WE LOVE OUR COUSINS!

The best part about our trip to Phoenix was the opportunity to hang out with our Franklin Cousins, who we have not seen in 4 years because they were out in New York. We are so happy they are just a quick flight away and we plan to impose upon them often. The kids had a great time hanging out with their cousins. Brighton and Jaysha are just days apart, and their interests (as well as their personalities!) are quite aligned at the moment. Bella and Ariana also got along splendidly while big cousin Cierra made sure everyone stayed out of trouble (and that all the girls were properly attired and made-up). Cierra also showed her younger cousins and sisters some dance moves that were out of sight! We really had a great time.

The cousins enjoying their ice cream after Uncle Micah and Auntie Lisa whipped up some delicious carne asada tacos! Bella is on the end, then Ariana, Cierra looking over her shoulder, Max and Brighton (not looking) and adorable Ariana.

Bella and Ariana hit it off! They had a ball hanging out in the pool and in the house!

We took naps almost everyday. Here, Bella, Daddy and Brighton snuggle up for some quick shut-eye.

Her Awesomeness Cierra and Bella enjoying a swim in the Franklin's pool.

And now Miss Brighton and her beautiful cousin Ari.

My sweet little ladybug.

Ari giving Bella a ride.

I love this picture of Jaysha - what a dolly!

The kids loved the water, all but one day (when it rained, believe it or not).

The water slides were AWESOME - just ask Max, who spent nearly every minute he was at the pool on them. In fact, that's Max coming down the slide again (he was spinning in circles as he reached the bottom). Papa Jerry is a member at the Seville Country Club, which had great amenities for the kids. Four pools, a snackbar, gym, movie theater, and a pro shop that Gavin said was incredible (I really wouldn't know about that one).
Thanks to Papa Jerry for sharing his totally awesome house with us. The kids have their own room there - complete with a bunk beds decked out with a butterfly comforter for the girls (queen size bottom bunk) and sports comforter on the top bunk for Max. We had a great time enjoying the most excellent company of Papa Jerry and Pam and Lisa, Micah and our three beautiful nieces.

Phoenix: ASU Football Game

We took an amazing trip to Phoenix with Papa Jerry and Pam over the long Labor Day Weekend. It was a great way to end the summer: we left on Thursday morning and returned Tuesday morning, leaving lots of time and opportunity to enjoy the warm (okay obnoxiously hot) weather, the pools, and the golfing. Yes! I was able to golf 9 with Pam the first day we were there and Gavin and I golfed another 18 with Pam and Jerry while Lisa (THANK YOU) watched our kiddos. It was so much fun! One of the highlights of the trip, however, was the ASU football game. Unfortunately, ASU played Idaho State, and really tore them up. But it was so fun for the kids to see a game at a big stadium, complete with fireworks every time the Sun Devils scored. The food, however, was not as good as that we can find in Bozeman or Missoula and we missed the pizza!

Here we are arriving at the field, before the kids went to Sparky's Store and purchased some gear appropriate for such an event.

And here they are AFTER their purchases. Brighton and Bella enjoyed "cheering" with their pom-poms, while Max wore his ASU hat for 3 days after we returned home.

Here's our little devil cheering on her team with enthusiasm!

Daddy was in Heaven! The kids loved the game and were attentive (for the most part) until we left part way through the fourth quarter. Max especially liked sitting next to his daddy and asking all types of questions about the game. We will definitely try to make an ASU game a yearly event!

Bella and Max's FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Wow. So we've reached another milestone at the Murphy house: Max and Bella started Kindergarten on Wednesday. It was a difficult day for me, and apparently not so hard on the kids. The morning started with Gavin and I getting up earlier than usual to make sure we had plenty of time to feed the kiddos a healthy breakfast - they have eaten breakfast at Center for Generations every morning for the past six years. I guess breakfast doesn't take that long, as we then waited for a half and hour before it was time to take the kiddos to school - with them telling us "it's time" the entire duration. We marked our calendars as the first time we were ready early for anything!When we finally left the house, Bella rode with me and Max with his Dad. The minute we exited our vehicles, they both saw their friends from Center for Generations - pictured below. Drake and Ellie ran up to them and Max and Bella were immediately at ease.

Max, Drake, Bella and Ellie. What an adorable bunch of kiddos!

Our big kids with their new back packs with the Boulder Avenue School sign in the background, above. Below are pictures of Bella and her teacher, Mrs. Jensen, and Max waiting in line to go into the building with his friends.

Bella was both nervous and excited; you could almost watch the mixed emotions play across her face. At one point, after Max went into the building and when Bella was still waiting in line, my eyes welled up with tears. Bella looked at me, cocked her head to one side, grinned and WINKED! It was adorable, and very perceptive as it was just what I needed to realize that my kiddos were going to be just fine and were ready for this new adventure.

Gavin went to school at 2:15 to make sure the kids got on the CFG van okay and then planned to take them home for an afternoon with Daddy. We were shocked when they said they did not want to go home with Dad but wanted to play with their friends in the after school program at CFG instead! Wow - big kids indeed!

Max was a little more nervous than his sister, and every bit as excited. Max struggles with migraines that typically onset when he is over-excited or has a particularly eventful day. So, it should have been no surprise when he informed his teachers at CFG late in the afternoon that he just wanted to lie down and did not feel well. I picked him up a little early and he went to bed at 7:00. He kept saying to me (as he was hanging his head in the toilet), "Mom, it really stinks that this migraine ruined my perfect first day of school." This morning when he woke up (at 5:30), he told me he felt so much better and was ready to go to Boulder for school. What a trooper.

More Pictures from the Keltz Wedding (Ryan and Kendall)

Here are some more pictures from Kendall and Ryan's beautiful wedding. What a FABULOUS day.

Kendall and Ryan's Wedding.

Kendall and Ryan's wedding was PERFECT. It was as if God decided he was going to bless this afternoon with sunshine and 65 degree weather, even though it was in the 50s and raining the day before and the day after. I do not have many pictures of the bride and groom because with Gavin, myself and all three children in the wedding I was running around and having pictures taken of me - but, rest assured, I WILL be posting more pictures as they come in. I also want to thank my counsin Kyla for taking the EXCELLENT shots of the reception - which was also a BLAST! Here's to KENDALL AND RYAN KELTZ!

The Bride and Groom in the receiving line.

The bridesmaids.

Brighton is pictured at left, with Connor, Bella and Max before the ceremony to the right.

Ali and Joe with Melissa, Scotty, Katie, Eric, Steph and Kyla (the Rice counsins). While below, is a great shot of my cousins on Dad's side - Kelcey and her boyfriend, Chris, Christy and Alan Bradley, my Aunt Judy, and Haley.

I LOVE this picture of Kendall getting her groove on. Mom and Uncle Mark (who sang at the wedding) also were clearly having a great time.

Murphy Family's FIRST Camping Trip

We had the BEST time camping last weekend with several families made up of our closest friends. The kids had more fun than we ever could have imagined. Bella had a "sleepover" at Reese Waldron's house, while Riley Bergeson camped in our (Mom and Dad's) camper - there were kids all over the place! Our destination was Greenough Lake up past Red Lodge. Max and Daddy spent a lot of time fishing, while the kids ran around and parents RELAXED. We plan to make it an annual event! Heather Bergeson took that shot of Bella, by the way - isn't it priceless?

Daddy and Max fishing down by the lake - cheese ended up being the winner as far as bait was concerned.
Mulligan had a wonderful time on the trip (this is her first blog appearance in quite some time as well).

Baby Micah, Amy, myself and Brighton, who will NOT look at the camera, unless she is posing with Baby Micah (below). Brighton's babies are all named "Baby Micah" in honor of this little cherub.

Reese and Bella spent a great deal of time together over the weekend and forged a close bond. Bella has been asking when she gets to see "Reesie" again all week. Bella, Reese, Katie, Ava and Flora (with some back up Rusted Root sung by Max) performed a "Mountain Lion Show" for our viewing pleasure. The show was an interpretive dance of sorts - very interesting. The Show was conducted atop the rock pictured below - with Max at its peak. The kids spent endless hours climbing this rock and sliding down its face over the weekend. We literally had to toss a pair of shorts (burned in the fire) and a pair of jeans due to the "sliding down" part.

Here's Max with his catch. We had a hard time with catching and releasing this little guy, so Max strung him up and took him back to camp to show his friends. He was very proud.

We did not think to snap a photo of the kids the first night (there were more), but did get this shot of the two-nighters, including the Finks, the Nemers, and the Waldrons. (NEXT year the Bergesons will be there for night two). FUN! It was truly an adventure to remember!