Sunday, February 14, 2016

Halle is 6 on January 3!

This is out of order, but I thought I'd post Halle's birthday so I could get everyone this year.
This beauty turned 6.  I don't know how that happened?! The years here in Cache valley have flown.  Synergy keeps us so busy.  
This girl...
Is creative,
Is thoughtful (she made our bed and wrote us a sweet note)
She loves to craft!
She has 2 front teeth missing!
She's hilarious!
She's grouchy and sassy,
She loves her brothers!
She's loves stuff
She loves animals 
She loves her American girl doll (fake, but fooled her;)
She's mom's kitchen helper extraordinaire!
She loves pictures of her, which is why I have so many!
She loves to wear pretty clothes!
That's just some of Halle!  Love you Gracie baby girl!

Alana is 14!!!

When did this incredible girl turn 14?! How did my baby grow so fast? Where does the time truly go?  I feel like I am one of those creepy ladies at the grocery store staring at new mommies with all their babies stopping them to say, "watch out, they grow really fast! Enjoy your moments while their little!" 
Here's my evidence that I am allowed to say that:
She was just climbing out of her crib, making her 1 st grade class bark and climbing the nets at her soccer game.  Now she is thoughtful, kind, generous, helpful, talented, beautiful, fun and just great!  Having a teenager at 35 is a strange thing.  I really was just 14. I am a young mom, I do remember quite vividly what it was like to be her age.  Although I get frequent comments that she looks like me, she is nothing like me in so many ways.  
She doesn't care what anyone thinks about her clothes, her hair, she likes to cuddle with dad, she is persistent with art and doesn't give up, she's content to sit and read, she's awkwardly funny and doesn't care what others think, she has a inate and strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, she wants to get into a good college as an 8th grader and wants to try to get straight A's so she can get into BYU as a "Utah applicant," she is so much stronger than I ever was at that age!  
I am in awe.  I understand what my mother meant when she looked at me just so.  I have to learn to be a mother to her as she grows.  She will be gone soon, I only have a few more precious impressionable years.  Have I done all I could? I have to see her more as a friend than a daughter in my mind to help me not be so commanding and bossy.  I need to stop criticizing her and start applauding what she wants to be.  She inspires me to be my best.  It's amazing what your first child does to transform you.  Happy 14th birthday to such an incredible young lady, you have made me complete.  Love you Alana.
To celebrate, we went shopping and got treats with the girls! Fun times!
14!



Wednesday, January 13, 2016

New era of blogging

It's been awhile since I blogged... 5 years to be exact.  I searched and searched for a great app that would let me write, add pictures and print books.  I added a few apps only to be discouraged to find I couldn't write more than 1,000 words, add pictures or print my creations.  
So here I am, back in the blogging world, but this time from a convenient hand device.  Here is beautiful cache valley in January.

It's time to start keeping track of the beautiful days of my mothering and life.  I am a busy mom, running the household and helping run our business Synergy.  I feel like I'm missing out on the important times by not recording them. I can't remember much from 10 years ago so I know I won't remember any in 10 years! 
Today, January 13, 2016 I've been to a new accountants office, dropped off a large check for the Sam fellow road house, my visiting teachers came and I've just picked up Halle from school.  
Halle quote this morning as she is crying while I'm brushing her hair, "you don't know what it's like to be 6!" I told her that actually I was 6 one time and she said, " well you don't know what's it like to be MY kind of 6!"

Ammon had early orchestra this morning, Marrick loves to watch videos on how to transform transformer toys on YouTube and Alana got herself up today so I only had to get her out the door.  Aaron was rushed to be to work by 8 because a new therapist Mallory starts today.  
Life is good, I'm tired because I played a soccer game last night.
I just want to remember these things!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Check out "The Leftovers"
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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

March, April and May 2011... catching up!

This is a collage of March, April and May.  It is amazing how crazy life can get if you don't stop to enjoy it.  I was looking at all of these pictures realizing that I have amazing, adorable, fun, sweet, intelligent kids.  They are each so unique and perfect in their own ways.  I love these sweet 4 babies more than I ever thought was possible.  They have become my life (other than the hunk I call baby and this time consuming business we have ventured on :)  I am grateful for their sweet testimonies and spark for life!  I am also glad to be back into the blogging world because I printed off a blog book on Blurb for Christmas and now I don't have to scrapbook ever again!  It is my picture journal and so if you are so willing to read and endure it, you must love us :) and we love you too!

Piggy tails!  Her curly hair is so stinking cute! and so is she!


Take a picture of me Mom!  How could I resist Marrick?


OK, I'm done with pictures!

This was SO cute!  After church one Sunday, Marrick kept saying, "I'm just like you Dad!  Just like you!  Look, We match!"  I just love that little Marrick Aaron!  He is definitely his daddy's boy!



ONE LITTLE,
 This baby girl turned 16 months on May 3rd!  Halle is so sweet and such a fire ball!  She flies jets around making sound effects and then says, "pretty" when she puts on a necklace.  She loves baby dollies and lets the kids dress her up.  She likes to wear pretty things and looks for something on her shirt when I put it on her.  She tries to put hair pretties in her hair and puts on everyone's shoes.  She knows what she wants to eat and how she wants to eat it.  One morning she will let me feed her oatmeal, the next she has to eat it herself or she wont touch it!  She can say so many words!  She says, "more, pretty, baby, mom, dad, ammon, lana, no, cheese, gogurt, dink (drink), please, thank you(which she says a lot!), show, up, down, see, Hi (she will say this to people when the walk by.  It is really funny the way she says it), bum, tubby, puppy, kitty, binker, nigh-night, blanky, shoes, NEVER (I say this when she is doing something wrong so she will growl it back to me), side (meaning outside), birdy, bye, me, and probably more.  She is so smart and adorable!~
TWO LITTLE

THREE LITTLE COTHRANS,

FOUR FUNNY COTHRAN KIDS!

And funnier....

And stronger...

And seriously-er...

NOTHING can surprise us!

Beautiful Alana!  She started her new school 2 weeks ago and really loves it!  There are a lot of kids in the neighborhood and ward so she has 2 kids in her primary class in her school class.  She misses her old school, friends and especially Zorro.  She has been wearing her hair Hermine style (we braid it while wet and let it go rock star in the morning).  It is so pretty on her!  She amazes me at how confident she is!  She knows who she is and never backs down.  She has read HOLES, part of LORD OF THE RINGS, THE SECRET GARDEN, WITCHES and a couple other shorter books since we moved.  She loves to read and write stories.  She will tell you about them for hours if you let her.  She got a certificate stating she was passing the 3rd grade on her 2nd day at her new school!  She thought that was pretty cool :)  She is my rock and I love her so much.  She helps me so much with the boys and Halle all of the time!  Love you Lana!



Does it get any cuter!?!!!  2 Handsome boys!  Marrick is finally smiling for pictures!  Time for a family pic!

Ammon is so amazing.  The Sunday before we moved he got up by himself and bore his testimony.  He has such a strong spirit about him and loves Heavenly Father so much.  He knows what is right and tries to make the right choice.  Ammon does has some teasing issues right now.  He will run by Marrick and steal his toy or pull on Halle's shirt.  He was pulling his chair really close to Alana's at dinner tonight just to bug her.  He also looses his temper so fast!  I'm afraid I helped him with that trait!  He is doing well in reading and does very well at math.  He is a great artist and loves to color.  He loves playing catch with dad, shooting baskets and jumping on the trampoline.  His laugh is still contagious.  He loves nice clothes and likes to look really COOL.  Love you Ammon!

We are smiling!  Hooray!  It only took 4 years!!!!  My mom always told me that when I turned 4 I stopped bawling and became a sweet girl.  I think for Marrick 4 and a half is his magic age.  He is almost there!  There is one word that describes this kiddo really well... PERSISTENT.  Grama Annie mentioned it to me the other day and I thought, yes, that's what it is!  Like tonight for instance.  I made cookies and everyone had to say 5 things they were thankful for before they could have one.  Marrick ran behind me (through me) and took a bite of one.  He wanted that cookie now.  He sneaked past me 2 more times and had almost a whole cookie gone before he told us his 5 things.  He was thankful for his Dad, mom, new beautiful house, Jesus and cookies.  Very sweet, but... really!  When he wants something, watch out!  It is even hard to reason with him when he is focused on what he wants.  I thought he might be obsessive for awhile because he focuses so much on what he wants.  I try so hard to read to him, tell him happy things and give him loves.  I have always known that Marrick is going to be an incredible man someday.  You can see it in his eyes.  His spirit is so strong.  Tonight I laid down next to him on his bed and he hugged me around the neck and said, "sleep here with me mommy."  And he eats more than I do!  I love this little man!


Oh pretty Halle, Oh so pretty!


Happy and adorable...

Not so happy!

I wish this was in focus!

Halle cheers all the time.  I always ask questions like, "who wants milk, raise your hand" or "who loves daddy, raise your hand."  Halle raises both her hands and says, "yea!"

Maybe I shouldn't blog this.  But, where do they come up with these things?

Halle skinned her lip when falling over a skateboard.  She got a bloody nose tonight trying to climb out of the tub herself!  She has bloodied her face so much as a baby.  I guess she is just trying to keep up with the boys.  And yes, she is playing with an immodest barbie!

Our good friends Amy and Jordan live in the town we do.  I am just glad to know someone here!  Amy brought her cute little puppy over to play with.  It is so tiny!  Alana was in heaven and Halle drug it around on a blanket.  So cute!

I'm so glad to be documenting our life again.  Next time I won't do 3 posts at once!!!