Monday, September 9, 2013

Kindergarten Kids

As of  Wednesday, September fourth we have three kindergarten kids in our house. Mary and I took the day off work to go into class with them, meet the teacher, and walk around the school. We spent a couple hours there, then took the kids to the Mongolian Barbecue for a celebratory lunch.

Helena's 1st day of Kindergarten

Katie's 1st day of Kindergarten
Seamus' 1st day of Kindergarten

Ready to go to school!

At School

Seamus at Lunch with a Kindergarten Hat from our waitress

Katie at Lunch with a Kindergarten Hat from our waitress

Helena at Lunch with a Kindergarten Hat from our waitress (hers ripped)

Waiting for lunch to cook
On Friday the kids had a very busy day. It was their first full day of kindergarten and they got to ride the school bus home. That evening we went out to dinner for Grandpa Murphy's birthday. It was a long day and a late night, but they did great. They were just as excited getting off the bus today as they were on Friday. I hope they continue to enjoy school as much as they have so far...
Seamus getting off the bus

Katie and Helena getting off the bus


Vacation Bible School, Yogi Bear and a New Puppy

After we got home from our Disney Trip, the kids had a week of Vacation Bible School with their cousins Clay and Drew. They really enjoyed it and learned new songs which they performed for their last class luncheon.  
VBS Performance
A week or so later we took the kids to Jellystone Park with Grandpa and Grandma Huddas,  Drew, and Clay. The kids had a lot of fun playing with their cousins, swimming, fishing, and of course seeing Yogi and Boo Boo.
Helena, Clay, Katie, Drew ans Seamus
A couple of days later Mary and I showed how smart we can be and got the kids a new puppy.  It was only a couple of weeks before we started work and the kids started Kindergarten. The trio absolutely love having a puppy, so she is a nice addition to our family. Not only did we get a puppy, but Grandpa Huddas got a Puppy from a litter born nearly at the same time as ours. We named our puppy Megara (we call her Meg) and Grandpa named his Xena.
Xena on the way home from the breeder 
Meg sleeping on Xena

Megara

Seamus and Meg

Katie and Meg

Katie and Helena with Meg

Meg breaking in her new bed





Summer Vacation 2013 Part 3: Sea World and the Florida Keys

After our Disney stay, we went to Sea World for an afternoon. The kids got to see sharks and rays in an aquarium. We then watched the Shamu , Seals, dolphin and pet shows. We later went to where you can pet the rays and see the dolphins up close. We were about to go see the turtles when it started to rain, thus ending our time at Sea World.

THe aquarium at Sea World

Under the Ray Tank

Shark Tank

The kids in the aquarium

Shamu


Looking at more fish

Seal Show

Walrus in the seal show

Dolphin Show
After Sea World we drove down to Marathon and spent 3 nights in the Keys. The first  day we just went to dinner at a little fishing port restaurant called Keys Fishery and checked out the ocean by walking along a beach we drove past.
Mermaid Helena and Fishy Seamus in Marathon

Katie and I as Shark food with Helena and Seamus
The next day we drove down as far south as we could in the continental US to Key West. We went on a "hop on hop off" bus tour. On thing I didn't know is that Key West is filled with chickens everywhere! We saw all the sights, such as the 90 Miles to Cuba Marker, Mile Marker 0 sign and the sunset at Mallory Square.




The Coast Guard Cutter Ingham

Cannon near the Ingham Museum


One of the chickens that ae everywhere




Seamus Drinking a coconut

Katie Drinking a coconut

Helena not Drinking a coconut
Pat Drinking a coconut

Mary Drinking a coconut


Kids by a Giant Conch



Crazy Performer #1

Crazy Performer #2

Tired kids waiting to see the sunset

Sunset off Mallory Square
The last day we went to the beach at Bajia Honda State Park in the Bajia Honda key for some swimming. This beach has the distinction of being one of the only natural sand beaches in the Florida Keys. We then had a nice dinner at The Seafood Company. The next morning we started driving back North, stopping in St Augustine before spending three nights in Charlotte NC with Aunt Kathy Murphy.
Seamus getting buried at the beach

Katie and Helena swimming

Katie loves the ocean!!


Swimming Seamus, Katie and Helena

Girls eating dinner 

Seamus and I 

Dock behind the restaurant


Mary and the kids at the water byThe Seafood Company

Katie, Seamus and Helena at Aunt Kathy Murphy's Pool Party

The trio and the Jellies at the Charlotte Imagination Station

Katie at the Charlotte Imagination Station