Buying boots and seeing great grandparents

We were finally able to get Will some real cowboy boots and a cowboy hat! They are so pretty and he is very proud of them. As soon as we got them on his feet he started stomping around Cavender's saying "boots, boots,boots, hat, hat, hat".

We also made the rounds and spent some time with the great-grandparents.

First we went to see Mema and Daddy Wendell. William found a batman comic book and had Mema read it to him several times.

Later that day we headed back to the farm and spent some time with Nana and Pa.

Pa wanted to know what class William is going to be in at Texas A&M. He also wanted to know if his major was going to be girls.

Then we headed to the restaurant to have dinner with Papa since he had to work and Cici was teaching a night class. It was a nice relaxing day. Blogger is being VERY SLOW so I am not going to post anymore pictures right now. We are currently in Talihina Oklahoma with my parents and are heading to Dallas tomorrow to visit some friends before doing the wedding stuff this weekend. Hopefully I can find a faster connection somewhere and post more later.

HOME SWEET TEXAS!

As soon as we got out in Hooks, we took a deep breath of Texas air and I took a picture of the flag outside Ramage Farms. Papa was watching for us and scooped up his grandson and paraded him around the restaurant.

What a proud papa.

As soon as we got to the house it was time to get ready for Jay's shower. On the way we were able to stop and get our Tex-Mex fix. YUM!

Me and Rica Roo (Erica) enjoying delicious margaritas.

Matt with his brother Caleb.

Sunday we headed to church and then afterwards went to Applebee's with the family for lunch.

This was actually a small crowd we were missing Uncle Curt and Aunt Sara. They were in Dallas getting ready for their son Daniel's wedding. After a good lunch we headed back to the farm and swam.

When Lollipup saw William and Matt in the pool she jumped in. She is Erica and Caleb's new puppy. William got a kick out of watching her.

Caleb with his puppy girl.

Rica and I shelled peas after swimming. I hadn't done that in forever.

Before going to bed William helped Matt blow out his birthday candles. (Matt's B-day isn't until August but Cindy wanted to celebrate it before we headed back to Florida. Nana made him one of her world (okay, Ark-La-Tex) famous italian cream cakes.

Surprisingly enough the fire alarm didn't go off.

That is why we don't have candles after turning 12.

I have a ton more pictures to share but blogger isn't letting me add anymore right now.

Last day of swim lessons.

I was so excited yesterday when one of the dads came to swim lessons with his camera in tow. I got out of the pool and asked him if he would mind taking some with my camera too. I assumed he would take one or two but he was such a sweety and took several during the entire class.

The girl I am talking to is William's instructor, Danielle, she is great with the kids and said William has done a great job.

"Mommy I really don't see the birdy. I think you are just making this up."

We are done with lessons as of today. The class tomorrow is just going to be a play day so Will is going to Mother's Day Out while I come home to pack for out trip home.

When we got home it was too hot to play outside so I got out the trusty "Busy Toddler Book" I found an idea for an indoor sandbox. It suggested using oatmeal or rice in bowls and playing in it like a sandbox. We happened to have a big bag of year old oatmeal that we have not touched so I got it out and poured it into my largest bowl for William to play with. HE LOVED IT! He was really timid about it at first, not wanting to make a mess, but when I started sticking my hands in it and getting silly he quickly caught on. Here is a progression of our mess.

"Okay mom, I guess this is fun."

"Okay, I can get into this."

"This is fun!"

"So who is going to clean this up mom?"

"Oh, never mind"

Matt got home around 7:00. After he took off his uniform William grabbed his hat and jacket and played dress-up.

"I can totally pull of the camo look don't you think guys?"

"Who would have guessed that mommy is a sucker for a man in uniform?"

One more day before we are at the farm!!!

The Wifia turns 1!

Joia informed us all a couple of weeks ago that today is the 1st anniversary of our weekly wifia lunches. (Only our Joia would be on top of things and know that.) It was Andrea's turn to host and she made an amazing tomato basil pizza.

She got the recipe from Pampered Chef. I plan on getting it from her. It is SO GOOD!

Before tearing into the amazing dessert Joia made we took a group picture with it. Unfortunately most of the girls were not there today. Jodi was not feeling well and Sarah's girl, Della, went down for a late nap so they missed the picture.

Gals in attendance today (Andrea, me, Wendi, Joia)

Sarah and Della did make it but we had put a good dent in the dessert before they got there.

The boys had a good time playing together. They found a car of Jonathon's that plays music and bounces.

The boys dancing along with the hoopty-mobile

We had a great day.

Busy, Busy, Busy

We were so busy yesterday I didn't have time to blog. The lady I am doing crafts with for our MOPS program came over at 9:45 and we worked until 2:00 on various crafts and nailing down what things we need and want to do this coming year. One thing we made some samples of were ribbon votives.

We plan on doing these around Easter time. They are so fast and easy which will be great for a meeting were we might have a long winded speaker.

Today William and I had swim leassons again. Afterward we headed to Crestview to return some things to Big Lots. When we got home William napped and I mowed the yard so Matt wouldn't have to when he got home. That turned out to be a good idea because when Matt got home his DOP patient (Duration of Pregnancy) came in to the hospital with some issues. Everything was fine she was just not feeling very well. While Matt was gone Will went ahead and ate his dinner.

"Mmmmmmmmmmmm lasagna is goooooooood"

Matt wasn't gone for long which made William happy.

The boys love playing horse.

Then William got into Matt's boots and played for a while.

Hope everyone has a great night.

Less than 4 days until we are on the farm!!!!

Bayside brunch

Today after church Brandon and Brittny said they were going the Officers Club for brunch. We tagged along because that sounded a lot better than the leftovers waiting at home for us. It was a really good meal. We got a table right by the window and the view was amazing.

Brandon, Christopher, Brittny, and Sophie

William and Christopher were itching to go outside and run around so after we finished eating we went out and let the boys run by the bay for a few minutes before heading home.

"Okay guys it's HOT I'm going home."

William ran so hard and for so long it took him about an hour to cool off. His poor face was so red.

Speaking of red we worked on our colors today. We poured out his big legos and I would ask him to hand me a different colored block. He got it right about 25% of the time so basically when he did, it was a fluke.

A new trike for our tike.

It was a great Saturday here at the Ramage house. We got up and went to Target to get William a tricycle. The bike Nonnie and Poppy got him is great, but he needs something to help him understand the concept of pedaling to make it go. The bike is just a little too big right now. After Target we went to the mall and ate at Chick-fil-a. Nonnie and Poppy got us calendars from there for Christmas so each month we get to eat out for free using the coupons that come on the calendar.

Chic-fil-a is Will's favorite!

After lunch we went to the movies and saw Wall-E. It is so cute William said he highly recommends it. We headed home after the movie and William took a nap while I worked on a craft for MOPS. I am the creative activities co-cordinator for the MOPS (mothers of pre-schoolers) at our church next year. Today I worked on a a photo cube for next year. The theme is "adventures in mothering".

When William woke up he was ready to help his daddy get his tricycle together.

"But daddy I thought real men don't read directions."

Too cute!

On our ride we went by Wendi and John's house. William insisted we go visit Miss Wendi. Matt tried to get him to give Scrubs a hug so we could get a picture. This was as close as he would get even though Scrubs is a gentle dog. Some days William tackles him and then today he only got 4 feet from him.

"Book Club"

After swim lessons William and I got to come home and clean house. It was nice to get home before 2:00 and actually be able to get stuff done. William was acting a little bored so I opened up a new book I bought called The Busy Toddler Book. The only activity I had all of the supplies for was an egg carton with clothespins. He has played with it before but it still amazes me how much fun he has playing with this. He counts up to three of them and then makes sounds like he is trying to count all twelve clothespins. He has a blast taking them out and putting them back in the holes.

After William's nap Matt told him he needed his help getting ready for his upcoming PT test.

This evening was the Wifia's monthly "book club" meeting. Yes I know I put it in quotes but it really isn't about the book. It is just so nice to get together with these ladies without kids in tow. We get to talk without being distracted or hurried. Tonight we went to Tradewinds, a great little Italian restaurant in Valparaiso. The food was so good and the portions were HUGE!

The ladies at dinner tonight: Joia, Wendi, Becky, Sarah, Jodi, Me, and Andrea.

Matt said he would watch Della, Sarah's daughter, so she could go tonight. While we were gone he took William and Della to John and Wendi's house for dinner. When Wendi and I got there I found that Matt had jailed William.

Not really. William thought getting into Scrub's kennel was too funny. Quite frankly I am thinking about getting one for my house :)

But he knows how to escape so there goes that idea.