Amazing Jake's

Grandma Julie kept both Hayden and Brody several days over the summer. She was always up for an adventure, spoiling the boys and making sure that they had the time of their lives.

Their adventure this day was a fun trip to Amazing Jake's. Oh how those boys love that place. All the pizza you can eat, ice cream cone machine, drink machine, video games, rides, video games and all the tokens that they can imagine.
Hayden and Brody have become great friends. Brody looks up to Hayden and I love that it encourages Hayden to watch his actions because he knows so many younger cousins are watching him to see his actions.
Golfing....
Such concentration...
Love watching them head off to their next adventure....
Love that when they come to pick me up from work that they are all smiles, talking non-stop, laughing, giggling, both talking at the same time and I get to hear all about their adventures. Most of all, I sit back, relax, take a deep breath and am so grateful that while I am working that Hayden is having a great summer, with wonderful people that love him and take him on all the adventures that I wish I could. Thanks, Grandma Julie.... you will never know how much this means to me.

Julie's Baptism

Last night had to be one of the best night's of my life. One of my very favorite people decided to be baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I wish I could adequately express the feelings of joy, happiness and peace that were present when Thomas baptized Julie. The Spirit was so very strong and my joy was indescribable.

The evening couldn't have gone more perfect. Jodi gave a talk on Baptism. Both of us cried as she thanked Julie for all she has done for me. After which, Thomas had the incredible opportunity to take Julie into the water and baptize her. The Spirit was incredible and I felt I could hardly cat catch my breath, for the sheer joy that I felt. After Julie was baptized, I was to give a talk on the Holy Ghost. First, I sat at the piano and sang, "I'll find you my friend" and then told of how I knew that I knew Julie before we came to this earth. I am so grateful that the Holy Ghost helped me out and bore witness of the truthfulness of the message that the church is true and that the Holy Ghost can and will help each of us to know what the Lord wants for us.

Brother Turley spoke and acknowledged what courage and strength and especially what love that Sean and T.J. had to come to witness their mother get baptized. He said that that act showed what a wonderful mother Julie must be that he boys would support her and be there to sustain her. He asked Julie to share a few words on how she came to know the church was true and that she wasn't doing this just out of love for the Murphy's.

I was in awe with Julie's testimony and I have talked to her daily and sat in with the missionaries. Julie has come to the knowledge that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is true. She has felt the peace and reassurance from the Holy Ghost. She has read the Book of Mormon and prayed about its truthfulness. She has received the divine answer that this is the direction the Lord wants for her life and most importantly, she has chosen to follow the Savior and take upon his name and come into his fold. The Spirit was so strong and powerful. It again witnessed to me of the truthfulness of this message. I was reminded of all the things that I need to be doing in order to return to my Father in Heaven. I resolved to try harder, do more and become the person that my Savior wants me to be.

I am so grateful to have been apart of this incredible day. Thank you, Julie for your faith, testimony and love. I cannot adequately express my joy, love for you or my deep devotion to my Savior. I am so proud of you and your decision and I have loved seeing you so peaceful and joyful!

Me and Julie

Thomas, Hayden, Julie and me
The missionaries that taught Julie were great guys and did a really good job teaching and bringing the Spirit into our home. They also loved that Julie would make them wonderful treats!
Jan, Sean, Julie, Hayden, TJ, Jerlyn and Thomas

After the baptism, we had everyone over for ice cream sundaes. Jodi dipped ice cream cones, Sarah made cupcakes and we had the best time chatting, laughing and just really enjoying ourselves. It is a day I will always remember and cherish!

Ernie

My cousin, Erin, and her newborn son, Eli, came from Denver to visit us! I have been dying to hold this adorable little baby for the past couple of months. He was so very cute and sweet. We even had him just smiling.
He definitely had me smiling the entire time they were here. I loved seeing Erin, Eli and my aunt Bobbie!
It was a wonderful day! Thanks, Erin for coming and visiting us!

Victoria, Canada

We fnished up our cruise in Victoria, Canada. It was a quaint little town. Hayden had so much fun in the kids club that he didn't want to come with us into town but wanted to stay on the ship. We made him come. We enjoyed driving around the town and seeing the little buildings. We watched street performers near the marina. We watched a man carving and he carved us a bear ornament.





We had a fun last night on the cruise ship enjoying the shows, chocoholic midnight buffet, and Hayden loved his moments in the kids club! It was a fabulous cruise with tons of memories. It was a trip of lifetime and one that will always be cherished and loved!

Ketchikan

Ketchikan was all of our favorite day. We arrived into the cutest little town. The buildings were old, quaint and so fun! I loved all the shops and being right on the water.

We took a sea plane out over the Misty Fjords into bear country. The feeling going over the mountains, then over bodies of water and then again over trees was magnificent. I loved looking down on eagle's nests, looking huge waterfalls headon and seeing the grandier of Alaska!
Our little sea plane that we took out! I wasn't even nervous. I loved every minute of it!
Hayden loved the ear phones and microphone!
Thomas was able to be the co-pilot and it was a dream come true, bucket list item for him!
The views were amazing!
Hayden and I had a GREAT time in the back of the plane. The views were the best!

We docked off in some cove and looked around with binoculars and didn't see any wildlife but were in awe of the beauty. Thomas decided to walk to this log. I am looking in the binoculars and see these two bears and then to my fright, I saw Thomas right by them in the binoculars. I panicked! I screamed. These bears were looking Thomas right in the eye and they were bigger than him. Thomas slowly backed up and was fine. It scared me so bad. It was Thomas' favorite moment of the trip! He came eye to eye with two brown bears and LOVED it!
We made it safely back on the sea plane and enjoyed the trip back to Ketchikan!
I am still in awe at the gorgeousness of the waterfalls! It was a once in a lifetime, memory making day! It was definitely a day in my top 10 ever! I love these precious family memories that will always be cherished!

Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay was amazing, huge, breathtaking, awesome and magnificent! What else can be described by such beauty and awe! The glaciers were so big! We loved watching them calf with these huge chunks of ice coming off. Hayden and I watched from the inside, warmth and comfort, while Thomas headed up on the deck to take pictures in the freezing cold!
Thomas did come visit Hayden and I some when he got just too cold outside!

Amazing watching the glacier break off! I huge crackling sound!
We all loved this eagle perced on part of the broken off glacier!
Glaciers and beauty!
Hayden loved the books on all the mammals in Glacier Bay. We read about the different whales, birds, mammals and animals that were located there. He loved it!
Hayden was made a junior ranger and the rangers did all kinds of activities with the kids in the afternoon. It was a mini cub scout day! Lots of things to do and sign off. He loved that the rangers had to get on the cruise ship while it was moving, Indiana Jones style, they told him! He was in awe!
Yes, after a couple of hours watching the glaciers, he was done and moved on to playing his Nintendo DS. Cracked me up. I would get him to look if there was anything cool outside!

Yukon

While in Skagway, we took a bus to Canada and the Yukon! It was a 9 hour excursion but so worth it! Beautiful sceneray, amazing wildlife and Hayden's favorite part was going to see the dog mushing. He loved getting to go on the dog sled and play with the Alaskan Huskies!
We rode on the sled they use in the winter dog sledding races. These are the same dogs, just practicing during the summer months. The dogs were smaller than I expected but so excited to race. It was such a neat adventure!
Hayden begged to bring this puppy home. They played and played together! The puppy followed Hayden everywhere! Such a cutie!
Riding on the dog sled!

The Yukon was amazing, as was all of Alaska! It was such a memorable day!

Skagway

Skagway was a beautiful day and not nearly as cold!
We took a bus up to the Yukon in Canada and then rode a train back to Skagway! It was amazingly beautiful!
The melting ice was such a magnificent scene.
Hayden and Thomas on the Whiterail Pass coming back from the Yukon!
Me and Thomas at one of the gorgeous lakes! We saw a bear go in for fish! It was really neat!
The three of us overlooking the US/Canada border!
Thomas went outside on the train to snap some gorgeous pictures! I was way too nervous to stand out there! He LOVED it! Being around Jodi and Julie has rubbed off on him and he loves photography! Alaska was his dream!
The beauty is indescribable!
We saw, not one, but two different bears on our way to and from the Yukon. They were so close to the bus it was amazing! Both brown bears! We wanted to see bears in Alaska and we saw a total of six! Amazing!

We saw this one on the way to Canada while we were still in the U.S. This was our first one on the trip and we were so excited. It was right outside of Hayden's window. He was only a couple of feet from us! Amazing!
Me and Hayden in Canada! Gorgeous!

Juneau

Our first excursion and port we visited was Juneau. Boy was it cold! I had on two pairs of thermals, 2 jackets, gloves, hat and was still a frozen popsicle!
We ventured to Mendenhall Glacier and I was in awe at the beauty and magnitude of the huge glaciers. I knew they were big, but standing next to them is a entirely different realm. The word amazing doesn't do justice to how beautiful and grand they were.

Then, we headed out on a whale watching excursion. We saw a ton of whales, eagles, sea lions, birds and beautiful scenary. My favorite was watching the excitement in Hayden's and Thomas' eyes each time they were the first to spot a new grouping of whales. Hayden is so his dad. I LOVED watching them. We were lucky and saw a mom teaching her baby whale to jump. Priceless and so precious.
This is a whale tooth! I couldn't believe how big it was!

My boys taking pictures out on the deck. I stayed nice and warm on the inside drinking hot cocoa! Yum!
The three of us, in Alaska, on a small boat, what a dream come true!
Mendenhall Glacier was in the background.
Me and Hayden in front of the most beautiful waterfall, the sound was magnificent!
Amazingly beautiful country!