Words from Ashley

We have been working and working and working trying to get Ashley to stop sucking her thumb. The dentist isn't worried and won't worry until she's 6-7 years old but it KILLS Dave and I.

She has been having some stomach issues lately so we've been pushing hard again for her to stop sucking her thumb. I told her that when she sucks her thumb she puts the yucky germs in her mouth and then she swallows them. This is making her tummy have a sick bug.

Yesterday when I dropped the girls off at Traci's, Ashley started sucking her thumb. I told her not to or she'll get yucky germs. She walked over to the couch and started sucking it again. Once more I said, "Ashley, please don't suck your thumb." Without hesitation she says with her little attitude voice, "I'm NOT sucking my thumb! I'm scratching my tooth!"

Yep, I couldn't hold it in. I had to chuckle.

Arizona Pictures

Picnic Fun

Aunt Wendy, Hannah and Ashley

Uncle Glade and Nicole

The cool hollowed out tree
Thanks to Uncle Kevin and Garrett for holding the girls up inside

Ashley giving her "natural" look.....

If you're in Arizona, you must have pictures by cactus

Uncle Glade with the girls and Lauren

The Road that Came to an End

We came from this way......

and we want to go this way........

You can see the road signs in the back of this picture. The beaver created a dam, which washed out the road.

Fun times and great memories!

Thanks Wendy, Kevin and family!!

Kanab to Mendon

We made it to Kanab, Utah last night before stopping for the night. We were going to try to push through to Beaver but it was 7 p.m. We wouldn't have gotten to Beaver until 9-9:30 and by the time you unload and get settled it would have been 11 o'clock, which is too late for the girls to function. So Kanab it was.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express because it had an indoor pool for swimming this morning. We had a pizza party in the hotel room before retiring for bed.

After breakfast this morning, Dave took Hannah and Ashley swimming for 45 minutes and then we loaded in the car and our on our way. We are currently between Kanal and Beaver. The roads at this moment are snow packed and slippery. It's making for an interesting ride. All three girls and Landon are asleep so the car is awfully quiet.

We'll probably stop in Beaver for a potty break, some treats, and we'll hit the road again. I am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight! It's fun to vacation but it's always fun to come home.

Thank goodness Dave is driving! These roads are freakin' me out!

Dave lucked out today....the local Sheriff of Kanab could have gotten us bud didn't. Phew! We didn't get pulled over but that's probably because he couldn't catch us!

Sorry for the typos if there are any. I'm not taking the time to proof read. I'm going to watch the road!

We're Winding Down and Heading Home

After many fun times, lots of food, and ringing in a new year, we are leaving Arizona tomorrow morning and heading back for snowy Utah.

Today we took a mountain adventure and went for a picnic and some sight seeing. The temperature was beautiful. It was in the mid-sixties and sunny! I did make the comment to Glade as we were getting ready to take a little walk to the river that I was wishing I had packed a pair of shorts!

The adventure was great. Even as we were trying to get to the Beaver Dam and ran out of road.....the cute little beavers built another dam and flooded the road. On the way back out, we had to take a stop and take some pictures by a cactus.

After not being able to get further on the washed out road, we hiked up a bit on the mountain and came to a hollowed out tree. Hannah and Ashley had fun getting inside the tree and we got a few pictures of the adventure.

Yesterday consisted of Dave fixing Kevin's car and going golfing with the guys. The girls had lots of cousin time and then Nicole and Ashley stayed with Grandma Welker and Aunt Wendy while me, Hannah, Alyson, Lauren, and McKenzie (Alyson's friend) went to see Bedtime Stories. We rang in the new year minus a few. We had TONS and TONS of food and were pretty much sick by the time we hit the pillows. Hannah stayed up long enough to ring in her first new year and stayed up even longer after I crashed to have more cousin time. She finally crashed out on the basement floor at 1:30 and was up this morning by 7:30. She's a tired girl!

We hope tomorrow brings a relaxing and enjoyable ride to Kanab with the girls and Landon! I'm ready to be home but not sure I'm ready to be back to the snow. I could continue with the beautiful weather!

When I get to my card reader (Mendon) I will post pictures!