Got a phone call from Ashley!!!

Ashley got her first real phone call home today.  It was good to hear her voice.  Poor girl is really home sick.  She asks that everyone please write her letters and send her pictures.  She is not liking living with 33 witchy unfriendly girls, that have a ton of Drama, and says she really is missing home.  I told her it will get better, but she says 6 weeks and counting mom.  Everything else is  going good for her and she is hanging in there.  She said it is not that bad just lonely.  So if you have some time please write her a letter and send her a picture.  You can't send food or gifts but they can get pictures.  If you don't have her address it is:


AB Stricklan, Ashley M
326 TRS/FLT 032 Dorm B8
PSC3
1320 Truemper St Unit 361016
Lackland, AFB, TX 78236-5570


I know she would appreciate anything, cards, letters, post cards anything.  


Well have to run, have to get up early for work tomorrow and parent teacher conferences for Krista.
Miss you all!!!

Updates

Hi All,  we got an update from Ashley in the form of a card.  It contains a website that you can all visit to see what she is having to do lately.  She is on week two.  But check it out.  www.basictraining.af.mil It is pretty interesting.  Dave said there are things that have changed since he was in.  We still haven't gotten a graduation from Basic date but when I do I will send out the date so you all will know.


Here are some pictures of Krista's car.

It started snowing yesterday so not long now and we should be into our permanent white out until April or May :o)  Dave is like a kid at Christmas because it snowed lol.  I like the snow and am ready for the pretty white, and get away from the ugly brown, but not looking forward to the cold that comes with it. Here is a picture of it.  Sorry it is so dark but it is getting towards that time of year where it doesn't get light very early and gets dark by afternoon. Case in point it is 9am and still dark.  It should be light buy 9:30 or 10am this morning.  It will be dark again by 4pm so yep good bye sun light LOL.  Well better run! 

Finally found Krista another Car

Well after having to sell the Jeep we finally found her another car that we felt was a good deal.  In case you forgot, we had to sell her Jeep it was just to hard for her to drive a stick and with the short wheel base of the jeep, it was just to scary. She always looked like she had a death grip on the wheel and every time she shifted the thing she was all over the road.  My mind would scream oh oh oh, watch out!  I had vision of her trying to drive and shift in the snow and was like nope, got to get a different car.  So after selling the Jeep Wrangler we finally found her a  2003 Saturn Vue AWD 4cyl with 87K miles. It is a one owner car and way below blue book, so was a good find.  It is good on gas and goes great in the snow. She is happy with it.  It is nice and big but yet easy for her to see out of.  I will post some pictures of her with her car a bit later but below is what her car looks like.  It is the same color and style, and yes her UMPA6 personalized plate will be going on the new car tonight LOL.  So now she can fit a few more Umpaloompas in there with her, and Maybe a Leprechaun (Melinda), and of course a bunch of room for the rest of us "normal" size people LOL.  Well have to run and get back to work!  Miss you all!!

Wanted to share some pictures

I wanted to share some pics we have taken in the last month. It has been busy lately with getting Ashley off to the Air Force and me going hunting. Things are setteling down, but snowmachine season is on the doorstep. It has been getting down around 15 degrees the last few nights, some pretty heavy frost lately. Snow is slowly creeping down the mountians. Wahoo winter is coming!!! Oh wait, "darn winter is coming" (previous statement to satisy Jen). I recently told Jen when I retire we have to get a summer house, and she asked where I was thinking? I said "New Zealand of course". She asked "why there"? I told her that when it is summer in Alaska it is winter in New Zealand, my snow machine problems are solved, I never have to go more than a couple weeks before I get to ride. It sure has been tough cooking for myself and doing my own laundry ever since. lol Just kidding about the cooking and laundry.

Kristas school picture

Some caribou

Sunrise

Krista going to homecoming

getting buzzed

Getting left with no cell phone service (awesome)

Brown bear doing a little fishing

Trees I found walking around

Moose hunting

Camp

riding in 18 miles to camp.

Ashley is on her way to Texas

Well she is on her way and on the Air Force payroll. She flys out at 9:30pm tonight and flys all night. She probably won't get in to lackland until 8am tomorrow morning. Then the fun will begin! Oh yes early morning walks through the park, luxury accommodations, superb food and lazy days laying around in bed. Oh wait that was available in the civilian world ha ha ha ha! I guess she shall soon learn what life is really about ha ha poor princessa reality is about to strike. We will miss her but will get to see her in December when she graduates basic. I will add pictures and video later today of the ceremony for her swearing in at the processing center.