Showing the girls pictures of all their sonograms as we announce we are having another baby!
Headed to Utah! Looked back to see this beautiful milk mustache.
Stretching our legs in Amarillo, Texas. We drove about 9 hours the first night but made sure to stop in Natchitoches to see some friends at their firework station and to get some famous meat pies.
Geography! So nice to see some elevation.
I was the third girl and I don't ever remember enjoying my place on the hotel floor, but Quincy LOVES it for now.
The biggest problem is when she wakes up soaking wet and has to change into dad's big T-shirt, which doesn't stay on so great.
Mesa Verde.
Ellia worked very hard and earned her Junior Ranger Badge.
Getting sworn in.
It was pretty late when we drove into Arches, but we were determined to hike to the arch. We had a pretty fast pace to start and it was a good thing because by the time we finished it was dark. Of course we did a few other little hikes too.
On the Arches hike, Ashlyn was a speedy little trooper. She would get ahead and then take little breaks while we caught up.
This was the place that looked most tempting to take a rest! Doesn't it look comfortable?
There were a lot of people at the top once we got there, and we even got to watch a proposal.
This was the only spot I really wanted a picture. I swear there is a picture of my sisters and I jumping off this very place. And I know I took one with my friends jumping off this spot for the same reason. Now I will have to go look for the earlier pictures!
Finally we make it to our homes! We arrived on July 4th earlier than expected so we were able to see both our families and they were ready to celebrate Ellia's birthday with us!
We watched fireworks at the end of our cal-de-sac with Jeff and Laura and Mallary and Greg. There were some light showers but we hunkered under some blankets and enjoyed the show.
Jed had mentioned that he wanted some Mardi Gras beads to throw out at the fair days parade. Well we packed up about 3 bins and a few bags full and hauled them to Utah. Then, while they were out of town for the weekend, we decorated their yard. I was planning on just doing the front, but we got my mom and dad involved and they went crazy...decorating Jed's patrol car and all the way around back.
We enjoyed an afternoon hiking around at Cascade Springs before heading to a joint birthday party for Ellia at Jordan's house in Walsburg.
Carrying flowers gathered into a big leaf.
We also started a little hike near Timpanogus and Stewart Falls. This is where Ashlyn began to find some big rocks she couldn't part with. We kept trying to convince her to leave them on a spot on the side of the trail and pick them up on our way down, but she wouldn't. She carried them for a long way, and even tried to keep picking flowers at the same time. Although that didn't work too well.
The girls had a lot of fun playing with the goat, and chickens at Jordan's house. They also enjoyed some rides up and down the dirt road.
Ashlyn especially loved the chickens and was pretty good at catching them.
COUSINS!!!!
One day we went to lunch and I realized my mom and Ashlyn were twinners!
My mom had heard about this place in the Uintah's called the fairy garden where people painted rocks and set them out in the woods. She found some instructions online about how to get there and we planned a family outing. She got a little doubtful about it actually being there, and if it would be worth the trouble of all going up there, but once we found it, everyone was very entertained. There was definitely a lot to see....more than any of us expected I think. The biggest problem (for some of us) was crossing a stream on some stepping stones. Mom and Emily were pretty worried which got some of the kids a little nervous, but it was actually pretty easy and no one even fell in!
Some of the more fun "fairies."
Even after they stopped the congo line, the little girls kept holding onto each other...so cute!
These last four cousins are all almost exactly a year apart. Ashyn, Nov 7. 2009. Ella Dec 8. 2010, Anna Dec. 21 2011, Quincy Oct 30 2012.
It was fun to see Harry Potter since Jeremy and I just started watching the movies with the girls. We still aren't sure if they seem old enough to be watching them, but they have really loved the first ones.
What goes across must come back across.
Playing on the exercise equipment at Grandpa Bill's retirement home while we wait for him to shower.
Too bad the girls are kindof shy. Ellia was the only one willing to offer a hug.
Poor Quincy is just a little too young to take swim lessons. She has to watch her sisters with goggles on to feel included.
Ellia and Quincy shared a room while we stayed at my mom's, and Ellia was such a good big sister to Quicny, often reading her stories.
At swimming lessons, they had monofins but they were short one pair for Ellia's class so she offered to bring her mermaid tail the next day. My mom and I got quite a good view of this mermaid!
Quincy's new favorite kind of shopping cart!
There were a lot of activities going on for fair days so I signed the girls up to take a cake decorating class. They really enjoyed it. Ashlyn even took her cake to Jace's birthday party.
Even though we had ice cream at a few of our favorite places, the girls insisted on coming to Fillerup's for more.
Just a little brownie mom.
Visiting the Zermatt goats and riding the carousal.
Then a new ice cream stop....Midway cheese factory.
Annual haircuts thanks to Aunt Liz!
A cousin sleepover.
Our pool party this year was moved to Midway! My mom got a pool but the water was super cold and the weather (fortunately) hadn't heated up much, so it was only the bravest of kids who wanted to stay in and play.
The little tikes enjoyed this option much more.
Meanwhile, back in Louisiana, dad is transforming the girls bedroom! A handmade set of bunkbeds.
Our last big event of the summer trip was Ellia's Baptism. After some coordinating we were able to have her and Jace baptized together which was really neat.
Another thing I put the girls in to keep them busy was a once a week gymnastics class. Although I don't know why I worry about Ashlyn have structured entertainment. No matter where she is, she finds something to keep her busy. This time it was the chalk bag.
Since I couldn't run the Charleston 24th of July 5k this year, I decided we were going to get the girls up to run the one mile fun run. I thought it was really fun! I think Ellia enjoyed it just fine, and Ashlyn LOVED it! She ran almost the entire time, and once when she started to slow down a little I shouted to her and pointed out the finish line and she picked right back up and dashed through.
Later that day we met up with Travis and Liz to spend some time boating on Utah lake. I've been surprised how brave the girls are to get out on the tubes but they have so much fun! It took a little more convincing them to "surf" with Trav, but they both eventually tried it. **About a month later when we were back in Louisiana I asked Quincy if she wanted to go to a play place we call "the tubes" here and she said, "On Uncle Trav's boat?"
Quincy got a little snooze on the boat which was a good thing, but that night we had plans for the Spanish Fork rodeo with the Gillespie's.
July 25th...baptism day! Things went pretty well, maybe because I didn't have much to do with it, but then again mom and Emily seemed like they weren't too stressed either. The biggest problem was that I forgot Ellia's towel, and the only thing handy was a little blanket Ashlyn had been carrying around. I knew if she caught us she would freak out, but I had no other choice....well, she came in and caught us. (She has been SO concerned with germs lately it was easier for me to buy her her own hairbrush and toothpaste. She won't share a cup with anyone, and she looses it if her toothbrush touches someone else's.) Emily saved the day by grabbing Jace's towel for us (later I remembered I had the swim towels in the car) and by washing Ashlyn's blanket and hanging it out to dry all before Jace and Ellia even came back out for their confirmations. Sara gave the talk about Baptism and did a fun object lesson with a stop light, and Travis did another talk with an object lesson using a hanger, bending it and straightening it back out. He gave each Ellia and Jace each a hanger to take, but we left ours by accident. For the first few days after her baptism we'd ask Ellia, "Are there any bends in your hanger today?" and she would respond, " I don't know we left it at the church!" **One day back in Louisiana, Ashlyn brought me a hanger all bent up and said, "Ellia is being mean."
Jace was a little shy about the pictures with Ellia, but she sure wasn't. She kept saying, "come on Jace..." and pulling him over!
First pair of scriptures, a gift from Jeremy and I.
Clegg reunion at Vineyard park. The girls had fun dressing up for the parade as usual. In fact we lost sight of Ashlyn for awhile and when we finally found her she was dressed up from head to toe, which is why we had such a hard time spotting her at first!
It's Derby time! This was Ashlyn's first derby, and she wasn't quite as entertained as Ellia.
16+ weeks pregnant. That awkward time when you some days you look pregnant, and some days you just look like you have a chubby belly.
The girls could have played with the new kittens at Grandma Laura's the entire time we were there.
Jeremy got the chance to hike Timpanogus with my dad and Gunner while he was home. They said near the top they saw a guy and his dog who had a bloody face. Apparently the dog had gotten too close to one of the mountain goats and it gored him! Those things are getting less wild all the time. I remember scrambling in the dark over small ridge and coming face to face with one the last time I hiked it.
We had yet another birthday celebration while we were visiting. This year we decided to combine all three girls so cousins could see all of them open their gifts instead of just Ellia. Ashlyn got a Baby Alive doll from Grandma Betty that she absolutely loved.
A Frozen beach towel!
Playmobil!
Can't forget the penny jar!
Quincy wasn't really having it this year.
We also took some family photos....as usual there are some candid ones that are super fun!
The Jeff Gillespie reunion this year was at a place Jeremy found in the Uintah's. There was a little circle of rustic cabins that we had to ourselves which made it a great setting. Despite being pretty outgrown for this jeep, Ellia and Ashlyn both had their fair share of turns riding it.
Jeremy also led a miscalculated hike to granddaddy lakes with the big girls. It was a nice chance for me to rest while Grandma Laura watched Quincy, CJ and River. Jeremy said they ended up hiking 8 miles and the girls were champs the whole time!
Best part of camping, dinner around the fire.
Jeremy bought the girls some cap guns before we left...here's Quincy showing them off.
Craft time!
It was SO nice to feel cold in the evenings. Even the days weren't too hot. Especially when we saw how hot is was in Louisiana.
We caught the fish and game shocking fish near our picnic spot one day. It was pretty neat for the kids to see.
A picture Sarah drew of the grandkids.
Jeremy and I took a little day date to Salt Lake to have lunch with some of his friends and then enjoy the time to ourselves. We went on a tour of Brigham Young's house and had rolls at Lion House Café. We also saw a movie and stopped for dinner in Park City. It was a really nice day.
I got to be there while Jack showed his steer! It was a really neat experience and I even picked up a few things and got good at guessing the winners. I have Tom and Jack some pointers on handling before the showmanship round and Jack ended up 2nd or third place! His steer also came in 2nd or 3rd for market.
On one of Jeremy's morning runs had came across the hot pots...my how they have changed! It is basically trespassing to be there, with berms built up etc. And apparently there is a bunch of construction equipment around, but that didn't stop him.
They sure LOOK a lot more inviting than when we used to go as kids, but now it's much harder to visit them.
So many days just wore Quincy right out. Sometimes she would sleep until noon.
More time with the kitties! Jeremy took the girls to Vineyard one day so I could spend time alone with my mom. They even took the four-wheeler down to the lake shore to see the wiki-up.
silly cousin fun
Ashlyn was obsessed with Dude again this year, dragging him around by the collar and even trying to give him a few baths. Quincy got into a little too.
Showing off my belly.
