Wheeler Fall Fling 2014

Ha! There - I thought of a theme.  Too bad I thought of it four days after the actual fling.  This post is quite out of order from the chronological events of our lives.  I've got a lot of posting to do now that I've finished the Europe/Africa posts, four birthdays, flag football, book lady, goofy pictures and what not.  But, I've got to post pictures of our Wheeler get together before my parents write me out of their will.

Before my parents left on their mission to South Africa, they asked their children to make sure that they still got together even though they would be gone.  It took four months and many emails to figure out that Jesse, our Mexican contingent, could come in October (even after living through a hurricane and having to rebuild his golf course, he still came home to us!).  So, we planned for then.  We didn't really act on those plans until two weeks before, but we made it happen.  We all agreed that Provo Canyon/Sundance would be a delightful area to spend time in during the fall months and we were spot on.  The fall colors and weather were beautiful!  Our cabin was perfect to house nine adults and 15 1/2 children, with three levels: the kids ruled the bottom level which contained a pool table, ping pong table, a theater room, chess board and many nooks and crannies to hide in.  The adults ruled the kitchen area, second level and a few bedrooms and we retired to the third level after talking into the dark hours of the night.

There are many pictures below, so brace yourself.

Jed decided to buy a Ranger on his way to Sundance.  He took all the women (Joshlyn, Loni, Wendy and me) to check out the area around us.  It was a little chilly, but appropriate for the fall feeling.

After playing in the house all morning, Ryan said, "Let's get these kids out of the house!!"  So, off we went to ride the Sundance ski lift.  Matt wasn't feeling well, but decided to join us Saturday afternoon. He traded off with Mark, who wasn't feeling well, so he went home.

Jara, Tessa, Jesse and Devin.

A football made it to all of our outside events so the big boys threw it around whenever they could.

Chase, the tiger.  This is one of those sentences that changes meaning without a comma. Chase the tiger. Chase, the tiger.  If it's not clear: this little boy's name is Chase.  He is dressed as a tiger.

Chase, Chloe (the struggling pink thing in Loni's arms), Matt, Jed, Elise (the hood ornament) and Joshlyn carrying half of a boy (inside) - Yay for Jed and Joshlyn!

Our turnaround spot couldn't come too soon for some, but others wanted to continue hiking.

Wendy, (DJ's head behind), Ryan, Morgan, Jara, Chloe, Loni, Jesse and Matt behind the tree.

Jara and Tessa, the yellow leaf hunters.

D.J. was dodging the camera all day. HA! Gottcha.

There was no "less-traveled" path.  We all just took the one that got us back safely.

The older kids wanted to "sprint down the mountain."  When we discovered that we couldn't just go straight down and hunger pains spoke louder than recreational desire, we took the lift back down.

Ryan, Jesse, Tessa, Jara, James, DJ, Spencer, Miles, Devin, Sam and Jack.

Miles, Davin, Sam, Jack.

Most of the Ryan Wheeler troop: Wendy, Wade, Miles, Ryan and Morgan.

The Jed Wheeler troop: Jara, Jack, Joshlyn, Elise and Jed.

Misfit mishmash: Sam, Mason, James and Devin.

Matt, Chase is somewhere in there, and Loni, who is sprinkling us with water.

I got to sit with these goonies who shouted to people coming up the lift, intellectual things like: "He peed his pants!"  "Stop farting!" "What's that wet feeling?"  I didn't crack a smile.

Tessa, Jesse and Chloe.

The pouch couches in the theater room.

The even plusher love sacs in the theater room.  I would just like to document that they were watching Cinderella when I took these pictures.

The pool table that never slept. Sam, James, Devin.

Matt, DJ and Devin.

Spencer and James brought their Kendama game to test the coordination of all.

Someone left the three and four-year-olds with an Aunt who will remain nameless.  This nameless Aunt showed them the finer points of strategically placed chips.

Chase.

Wade

Chloe

Elise

Lounging off the kitchen. Joshlyn, Wendy, Jed and the top of Jesse's head.

We took the kids to a park we found at the BYU Alumni housing place.  It was specifically for Alumni who reserved their cabins.  I took the liberty of proclaiming my alumni-ship.  Perhaps I will reserve a cabin in the future. Jara is posing on the old town donkey.

DJ and Tessa

Miles on the tire horse.

Morgan avoiding a nap.

Wade put his face through this photo-op and yelled, "Look Mom! I'm a Mom!"

There was an awesome, long slide on the hill side that worked a little better for those with sloppy sports shorts.  Spencer descended at .1 miles per hour and proclaimed, "They just don't make them for my size!"

Chase

Miles

James

Mason

Jack and James on a cool old fire truck.

Miles was disappointed he couldn't get in to drive it.

Where have swing sets gone.  I love old swing sets like these with looooong chains.

Tessa

Mason, who thinks he can swing higher than me, but I think we tied.

Batman.  I mean Miles.

Happy Jack

Sam and Tessa

Sam, Spencer, DJ, Ryan, Devin and sometimes Mason played football for most of the park time.

Elise and Jed

Jara gave Tessa a haircut in the Barber's chair and checked her out at the antique cash register.

James became a post master for five minutes.

A couple that were not separated the whole weekend.

Jed and Elise

Chloe

Morgan with an adult sweatshirt to keep her warm and happy.

 The Wheeler cousins.  They are all there, whether you can see their faces or not.

Miles, Jara, Jack, DJ, Devin, James, Elise, Sam, Tessa, Chloe, Miles, Chase (behind the railing in the champ shorts) Spencer holding Morgan and Mason.

On the way back to the cabin we saw two of these bucks, one on either side of the road, just waiting for us to take their picture.  The kids were so amazed!

Sunday morning after Jesse made us all breakfast tacos, the kids took to the hot tub.  Miles, Chase, Chloe and Wade were the ones who lasted the longest.

And then it started to snow.  Time to go home.

A great weekend with 24 1/2 of us.  We missed Grandma and Grandpa, but were able to Skype with them on Saturday morning and hopefully after seeing the many pictures above, they will feel like they lived it a little too!  Next time we get together it will be with them!