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)

Vaycay while Kirk works away

Last Sunday Kirsten and I kissed Kirk goodbye as he left for his first business trip. He loves his new job and chosen career path second only to Kirsten and me and was excited for the opportunity. To bad for him he ended up in windy Wyoming for over a week. But he's had a good time, I mean there was the whole Indian folklore thing he attended and breakfast at McDonalds every morning (who doesn't get sick of an egg mcmuffin?), why wouldn't he be having a good time? Ok truth be told I miss him terribly and can't wait for him to come home and be with me again. If he wasn't 12 hours away I would be driving there right now.

sigh

But Kirk traveling is no excuse to sit at home and mope. So Kirsten and I spent Monday whipping the house into shape (it gets out of shape as easily as I do) and prepping the car to drive to California. We talked my sister in law Liz into driving down to San Diego with us for some relaxing days on the beach. She has a cousin there who graciously let us stay with her make the trip incredibly cheap...BooYah!

So let me give you an idea of our week.
Ben is a 7 year old boy (with everything that entails...torturing his younger sister, making the baby squeal with delight, and constantly playing his DS (you know like the updated gameboy)
Brixton will be 4 next month (she loves princesses, asking questions, managing Kirstens toys, vampires (although everyone else calls them pirates), and dresses)
Kirsten is 15 months (she loved sitting in between the two older kids in the car always someone to whack in the face until they started paying attention to her, sleep became a foriegn idea...something only a mean mom would enforce)

Did I mention both Liz and I are pregnant?
28 week old Kate (I don't always call her Claire) who has discovered how awesome my ribs are. She enjoyed most of the 6 hour each way drive cuddled cozy in my ribs. The rest of the trip? Pelvic pressure was her favorite game.
10 week old Howcroft girl/boy who thought nausea would be ideal and the need for constant food would only be appropriate.

Did we have a great time?
can you give me a big whopping YES

Mostly because we went straight to the Ocean. We were in Oceanside which is where Garrett has been serving. He wasn't kidding when he sad the weather is always a perfect 75 degrees there.

Kirsten loved the ocean. This smile was on her face the entire time. She thought water coming up to her and then retreating was the coolest thing. I was so excited to take her back in a swimming suit.

Both girls got wet and sandy. So they ended up stripped down the the bare essentials on the drive to Lizs cousins. Aren't they cute?

More updates of our week in San Diego coming soon.

15 months

Today Kirsten is 15 months old! I love watching her grow up. Life has been so fun since she started walking. She toddles after us from room to room. When my phone rings she is the first one to get it and runs it over to me. She grabs dish towels out of the drawer and "mops" the floor, cupboards, and stove. She carries laundry across the house and throws away trash (among other things). She's growing up and getting ready to be a big sister.
She loves taking baths (In fact yesterday she crawled into the tub fully clothed with no water and played until I pulled her out), she loves balloons and balls, she waves goodbye wherever we go, she loves grapes and tomatoes, she loves kids but is weary of adults (but will warm up you if you give her a high 5), she loves pulling off her shoes and putting them back on, she gets silly and cuddly when she is tired, but most of all she loves when her dad gets home from works and chases her around the house.

Kirsten Sue there is no one we love more than you!

Do you recognize the tutu from these pictures?

I'm a mom

This morning I saw my cousins gorgeous bridal pictures on facebook.
I longed for the days when I was a a blushing bride and those fun days of being a newlywed.
Then Kirsten called out from her high chair where she was eating cheerios and drinking milk
Claire did a few flips in my tummy
and I realized I wouldn't trade today for chance to relive newlywed days
I love being a mother
and with my cute daughters, who could blame me?

Quail Lake

Saturday we spent day at a lake near St George.
We had a great time.
The water was 71 degrees...in May!
Kirsten was thrilled and would have walked across the lake if we would have let her, she was more brave than I thought she should be.
We played in the water, had a picnic, dug in the sand, and I even had a chance to read on the beach for a few minutes.

What a perfect day.