Zions

Kirk and I finally made it to Zions National Park
Neither of us have been since we were little and could hardly even remember going.
A couple of my good friends have visited there recently and since then I've been completely jealous and itching to go.
Saturday was free National Park day so we loaded up and were there by 9 am.
It was beautiful!

We did quite a few different hikes. It was so fun. Kirsten loved climbing on the rocks, playing in the water and dirt, and throwing rocks over the side of the cliff until Kirk was informed that there were people down there...oops!

After my third hike the baby and my body decided it was enough and I started contracting like crazy, so we didn't get to go on as many as I would have liked, but we live close by and will be returning soon.We took 101 pictures...but I'll spare you all the scenery and pictures of Kirsten picking up rocks and turning her head away from the camera, here are my favorite.

Fathers Day 2009

Ever since I was little I was a true blue Daddys girl. My mom said she wanted to take lessons from me to learn how I wrapped him around my little finger so tight.

The classic story of me as a little girl happens when I was about 4. I slept in the hallway outside my parents bedroom (space was tight and there were 7 kids in a 3 bedroom house). After I had been tucked safely in my bed and my parents had turned in for the night I yelled for my "Daddy" until he got out to bed to see what was wrong.
"You forgot to kiss me goodnight"
He promptly kissed me goodnight and went back to bed. Not five minutes later I was calling for my "Daddy" again. He slowly climbs out of bed and comes to my side to hear
"My kiss went away".

What can I say he's always been my Papa Bear. I always felt like he was just mine until my littlest sister was born and he started calling her his "Big Special" sharing was so traumatic!
But I still adore my Dad to this day. I'm so grateful for his example, work ethic, and always being there for me.
Plus hes the best Grandpa
(he works hard to make sure we all know hes in the grandkid business)
I love you Papa Bear!


Then there is this guy

Who happens to be the best Dad.
I know, everyone says that about their husband...but I really mean it.
When I was 15 I made a serious list of qualities I wanted in my husband.
It was very specific and left no room for error.
Guess who checks off on everyone?
My Howcroft husband.
I love watching him as a Dad.

Before we had kids he was always worried that I would be so consumed by motherhood that I might actually forget him.
First of all he didn't know how challenging motherhood was and how much I would need his help.
Second of all he should have been worried about dividing his time between all his girls.
Kirsten and I don't like to share.
We both want him all to ourselves.
(Except I don't cry when he picks her up, like she cries when he sits by me...oh the drama)
I love you Kirk!

I'm so glad you are the Dad of all my girls

PS Our fathers day was fantastic. Sara made him a card telling him how excited she was to meet him. Kirsten had a scavenger hunt taking him through all their usual stops during a day. And I cooked my pants off for him (3 dishwasher loads mean we ate well)

Valley of Fire!

Late Tuesday night my husband finally returned home.
Hallelujah!
He brought with him my brother Garrett who will be visiting us for a couple weeks.
We woke up yesterday ready for an adventure.
We finally decided on the Valley of Fire
(in between here and Vegas)
Its a National Park of red rocks in the middle of the gray, dry, ugly desert.
It was beautiful!

Kirsten loved climbing all over the rocks, it was the perfect adventure for a busy one year old.

The elephant rock (can you see it)

Petrographic, the canyon walls were covered in them.

We made the long hike to see these natural water basins where Indians used to hide out.
Ok, it was only 1/2 a mile but being the middle of the day I was proud of the
big belly for making it.

Kirsten loved playing in the sand and even tried to make her hair red
We had so much fun spending the day with Kirk, no wonder I missed him so much!

The scenery was absolutely beautiful

We had a great time!

10 days

Kirk has been gone for 10 days now. He finally comes home tonight. I've missed him so much. I have a new respect for wives who have husbands travel, single moms, and military wives. It's hard and so lonely to do it by yourselves. And I have a husband to cry about it to every night!

Since we left San Diego Kirsten has had nonstop diarrhea. I can't even count the number of diapers I've changed the last 4 days. It's leaked through her stroller, numerous outfits, squirted out her diaper in the car seat, ended up all over the bed, on the floor getting into the bathtub, in the bathtub, nights, mornings, hour after hour its one poopy diaper after another. It'll be nice to have Kirk home to relieve my diaper changing skills.

I can't wait until tonight, to be with my handsome husband again.

Seaworld Take Two

Did I mention that right now adults can get into Sea World for two days at the price of one kids day? Awesome. So Friday we headed back to Sea World. We saw polar bears, walrus, penguin (which was freakishly like Happy Feet), dolphins and perhaps most importantly Sesame Street characters. Kirsten's never watched sesame street but she caught onto the general idea real quick.

We then were lucky enough to have lunch with Shamu. They have a nice outdoor dining while Shamu put on a private show for us. It was awesome!

The kids really loved it.
Only Kirk can really appreciate this second picture of Kirsten hiding her drink in her high chair.
Honey, I guess it's an inherited trait, so I'm sorry about Hawaii

We then started the long drive back to Utah.
Notice the shamus tucked into the sleeping beauty's arms.
Precious!

Kirsten and I had a great time and can't wait to go back with Kirk and Audrey

I would love to have a beach house

Thursday we popped out of bed, threw on our swimming suits, lathered Kirsten in sunscreen and high tailed it to the beach.
We got there pretty early so the kids played in the sand for awhile. Ben and Brixton would build sand castles then Kirstenzilla would come and destroy them until there was so evidence of the castle existing. I'm pretty sure Kirsten was the only one who thought this was the best game ever. My daughter was born to live on the beach, so Amanda when you decide to spend a whole summer on the beach, please invite Kirsten along.

Finally when we couldn't stand it any longer we wandered down to the water.
Kirsten was in heaven, for about 20 minutes then her poor body was shivering so bad that I had to pull her out.

The beach is as far away as Vernal from us, I can see us visiting frequently!
We dried Kirsten off and got her dressed and she konked out (for the first time the entire trip).
No one dared move so we spent the next hour relaxing on the beach working on our tans.
It was absolutely heaven!

We then walked down to the end of the pier where there was the cutest 50s diner. I could easily picture my mom with her sisters there dressed up for a tea party taking hundreds of pictures.
They had the cutest airplanes we put together for the kids.
(only a mother could figure those things out)
Kirsten was still in Kirstenzilla mode and promptly destroyed hers.

Perfect day at the beach

Shamu Shamu

Wednesday, our second day in San Diego, we headed to Sea World. The first thing we did was go to the Shamu show. Just look at the smile on my little girl. She was so happy to be there. She loved watching the whales...that is until they started doing tricks out of the water and splashing people, then she became terrified of the whales and clung to my neck.

One of her favorite parts of the day was playing on the Sesame Street playground. She especially loved the tunnel. You'll notice I don't have any good pictures of her looking at the camera...mostly because she refused to, but we got some cute pictures anyway.

We really enjoyed the sea lion and otter show. Again Kirsten loved it until the animals got to close then it was climbing up my big belly and clinging to my neck. By the end of this show my body was ready for a rest.

 

I started taking pictures by just putting the camera in front of her face and snapping...this was the result.

  We went to the 4D sesame street movie. The kids loved it until we got rained on...they couldn't understand why the seats were moving and we were getting wet inside the theater.

 

We had such a great time that Kirsten was asleep before we even got out of the parking lot. 

Grannys Birthday

This post is for my siblings. Today is my Grandma Brinkerhoff's birthday. My aunt Colleen and I went to the Frost Top for lunch and then to Grannys grave for her birthday celebration. Before I moved here I hadn't seen my Grandparents new headstone. So true to my word I am posting pictures for my siblings.

I love the woman singing with the children. That was so Granny. Also I think it's neat Papas branding initial are on his side of the headstone.
Happy Birthday Granny. I sure miss you.

Now these pictures are for my husband who is still in a land far away
(and perhaps a little foreign...where else can you find snake skin flip flops?).
Your daughter is still adorable.

she came back from California bodaciously blond and totally tan

We miss you terribly.
I'm going to Vegas tonight with Colleen to see Holli.
Who wants to stay in town without a husband
(not me, that's who)