Summer Vacation

This summer we only attempted one vacation. My "condition" didn't allow for much vacationing. In July we had a Wheeler family vacation in Marysvale, UT.

We played in beautiful meadows

We bossed around our cousins, they are the nicest boys, they will make great husbands.

We ate.

Aren't these little Wheeler twins adorable? I had to include a shot of them, even if they don't belong to me. They are a year younger than Jack and I smell trouble when they all go to high school.

We had Uncle Jesse time. My kids love Jesse. Jack also enjoyed wearing this helmet all over the place. It goes good with the flip-flops, no?

We stayed in a luxurious Jail cell. Our cabin was the jail-complete with bars on the mirror for a headboard. I believe Billy the Kid slept here.

Our family riding picture. Why was I holding Jack and 8 months pregnant? Hmm Anyway-look at that sky.

And one of Jed and I. Scruffy mountain man Jed and expanded Joshlyn. Couple shots are so rare now-a-days. I love my pet.

Jara in the daisy's

My boys

We 4-wheeled. Of course, we are Wheeler's after all. Jara, her aunt and her cousin were in an accident this year. I feel very blessed that there were no life-threatening injuries sustained and many tender mercies were bestowed upon us while experiencing this incident. The little girls were fine, my girlie had a scratch under her eye we took her in to have "glued" together and my sister-in-law's injuries, while being much greater, have healed also. Although I would think after breaking your back (even if it is in "a good spot" to do it) you will feel that for many rainstorms to come. No one saw the accident happen and Lisa doesn't remember what happened but I know she, with motherly instincts, saved my girl from danger at the expense of herself, which is probably why her injuries were greater. I am glad, beyond words they are all okay. Even writing it six months later I feel choked up at the thought of when Jed rode up on his 4-wheeler, without his shirt which he used to stop Lisa's bleeding and a SUV of strangers brought me my girl wearing a man's sweater they had given her and blood running down her cheek. She was shaking from fear and the cold of the water they fell into.

So-now on to my moral of the story: Wear a helmet! Jara and her cousin had helmets and I truly believe they were saved from greater injury thanks to their helmets. AND say a family prayer before activities, it's a guarantee for protection, even if your husband is wearing a "protect your nuts" shirt in front of his uncle the general authority. bless his mother's heart.

First day 12/13/11
Jack started preschool in December, he was a session or two behind we had to wait until he was three and then we had to wait until I was convinced that for the sake of all of our sanity Jack should have an outlet. I couldn't justify the cost, the hassle, the fact that if I started him this year he will have attended 3 years of preschool but the millionth time I called Jed lamenting his son's latest exploit we deemed preschool necessary. Jack couldn't be happier! He loves, loves, loves preschool. I had to prep him beforehand with the three rules of school 1)Pee in the toilet (not the playground) 2)Listen to your teacher and 3)Only hug mommy. He is a random hugger and will lovingly choke-hold hug just about anyone. I didn't want any angry mother's of daughter's already calling me. Every day he comes home and sings me the letter song of the week and tells me about his "park" school. (He calls it the park school because it has a playground in front of it.)


Second day of School (the first day I was in the hospital having had a baby) 9/1/11
Jara started Joy-School this year. She has a fun, all-girl, group. They are the Mount Holyoke of Joy School. The funny part is 3 out of the original 5 in the group are second generation joy school kids. I went to joy school with Brianna's mom, and Abby's dad. Small world, small valley. Who ever would have thought when we were sitting around eating our graham crackers one day our children would be doing the same thing together. Anyway-
Jara has enjoyed being a part of the group. She comes home singing little ditty's that get stuck in both of our head's for days. "We never hit or kick or push." Jara takes to heart each lesson and has been more vigilant about cleaning her room and "keeping it in order," reminding Jack to follow the golden rule, and cleaning up trash outside to keep our world beautiful.

Yay for school!

Name Stories-LB 1

Looking Back 1

I deliver, I promise, just not in any particular order. See previous post if you are confused.

Naming my children is a difficult decision for me. For three reasons, #1)I am indecisive #2)I worry about the effect it will have on their life, what's cute at birth is not cute at 75. #3)I want it to have meaning, either to myself or in general. Here's the what and why of each one of em'...

Jara-

My eldest daughter's name is derived from an old English...okay not really, I'm not that technical. When I was going to college I met a wonderful girl named Jara, she was nothing that would make you ashamed to name your first born child after, and the name always stuck with me. I liked that it was unique, started with a J, and was a cousin to the name Sara which I have always loved. (In case you are confused about the pronunciation it rhymes with Sara.) People often mistakenly call her Jar/uh. Bleh. I'm not that cruel. Her middle name is after me, Lyn, (yes only one "n" same as her momma) I'm a little egocentric that way. Plus it flows nicely.

Jack-

The summer I was pregnant with Jack I read three or four of my favoritest books ever. Every single book had a "Jack." A strapping, handsome, noble, fearless Jack. (If you have read "These is My Words" you know what kind-of a Jack I am talking about, I am convinced Captain Jack Elliot was a real man.) I deemed it as a sign. Jed wanted a strong name for our son, "no panty-waist, trendy name." The only catch with this name is well...you know. Let's just say I better never hear you taking my son's name in vain. Jack's middle name is J. a non-committal "J" that way Jed can say it is for him and I can tell whoever has a "J" name "it's for you." But yeah, it really is for Jed, he just isn't as egotistical as me.

Elise-

The single other letter name in our family of J's. I couldn't do it. Not one of the names I liked for her started with a J. I couldn't pick a name I only kind-a liked based on the premise that it had to start with a certain letter. I feel very strongly about each of my children's names I agonize and ponder over them, birth certificates being filled out at the last possible moment of my 2 night/2.5 day c-section stay-overs. There is no way I could name my precious daughter a name I only kinda liked because it had to have a "J." Besides I gave her a middle name with a J, just in case. Now for the reasoning behind "Elise." When Jara was born I wanted to name her Jara or Elizabeth, which happens to be my great-grandmother's middle name, my husband with his abhorrence of long names discouraged Elizabeth. Well when we found out we were having another girl, I knew it was meant to be. However, in 5 years Elizabeth hadn't become any shorter of a name. Hence...Elise Jayne. Now to explain the middle name. No, I wasn't just trying to fancy up Jane. Jay is a fifth-generation name in Jed's paternal line. Jayne is my own feminine spin on it.

There you have it. It's all in the name.

Looking Back

Even though the New Year'sey (no reference to Jersey) feeling is already beginning to wane (funny how that happened so quickly) I feel propelled to go back over 2011 because there were a lot of things I missed. I blame it on pregnancy and the craziness associated with it. However, in order to record for posterity's sake, and because I can't even remember what day of the month it is, here are a few of the dramatic happenings of the household that will be making a debut this week...

-the house
-birth story 3
-name stories 1-3
-Joy School
-Preschool
-my school (lots of school)
-Summer Vacation
-Thanksgiving

And when that is over (and I really will get it all in) I will begin the blah blah blahg again because I got stuff to say!

2012 Here We Come

We ushered in 2012 with a family goal/resolution shabang (spell?) Here's how it went...

Jed: A goal is....lalalalalala We make goals...lalalalala. What do you think your goals should be?

Jara: Your goal should be to save your hair Jed!

Jed: What!!?? hahaha What are you talking about?
Joshlyn: mufaahahahyayayhaha-snort

Jara: You know save your hair it's getting so long.

Jed and Joshlyn: Blank stare ???

Jara: You know like this... and then she proceeds to show us what it looks like when Jed takes the clippers to his hair.

Jed and Joshlyn: Ohhhh...save your hair, shave, of course (the tiny lisp)

Happy New Year! Do you have goals? I do of course, "Save my hair." As in, not pull it all out going crazy. That and be more grateful, among others, because gratitude goes a long way and after reading this article I decided it was time to put a priority on gratitude.

Christmas...

Finally...

The classic Christmas Eve jammies pose. I love the anticipation and excitement of
"Twas the night before." We read Luke 2 and tuck them snugly in bed and then Jed and I go to work. Tucking excited Christmas children into bed is one of my favorite joys of being a parent. Jara and Jack are at a truly magical stage, they are big enough to "get it" and small enough to completely embrace it. Big eyes peeking out of covers are priceless.

Okay, so this is the one picture I got of all of Christmas morning, too much was going on to take pictures. However, how cool is Jack? He has been asking for a green 4-wheeler helmet since summer and what completes the look better than a GREEN "light saver."

Merry Christmas!

Seeing as how Christmas was on Sunday we dressed up for church and enjoyed a meeting perfectly perfect for the celebration of the birth of our Savior. I like when the two coincide, it seems to bring an extra special meaning to the day.

Kris Kringle Mingle II

Marking the second year of Wheeler Christmas family fun (I believe this is an every-other-year tradition) we celebrated in "Elf" fashion.

Santy Claus and his little elf, still chewing his dinner and trying to decide if he was going to scream or not. He really wanted to be excited but was a little petrified all at the same time. Santa won him over with a present, prior to that nothing short of a force of nature was gettin' him near jolly ol' St. Nick

Elise was the only grandkid out of 14 who pulled on Santa's beard. The close-up expression

says it all.

Jara knows what Santa is all about and that's why she was more than willing to have a deep conversation with him and ask for a cash register (which apparently she really likes because she already has two) which she then proceeded to tell him to fill with money!??

No ugly sweaters this year. Just elf hats. Nothing says Christmas memories like a picture around the tree in elf hats. We were appointed the "No Fear" elf's and had to design our hats accordingly. Jack and Jed sported monster trucks and the little girls had bows. Jara was disappointed in my lack of attention to feminine detail and added the bows herself. Other elf hat themes included "Elfis," farmer elf's, sporty elf's and Ute elf's.

We also cast, costumed 12 kids and braved the freezing cold (NV cold, maybe 45 degrees) to film the Nativity. Twin donkeys, a shining star, a spitting camel, shiny kings, a princess angel and a very sweet Mary with a howling baby Jesus starred.

My little camel. I laughed so hard I think I snorted when he faced his wise man and hawked an authentic camel loogie. Bless his older cousin's heart for looking at me in disbelief and then laughing too. Oh my little boy. And for the record I'm pretty sure his sister, the holy Mary, taught him that.

Mary and Joseph. So precious.

We had a wild and fun day together. I look forward to our next mingle.

PS-After the Nativity Jack wanted to know when we were going to "go trick-or-treating," the costume wearing business triggered a Halloween connexion.