Busy Not Going Anywhere: Again

A SIX WEEK OVERVIEW

Wow, I can't believe it has been a month since I have put anything up. We have been so busy ( as a friend said to me "you never go anywhere") not going anywhere.
Amanda, Nathan, Turner, Parker and Allen all came home for Easter. More pictures are below (after the Portland Pictures.) Once again, I have had trouble remembering how to move pictures on this, and I have spent way more time than I intended. My first weekend home in 6 weeks, and so much to do.) Ralph has gone to Springfield with the kids for a fireworks meeting and dinner so I have the whole day to myself- and I spend two hours on something that should only take 20 minutes- go figure.)




PORTLAND
Meeting Gwendolyn Edith Van Oostrum, a visit with Sam and their folks (Andy and Molly).



Miss Gwendolyn Edith Van Oostrum, March 1, 2008, 7 lbs 9 oz.

Andy, Molly, Sam and Gwen... at home relaxing. Yeah, right! with a 3 week old baby. :) Can you see the tiredness in their eyes? But oh so happy!



Ralph is holding Gwen. They were both sleeping but as I was getting the camera ready, Ralph woke up and sat up. We were at Pam and Marks' house (Molly's parents) for dinner that night. Don't you think the orange and pink go well together?
Pam had made a little Princess hat and Sam was just as cute as a button in it. He pranced around in the hat for about 20 minutes. Till he got tired and went on to something else. He is a handsome little guy. Sam we miss you!
At home Sam took a turn holding Gwen, although I am not sure he was all that interested in her at the moment. We watched lots of Elmo, who seems to be Sam's hero at the moment.
Andy and Molly's yard was so pretty. They have a terraced front yard, and I just couldn't resist taking a picture of the tulip and grape hyacinths.
A great picture of Ralph and Sam on the porch as we get ready to go to dinner.

We ate at a Portland "Mexican" restaruant. The guacamole was made out of asparagus. This is not the guacamole but one of the dishes. Portland is very health conscious about their food. It is not like our Mexican dishes at all. And the bourredo:



Molly was wonderful and let us hold Gwen the whole time we were there. Of course Sam, who doesn't come to me much picked the time I was holding Gwen (Ralph and I took turns) to ask me to read him a book. We managed, but it never occurred to me to hand off Gwen, but we did get a good Grandma picture.

EASTER WEEKEND WITH THE COLEMAN BOYS
We colored eggs and had a massive egg hunt. Ralph and Allen hid 360 plus eggs in the back yard. It took over 30 minutes for the boys to find them all. We laughed because, as you can see, many were in plain site.



And they had to find them all because Ralph had filled them with MONEY and a Van Oostrum NEVER walks past money.



Nathan's trophy is from one of his first dirt bike races. He was so proud, as am I.



I just love this picture of Ralph in the back yard. So I added it.




Allen is holding Daisy, Jimmy's dog. Allen is dogsitting until Amy and Jimmy can sell their house.
We are cat sitting for Dasha and Oxanna. Amy may not get the cats back. We are becoming very close. I finally put a towel next to my pillow, where they both sleep with me at night. They are a little "fuzzy".


JT ROTHROCK TURNS ONE
We went to Tulsa the week after we got back from Portland to celebrate JT's first birthday on April 6. Amy had a really nice family cook out in their back yard.


JT was a little stressed when we popped into the high chair and all the cousins gathered around him.
At first JT didn't want the cake but after a finger taste of the icing, he decided it would be worth a try. As you can see, HE LIKED IT! Happy first birthday, JT.

Well, now that I have gotten the hang of all of this, I am going to wait until tomorrow to post all about our trip to Fayetteville AR for Allen's concrete canoe contest. See you soon!