Merry Christmas from the Murrays

Kids say the darnedest things.2

Just driving along yesterday, on the way to the grocery store for our daily trip, Louden pops out

"I miss our dog, Sissy, she was black.  

And I'm sad I didn't get to meet your Mom when I was five".

What do you say? I just replied "me too, buddy, but this is the life we were given".  

Louden

Right on track, Keegan adds "And your dad".  

Keegan

At 5 years old, they've already had to learn life's hardest lesson.  Not that they quite fully understand, but they know more than they should.

Kindergarten

Warning: picture heavy post. 

First day of Kindergarten.  No open house, no meet the teacher, no knowing what to expect.  

Louden

Keegan

40 shots to get 2 faces

"Can we just go already?"

Ready to rock

So excited during orientation at the gym, just about to meet the teachers.

 We survived the first day.  I drove them to the school since we didn't know who their teachers would be.  Keegan has Mrs. Hilgret and Louden Mrs. O'Brien.  They are next door to each other.  What I *thought* would be drop and run between rooms, turned into Louden sitting by himself in his room while I was with Keegan going through the list.  It turned out fine, but I was stressed.  Had I known, I would have had Jason go with us, but I didn't think it would be a process.  It's always a production.  Everything.

Both boys did just fine on their first day.  No tears for anyone, not even Mommy cried.

Day 3: homework

Day 5: Discipline

Rules suck.  Especially listening.  Keegan confessed that he was too busy "hitting Andrew" to listen.  The note made no mention of violence.

I blinked again....

This seems like yesterday.

Keegan & Louden 7.16.11

Thank god we've since moved on to shorter hair.

Tennissippi 2013

Our vacation in pictures.  Tennessee - Mississippi raod trippin'.

that just happened

I blinked.  

Louden and Keegan graduated from Preschool.

Holding a photo from the first day.
Louden is wearing the same shirt,
proving that he has just one "nice" shirt.

10 tries to get open eyes and smiles.
We faked this laugh.

I was excited to use my new zoom lens that I got for Mother's Day at the graduation ceremony.  So excited that I forgot my SD Card.  If I wasn't so insistent that the above photos be posted on facebook ASAP, the card would have been in the camera. 

Thank goodness I had my Iphone for teacher photos.
Louden with Ms. Brenda and Keegan with Ms. Heather.

Here are the songs on video (for Grandma):

For the record, "One Small Voice" gets me every time.  Mainly because it makes me think of THIS post.  Stupid speech delay.

After school, we grabbed a few shots in our yard.

Louden

Keegan.  Not in pain, this is his photo smile.

We celebrated at Chuck E. Cheese.  

Then with a pool.

Bam! Just like that, we're going to Kindergarten.

Zoo Firsts

Last Saturday after ninjutsu, we packed a lunch bag and hit the zoo for the afternoon.

First zoo trip of 2013 and first time without a kid transportation device (stroller/wagon/mommy crutch).  I must say it was a success, 

much to my surprise.

Baby otters!

Waving to the train

Oh wow, the bear does actually move

These statues are everywhere.  L&K insisted I take their photo.

Feeding time at the aquarium

Hands on.

The boat ride was closed, we opted for carousel   

This thing flies!

First #3. I let them loose in this beast.  The condition was that they would "check in" every so often.  I swear, you blink and lose a kid immediately.

Jason had his own "firsts of 2013".  First morning turkey hunting.......First Turkey!


We ate it already.

Outdoorsmen in the making

Last weekend, Keegan cried real tears because we would not take him to Cabelas.  This weekend we decided to check out the new store in Columbus.  While there, we found the boys a compound bow to share.  

Jason has several bows, he just surprised me with a new-to-me Bowtech, and Kyle got his first on his 6th birthday.  With summer coming, we know we'll be spending a lot of time outdoors.  Now we have something we can all do together.

Keegan waiting his turn

Louden learning about the lead feather.

Louden picked up technique quickly 

K making sure it's just right.

Now where did that arrow go?

Before kids, Jason and I would participate regularly in 3D archery shoots.  We have always hoped that our kids would be about to join one day.  While I'm doubtful that we could make it through a 30 target course, we are one step closer.  Let's be honest, I can't pull back my bow 30 times in a day.....yet.

Love my family of outdoorsman!