End of Murphy Family Vacation 2011

With the beginning of the week comes the end of our vacation. We woke up before 5am and started the long drive home. Stopping for a bite to eat in Primm Nevada. With the early morning temps already reaching 92* it will be a hit ride home!

Grandpa Murphy's Birthday

On the 7th we headed to grandpa Murphy's, it was also his birthday. We celebrated with lunch at Red Robin, the Murphy kids were the real show.

San Deigo natural science museum

On the 6th we also did the natural science museum, but as it was a free day for California resident's it ends up everyone else was there too. Hunter did get to take down a prehistoric animal, he really is the strong man.

Air space museum

We enjoyed the July 6th by going to museums, the air space museum had all sorts of air crafts and space shuttles. From the first airplane models to the Apollo that landed on the moon.

FW: Stick figure kids

 

 

In San Diego fireworks are a no no so our kids made their own fun.

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Stick kid play!

Stick figure kids

In San Diego fireworks are a no no so our kids made their own fun.

More 4th fun!

4th of July fun in San Diego!

Spent the fourth of July with Jeff's family in San Diego, we had a great BBQ. What a great day!

More Fair fun

San Diego County Fair Fun

We ventured out for fun at the fair, getting there early paid off for the rides the kids were able to walk up and on almost every ride! They enjoyed the thrill of the coasters and the spin of the hard rock. We ended our visit with the monster truck show. What a great day!

Sunset at the beach in Cali

Kids love to play at dusk in the waves and sand and I love the sunset. The dolphins even joined in the fun, we had several schools of dolphins visit and watch the kids play.

On our way to California

After a slow start yesterday we finally got off. When Jeff the ever careful did the final car inspection he found a screw in the tire. We were able to patch it but it delayed our exit from Spanish Fork but no worries Jeff the ever speedy made up the time in the drive and we made it to St George by about 9pm. We are now on our way and passing the famous city of lights, Vegas! Although the lights are off f

Catch up time!

Connor and his date for sweethearts dance!

Connor had an awesome game they won!! check it out on facebook to see his great moves!!

Hunter has his Blue and Gold Banquet for Scouts

Yes he is the Silly one!

We added another driver to our household Kolton turned 16!! He had an awesome party to start of the driving! Sad thing was he turned 16 on a Friday and the DMV was closed until Monday so he had to wait until then to get his offical licence!

Going to Santa Monica with the love of my life!!

I was off for another work meeting but instead of the east cost I went to the west coast for the first time in 3 years. This meant that it was the perfect trip to take Jeff with me, it was in Santa Monica and we only had to spring for the plane ticket so it was a perfect getaway. (If you take out the part that I got to sit in meetings for 10 hours a day while he played in the sand.)

It has been along time since I had been to the Santa Monica Pier and it was beautiful!! Jeff also got to spend a little time with some family although it was very limited I am sure it was nice to have some one on one with them.

I had a hard time in the meeting knowing that just beyond the door was the sandy beach calling to me. That is the hard thing about work trips you have to work more then play.

I will point out below is proof that I ate sushi!!!! (vegi sushi that is)

Jeff at the Pier

See I am eating sushi!!!


Jeff and his mom in Anaheim

Our breakfast view from our hotel

The Pier at night, amazing Farris wheel.

Save the world with a click!!

I would like to share with you my assingment that I wrote for one of my classes on the effectiveness of the site thehungersite.com, please think of visiting it and taking a moment to click to end hunger. Feel free to share the site with all!

A click of your mouse will feed the hungry, build the rainforest, prevent breast cancer, provide healthcare to needy children and save an animal. In the current social networking era we can do a lot with a click! We can plant a crop on face book or tell the world that we just bought a new pair of shoes on twitter but will the needed population take a moment out of their social life’s to click and help end some of the worst plagues of the current century?
I clicked my mouse and felt empowered by giving without even leaving my laptop or opening my wallet! I have to admit that I under normal circumstances have to stop and hold up traffic to give the man or woman holding the cardboard sign my spare change. So to me this will work to make it so easy to contribute to those that need in the world, why wouldn’t I share with my family and friends the same opportunity.
Apparently the effectiveness has been spreading by giving empowerment to the simple people of the world with a click of the mouse put toward a good cause. It gives the instant gratification that society wants by allowing you to see how much food you can provide to the hungry just by clicking each day! I can see my results as I look at the graph at how many others have clicked to give also.
But of course the funding behind the hunger site is the sponsors and I for one felt more comfortable looking at the ads, knowing that they felt the same way I did about giving to the needy in the world. I will be more drawn to their product because of it; this creates a win, win situation for all!

Ehaustion!!!

Lately I feel like this is the number 1 word in my vocabulary, sad but true!! Although I can't figure out why after all my kids all dress themselves (that is scary in itself) no more chasing after them to change dirty diapers (just to pick up their dirty clothes). I don't have to carry them around anymore (they are big enough to carry me around) They mostly sleep through the night (although I have to stay up late waiting for them to come home). The day of babysitting the friends when they come over to play is almost over ( I just get to worry about who their friends are).

I remember thinking that when they got older it would be easier to be a mom , then I found out I was wrong, ok I give up!!!! when will it be easier to do the best hardest job in the world??

Sincerely exhausted!!!

BTW here are some pictures of Connors game the other night, he made the last basket and it was a 3 pointer!!

Parents are so embarrassing!!

This is my oldest teenage son Connor!


As a mother of 3 teenagers I hear this phrase often, at least once a day. Now I have to say they have no claim to this comment. Although at times when they are deciding to make the right choice I have threatened if they choose to not be home on time I can show up and pick them up with curlers in my hair and in by bathrobe. Although I do not own any curlers to wear I do a fluffy bathrobe at times!  I have yet to actually show up and do what I have suggested might happen.
The fact that I have not had to do this yet makes me think that I must be doing a good job as a mother and my teenagers are sweet little angels. So when Connor brought home his highschool sports Magazine with the senior spotlight I excitedly opened it up to read my little angels spotlight and I would like to share it with you.

The first sentence is,

(BIGGEST INFLUENCE) My parents (see I told you I have been doing a good job)

(INSPIFATIONS) Money and the ladies (ok so he is 18 this would probably be most boys his age response)

(FAVORITE QUOTE) “Sometimes you gotta pull your pants sown and slide on the ice.”

(I WANT TO BE) A cop or male model

(IN MY SPARE TIME) Game, flirt and fight crime

(AWARDS AND SERVICE) Nobel Prize for my work with midgets

So if you can guess I was left a little speechless after the 2nd statement all I can say is that I am saving this article for him when he has teenagers who will think he is embarrassing. I am sure you can guess why!!

Happy New Year!!

As I review the blog from last year I realize that I only had one post!!! It has been a crazy year and although I am not prepared to do a whole year update I will promise one soon!!
We brought in the New Year with family at a New Years Eve party at my mom's playing games and eating lots of junk food!!! What a great way to prepare for the traditional New Year Resolution of this is the year that I will get healthier!!! (I did eat my weight in junk food last night :-)
Along with that I look forward to the start of a new semester (not) It is looking to be a very grueling one I am currently registered for 16 credits now if I was a 20year old college student this would be an easy schedule but I am a mother of 5 (my husband always counts at 1) in my late 30's with a full time + job and finally enrolled as a premed student!! So you can understand the concern I have with this semester!! Trying to figure out the balance is the frustration; the main reason for the heavy schedule is the cost after 12 credits the rest is free! This is great to a late bloomer in deciding the degree route who has blown financial aide with focus in another area and has to make funds stretch!!!!!!!! The other reason is that Med schools look at your credit load to decide if you are a candidate for their school if you haven’t carried a full time load you can basically say goodbye to the possibility of attending! College is insanely expensive and stressful but a necessity in today’s life even if you are almost in your mid-adult years (OMG I can’t be that old). I can only say that once the schedule posts I will be deciding if I can really keep up the credit load or if I will be dropping a class! That will happen next week, so with that in consideration I have decided to hold off on ordering my books till then because at $70 a book and some classes requiring 2 (Love the kick back professors that profit from the books they require (that is a whole other post))it is very costly to order then hope to return them. So as all can see this year brings a lot of insanity to the Murphy household and I am proud that for the first time in a while it is me causing it not 3 teenagers, a 9year old and a husband!!
Happy Insantiy Year!!!