Kirk turns 29 part 4

Sunday we had the missionaries over for dinner and decided to share Kirk's birthday pie with them. I usually make Kirk a German chocolate cake but decided this year he would probably like a pie, I scored big time.
The kids were all awake by 5:30 Monday morning (Kirk's actual birthday). I desperately wanted to go back to sleep but someone was really excited it was finally his birthday. :) We opened presents first thing. He got socks, a swimming suit, nutty butty bars, water balloon launcher, a gate opener (his has been broken for a while), and a zelda game and controller. My mom sent him a (pink) tie and a beautiful book. He felt spoiled and very loved. We had waffles with strawberries for breakfast. The girls proudly cut the strawberries themselves, Kirsten cutting off the tops and Audrey slicing the strawberries. We had two bbq's to go to that day with friends. It was a fun (exhausting) day. The girls also proudly frosted cupcakes for one of the bbqs. We crashed that evening. The kids were bathed and asleep in bed by 6:30. Kirk loved that he got to spend the evening playing his new Zelda game :)
I love my Kirk Howcroft. I swear every year with him gets better and his 29th year has been my favorite. He works hard so he can play hard. He is kind and very caring. I am grateful every day we went repelling together 11 years ago. I have celebrated 11 birthdays with him! On his 18th birthday I was devastated I had to work and couldn't go boating with him. We had just started dating (hadn't even kissed yet...and wouldn't for another month) and he always made fun of the thin bamboo flip flops I wore (the cheap ones from walmart) so for his 18th birthday I gave him his very own pair of bamboo flip flops. We were at the city park sitting outside his yellow truck when I gave them to him. While I sat on the side of the truck he showed off by holding his body perpendicular to the flag pole. He then carried me over the swings where we swung for a long time. Thinking of it now still gives me butterflies. I had so much fun with him, I knew I was in trouble. But like I said we hadn't even kissed yet, it was the perfect, sweet, innocent summer love. I'm so glad I get to celebrate his birthday's with him still. Btw he wore those pink flimsy flip flops to school the next day, proudly! I wish I had a picture...

Kirk turns 29 part 3

After getting home from the lake we took quick naps and showers and decided to go out for dinner. We went to one of our favorite places, BJ's. The food was delicious and the kids were delightful. The kids were so funny during dinner, I wish I could remember what they were saying. After dinner we decided to go bowling at Red Rock (after a quick stop to Marshall's for socks). Audrey LOVED bowling, Kirsten and Timothy were glad when we finally left (Audrey has some uncle Garrett in her). It was super fun. I stunk and barely beat Kirst and tied with Audrey, so embarrassing. We had a fun time and got home way after our bedtime for the second night in a row.

D for Dynelle K for Kirsten C for Kirk (captain) and A for Audrey

Kirk turns 29 part 2

After a late night at the drive in we slept in (until 7) then decided to go to Lake Mead on a whim. We loaded up our (beautiful and so functional) new car and off we went. Lake Mead was totally different than we expected. We pulled our car right up the water because it's rocky not sandy. So much for those shovels and buckets we brought. We had a fun picnic from the back of our (gorgeous) car and the girls and Kirk enjoyed swimming in the lake all afternoon. So fun! We finally packed up and took the girls across the bridge by the Hoover Dam, always something to be impressed by. Audrey loved it and Kirsten hated it, guess who the little dare devil of the family is?

Kirk turns 29 part 1

 Kirk turned 29 this past memorial day. We decided to celebrate all weekend long. Friday night we decided to go to the drive in with our new car. We packed pillows, blankets, chairs, and snacks. There was a new cartoon out and we were excited to see it. We didn't not plan for the hour worth of traffic there was to get into the drive in. Long, exhausting but lucky for us we have a dvd player. The girls were happily watching a movie and both Kirk and I were in a good mood so we decided to stick it out. Unfortunately the movie was sold out (and already an hour into the movie) by the time we got there so we opted for Star Trek. Kirk had convinced me to watch the first one the night before, which was actually pretty good. I actually get the whole captain Kirk thing. I know who Spoc is and that the ship is the Enterprise. Impressed or embarrassed? I'm not sure but I figure if I'm going to watch Star Trek I might as well read Harry Potter, it's next on my list.
ANYWAY Timothy hated the drive in but after he finally fell asleep we had fun. Well actually when both Kirsten and Audrey were finally asleep then we had fun. So fun to get out have do fun things in our new car.

You know Timothy has sisters when...

California

Liz put together a last minute trip to California for the women in the Howcroft family a couple weekends ago. Timothy and I drove down Friday morning to meet them. It was crazy getting out of the house but as soon as I was on the freeway all my stress melted away. Having Timothy tag along was so much fun. He is just like my cute little best friend who is perfect (ha ha, but really he is). We stopped halfway at Barstow. He did me the big favor of getting poop all over his clothes so I had a good reason to go shopping. After hitting Old Navy and Gap we sat outside in the shade for awhile just hanging out, giggling at each other. To my delight he started to blow raspberries, which I had been trying to get him to do for weeks. He blew them all weekend long and it was the CUTEST. But since we have been home he has only done it a handful of times. I think his stress melted away on the freeway too :)
We arrived in California in the late afternoon and sun bathed on the beach chatting with the girls until evening. Taryn scored us an awesome deal at the Ritz Carlton overlooking the beach. Talk about fancy. I felt pretty rinky dink pulling up in my dirty Hyundai to the mandatory valet parking. I tried to hide the dirty diaper in the trunk before anyone saw! The hotel was amazing and it was so fun to have the experince of staying there. Next time I want to have showered that day, not have sand in my hair and have Kirk by my side. Karen spoiled us with a fancy dinner and breakfast. The service at the hotel was outstanding. A busboy offered to hold Timothy's bottle so I could eat my breakfast, seriously! It was fun to hang out with Karen, Liz, Brixton, and Taryn. We missed Joriel and Kassandra, hopefully they can come next time.
The next day we went to Laguna beach and then lunch. Timothy and I had a long (bumper to bumper traffic) drive home. But we stopped at Target halfway and bought me and new dress and so it didn't turn out too bad afterall. Kirk had the house clean and the girls happy when I arrived home. It was really nice to have some time for me and Timothy.
The next morning when the girls woke up Timothy was already in bed with Kirk and I. The girls ran into the room and immediately went to their brother showering him in hugs and kisses. It was adorable, it was only 5 minutes before they realized I was home too, ha ha.

Nana and Timothy

Taryn, Liz, me, Karen, Timothy, Brixton

On our hotel balcony. The ocean is the white behind them.

View from the hotel

Toys are the secret to Timothy's  happiness

Traditional Indian wedding right outside our hotel balcony

Shark Tank

The other day we went swimming with some friends at the Golden Nugget. It's a casino who has a pool surrounding an enormous shark tank. It gets better because through the middle of the tank there is a waterslide. We were excited to go. Kirk flew into town just in time for us to head to the casino. It was so. much. fun! The girls LOVED the waterslide. I was nervous because they had to go down by themselves and just have Kirk or I catch them at the bottom but they both did great. In fact I screamed louder than either of them. Timothy loved the pool and would have stayed much longer had we given him the option. Super fun evening, we hope to do it again!

New car

In desperate need of a bigger car Kirk and I have been trying to decide how long we will suffer in our Sonata before giving into a car payment and upgrading to a family car. After receiving a flyer in the mail promising top dollar for our trade in Kirk talked me into checking out the Hyundai car lot, with three kids in tow. As we were walking through the car lot Kirk and I both kept tripping over Kirsten's feet. I finally just picked her up to carry her when I realized Audrey didn't have any shoes on! Seriously! We were those people big time. Naturally I took a picture to memorialize the event.

As Kirk was about to leave to go buy the car, the next day, someone came to our house and offered to buy it. We therefore put all plans of a family car on hold. Sadly the sell of the home fell through within 48 hours leaving us devastated. Kirk decided to buy the car for mother's day and went to the dealership Saturday night, but they decided to offer $5,000 less for our trade in then they had originally verbally offered. So Kirk walked away. No new car, house didn't sell no wonder mothers day was such a bust.

Two weeks later we decided to buy the Chevy Traverse. It's beautiful and everything I had hoped, including leather seats and a dvd player. We are in heaven. A car made a big difference in our lives. We get out of the house a lot more now that we have a car we can all comfortably fit in. We are excited to go on our first road trip soon!

Finally a nickname

We have been trying to find a good nickname for Timothy since he was born. We call him Timothy but don't mind if people call him Tim, Timmy, or Tiny Tim. I think he will go by Monson later in life but I could be wrong. But none of those nicknames really stuck for us. Until Kirk called him Tim-a-Thor like the superhero. As much as I didn't like it, it stuck. I was calling him Timathor in my mind all the time and hating it. Somehow it evolved into Timosaur as in dinosaur and all though it was better something was still kinda off. But then one of the girls in our primary class called him Timosaurus and bright flashing lights, heavenly angels, cymbols crashing all of it. His nickname was born. Timosaurus. Our huge baby boy.

Photo's taken by the girls