Spring Break March 2013
Louisiana Bond
Our Spring Break this year was spent enjoying some good sunshine and playing with family down in Louisiana. The boys love visiting their Gr & Gr Cottrell there and are great traveling in the car. Clayton is showing off his blue tongue from the ring pop the kids had while on our road trip. This was the first big trip in our new Town and Chrysler Van and I loved how much packing space it can hold! Stow n Go bins are awesome! Such a key feature with a bunch of kiddos for sure!
What good is a pool without a few games right? With boys is usually always is with some sort of ball! They have so much fun jumping off the diving board trying to catch the football that is thrown either by Nathan or by Gr. Cottrell. The weather was a bit more cool than usually when we visited, making the pool rather cold, but that never stops my crazy sons from going in. Nathan and his brother BJ also braved the cold and said it wasn't too bad once you were in and past that brain freeze part. I enjoyed spending my time in the spa. I have no idea how Clay and Hayden could go from hot spa water to jumping in a pool that was in the 50-60 degrees in temperature. Justin would also go in the pool but usually only once then right back in the spa. Unless of course he taunted his dad or grandpa with pouring a cup of cold water on them, then he would be thrown in. He would be totally shivering with a full smile on his face and would hurry out of the pool to get in the spa and say "Ha Ha that was fun" to Nate and Steve.
We were lucky enough to be with Diana and Steve for Easter Sunday. Nathan's brother BJ and his wife Edlin recently moved to Louisiana as well and it was good to spend time with them as well. We all got together for Easter Sunday, attending church have some delicious food and being treated to a Easter Egg Hunt BJ, Edlin, and Diana put together for the boys to have fun with. Who wouldn't love candy and some dollars stuffed in plastic eggs!?! Good times for sure.
All my boys have the knack for teasing, something I think they get from both their dad and grandpa. All innocent fun!! Both Clay and Hayden are such big talkers sometimes though and this time it was to Grandpa Cottrell on whether he could actually throw them in the pool or not. We (the adults) all knew he could, but it never occurred to the boys that he actually would do it since it was a cloudy day, a very cold pool with no heated spa yet, and because they're his grandsons. So to my boys; don't be surprised to end up in a cold pool fully dressed when you dare Grandpa!! It was hilarious to see the shock on their faces. First, that Steve actually carried they out to the pool and dropped them in, second, it was COLD COLD water, and third, they couldn't believe how hard it was to swim with heavy wet denim on!! Oh, we all had some good laughs at this dare challenge. Winner? I'd say Grandpa since he definitely not cold and wet!!
Our other thrown in victim was Diana!! Not by Steve that's for sure he is smarter than that, but by her own son BJ! She also was fully dressed and when she first went in her shirt got stuck over her head and she couldn't pull it off for a while. I was getting worried she couldn't breath, and then her head popped out again. She was able to give BJ a good dunk underwater for all the trouble he caused. She is a good sport with it all. BJ made sure she was OK and that she didn't hate him for it. I'd watch out if I was BJ though, since Diana can do her own set of teasing and pushing peeps into cold pools!! Good thing she had no cell phone or her or anything!
It's always a blast in Louisiana with Diana and Steve. They are so welcoming to our crazy crew and together we all laugh, eat good food, watch movies together and are fully aware of how blessed we are to share these times together! Until the next time right?!! Thanks again Diana and Steve! Gr & Gr Cottrell
CUB MOBILE! Hayden is so ready to be a scout. He can't wait till January for his birthday so he can turn eight and get to come to scout all the time. He was beyond happy to be able to participate in the cub mobile though. He was just tall enough for his feet to touch the front of the car so he was able to steer the wheels.
