Cotters R Us

2010

2010-12-30T17:02:00.000-08:00

Wow!
Where did the time go. The Cotter's had a great 2010. I am staying home with kids right now. Kirby is still working alot but is home most everynight. Tres turned 10! He is growing up so fast. Karis is thriving in 1st grade and reading so well. Karson will be home with me until the fall and he will start school. Dusty is going to Afganastan and Jarred is starting his career as a rocket scientist and getting married. We have been so blessed this year! Thank you Lord for your unfailing LOVE! Here is a picture or 2 if you can are not facebook fans!

Ready for CHRISTmas!

2009-12-05T15:25:00.000-08:00

The Cotter's are ready to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus! This morning Karis told me the Christmas story. She got most of it right, she did not remember the part about King Herrod. The lights are on the house and the tree is up. Last weekend we rode the Polar Express. We all had a great time. Thanksgiving was wonderful too. We will be enjoying Christmas at home. I hope everyone has a great Christmas and hope to see a few friends over the break. Here are a few pictures.......

Catch up!

2009-10-06T20:16:00.000-07:00

I must play catch up with my blog. Janurary was wonderful. Feburary didn't go so well, with Karson and Karis both having to go to the ER. Karson busted his lip on the trampoline and Karis broke her arm on the trampoline. Karis also had her ear tubes replaced, just 2 weeks before. March was better. I stayed home from work and took care of her for 4 weeks due to her breaking her dominate arm. In April I turned 33! At the end of May, Kirby left for a month for Army. June went by pretty fast. In July Kirby came home for 2 weeks and then left for again for 2 weeks for Army. Karis had another sugery, and I took a school nurse job. August went by fast. Tres turned 9 in September....and 3 out of 5 of us have had the flu! So now you are caught up on the Cotter gossip. We are looking forward to a slow winter, and all being on the same schedule. Here are a few pictures....Enjoy!

Happy 2009!

2009-01-01T20:15:00.000-08:00

The Cotter family had a great Christmas and New Year! Santa was very good to the kids. Kirby and the kids have been off for 2 weeks. I think they are all getting tired of each other. They have been to the train depot, movies,shopping and the park. I have had 2 spinal injections this month, and am hoping to start the new year pain free! We loved seeing our family and friends and miss those we did not see. Here are a few pictures to enjoy until next month!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T19:21:00.000-08:00

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Enjoy our dancing skills!

Mom and Me

2008-11-19T20:06:00.001-08:00

Annual Mom and Me Boy Scout campout

We had a great time shooting paintball, bb guns and bows!

Pumpkin painting

2008-11-19T19:59:00.001-08:00

The kids had a great time painting pumpkins. Tres and Kirby carved their pumpkins, but I did not get a picture. Tres had a mean face on his and Kirby carved out "The Cotters" on his.

Halloween

2008-11-19T19:54:00.001-08:00

Karson the cowboy!

Karis the Princess!

Tres as Darth Vader!

Turning 8!

2008-11-19T19:18:00.000-08:00

Tres had a great 8th birthday at Medieval Times.

They had beautiful flowers and a fish pond that the kids really enjoyed!

Karson put on a show before the show. Poor guy, he'll probably never want to have kids after this dual!

Guarding the Princess!

Fall is here!

2008-09-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite time of year! I love being outside. When we get home from work and school, me and the kids stay out until we are forced inside...by rain, by dark, by bugs, or by hunger. The outside loves being with us too. We still do not have grass, so the sand has moved in. The sand is our friend he plays with us, eats with us, bathes with us and sleeps with us. I'm sure one day he will decide to go away, but for now we are coexisting fine. I guess that's what happens when you don't have carpet for the sand to hide in.

Karis loves her purple room. She is constantly busy playing in there. Karson can't decide if he wants to be upstairs or downstairs, so he is up and down, all day long. Tres stays in the play room, most of the time. I love my bath tub most of all. A place where I can hide for a little while. Kirby is very content with his new flat screen TV, hanging over the fireplace. Life is good, even with the sand moving in. Here are a few pictures, I am still decorating. I hope to be finished by Christmas.....

July

2008-07-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

Rhonda, Kirby and Kandice

July came in with a bang. Me and the kids flew to Denver without any major catastrophes. Karson really enjoyed his first airplane ride. Kirby met us there a few days later after leaving Ft McCoy, Wisconsin and driving 1200 miles in one day. Karis did run 102 fever for 3 days while we were there, and Karson developed this nasty ear drainage, but over all it was great. Kandice and Bill's wedding was so beautiful(what I saw of it). It was a long ceremony and my kids could not be quite, so we headed outside to the church playground. Then we partied until 10pm. For us that is late. The kids ate and ate and danced and danced. We also caught up with some old Carolina friends, and had a water gun showdown birthday party. Colorado is so beautiful, I almost wish we lived there......ALMOST.

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs Rockies Game

My sister and her kids were waiting for us when we got home. My kids love to play with their cousins. We all went to Splash Kingdom and had a great time. Kirby left for Ft Hood a few days later. We sure do miss him when he is gone. I did get a wonderful visit from another Carolina friend over the weekend. Jen and her kids, her friend Sara and Cameron made a pit stop at the Cotter house. They were driving from Iowa to Houston. All the kids enjoyed playing. Alexia and Karis are already making plans to see each other again soon. Fine by me!

Tres was awarded a metal for 3rd place at golf camp, and was the only kid in his age group to hit the ball over the water.....look out Tiger! We also spent some time with Dusty while he was home from Germany. The kids really love being with their older brothers. I can't believe they are so grown up, no longer boys but men. We are proud of them both.

Well, we should be moving in the house Aug 1st. So keep your fingers crossed. Here are a few pictures to enjoy. See ya next month!

Kirby Sr,me,Karis,Kirby,Karson,Dusty,Tres,Jarred Tres tubing!

Splish, Splash

2008-06-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

Another summer at the pool! The pool opened the Friday before Memorial Day, and we have not missed a day of swimming unless it was raining. Tres is diving into the 10 foot area,Karis is excited that she can touch in the 3 foot area and keep her head above water and Karson is "CANNON BALL"ing all over the place. The club house is located right next to the pool so when we get hungry, we eat and then get right back to swimming.....so no cooking for me. We have also been busy with Tres' baseball. We are at the ball field 2-3 nights a week. I'm not complaining because I don't have to cook those nights either. Most of you that know me knows that Kirby does most of the cooking anyway, so I just he's getting a break too. Speaking of getting a break, he is sure getting a long one, for 2 weeks. He is in Wisconsin doing Army Training and THANK GOD again for Nana living next door. I know she will be glad when we move a little farther away so she doesn't have to help so much. The kids and I will meet Kirby in Colorado for his sisters wedding and we will be there until the 4th of July. Kirby will be home for a week and then he is off to Ft Hood for 2 more weeks. We will probably be moving the 1 week he will be home this summer. The house is almost finished. Everyone is well. Thanks again for all the prayers for my mom. Well enough rambling, here are some pictures.

Kitchen

Living room

Karis's Purple Room

Master

Karson's room

Tres' room

Loft front

Loft back

2008-05-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

Just a few more pictures of the house.
The trim work was finished last week, and we met with the painter on Tues.
Our countertops in the kithchen will be installed on the 9th. Things are coming together quickly. We are glad that school is over and waiting to have a great summer. The pool opened last Friday and the kids have already mastered the art of swimming. Everything has seemed to calm down the last few weeks, and we are praying it will continue to be a peaceful and uneventful summer. Will post more later!

Karis in action!

2008-04-30T21:17:00.000-07:00

Karis walking the beam!

back roll over......

The fireplace is finally finished!

Just a few new pictures. Thanks everyone for all your prayers and concerns for my mom. Her test results came back today and there are no signs of cancer!!!! Thank you LORD!

We love you!

Kirby, Juli, Tres, Karis, and Karson

She's a BRICKED house!

2008-04-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

Inside the Great Room. Back of the house.

Just another quick update on the house. The brick work is finished, and the sheet rocking is almost done. I have ordered my cabinets. Next they will texture the walls and stain the floors, then trim work. It looks like we are getting closer and closer to moving in time. I can't wait!

Tres also caught 3 catfish tonight. He was so proud of himself. Mom only got 1 bite......a mosquito bite... :>)

Proud Parents!

2008-04-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to show you a couple of pictures of Dusty in Germany. My Aunt and her friends make these quilts and send them to Dusty to pass out to the wounded soilders. How lucky are we! Keep up the good work Dusty we LOVE you!

Spring 2008

2008-03-26T21:29:00.001-07:00

Just a quick update on the Cotter family. I don't have any new pictures of the house...sorry. My camera has disappeared again. Luckily, Nana is always there with her camera ready to go. The fireplace is done, and they will start brick work and sheet rock this week...Yeah!!!! We have had a wonderful month. We are glad to get out doors again. Tres will be starting baseball again this spring, that will keep us busy 4 nights a week. He also did a great job of narrating 3 Billy Goats Gruff for his 1st grade class play. Karis had a wonderful birthday weekend. Saturday night she got to go on stage in Canton, and her Aunt sang her Happy Birthday. She of course said all day she was going to get up on stage and sing too, but mom knew better. She was crying as soon as we left our seats. Then on Sunday, we had our family Easter gathering and everyone sang to her again. We went to Galveston for Spring Break, it was so fun and the weather was perfect! We still miss the beaches of South Carolina though! Karson is apparently very allergic to something and has spent the last week in hives and with both eyes red and swollen. He has also graduated to the big boy bed, and is almost potty trained. He is not my baby anymore. Well, that's all I can think of....Karis did get her hair cut too. See ya next month!!

Busy Bee's

2008-02-19T20:21:00.000-08:00

We have all been busy bee's this month. The new house is going up so fast, plus they just finished remodling the house we are currently living in. Karson had his 2nd birthday. Karis continues to love gymnastics. Tres finished basketball and was baptized. I went to San Francisco, leading a Special Needs Mom's group, picking out plumbing fixtures and lighting...plus housekeeping and cooking. Kirby is busy being Cub Scout Leader and meeting with the contractor and workers on a daily basis, plus clean up duty to save some $$$, and cooking too. We have also had some very ill family and friends, we have been visiting. This month has even slowed down a little from last month. We are all doing well, noone has gotten sick.....except Tres....ear infection. The Dr said one of the worse he has ever seen. Poor child, I made him suffer for 4 days before finally taking him to the Dr. Let me tell ya, I felt like Mother of the Year....NOT!

Enough about us here are some pictures of the house. Keep in touch!

Next month....Spring Break at the beach, Karis's 4th birhtday, Easter and.....more pictures of the house.

Love Ya! Juli

Up she goes!

2008-01-30T20:17:00.000-08:00

Well, the 2nd week of January was the start of our dream home. Clearing the trees and thicket took about 2 days. Then the pad was set. The weather slowed down the next few stages, but the foundation was poured 1/29 and the framing started today 1/30. We are very excited and very overwhelmed with all the decisions to be made and trying to stay within budget. Please continue to pray that things go well.

Otherwise, life goes on in the Cotter home. Cub Scouts, Gymnastics, and Basketball have taken most of our free time, but I wouldn't want to be doing anything else....well....maybe sleep in. This weekend is a big weekend for our family. Karson will be turning 2! and Tres is getting baptized! Our family will be here to celebrate with us. I am also very excited about going to a medical conference in San Francisco in 2 weeks. I will have 3 days of no responsibility....YEAH!

As always we miss all our friends and family we do not get to see very often. I hope this brings us a little closer to you.

God Bless! Juli

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

Derek, Rob, Wendi, Bernice,Helen,Joe,Karson,Juli, Lori,Tres,Karis,Kirby,Matt,Stephen,Micheal

The Cotter family would like to wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year! I hope 2008 will bring you lots of love, laughter and joy. Looking back at our pictures from this year I realized how blessed we truly are. We thank the Lord for the wonderful gifts and opportunities He has given us.

I lost my camera last month and don't have any pictures to post for you, but THANKS to Nana and her camera, I will post some pictures very soon. We have spent lots of time with our family and even some time with very special friends. Christmas was wonderful, the kids were so fun this year. I think we will have to get a second home for all the toys. Kirby has been off for 2 weeks with the kids, and I have had to work. I think he has enjoyed it, and I know they have. Nana will have a time trying to unspoil them after he goes back to work next week.

We closed on our house last week and the building process is to start this week. We are very excited and anxious too! I will hopefully be updating the blog with pictures of the house being built.

You are all in our prayers and we miss you all!

2007-11-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

Mom and Me-Cub Scout Camp out
Karson enjoying the Fall Festival

Spooks of Emerald Bay

Karson's 1st Thomas visit

October was a blast. The weather finally cooled of around the middle of the month. We have been enjoying the outdoors alot. I find myself not wanting to go inside after a day of working inside, plus I know there is house-work to be done. Tres and I had a great time at the Mom and Me camp out. We hiked in the woods most of the day, shot paint balls, BB-guns,and bows. I am pretty proud of myself for "roughing it". We set up the tent with no problem, but it was the coldest night of the month of October and I got NO sleep. Overall it was not bad and I actually look forward to the next one......next year. Bullard Elementary had a Fall Fest. The kids enjoyed hay rides, playing games and getting CANDY. This is Karson's favorite word now.
Next, came Thomas. Kirby was at Army so Nana and I loaded up the kids to go see Thomas the Train. We asked Karson if he wanted to go see Thomas and he said "no like it", but we went anyway and he had a great time. Finally, Halloween. Sister had been asking all month if it was time to trick or treat yet. Everyday she would get up and ask if she could wear her witch costume. We all had a good laugh and lots of CANDY. Thanks Pawpaw for carting us around the neighborhood! Well, I'm hoping to slow down in November, so don't worry if I don't post for awhile. Hope everyone had a great October!

Oh yeah, I forgot about the Fall VestFest. I did not take my camera. We camped out and had a hayless hayride, with our wonderful family. Our next family get together is in Nov. I'll remember to take my camera this time and post more pictures.

Juli

Happy 7th Birthday Tres!

2007-09-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

Boy, September just flew by. I can't believe Tres is 7. We celebrated his birthday by taking him to his favorite resturant...Shogun. Saturday was his party, at Chuck E Cheese. His cousins Stephen and Micheal, and two old friends from Tyler we have known since they all were babies, came to the party. Everyone had a blast!

I started my new job this month. Everything is going good. I miss my babies though! Karson has started potty training ALREADY! Things are changing so fast. Karis is still lonesome for her friends in South Carolina (so am I). She told me I had to go by her a friend to play with.

Kirby is busy teaching 10th graders, Applied Physics. He is in High School Football Heaven. He goes to watch Jarred play every other week in Howe and surrounding areas.

That's all I can think of for now. Here are a few more pictures. :)

Happy 20th Birthday Dusty!

2007-09-11T21:31:00.001-07:00

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

It's great to be home!

2007-08-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

It has been a whirl wind of non-stop fun and family since we arrived Aug 3rd. We truly miss our Carolina family. We were blessed by each one of them. The kids have learned how to get to Nana's (next door) all by themselves. We have started using the musical noise maker on the door to give us a warning someone is going out. We have swam, played golf and taken boat rides so many times I can't count. We live at Emerald Bay Golf Course. It is a great place. Our house sits right off the back 9 and driving range. The ducks come up to our back yard and eat bird seed 3 and 4 times a day. It is so peaceful here. Well, was until the LOUD Cotters came to town. This street will never be the same. Here are a few pictures.