Our Vegas Home

I took a couple pictures of our Vegas house before a showing one day in April. These pictures definitely make me nostolgic. Audrey calls it our "old, old, old, old, old, old, old, old, old house!" I sure loved this place. (I didn't take any pictures of Timothy's room that day because he was asleep and because I had these pictures.)

The view when you walk into our home, the dining room. (It was strange to me at first to walk into the dining room but soon found it was very normal for Vegas.)

Another view of the dining room and the stairs leading to the second level.

Our kitchen, the red chairs and chevron island were my favorite parts.

The living room, the door leading to the backyard is on the right. And yes I made the curtains from shower curtains.

Another view of the living room, my piano.

The 4th bedroom of the home was on the main level. At first it was a guest room but 18 months later it because our playroom. I loved having the playroom near the kitchen.

Downstairs bathroom.

Upstairs. The laundry room was at the top of the stairs. I loved the yellow stripes.

Our loft. The desk was Kirk's office. We spent a lot of time in this room. The couch usually had laundry on it. We had many pizza/movie nights in this room.

The girls cute owl room.

Girls bathroom. The only room in the house that was never painted.

Our master bedroom. Oh I loved this room. Isn't it pretty?!

Master bath. I took so many baths in that tub at the end of Timothy's pregnancy that I only took a handful of baths in 2013.

Master bath/closet

A really poor picture of our closet. It was huge and doubled as a second office for Kirk.

Our patio. Our girls begged to take our flowers with us.

Other side of the patio.

We moved!

So we moved. Over a month ago and I am just now bringing myself to blog about it. I don't know why it has taken me so long. I was really excited to move back to Utah but I guess I just didn't want to admit to myself that the Vegas chapter of our life was over.
We knew when Kirk decided to major in Property and Facility Management at BYU that moving to Vegas was a possibility. I always hoped that we wouldn't and after a weekend trip to Vegas I decided I would rather live anywhere in the world but Las Vegas. Ha Ha Ha. When Kirk took the job in Las Vegas we were living with my parents and had been out of a job for 2 months. We were desperate and Tririga was the only company that had even interviewed us. So Las Vegas. Kirk moved to Vegas about three weeks before the girls and I joined him. The first time I drove into Las Vegas I cried the whole way down I-15 that cuts through the city. It was 5:00 pm and dark (it was January) and the city was lit up like a Christmas tree. I saw each of those lights as a person I didn't know and was afraid of how many people were in the city. I cried and cried and cried. I didn't want to live in "sin city." I was terrified at the thoughts of living in another state (not because I didn't want to leave Utah specifically but because I had never lived anywhere else). I didn't like that we were only moving to Las Vegas because we had no other option. But we moved there anyway. Obviously I could have tried a little harder to be happy about the move, ha ha.
We bought a new construction home (for no other reason than it was easy, was in a gated community, and had a nice pool). We loved our house. We loved everything about it. It was everything we could ever want in our first home. Moving into our beautiful new home was big for me. I started to like Las Vegas a lot more. We only had one car and I was at home with the girls a lot. It was really hard to be somewhere I didn't know anyone and without a car. I fell into a pretty deep depression and was lucky to have Chelsey come live with me that summer. It was not an easy summer for either of us but it was also a summer I will always treasure because I got her all to myself. We were blessed to make very good friends. Couples Kirk and I could relate to easily. Our greatest blessing was to be in the Coronado ward where you could have as many friends as you wanted. There were always game night/book club/recipe group to go to. There was always someone willing to help with anything all you had to do was ask on our fb page. The ward was very united and we all felt blessed to be a part of such comrade.
But it was really hard to be so far from family. The trips to Utah were exhausting (especially since Audrey hated the car...passionately). And it was hard for family to make the 8+ hour drive to see us. We knew we would end up back in Utah, it was just a matter of when.
I eventually fell in love with Vegas. I knew I was home when I could smell cigarette smoke and when I couldn't understand the people around me (because they were speaking another language). It took a couple years and a couple different changes but I was able to make my house mine, exactly like I wanted it. We loved the little world we created for our family. We had lots of quality family time and our marriage was strengthened because we learned to rely on each other heavily. But my biggest love of Vegas was the friends I made. Who knew some of the most amazing women on earth live in Las Vegas. I love them because they are down to earth and very real. I felt incredibly comfortable around them...even at my worst. I felt like we were trying our best and encouraging each other. I knew friendships like those were hard to come by and didn't want to move away from them.
Last fall Kirk moved to the sales department of IBM which meant he could live anywhere in the world as long as he could get to an airport. We were only a couple months away from meeting Timothy and didn't entertain the ideas of moving until the new year. We sat down and looked at our finances and decided we could move to Utah the summer of 2014. But then Kirk got a large bonus and our move date was moved up to the beginning of 2014. Then we received help with medical bills and the move date was moved up. Then another unexpected sum of money came and Kirk and I both felt like maybe we should seriously consider moving in 2013. We prayed and decided to list our house in February of this year. We listed high about $30,000 above appraisal value and so we knew it would take a miracle to sell. But we felt that if Utah is where were supposed to be the house would sell. Showing a house with 3 small children was a challenge to say the least. Living in limbo was even more difficult.
But in May it happened. We accepted a cash offer and were going to move to Vernal. We were moving home! The dream quickly died as the offer fell through over the weekend. We were crushed, but it was good for me to see how badly I wanted to move to Utah and how excited I was to live near family.
By the end of June we were exhausted. We were showing our house a couple times a week without any luck. A new job opportunity came for Kirk and we decided to take our house off the market. But our real estate agent asked if we could please show the house twice more.
That was all it took. We accepted an offer the night of the 4th of July. We moved 22 days later. We wroked hard to pack our house up quickly and say goodbye to our home. I made plans to hang out with the friends I was closest to before I left but was mostly so busy I didn't allow myself to feel much of the emotion of leaving. Part of me didn't want to leave. Las Vegas was safe. We knew exactly where we stood and had life figured out. I had such good friends and loved that they were only a text away. I feel like I didn't know how to say goodbye to Las Vegas and the people who meant so much to me here and so I didn't and I will always wish I had.
I almost just typed one up, but started to cry. Maybe I need a little more time before I know just how to say goodbye (I am nothing if not dramatic!).

We had always planned to move to Vernal when we came back to Utah. Both our parents are there and we loved the idea of being close to them and close to our old stomping grounds. But when it came to the day where we needed to find a house we both knew Vernal wasn't the right place for us...at least not right now. We both wanted to live close to our mom's but knew living close to the SLC airport was better for our family because the kids and I could spend more time with Kirk. When we fasted, prayed, and went to the temple we knew this would be best for us. We had never event thought of living in Lehi but this is where we ended up. We found a nice house to rent while we find a home we want to settle in permanently. We love being so close to family and haven't gone more than 3 days without seeing someone from either of our families and this makes us very happy. Our kids are in heaven and love living near cousins. The day after we moved Audrey said "Mom, we live somewhere cold now don't we?" She has no idea, ha ha. The rollie pollie bugs are Kirsten's favorite thing about this house and she tells anyone who will listen about her pet rollie pollie bugs (who roam free in our yard). Kirk was killing flies last night (at least they aren't cockroaches) and Kirsten was very distraught. She kept begging the flies to "fly away! so you won't get dead" ha ha!
Yes life in Utah is very very good.

9 Months

I can't believe my baby is 9 months old! I just want him to stay little and sweet forever.
He is definitely growing up. He is crawling everywhere now. He loves the independence (and that he can get a way from his sisters!). He loves to wander around the house and get into all sorts of trouble. He doesn't make as big of messes as his sister did at this stage but he loves cords and anything electronic (he is his fathers son) so naturally Kirk's office is his favorite place (much to Kirk's dismay). When he is ready to eat, get his diaper changed, or is tired he crawls over to me as if to say "ok mom I need you to take care of this for me." It's really cute. He loves to be where the action is and dislikes being shut into my bedroom in the morning while I get ready (I need a baby gate so he can wander upstairs without going close to the stairs). He is starting to pull himself up in the crib and on the furniture. I hope he takes his time learning to walk!
Kirk is still his favorite and if Kirk comes into a room Timothy stares him down and then yells at him if he does not come to get Timothy before he leaves again.
Timothy loves to play with blocks and knock over towers. He loves to crawl under the piano bench, but always gets so mad because he is too tall and bonks his head. He loves to sit at my feet while I try to do dishes...I haven't stepped on him yet. The vacuum fascinates him. He loves to chase it and vacuuming with him in the same room is nearly impossible, but so is vacuuming while he sleeps...my floors are soo clean right now.
With his 8 teeth he can eat most anything and he will. He loves to eat and he demands that you share whatever it is you are eating.
He has started being more dramatic. He wails if he gets the tiniest bit hurt or if you hurt his feelings. We are hoping it is only a stage...
He smiles and laughs easily. When he is tired he loves to grab onto my face for loves or drops his head on my chest and "sings" to me. He still loves when I sing Families Can Be Together Forever and sometimes it's the only thing that can calm him down.
He is the sweetest best little boy and I would be happy to have one thousand more little boys just like him.

Preschool for our Audrey

Audrey has been anxious to go to preschool for years. She watched Kirsten go to school for the past 2 1/2 years and was very ready for her day to come. Since we moved to Utah right before school started I knew most preschools would be full. I asked Audrey if she wanted to go to a preschool with other kids or if she wanted to stay home and do school with mom. It's funny that I even gave her the option because she has a strong personality and I think both of us were looking forward to the few hours a week of preschool. But it just felt right to have her home and to have me give her individual attention. She was really excited and wanted to do school at home.
We walk Kirsten to school every morning and then Timothy sleeps the entire time she is at school leaving the perfect opportunity for Audrey's preschool (on Tuesdays and Thursdays).
Tuesday morning Audrey knocked on the basement door and "Mrs. Howcroft" welcomed her to school. It was so fun! The entire time she addressed me as Mrs. Howcroft and told me all about her family. At one point I asked her to grab a tissue so I could blow her nose and she said "oh my mom likes me to blow my nose too." I'm excited to craft with her and help her learn to write her letters. She's a very smart girl and I am glad I get the chance to be her teacher.
As we walked to get Kirst from school I asked Audrey what she learned at school. She gave me her ridiculous look and said "Mom, you where there. You already know." Ha ha . Love this girl!

Audrey turned 4

 Our sweet our turned 4 over the weekend. We had such a fun day celebrating her. We invited Abby and Allie to sleep over the night before and Kirk and I stayed up late decorating. So we woke up to a party Saturday morning. Kirk took the four (very excited) girls to get donuts while I cut up peaches, kiwi, and oranges. We also had chocolate milk and orange juice. Audrey was in heaven with all her favorite foods! We had party hats and party blowers for our party at breakfast.
After breakfast we opened presents where she was spoiled with all sorts of toys.
We quickly got ready and went to Logan to spend the day with my family (who were up there for Xander's baby blessing). We went to the Logan zoo then had a birthday party at the park. A man who makes balloon animals showed up randomly and turned our regular party into an awesome birthday bash. My family spoiled Audrey with gifts.
Every time someone asked Audrey how old she was she would say "four, almost five!"
Audrey was super grumpy on the drive up to Logan. As she was getting out of the car Kirk mentioned to her that she shouldn't be so grumpy on her birthday. She exclaimed "Oh ya! I forgot!"

Kindergarten

Kirsten started her first day of school. Her teacher is named Mrs. Parsons and she is the perfect kindergarten teacher. She actually reminds me a lot of my kindergarten teacher. Kirk gave Kirsten a blessing that morning before she left. It was one of my very favorite life moments.
Kirsten was slightly nervous but mostly excited. She loves school and can't wait to go everyday. I'm excited to see what this year brings. 

Kirk changed his flight so he could walk Kirsten to school on her first day, what a good dad he is!

Cute {excited} sisters!

She was so excited and danced around the house all morning.

She wrote her own name, ahh. Class of 2026!!!

Our house is about a 15 minute walk from school.

Can you spot the elementary at the top of the hill?

So excited she can hardly hold still.

Audrey had to run and give Kirsten a hug while she stood in line.

Kirsten got dressed for school and declared "Aaron and Gavin will love me today." It broke her heart to find out Aaron and Gavin still live in Las Vegas.

They had to find the desk with their name on it when they came into the classroom. Kirsten looked around for a minute then stood in the same place patiently waiting. I kept trying to get her to go look for her name on another table, but nope she knew where her name was and just waited for the teacher to have the little boy (who was in her seat) move.

Ready to learn! Time to leave mom...