Easter 2012

Easter 2012

 The Gated community that The Thompson Arizona Retreat is located in had a HUGE Easter Carnival for kids to come and enjoy.  Grandpa Ron got tickets for all the kids to go enjoy the  Easter Egg Scramble, Bounce Houses, face painting, games, live music with bubble machine, and much more!!  Perfect day to be out with family and have some fun!  Especially since it was right in the park behind the Arizona house!!

 Gr. Grandpa Delwyn made a deal with all the kids.  He told them he would pay a quarter for every egg that they got.  He is always making things fun and exciting for everyone!!  Each kid ended up getting $5 from Gr. Grandpa Delwyn!

 Justin loved the bouncy houses!!  He was funny when he met the Easter Bunny.  He just smiled turned, said cheese and ran to the next bounce house!!

 Bubble Fun

Spring Break Fun 2012

OUT OF AFRICA

Wildlife Park

April 2012

What a fun place we visited!  We saw tons of exotic animals like:  Lions, Tigers, Giraffe, Black Bear, Camel, Ostrich, Cobras, Zebra, Exotic Birds, Tortoise, Wildebeest, Jaguar, Leopards, Wolves, Hyenas and more!

Attractions were:  The Wild life Preserve, Giant Snake Show, Serengeti Safari, Tiger Splash, and Predator Feed

 On the Serengeti Safari tour we were given carrot sticks to feed the giraffes.  It was really fun to watched all the animals come up close to the tour bus when our tour guide threw out animal treats for them.  All of the kids were in heaven!!  Justin waved at all the animals that we saw!

 Predator Feed:  We followed the caretakers as they made their rounds throwing over 800 pounds of raw meat (beef and chicken) to all the carnivores.  The Hyenas made their crazy laughing sounds as the meat was being thrown over. The caretakers would throw the meat in different places over the fence so each animal would get their fair share and also so the dominate animal in the pen wouldn't eat all food.

 TIGERS!!  They were awesome!  At the Tiger Splash Show we watched a rare White Tiger interact in a predator/prey relationship of romping and splashing in a a 35 ft by 50 ft pool as they played with their caretakers.  The trainers used blown up water toys attached to poles and would get the tiger to use their natural spontaneous behaviour to go after the toys, which to them was like going after prey

 That tiger can seriously jump!!

We all had such a great time here!  A great place!

Turf Paradise

Spring Break April 2012

We can't visit Arizona without cheering on our Grandpa Delwyn's race horses at
Turf Paradise Race Track!!

The boys always have a blast here, but this year Clay could understand what was happening with the races and figured out how to read the race programs.  He wanted to pick his own favorite horses.  He would say to Grandpa, "No look this one raced 12 races total, 7 last year, and has placed 9 times.  And look at how much more money he won from his races, this is the better horse!"  It was so fun  to watch him go over all the stats of each horse and pick his top three and have ice cream bets with Grandpa Delwyn!!

 Not only did we watch the horse races, but they had a special event for people to come watch The Camel and Ostrich Races!!  So funny, the ostriches went everywhere and people laughed and the track crew trying to round them up again!

Its always fun to spend time with sisters!!


Sophie and Emily.

Justin knows what a horse is good for, he wanted to ride each one that he saw!! Good times

Baby Boy #4!!

Next Baby Boy ....Come on down!!

You've been chosen to be part of an elite All Cottrell Boy Club!!!

We are excited to announce that we will be having a forth little man to join our family, due August 21, 2012!!! With my previous three I delivered earlier than the expected due date so it will be excited to see which day will be the big one, so we can welcome our little one!

Our whole family went to the ultrasound on March 28th.  Nate answered questions the boy had, wrestled an excited Justin, and we helped them understand what they were looking at on the screen.   When we found out we were going to have another boy, Hayden cracked us all up by saying "Yes!  No tea parties!!"  What a character!  We had a nice technician and said she had alot of fun monitoring the baby ,"He is very strong and lively...Oh did you see that he just flipped around completely!!  His head was here and now over on this side!!"  I laughed at this comment.  I guess I have been used to wiggly energetic boys both in the belly during the pregnancies and after when they have more room to roam! 

There have been many disappointed sighs, worried expressions, and questions in my behalf on how I felt on another boy verdict.  Honestly, I am ecstatic!!!  I get to have another baby to love.  We are getting the baby we are supposed to have.  I hold myself extremely lucky to be a mother of such fine little boys and will have the opportunity to help mold them into the men they are meant to be.  Such Miracles these little ones are to begin with that I am grateful for every good check-up, every strong heartbeat and even the steady kicks in the ribs I have been getting.  He's a strong one for sure!  To have a girl would no doubt be fun and something new to this clan, but having a boy is just as exciting and welcomed in this household!! 

My Aunt Becky (who is the mother of 5 boys herself) arranged for me to have these while on vacation in Arizona with my family!   Inside the eggs were little saying written in my moms hand writing (which is always beautiful) and a snickers treat. Here are what the notes said:

* Boys never leave bobby pins by the tub

* Boys take less time in the bathroom (usually) :)

* The 6th will be just like Gr. Ron

(Gr Ron is my dad and he is the 6th boy of his family.  My grandma Thompson had 9 children.  6 boys, a girl, a boy, and then her last was another girl.)

* Boys know the best person alive is Mama!

* You will never have to look for energy...your Boys will have it!!

So fun!  Made my day! We are counting down the time till we get to meet our next Cottrell Boy!!

And just to give you a glimpse, here is me, strutting my pregnant self, while playing tennis in Arizona with a big group of boys!!

Spring Break fun 2012