Try not to start crying...

This is where we are staying for a week...

We are here for a week with Aunt Amber (who took these cute pics) and some friends. More pics to come!

All together again---for the last time in 2 years

The VanCott gene does not allow for just one final goodbye--to anything. What is referred to as "my lasty" is seen over and over again with diet sodas, donuts, saying goodbye to the Oregon Coast before heading home...the list goes on and on. With my parents leaving for two years, I think we broke some kind of VanCott record for the number "last goodbye" parties we had for them.

Last Saturday we had a big lunch and goodbye after the co-baptism/baby blessing. That wasn't enough, so we all came to their setting apart the next day to say our final goodbye. They went into the MTC the next morning, but we all knew they would be coming home each night to sleep in their own bed, so I'm pretty sure we all stopped in at least once to have one more good bye. That wasn't enough. They were driving off into the sunset for good on Monday, so on Sunday, which was also Mothers Day, we had ANOTHER FINAL GOODBYE GET TOGETHER!! (I think I am beginning to see what Brent means by "your family has a lot of get togethers...)

"My lasty" is not the only neurotic thing we do. The gene also forces us to follow traditions--no matter how absurd they may be. One of these traditions is to sing a little song every time we get together (usually before the prayer on the food). The song is called, "All together again." It goes like this:

We're all together again, we're here, we're here.
We're all together again, we're here, we're here.
Here we are, singing all together again,
singing all together again, we're here, we're here!

Profound, I know. We were going to sing this song, all together, for the LAST TIME IN TWO YEARS (very big VanCott moment) and I wanted to document it for posterity. Tragically, my stupid camera missed the first half of the song, so I made everyone do it one more time, only to run out of memory right in the middle of the song! Do things like this only happen to me? Here is the song--in two parts, but almost complete.


and part two
b

Funny thing--for all his complaining, this get together wasn't enough for Brent. He called me Monday morning and we loaded the kids up and headed to my parents house to catch them before they drove out so we could give them one more hug! Maybe it's not just a VanCott thing.

Miss you Dad & Mom!

The not so fun race

I kept hearing sniggets about a race coming up at school. It was called "The Fun Race." Gavin said he was going on a field trip that day so his class wasn't running in it, and Kesley came home with a note that said if any kindergartner wanted to run in it they had to have a parent run with them or they would be cheerleaders with the rest of their class. I didn't really think much of it after that.

The morning of the race Gavin told me he was just kidding about the field trip and Kesley announced that she REALLY wanted to run in it. "Really?" I said. "You don't want to be a CHEERLEADER with your class??? " She thought that sounded cool until I dropped her off at school...then I got the phone call. "Mom, I really want to be a runner, so can you come?"

I called Brent, and he decided he was going to come too. He also had a little surprise up his sleeve for both of them once they finished the race. On the way to the school I kept seeing signs that said "Slow. Runner on the road!" I started to get the feeling that this wasn't going to be a small little 'once around the soccer field' thing--this was something BIG. You can imagine the horror when we got to the school and found out the race was 2 MILES LONG!! Doesn't sound like much for someone who is in shape, but we are, well, you know...NOT. Brent was wearing jeans, I had on a hot sweat shirt--this was not going to be fun.

The first 1/2 mile of the race was around the soccer field. The grass was long and still covered in frost from the light rain during the night. I was pushing Jenna in the Jogger stroller and I have to say--I thought I was going to DIE! Things only got worse for me when the next leg of the race was UPHILL. Kesley was ready to quit, but I knew we had to be almost half way done with this thing, and I now had to prove something to myself--sorry Kesley, but you were the one who didn't want to be a cheerleader! We pushed hard up the hill and caught up to Brent. I was happy to see that I was not the only one who was about to vomit. Brent took the stroller and Kesley and I set off to catch up with Gavin.

It took me a couple of minutes to catch up to him. The second he saw me he BOLTED off like he had just started the race! That kid was hardly winded! He let me catch up to him and we ran together. I really had to fight back the tears. This kid was running 2 miles without even thinking about it, when a little over a year ago he couldn't even run 20 steps without falling over! What a blessing.

The last 400 meters were hard. We were back on the soccer fields and now it was an uphill slant. Gavin wanted to walk, but I told him we should finish the race running. My heart melted when he reached out and grabbed my hand and we ran the last 400 meters together. How many more years do I have left where he will do that? Most boys don't want to hold their overweight mothers hand and run in front of the whole school! I love that kid.

Both kids finished the race and mom and dad both had jello legs and burning lungs for the next two days. The kids loved their trophy's. Here they are with them and their #1 dad!

Bush-B-Gone

I hate all things evergreen--at least when it comes to my own yard. I hate the prickly bushes and the quills that fall from the trees and poke my bare feet. The builder who built this neighborhood back in the 70's had a thing for evergreen bushes. They are EVERYWHERE. Check out the neighbors yard in the background of these videos...ya...that about sums it up. I guess our front yard looked identical to that a couple of years ago. Hooray for the previous owners who footed the bill for the removal and also put in that little retaining wall!! That was some progressive thinking!

There are still quite a few ugly bushes here and there around the yard. These two bushes/trees that are in this interesting little garden? that runs up our driveway have bothered me since we moved in. While Brent was on a high from cleaning out the garage, I talked him into hooking them up to his truck and yanking them out for me! Good bye ugly bushes, Hellooooo strawberry patch!

Bush #1


Bush #2


Next year--good bye weird little driveway garden and hello big kitchen above the garage... hoping that if I say it out loud my wish will be granted.

About today...

I am not having the best day. I spent the morning trying to get my stupid mini van from hell registered. Sounds easy, right?

New windshield: $167.00
New front rotors: $218.00
Safety Inspection: $ 41.00
Registration: $107.00

How many days I think the transmission will give me before it quits??? Not many.

I hate today. What I should do is go find my scale and weigh myself--wouldn't that just be the cherry on top....

I know this pic is recycled, but I needed something to smile about and this pic does it every time!

Jenna and "I CAN DO IT MYSELF!"

GIRLS NIGHT!

I was tempted to title this post: "When BAD ideas happen to good people."

Last Monday me & my girls were walking through the local thrift store. Kesley & Jenna were aimlessly strolling down the isle when they both stopped in their tracks by the same object. There in front of us was a sparkly LIME green prom dress from the '80's--in my size. Kesley said, "Ohhh Mom!" Jenna was speechless.

Jenna has been begging for another "Three girls and a milkshake night" for a long time. Anyone remember that night when I squeezed my body into one of my daughters white sequined dress ups? The girls did my hair and we danced to Taylor Swift... ? Ring a bell? Anywho, as I was staring at the lime green, sequined monstrosity that was hanging on the rack in front of us, I had this great idea: We wouldn't just have any ole girls night, we would have the BEST GIRLS NIGHT EVER! A dress MY SIZE would give us some fun options. It was a sign from heaven when I saw that the dress was half off and only $6!! We bought it and started making plans for Saturday.

The wait from Monday to Saturday was an ETERNITY! To top things off, we spent Saturday morning and afternoon doing yard work. By 5:00 we were all tired and VERY dirty. We put on some Taylor Swift, took baths, and started to get ready. First up: FINGERS AND TOES!Next, HAIR! We all know I have ZERO talent in that area. I asked Aunt Bonnie if she would come over and do our hair for us. All the Smith girls are talented in this area. She did an AMAZING job. Jenna still keeps saying that her hair was her favorite part of the night! THANK YOU BONNIE!! Kesley will not sit like this and let me do her hair--not for a second. Step 3: Makeup! Bonnie was nice enough to do our make-up too. These ladies felt SO BEAUTIFUL. Now, it was time to put on our dresses for the big reveal...CHECK US OUT!! Can you believe someone parted with this spectacular dress!!?

Next up: EAT! Our original plan involved going to the mall (Kesleys favorite thing) and eating at Red Robin. But, you know how you always feel a little prettier (and 20 pounds lighter) before you actually see yourself in the picture? Ya. My ladies couldn't be cuter, but about this moment I started panicking! I kept thinking, "Could we just order in pizza? What can I make fast???" I REALLY didn't want to be seen in public like this.

The girls really wanted Bonnie to come with us. She was nice enough to be our chauffeur in her fancy new car (which beat the heck out of a dirty, old mini van!) and we took off. As we were driving by Macaroni Grill, I saw a group of ladies all decked out in their PROM DRESSES!! What are the odds? I realized we were going to be steering clear of any place where this dress could be taken seriously. So, here we are in ICEBERG! Don't judge. It's good food, yummy shakes and ALWAYS EMPTY!!! I was SO GLAD Bonnie was there. Thank you Bonnie for being the one to get up to get extra ketch-ups and napkins and spoons and waters...I seriously don't know what we would have done without you!! And Jenna even got her milk shake!Next Girls Night: MOVIES AND PIZZA!...at home.

"Oh the times they are a chay-ane-gin"

You know that Simon & Garfunkel song, right?

So, Brent is the BEST, but he is also the STINKIEST man alive. By evening he can be pretty...how to say this...ripe? Anyone ever been up to the sulfur hot pots in Midway?... Ya. that is the smell.

The kids have been too small to really notice. Jenna has always had a nose from hell and she'll throw in an "Ewwww, what's that smell???" But that has really been about it. I keep telling Brent that things are going to change soon. Girls reach a certain age and they begin to notice EVERYTHING irritating that their dads are doing. I remember leaving the room when my dad was going to eat a banana or sit down for a bowl of cereal (I have to do that with Brent too, so maybe that's just me...) I kept telling him it was only a matter of time before these stinky toots were going to come between him and his girls.

The other night Brent was in singing Kesley a song before bed. I guess he was particularly ripe this evening and let one slip. For the first time ever Kesley kicked him out! It was so bad she was GAGGING!! Poor lady. Now she understands why I let him retire to the family room downstairs while I hide in my room with the door shut to watch my evening shows! The next evening he was greeted by this sign posted above her bed. Maybe she thought decorating it nicely with an Easter egg would soften the blow?

"No tooting on my bed"

So, tomorrow is the big day. Here is another clue about my adventures with the sequins...You should be scared!