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Lazy Days of Summer

Summer is the best for kids and moms. Now that the dust has settled from the past four months, we are finally getting to relax at the Wheeler home. It has been a crazy, busy spring and summer and we are enjoying doing nothing. It isn't really that we haven't done anything. It's just that we haven't been on a rigid schedule with 1-3 places to be on any given day. It has been heavenly. These are the few weeks of the year I work so hard to enjoy. It is hard for me to believe that there are parents ( and even some kids) who can't wait for school to begin. I love being able to hang out with my children, sit on my deck in the mornings, fix lunch for Jeff, stay up late and sleep in. I know things will start picking up again next week, so I have been trying to relish these few weeks with only a few ball games, VBS and a couple of practices. Today was a special gift from God. I had a beautiful morning to mow and have some quiet time. Then I had the pleasure of watching Rachel, Alex, Jacob, Drew and Tate play outside together on the trampoline. Rachel has been so busy living her "grown up, I can drive, high school life that it is a rare thing to see all five of the kids together, much less playing together. Usually when they are all five together, three or four of them are watching the one or two at a sporting event. Drew had asked if Alex could come to play, which isn't unusual. The boys all play video games and some sort of ball together pretty often. Having Rachel in the mix is rare. When Drew asked if Rachel was home and if she could come over, I told him I would ask her. His reply was, "Tell her she needs to come because she hasn't had any fun for two years." In his mind that is how long it has been between play times with his cousin, Rachel. Rachel did come over, and something as simple as turning on the water hose while jumping on the trampoline became sheer pleasure and a special memory for us all. I laughed and they laughed and Rachel said it was the most fun she has had in two years!

Both Rachel and Alex have sports camps next week and then we are off to the World Series the next week. And then we will start the madness of school all over again. We will have a great time, but there is just something special for those few weeks in the middle of summer. It is a blessing from the Lord for us to just be at home together and be a little lazy!

Hope you all get to be a little lazy this summer, too!

Happy Valentine's Day

Rachel and her escort, Tyler, at Courtwarming.
Big sis with Alex at the ceremony.

Rachel and her Dadddy.

Rachel was the freshman candidate for Courtwarming.

Alex receiving one of his Valentine gifts.

Rachel was surprised with a wallet that she has wanted for a long time. She was even more surprise when she found out Alex picked it out!

This day has always been one of my favorite holidays as a mother. Since Jeff and I have become parents, Valentine's Day has been one of the most special days our family celebrates. Our children have decorated cards, cookies and cakes to deliver. We have always had a family dinner using our best china, crystal glasses, tablecloth, and decorations. There have been many secret gifts and scavenger hunts over the years. However, today was just a little different. Time just seems to get away from us and the amount of effort this year was, sadly, minimal. Because of an extra busy schedule and sickness this weekend our Valentine celebration was not the usual, but we have had a great day. After church, we had our fancy dinner. After naps, we gave Rachel and Alex their gifts and then left for Alex's basketball game. The team won against a good little team, which was a good time. Not quite as "exciting" as when the kids were little, but just as enjoyable. As my kids grow older, things continue to change. They may be different, but I truly enjoy them.

As we enjoyed our daughter at the Courtwarming ceremony Friday night it was difficult not to notice how truly different our lives have become. The activities we attend, kids we are around and how much my own children have changed. I love them very much and want to cherish our time with them. I hope and pray they will find a spouse as wonderful as mine and have children as wonderful as mine to enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

This is what I get for asking these three to pose!

Alex making a free throw.


Rachel and her friends at her game last Tuesday.

Alex and his buddies during the game. They always have a good time together.

This was the weirdest thing. Alex went in for a lay up and the ball landed on top, spun several times and then just stopped. I bet he couldn't do that again if he tried!

Alex's team at the end of the day. Good kids. I am so thankful for my children's friends. We have been so blessed with friends and parents who have become our friends!

Basketball took a hit last week with the weather so next week will be a real killer when make ups are scheduled. Alex did get to play this weekend and his team got second place! It was a nice relaxing one day tournament with eight teams and lots of friends. The boys hadn't played in a while so it was nice to visit with all of the parents. Somehow I didn't take very many pictures of Alex so I was quite disappointed when I unloaded them from my camera. I'll do better next time!
The snow has been very pretty and it didn't keep us from doing anything except finishing the school day on Friday. We did get in enough of the day that we don't have to make it up! Hope you all have a great week. We will be super busy, but as long as we don't have any snow days in the next two weeks we should get another long weekend the weekend of Valentine's Day. My house and to do list will have to wait until then!

Basketball Update

Alex admiring one of Jeff's Christmas gifts from
Grandma Charlie. (Finally exchanged gifts!)

Alex trying out his new game from Charlie.

Rachel on defense last Friday night.

Rachel and her friends shopping

for her new dress. No, she did
not buy this! Yes, they were

just as ugly in real life!

This is Drew shooting at half-time of a varsity
game. He made three shots and barely missed
the half-court shot. He won $50! Fun!

Rachel with her teammates/cousins. They

have a great time together.

We've been quite busy for the past two or three weeks, but we are still around. We've been having fun going to a lot (and I do mean a lot) of basketball games. Rachel and Jeff are at a tournament right now. Rachel won't be playing tonight, but the JV went to support the Varsity. With an impending snow storm, empty cupboards and a tired boy, I decided to stay home after a lengthy trip to the grocery store. The crazy thing was I actually kind of wanted to go! I'll save my energy, though, because Alex has a tournament this weekend.

This basketball season has been quite different since Alex is playing a lot less games than ever before and Rachel is playing many more than ever. We have had a lot of fun watching her and she and her teammates have really improved. This group is a very athletic group that has never played a tremendous amount of ball. I think they only play so they can be together! They are a really fun group of girls who get along and are good friends. They are 500 for the season and are on a three game winning streak. Last Saturday Rachel had a great game and scored fourteen points! She is known for her defense and doesn't really shoot a lot, but she was a machine that day! Alex is always telling her to shoot more, so he was disappointed he wasn't there to see it.

Also big in Wheeler news is that Rachel is the freshman Courtwarming candidate. She was quite excited to get a new, sparkly dress and new shoes! Her brother advised her on whom to choose as an escort and with an alteration, she should be set for February 12. We are looking forward to posting pictures of her from the big night.

Alex's life has been a little less hectic. He has never had such a quiet basketball season as a player. His last two tournaments have been canceled, but is scheduled to play over the weekend. However, the not- so-nice-weatherman is predicting a ridiculous amount of snow Friday so we are hoping he is wrong! He has also been fighting a cold for a couple of weeks, had a bout with new laundry detergent and enjoyed watching the high school girls and boys. We've been to something like 13 games in the last two weeks, but it has been fun. With the nasty cold he's had it's probably a good thing for him to have had some time off. Then there is the fiery, red rash he developed when I decided to try a new laundry detergent. Won't be using anything with Oxi-clean again!

Our house has suffered so much that Jeff even suggested that we hire someone to come clean it. Does that tell you anything? Normally I might have jumped at the chance, but I can't afford it after eating out and paying to get into games for the past two weeks! I actually still have two Christmas trees up and some of the decorations around the house.

Needless to say, Jeff and I have only had time to say "Hello", "Goodbye", "Pick up Rachel/Alex"

and "You need to ________." It really isn't as bad as all that. We get to see each other, but being at a ball game with everyone doesn't lead to very personal conversation. I miss him, but we really have been enjoying the kids, too. Maybe I will plan a special date for him in the next few weeks. I could probably just invite him to our house for dinner and he would be thrilled! Maybe if I leave the two Christmas trees that are still up we can pretend we are having picnic in the forest. Now wouldn't that be romantic?