One Down More To Go!

Congratulations to Tyson for starting this hunting season out with a . . . twang! He arrowed this nice antelope somewhere in Idaho. He and his sidekick, Squeaks, enjoyed a couple of days without kids, wife, or work to chase critters through the sage brush. He came home thrilled, exhausted, and very sunburned (he had to lay still on his stomach for 3 hours waiting for the perfect moment to attack). What can I say about a man so crazy---I mean "determined". I guess we will have plenty of antelope jerky for a while.

I, for one, am glad he came home with something. I was beginning to wonder if they were really hunting all that time or just enjoying being away from the wife, kids, and work. . .

It's All About Ridge!

With the older kids off to school, Ridge find lots of mischief to get in. He is very entertaining and exhausting.

He likes to help himself to the garden. If you follow the trail of corn husks, you can eventually find him eating a raw ear of corn.

When he eats breakfast he has to have a bowl or plate for the toy he has picked to play with that morning. I tried to give his toy goat just cereal but he wanted it to have milk in it and a spoon too. It is cute but wastes food so hopefully it is just a short phase.

First Day of School!

The kids survived their first day of school. Gabe wasn't very excited about going and Raygen couldn't wait. She gets to go all day now and even gets to eat in the cafeteria! It is Raygen's teacher's very first year teaching and Gabe's teacher has been teaching for 24 years. It will be interesting to see how this year goes. They both enjoyed their first and second day of school. They both really like their teachers. I am glad. Gabe's teacher told him that they will rarely have homework so he is VERY excited about that. And Raygen's teacher told them they will have homework almost every day so she is very excited about that. It is so strange how opposite they are. Maybe it is just the age. Ridge was very lonely without them. He followed me around the whole day. It was very quiet and relaxing and I am getting a lot done. (I finished a book I have been reading :0)) I am going to enjoy all the free time before preschool starts!

Rafting Racket

The kids have decided that they love to raft! The little green raft from my childhood (aka Fish Hunter) has been resurrected this summer. I have spent many hours at Cottonwood Lake with friends and dates on this raft. It is very strange to watch my three kids paddle around in it. After a few instructions from Grandpa Benton, Gabe and Raygen went around and around the reservoir in it. Gabe thinks he is the captain and loves giving commands to his little sister. When she doesn't listen to him, a riot breaks out onboard. It is really hilarious to watch. It has been a good way to teach them to cooperate. When they argue, they just go around in circles but when they work together, they are able to get where they want to go. Ridge loves to ride in the raft too, but it is hard to keep him in it. He is always wanting to bail out to swim. They even talked Grandma Lynda into going for a ride with them! We have had a lot of fun and will spend our last day of summer vacation enjoying the water and the sun.

Thunder--

We would like to welcome the newest member of the Murphy family. As if we didn't have enough critters running around already, now we have added a pygmy goat to the collection named Thunder. He is Gabe's reward for reaching his reading goals. Gabe wanted a rabbit, but his dad successfully talked him into getting a goat instead. He is only about 3 weeks old and we have to bottle feed him every few hours but I have to admit that he is pretty cute. We keep him in a dog kennel in the garage for right now and he gets lonely. He even lost his voice from crying all the time! He has been a lot of fun so far. I just worry about keeping the little thing healthy for Gabe. He cried for an hour after Thunder lost his voice because he was convinced he was going to die. As long as we keep him away from Ridge and the mean old cat, he should be just fine. . . I hope.