Memorial Day Part II

We thought we couldn't take another day of fun after the drive home and three hours of church.  However, after a restful sleep and Monday dawned bright and beautiful we officially opened lake season 2013.  I love Lake Mead in all of it's mud, foam, receding waters, mussels and warm water glory.  Nothing is more relaxing than a day at the lake.  I enjoy the sound of the ocean but love the calm of a still lake (shark-less beach) and the blue, blue Nevada sky.  

Receding water benefits, red rock beaches, perfect for little mountain goats.

Look at that clear water.  I like being able to see my baby's legs safely floating.

Practicing new tricks.

I think he likes it.

#1 reason the lake is better than the ocean.  

Memorial Day Part I

Time for a family vacation.  We realized we have not taken a just Jed, Joshlyn and all three kids vacation since 2010.  After all the excitement of fire alarms blaring in the middle of the night, freezing ocean water, and too many hours in the car with bad Elise we may not take another family vacation for three more years.  I read once "family vacation is a bad time to later be remembered fondly."  Well it might not be that bad, but it certainly is a lot of work with small people.  While at the ocean you are supposed to relax.  High alert mode is more like it when your husband is a mere dot on the horizon tantalizing the sharks, your six-year-old thinks she can surf, your four-year-old likes to wander after pigeons and your baby doesn't understand the meaning of undertow. Ack-my blood pressure.  Regardless of the dangers of sharks, pigeons and undertow we all survived and had a lovely dinner at one of our favorite restaurants  visited Yogurtland and went quickly to sleep, so deeply the SECOND consecutive night of blaring fire alarms didn't even wake up the children and Jed and I put pillows over our heads and went back to sleep.  

Jack and his masterpiece.  Jack prefers sand over sea.  

Jara finding treasures for the castle.  I never got a face shot because she was completely enthralled with the ocean and wouldn't turn around.  She played and played and played.  I need a beach house.

Fearless E.  Jumped in clothes and all.  Was shivering and freezing and still couldn't stop.  She loved jumping over the waves and splashing with Jed.  "MORE!" we heard that a lot. Her love of the ocean and excitement on her face made up for the bad kitty rebellion/uprising in the car.

What you might find in the sand.  

A group of college children were highly entertained by his water-less beach antics, which consisted of boogie-boarding through the sand, castle building, pigeon hunting/chasing, burying himself and collecting shells.  My favorite was the sneaking up on pigeons.  Until he almost caught one of the flying vermin.

Pausing for her photo-op

Lunch time, a little rest for me.  With clothes.  I was freezing the whole time.  70* is way too cold for swimming.  Especially coming from 110*

Playing in the park, warming up, waiting for Elise to be car ready.  Diapers, sand, ocean and clothes make for a bad mix.  Girl got a lifetime of exfoliation.  

Happy Vacation!  See it really is fun.  Let's do it again.  Part 2 coming next...

Fathers and Sons

Having survived the ward father/son camp-out, the male bondingest of bonding times, Jack is officially a MAN, as he so seriously informed me.  How could this not be like a second Christmas for him, he got away from his sisters, he got to hang out with only guys, sleep in the back of the truck and I'm pretty sure he ate bacon and chocolate for breakfast.  

The Wheeler's in a desolate, remote looking place and no it wasn't our back yard.  

The MAN

What the man's found and put in a bottle.  Note: women do not like snakes in a bottle for gifts.  

I'm glad Jed and Jack had the opportunity to bond and I will never forget the excitement on Jack's face as they embarked on their journey and the excitement in his voice when he told me about his trip when he got home.  May this be the first in a long series of successful man trips.  

Fridate Nitrates

Friday is date night.  Occasionally the rug-rats are in tow.  Then it turns into a family affair, hence 

 friDATE nitrates. 

Jed roasting the nitrates, he's a good boy scout, if not a healthy one.  Come on they are approved by a "higher law" (Hebrew National) they are not only kosher they are religious.  How can you go wrong?

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They can't resist a body of water, or slurpy mud, even if it is chilly.

What happens when they get a little too chilly.  Warmed her right up.  I'm resourceful and a little red-neck.  Scary combination.

Then I found the blanket, everyone's smiling again.  Apparently being wrapped up like a Seven-Eleven burrito isn't really Jara's thing.

Me and my girls.  A different night, same idea

And it's even sealed with a kiss, not a bad Fridate.

(i know, i know kissing pics...)

Class of 2027

The line-up.  

Jack is very nervous.  He later confessed he was scared that the riser he was standing on was going to fall down, due to one darling, name-less child in front of him (not pictured) doing a little happy graduation celebration/dance.

Promotion with a balloon and certificate.  When you are four a balloon can make you forget seconds ago you had a near death experience on a rickety riser.

Happy Preschool Graduation Jack

Jack is a learner.  He loves to play with his friends and he has a handy knack for memorization.  Jara banned him from studying heart (sight) words with her this year because he could memorize them faster than her.  I think this mainly occurred because he is rapt with attention whereas she would be laughing, hanging upside down making up rhymes for "I hate heart words."  Anyway...I'm getting off track...Jack enjoyed his preschool environment and his chance to play with friends.  I would hardly get a backwards glance and he left but when I would pick him up I would have to brace myself so that his "picking me up" hug wouldn't knock me flat.  I learned this the hard way.  It is hard for me to believe he is not going to kindergarten next year but his November birthday will keep him in preschool one more year.  I'm sure he will be more than ready to make the transition but I am glad I get to have him to myself one more year.  He is my helper and friend throughout the day.  

More

MORE! We hear that a lot these days.  She seems to get the most face time on here, it's the youngest one demanding her fair share (all) of the spoils.  I love this stage because she can do so many things but is still a baby too.  Her personality shines.

Elise loves this hat. So does the cat-he sleeps in it. I prefer it on Elise's marker smeared face

Getting ready to go out into the world. She has been collecting items for her back pack: rocks, the cat, cheetos, her sippy cup-all the essentials

Elise LOVES to draw.  All the markers are booo (blue) and she has issues with the leeeeed (lid)  

Playing dress-up.  I'm not sure if we call this the syrup lady look or the Tupac look...

Reading a little Ariel.  Quite cozy.  Why can't I spend my day like this too?

And when she gets done with reading, toys in a lid

Elise loves the wagon and after Jed and I were worn out, we coerced spiderman into working out his big muscles.  Thank goodness he is so strong.

Selling Oranges by the Freeway

This is what Jed croons to me every time we head south on I-15 to the wonderful world of California. (I'll give you a dollar if you know the rest of the song.)  Last week was our long awaited vacation in the land of the palm tree.  

Considering the fact that I haven't slept in four months (my typical 10 hours has been reduced in half), I have been thinking of fettuccini au gratin from la Strada since I last ate there 3 years ago, and the ocean soothes my frazzled nerves we had a pretty low key trip.

Thursday's sunset.  The sky was aglow.

What we did best.  I highly recommend the "Big Belly Deli" if you are ever in Newport Beach, the white out pizza is muy bueno.

Eating...again...

My crazy eyes telling Jed to put down the phone and hand over the chocolate milkshake.

For old time's sake we revisited Ruby's diner on the Huntington Beach pier aka world's longest pier.  Twelve years ago was our first Ruby's experience.  Probably something very similar happened then too.  Jed knows I don't share food.  So does my dad, ask him about the carrot/spearing incident.

A nice way to relax.

And in case you don't want to relax.  

One day we got a little crazy, went all out and rented a bicycle made for two.  I have to admit I felt a lot safer having a steering wheel even if was completely ornamental.  I need one for the passenger side of Jed's truck too.  However, those rusty pedals were the real deal.  Although I may or may not have  given Jed a little payback for the kayak incident of '11.  Thought he could sit back and not paddle while his pregnant wife hauled him to an oceanic island.  I've been biding my time...

But mostly this is what we did.

Nothing.

Laid on the beach and soaked up the sun, or repelled the sun with whiteness, as in my case. 

The giant, touristy, floppy hat that was it's own entity (I had to give it, it's own seat at restaurants) and jacket I wore 90% of the time didn't help either.  What can you expect when you leave 99 degrees?  Sixty-five is down-right freezing when you factor in the wind chill.

Now back to reality and Jed's constantly ringing phone, an explosion of laundry, that !@#$ mouse  

AND 

my babies

because I missed the little pets so much if I was starting to contemplate hugging and cheek numming everyone's children within a five foot radius. kind-a creepy, I know