Trip down memory lane...

Ok.... So, it's been too long since I've updated this... Probably why I will never make a living as a blogger!  Let me try to fill you all in on the past few months...

First off I'd like to thank all of you who said you'd pray for my mom!! What a gift that was from you guys... So, thank you... I'd also like to tell you she celebrated both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year and even seemed joyful during it. God is so good.

Christmas and New years were great... Super busy, but so wonderful! All Ramage siblings were reunited and home for Christmas, which was such a blessing... We spent a lot of time laughing at things of the past.... Childhood "couldn't live without's" mainly:

The Beloved Teddy Ruxpin

The All Consuming Sega Genesis

Okay, Okay.... I was a terrible house wife this year and didn't get our Christmas cards out.... I hope you can all forgive me... But if not here is one just for you!

Merry Christmas from the Blain/Ramage household!

Casey and I had a week off between Christmas and New years and had the chance to go visit our great friends Mimi, Andy and Franky Salonen.... Which so happen to live in Longmont, CO where Casey grew up.... We got to tour all of his old stomping grounds and had such a fun, busy, semi-relaxing, much-needed away time! Thanks for hosting us Salonens.... But now that we're thinking of old stomping grounds, I'd like us all to travel back to where it all began.....

So, I told my father-in-law a long time ago I would include this in here.... (So, this is for you Aaron)... A few weeks after Thanksgiving, the in-laws, the husband, and myself piled into the mini van and headed towards Miles City to celebrate my grandmother-in-law's birthday. Being a new part of this family, I have heard a lot about this infamous little town, but had never gotten the chance to experience it myself. This tiny town holds so many memories for the Ramage family and we planned to take a stroll down "memory lane"... Or where "everything all began."  You see, my in-laws have one of those high school sweetheart's, fairytale type of stories that you think only happens in the movies... One that kind of makes you furious because they rarely happen in "real life"... Yes.... This is their story...

 Let me take you down Ramage memory lane for a minute...

There once was a young blonde beauty that all the boys adored, but one boy in particular had his eye on her. He was determined to make her his girl, but there was slight problem... He was a high school jock like all the girls wanted, but not the kind of jock you're thinking of... He was strong as all get out, but was not a football player... He was even a complete handyman, able to fix a number of car problems by his high school years... But there was that one small detail that couldn't be forgotten.... He was a male gymnast...

 He knew he was a total catch, but he had to convince the beautiful blonde that he was. So, the chase began.  Cruisin' around the tiny town of Miles City in his sweet ride hoping she'd view him as more than just a friend, stopping in at the local DQ where she worked to get a blizzard (not cuz he loves ice cream, but just to catch a glimpse of her), and even hanging by the city lake in the summer to impress her with his water skiing skills. (Sounds like a scene right out of Grease).

Finally, he was able to win her over, she was able to put aside the fact that he was a male gymnast ;) and she let him take her out on a date... By this time they lived literrally right across the street from each other. So, he'd hop in his car, flip a U at the end of the block, pull up in front of her house to pick her up and off they went.... The young man thought the chase was over and that he won her heart, but then there was the water balloon [said in a slow motion type of effect]....

One sunny day, him and his cronies were out causing trouble, cruising around the town, and tossing water balloons whenever the time felt right. He saw his blonde babe driving towards them and his "boy brain" automatically switched to "impress girl" mode... So, she drove by him, she waved, and he tossed the balloon ever-so-perfectly.... And immediately he began to panic... It was a hot summer day, so of course her window was down enjoying the breeze... Next thing they knew she was smacked in the face, and soaking wet, with shock and anger all over her face.... Surely his chances with her were over after such a juvenile mistake like that...

But some how she forgave him and he won the battle and got the girl... They married, had 3 beautiful babies, and bought a video camera... The rest of the story can be found in the Ramage's basement in boxes full of home videos... literrally tons and tons of hours of footage! I'm not sure if they ever turned the thing off!! But I sure am grateful for that and getting to relive experiences and memories with them.

It was such a blast to see "where it all began" over 30 years ago. To hear them reminisce, and laugh at old, but never forgotten times in their lives. What a great story of boy meets girl, and then drenches her with a water balloon, but still manages to win her over!! Thanks for sharing Aaron and Noni!!

The Gymnast and his Blonde Beauty