EIght is Great

Jack is eight!  He is a great eight-year-old.  He is kind, he helps others and he tries to do his best to be obedient.  I will often see him pause and think about what he is about to do and then sometimes I will see him chuck something with no thought for what might explode, break or otherwise occur, I'm going to assume this is typical in regards to what most little boys/wheeler men do?

His baptism was a great day. We were able to have almost of our family here.  During the program I played the piano, Jed baptized and confirmed Jack, Grandma Wheeler spoke and Grandpa Alderete gave the closing prayer.  Renn also contributed by throwing a ball in the font before the water which Jed later threw to the crowd in a maybe not so spiritual moment. (see)  Afterwards, we had a soup dinner at the stake center with our family and everyone went crazy.  I would like a basketball court for my dining room please.

Happy Birthday/Baptism Day Jack!

We love you!  

A Decade

Jara is 10! 

Happy Birthday to my oldest. 

The one who made me a mother.  I love her.  I love her gentle, thoughtful ways, small people and animals flock to her.   I love to see her many, beautiful artistic creations. 

You make the world complete Jara!

Haunted Happenings

We love the Overton Gym Carnival.  The kids go for the booths.  I go for the popcorn.  

One of our favorite traditions.

Toilet paper bowling.

Jack is an expert.  Hmm I wonder why?

Halloween piano recital.  Jack and Jara both played wonderfully,

they are making great progress, and thankfully with the completion of the recital I can ban the "trolley" song.  Christmas music now dears.  Although Jingle Hell, Bells, whatever, isn't much better.

Carving.  Jara and Elise setting up the scene.

Jara doesn't like pumpkin guts so she improvised rubber gloves out of a few Lin's sacks and rubber bands.  Girlfriend's not messing around.  I thought the rubber bands to hold them in place were really quite genius.  Trial and error she explained.

Elise with her unicorn pumpkin.  "Mom, I want a unicorn!"  Moment of silence.  

Thank you pinterest for having a unicorn pumpkin.

Jack's deer pumpkin he carved at a later date with dad.  

Deer, unicorn, clearly my children need to read a Halloween book about jack o'lanterns with triangles.

Pumpkin Patch Time

I braved the 88* weather (and Renn) and met Jack's class at the ag farm 

for a little pumpkin picking fun.

Jack with his great pumpkin.

How Renn feels about pumpkins.  Boo!

How Renn feels about miniature goats!  Yay!!!

Elise picking out her "little, baby pumpkin."

Kindergarten was brave and trekked a couple of miles for their bounteous harvest.

By the end there were a few tears, some blood, and lots of sweat.  

Poor little kiddies, it was only a fallish' 90* that day. 

I love Elise's class they are adorable.  I love her patient, well-organized teacher.  I love the excitement of 5-year-olds!  The pumpkin patch is always the best field trip even if it is a bit treacherous.  

Elise and Rodney.  

We will put this in the slideshow if Rodney can handle being her loyal subject.  

Happy Halloween

Bless schoolteachers everywhere Halloween was on a Monday.  Downright spooky!  

The school celebrates with a Halloween parade.  Jara and her lovely friend Brielle were twinsies completely by chance.  Apparently their mom's both shop on Amazon.

Jack wanted to be Babe Ruth.  I tried to get him to stuff his shirt and carry a stogie he said NO.  Something about it being embarrassing and bad for your lungs.  Jed made the shirt for his costume.  His technical engineering (straight lines) and artistic skills combined to create an authentic Yankees shirt, most people did not realize was created with a Sharpie.

Here is my proud peacock!  She strutted her stuff good!  Little things like this make me realize she really is a grown-up kindergartner!  sniff....

Halloween night, ready to trick-or-treat.

Me and my puppy.  I always call Renn "my puppy" so I found him an adorable puppy costume and you can't have a Dalmatian without a Cruella.  I pulled him all through the neighborhood in the wagon and he was a pro.  We went to about 5 houses and then he was perfectly happy to just sit in the wagon and eat his loot.  

It's a Thug Life

4th of July

Taking the kiddies to the fairground festivities.

Trying to get a picture with the flag shirts.  Trying...

The part where we were bad parents and sneaked away to GARTH!  

Jed's work buddy asked us in January if we wanted tickets, of course.  What is more American then a Garth Brooks concert on the 4th of July?

Even after 20+ years I still remember every single word and Garth has still got it.  

He even played my favorite song.  Bucket list-check.