Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! We were able to go tubing in the fresh powder. The kids had a blast as you can see, frozen faces and all!

Cole and Dylan, my nephew
Same pic again, don't know why...sorry!
Carson and Mitchell, cousins and best buddies!
Parker and Tyler

Parker didn't want to get off the tube! We had to pry him off when it was time to go:)

A Pirate's Birthday

For Cole's 7th Birthday we went to Pirate Island Pizza.  The minute we walked through the doors the little pirates ran amuck!   You might think they were actually true pirates instead of rowdy, excited kids.  Just check out this authentic pose below:)

Captain Cole or is it Blackbeard's Ghost...

Pair of shady looking Pirates

Now these look like REAL kids, not too scary.  Hee hee!! or should I say "Argh!"

Marrott Monster Mash

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Who Made the Moon?

This past week we were in St. George.  One starry night we were looking at the moon.  I said "Parker who made the moon?"  He replied "Jesus and ... Santa!"  Later that same night we were asking his little cousin Chase to sing some of his nursery songs.  Chase is such a sweetie and he sang the Sunbeam song, Wise Man and the Foolish Man.  So Parker says its his turn to sing his song and starts to sing... "I am Iron man, na na na na I am Iron man!"     Not what I was expecting...:)

Pictures in the Dark!

 We were coming home the other night and the kids got a hold of my camera.  I didn't think that they would show anything because it was so dark in the car.  They quickly decided this would be a fun little experiment and an opportunity for crazy faces in the blinding flash!

Parker wouldn't open his eyes at all!

I was seeing spots after this shot!  

Cole has a pirate look in the bottom pic and of course Parker is still closing his eyes!

Fiesta Days Rodeo!

Parker in his new Wranglers and boots!

Cole the cowboy.  He insisted on looking the part- pants, boots, hat and LONG, sleeved shirt (NOT short sleeved).  I think he looks so handsome!
Mitch and Dad watching the rodeo.

Cole and Dad
Me and Mitch in our goofy self portrait:)

New Family Pics

The complete Cottam Family Picture!  This was a long time coming, its so hard to get everyone together.

Notice my sweet little nieces (on the left).  Josie is posing like a pro, and little kaylee is chewing on a stick!  Hey, whatever works!  

We had to work hard for this one too.  Parker never sits still for pictures, and rarely smiles for them either!

Here are some new family pics that the lovely Jocelin took of us! (www.photograpybyjocelin.com.... check out her website, its beautiful!) She always does such an amazing job, even when there are about 7 different families to photograph! 

 It was my Grandparents 60th wedding anniversary and we were all there except for Grandma and Grandpa.  That morning my Grandpa became very sick and had to spend the day in the emergency room.  We were so sad that they had to miss it, but Grandma insisted on still getting our pictures done, and thankfully Grandpa is ok and doing better.  It was a fun day and a wonderful occasion to celebrate!

Graduates '09

So here are my little Graduates for '09.  Parker graduated from Little Scholars Preschool and Cole from kindergarten.  The year has gone by so fast!  Time just keeps going faster and faster!

This is how Parker was for the entire ceremony.  Completely uninterested and I'd say a little put out to be there.  Absolutely no singing or dancing for him.  He didn't utter one single word throughout the whole program, no matter how much I coaxed, smiled or threatened!

At least we got a shot of him in his cap!

Cole with his little diploma.

Cole, Jackson and Tyrone.  His little buddies throughout the year.

Cole and his teachers, Mrs. Peatross and Mrs. Garcia.  They are wonderful teachers!  Iam so grateful that Cole was in their class.  He really blossomed under their care.  So, Thank You!

My sweet little man:)

Hogle Zoo

The zoo!  The zoo!  Finally the day arrived to go to the zoo with Cole's kindergarten class.  I was only reminded of it every day for about 6 weeks.  Seriously there were a thousand kindergarten kids there that day.  Come to think of it there were high school kids there too! (but they act just like six year olds, so they fit right in! :) 

As we approached this wolf, Cole said "Look its the werewolf!"   Cole took this pic all by himself!  Pretty good for a 6 year old!

Turtle boy!  I think he liked the playground better than the animals!

  I just noticed in the background of this picture (below) some little girl is losing her pants.  Sorry about that.  Its a good thing we can't see her face!  :)

 Oh, to be six years old again!  He looks like he's having too much fun!

 Getting eaten by the lion with Park and his cute little friend Tyrone

   Getting eaten, again, by this fierce looking alligator!

 About to go for a train ride.  I couldn't get Park to look up, so here's a nice shot of his head!  I think I need some Crest White strips too!

 Cole with all his little kindergarten buddies.  Notice how he's like 6 inches taller than the rest!  I don't know where he came from-switched at birth, I think:)

Easter Morning

                                   We had to get the funny picture out of the way first!

                                   Showin' some love!

                                    Three good lookin' little men!

The Endangered Horny Toad

I never did get a picture on here of the horny toad.  I thought I might as well add it to the menagerie of our other animal pics on here!  (wait, I don't think I have the cat on here...)  Anyway Cole still gives me grief for making me let him go.  (He was endangered! ... by Cole)  So here they are for posterity's sake!

Marrott Boys

  A good looking bunch of boys!  Of course I am biased:)  I just had to post this picture.  Just for fun.  I got them to stop wrestling for about 5 seconds to take this!

Motorcycle Mania!

Park is glad to have his 4 wheeler out again!

                                   Mitch needed a little help from dad before he could ride

                                   They were beyond excited!
                                   Slowing down long enough to pose with mom

So we surprised the kids a couple of weeks ago with these motorcycles.  I don't know who was more excited the boys or their Dad!  He could hardly wait to give them the bikes.   We bought them in January so it was a long wait.  We should have waited longer to give them the bikes because of all the rainy weather its been too muddy to ride.  So of course theres been non stop whining about not being able to ride the bikes!  They knew they were getting a surprise but nothing like this!  It was so fun to see their faces!  Cole took off on his bike like a little pro.  It was amazing!  Like he was a born motorcycle rider.  Mitch was a little more hesitant and cautious (like his mom:)  I'll admit I even took them for a little spin.  They were perfect for me too!  Not too fast and not too slow.  Parker was happy to have his 4 wheeler out of storage.  He didn't even notice the motorcycles.  It was  a great day to be a "boy mom"!

Hamsterville

                                   Daisy our new hamster
                                   Very determined six year old who wouldn't give up!

I would like to know if I am the only parent who has ever given in to a six year olds constant, never-ending, begging and pleading for a hamster?  Please, someone tell me I am not the only one!  Daisy is a teddy bear hamster and only bites occasionally.  (she hasn't drawn blood yet...)  She really is soft and cute until you pick her up and check out her long rat-like rodent teeth.  Not so cute then.  She loves sun flower seeds and will pick them up with her cute little paws and stuff her cheeks as full as she can get them.  I asked the pet store lady,  "Will she REALLY run on the little wheel?"  "OH you bet she will!" she replied.  I thought "Right, she probably won't even touch it..."  Daisy is like Forrest Gump, she runs and runs and runs and runs!  And while she runs her wheel makes a little clicking noise,  click,click,click,click... and she does this ALL NIGHT LONG!  So Daisy gets locked in the storage room at night.  She is of course and angel all day long curled up in a little sleeping fur ball.  Oh well!  All I can say is that the six year old better remember that his mother got him a hamster when he's grown up.  And to his credit he does keep her little home clean and feeds her when reminded! 

The Living Aquarium

We went to the Living Aquarium in Sandy for FHE last week.  The kids had been dying to go and see it.   What a great thing right here in landlocked Utah!  It was very kid friendly and family oriented.  They even have a "touch pool" where you can touch sting ray and TRY to touch a passing fish.  Cole almost jumped in with the Sting ray!  He was so anxious to touch one, the whole front of his shirt and both sleeves were soaking wet!  They're having the South American exhibit with all kinds of animals like poison dart frogs and even Piranha!  The first Monday of every month is half off for family night!  I highly recommend it!

                                   Hello, Mr. Crab!  
                                     In front of some big fish.
                                   In front of the Anaconda.

                                   Piranha.  Notice the piranha imitations above!