May Day...in July

There's has been a bit of neglect and lack of chronological documentary on the blog lately.  Excuse the random order.  However, we must not forget May day.  What I lack for enthusiasm towards the fair I make up for in May Day excitement.  I loved it when I was a child, the break in the monotony of school work, I loved it as a teacher, and I love it now as a parent.  Unfortunately, it does make me cry, it was bad when the children weren't even biologicallymine, but now that I'm actually watching MY very own little girlie dance the parachute dance...sniff...sniff.  It melts me to watch; May day and the Star Spangled banner, gets me every time.  

the smile

Jara means serious business, but she let loose when the sunglasses went on and I witnessed the entertainer in her come out.

Plotting how to trap the boy next to her under the parachute. kidding

Holding the parachute high, a metaphorical symbol for Jara's kindergarten work ethic or something like that.

Beautiful weather, cutie Jara, Elise not storming the performance, what more could one ask for

Friday & Fang Dangle

We lost Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde after the move.  Two, outside, grown male cats are too territorial to adjust to new living quarters.  Then the mice infiltrated, so here is our hope for the future.  Introducing Friday and Fang Dangle...  

Oh to be a cat and sleep all day in strange locations that are surprisingly cozy.  For example: baby hats, book cases, tables, lego houses, jed and the children.  They are narcoleptic in their sleep patterns.  One minute they are neurotically turning my house into a kitty Olympic zone and then they get a kind-of glazed over look and wipe-out.  The girl cat (Friday-the black one) is very serious about her sleep and will utter pathetic whiny mews if you disturb her and she hides.  It took me two hours to find her one day.  She's a good hider.  

 Elise luuuuvvvs the KITTY.  Boo kitty. I hear her playing peek-a-boo quite often with the cat.  The cat is extremely curious at this stage, won't stay hidden and therefore suffers much affliction at the hands of Elise.  In this picture she is playing nice.  However, I find myself quite often saying, "Elise put the kitty down, when he closes his eyes and sticks out his tongue he can't breath!"  The most convenient way of caring a cat when you are almost two is by it's neck, he can't fight/escape if he can't BREATH!  Minor details.  Good thing the cats are hardy and survived two toddlers before Elise.

She lugs them every where, even now that they have grown and are almost as long as she is.

Having breakfast.  Friday knows eventually Elise will fling her food.  She patiently waits and bats at Elise's toes to pass the time.

Jara thinks the cats are dolls and spent a whole afternoon dressing the little beasties up.  Cats especially love to wear socks, let me tell you.  Even Jed felt bad for it after that fashion disaster.

And on a side note.  I came home one day to find Jed petting the cat.  I think he's coming around to the health benefits of cats.  Calms the blood pressure and kills the vermin making the home a safe and happy place.  Also, I don't particularly like inside pets but until it cools down a little and/or we get our own yard the cats are taking over.  The coyotes are so bad here and the little weenies whine at the door over a mere 105* that I feel bad for them.  What mother can listen to a baby cry?

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.