Autism video

Wendy, one of Porter's therapists made this really cool video on autism and what we can do within the church to help the children as well as their families. I thought I would share it with you guys. Porter of course is in it a whole bunch along with two other super cute boys who also have autism. It is on Dallin's blog and is called I'll walk with you.

http://www.dallincotterell.com/

Halloween

Dallin came home from Utah one weekend and said he wanted him and the boys to be ninja turtles and asked if I could make them costumes. I was a little nervous but I think these made up costumes turned out great. I had a lot of fun making them, but the boys had so much more fun wearing them. I think all Porter said last night was hi-jah. I made Nickelle's tutu as well and she loved being a princess ballerina. Hope you all had a lot of fun.

Porter the fireman!

Wendy, (a student we have who works with Porter) is currently for school, working in a preschool classroom. She was teaching the kids about community workers and one day she talked about firemen. So she brought over all the gear and let Porter play and even recorded him doing some of the activities. He had a great time. These pictures are just too cute not to share.

Just thought you would like to know

We found out last night Janalyn and Jake are having a little girl! We are so excited for them. It has been pretty amazing to have these two little miracles this last year first my brother and now Janalyn. Just thought you would like to know.

Season

Ashtyn's Blessing

What a wonderful day! We sure had a great experience at Ashtyn's blessing. However, those of you who couldn't be there were missed! Clark's blessing was amazing. One of my favorite parts of having babies is hearing the sweet things promised to them when they are blessed. It was great to be with family. Thank you to those who could be there, and we were thinking of those who couldn't. What a sweet day.

The truth's out!

                            That's right it's true Grant does sleep with a pink "blankie"!!!!

2 Years Ago Today

Lovely sight, eh?

I made soup for the first time in 2 years on Monday night. 6 weeks on straight liquids will do it to you. Enough said!

Oh, and just in case you were wondering, the lower lip/chin area is still numb. . .it's now permanent. . .

Go Cougs!

What are everyone's predictions for the UCLA game?

Dallin

Funny picture

I just found this today. It was off my parents camera and it was taken a while ago but I just think it is so funny and I thought I would share it with you all. Enjoy!

Big Girl on Campus

Kamryn started preschool yesterday. She was so excited. She also told me she could go in by herself. I told her I needed to take some pictures, so she was okay with me walking her in. Does this mean she'll be asking me to drop her off a block away from her friends house soon? Anyway, enjoy the pictures (she is still atleast three inches shorter than anyone else in her class--what a peanut).

Dallin on the news

Dallin was on the news last night for the laptop program. It also shows a little of the bookstore on here. Courtnie you should get a good laugh at the news here. I know I do. Here is the link and then you just click on the video. Enjoy!

http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=8948153#

The new bookstore!

I went yesterday to the opening of the new bookstore and realized I totally forgot the camera to take pictures for you all. So sorry I have none today. I will take some soon. Anyways after a intense week for Dallin they are in and going strong. It was so fun to hear the students reactions to the new store. Dallin's department looks amazing and he has done a great job making it look great. It was amazing to see him finally have room. For those who have never been in the BYU-Idaho bookstore it was incredibly small and Dallin's department was about the size of Mom and Dad's office at the house. He is selling like a madman and is never at his desk because of the constant flow of students buying computers. He has done a great job with the laptop program but I am sure is looking forward to it slowing down some. At least enough that maybe he can sit down long enough at his desk to put things away. I will post pictures soon.

it's the most wonderful time of the year!

cougar football, of course, is what makes it that way! two or three weeks ago we were invited to the first birthday of our elders' quorum presidency's youngest son. while there, spencer and i visited for a while with the second counselor in the bishopbric who also happens to be a big cougar fan. i really think that spencer pushed this man over the edge in his quest to get satellite to watch byu football (a week later his wife came up to us after sacrament meeting to let us know that dish was being installed that wednesday). friday night we got a call inviting us to watch the game. spencer and i drove seperately so i could get the boys home for bed. we all had a great time!

a few pictures i got before we left:




when spencer left after the game, he was invited to go over every game. i really don't think we'll burden them with the whole family every time, but i think that spencer will see every game his schedule permits!

go cougs!

Ears Pierced!

She did it! Rylee has wanted her ears pierced (or ears pierred as she used to say) for a long time. We have never put an age limit on getting ears pierced, our girls just have to be able to ask for it and handle the pain. It was the second part that held Rylee back. We were honest and told her that, yes, it does hurt, like a shot, but only for a minute. She was very brave and didn't cry. I was presently surprised. What a girl! I think she is most excited to show her class on Tuesday. Her teacher told me Friday how she wrote about it in her class journal and promised to show everyone after the weekend. Go Rylee!

Our Princesses

Okay, Clark only allowed me to post this picture on the Cotterell blog and not our own. It was hilarious! Kamryn wanted a dress-up. Cannon was right there asking for one too. Since we don't have any boy dress-ups, I offered the Winter Belle in masculine red. He was so excited. After I put it on him, he twirled and twirled. I'm not sure if you can see the Princess slippers, but they were purple and fabulous (to be honest, I think he just loved the loud sound they make on our hard wood floors). I'm excited to blackmail him with this later in life! Ha Ha!

brotherly love

i snapped these pictures the other day to give a copy of one to our neighbors bob and wilma. we've gone over there a couple of times just to visit. they seem to love it and so do we! whenever we go over benny walks right in and says, "hi, wilma." then he walks back to their family room to say, "hi, bob." then he asks wilma for the toys.
while we were there on monday bob got his camera out to snap a few pictures of benny holding andy. they were really cute. he said it would be forever before he got his film developed, so after the boys got up from their naps that afternoon i took some pictures of my own. they were so glad to get a copy. wilma told me it was going right up on their fridge. we are so glad to have such great neighbors!

Family update!

I thought I would just put a quick family update on here for everyone and I will start with Bennett. He is such a sweet little boy. He is happy all the time and loves to just be apart of things. He smiles all day and LOVES to growl. He keeps everyone happy and smiling right along with him. We feel so grateful to have such a pleasant little man in our family. He just got his first tooth at three months which was awful because you really can't give him much medicine yet to help him through. He is sleeping really pretty good at night and is still pretty little. All the pictures of the kids here they are wearing shirts Dallin got them in NYC. Bennett's is a all star yankee's shirt. It is super cute.
Porter is working hard as ever and keeps us driving and moving. He has really been speaking a lot more these days and has been working hard at learning some songs and recognizing letters. On Sunday he asked Dallin if he could have some Milk-a-soup. Dallin said "Porter what is milk-a-soup?" So Porter walked Dallin to the fridge and opened it and pointed to the milk and said "milk" then pointed to the hershey's syrup and said "soup" then he shrugged his shoulders and said "milk-a-soup". He still has his crazy determination that is such a blessing and a curse and his latest determination has been to make his own food or get his own food. He has gotten really good at peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He starts preschool again here in a couple weeks and we are hoping he will have a much better school year this year. We think it will help that he will be at the BYU-Idaho preschool. The best part for me is that because it is in the morning Dallin will take him with him when he leaves for work and then I will just go to pick him up. ONE LESS CAR TRIP!!!!!! We are proud of all Porter's hard work.
Nickelle has been potty trained and loves her new beautiful underwear. She is so small though that I cannot find underwear small enough for her little bottom so they have a hard time staying up. But she loves them none the less. Speaking of small at her 2 year check up we discovered she has only gained 3 pounds since her 1st birthday. Her Dr. was a little concerned and I told him how much she eats and he seemed to feel a little better. They still want to see her in a couple months and make sure she is gaining but I am not worried she is just a little petite thing. That is why in this picture she is wearing pants Mom gave her for her first birthday and yes they still fit. She is way into princess's and we can get her to do pretty much anything by telling her a princess would do it. She has learned a lot of songs and is now speaking full sentences. She amazes me how fast she is growing up. We love our little Nickelle!

Dallin is about to make the big move into the new bookstore. It will be both stressful and wonderful! He will only have 9 days to get everything in it's place before rush so I am sure he will be working a lot of really long hours they next couple weeks. Dal went to NYC a couple weeks ago and had a great time. He saw everything there was to see including every top name brand store in all of NYC which was a major part of the trip. He also went to a yankee's game, central park, saw the statue of liberty and about a million other awesome things. I was a little jealous I admit it, but I am glad he had the chance to go. 

I keep teasing Dallin that I have earned a lot of vacation days this summer with all of his many trips and sometime I need to cash some in and take a well needed break but I will probably wait until after rush for him. I am doing well and just trying to keep up with everyone and stay on top of everything. We are starting to really get ready for our primary program we are going to do it the beg of October this year so I am making sure songs are memorized and ready to go. I am really getting excited because Tony and Sarah are scheduled to be induced the 4th of September. She cannot go full term and they are hoping to be able to let her go ten days before so he may come sooner but that is the plan for now. We are so excited that after 7 long years their son will finally be here in there arms. Also Janalyn is pregnant with only one baby and due march 11th. She had quite a few scares her first trimester and spent a lot of time on bed rest but seems to be doing much better. She is starting to show and is only 11 weeks but we love seeing her with a little tiny tummy. Anyways I thought I would include all that info because you all have been so wonderful to think of them and I figured you would be interested to know. 

We miss you all and hope things are well with your families.

The Idaho Cotterell's

moving up in the world

andy has been crawling for a while now and he's starting to pull himself up on things. just thought i'd share some pictures.

climbing up onto the window in our entrance.

and this one of benny just for good measure. he saw spencer's tie and asked to have it on after church.