Snow Days - Week of Feb. 4th

Even though the famous groundhog has promised us an early spring, winter is doing its best to hang around as long as possible..

After a couple of treacherous days of driving, the sun reminded us that it does indeed shine on even the coldest days!

Cameron had to "go to work" early Saturday afternoon at Grand Valley where he "taught" a roomful of more than 30 people.  It may have been a bit overwhelming for him, so a photo opp wasn't on the agenda.  As always, we are grateful for the opportunity to work with the university as well as M.O.V.E. International.

Cam was able to spend some extra time with his Grandma this week and thought that sitting on the snow bank was pretty cool.
Chris found a new snow tube for backyard fun in the white stuff.  Cameron was determined to help his dad blow up the tube.  After some "manual" attempts, the boys decided that an automatic pump may be better equipped for the task.



Although they haven't actually gone (or taken us) on a sleigh ride, the deer are ever present in the backyard.  Even though they are frequent visitors, we never tire of their natural beauty or visitation rights.

Super Time - Week of Jan. 28th

During the winter months in Michigan, there are days when we anxiously await spring, especially when we see the wildlife forage for food.  Yet, there are also moments we revel in the playtime we have for a bit in the fluffy white snow...

Cameron has finally gotten some serious use with his sled in our backyard.  The tiered hills make for a pretty long run with Cam leading the pack!

We celebrated Opa's birthday on Friday and Cam is not saying how old his Grandpa is because Opa asked him not to!

In the afternoon, we had a small "See You Later, Not Goodbye" party for Cam's speech therapist, Miss Felicia.   Ms. Felicia has been a big part of Cameron's accomplishments this year in school.  She has also been at Cam's house every Friday for a home session.  Ms. Felicia provides a great combination of challenging kids while making things fun at the same time.  We know she'll continue to be a part of our lives and we're so thankful for everything she's done.  She couldn't resist a famous Cam super snuggle after he opened a sweet present from her.

On Sunday, it was time to celebrate the SuperBowl!  Cam's buddies kept him company before and during the first portion of the football game.

The girls and Cameron even picked squares to guess the score at the end of each quarter.  No money was exchanged, but a promise of ice cream treats will be delivered next week for the lucky winners.

Whether your favorite team won or lost, we hope your game time was spent with good friends and good food, too!

Back to Winter - Week of Jan. 21st

A comedian friend of ours has a bit in his comedy act about the safest job in the world has to be...being a meteorologist in Michigan- the weather is so unpredictable, you can never be fired for bad forecasting!

And just like that, Cam went from golfing in the backyard to looking at the white stuff once again....

Due to the poor weather conditions, Grandma couldn't drive in to see her Cameron until Saturday.  To everyone's benefit, the sun was shining and Cam was eager to show off his sledding skills to his Oma.  We can't thank her enough for her dedication to travel every week more than 60 miles to see her grandson!

Our friends "traveled" over from the next street and hung out one evening, playing on the iPad.  Who is that sneaking a peek behind them?

We've decided that when Cameron finally gets his own facebook page, his friends list will easily exceed his parents.  Cam's nanny, Katherine had to be out for a couple of days and her mom, Miss Ann, was free to fill in.  She has told us she thinks Cam is "magical" and loves spending time with him.

The Michigan snow machine started up again on Sunday evening.  Chris decided he and Cam should quickly go outside without their coats...shhh...don't tell Grandma!

Fun at School - Week of Jan. 14th

Attitude is the like the common cold...very contagious!

The cold virus hit Cam with full force over the weekend, but even with depleted energy, coughing and a runny nose, Cameron still pulls off that winning smile!!

Before the virus attack, our sweet boy did have a great week at school...

Miss Kathy treated Cam to a piggyback ride from the bathroom back into the classroom.  As everyone knows, piggyback rides are a ton of fun (and so is Miss Kathy)!

We are told by Cam's teachers that he is the kid all of the others want to play with and sit next to.  As biased parents, we can totally understand this...
His good friend, Karlee, is pictured here working with him at the table.


Weather permitting, the kids in class are able to get outside on the playground every day.  Miss Kasey is  helping Cam get situated.  Even when it's a little chilly, the teeter toter is one of his favorites. 

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."  ~ Benjamin Franklin

Golf...in January? - Week of Jan. 7th

It seems that our weather flipped regions of the country this weekend... Record highs in Michigan and record lows in California.

Instead of sledding, it was time to break out the golf clubs on a January day that made it into the high 50's.
Basically there are 34 rules of Golf.  However, there are approximately more than 100 sections and subsections. Moreover, there are over 2000 explanatory decisions, probably giving golf the most complicated rules of any sport.

Instead of boring Cameron with all of these finite rules, Cam's Dad provided his own set of guidelines to follow.

• Try to golf with a buddy whenever possible. (Thanks for joining us, Emma!)  This makes the game infinitely more enjoyable and provides you with another person to commiserate with.

•  Take a practice shot at each hole.  This may make absolutely no difference at all, but definitely helps you appear more professional.

• Aim away from buildings, cars, homes, people, animals, anything in harm's way.

•  Never, ever take yourself too seriously!

We have no doubt that next week you'll see some pictures of Cam sledding again, but it was a treat to feel the warm air, if only for a day...in the middle of winter.

Welcome to 2013! - Week of Dec. 31st

A new year may signify different things to different people...some may see it as a time for renewal, commit to a resolution, or make changes.  Our family saw it as time for lots of backyard sledding!

One of the best features of our housing move to the next street was the big backyard.  We had hoped it would be great for sledding and we weren't disappointed!

It turns out there are almost 3 separate sledding hills if you start at the very top.  The steepest face at the peak brings you to the second small hill where you level out and then onto the 3rd hill.  At the bottom of that last hill, it may become necessary to "bail out" before plowing into an obstruction, the biggest of which is the house itself!  Cameron has mastered going solo on all three of the hills.

Sledding brings friends and Cam enjoyed the outdoor activity with his favorite neighbor girls as well as his buddy, Forest.  The boys were out sledding for the better part of an afternoon and Forest insisted they all "go at the same time" down the hills.  Back indoors, it was time to enjoy some hot cocoa, play with cars and try out a new stamp set Cam was given at Christmas.
There was even talk of a "sleepover" in the spring and plans for another visit very soon.  A big thanks to Miss Kathy and Forest for the fun-filled day.

We discovered the hill in the front yard has its own sledding advantages too.  Cam was going so fast, even Chris had a hard time keeping up!

We wish all of you a Happy New Year and look forward to all of the exciting adventures that await our family in 2013!!

Merry Christmas 2012! - Week of Dec. 24th

It was much to Cameron's advantage that the Family Holiday party fell on the calendar two days before Christmas this year.  This meant that Cam's grandparents were able to stay at his house for 3 days!  As far as presents go, this was definitely one of his favorites. Christmas Eve was spent with our good friends, the Raisch family, first at church for a beautiful musical service and then at their home for a delicious dinner.

For Cam, this was the first year that stockings were "hung by the chimney with care" since his house now has a fireplace.  After a restful night of sleep, a very excited boy woke up and didn't even have to wait for Oma and Opa to arrive, since they were sleeping downstairs.

It took quite some time to unwrap all of the gifts and of course, Cam offered to help everyone else remove the shiny paper from theirs!  It's always difficult to decide what is more enjoyable- giving or receiving.  Each year, Cam gives Oma a photo calendar and she gives Cam a personalized book where he is the main character!

Chris & Jane had fun opening a present from the grandparents- a comfy red chair....which Cam immediately claimed was his!
With new toys and books, puzzles and cars, Cameron stayed quite busy this week.   He is very thankful for all of his gifts, and is also blessed by the many people in his life who give of themselves.         

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.  ~Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Christmas Party x 2 - Week of Dec. 17th

"The best effect of fine persons is felt after we have left their presence." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

This time of year, although busy and sometimes hectic, also gives us the opportunity to visit and spend time with those we love and hold dear.

Cameron finished up his last week of school before winter break and one of the buddies in his class showed up sporting a handsome flannel shirt too!  We have to pass along a special thanks to Miss Kathy for capturing the pic of the friends.

Cam's 'Auntie Amanda' and 'Uncle Mark' drove in from Ann Arbor to hang out with the family for a couple of days.  Cameron showed off his walking skills and using the Ipad.  Amanda and Mark were very impressed!  The families also exchanged gifts and the U of M collection of clothes was perfect for these football fans!  Cameron has a sweet looking Michigan warm-up suit that he promptly wanted to put on the minute he opened it.

Saturday was a celebration with Auntie Jo and Will.  The boys both asked for books for Christmas and both must have been very good guys because Cam and Will received some great reading material.  Many thanks to our Auntie Jo and Will for a delicious lunch and quality time spent with two of our favorite people!

Sunday marked the day of the annual Jellema Cousins Christmas Party.  For the very first time, it was held at Cam's house!  This event has taken place for over 30 years and every year there is usually more than 30 relatives making an appearance.
Besides the good company, food and cheer, this celebration includes a special guest- Santa!  While the children are busy in another room, sleigh-bells are heard and Mr. Claus appears with presents for the younger generation.

Everyone had a chance to sit on Santa's lap and the white-bearded man graciously answered such questions as "why were you at the mall?" and "did you have a rough trip?"  Our littlest baby cousin, Gavin, even let Santa hold him without any protest!

A special gift that Cameron is shown holding is from cousin Annie- a blue stuffed animal that says "my little monkey" which has always been Annie's nickname for her Cam.
Our cousins, aunts and uncles are so very special to us and we're grateful for the opportunity to share the spirit of the season with them all!