What I'm Thankful For... Week of Nov. 23rd

With family antibiotics prescribed for strep throat the day before Thanksgiving, Jane, Chris and Cam were very thankful for friends and family still willing to join in the festivities.

Michelle and Cam worked diligently on two projects for the holiday.  They created these homemade turkeys with a pine cone for the base, Cam's traced hand for the feathers and the phrase "I am thankful for..." written as a reminder.  The duo also created a Happy Thanksgiving poster for all to see.  Cam helped Jane set the table and place the handmade turkey at each plate.

Oma and Opa arrived in the morning ready to prep the delicious turkey.  Cam was very impressed with how quickly Opa maneuvered the turkey. filling it with stuffing, binding it together and adding the piece of bread to keep the stuffing inside the bird and moist.  After the turkey was in the oven, Cam assisted Oma with mini apple pies, getting them ready for cooking after dinner.  Auntie Jo and Will arrived early afternoon, ready to relax and enjoy family time.
Before eating our feast, each person had to say what they were thankful for and then we said a family prayer.  Cam was thankful for "everyone and the delicious food."  At the end of the day, we were all feeling rather stuffed and Chris and his son had to relax their tummies by laying on their backs.

Over the weekend, we enjoyed quality football time with our buddies and were so happy to see our favorite Anna home from college.  In all of the silliness that ensued with this group, it is a gift to see the smiles and hear the laughter.

As a family, we have much to be thankful for. In addition to our awesome family, so many friends are family to us and whether they are in the vicinity or close to our hearts, they're always there.

Each of you reading this blog has in some way impacted our lives. Never underestimate your impact on others.

On any given day, try filling in this phrase "I am Thankful For..." and you may be surprised at just how many people, places and things you can fill in that space.

Cam-ology Quotes:
Dad cutting up cheese and summer sausage for his own lunch after Cam had eaten
"You know, Dad, it is polite to share..."

On Saturday: "I will remind you and Dad to take your medicine, Mom.  I'm here all day."

Cold Happens - Week of Nov. 16th

“The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house. All that cold, cold, wet day.” 
~ Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat 

Every fall, heading into winter it's almost inevitable that Cam will be the unfortunate recipient of a cold or virus.  And this mid-November was no exception.
Jane flew out of state on Sunday for work while Cam tried to fight off sickness back in Michigan.
It was a long week for Jane's boys with restless, sleeping nights and a day off of school.
On Thursday evening, Cam had his bath early and dressed in pajamas, ready to pick up his mom at the airport right at 8pm.  Jane was so excited to see her family, and quite relieved her flight was on time!

We shared a "Pass the Pasta" dinner with lifelong friends/neighbors and each family offered up a favorite Italian dish.  We dined on Tuscan Chicken, Bowtie Alfredo, and Pistachio Pasta along with salad, bread and fruit.  Everything was so delicious and the kids played games afterwards.

The remainder of the weekend was spent creating crafts with Emma and resting on the couch, with Stella keeping a watchful eye.

The weekend also brought our first official snowfall!  This was the best kind of winter weather- the sun shone to capture the glimmer of white crystals and the roads remained clear.    

Cam-ology Quotes:
"I love you so much, Mom!  I love you even when you are away."

(Mom) What was it that we wanted to look for at the store?
Nutella pop-tarts!
(Mom) You're right!  I'm so glad you remembered.
I had it in my mind, Mom!

Pro Pics 2015 - Week of Nov. 9th

Since Halloween had passed and we had actually been given pumpkins in September, it was time to retire the orange fruit.
Chris ingeniously created a trailer hitch for Cam's power chair to transport the squishy pumpkins out to the neighboring tree area.  Cam took his job very seriously as he took multiple trips with his dad to finish the fun task.  There are some very happy woodland creatures in our surrounding woods.

As a yearly tradition now, the dynamic duo known as GauperPhoto took a mini photo session of the Weatherford family back in September.

With busy schedules and fall weddings, Holly and Ryan Gauper had their hands full.

It was well worth the wait for our pics, especially since they send a link for download, along with a release to re-print the photos wherever or whenever we choose.

Of course, we've saved our favorites for the Weatherford Christmas card, but here's a sneak peek of a few that didn't make the holiday card cut.

"The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it." ~ Ansel Adams

Thank you to the Gaupers for being such awesome photographers and capturing the essence of the Weatherford family...smiles and laughter!

Super Sleepover - Week of Nov. 2nd

Do you remember your first sleepover?  Feeling a little anxious, excited, and possibly a bit nervous as the sun began to set?

Cam has known his buddy, Emma his entire life. He will tell you Emma is his best friend.  The two of them have talked about having a sleepover for a couple of years now and schedules finally aligned to make it happen.

Cam's bed has a pull-out trundle which provides a perfect setup for spending the night.

One of our favorite mottos- "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."  The first sleepover attempt after Halloween wasn't a total success since Cam woke up and had trouble going back to sleep.
So, our second attempt was cause for celebration!  Emma is a veteran sleepover attendee and came prepared with books, a flashlight and her favorite blanket.  She told Cam stories and they fell asleep even before Chris and Jane did.
The next morning, the sleepover duo woke up early thinking about their food options.  Cam and Emma happily enjoyed a nutella pancake breakfast before hanging out and playing for awhile.  She is like a big sister to Cam and we look forward to more sleepover parties in the future.

Another new experience for Cam was heading up into the attic over our garage.  A pull-down ladder provides a staircase to the area.
He told his dad "I have never been in the attic before" so Chris first placed the firetruck costume in there before bringing Cam.  Always ready to try new things, Jane & Chris sometimes marvel at the fearless nature of their son.

The homemade fire engine may be in the attic, but Chris took the time to document and post the instructions for anyone else to create it: (way to go!)
Post for Creating Cam's FireTruck

In other news...our community newsletter included a pic of Cam and Ms. Ginny who pushed Cam in a 5K race this past summer for Team Triumph!  We are so happy to see our friend Ginny receive this honor!

Over the weekend, the boys sported matching sweatshirts.  Jane thought they looked so handsome, she had to ask for some posing.  Cam's response: "Let's take a picture by the fireplace.  It looks nice."  Thank goodness our son supports his mom's habit of taking "just one more" picture!

Cam-ology Quote:
(Dad) You and I will be twinsies today.
I have heard of twins, but I have never heard of "twinsies!"

Fireman Cam - Week of Oct. 26th

Cam claims 3 bags of candy

Labor of Love:  Work done for the sake of one's own enjoyment or of benefit to others rather than for material rewards.

After countless hours of planning, designing, painting and tweaking, the day to reveal Fireman Cam was finally here!

On Friday, Oma and Jane drove over to Meadow Brook Elementary in the afternoon for the costume parade.  Chris met us there with the Halloween creation.

Cam & Ms. Barbara

Wearing a fire truck shirt, the engine was placed over Cam's powerchair and the handmade controls for sirens and lights were right at the firefighter's fingertips.  As he drove into school, his classmates stopped to asked questions and see how everything worked.  The kids paraded around the entire gym where parents gathered to see all of the elementary students dressed up.  Afterwards, the festivities continued in each classroom for fall festival parties which included making crafts and eating fruit and treats.  

Cam & Oma making a craft

Then it was time to take Cam over to his dad's office for some indoor trick-or-treating.  The pumpkin shown is one Chris carved using a dremel tool (in his spare time!) to show where all of the company offices are located. 

By this time, Fireman Cam was an expert navigator making his way through the office maze of desks and workers.  Numerous people commented that they were certain real fire trucks were parked outside the building with their sirens on....but, then they saw Cam appear around the corner!
Michelle met us at the office and even wore her own fireman's shirt!  Cam let her borrow a Jr. Fire Chief hat to wear.


The mild Friday turned to pouring rain with a chill in the air for Saturday afternoon.  But it
didn't stop our trusty firefighter!  We all braved the weather
and headed over to the Cascade Fire Station where they host a party for kids on Halloween eve.  Each child receives a silver bag of candy (top pic above) complete with toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss- very cool!  Chris and Jane weren't sure if Cam would want to drive through the neighborhood after being out in the cold rain.  But, our trooper persevered and was adamant about trick-or-treating on his own street!  With an umbrella affixed to the back, he and his dad visited every house with a porch light on, which happened to be a total of 4.  Jane was very surprised when the doorbell rang and there was her last trick-or-treater of the night...Fireman Cam himself!

Since the weather didn't cooperate on Halloween, the Weatherford family decided to visit the Cascade Fire Station once again on Sunday late afternoon.

When we first arrived, the station looked a bit dark inside.  Cam told his parents "I know where they are.  They are out on a call." Thank goodness they were actually there.  Let it be known, Cam asked us to call ahead of time and we decided just to drive over.  Next time we should listen...

Chris found his way inside and two of the fireman not only came outside, but also posed for pictures with Cam.  They even turned on the cool lights on the huge fire truck in their garage.  While talking with the firefighters, we learned that over 700 kids came through the station on Halloween.  All of the items are donated and we were certain they must have run out.  They actually had close to 100 bags left.  We are reminded again of the awesome community we live in and those who give so much of themselves for others.

Many of said Chris and Cam really outdid themselves this year...  In reality, they outdo themselves on a daily basis!

Cam-ology Quotes
Oma made my day!
How did she make your day?
She said "I love you, Cam."

We all have a job!
What is my job? (Mom)
You stay here and pass out candy to anyone who comes here.
What is my job? (Dad)
You look for houses with me that have porch lights on.
What is your job, Cam?  (Mom & Dad)
To trick or treat!!