Cub Mobile
May 5, 2012

 Clay had a great time at the Cub Mobile.  He like being around all the scouts from the different packs around the area.
 Justin Really wanted to ride on one of the carts!  He said "Oh, Cool!" when Clay went down the track.
 Being all cool, steering one handed!
 Ready....Set....GO!!
 Round two:  Yellow Cart.  Clay really liked this one better.  He said the stearing was better for him!

Go Clay,  Go!! 

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
Photobucket

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

The First of Many!

Blue and Gold Banquet
February 24th, 2012
"The Year of the Dragon"
Our whole family had a great time at Clayton's first Blue and Gold Banquet as a Cub Scout!  The theme for the night was to celebrate "The year of the Dragon".  The whole room had Chinese decorations everywhere, chopsticks and fortune cookies to go with dinner, and activities like origami, a dragon pinata, and a craft table to make a Chinese poster.  Everyone enjoyed the menu of Sweet and Sour Chicken, stir-fried vegetables, and egg drop soup.  The dessert for the night was made by the cub scouts and their families.  Each one was challenged to make a cake to go along with the nights theme.  Clay was set in his mind to make a dragon cake so that's what we tried to achieve.  I positioned the cake pieces and Clay helped to apply the icing.  He had alot of fun decorating his dragon and putting the wings and gold coins in place.  Everyone loved it for the night.  Other cakes were: a fortune cookie cake, Chinese checkers board cake, yin and yang made with red velvet, and decorated sheet cakes!  So fun to see all the different varieties!

Clayton was the newest member of Pack #274 and was asked to make a poster about himself.   Things he put on it were: 
Birthday-December 19th                            Is really good at- Legos
Favorite Food- Tacos                                 Favorite thing to do with family - Movie Night
Favorite Color - Blue                                                

Loves to:
-spend time with grandparents in Idaho and Louisiana
-drive go carts
-ride horses
-Collect things like legos, hot wheels, and other boy toys
-spend time with his brothers

Clay was given lots of patches that he has earned since joining his cub scout group.  The big award Clay received for the night was his Bobcat Badge.  He worked hard to finish all the Bobcat trail assignments before the Blue and Gold Banquet and was even able to give me, the Mom Bobcat Pin!!
Ice Sculpture Trip
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
February 4, 2012
 For a Personal Progress goal we (The Young Women Presidency) challenged our girls to fill up a small jar with glass rocks.  Each time they completed a personal progress requirement they were able to put one in and get a small treat for their effort.  The value projects that were completed were allowed five rocks.  The goal was to go see the ice sculptures in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  As you can tell we made it!  I brought Clay along as well and we all enjoyed a fun car ride together, hot cocoa and cookies when we arrived, and ohhhhhh and ahhhhhhed later at all the beautiful pieces of art sculpted out of snow and ice.  Some artist had been at it all night long, and were worrying about all the bright sunshine for the day, but had good attitudes since all the sculptures would have to melt sometime, right!
 Apple with a worm eating his way out,  Captain at the wheel, Pavilion with creature coming out of it, and a bald eagle.
 You were able to vote on all the sculptures on which one was your favorite.  Clay loved the dinosaur sculpture that had a Dino behind a fossil of another T Rex by a pair of snowman archeologist's!!"
Clay said "Too bad that $100 dollar bill is just made of snow!!"   I replied "Even if it wasn't, where could you use a $100 bill that big?"  We both had a good laugh at that!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTIN!!!!
January 26, 2012
 Justin is such a fun energetic boy!!  He has such a sense of humor, that is silly, adorable, and too advanced for this three year old!!  Justin is one smart boy!  Letters, colors, shapes, numbers, animals sounds he has them down pat!.  He especially loves letters.   He knows his upper case and lower case alphabet, and you would just melt if you heard him sing the ABC song!!  He is often calling out letters on stores and various signs as we  pass them on while driving around town.  Justin loves to play with his two older brothers, Clayton and Hayden.  We have a square leather ottoman in my family room and it quickly becomes the game "King of the Rock" between all three of my boys!  The older two understand that Justin is smaller than them so they are not as rough, but Justin definitely can hold his own in having fun with his brothers!!
Justin is easy going and constantly happy!!  Even on a sick day he still is polite and says thank you after being given some medicine.....Melts my Heart!!  Love our JUSTIN RON!!!  Happy 3rd Birthday!!

Hayden's 6!!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAYDEN!!

Hayden's birthday was January 12th and he was one lucky boy to have so many people here to celebrate since they were in town for Clayton's baptism.
 Anyone that has been around Hayden lately knows he is obsessed with Sonic!!  He started loving Sonic after we checked out a Wii game at the library and would do any sort of jobs to earn Wii time. Hayden owns this games now thanks to someone called Santa ;)  Wii is seriously the type of currency I can use with Hayden right now.  If he isn't nice he knows that Wii time is on the line and shapes up real fast! 
 Hayden's favorite place to eat is Panda Express.  He can eat their Orange Chicken everyday if he could.  He was taken out to Panda Express not once, but twice that week by two sets of grandparents who love him and get a kick out of his craziness and spunk!!  Its always fun to feel special and have something done just for you, and both my parents and Nate's have always done this for our kids and they love them for it!!
Hayden is my fun, energetic, hilarious boy who hides his own softy side.  When you receive a hug from him its always a good one because he gives them when he really means it! He is my best helper with jobs and in the kitchen and stays until the work is done.  He seldom complains, unless again Wii time is in question!  He loved being showered with Sonic presents to have fun with and really enjoyed his cake! Happy Birthday H!!

Special Day


Clayton Nathaniel Cottrell
Baptism Day
Saturday,
January 14th, 2012 

 What a special day it was for our family when Clay was baptized!  Both of his Grandparents were there to celebrate along with family and friends that were able to be there on that day.  Grandpa Cottrell gave a talk on Baptism after which Nate performed Clayton's baptism.  Grandpa Ron gave a talk on the Holy Ghost and then Clayton's confirmation was also done by his Nathan. 
 Clay is such a bright and loving boy.  He is very thoughtful and wants to do things right.  He is very smart and has a good understanding of the gospel.  I love his sweet spirit and kind nature to those around him as well as his fun goofy side!!  Both Nathan and I are so proud of him and are grateful to be his parents.  We look forward to ever stage of our children's lives and this is a big one for our Clayton.  Clay turned 8 on December 19th and wanted to be baptized right away, but also wanted his family to be part of it, so he was happy when everyone could come in January and celebrate together.  Clay helped put the program together for his own baptism and had picked "When I am Baptized" for the opening song and "I am a Child of God" for the closing.
Grandpa Ron & Grandma Mindy
 We loved having Grandparents in town to share this day with us and I know Clay felt how proud they were of him and that they love him a lot.

Grandpa & Grandma Cottrell

 I enjoyed putting together the refreshments for the baptism and was able to have a fun time with late night talks with my mom while we were preparing it all!  We served: Cookies, poppy seed bread, chocolate cake pops, veggie tray with dip, pretzels, sweet pickles, strawberries, sliced apples, and pineapple
A Big thank you for friends, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins were who there that day as well.  Clay also has many family members who would have loved to have come as well but couldn't since we live far away.  He received many phone calls, gifts, and congratulations from family who love and care about him and are proud he decided to become a member of:                                                                      The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We had both sets of grandparents, Scott, Kristy & Shayna, Chris, Kacie, Jordan & Ever over after the baptism to have lunch together.  We made French Dip sandwiches with au juice, chips, bevereages and the extras from the refreshments.  So great to mingle, laugh, and enjoy the day together!