Christmas Newsletter 2013

Cottrell Family Christmas Newsletter 2013

The New s

There are many new ‘News’ items from this year.

Jenna has started gymnastics, and is loving it. She can do the splits three ways!  Jenna has also learned her first song on the piano, Jingle Bells – everyone’s ready for the next one now!

Leah has started senior school, at Bournemouth School for Girls.  She takes the bus to school, and is becoming more independent, but likes to get a lift when she can. She has both piano and guitar lessons and our home is often filled with both singing and strumming.

Amber has embarked on her GCSE years, doing HALO (Hospitality and Leisure Opportunities), Health & Social Care and Business Studies to name a few topics. Amber has increased her skills at turning her hair into amazing fashion statements.

Katie has been serving in Primary this year, and has volunteered to work at a local children centre with Barnardos.  She obviously has not had enough of the kids, celebrating 5 years as a childminder this year, some of whom have now moved on to senior school.

The Cottrell family singers took to the stage for a week this summer in the musical extravaganza ‘The British Pageant’. Not only stars of the stage; Leah, Katie and Alan were part of the recording choir, and can be heard at  mormon.org.uk/pageant

Jenna and Leah have also been performing all year at Stagecoach.  Super Heroes, Billy Elliot, Mary Poppins, etc.

Katie and Alan took an early peek into the future world of being OAPs by going on a cruise in the Mediterranean.  Surprisingly there were lots of families with children, and despite this, another cruise at some point is definitely on the cards. We loved it!

Alan’s busy as ever: still working at JPMorgan, serving as Bishop of Bournemouth Ward and trying to make us all laugh with his terrible jokes.  On our holidays he enjoys putting pastel to paper and has created some lovely memories of the places we’ve been.

This & That

Well, the car’s on the blink; we created a lovely border in the garden in the summer; Katie discovered a wasp nest – the wasps were not happy; we’re stock piling wood ready for the wood burner we’re saving for; the house springs leaks constantly, it’s like camping with pots collecting water all around us!  We’ve had foreign students staying through the summer which paid for our lovely summer holiday and now we have a uni student staying with us, also called Kate!

Thanksgiving

We are grateful for all the family and friends who have come to visit this past year and for everyone who continues to support our family. We feel very blessed to have wonderful families and are enjoying watching our girls growing up, but sad that it’s going so quickly! 

Annual Crossword

If you’re really bored, have a go at our cross word!
Send your answers to: alan.cottrell@gmail.com

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Down

1. Where is Katie volunteering?

2. Describes Alan’s Dramatics on Stage

3. Leah has started ______ lessons.

4. What are GCSE’s?

Across

1. Alan is still serving as the ______?

3. The most hard working and loved member of the family.

5. Alan and Katie went on a _____?

6. A three letter word ending ‘A’? *

7. Our _______ helped pay for our cruise.

 * We couldn’t think of one, suggestions please!