Safford and Duncan, Arizona

So Stephen finished school for the summer term and I decided that we should go see his grandparents. But this meant that we should also visit his sister Ashley's family, and then on the way back home stop in Albuquerque to help my parents move a little to their new house.

Our first stop was Ashley and Mark Smith (Stephen's sister and brother-in-law). We drove the long way, but it was the beautiful way once we got out of miles and miles of reservations. Honestly I am not sure why there is even a road there, and how evil of us americans to leave the indians the worst part of the United States to let them live on.

On the reservation(s), it was also 'Open Range', so here is the cow we found in the road

Once we made it to the Coronado Trail we were almost there, but that trail seemed to never end. But there were lots of cool sites, like Elk, Deer, and a herd of Wild Turkeys. But it was really cool seeing this tree with over hundreds of arrows shot into it. Below is a picture of that tree!
May have to look closely to see the arrows...

When we got to Safford it was kind of late, but we really weren't too worried, we were on vacation! We went and saw the temple that was there being built. We got snow cones, played in the yard, tried to clean the church, and then we went to the lake!
Mark and his brother, we knee boarded behind the jet ski... So FUN!
Little Hailey, she swam the whole time we were at the lake with Stephen and her cousins

So the real reason for this trip was to visit Stephen's grandparents. But while we were there Stephen wanted to take a picture of the house where he grew-up. Amazingly his dad built this house and it used to be yellow (i guess). The little town to Duncan really wasn't much but it was so great to meet his grandparents, they are the sweetest people in the whole world. But let me tell you that Grandpa Elms can make a mean Ham Sandwich. YUM!
Stephen's old house in Duncan/Virden, cool little house with a cute fence

So the trip was fun and very relaxing, we weren't very good at going to bed early... But we are very excited to see Mark and Ashley again at thanksgiving. Also if Mark reads this we have your hat and when we get money we will mail it.

Oh and a funny fact that was learned on this trip... According to Audrey (ashley and mark's youngest daughter) You are a cousin until you are no longer fun! "Shhh, the cousins are sleeping"--Audrey

Oh, I almost forgot to post this picture. Goes to show how much fun we had, we only took this picture right before we left, and Audrey only wanted to be apart of a tea party with all her cousins and was not all about a picture with her 'other cousins'!
Stephen is holding Audrey, and I have Hailey