Rander Ranteth

I don't know what's going on in my brain, but sometimes when someone tells me NOT to do something, I just want to do it more. 

 

I'm bothering it because I'm trying to get it to turn into potato form.

Rand: are you stronger than me?

Caulder: Yeah, but only because you’re 9. You’ll probably be stronger than me when you get older. 

Rand: I have a 5 pack. I almost have a 6 pack. 

Caulder: Dude, that is awesome. 

Coffee roaster? I could roast coffee. Hey coffee, your momma is so fat…

I can’t wait to die when I get older and go to heaven because they’ll have infinite hot dogs. 

Me: Can you go tell Caulder we’re ready to go?

Rand: Sure. I’ve just gotta do a cartwheel real quick. 

Cole: Soos is kind of weird. Do you think it's because of who's raising him?
Rand: Mom is pretty weird and crazy, so maybe.

Mom, I snuck downstairs to spy on Tukker and his friends, but I almost got busted because I kept farting. Then I tried to make a run for it but I tripped, popped my big toe, and farted again.

Cole (at a wedding): I’ll give you $20 to go find the second prettiest girl - because your mom is the prettiest - in here and dance with her. 

Rand: I’ll give you $20 to leave right now. 

Rand: What’s that thing Cade’s in? Proximity?

Me: What?

Rand: You know, for football?

Me: Varsity?

Rand: Oh yeah.

Me: So you know the word proximity, but not varsity. You are definitely my child.

November 2025

We got "socked in" during a really foggy day when Cole just happened to be flying over Santaquin. My friend Saundra and I went hiking that morning, up the canyon, in the pitch black dark and fog, and saw eyeballs shining at us from the oak brush. 

I almost pooped my pants. I was sure it was a murderer or a cougar. 

It was a deer so we survived. My underwear also pulled through. Hashtag blessed.

Rand had a Christmas piano concert. They also did a bells section and his teacher asked for volunteers. Rand actually went up - I was proud of him for being so brave! He'd practiced really hard and he did great.

He read a part in the primary program.

The Upside Down opened just above our house. The demogorgons are too afraid of my high kicks to attack our house, though. 

Rand got red ghost roots.

We partied for Benny's 8th birthday at a nickel cade in Spanish Fork.

Caulder made a practice round of mac n cheese before Thanksgiving. Used the exactly right sized pot on the practice round, too. He's learned from the best. 🤣

Soos continues to be our emotionally deranged, anxiety-riddled emotional support dog. 

We actually got to see the northern lights from our house. It was amazing!

And the three of us bought matching velour track suits to decorate for Christmas in. Caulder and Tukker did not think we were as hilarious as WE thought we were. The fools.

 

Thanksgiving 2025

Our Thanksgiving was a little weird this year. No one was around, no one wanted to be our friend, we were cold and lonely.

But not actually that cold, because we've had weirdly warm weather and were actually able to go on a bike ride Thanksgiving weekend. 

Darby flew in the Friday after Thanksgiving so that she could drive to Disneyland with Ry and the kids that Sunday, so we decided to wait and do dinner with her on Friday. 

We looked for some place to go out to dinner Thursday but couldn't really find anywhere to go. (I found out later that Benihana is open on Thanksgiving, so next time we're cold and lonely we'll go there!) 

So on Friday we made a bunch of food, including Caulder's famous (and extremely overfilled - that's my boy) mac n cheese, and ate with my parents, Darby, and Farney (Kathy was Black Friday shopping). 

The Rosenbaums were in Tridell for the holiday, but they got home Friday night so we still got to spend some time with them.

Oh, and we left the green bean casserole in the microwave. Grandma Sarah would be so proud! 

 

Cole Conquered the Incline

Cole has been wanting to do the Manitou Incline for quite a while. He kept saying that if he ever had a long overnight in Colorado Springs, he would go hike this bad boy, and it finally worked out.

You think 2,768 steps with 2,000 feet of elevation gain in less than a mile is gonna stop a guy with this mustache? 

I don't frickin think so.

 He did it! And then he could barely walk for 2 days. But he did it!

Sadie's

Tukk didn't know his date very well, but he knew a couple guys in the group, so he still had a great time. They went to an escape room, took pictures, played poker, and had a bonfire. 

They did not, however, actually attend the dance. 😂

 

Veterans Day

Rand's school did a Veterans Day assembly and let the kids send in photos of their relatives who have served in the armed forces. Cole's family helped us track down a few pictures to share with the school. 

Cole's Grandpa Jim and Great Grandpa Harry

 

Grandma Donna and Grandpa Jim. He looks like Tom Cruise! These Bott boys know how to wear a pair of aviators. Dayummmmmmm....

Grandpa Jim again. He served in the Navy during WWII.

Grandpa Harry, who served in the Army during WWI.

Grandpa Farney, who served in the Navy during Vietnam.

 So proud to have such a rich family heritage of people serving their country. ❤️🤍💙

October 2025

 Cole played "cheese slap face" with June. She loved it, obviously.

We tried to get one last camping trip in for the rifle deer hunt, but there was snow on the ground, it was freezing, and Cole and Tukk saw zero bucks, so we gave up after one night and brought the Moho home from the Bog. We did, however, make sure to get one last cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipping cream in before we headed home, so it was still a good trip. 

We went to our very last dance festival. Praise be!!!! Oops, I mean - we'll really miss it. 🤫 We drove down to our reserved spot (on the far side of the sidewalk, near a fence, in the side-by-side), stepped out, realized it was freezing, and Cole immediately climbed back in to grab our Snuggies. 

So we were warm AND stylish. Rand was so proud. 

Tukker got asked to his first high school dance. He's going to Sadie's with Jaidyn Liechty. Tukk doesn't really know her, but he'll have some friends in the group, so hopefully he'll have a good time. 

Yaya, Rand, and I went to Gardner Village Witch Fest for the first time. Rand only came because he was promised food, so we made sure to get him a cheeseburger. It was fun... but we probably don't need to go again. 

We had beautiful weather most of the month, so Cole and I were able to get a couple more bike rides in for Fun Friday.

And we met Kolby and the girls for dinner one night! He came down to bring June a new phone, so of course he needed some Mi Rancherito.