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The Conclusion of: Where in the World Are the Wheelers?

 Momservation: The first day of school is Christmas morning to parents.

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All good things must come to an end. Thank goodness for that. Does anyone really want endless chocolate cake, summer vacation, or sex? If you’re my husband, that’s a rhetorical question.

 Oay, I promised you Washington DC as the final leg of our Where in the World Are the Wheelers? tour and here it is – our sprint to the finish!

Logan & Whitney at Midieval Times with their cousins Kaity & Jake
Sippin’ smoothies with the knights at Midieval Times. Way cool show and eating with our hands. Thanks Auntie Traci for hooking us up.

 

Ford's Theater where Abraham Lincoln was shot.
Our nation’s capitol from the twilight double decker bus tour
My family at Arlington National Cemetary w/ Washington Monument in background.
Changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unkown Soldier. Profound.
Lincoln Memorial. Kids’ favorite. Suddenly pennies are very cool.
Reflecting pool facing Lincoln Memorial with cousins
Walking with Daddy at the Washington Monument. Walked at least 10 miles while there - everyone was a trooper!
What would a trip to DC be w/o a pic at the White House? The kids w/ Gammy.
The reason for the DC trip. My brother’s retirement from the Navy. Here is Chief Petty Officer Ron Silveira with his family (Jacob, Kaitlyn and Traci)
Chief Ron Silveira on right accepting commemorative shadow box with momentos honoring his 23 years of distinguished service. So proud of you Brother! Sorry - Chief Brother
Now it’s time to party. Whitney and Uncle Ron cutting up the dance floor.
Logan doing his Abraham Lincoln impression before we leave.

Now for those of you A-Type people who need a comprehensive outline and summary for your conclusion, here you go. For those who just joined us and hate backtracking or scrolling down in reverse this is for you. For those who traveled along weekly here’s what you vicariously did this summer:

  • Week 1: First week of summer vacation packed the tents for a 6-family camping trip to Union Valley Reservoir. No bear sighting this year. Darn.
  • Week 2: Off to Lake McClure for a family house boating trip with cousins, aunts, uncles and lots of tubing.
  • Week 3: All-Star baseball, soccer tournament and an annual 4th of July/birthday bash that tested the limits of our pool filter.
  • Week 4: Basketball camp and an impromptu trip to meet up with my mom in Monterey. Twenty-four hour whirlwind so fun my daughter barfed.
  • Week 5: Soccer camp and Shaver Lake with old college friends. Starting to keep a tally on lakes visited – we’re at 3.
  • Week 6 & 7: Soccer tournament, State Fair, family in town from South Carolina so we play tourist and start by going to San Francisco for a Bay Cruise, Walt Disney Museum, walking the Golden Gate Bridge, Giants game and SF Zoo.
  • Week 8: We finish our tour of CA with South Lake Tahoe for Hot August Nights car show and Emerald Bay. As if that weren’t enough we squeeze in a few days at Donner Lake for a friend’s 40th and some more water sports. Lakes 4 & 5.
  • Week 9: Had an empty calendar day so friends introduce us to Jenkins Lake in Pollock Pines for a day of wake surfing and tubing. Six Lakes in nine weeks for those who are counting.
  • Week 10: Soccer tournament, River Cats game and then off to Washington DC for my brother’s retirement ceremony and some sightseeing. When we get back school starts.

Once again the ring of the school bell saved me from myself.  Why can’t I resist filling every open calendar space in the months of June, July and August with summertime fun? Why can’t I just do a lazy summer instead of going for summer on crack? (Crack defined as: delivering an intensity of pleasure beyond the bounds of normal human experience. Pretty sure we did that.)

 
 

First Day of School. The finish line – we made it!

 

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