Day in the life of the Ramptons: Vol 3

Last year my schedule was so different than the year before. This year, it's about the same! Just with a little more chaos!

4:30 AM: Bobby wakes up and leaves for work. He's been doing this 6 days/week for about 4 months now. NOT easy, bless his heart. I rarely even hear him leave, except when he's missing his keys, Army hat, ID badge, etc.

6:30 AM: One of boys wakes up. Usually Rocky, but when Rocky sleeps in, Troy wakes up early. A half hour later the other wakes. Nursing in bed, breakfast, change diapers, brush teeth. Start a load of laundry. Clean my room, then lock it for the rest of the day so Troy can't get in.

8:30 AM: Rocky goes down for nap #1. Troy begins his mess making. I clean up the kitchen, shower, read my scripture, water the plants, plan my grocery shopping. Tue & Thurs Haley Meecham and I do Insanity.

11-2 Shopping, playing, play group, chores, facetime with Chelsea and my mom. Lunch. Hang dry clothes.

2:30 PM: Nap #2 for Rocky and #1 for Troy. I do stuff on the computer and start dinner.

4:00 PM: Daniel Tiger and nursing. Keep dinner going. Troy plays outside. Usually boy clothes come off at this point.

5:30 PM: Dinner and walk to the park in the stroller. Get the mail.

7:00 PM: Rocky goes to bed. Watch American Idol, the Bachelor or Survivor and fold laundry. Dad comes home, eats dinner and plays with Troy.

8:30 PM: Troy goes to bed. Mom cleans up and plans tomorrow. Dad does things for AMD or his blog.

11:00 PM: Mom and dad go to bed.

Sundays: Church (usually just us 3) at 9:00
Mondays: FHE
Tuesdays & Thursdays: Workout with Haley
Wednesdays: Mutual for dad, YM leader
Saturdays: Garage sale shopping often

Blessings

Rocky had a beautiful baby blessing on January 3, 2016. My family and many friends came to celebrate. Bobby gave him a beautiful blessing.

I loved LOVED having my family in town!

Isn't this the cutest picture of Troy & my dad?

Happiest baby award!

Troy has tried to feed Rocky food on many occasions, most which have turned out fine. But I do remember bread in Rocky's mouth when he was probably 2 months old.

Troy loves to watch and try to hang with older kids. Can't you just see his admiration in his friend Landon McTighe?

#modelbabies

My favorite package!

Lining up trucks. Oh, what fun.

I have never lived somewhere where I love the weather as much as I love El Paso weather. Coming from Phoenix and Colorado Springs, I've seen hot hot and freezing cold.
It snowed 3x in December (stuck to the ground once, before Christmas) and once in February. Just enough to be magical, to usher in Christmas, but not too much to be annoying.
The weather has been AMAZING lately! It's a priority for me to be outside at 5:45 because just as the sun is setting, but the birds are still out chirping and it's still warm enough for shorts and short sleeves. Best feeling ever. It'll probably get too hot too quickly (especially in my black car), but man, I can't say enough about the weather here.

Those rare moments where no one is crying, and I'm not holding either one...

Man, this guys just speeds past his birthday-months.

Troy is getting so good at using utensils - but still somehow manages to always make my floor so sticky.

Found this recently - HA!

I know this pic was from a while ago, because they are bathing together now. I am soaking by the end!

Haha, he's been sleeping like this lately. It cracks me up.

We got to see Kelsey and Emma Jackson in Phoenix in January, and it fueled me for a good month. I love her, and now her little mini-me so much.

On our way to Phoenix - 

This guy is MOVING! I witnessed Army crawling today, but he has long been getting all over the place while I'm not watching (but let it be written - I hardly ever put him down).

We had a very traumatic experience of something getting caught in Troy's nose. Long story short, we miraculously got it out, and Troy and I both were so relieved.

Addison and Troy have toy car envy.

Rocky is so frantically excited to eat any food (or non-food) he can get his hands on. 

We want to a Truck show, which I thought Troy would love, but there was wayyy to much honking - all three of us got startled so often that it was actually kind of a headache. I do think it deepened his love for trucks in the end though, now that he has seen one up close.

#BestDadEverAward
because this pic was taken after Bobby worked a 14+ hour shift, for the 7th night in a row.

Poor baby got the weirdest rash! Luckily it didn't seem to affect him.

(7 months)!

What would we do without these toys?
And I just realized these are from Grandma Ellsworth, Anna Rampton, Becca Rampton, Alice Rampton, Alice Rampton (Bobby's old train), and Anna Rampton - I didn't buy any of these toys. Guess they've done boy before and know what will be a hit!

Christmas

The most wonderful time of the year came and went!

So magical with kids.

This year's highlight = the Christmas lights. Me and the boys walked around the neighborhood looking at lights probably a dozen times and found the best street. Troy LOVED our lights each night and he called them "Pretty pretty!" 

The rest of Christmas wasn't quite understood yet...

Including Santa. Didn't understand him at all this year.

& his elves

We had a simple Christmas, just us four. It was sweet!

For the record, I did have Christmas pajamas for Troy to wear, but Bobby forgot to change him into them...what do you do?

This year was truck themed, kind of on accident. We didn't know what an obsession it would be later!

Troy did good at opening presents.

So much to think about

Rocky just loved everyone being together in the living room and giving him attention.

The aftermath.

It felt good and cold in December, even snowed 3x (stuck once) but we are living in Texas after all -

(Christmas morning)

We started the best tradition this year, inspired by a friend in Colorado.
We called it the 25 days of Christmas, and we did a small service project each day from Dec 1 - 25. Since Bobby was not much help, and the boys are still little, it was basically just me doing it alone, so I kept it really simple. But it was one of the best things I have ever done and I want to keep it a tradition for my family my whole life.
Some of my favorites included:
Waking up with Bobby and making him breakfast
Cleaning up trash in the park (I looked homeless, people were staring, but it was good for me to be stretched)
Babysitting
Leaving a Christmas card with a small note about Christmas on a strangers car
Posting something inspirational on FB
Bringing a treat for the bishop on Sunday
Giving money to a begger
Complimenting someone
30 minutes of eye contact/no distractions from Rocky
Taking Troy to the park
Calling a friend
Emailing my grandparents on a mission
Thank you goodies to the nursery workers
Delivering treats to the neighbors
A day without social media or projects for my kids

I liked having one day with one family member in mind to serve. I can't wait to do it again next year! Out of all the Christmas festivities, I think this is what I 'll remember most this year.