What's Up With The Wheelers

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Lake George Day 3: Wrapping up July

Dawning of day 3 on the lake.

Starting off with another snuggle pic. Cuddles are the best!

While some snoozed, the intrepid set out for a morning water ski. The Shark Eye was running (limping?) at this point, so we had a boat full of skiers and another with observers. Eli was the first to hop in.

I like this photo with Eli in the water, the Shark Eye on the water, and the biplane floating above.

He's up!

Oh wait, now he's down.

The first couple goes are always a bit tricky. But hey, the photos of the struggle are the best.

Epic.

Nailed it! The truth is that once Eli remembered how to get back up, he was SOLID. Great form and smiles all the way. Just look at him cruise over that wake! Uncle Jay would be proud.

Next up, Brooklyn! We also got a pretty good splash picture for her before she refined the art.

Special kudos go to Gregory for bringing the rope around to us again and again. Whether on water or snow, he is a fantastic and supportive ski coach!

Naturally Alesia is right there with him. Together these two have taught SO MANY of us to ski, just like their Dad did before.

Talia's turn. Look at that smile! But don't forget, elbows straight.

Maybe we should have mentioned straightening the back too. Mine aches just looking at these pics! But hey, gotta admire her tenacity in conquering the wake.

Recovering with a smile.

Next up, Katelyn! Ever the pro, she popped right up the first time.

Modeling the one-handed wedgie fix.

Out of the wake, woot woot!

Time to bring her home.

Callie's turn! Way to go sis.

I love how Anders is SO PROUD watching his Mom.

Zoom zoom!

I took a turn too, not that you can tell Callie and I apart.

Alesia's up! Water skiing isn't her first love, but she is such a good sport and hops in anyway!

Last but not least, Gregory, showing us all how it's done.

Anders gives the show a big thumbs up.

After working so hard, breakfast tasted amazing!

By this point, the speed boats were ready for a rest, particularly the Shark Eye which decided to chill for the rest of the week. For anyone still hankering for more, the Wilhoit paddleboards obliged. Sized for featherweights, those of us with more body mass kept toppling off.

Feeding the ducks. Impossibly cute!

Out of all the fantastic things to do at Lake George, Annika's very favorite activity is fishing off the dock. Papa Kay spoiled her with a dozen night crawlers every day. She would cut the worms into smaller pieces, bait the hooks, take the fish off the line, then put them in a bucket of water. After she collected five, she would carry all the fish to other side of the dock and release them there in hopes of not catching the same fish over and over again. At one point she stopped and said, Mom, I'm so busy helping everyone else with their fish that I haven't had time to catch any of my own! I bet Jay was chuckling from heaven as he heard this. When fishing with me, he was always so busy untangling my lines that he rarely got to cast his own.

Eila caught a beauty!

Janet's kids are well trained when it comes to skin protection. Sunscreen congo line, anyone?

Rock paper scissors meets rugby out on the swim platform. If you lose, prepare to get pushed in! Also, it appears that Brooklyn can walk on water.

Photo evidence suggests that there was even some tubing in the afternoon! Here we have Greg and Talia.

Of course, tubes on land can be pretty be great too, especially if you need a place to eat your fishy crackers.

Here's Anders again, chilling in his zebra.

Eila and her fancy headphones, just waiting...

...for a tickle from Greg!

Three amigos.

Sailor in the making.

Sunset and silliness.

Hard to believe that so much fun could happen all in one day! While the adventure continues, at least that's a wrap for the month of July.

Lake George Day 2

Hello world--thank you for all the prayers! Annika's new glasses were found nestled by some boulders on Antelope Island. We think they fell off when she took a tumble while scrambling. We'd searched for them evening, but it was pitch black and we didn't see them, even though we walked within ten feet. Fortunately, when Jason and Eli went back the next morning, they were still there! A thousand dollars miracle. :)

Looking back to summer, here's Day 2 at Lake George. I decided to blog about the trip day by day because the photos are overwhelming otherwise. We simply had too much fun to squash into a couple posts. Plus, I want to savor every memory, especially since the plan is to place the Wells Family's beloved house on the market. This has been a difficult and emotion-filled decision, but in the end the property is a ton of work to keep up and taxes keep getting more expensive. Our family is just so grateful to theirs for sharing it with us for so many years.

As you can see, the Wells Family was equally generous with their stuffed animals. Janet strapped Jeanette's giant bear into the passenger seat, just so Annika could sleep with it. Annie loved it. And Jeanette, it reminded us of you! We missed you. ❤ (Jeanette sadly couldn't make it because she was in the process of moving apartments in Chicago. Busy and stressful times for sure. We're just grateful she eventually found her kitty that likes to hide! Yay for more miracles.)

Sunday morning on the lake.

Papa Kay with his morning paper.

Gregory with his sweet shades, followed by Brooklyn with my bucket hat.

Gathering the troops to get bumpers on the dock.

When in Lake George, we like to attend Sunday services at this beautiful old chapel at Diamond Point. The church brings in guest pastors all summer who happily preach in exchange for a week stay at the parsonage. Maybe next year we could get Jason on the roster...

Since it was Sunday, we told the kids no tubing or water skiing in an effort to keep the Sabbath special. However, since the boat was already rented, we decided to enjoy a family cruise. It might be sinful to waste such a beautiful day.

Oh captain, my captain.

Ever the bookworm, Brooklyn read the entire boating manual as we wandered through the islands.

The Wells sisters look happy to be on the water.

The Wheeler sisters are smiling too.

Wilhoit lovebirds.

Alesia and Greg--the masterminds that make all the boating happen.

Ruh roh! After taking a tumble, Anders understood why we always insist kids wear life jackets on the dock. No harm done! Plus, if you look in the background, you can see Aunt Janet coming to the rescue with a towel in hand.

Already wet, we then let the littles enjoyed a quick paddle.

Dinner time! Seventeen heads, with more family coming.

Last but not least, a game of Hot Seat before bed. I don't remember the prompt, but everyone thought the best answer for Katelyn was rats. Three cheers for clever pets.

Stay tuned for more lake fun!

Sunday, October 15, 2023

Lake George Day 1

Hi friends! I know it's been a hot minute, probably because our crazy lives are always kind of a hot mess. But hey, there's no better time than the present to catch up! (Even if I should be studying for midterms or looking for my daughter's missing glasses. Please send prayers. Annie's brand-new neurolenses are lurking somewhere around the Great Salt Lake...)

On to happier thoughts: Lake George! On July 29th our family bid farewell to Quebec and headed down to Lake George. This was definitely our first time driving south to upstate New York. The border crossing into the US was much slower than on the way there.

At last! Our favorite yellow house by the lake. The plastic snowman was perched and waiting for Papa Kay, hula style. :)

I suspect Aunt Janet might have had something to do with the intrigue.

Even more special were the gorgeous shirts that Alesia and Katelyn designed and produced (financed by Janet.) Showcasing the view from the house, the shirts feature both Diamond Island and the Shark Eye. We love them! I've even had people at the grocery store stop me to ask where I got my awesome shirt.

With hungry bellies to fill, we didn't allow a little rain to interrupt the barbecue. Looking at those flames, I think it's a good thing Jason decided against grilling beneath the patio umbrella

Our barbecued brats were the first of many delightful meals together. Good thing Lake George has the best dining table ever. Also, the home has lovely walls and a roof. That may not sound like a big deal, but it actually is. A while back, a huge tree fell and put a hole in the roof. Well, the original contractor hired by the Wells family took the job (and a bunch of money) before deciding the project was way beyond his ability to fix. He walked out on the project, leaving the home exposed to the elements with a giant hole in the roof. Sad day!

Once it became obvious that he wasn't going to complete the job, Janet hired a new contractor to put on the roof. These guys were great, but fortune was still against them. Right at the moment when they had the roof ripped off, an INTENSE squall unexpectedly passed through. The storm sat directly over the house pouring buckets as the poor workers struggled in vain to pull tarps over the roof. Water was streaming through from the attic all the way to the main floor. Luckily the contractor worked hard to make things right, inspired by Janet and Alesia who were working just as hard alongside. The ceilings and walls were finished a couple days before we all gathered. I know the Wells Family put SO MUCH effort into making the home comfortable and lovely for everyone. In the end, it was splendid, even magical. Thank you!