from head to toes. And will you check out that HAIR?!? I mean...seriously! That's a lot of hair! He is such a sweet boy and we are all so smitten with him. Welcome to the nut house Ty!

How Many Friends Do You Have...

2011-07-16T09:51:00.000-07:00

Who would spend HOURS, making you the most fabulously beautiful baby quilt ever? I have one! Yeah, I'm going to brag...because I have fantastic friends. My dear friend, Bronwynn, made me this beautiful baby quilt for little Ramsey #5. Isn't it GORGEOUS?!?! Thanks B! You are awesome!!

He's Two!

2011-07-15T06:14:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Mr.Nathan! We love you so much!

Goings On

2011-06-30T07:31:00.000-07:00

You all know those awesome bloggers right? The ones with the adorable photos, the clever stories, the entertaining yet still thought-provoking life lessons? We all know at least one person who has an adorable blog, who journals daily (insert Bronwynn/loser sneeze)...those ones who make the rest of us look lame and boring? You know these bloggers right? Well, I am not one of them. I realize it's been forever since I last posted. I'm sure I could conjure up a good excuse if I wanted to expend that kind of energy...wait for it...keep waiting...nope, never mind, I've got nothing.

It's been a busy summer. I can't remember half of what has happened thus far, but here are a few highlights:

1. Gavin turned EIGHT! I can't even tell you how awesomely surreal it is to have an eight-year-old. He's so grown up and so independent, he might as well be twenty. Along with turning eight came two big events. First, he was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What an amazing event. There really are no words. It was such a beautiful day. :) Secondly, he is now in cub scouts. He was able to attend a week of "twilight camp" and he LOVED it! He even earned his first patch. :)

2. Suzy turned FIVE! Today is actually her fifth birthday. I just can't believe it. I am taking a few minutes off from cleaning up in preparation for her "Tangled" birthday party. For those who are familiar with this movie, you understand the desire to have it be the theme for a birthday party (no matter what age you might be). For those who have not seen it, turn off the computer, drive to the video store immediately and rent it. Cutest movie! Our whole family loves it. We are excited to decorate paper lanterns and enjoy some yummy treats. In true "Tangled" fashion, "I had a dream once"...I dreamt of making this fantastic, praise-worthy tower cake. It was beyond fabulous. Truly. Princess Suzy, however, had other plans. She wants pink cupcakes. Well...it is her birthday after all and who am I to crush a little girl's dreams? I am not even the slightest bit relieved to be making plain pink cupcakes instead of a hugely involved tower cake when I'm 8 months pregnant...nope, not one bit. Okay fine, maybe a LITTLE relieved.

3. I am in the home stretch. About 4 weeks to go. I will most likely be scheduling an induction tomorrow so it might even be a little closer to 3 weeks. We shall see. Either way, Little Red Ramsey #5 will be joining us soon!

Now, since I know you are all wanting pictures (yes, even I have a soul), here are a few from this month. :)

30 Down...

2011-05-21T11:18:00.001-07:00

10 more to go!!! We are getting there!! :)

Oh Dear

2011-05-11T17:51:00.000-07:00

Mother epiphany #7,724,892---my kids remember things.

I had a bittersweet experience today. We were driving along in the van and just chitter chattering. The kids got on the subject of China, which was funny. But I digress...at one point in the conversation Suzy asked if I remembered the night that we went to the Mexico restaurant and we spoke Spanish and the man made her a blue balloon dog.
Yes, I did remember. I think what struck me though, is that SHE remembered. We went there probably over a year ago. She would have been three or maybe barely four-years-old. Why is this bittersweet you ask?
Well, I started thinking about how crabby I've been with this pregnancy and how I have placated myself in this situation by telling myself that my kids are little and they won't remember it. But if my four-year-old remembers ONE dinner and ONE balloon that she had ONE night, a year ago, what are the odds that she won't remember mom snapping at her or refusing to cuddle with her?
Guilt does crazy things. I took the kids to Moe's for dinner, Sweet Frog for dessert and then off to Target to pick out a little toy...yes, I really did feel THAT badly. Motherhood is not always easy and kids are kids. They get loud and they get demanding and they get attitude-ish...but honestly, is that much different than adults? The difference? They are imitating, we are inspiring.
So I guess that was my motherhood revelation of the moment...I need to make my children's memories amazing because they WILL remember.

A Little Bit Ironic...

2011-04-22T16:44:00.000-07:00

I love baskets. Let me emphasize this properly...I really, really, REALLY love baskets! I collect baskets. I buy them at yard sales. I buy them at the Goodwill. I buy them on clearance. I probably have about six baskets in any given room of my house. My mom and grandma had a thing for baskets too...I inherited many baskets.
I like to give baby shower and birthday gifts in baskets rather than bags...who wouldn't rather get a gift in a basket?
So I find it a little bit ironic that on Easter, the one holiday that is categorically a "basket" holiday...I don't use baskets. Our Easter Bunny delivers his goodies in Easter BAGS! The reasoning? Easter baskets are not like normal baskets. Kids these days don't appreciate a good basket so they are drawn to the plastic, tacky baskets. Now don't get me wrong...I am not respector of baskets...but I have to draw the line somewhere. This is to say nothing of the $ involved in purchasing Easter baskets. You can easily spend $10-$15 on a single basket...and children (at least my children) might get a little disappointed if you put nothing in the basket. So since I know that our Easter baskets are not going to last, we do $.99 paper bags.
I hang my head in shame ever so slightly that I dismiss the basket on it's special day...but alas, Easter bags are where it's at in the Ramsey home!!!

April Fools Hall of Fame

2011-04-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

In celebration of April Fool's I was reflecting on last year, when I was definitely fooled severely. So here is the breakdown of the scenario: Key players: -Jen -Bronwynn -Mike -Ryan Settings: Jen and Bronwynn are at Bronwynn's house. Mike is working and Ryan is at the dental clinic working with patients. Important back story: Jen is slated to be Ryan's dental board's patient in about 10 days. For those not familiar with dental school processes, this is a HUGE deal. It takes thousands of dollars for the students to take their boards, the patient must have very specific kinds of cavities, and if their patient doesn't show up...well, they lose their money and have to take it again later. Need less to say, finding a perfect patient who is reliable=majorly big deal. Part 1: Jen and Bronwynn decide it would be funny to prank Ryan and tell him that Jen can't be his boards patient because she's pregnant (she is not pregnant at this time). Knowing that neither of them can lie, they enlist the help of Mike. So they call Mike and ask him to call Ryan and tell Ryan the pregnancy story. Part 2: Jen talks to Mike about an hour later and their conversation goes something like this: Jen- "How did Ryan react to the pregnancy story?" Mike- "Oh you know Ryan, he was super nice about it. He just said it was awesome and congratulations and not to worry about boards, etc." Jen- "What did he say when you told him it was April fools?" Mike- "I didn't tell him." Jen- "What?" Mike- "He seemed so relaxed about it that I figured I'd let it ride for a little while." Jen- Freaks out, yells a little in a panicked way and expresses the importance of Mike telling Ryan it was a joke so that Ryan doesn't start looking for another patient. Mike agrees and says he will call Ryan. Bronwynn and Jen call Ryan...no answer. Mike calls Ryan...no answer but Mike leaves a message. Part 3: Jen goes home. Meanwhile, Ryan comes home and has the following conversation with Bronwynn: Bronwynn- "So did you get your phone call from Mike?" Ryan- "Oh yeah, about the baby?" Bronwynn- "No, the second one." Ryan- ..... Bronwynn- "It was an April fool's joke, Jen isn't pregnant." Ryan- "What?!?! She isn't pregnant? I didn't get a second phone call. I just paid someone $150 to take Jen's place!" Ryan continues to yell about how mad he is. Part 4: Bronwynn calls Jen and they have the following conversation: Bronwynn- "Jen, this is not an April fool's joke. Ryan didn't get Mike's message and he paid someone to take your place and he is super mad." Jen- "Why are you whispering?" Bronwynn- "I'm in the bathroom. Jen I have NEVER seen Ryan so upset. He's really ticked off at Mike for not telling him." Jen starts crying while Bronwynn continues to freak out in the bathroom. Then comes a knock on the bathroom door. Bronwynn opens and it's Ryan. Ryan: "APRIL FOOLS!!!!" The breakdown: Mike decided not to prank Ryan...he decided to turn the prank on us. So he and Ryan orchestrated the whole thing and Bronwynn and I ended up with 7 new grey hairs and 2 fewer years in our life expectancy.

No Pictures?

2011-03-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

I get many requests for updated pictures on my blog and many inquisitions as to why they are not there in the first place. Let me answer the second complaint (and temporarily ignore the first). Why do I not have many pictures? Let me tell you. Reason #1- I don't have one of those fancy phones that uploads your pictures straight to the web so I can just click and paste. Yes, I know, my husband works for Ntelos. I should have a fancy phone right? Alas, even for an employee's wife, the phone costs money. Even should I desire, why pay for a phone that we all know would outsmart me daily? I could take pictures with my camera and then remove the sim card and upload the photos to the computer and then upload them to the blog, but honestly, who has that kind of energy? Everyone in the blogging world you say? Well darn. Guess I'm just plain old lazy! Reason #2- As I am constantly reminding my children, I have two hands and four children. You do the math. Until I learn to take pictures with my mouth or they invent a camera that floats along behind you, I'm afraid you will have to settle for a few less pictures. I am usually holding a baby, a hand, a bag, a cup, a snack, a diaper, a booger...and thus find myself incapable of taking pictures. Am I just making excuses? Probably. But seriously, you go to a soccer game and try to cheer on the player, keep a two year old from getting run over by a car, give one child a snack, take the other one behind the bushes to pee and somewhere in there find time to take awe-inspiring pictures. So don't hate me. Just remember what my husband looks like and then you will have a clear and lasting picture of each one of my children. :)

Half Way!!

2011-03-13T14:15:00.000-07:00

We are now half-way with the pregnancy and so far, so good! It's so exciting to get to this point. For one thing, it's a pregnancy milestone for any woman, half way done is half way done after all. For me, it's also a special milestone. The first baby that we lost was at 20 weeks, so I feel like once I pass that point I start to relax (a little bit). :)
I'm so thankful to be pregnant and to have things be going so smoothly. I'm enjoying every day that I get to carry our sweet little boy.

Can Someone Please...

2011-03-01T15:51:00.000-08:00

Put this mama to bed! It's just been one of those days. Poor Mike had to work open to close today so he won't be home until late, even though he got very little sleep since he was up with RSV victim #3 (Nathan). Sadly, I was no help as I was up the whole night before with RSV victim #2 (Suzy).

So two sleep deprived parents, one at work and one at home. The one at work dealing with crabby customers. The one at work dealing with a very sick, very crabby, very lingy, very fevery Nathan.

Then Gavin gets gouged in the cheek with a tent pole, leading to a 45 minute disaster. Don't ask, because I have no idea. All I know is that six paper towels, two text messages to the pediatrician and one desperate call begging the hubby to come home, later... Gavin is doing fine. He's going to look gnarly in the morning though. Did I mention that Nathan totally freaks out at the sight of blood and hates when the kids get hurt? What? I forgot? Oh, well Nathan totally FREAKS out at the sight of blood.

So here it is, almost 7pm, and Caeden comes down to remind me that he hasn't eaten dinner yet. Then the intense wave of nausea and a few kicks from Little Red reminds me that I haven't eaten dinner yet either. Cold cereal anyone? Oh wait, Caeden doesn't like cereal...crud...um, toaster waffles anyone?

I'm ready for 8pm kisses and snuggles and bedtime stories and prayers (cause holy toledo do we need one tonight) and off to bed. Then could someone please come tuck me in and give me a drink of milk and pat my back and send me to bed? Pretty please?

Thank Heaven...

2011-02-24T16:55:00.001-08:00

For little BOYS!! We are having another handsome man!!

They Will Be Mine...

2011-02-08T13:47:00.001-08:00

Oh yes, they will be mine...

The Pit of the Issue

2011-01-31T08:14:00.000-08:00

I want to know why everyone has such misgivings about prunes? Seriously, did you ever try to take them to lunch when you were in school? It was like the black plague of snack foods. People would scatter, point, whisper, giggle. Ever watched someone buy prunes or prune juice at the store? They hide it at the bottom of the basket, or tuck it under their coats, like it's a freaking illegal drug! I honestly don't understand. I can see using some discretion with something very personal like a feminine itch cream for example, or even tampax. I personally don't care if people know that use tampax, but that's just me. To each her own. But seriously, PRUNES?!?! Why is everyone so ashamed to buy prunes? Is everyone afraid that people will think they have constipation problems? Is it the attached stigma of prunes and retirement homes that get people so antsy?
Well let me be the first to stand and proudly declare: I LOVE PRUNES! I do, I love them and it has nothing to do with bowel regularity. I just plain love them. They are delicious. They are awesomely good for you. Period. And you know what really baffles me? Why is it okay to eat plums but not prunes? You can take a plum to lunch. No one laughs. You can happily walk through the grocery store holding your bag of plums without shame or fear of judgement. Why are plums okay but not prunes, I ask you?
It's a mystery to me but I am saying it here and now, I love and ever defend the reputation of the prune. Long live the prune!

I'm Not Dead...

2011-01-25T14:25:00.001-08:00

I'm just a really bad blogger. Here is the very short-short of it:
Mike is doing great with work but he is super busy and working pretty long hours. It's been a challenge but we are so thankful for a job and I'm proud of how hard he works.
Gavin is getting ready for his baptism in June...yeah, that's right. I said BAPTISM! I can't believe my little boy is almost 8 years old! We are so proud of him and his decision to be baptised. He is such a joy.
Caeden is also doing very well. He is a very sweet and thoughtful boy and has a gift of honesty. As in: "mom, when we have five kids you will have a lot of kids to feed and you're going to say, "i'm not making five different dinners!"" Well, the kid knows me well!
Suzy is doing just wonderfully. She is smart as a whip and surprises me every day with all the things she just picks up! I can't believe she will be starting kindergarten in the fall.
Nathan is a total mess. He's adorable. He's a big adorable mess! He is on the go all the time and getting into mischief 24/7. The only thing that seems to keep him occupied is "Peter and the Wolf". He watches it all day long...and I do mean, all day long.
Little Red is growing and doing well. We are 13.5 weeks now. So far everything seems quite fine. I have an ultrasound in 4 weeks so I am really looking forward to that. Little Red is very, very active from what we saw on the last ultrasound. I am still wading through the swamps of morning sickness purgatory but I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the chance I have to carry this baby. We could not be more excited. Everyone has been asking me whether I think it's a boy or a girl. The truth is that I have absolutely no inclination one way or another. I will say this, I will be thrilled with either one!
I will try to get some pictures up soon. That's a wrap.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

2010-11-24T15:18:00.000-08:00

Oh evergreen unchanging...for the most part. :) Even the most steadfast traditions change from time to time, as I am coming to find (and reluctantly accept). Of all the Christmas traditions in my family, the tree was probably the one taken most-seriously.
From the time that I could walk, my mother and I would go out every year into the woods (and I don't mean a Christmas tree farm...I mean the real woods...lions and tigers and bears, oh my woods) and we would hunt for our perfect tree. Because we were not on a Christmas tree farm, most of the trees that we found were a bit on the...um...scrawny side. But scrawny was just exactly how my mother liked them best. In fact, some years we had to cut down two little ones and tie them together with bailing twine in order to create enough branches to constitute an actual Christmas tree. Then we'd load it up in the truck and we'd head home to set it up and decorate.
I'm telling you, Charlie Brown has nothing on my dear mother. She would hang every strand of lights, ever ornament, every length of tinsel (not matter how mangy) that she had ever owned, on that tiny little tree. How those trees every remained standing I have no idea but they were perfect and beautiful and it was our tradition together.
One year I created a paper angel (I think I was in Brownies at the time if that helps you to put the time frame into perspective). My mother fell in love with that angel and since it's creation, it has been at the top of every Christmas tree.
I remember one year in particular, my mother had been very ill and was in the hospital. A few family members decided they would surprise mom and bring her a store-bought Christmas tree (live but full and beautiful). Those poor unfortunate souls didn't realize what they had done. I have never seen my mother so upset and angry. Hahaha. I still laugh when I think about it. She drug that tree outside and hacked off about two-thirds of its branches. Even then, she was not happy about it.
When Mike and I were first married we still had live trees. Now our tree is fake (pre-lit) and the only ornaments I can hang are a few non-breakable ones, which have to stay a good three feet up the tree.
But a few things haven't changed. My paper angel still sits at the top every year. I still sit for a few minutes every night and just look at the tree and soak up the beautiful feelings that it inspires. I still think of my angel mother and shed a few tears for the Christmas that is coming that I won't be able to spend with her. Traditions may change slightly, but the feelings that inspire them are constant. I hope that we all can enjoy our Christmas trees, whatever they may look like...and that, most importantly, we will cherish the memories with loved ones here and those who we will be with again one day.

Happy 6th Birthday Caeden!!!

2010-11-22T08:42:00.000-08:00

We sure love this awesome little boy!

"Focus" is the Word of the Day

2010-11-04T15:16:00.001-07:00

Today at school, the children were taken to a special demonstration of karate. Their teacher was asked to pick one student who demonstrated the most "focus" in class. Caeden was picked (don't worry, I'm just as surprised as you are-after all, this is the child I have to tell twelve times in a row to put on his pajamas)! So he got to go up and do a demonstration with the karate teachers. Using only his foot and some good ole fashioned "focus", he broke the board!! We were really excited about this. :)

If You Give a Nathan a Banana

2010-10-27T16:45:00.001-07:00

He will take it down like it's his last meal!

A Pleasant Surprise

2010-10-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

I had the unexpected privilege of getting to see my cousin and his ADORABLE family this weekend as they were passing through Richmond. I must say, when it comes to cousins I really hit the jack pot. I have pretty awesome cousins on both sides of the family and my husband's family as well. This cousin in particular, however, has a very special place in my heart.
When I was really little I wanted to marry him. I know, I know, you're thinking "that's gross" or "maybe her hometown rests a little too deep in the forest". Let me just reassure you, if you ever met my cousin, you'd see that my crush was completely justifiable. James has always been that crazy, funny cousin who treated me more like a little sister than a cousin. We never lived near each other so our visits were not as frequent as some (though with his easy recollection of all my embarrassing childhood quirks, I'm thinking it's probably not all bad that he wasn't around during my dating years), I always felt close to him. All in all, he's just pretty awesome. His wife is awesome. His kids are awesome. It's like one big Harrington bundle of awesome-ness.
Our visit was brief but wonderful and reminded me of how wonderful family is!

Prayer Request

2010-10-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

Well, in keeping with our 2010 Ramsey family tradition, Suzy will be going in on Tuesday for surgery. This is a very simple surgery to help with some eye issues she has had for several years. While it is not "major" surgery, it is always a bit worrisome for parents. :) Please keep our little Suzy-lou in your prayers that all will go well, that the doctors will be guided and that her recovery will be quick and as pain free as possible! :)

A Little Side Note

2010-10-13T11:28:00.001-07:00

On my previous post.....even the most creative things will not make it "fun" to lock your keys in your car at the grocery store with four children. They just won't.

Making Life Fun

2010-10-12T06:11:00.000-07:00

Parenting young children might be tricky at times, but this is such a wonderful age! This is the age where parents are cool! It is also the age where even very simple things can make a day "the best they've ever had". For example, yesterday the boys were out of school and we decided to take a trip to the mall and the bookstore and Target (three of their favorite places). To make this outing a little more exciting, I let the kids wear their Halloween costumes. They thought it was so fun getting to wear them out "just for fun" (the also didn't mind the attention they got from everyone telling them how cute they were).
So moms, what do you do to make your errands more fun? Do you take special treats to the store? Do your kids wear their pajamas? I would love to have more suggestions!! As a mom, I can't imagine anything being better than making every day "the best they've ever had"!

Back to School

2010-09-07T05:06:00.000-07:00

I honestly can't say exactly how I feel about two of my kids being in school now. I was super proud as I watched them get ready, put on their back packs and march to the bus stop with smiles on their faces. I was super happy as Caeden ran back to give me one last hug good-bye. I had to smile when he stood at the top of the steps waiting for Gavin to tell him exactly where to sit. They are so different, those two boys. I was also a little sad as I watched my precious time with them flying by. But mostly, I feel blessed to be the mother of four amazing children.

They just grow a little too fast!!!!

Birthdays!

2010-07-02T05:01:00.001-07:00

We've been busy in the Ramsey home! Summer is the season of birthdays around here. We started off with mine on June 1, I turned 25....again.

Then we had Gavin, who turned 7 (and that one is for real). I can't believe how big he is! We had his birthday party at Pump it Up (inflatable play place) and followed with cupcakes. Of course, I totally forgot to take my camera (also the birthday party favors, the candles for the cupcakes, the permission forms for my kids...I DID remember all the kids, so I'm taking credit for that). Inspired by a friend, Gavin decided that this year, instead of gifts, he would collect donations of new books, puzzles and games to donate to the Children's Hospital of Richmond. The next week we went and dropped the "loot" off. Gavin was so excited and loved the "happy feelings" that he got when he did something good for someone else. The hospital sent Gavin a nice letter thanking him, which now resides on our "good news" board (see previous post).

Next came Suzy, who turned 4 this week! I can't believe how quickly it's gone by. We had a little Princess party for her on her birthday. Mike also has a tradition that began when she was 1. He gives her one rose for each year. This year, Suzy's favorite color has been purple. Mike found her 4 purple roses. She LOVES them!

Now we are taking a deep breath.....for two weeks, and then we have Nathan's birthday....followed three weeks later by Mike's. Yeah. Summer is definitely birthday season!

Ps. Sorry that the pictures are out of order.....I'm not skilled at this aspect of blogging.

Just Five More Minutes Please....

2010-06-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

Why do they have to grow so fast? I just need a few more minutes/hours/days/years of this precious time with them.

I wish I could save these moments

And put em in a jar.

I wish I could stop the world from turning,

Keep things just the way they are.

I wish I could shelter you from everything,

Not pure and sweet and good.

I know I can't, I know I can't,

But I wish I could.

-Collin Raye

What Do You Get.....

2010-06-10T15:08:00.001-07:00

When you have boys and girls together?

A dollhouse full of creepy things.

Fishful Thinking- Good News Board

2010-06-10T15:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I saw this idea on a friend's blog. We LOVED it and decided to create our own "Good News" Board. The essence behind it is trying to highlight the positive things that you see happening in your family and outside of it as well. This has been a really fun experience for our family as we have focused on trying to find the good! For more information on activities for building a happier and more positive family, visit http://www.fishfulthinking.com/

Have You Ever....

2010-05-20T14:06:00.000-07:00

had one of those days? You know the ones I'm talking about...the ones where everything you touch seems to turn out like this?

or when you clean one room, only to find the next one looking like this?

or you feel like you will never see the end of this?

It's days like this that I like to pretend that I am here...

listening to this (meaning I'd need to own one first)....

and of course, I'd have this with me....

and maybe some of this too....

Of course, I would have to take them.....

because I would miss them too much if I didn't. And those of you who know me, know that there is no way I'd miss out on an opportunity to be with him....

but the rest of it? Yeah, I wouldn't mind leaving behind the rest of it for a day or two!

Nathan's Best Friend.....

2010-05-18T04:58:00.000-07:00

....is a locust. He must know how much his mother loves all things pertaining to plagues. Since he is still crawling instead of walking, he carries his friend around in his mouth instead of his hand.

Look What I Found....

2010-05-11T11:21:00.001-07:00

.....in one of my hanging baskets!!!!!!!

Dum-dee-dum

2010-04-29T13:08:00.001-07:00

I know I haven't updated in a while. This is not because only a handful of people actually read my blog and that group is largely comprised of people who see me all the time anyway. It is also not because I am sick or injured or in a coma, or otherwise rendered incapable of blog updation. The real, and far less interesting, reason for my lack of blogging is simply that I haven't had anything to blog about. There hasn't been much going on around here, other than the usual. But here is a quick update on the fam to ease my guilty conscience.

Mike- Started a new job with Ntelos, as the manager of the Mechanicsville store. We are really excited about. His hours are much better and we are excited for the stability. It is also about 1/2 mile from our house, cutting his commute by a good 29minutes. It's been a great blessing, especially while he continues with school.

Gavin- Wow, can he really be almost done with the 1st grade? It sure has gone by fast. He is playing soccer and enjoying it. His first piano recital is next week. He's growing up so fast. He's reading like a champ and even has his own email account. What?

Caeden- Continues to be my little character. He loves to dress up as and pretend to be virtually every hero/villain that there is. He has even taken an interest in "Smallville" so now he runs around the house claiming to be Clark Kent. He is so funny. It comes in handy sometimes, ie: "Caeden, run get me a Nathan diaper, super fast like Clark!"

Suzy- She's on a big princess kick. She is infatuated with Beauty and the Beast. Boy did I have a time tracking down a copy of the movie for our collection. When Disney locks a movie in the vault they really mean business. She loves the scene in the end where they kiss, which is funny since Suzy is not known for her lovey-dovey nature. Still, it's quite entertaining.

Nathan- Hates baby gates. We have them, we rarely use them, they are almost always open. Why I even have them up is a mystery to me. He sits at the gate and cries, resulting in one of us opening it up and letting him in/out. Around here baby Nathan is pretty much the prince of the peach tree. He is into everything and has energy like you would not believe and each and every member of this house (Alice included) is totally infatuated with him.

Me- Oh you know, nothing much. I painted the porch..and a bookshelf. I have discovered a new and abounding love for Lean Pockets as they serve to break the monotony of lunchtime routine of pb&j. I stayed up until 11:15 (that's PM people) the other night. Yep.

What's in a Name?

2010-03-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

Let me preface by saying that as a child, I named EVERYTHING! I grew up on a farm with many, many, MANY animals...each of which had a name. The fish had names....the chickens had names....random birds in trees had names. Need less to say, every toy that I touched was given a name.
My daughter names nothing. Well, I suppose that's not quite fair. She does name things. Her names are just a bit more...generic? For example:

white kitten

purple puppy

yellow duck

pink pig

do we see the trend??
So imagine my surprise/delight when Suzy decided to name her new baby doll that she bought at the dollar store yesterday. (Note: I am glad that she didn't catch on to the name I was using, which was Quasimodo--this doll is kinda funny looking). I had fully expected this baby to be called "Green Baby" or even just "Baby" but Suzy has decided to give her baby a REAL name. I am pleased to present to you.....

BABY BELLA!!!!

It's moment's like these that make parenthood so miraculous.

Marvelous March Recap

2010-03-31T05:17:00.000-07:00

#1- Baby Nathan is on the move!! He is CRAWLING!
#2- Gavin is in his 4th season of soccer- team U7 Germany!
#3- Caeden is registered for KINDERGARTEN!!!!
#4- Mike won a sales contest at work...including a really kicking prize! :)
#5- Suzy was picked several times for being reverent in Primary (yes, Primary, not nursery...but PRIMARY)!!
#6- New Moon was released (sorry, had to include it)!
#7- Awesome visit from the Perkins!
#8- Amy and Andrew had their baby!!! Welcome Violet!

**now it's your turn!! leave a comment with exciting things that happened for you this month! terri...i know you have one!!! ;)

A Video for Grandma

2010-03-28T15:40:00.000-07:00

Yoga Baby!

2010-03-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

My baby may not be able to crawl...but he can do an awesome downward dog!

Next Project: The Reinvention of the Grocery Store

2010-03-02T12:51:00.000-08:00

Item number one: the new and improved grocery cart. You know it had to be a man who created our standard grocery cart...a woman would have made solid bottoms so that nail polish and eye shadows wouldn't fall out of the holes. My grocery cart will have a solid bottom. The biggest changes will be wrought in the child-friendly carts. Most of the ones you see today have the little car on the front with two seats.This is insufficient. While my store will continue to have the standard car version, we will also carry a modified version which will have a little mini-van on the front which will accommodate four children instead of two. In addition, the size of the basket will be increased (deeper and wider)because seriously, if I have enough kids to negate a cart of this size, what are the chances that I only need a small basket's worth of groceries?? Anytime I go to the store I end up with groceries stacked on top of the little car, hanging out the sides of the basket and stuffed up underneath...but no more! Space will abound in my new grocery-cart masterpiece. And finally, the piece de resistance...the decontamination chamber. All carts must drive through it between each use so as to keep them sanitary and sparkling.
Item number two: the isles. Gone are the days of bumping into multiple poorly-placed display stands. The isles will be wider (3 carts wide to be exact which will be much needed with our new family-friendly carts) and clear of displays. It will also involve a two-way traffic system with a passing lane in the middle.
Item number three: the layout. Why is it that produce and bakery reside on one end and then the frozen foods are on the opposite end. If you get your frozen foods first then they are thawing by the time you reach the fresh goods. If you get your fresh foods first they will be smooshed by canned goods and cereal before you can get to the frozens. So in my superbly set up grocery store, we will have the bakery and fresh produce next to the frozen foods....thus eliminating the dilemma that faces every well-meaning shopper.
We shall call it "The Store of Wonders".

I Could TOTALLY Survive.....

2010-01-19T18:36:00.000-08:00

...a Lifetime suspense movie.
Now I am a self-proclaimed wimp. In fact, I consider myself to be a prime specimen of "fraidy cat". I have always thought that if anyone ever broke into my home or chased me down I would pretty much just curl up and cry. I'm not even sure I'd beg. I think I'd just cry. Of course, if my children were in the house this would change things....but I digress.
So, today, while home with sick kids, I was watching a movie on Lifetime. I can't remember the name of it...which speaks volumes for its calibre. But I noticed a few things...probably the key reasons why people in these movies always get themselves killed. It's almost hard to feel sorry for them when they are that thick. So I have decided that even I, the fraidy cat, could survive a Lifetime movie for the following reasons:
1. They never call the police. They always try but the line is cut. Seriously? It's 2010. You can probably text or tweet 911.
2. They continue to put themselves in the worst possible situations. If someone has been stalking/harassing/attacking you...how's about not getting in the car with them? Or maybe you shouldn't be staying home ALONE..or at all...I'm thinking that the Marriott is looking all sorts of wonderful right about now.
3. They always grab a kitchen knife. Why? IF they don't drop it, they get it taken away. Why don't you just gift wrap it and hand it to the intruder? For proper home security I suggest long distance weapons, you know, ones that don't require me to be inches from the killer but hey, that's just me. If you are against guns then try a moat...with crocodiles...and maybe a barbed wire fence.
All in all, I would say my chances are good. Lifetime perpetrators beware.

I'm Getting Published!

2010-01-12T11:00:00.001-08:00

I know, I'm shocked too! Who would have thought that someone would actually want to print my writing! I tell you what though, I sure am thanking my lucky stars for this opportunity! :)
In all seriousness, I am so excited! I have enjoyed writing all my life. In fact, I still remember my very first work, written (by hand I might add) at the tender age of eight. It was a fiction work entitled, "Twister" and came in at a whopping thirteen pages of note book paper.....not too shabby for a third grader, if I do say so myself. I even tied them together with yarn and drew a picture for the cover.
From that time I continued to write, winning two creative writing awards in school and having a few pieces printed in the school's literary magazine. That was about the extent of my writing achievement.....UNTIL NOW!
A few months back I submitted an essay to a magazine called "The Motherhood Muse". http://www.themotherhoodmuse.com/
I am pleased to announce that my essay, "Lessons from Lamb's Ears" will be featured in their spring edition, debuting in April 2010.
I will make sure to post links when it comes out. Until then, join me in a small happy dance?? :)

Laughing Out Loud

2009-12-22T10:57:00.000-08:00

My kids are so stinking hilarious!! I was sitting on the floor with Nathan and the other three come in with latex gloves on their feet chanting, "RIBBIT! RIBBIT!! Look Mommy, we're froggies!!" I laughed so hard. Crazy, adorable kids!!!

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-11T04:55:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's Christmas time again! Wow, this year has flown by! It has been a busy, wonderful and exciting year in the Ramsey home.
Last year we said goodbye to business ownership. Mike is enjoying letting someone else be the boss. He is back in school now getting his teaching credentials and then hoping to complete his Master's in teaching. He is hoping to teach high school Physical Education. We are so excited and feel so good about this decision. Besides school and work he is still quite busy with Elder's Quorum at our Church. He enjoys the opportunities to serve.
Gavin (aka Mighty Mouse, Gavinovich, Gavaroni and Cheese) is enjoying first grade. He is doing very well and has started reading things well on his own. It's a joy to spend time with him. We never know what funny thing he will say. He enjoyed soccer in the fall and is looking forward to going back in the spring for his 4th season. He is also taking piano and doing very well!
Caeden (aka Bacon Bits, Bacon Egg and Cheese, Jedi Master Caeden) is really coming into his personality. He turned 5 in November and was devastated to learn that Kindergarten had to wait until September (he was thinking he got to start as soon as he turned 5). He is very artistic and loves to color, draw, paint, etc. He is not as electronically minded as his older brother but he did discover something he loves very much....the Playstation! He would play for hours if I let him. He also played soccer in the fall and did very well. He is thinking that drawing class might be more fun than soccer though (don't tell daddy).
Suzy (aka Suzy Lou Who, Suzy Poozy Puddin Pop, Suzy Snowflake) is the ultimate princess! She loves all things pink, sparkly and glamorous. I have to confess, it's so fun! She has discovered that she loves Barbie movies (why didn't they have these when I was little?) and we own about ten of them. The boys have had to sit through many a showing of "Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus", "Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper", "Barbie and the Diamond Castle", and the family favorite, "Barbie and the Three Musketeers" (a misnomer as there are actually 4 of them). Anyway, Suzy loves to sing and dance and is actually quite good at it! She loves to sing in the car (especially Taylor Swift). She is looking forward to being old enough to play soccer and take piano, like her brothers.
Nathan (aka Meatball, Ham Biscuit, Big Handsome, BooBoo...and I confess, I call him Edward a lot)is an absolute joy. He joined the family on July 15th (2 weeks early) and weighed in at a healthy 9lbs. 3oz. Now, at almost 5 months old he has doubled his birth weight. He is a very sweet and happy baby and loves to laugh. This Christmas is extra special for our family. We are so happy to have our sweet Nathan Edward here.
As for me, I stay quite busy just living life. I love my days with the kids and my husband. I am still in Young Women's at Church and I love that as well. The girls have such wonderful spirits. They both teach and humble me. Any free time I get is usually spent reading.
This year we have truly felt the love, peace and strength that comes from our Heavenly Father. I am thankful for the knowledge of His love. I love everything about Christmas. I love the lights, I love the music, I love the movies, I love the COOKIES, I love the gifts! But aside from all of those wonderful things I love to reflect on what it might have been like to be present for that first Christmas. What would it have been like to see the star and know that the Savior had come?
I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year!!
Love,
Jenny and The Ramsey Clan

Please Send Prayers

2009-11-27T08:57:00.000-08:00

It's a sad post today friends. I just found out that a good friend of mine from high school lost her husband in a tragic accident yesterday. Please keep Emily and her family in your prayers. You can also contribute to her and her children (13 month old daughter and baby due in June)through the Emily Jones Memorial Fund at Wells Fargo Bank. You can also make a donation directly through this website:
http://www.johnjonesmemorial.com/forum/
We love you Emily! May you feel the infinite love of our Heavenly Father in this time.

http://www.mormontimes.com/people_news/newsmakers/?id=11886

Making the Most of it

2009-10-29T12:04:00.000-07:00

A few months back my friend introduced me to a program called "Fishful Thinking". I will get the link on here as soon as I figure out how but until then...use your imagination! :) Part of the mission behind "Fishful Thinking" is to approach motherhood with creativity and positivity. I am strong believer in the power of positive thinking, a trait that was demonstrated to me by the women in my family. My mother, grandmother and my aunt are all amazing examples to me of positive thinking, even in very difficult times. In the face of tragedy and struggle these women took their lives by the horns and refused to be brought down. They all are great examples of positive mothering!
For my first (hopefully of many) "Fishful Thinking" posts I wanted to do a "Making the Most of Motherhood" segment. As mothers we often find ourselves in a time crunch. With so much time dedicated to our children it can sometimes be easy to neglect ourselves. For this week's installment I wanted to focus on sleep deprivation (perhaps because it's forefront in my mind lately). We may not always get the sleep we need but I want to know how my friends make the MOST of their sleep! I know for me, it's all about the bedroom. One thing I do to make the MOST of my sleep time is to make my bedroom my safe haven! I try to make that the room that is off limits to toys so at the end of the day I make sure that my kids take any toys out and put them in their rooms. I also like my bed to be nice and ready for me so I take an extra minute (it seriously only takes about one) in the morning to make the bed when I get up. I make sure that I wash the sheets often and I like to spray some linen spray on my pillows before bedtime. When the room is clean and inviting and smelling nice, I find it so much easier to relax and get some much needed, all be it interrupted, rest!
So I want to know what my friends do to make the most of their sleep time! Leave a comment or write your own "Fishful Thinking" post.
For more information on "Fishful Thinking" check out my mama-pal Kelli's blog at www.writingthewavesmama.blogspot.com
Kelli I hope I did this right!!! :)

Ramseys v. Swine Flu

2009-10-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

In an epic battle between good and evil, the Ramseys went up against arch nemesis,
H1N1, in the most heated play off of the season.
Team Ramsey made early attempts to thwart the advancement of Team Swine by isolating lead player, Gavin Ramsey. Resistance was futile, however, and Team Swine kept the virus in play, overcoming valiant team members, Caeden, Suzy and Nathan Ramsey.
Things looked rough at half time for the home team. Players were down and Team Swine appeared to have the upper-hand. Reinforcements were called in and the team was seen by their lead MD. Excellent efforts and vigilant care ensued on behalf of team Ramsey by their awesome Pediatrician and the efforts of head coaches, Mom and Dad.
Thanks to the help of home team supporters who cheered, chanted and brought in refreshments, the Ramseys began upping their game and by the fourth quarter, had regained strength.
Team Pig made a last attempt with an illegal underhanded attack at players Gavin, Nathan and Suzy, resulting in worsening coughs and, in the most shocking fowl play seen thus far, an episode of barfing. Thanks again to the efforts of their expert doctor, Gavin and Suzy were both able to turn it around and gain possession of the lead.
After this grueling show down the score landed at Team Ramsey 4, Team Swine 0. The head virus of H1N1 was overheard saying that there is no plan for a rematch.
Well done Team Ramsey!

On a more serious note, I realize that the decision to vaccinate is very personal and sometimes a difficult choice to make. I just want to encourage everyone to really do the research. The Swine Flu is no joke. We actually had a fairly mild to moderate case with only one child ending up on a nebulizer(and it isn't the one I would have expected), and one child ending up with a secondary infection. This strain of the flu is receiving a lot of hype. Some is unnecessary. Some, however, is well founded. A few facts to chew on:
* This strain of the flu is becoming very serious for young children and pregnant women.
* 1 in 4 of the children who have died from H1N1 were healthy prior to contracting the virus.
* The CDC estimates that as many as 1 in 2 people will contract H1N1.
* More people have died in October from H1N1 than typically die in an entire flu season.
I realize that vaccinating carries risks but when it comes down to it, the risk of complications from the vaccine are minuscule in comparison to the risks of contracting , and having complications from, the flu. I have attached two links with some information on the swine flu vaccine. I would encourage all of my friends and family to read it and become educated. This last week was intensely difficult and my children were lucky.

http://windsorpeak.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi?flavor=archive;list=baby411;id=20090922153943

http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/

My Little Crocodile!

2009-10-08T13:11:00.000-07:00

Well folks, it's official, my little boy is growing up!! On Tuesday Gavin lost his very first tooth! It's kind of a big deal....I'm pretty excited and so is Gavin!

Great Kid Quotes of the Week

2009-09-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

Gavin (to a mannequin at Dick's Sporting Goods): "Next time I'm gonna come back and give you a kiss babe!"
Caeden (to me while waiting for Gavin to get off the bus, while watching the lawn guy cut and bag the grass..in a desperate attempt to rid our yard of the evil sticker weeds):
Caeden- "Why is that man here?"
Me- "He's cutting the grass."
Caeden- "Why?"
Me- "Well that's what he does. Like daddy cleans carpets for a job, Mr. Bruce cuts grass for a job."
Caeden- "Oh. Well, you should cut the grass mom."
Me- "Well I can't."
Caeden- "Why?"
Me- "Because I can't cut grass and hold baby Nathan at the same time."
Caeden- "Would baby Nathan get frustrated?"
Me- chuckle "Yes, he would."
Caeden- "Oh." pause "I love saying the word frustrated."
Suzy (to me with her stuffed pink kitty): "Mommy, do you want to pet my kitty? He's very nice. He don't bite. He tickles."
Nathan of course isn't saying much but he's smiling lots which is so fun! :)

Nathan's Big Adventure

2009-09-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

Once upon a Saturday....
Baby Nathan woke up and was not acting his normal, cheery self. He had been battling a little head cold, along with the rest of the family, but he had seemed fine other than some stuffiness and a small cough. But on Saturday morning he woke up extremely fussy and very sleepy. I decided to take him to the pediatricians office. They only have walk-ins on Saturday so I got there right when they opened thinking I might beat the crowd....WRONG!! So my four kids and I sit in the waiting room, probably picking up three additional bugs for the one we came with, and patiently wait for our turn. We couldn't see our doctor so had to settle for a different one. She looked him over, checked ears and throat and such. She ruled it to be a simple cold and sent us on our merry way.
By early afternoon I knew that something wasn't right. He had been sleeping all day and wasn't eating. Then came the fever and the real beginning of our adventure. I took him over to KidMed. For those of you who live in Richmond, I highly recommend this place if your child ever needs urgent care. It is SO much better than the ER and has mostly the same capabilities (ie. a lab, x-ray, etc). There are three doctors, all of them are from St. Mary's ER staff and they are EXCELLENT. Anyway, we head over there. By this point his fever is higher. They examine him, run tests, take a urine sample (via catheter...it was awful), do an x-ray and attempt to administer an IV. Need less to say, mom is starting to fall apart. After the third attempt to put in the IV I was truly sobbing. My poor little man was losing his voice from crying so much and everything from his temperature to my blood pressure was continuing to rise. When they came in the fourth time to attempt the IV I informed them that if they came within two feet of my son with another needle I would politely rip their arms out of their sockets, retrieve the needle and they could have it back when they preyed it from my cold, lifeless fingers. They got the doctor. :) The doctor and I talked and agreed to hold off on the IV as long as he would eat. And he did. Blessing!
After examining the x-ray and the blood work they determined that he may have the early stages of bacterial pneumonia, along with the virus that caused it. The virus was NOT the flu or RSV. Blessing!
Because he is so tiny they decided he needed to go to St.Mary's for observation and possible treatment. So we were taken by emergency transport. It was awful watching my baby be strapped to a gurney and being loaded up. The staff was so kind. They even put on a movie for him. I was not allowed to ride in the back with him so they would call up to the front and let me know how he was doing. A word about riding in an emergency transport...it's terrible. It feels a bit like riding in a plane that's crashing.
We get to the hospital and get into our room. It was a very humbling experience walking down the halls of the pediatric unit. I don't think I'll ever let a day pass without praying for the children and parents who endure serious illness. It was an eye opening experience.
After a long night of observation things were looking much better. He was active and happy, no fever, his lungs sounded clear. Sunday afternoon we were able to come home with antibiotics.
This morning he had an appointment with his doctor. She checked his white count and it was normal! BLESSING!! The bacteria is clearing and his lungs sound good. It looks like we dodged a bullet this time. Pneumonia in a new baby is no joke.
We are so thankful that Nathan is doing well. I truly felt guided to know what things to do for him and I am so thankful for that. As always, I am amazed by the beauty of medical technology. We had wonderful doctors and nurses. I am so thankful for that.
We are glad to be home and happy. BLESSINGS!!!!

A Great Bargain

2009-09-12T05:39:00.001-07:00

If you're a nursing mom or if you have a friend or relative needing a baby shower gift, check out www.uddercovers.com and use the promotional code "country". These nursing wraps are awesome and usually retail for $32.00 but with this code they are absolutely FREE! You pay the shipping ($8.95) so it's a great value!

Update

2009-09-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

Well, there has been lots happening. We took a trip to MA, had family out for Nathan's blessing, Gavin started first grade. Need less to say, we've been running around, staying busy, having fun, trying to sleep....etc. I don't have time to write tons right now but I'll try to do a more detailed update soon. In the meantime, here are some pictures of our recent adventures!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

No News is Good News!

2009-08-08T13:13:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks since I last posted...not because I am sleep deprived or overly busy...and I am a little bit of those things...but really it's because there hasn't been anything really entertaining to write about! It's been pretty much business as usual here in the Ramsey home. We are all re-adjusting to a new baby in the home but really I must say it's been a smooth transition. I guess I will answer the three questions I get asked the most: "Is he a good baby?", "How do the other kids like him?" and of course, "How does he sleep at night?" So here we go: Nathan is such a joy and the other kids have been SUPERBLY fantastic with him. Nathan does not sleep through the night, he wakes up several times a night to eat and have a diaper change but really, what else would we expect?
All in all things are going marvelously well. We are so thankful for our blessings and our family. As soon as I have some disasterous day I am sure I will blog about it. Those are always the most hilarious and entertaining ones after all. :)

Here We Are!

2009-07-18T16:30:00.000-07:00

He's finally here!! I truly feel over-joyed. He is doing so well and fits so perfectly into our family. The delivery went very well. A brief synopsis for those who are curious...I got a call on Monday morning (the 13th) and they asked me if I could come in for an amnio to check for lung maturity because they wanted to induce me this week to avoid further strain on my pubic bone (at this point it was getting pretty hard just to walk). They examined me and found that my cervix had made no change and my uterus was measuring at 40 weeks even though I was only 38. Soooo, we had the amnio..which, by the way, was SO not as bad as I imagined it to be. I went to labor and delivery to monitor for a couple hours and make sure Nathan wasn't disturbed by the intrusion. He wasn't. So we went home and they called in a few hours to tell me that the lungs were mature and scheduled me to come in Tuesday afternoon to get things rolling. Tuesday night they began with cervadil (a drug that helps prepare the cervix and make it favorable for induction). At about 5am on Wednesday we got things rolling. Of course, I asked for my epidural before they began the pitocin (the induction medicine formed in the fiery pits of Hades)or broke my water. Then the medication began and about 5 and 1/2 hrs and 10 minutes of pushing later he was here!! All 9lbs. 3 oz. of him!
He was super healthy and has been a sweet and mellow baby so far. The kids love him and Mike and I are enamored of course. It's really been wonderful to have him here safe and sound.
I had a lot of time in the hospital to just be with Nathan and reflect on the journey that we've had over the last two years with the miscarriages and the pregnancy. I remember so well the pain and the sadness that we went through. I remember the many prayers that I offered up and the many tears shed. It was such a difficult time for me personally. But in my heart I always knew he was there and he would come. Now looking back I am just so thankful for the blessing of our children. I guess the lesson I have learned in this is that if you know where you're going and you hit a road block, that doesn't mean that you turn around and go home...it just means a new route. And once you get there...it's a little piece of Heaven right here on Earth!

He's Here!!!

2009-07-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

Nathan Edward Ramsey was born on July 15th at 12 noon (on the dot). He weighed 9lbs. 3 oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long. We are home and recovering, everyone is doing well. More details and pictures will follow!! :)

Prediction Time!

2009-07-08T08:11:00.001-07:00

Alright everyone, here we go, time to guess away!!

A few statistics to help:
Gavin- 3 days late, 26 hrs. of labor, 8lbs. 9oz, no hair
Caeden- 2 weeks early, 15 hrs. of labor, 6lbs. 15 oz, a little hair
Suzy- 10 days early, 6 hrs. of labor, 6lbs. 6oz, no hair

*all three babies required pitocin--the boys i was in labor and with suzy they started me from scratch

soooooo, Baby Nathan:
when will he be born? (remember my induction is on the 20th)
how much will he weigh? (you've all seen the belly pictures)
how long will I be in labor?
will he have any hair?

have fun, let's see who gets the closest!!!

The Nathan Update

2009-07-07T15:43:00.000-07:00

Has it really been a week?? I guess so!! Well, here's the report. There has been absolutely NO change at all. I have not progressed at all so we are going ahead with the original plan to schedule an induction at 39 weeks (so around July 20th). We did get to peak at the little man today to check his position. He is head down (although he has still not dropped)and surrounded by plenty of fluid. He seems fat and happy so this is all good news. So now we just hang in there and let him bake for another two weeks. That's the scoop!!

The Nathan Update

2009-06-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

I have to first say HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUZY!! I hate to steal her blog day but I had my apt. so it's time for the Nathan update. We are now 36 weeks but measuring 37 weeks. We originaly had planned to schedule an induction for 39 weeks but my dr. wants to wait until next week and see where we are before setting anything as she thinks it may be sooner. I have started to dialate a LITTLE bit but he has not dropped or anything so it will still be a little while. We are thinking sometime in the next 2-3weeks, certainly within 3 weeks since that's the induction time. Heartbeat was good, blood pressure looks good. We are doing well and just gearing up for this baby!!!

Happy Birthday Suzy!!!

2009-06-30T04:54:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy Birthday Gavin!!

2009-06-22T10:28:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The Nathan Update

2009-06-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

I am enormous and so is Nathan. The end.

Just kidding! But seriously, all seems well. I go every week now and so far everything looks just fine. Four weeks until induction time! Hurray!!

Summer Fun!

2009-06-19T12:55:00.001-07:00

Grateful

2009-06-17T13:10:00.000-07:00

"I know my prayers are heard,
Thou has answered every word.
And I rejoice now, to know that Thou,
Would not forsake me, it's enough
To make me grateful.
I am so grateful.
Grateful even in my darkest hour,
For I feel Your power, it brightens up my life,
And makes me grateful."
-From "Liken the Scriptures: Ester and the King"

Well, I guess it will get out sooner or later......

2009-06-13T06:26:00.000-07:00

We put off telling anyone for a bit, mostly because we know what you are all thinking...and you're right.
Yes, we are poor as church mice right now.
Yes, we are about a month away from baby number 4.
Yes, we already have our hands full.
No, we don't need one more but....what can we say? This little one really needed a good home. He came from a rough situation and while we don't have much by way of monetary things to offer, we have all the love (and dare I say, attention) that he needs.
So it is my pleasure to introduce the newest member of the Ramsey family.
Don't worry Twilight lovers, you won't be disappointed because joining our cat, Alice, in the Ramsey pet wagon is........JASPER!

Raised in a Barn?

2009-06-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

Sure, it's a popular cliche, but if I'm being honest, the longer that I'm a mother, the more I see the truth behind it. Raising kids is a lot like running a barn. While I have ridden and worked with horses all my life, I had the opportunity at 18 to actually manage a barn for endurance race horses. Now I have the opportunity to manage a household and the parallels are numerous!
I have noticed that horses and children compare in three major ways:
#1- Feeding time. Every horse has a different purpose or job and each horse has different dietary needs. Ergo, mealtimes at the barn consist of first, preparing each horse their own specific meal. This is much like feeding time at the Ramsey's, no one EVER wants the same thing. There also must be an order to it, you can't just feed the first horse on the line first because then his neighbor might totally flip out. So, you have to feed the most anxious horses first and THEN the more relaxed ones. Much like I have to put Suzy's plate down first so she doesn't have a panic attack. And whatever you do, don't mix up some one's food....oh alert the authorities! Whether it's horses or kids, someone will be kicking, thrashing or getting sick.
#2- Traveling time. Whenever we load horses onto a trailer we have to be careful in what order we do this. You can't put two horses next to each other who fight, you have to pick two that get along. Also you can't put a horse who refuses to back out in the very back of the trailer because then they have no room to turn around. You can't load a very nervous horse in the very front because if they panic and start kicking around they could injure another horse. And thus it is with children. I can't put Suzy and Caeden next to each other because they will fight the whole time. But I also can't put Gavin next to Suzy because Caeden likes to have a buddy and because if there are two car seats in front then the child in the back can't see the DVD player. I can't put Suzy right behind me because then she messes with the buttons on said DVD player and because then I can't reach over the middle seat to button Caeden's belt, because I can't fit into the back and reach him with my huge belly.
#3- Play time. Just like you can't load certain horses together, you can't turn certain ones out at the same time either. Some horses fight so they have to be in different areas. But then some horses get nervous if you separate them so you can't do that. This gets VERY complicated if you have a threesome, like horse A and horse B hate each other but they both LOVE horse C. In cases where you can put three together one horse will always establish dominance. With children, it's much the same, one horse becomes the bully, one horse tries to fight back but ultimately fails and one just eats grass and ignores the others. So our paddock becomes the playroom and voila! It's my house at playtime!!
So I feel very grateful for my experiences in the stables because it helps me understand the frenzy that I am living as a mother. It's messy and wild and a little smelly sometimes but hey, what can I say, I just saddle up and enjoy the ride!

The Nathan Update

2009-06-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

Well, 6 weeks to go!! We are kinda, almost, sorta getting closer to the homestretch. :) I had my appointment today. Things are going well. We are measuring right on target, heartbeat is good. We also got some VERY good and hoped for news. For those who didn't know, I have been having some issues with my pubic bone. Basically the ligaments that hold the pubic bone together have been strained/stretched and the two sections are separating. This happens to a degree with pretty much everyone during pregnancy but mine is one of those more extreme cases that is a bit more rare. The good news is that it is not a danger to the baby at all. We also learned today that it should not effect my delivery plans at all. Chances are, it won't be any different than other deliveries other than my recovery time might be a wee bit longer since my body has a little more correcting to do. :) I may also have to have several weeks of physical therapy prior to delivery but hey, who wouldn't want to go rehabilitate their pubic bone?!?
So all of this is wonderful news. We are happy to know that it's not a dangerous situation at all. Of course, the unpleasant part is that it is ridiculously painful. Very simple things can be excruciating. I feel really blessed to have a fantastic husband who helps me out so much.
So that is our update. We are doing well and getting so excited for this baby to come! I can't wait to meet him!!

Showered with Love!

2009-06-05T04:29:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the priviledge of attending my baby shower for little Nathan. It was so wonderful. I maintain my previous claims that I truly have the most wonderful friends EVER. I am so incredibly blessed to have a great support group of women around me. The shower was beautiful and so fun (not the mention the yummy food). Thanks guys! You all are the best!!

2009-05-29T10:30:00.001-07:00

Nathan Update

2009-05-28T07:21:00.000-07:00

Not much to report this week. Everything at my apt. went great. Heart beat was strong, measuring right on track, weight gain was....well....anyway, we are both doing fine and about 7.5 weeks left before induction! yay!!!

Bringing Me Back

2009-05-23T09:32:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I had a fun experience with the kids. It has been a long week, a little stressful, a little tiring. The kids had been quarelling all day long and I was just feeling a little bit "done". :) Well so I am sitting on the couch with Suzy and she keeps trying to pull my shirt up so she can look at my "beeeeg bewwy!" So then Caeden and Gavin come running over to stare at the humongous tummy and ask me questions...."Mommy, is baby Nathan getting even bigger?" "Is your tummy itchy?" "Is your belly button going to fall off?" So then Gavin asks the question, "Can I feel him? Is he kicking?" At the time he wasn't so I suggested that the boys bring me a little cup of lemonade and we would see if that would wake him up. So they ran and got me a cup and I drank it down and within a minute the baby was bouncing all over the place. The kids were extatic! They had so much fun just watching my tummy move around and feeling the kicks. For a few minutes no one was fighting, no one was crying, everyone was sitting there together and just happy and excited. It was just another one of those experiences that reminded me that no matter what stresses life might present, I am so blessed to be a mother and a wife. Love conquers all! :)

AHHHHHHHHHH

2009-05-20T10:58:00.001-07:00

Have you ever been on the phone with someone and you just wanted to reach right through and grab them by the neck and shake them?
I called our mortgage company today to make a payment, okay, I am trying to give them MONEY! You would think that they would be more accommodating when someone is doing their best to pay them. But noooooooooo.
First of all they ask you if you want to use your loan number or social to verify the account. If you give them the loan number, they then ask for your social so tell me, why was there ever an option? Then I sit on hold for 10 minutes...no really, it was actually 10 minutes. The lady comes on the phone and the first thing she asks for is my loan number. Okay, what was the point of my entering it if she's just going to ask for it anyway?
Enough with that. So I tell her I need to make a payment from two different accounts using two different checks. Silence. Um, are you there?? I repeat myself. She totally doesn't understand what I am needing to do. So I explain it slowly. She then tells me that they don't do that. I inform her that they most certainly do, we have done it before. We just need to pay half from one checking account and half from another, not hard. Well then I ask what the total is because I don't have a statement in front of me. Well she can't tell me that because my name isn't on the loan. Because I am, of course, trying to commit fraud by paying money TO an account that I just happen to have the name, address, social security, loan number, etc. for. I guess the exact payment amount is classified.
Anyway, we go around and around and she is as helpful as a dog tick. Seriously, I finally got so upset that I started crying, said thank you and hung up on her.
I then went and ate two cookies to compensate for my emotional distress.....make that three.
Seriously, why is it so impossible to get people to help you and work with you sometimes? Grrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!

Update #2

2009-05-14T11:17:00.000-07:00

No gestational diabetes! YAY!! I celebrated with Oreo Cakesters..yummm. I do, however, have low iron. The good news is that it explains some of the things I've been going through. Maybe the supplements will help!! :)

The Nathan Update

2009-05-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

I had my check up today. Things are looking great. Nathan is now measuring at right around 3 & 1/2 lbs. He is also measuring about 1 week ahead of my due date (and also my uterus) so looks like he may be a little bigger than Caeden and Suzy were and closer to Gavin at delivery. We shall see! :)Size aside, he looks fabulous and happy. More good news, the dr. believes we are no longer needing to see the high-risk specialist every month so yay! We may end up seeing him one or two more times to check size and measurements but the pregnancy itself is no longer considered to be high risk.
We have just under 10 weeks until induction time so we are getting excited and starting to get a few things ready. The kids are getting PUMPED!
So that's the news on our little one. I had my glucose test today so I should find out the results of that sometime soon. You will know if you hear the desperate cries echoing through the land, that I failed. Keep your fingers crossed! :)

Should I Lie?

2009-05-12T05:19:00.000-07:00

So this morning I am in the bathroom doing..well, bathroom things. :) And I hear a little voice....(not in my head, it was Suzy).
"Mommy?? Where aaaare youuuuuuuu?"
And I found myself at a crossroads. I know lately she has been getting a little nervous if she doesn't know where I am. So here are my options:
#1- I can call back to her, ease her fears and just let her come find me and oogle over whatever I have left in the toilet. Also should I choose this option I am sure she will ask me a thousand questions: "Mommy, what are you doing?" "Are you going pee pee?" "Are you going poo poo?" "Can I see?"
#2- I can just not say anything at all. I can let her run around and continue to call for me and then begin hysterics after about the fourth time of me not answering. Still not a peaceful potty-going experience but at least she's not in there with her big blue eyes staring at me.
#3- I could lie. I could tell her I'm upstairs and just prolong the panic. It will take her a minute to get upstairs and look around and figure out that I'm not really there. Of course, the downside (aside from the shame of openly deceiving a two year old) is that once she realizes I'm not where I said I was, the true cardiac arrest type panic will set in and it might take a good twenty minutes of cuddling to undo the damage.
So there I sat, at the crossroads of the lou. Sigh...."I'm in the bathroom Suzy."

*At least she's adorable! :)

TAH-DAH!!!

2009-05-11T06:41:00.001-07:00

Well, it didn't turn out nearly as pretty as the one in the picture but it tasted pretty yummy. I ended up not doing the chocolate and for the sake of $ I used frozen raspberries, blackberries and blueberries (yeah, I kept the blueberries). The mandarin oranges were a last minute choice to give it more color, not sure it really did much for the over-all taste, might leave them off next time. I did a boston cream filling instead of custard, mostly because I'm pregnant and lazy. I also skipped the apricot glaze but think I might do that next time. It needed a little something more. I also think next time I will go for a shortbread cookie crust instead of traditional pie crust.

"I'm in the Moooooood....."

2009-05-06T11:07:00.000-07:00

My next baking project....to master the fruit tart. This recipe looks divine, maybe some strawberries on there too and hex the blue berries? What do you think? I'm seeing maybe a thin layer of chocolate along the bottom of the crust, cover it a vanilla custard and then the fruit with a nice apricot glaze?

A Typical Conversation

2009-05-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

Standing in line at Ben Franklin I had the following conversation with the lady behind me.
As she looks at my belly, "Are you about due?"
"Um, no, not really."
"Oh, you look like you are."
Sigh..."Yeah, I'm due the end of July."
Shocked look "Really?!?!"
No mam, I'm lying about my due date to make the pregnancy longer. "Yeah."
"Wow, is it...."
Just stop, I know what's coming. "It's just one baby."
"Must be a big baby!"
"I guess."

All in a 5 Minute Window

2009-04-24T10:49:00.000-07:00

Ever watch the show 24? I hate it but my husband loves it. I usually watch 35 seconds and then go to bed so I am quite familiar with how the show starts. Keiffer Sutherland comes on in his oh-so-manly and mysterious voice and says: "the following takes place between 9am and 10am" (or whatever time it may be). So, imagine me speaking in Keiffer's voice...or maybe just imagine him speaking...you get the point. Ehem, here we go:
The following takes place between 1:40pm and 1:45pm.......
The location, the Ramsey kitchen (and also bathroom).
The kids have been fed lunch AND a snack.
"Caeden, Suzy are you hungry?"
"No!!"
"No!!"
Mom begins to make herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich.
Enter Caeden..."I want a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich, cut up like dinosaurs."
"Okay buddy."
Enter Suzy...."Mommy, I need to go potty!!!!"
Run to potty.
Caeden- "Mommy, I want some apple juice."
"Hang on, I'm helping Suzy, I'll be right there."
Suzy- "Mommy leave, close the door." okay.
Caeden- "Mommy.....I want some apple juuuuuuuice!!!!"
"Caeden, the apple juice isn't ready yet." Note frozen can of apple juice concentrate on counter.
Caeden- "But I'm thirstyyyyyyyyyyyy."
"Caeden, get some ice water and the apple juice will be ready soon."
Suzy- "Mommy, I'm done and I need a towel!"
Help Suzy get a towel and wipe the bottom...wash hands...back to Caeden.
Caeden- "But I can't get the ice!!!" Get Caeden's ice.
Caeden- "I want to get the water." Let Caeden get the water...the same way he COULD have gotten the ice.
Resume making sandwhiches.
"Suzy, do you want a sandwhich?"
Suzy- "No."
Finish sandwhiches.
Suzy- "Mommy, I want a sandwhich."
Start making Suzy a sandwhich.
Suzy- "My underwear are backwards!!!!" Turn Suzy's underwear right side out and give them back to her.
Resume making Suzy a sandwhich.
Caeden- "Mommy, I spilled my water!! My pants are cold!!!!" Help Caeden get his cold, wet pants off and pick up the ice.
"Suzy do you want your sandwhich cut in dinosaurs, like Caeden's?"
Suzy- "Yes."
Cut Suzy's sandwhich.
Suzy- "I don't want it cut up!!!!"
"EAT YOUR SANDWHICH!!!!"

Is it time for bed yet?? :)

A Few Spring Pictures

2009-04-20T11:17:00.000-07:00

We have been so enjoying this nice warm weather! On Saturday Gavin had a soccer game. He is just doing so well with it and seems to enjoy it a lot. Here's a few pics of the big game!!

The Nathan Update

2009-04-16T13:09:00.000-07:00

I had my 25 week apt. yesterday and everything looks great! We had another ultrasound with the high risk doctor and Nathan is measuring right on track. He is almost 2 lbs. and actually about two days ahead of my due date (hey, I'll take whatever I can get here). We are so thankful to see him doing so well and just looking so forward to meeting this little man. I am going to TRY to get some ultrasound pictures up here but the scanner and I have had only brief and dare I say, fruitless encounters. He looks great though! I go back in four weeks for another ultrasound and my glucose screening. After that I will go every two weeks. Thanks so much for all of the prayers and encouraging words. You have confirmed, yet again, that we truly have the greatest friends and family in the world!

Hair Emergency!

2009-04-13T06:36:00.001-07:00

Alright buddies, I NEED your advice!! Amy is coming home in a couple weeks (I am so freaking excited). Not only am I beyond pumped to see her but I am also pretty excited to get a hair cut since it's been well over six months since my last...sigh.
So here is my question...I am really tempted to go short again but my best friend is getting married in July and I am a bridesmaid. I will be 8 months pregnant and I'm worried that having really short hair will make me look even more humongous, ya know, my head will look too small for my body or something?
I really LOVED it when she cut it like in the picture but I can't go blonde this time obviously so my question is, what do we think of the cut without the blonde flair? Should I go that short or keep it longer??

The Almost Bad Word

2009-04-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

Today our family went to Walmart. In all honesty, if there is ANY place that could bring a swear word to my lips...it would probably be Walmart. But today, I was not the offender. Today, it was Gavin.
We were all together, Mom with a cart of Easter basket goodies (well, a few anyway, apparently the economy has hit the Easter Bunny too)and Dad was pushing the cart with three little blonde children.
As we are leaving the area with all the toys the boys had been asking (also begging, pleading and bartering their souls) for a spiderman video game that you plug into the television. We, of course, had to turn them down, much to their total despair. As we were walking away from the game out it came..."SUCK".
Mike froze, I froze, we all froze.
Mike was the first to respond.
"Gavin what did you say?"
"SUCK!Suck, Suck, Suck!!!"
"Gavin Michael Ramsey, you know that we do NOT say that word. It is not nice."
"What word?"
(Insert Mike's loud gulp) "Suck. It isn't a nice word and we don't say it."
"But daddy, I didn't say that!" At this point his little eyes are so wide and innocent. And we now remember that Gavin sometimes has difficult pronouncing certain sounds like "tr" and "ch" and "th".
"Okay Gavin, show me what you are talking about."
He gently leads us over to the toy isle pointing happily to a row of CHALK. :)
Whew!

My Funny Kids

2009-03-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

I love my kids. They say and to the funniest things. My friend Karen has special quotes from her kids on her blog and so I am stealing that idea to tell a few funny things my kiddos have said lately.

Gavin....The funniest thing about him (well it isn't always funny) is that he never sleeps. Last night Suzy woke up about 1:30-2:00am and as I was getting her settled in bed I heard the TV on downstairs in the living room. Mike was slumbering in our bed heavily so I knew it wasn't him. Did I forget to turn it off? No, I was 99% sure that hadn't happened. So I sent Mike down to see what was going on. BOTH our boys were sitting on the couch watching Tom and Jerry and eating a bag of croutons. At this point we were not happy with them but seriously, it is pretty darn funny. For Gavin's funny quote, yesterday Mike took Caeden to the store (he tries to have some one on one time with each kid) and Caeden picked out a "treat", a bag of three rubber fish for the bathtub so that each child would have one. When he showed it to his brother, Gavin responded by saying, "oh, that is so sweet!"

Caeden....His newest thing is his temper. He has a very short one. It's actually quite funny, borderline hilarious. He is a big foot stomper and he loves to say "I am so mad at you!" His little eyes come together under his furrowed brow and that lower lip jets out about a good inch. He also reeeeeally likes for you to know he's mad. If he starts stomping and huffing and puffing and you ignore him he'll say something like, "guess who I'm mad at?" If you ask him to eat something on his plate at dinner he will say "(insert unwanted food item) makes me so angry!". It's just actually really entertaining.

Suzy....Oh the girl of a million quirks. She is super into her clothes right now. Sometimes she wants to wear them, sometimes she doesn't but she ALWAYS wants to buy some from the store. She is very set on what she will wear also. Yesterday it took me almost an hour to convince her to wear long pants instead of her new pink shorts to go out in the cold, rainy day. She also loves to have her hair done now. We have a whole routine...gathering enough hair to make two tiny pig tails, rubber band with hairspray, clip a bow on and then curl them...and then more hairspray. :) If I skip a step or try to do something even remotely different to her hair...oh boy, watch out. One of my favorite new Suzy quotes is when she sees something she wants, like the Lifesaver she wanted to eat this morning, she will say, "mommy, this is for my birthday."

Nathan...Can't leave him out! He is so funny. From dodging the doppler at every appointment to his notorious peace sign ultrasound picture, this kid has got Ramsey flare! He is a BIG sweet fan. Anytime I eat anything with sugar this baby is bouncing around like a ping pong ball. I love it! I have a feeling he is going to fit in well with this crazy clan of ours!

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

2009-03-26T07:50:00.000-07:00

The good news....about 24 hours after starting the antibiotics I was a new woman. Of course you trade the symptoms of the illness for the side effects of the antibiotics but honestly, to be able to eat and speak (two of my favorite things) without pain, ahhhh, it's amazing!! :)
The bad news....I don't really have any. Honestly, "the good and the ugly" just didn't make a very interesting title.
The ugly...this I do have. I did get that bruise. She wasn't kidding. This is almost a week since having my blood taken. Seriously, this woman was so nice but she will never get near me with a needle again!

How Did I Manage That?

2009-03-20T07:03:00.000-07:00

So, for the past five days or so I have had this nagging little sore throat. It wasn't a big deal and it wasn't really getting any worse so I just ignored it. After all, I had no other symptoms and no one else in the house was sick so it can't be too major right?
Then yesterday evening something happened. I am 99% sure that I didn't swallow a nail, mash my tonsil with a hammer or set said tonsil on fire. That having been said, those are the only reasonable explanations I could come up with. I went from no big deal to my tonsil may or may not fall off today in a matter of hours. By bedtime it was throbbing so hard my ear was hurting. Need less to say, it was a rough night. I have never been so desirous of a hospital strength Ibuprofen (which I have in my medicine cabinet for just such occasions), especially when my two little Tylenol (the only safe thing to take while pregnant) didn't make a hill of beans of difference.
So this morning I called Mike home and he sat with the kids while I went up to Patients First. Now, let me ask you math geniuses out there, explain this little word problem to me... I am the fourth person in the door and therefor the fourth on the list. There are three doctors there (at least) and let's be generous and say they spend 10 minutes with each patient (again, we are being generous). So why is it, with three doctors, three patients ahead of me and 10 minutes per patient, it takes me an hour and a half to get out of there? I know, it didn't add up to me either but then again, I can't play Yahtzee without a calculator so I am not really a reliable gauge.
In all fairness to them, they were very nice and thorough. After my negative strep test I thought I had to be experiencing one of two things, either I just had some gnarly virus and I'm a tremendous wuss or my tonsil really was going to fall off. They decided to draw some blood to check my white count. That was fun. The lady was nice as could be but she probably would have had trouble finding a good vein on Mr. Ed. After poking and digging around a few times she finally managed to get the blood and all she could say to me was, "You're going to have a pretty nice bruise." Thank you.
So it turns out I have a bacterial infection in my tonsils. How on Earth did I do that? I mean, don't most infections stem from an earlier illness? Anyway, I am now on antibiotics and I only had to consult with the Patients First dr, my obgyn and the pharmacist before I felt comfortable that they were safe to take during pregnancy. Hey, you never can be too careful right? :)

Yes Virginia, It did Snow!

2009-03-02T10:11:00.000-08:00

As I sit here on my computer looking out the window I cannot believe my eyes. We have not seen this much snow since we moved here. In fact, my children have not seen this much snow in their lives! It's incredible! I know you westerners are laughing at me right now but seriously, we have REAL snow...inches and inches and INCHES!
A little glimpse into our snow day. Of COURSE, my children were up at the crack of dawn, or as my dear friend Amy would say, "the crack" as dawn is not yet in the picture. They had seen the snow falling last night and were so excited to get up and see if there was enough to play in this morning. Boy, were they excited! Gavin was up before 6am and we had to restrain him from running out in his pajamas.
After breakfast we started getting ready to go play in the snow. Here is the fun part, we live in a place where it barely ever snows and when it does, it's enough to make a footprint and then it melts. So we have no snow clothes. No snow suits, no boots, no real gloves (just some fleece mittens...not waterproof). We do have coats and hats but that's about it! So what do we do? Why, we do what any good rednecks in the situation would do, we wrap our kids in trash bags!
We put them in a light layer of clothes, then used trash bags to waterproof their feet and legs (we used one bag for each leg and tucked the excess into their underpants...in case you are trying to get the full picture) and then we put a warmer layer of clothes over top. We then put smaller pieces of trash bag over their hands underneath their mittens. There you go...who needs a snow suit?!?
We had a blast! We have no hill to speak of so Mike pulled us around on our coaster. We jumped on the trampoline and basically just rolled in the snow. Yes, mom and dad had trash bags too!!
Maybe this year I should take advantage of the sale Target has at the end of the winter and buy those $3 snow boots for the kids.