Highlites

The weekend of Timothy's blessing was full of our fun family. My parents and Abigail came to Vegas on Thursday. Brett, Jess, and Barrett showed up on Friday. Saturday Tom, Karen, Paulette, Liz, Brixton, Hawk, Garrett, Emily, Bekah, Chelsey, Cody, Camille, Justin, Jacob, Allie, Eliza, Riley, Aaron, Joriel, Kassandra, and Alex joined the ongoing party. Jim, Julie, and Tyler came on Sunday just in time for the blessing. Our amazing family traveled for hours to support us. We felt very loved. We made so many memories, here are a few of our favorites. (Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the Howcroft's. I didn't take pictures of the weekend and so the pictures I do have are my moms. But the Howcroft's were there too!)

My parents were life savers. I was able to enjoy the weekend so much more because of their help. My mom helped me grocery shop (two very full carts). They helped me make all the meals ahead of time (we spent hours in the kitchen before everyone arrived). They kept my house clean during all of the chaos. They were awesome and I was very grateful to have them here.

Brett and Jess shocked the pants off of us Friday when they knocked on our door (we thought they were coming Saturday). Finally Barrett and Timothy were able to meet (they are 2 months and 1 day a part). Immediately after they arrived we took Baer upstairs and woke up Timothy. Realizing the boys happened to have the same outfit we quickly changed Timothy to match his cousin. We laid them next to each other and giggled in delight as the checked each other out. We made them hold hands and then stood them up and had them hug. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life watching those boys hug each other and Barrett refused to let go of Timothy, SO CUTE! It didn't take long to discover they both loved baths so we ran upstairs and let them take their first bath together. They both loved it and kicked like maniacs. These two boys are already bff's.

Saturday we had lunch at our house. The weather was a little stormy and we decided to just eat at our house before heading to the mtns. 27 people eating hot dogs in our tiny house. The more the merrier for sure!

Grandpa Tom had surgery on his elbow and hand on Thursday so he had a huge cast. But as I was running around getting everything ready I saw him on the floor in the playroom playing trains with my girls. That is what Grandpas are all about.

Saturday afternoon we went to Spring Mtn ranch. We hiked to the lake, toured the house, played croquet, and enjoyed being together.

Saturday evening we held a family birthday party for Kirsten at the park. She was so excited to celebrate with her cousins. She told everyone she was 6 now that she was having another birthday, ha ha. We had yummy food, a pinata, cupcakes, and presents. It was a gorgeous evening.

Saturday night 22 people slept at our house. People were everywhere (including the garage and hallway). Our house was exploding with family, just the way we like it. We had to head to bed early because of church but we really enjoyed being together.

After the blessing we had brunch at a nearby park. It was fun to be together with everyone and enjoy some sunshine.

A name and a blessing

Sweet Timothy was blessed March 10, 2013. I love the name Timothy but I have had doubts about it being the right name for him. As I fed him the morning of his blessing I looked at him and thought "if we want to change his name it needs to happen right now." I stared at him saying his name softly, wondering if this name would suite him throughout his life. He looked at me and smiled as if to say "I like my name mom". I am relieved to know he is a Timothy Monson after all.
Our sacrament meeting is at 8 am and it happened to be daylight savings. Kirk and I are very blessed to have a supportive family. Our families not only filled four large benches but were also all on time! There were less than a dozen people from our ward there when the meeting began.The bishop got up and welcomed everyone "to the Howcroft baby blessing."
Timothy's blessing was a spiritual experience for both Kirk and I. I've always felt he has a strong spirit and his blessing confirmed that he is indeed a man of great strength. I am in awe that someone with potential as strong as his is trusted to Kirk and I from our Father in Heaven.
He was handsome in the blessing outfit and handmade booties from my sister Camille. He was calm and sweet throughout the day, happy to be in the arms of all the many people who love him.

A few lingering pictures from February

Making cookies for fhe, aren't they cute with their aprons and flour on their noses.

cookie monster in the making

Little bit of frosting for the cookies, a lot of frosting in her mouth

12 hours of sleep will put a huge smile on anyone's face!

Falling down the stairs is no fun :(

Handsome boy trying on his blessing outfit

Enjoying a pretty day at the park

Love to kiss his scrumptious cheeks

Thought I should open my eyes more for the picture, ha ha this picture makes me laugh!

I was awakened from my late afternoon nap because this guy wanted me to cuddle him while he slept. Better than sleeping.

 

Favorite father/son activity, installing a hard drive

Get a load of these cuties

These two LOVE each other

Everyone took an afternoon nap, I was one happy momma

Kirk was so proud of the free guitar he got online for me, it turned out to be child size (girls love it!)

Package wrapping turned into snow for their trains. Hopefully it was a fond childhood memory because it was a huge mess to clean up!

Uncle Jody and Timothy

These 3 playing together put a smile on my face.

3 months

Timothy is proudly holding his head up like a boss now. This picture kills me. I'm pretty sure he is saying "Being 3 months is easy, I got this." From my at home measurements he was 16 1/2 lbs at 26 1/2 inches at 3 months. He's still a sweetheart, perfect baby, and the apple of his mothers eye.

Happy Birthday Kirsten!

Kirsten Sue if five! It was such a fun day! She woke up early and Kirk got up with her letting Timothy and I sleep a little longer since we had been up during the night. Kirk kept trying to wish her happy birthday and she kept telling him "No Dad, Mom says I'm still four." No matter what Kirk said she was adamant about still being four. Audrey also backed her up "Dad, Kirsten is four Mom said." Finally they came and woke me up. Kirsten asked "Mom, am I five?" I told her she was and she turned to Kirk and said "Now I'm five Dad!" It was hilarious.
She begged to wear her Halloween outfit that I hidden from her in the top of her closet. She reasoned it was her birthday so she could finally wear her favorite clothes.
As soon as I was awake Kirsten begged to open the presents she found on the bench downstairs. She was excited to open clothes, princesses, my little pony toys, nutella, markers, stick on earrings. We made her favorite breakfast (poppy seed muffins and scrambled eggs). She then helped me decorate the cupcakes for her preschool class. We had a nice easy going morning. The girls played happily with the new toys and it was so nice to have Kirk home. Kirsten was very excited to go to school on her birthday. Her teacher texted me a few pictures of Kirsten's class eating cupcakes. Those kids have become her best little friends and she wanted so badly to have a birthday party with them.
We surprised Kirsten and picked her up from school and took her to a blow up slide party place. She was in heaven and wore herself out going up and down a million times. After a couple hours of bouncy slides we took the girls to the Disney store to pick out a toy for her birthday. She picked out the stuffed Jasmine doll she has been wanting since Disney on Ice. We picked up parfaits from McDonalds (her favorite treat) and ate at home. After getting Timothy in bed we blew out candles and she made a wish. She wished to love and be happy. She's such a sweetheart. It was such a fun day celebrating our sweet Kirsten Sue.

Balloons hanging in her bedroom doorway. She woke up and said "wow" we could hear her across the house. She then dragged Kirk out of bed and made him walk through it repeatedly with her (over 20 balloons, not an easy thing to do!).

So excited to open presents!

Opening the present Audrey wrapped all by herself.

New swimsuit

Princess Celestia! Exactly what she wanted, a 5 year old dream come true.

Making cupcakes for preschool

Birthday girl wearing her new shirt

excited to go to school

Celebrating her birthday at school.

Her cute preschool class (Gavin, her "boyfriend" is behind her)

So happy to play on the big bouncy slides!

Handsome Howcrofts

So tired after a full day, but super excited to eat cake!

Making a wish. When asked the next day she said blowing out candles was her favorite part of the day.

Princess Jasmine she picked out at the Disney store.

Kirsten Sue

 

 

The day before her 5th birthday, laying on my bed while the other kiddos slept, I interviewed Kirsten. This is how it went down

1. Who is your favorite person in the whole world? "Mommy"
2. What is your favorite color? "Pink! yellow, red and purple"
3. What's your favorite movie? "My Little Pony"
4. What's your favorite outfit? "Pink shirt with butterflies"
5. What sport do you like best? "Swimming"
6. What song do you love? "Sunshine"
7. What's your favorite cereal? "Rainbow cereal" aka fruit loops
8. Who is your best friend? "Gavin" a little boy in her preschool class who has a crush on her
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? "Make food with Audrey and be a mommy like you"
10. What is your favorite book? "Sunshine book from Nana"
11. What are you really good at? "Learning about Jesus"
12. Where do you wish you could go on vacation? "Abby and Allie's house"
13. What is your best memory? "Eating cake"
14. What would you buy if you had a lot of money? "All the dolls"
15. What food do you not like? "Pizza"
16. If you could have a wish, what would it be? "To be a princess"
17. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? "chocolate ice cream"
18. Who is your biggest hero? "Mommy and dad"
19. What do you like to do with your friends? "Play with toys"
20. What do you hope you'll get to do before your next birthday? "Get tall"
21. What is your favorite thing to eat? "cupcakes"
22. What is your favorite toy? "little pink butterfly doll"
23. What makes you happy? "kisses"
24. What makes you sad? "not share, not read books, not love"
25. What is your favorite animal? "turtle, kitten, giraffe"