OUR Baby!

If Tim, and those Mickelsens, can post - then I guess I can too! (Just hard for me to work the editing tools - I tried to get rid of the red-eye look but it doesn't work too well on my gorgeous green eyes.)
But look how scruffy Mom and Dad and Kaytee have let me get. Time for a haircut.

Wow! Now I feel soooo pretty. And the beard is gone too - now I look like a real girly girl!


I can even pose like my favorite statue.

Of course now Kaytee wants to cuddle with me all the time now that I am so clean and beautiful.

But as soon as she falls asleep I get to text all my friends and let them know to check out my blog. I am hot, hot, hot!

"Howdy" from Del Rio

I got to spend this past week down in the heart of Texas with the cutest little couple expecting their first young'un. As hard as Richard tries he just can't get that same look that Cassidy does.

We went to the base to visit Richard one day for lunch and got to do all sorts of cools things - go out on the air strip and look at the cool planes that Richard is learning to fly and see all the preparations that go on in the flight room as they get all suited up and Cassidy and I got permission to actually sit in some of the simulated training planes - but you all only get to hear about it because there were no cameras allowed. So you just get a few cute pictures we took on base of the proud parents to be with dad in his flight suit.

Cassidy and Richard have a really nice townhouse with really big bedrooms and living room. They also have three book cases and three desks (they are both extremely studious :) Even though their baby is going to start out pretty small, we still had to move things around to make some room for him - and all his baby stuff. Here is Cassidy after we got the baby's crib all set up.

Here is his nice bedroom - even has a bed for when grandma comes to visit.

Today Cassidy and I went out to Amistad Lake. It is gigantic but really low right now because a lot of the water has been diverted this summer for agricultural use in Mexico (which is right next to Del Rio). Here is a picture of my buddy Isa and I. It is also hotter here than I am used to so I have had my hair in a permanent ponytail since arriving.

The water at the lake here is so clear and beautiful -- and none of that fishy smell. Isa had lots of fun exploring. (and of course I had to include one last pic of my growing grandson and his pretty mum!)

What a Happy Couple!

Finally . . . it's official! Mike proposed to Alicyn AND he got her dad's blessing so now let the wedding planning begin! (probabaly sometime next spring)

We spent the last couple of days in Laramie getting to know Mike better and introducing him to Kimball's game playing style - ANNIHILATION! We also had a fun family breakfast with aebelskivers and got to meet Mike's family. What wonderful people - I can tell they have such love and caring and are so welcoming to Alicyn.

When Alicyn has a few minutes to catch her breath I am sure she will update her blog with some darling pictures from the actual moment Mike popped the question, but here are a few we snapped at the breakfast. They both have quite a glow about them when they are together.

Then the kissing starts and Alicyn starts to giggle (careful of the ears Mike!)

Here is the gorgeous ring - although the picture just doesn't do it justice, it is so blindingly beautiful - it did almost cause a car accident though because Alicyn just can't stop looking at it and flashing the sparkle around.

Poor Brody - he had to turn to Kaytee to get some loving. These are the last of the single Croft's (and of course we are in NO hurry for Kaytee to get hitched - or even start looking around! - anytime soon).

De Ja Vu

Sometimes it feels like I am reliving some of the best (craziest!) years of my life. Only much easier with only one teenager in the house with friends to entertain.

Any of this look familiar?

Making sure the little mouseys are kissing before the dice is rolled.

Kaytee (a.k.a. The Cat) gets ready to pounce!

What amazing speed!

Of course the flour game is always good for a few laughs.

Unless you are like James and make the coin drop three times in a row!

Then out to the back yard for some Night Games and making s'mores in the fire pit. What a bunch of nice kids :)

Little Ladies on the Prairie

Saturday we met at the church at 5:30 a.m. to head down to Martin's Cove/6th Crossing to begin the Stake Pioneer Youth Conference Trek. Pictured below are Julie Stott, our trek nurse and bishop's wife, Ma Croft (I really was assigned to be one of the Ma's for a handcart - the pa on our cart was Bishop Wilde so I had it real easy.) Next are Molly Varney, Kaytee and Sarah Christofferson.

Hurrah! We survived the great trek! 11 miles of pushing and pulling - it was windy and cold but also gorgeous and powerful. Wouldn't trade the experience for anything. In case you remember any of these pioneer women - from left to right - Maggie Paris, Molly Varney, Kaytee Croft, Carley Trombley, Katie Reed, Ma Croft, and the Peterson sisters from Basin.

BYE BYE BAD BUNNIES!

Today, Kaytee and I captured and released into the wilds the last of our bunnies. Today it was Oreo's time to go. For some reason we always have the smartest rabbits with superior skills in escaping their cage and finding the very best food - which has been my flowers and most recently our new baby garden. They sure were little and adorable -- but had genormous appetites.

Look how they chewed so many of my beautiful flowers down to their very nubbins.

One night Kaytee and I came home from a church activity to this sign on the front door - Dad had captured the little fiends in a cat trap we had borrowed from the Police Department.

Are these not the FATTEST rabbits you have ever seen. You can definitely tell that they were really enjoyng the buffet we had spread out for them in the yard. They obviously believed in All You Can Eat. Too bad we don't have much appetite for bunny burgers.

Maggie had really been trying her best all winter to catch the little critters , here are her rabbit chasing tracks to prove it, but she just wasn't fast enough - actually these pictures are from just a little over a month ago - April 25 to be exact.

Meeko, however, was happiest as a slightly interested bystander. We think he was secretly on the side of the bunnies because he would bark to warn them whenever we would come outside so they could escape under the deck. When we just watched out the window he would let them frolic AND EAT right next to him and not do more than lick his lips.

Home Improvement!

So, it has been a loooong time coming but we have made a lot of improvements with the house. Kaytee and I just finished getting up the shutters and after much trial and error dad and I got the window box up. Also, with all the rain we have had lately, everything is really greening up and in bloom. It feels like we live in a park.



So, for all of you that NEVER make it up here to Wonderful Worland Wyoming, here are a few pictures. . .