Memorial Day--the best yet!

Bonnie and Jon rented a room at a nice hotel in Newport Beach for the Memorial Day weekend.  They invited us to come down and rent a cheep hotel and spend the weekend hangin out at their hotel pool and the beach.  So. Much. Fun!!!  I think we need to do this once a month.  Top 5 in pics:

#5  Hyatt Regency Pool = Heaven:  Love that my kids can swim for hours.  Who doesn't love a beautiful pool?  Now that we know this pool is 100% easily poachable--I'm sure we'll be back!

 #4 Ferry and Boat ride around Balboa Island: I had never been to Balboa Island.  Luckily, this area is Bon and Jons territory.  We rode the ferry over, explored the shops, rode the Ferris wheel, had lunch, took a lovely boat tour around the fancy yachts and mansions and just had a GREAT day!

#3 Diggin in the sand and PADDLE BALL!!  We need to live closer to the beach!  The girls spent hours digging--and digging out and Gavin got pretty dang good at paddle ball.  I LOVE THE BEACH!

#2 Kids finally learning to frolic in the surf: My kids were too little or it was too cold every other time we've been to the California coast.  It was a whole new adventure to actually be able to swim with the currents and not freeze your tail off.  Still a little scary to watch them go under a wave as a parent--but the kids found a whole new world.

#1 HANGIN WITH BON and JON!: Thanks guys!!  We had such a great trip!

Although, Bonnie--letting my daughter fall into the fountain was a feeble attempt to get out of babysitting while I went shopping. :)  Definitely a highlight of the trip (equaled by my face plant running in the surf to save our purses from being stolen!!  Glad there isn't video of that!--wish I had video of Brent eating it off the sand cliff whilst trying to show off his moves to Gavin!)  

Cute side note to this picture--When we got home the girls went to play at Shumways house.  Shannon was driving them home and Kesley says, "Shannon, did you hear about Jenna falling in the fountain?"  Shannon said Jenna very exasperatedly blurted out, "Oh. my. gosh!" (to which Shannon was expecting a --it was so embarrassing, or it was so cold...but instead) Jenna said, "Oh. my. gosh!  APPARENTLY we are STILL talking about this!!!"  She also said Aunt Bonnie pushed her in--but we all know that isn't true!  Love our Bean!!

11 Years...

June 1st (tomorrow) is our 11th Wedding anniverary.  I married a great guy.  Chrissy texted me this blast from the past she found in her closet.

This was about the time Brent and I met.  We didn't end up dating until 10 years later--but I can see why he had a crush on me--I was cute!  Little did he know--11 years of marrage and 3 kids later--this would be his new reality:

This is the picture he sees on his phone every time I call him.  He calls me "Mad Maddam Mimm!"  Happy 11th Anniversary!  Sure love you!

Odds & Ends...

The Fun Run (or not so fun run...) always signals the end of school.  Gavin's nerves got to him right before the start (I think it was actually this medication he started a couple days before the run that gave him tummy aches) and he saw me and quit.  I saw Kesley only once and barely caught her before she passed me!  Next year is going to be our year--and I am going to run too.  

Gavin's class has been writing an Opera for months.  The kids come up with the story, the words and they design and make the sets themselves.  It was called "No Rules!"  Totally cute.  Gavin had a part as a parent and was excited for all of us to come see it.  His Teacher, Mrs. Lee, has been the best.  She is so talented and patient.  Gavin had a great year.  Kesley did too--but I think her teacher was a little burned out by the end.  It was her first year teaching and I think reality set in about Christmas time...

Kesley lost her first BIG bottom tooth.  It was a pretty big landmark!  Jenna captured and narrated it all on my phone--sure wish I could post the video--but I cannot figure out blogger. boo

Jenna graduated from our little neighborhood co-op preschool. 

Brent went on a 5 day escape to the Oregon Coast with his dad.  I had been saving a little money on the side and had a few surprises up my sleeve.  First: SOD for my front yard.  The garden was great last year, but the mud and dirt situation was not ideal.  Plus, the kids love to climb and jump off the retaining walls--so why not make it enjoyable?  Emily came and helped me and we had it all in, in about an hour.  AWESOME!

I also bought this jungle gym climbing thing at Sams Club.  It said you needed two adults to set it up.  I was too impatient to wait, so I had the kids help me.  Let's just say it was EXTRA FRUSTRATING and everyone wanted to help with the same things.  My patience level was not where it should have been and instead of being a fun project it turned into a nightmare.  We eventually got it up, but when I went into the house and looked out the window, I saw Gavin push Jenna--then Kesley started yelling at Gavin--then Gavin pushed Kesley--then Kesley attacked Gavin--then they broke out into an all out FIST FIGHT!  The first fist fight ever!  I was SHOCKED.  I also felt a little guilty because I knew it was mostly my fault for letting tensions run too high.  I went and broke things up and then they all had to come in, sit at the kitchen table and hold hands for 10 minutes.  Love this pic!

 Mothers Day!  Love this pic too.  The kids wrapped my new vacuum under blankets and pillows and Jenna had 2 very special gifts for me (all of her precious jewels hidden in her toy baskets and covered in her scarfs!)  Love my kiddos!

Kesley's baptism day

 I kept warning myself I was turning this baptism day into more of a wedding day fiasco.  I knew I was going over board-but couldn't seem to stop myself!  Months ago Kesley and I went and bought a white dress.  It was sleeveless, so I had every intention of sewing sleeves on before the big day.  It also had this empire waist that was made out of lace and I wanted to embellish it just a little...lets just make a long story short and say that after hours of gluing Swarski crystals (and swearing when I burned two holes through the dress)  I was wishing I had just left things well enough alone.  Aunt Tiffy came into town and very effortlessly attached some perfect sleeves.  Then we left the dress hanging for at least a month--without ever trying it on Kesley.

The morning of Kesleys baptism, Aunt Amber came up and braided her hair.  I had been running around getting things ready and had just a few minutes to get her dressed and down to the church.  When we went to put her dress on--IT DIDN'T FIT!  The sleeves were too small and wouldn't go over her shoulders!  Luckily, aunt Tiffy was in town for the big day, and with about 10 minutes to go she sewed some miracle sleeves and saved the day.  We didn't have time to properly sew them on, they were just pinned so they kept falling off her shoulders, but they worked!  Yay! for aunt Tiffy!!

The baptism went beautifully.  The Grandpas gave the prayers.  Grandma VanCott talked about Baptism and Aunt Tiffy talked about the Holy Ghost.  The angelic cousin choir performed perfectly.  It was a great experience.  Grandma Smith gave Kesley a beautiful baptism book and set of scriptures. Kesley spent the afternoon filling out the pages.  I hope she will always remember what a great day she had and the spirit that was there.

The reception I mean luncheon after was a whole separate fiasco. I had wanted to decorate a little so it didn't just feel like a church gym. After spending $20 on some stupid daisies at Costco that wouldn't even cover one table, I was driving home feeling frustrated. Then I saw the beautiful blossoming spring trees up and down each street! Free flowers!!! I used Jenna's tea cups and our Dollar Store dessert cups and my mom helped me make beautiful table arrangements that smelled WONDERFUL and looked beautiful. With the pink and white table clothes--it totally looked wedding-esk!

Kesley's baptism--song rehearsal luncheon

All the little girl cousins surrounding Kesley in age (that were able to make it) sang a beautiful song as the closing song at Kesleys baptism. I wanted to get them all together to practice so we decided to do a little brunch a couple days before the baptism. It turned out great--lots of giggling, good food and they learned the song fast.

Getting ready to practice

(Adria, Heather, Rachel, Kesley, Naomi, Megan, Melissa, Paige, Katelyn, Keira & Jenna)

We got the travel time from seats to singing spots down to 2 seconds! :)

The song was one we stole from Emily's girls.  The CD accompaniment is SO S L O W, but Emily played for them during the real deal and things went smooooooooooth.  They were angelic!

Now, you can't have a party without good food!  Since it was just after Easter, we had the best cold ham, cheese, lots o fruit and yummy muffins.  The umbrella toothpicks were the perfect utensil for finger food.  It was a hit!

 I got a kick out of them surrounding the picture of me and my sisters when we were younger and trying to pick out "who's who." 

 I tend to over think things, but I was glad I ended up doing this little luncheon.  It was a lovely morning.

VanCott "Al l Together Again" ...in Capital Reef

If I don't do this now, I will have forgotten everything and then what would be the point?  As it is, I think I'm going to stick to the highlights.

2 nights, 3 days, 60 people, one hotel = AWESOME!

Day 1: SWIMMING!!  We took over that hotel pool.  I felt sorry for anyone who wasn't part of our group.  The pool was freezing, but I don't think the kids noticed. They also had the hot tub to warm up in.

Dinner in the park at the mouth of Capitol Reef--SPECTACULAR view!!

DAY 2:  We took over a slot canyon.  About a 2 mile hike through some pretty scenery.  Went as well as could be expected with 60 people--and lots of babies--but we DID it!   

 I stole this off Laurens blog. 

  More swimming!  Gavin was one scrawny prune!!

 DAY 3: More swimming and another hike to some petroglyphs and an arch. 

I forgot to mention that Brent brought our new trailer and and stayed at the campground across the street from the hotel.  He was in heaven!

A great trip.  I'm not sure when we will attempt this again--but I hope it's sooner than later.