Husky Hike & Hiding - Week of Sept. 29th

Our beautiful fall mum
from 'Auntie' Karen

While most people tend to require extra sleep when a cold or virus hits, Cam feels the need to endure interrupted sleep through the night.
Amazingly, though, even when ill, Cameron puts on a happy face during the day and continues to push through.
With so many kids out sick this time of year, Cam took a couple of days and stayed home and felt ready and rested enough to head back to the classroom on Wednesday.
Chris and his boy proudly hung a homemade pine cone bird feeder that Cam made at school.  The birds found it quickly and we enjoyed seeing them pick away at the seeds.
On Friday, the annual Husky Hike took place at the elementary school. Every student received an official t-shirt to commemorate the event.
Kelsey and Cam had fun doing some homework that afternoon.

With the cold virus exiting the Weatherford household, we were thankful buddy Emma could head over for some playtime on the weekend.

One of Cam's all-time favorite activities is still hiding.  He loves the thrill of finding a great spot and 'scaring' his seeker when found.
Of course, sometimes the silliness of it all provides the giggling and laughter we love to hear.

Bill Cosby once said, "Laughter brings out the child in all of us."

In our home, there isn't a day that goes by without laughter and we will be forever grateful to Cam for that daily gift!

Summer Weather in Michigan Fall - Week of Sept. 22nd

There's a common saying in Michigan that you need to walk out of your house with the following items at the ready: sunglasses, an umbrella, winter boots and galoshes because you never know what the weather will be like.  This week, the sun was shining brightly with few clouds in the sky making us think it was summer all over again!

On Friday evening, we hosted cousins JJ, Jeff, Libby and Coco for dinner.  Delicious food and lots of laughs made for an awesome evening.


On Saturday, Cam was a bit under the weather, so he missed his baseball game, but Oma and Opa still came to visit and had lunch at Cam's house so everyone could hang out.
'Auntie' Karen joined us, driving all the way from Chicago to stay for the weekend.  Cam had a tough time sleeping, but rallied during the day, eager to get and do things in the nice weather.  Karen, Jane and Cam headed downtown to explore ArtPrize (Click here to check it out!) on a beautiful sunny Sunday morning.  There's always so much to see because the art contest covers three square miles of downtown Grand Rapids.  Art from around the world pops up in every inch of downtown, and it’s all free and open to the public.  The sailboats pictured were hand-carved out of marble.

At the Gerald R. Ford Museum, Cam really liked the train picture which seemed to be coming off the wall.

By far, our favorite find of the day was in the Amway Grand Plaza where there were a series of mirrored kaleidoscopes that offered a glimpse into how one would look inside of the intricate mirrored display.  Karen took our picture from one end while we looked at her through the other opening.

We barely scratched the surface of things to see but were thankful for the time we had.  Many thanks to 'Auntie' Karen for making the trek and staying with us.  At lunchtime on Sunday, we made our way to the Downtown Market where we dined and browsed and couldn't stop smiling because of this awesome boy!

If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.  ~John F. Kennedy

Meet My New Buddy - Week of Sept. 15th

Every new friend is a new adventure...the start of more memories... ~ Patrick Lindsay

With all of the recent activity, we hadn't taken an opportunity to introduce you to Cam's newest buddy, Kelsey.  

When a new school year begins, Jane begins the process of seeking out after-school care for Cam.  A seemingly easy task except that it requires someone to work only 10-15 hours per week.
The search this year was resolved by Cam's former teacher, Ms. Kathy, who recommended Kelsey to us....and we can't thank her enough.

Our ideal caregiver is someone who's energetic, challenges Cam, is comfortable with PT, and loves to laugh.  Kelsey is a GVSU graduate, hoping to attend
PT graduate school next spring, teaches swimming at the local YMCA and is beautiful inside and out!  In the short time she's hung out with Cam, they've ventured to Baker Book House, the library, and Robinettes Apple Haus.  We are blessed to have her in our lives and look forward to many Cam & Kelsey adventures!!

Cam rocked out another baseball game on Saturday at WMML.  This week, volunteers from Home Depot took the field with the kids.  We talked with Cam's helper, Sue, after the game and were surprised to learn that the volunteers were from 9 different Home Depot locations ranging from Ludington to south of Grand Rapids.
Cam was not as interested in pics as he normally is since he was holding a rice krispie treat waiting to be eaten and was also told Home Depot was giving away ice cream which translated to "enough pics Mom & Dad!"


On a side note, Stella the cat continues to make Cam laugh and he tells her on an almost daily basis that she is very silly!  Cam decided we should post this picture to prove his statement!!

Baseball Strikes Again - Week of Sept. 8th

"Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need"... Khalil Gibran

Each time we enter the West Michigan Miracle League field, we're overcome by the generosity of others.  Countless people volunteering their time and energy to show kids of all abilities that every kid deserves a chance to play baseball.

This Saturday, the Hope College Girls Basketball team showed up in full force ready to be helpers for each of the kids.

Cam seemed pleasantly surprised that the helpers were girls this week and quickly said goodbye to his parents.  His buddy for the game, Mandy, helped him out when he was up to bat and also had Cam throw her the ball when they had a few hits head their way.   It's refreshing to watch a sporting event where truly the motto is "it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game!"

One of Jane's closest friends, 'Auntie' Karen gave her the "baseball mom" shirt which was proudly worn the day of the game.  Cam is cheering in the picture and couldn't have been happier to play ball once again.  His parents felt incredibly proud cheering him on from the stands.

Some crazy fort-building also took place as Chris, Cam and Emma outdid themselves putting this creation together!

They definitely garnered the award for "most creative use of rope, sheets, and binder clips" and of course, "Best...Fort...Ever!"


If you have a chance, do yourself a favor and build a fort soon!

1st Day of First Grade - Week of Sept. 1st

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those that matter don't mind.  ~Dr. Suess

Hard to believe Cam is starting his first grade year at Meadow Brook!
It was a week filled with meeting a new teacher, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.

Of course, our first grader couldn't wait to get back on the bus and bring his new personalized backpack and lunch bag.

After a short, but tiring week, Cameron was invited to meet buddy Will and other friends at the Hudsonville Lanes to celebrate Will's 6th birthday!  Yet another new experience for Cam embarking on his first bowling adventure. 
Will's mom, 'Auntie' Jo gave all of the kids bowling socks to take home. 

Bowling alleys have come a long way since Chris & Jane were young...the scoreboard provides the bowlers with a choice of backgrounds complete with animation and cheering.  The "bumpers" are raised automatically on a lane with kids playing and there's even a handy ramp to push the bowling ball from for kids who need a little assistance.

Cam was very intent and determined each time it was his turn.  The evening warranted a big "high five" after eating pizza, bowling, and enjoying ice cream!  Many thanks to Auntie Jo and Will for such a great idea and the exciting time!

Saturday marked the first day of the fall opener for the WMML- West Michigan Miracle League.  Cam was back on the field, this season on the Pirates team.  He was one happy kid with a big cheering section starring Oma, cousins Coco and Libby, and our buddies/neighbors Steve, Patti, Megan and Emma. 

We're thankful for the opportunities our community provides and the awesome support we always have from our family and friends!

Practice, Practice - Week of Aug. 25th

With the start of the fall WMML baseball league just around the corner for Cam, it was time to get some practice in.  'Auntie' Roe stopped by for some batting lessons in the backyard.  Emma played an outfielder position.
The tee and bat were a birthday gift from Opa and Oma!

After some due diligence with sports, the indoor activity was decorating a unique sleeping box for Stella.  Emma decided the cat should have a nice pillow to sleep on and she and Cam colored the box, enticing her to want to slumber inside. It appears they did a great job, because Stella enters her new sleeping quarters on a daily basis.

Cameron was back at Grand Valley on Friday, anxious to meet some new graduate PT students.  Melissa and Zak worked with Cam and it turned out that Jane knew Melissa from a gym where they were both instructors.
As always, the time spent there was beneficial for everyone- Cam worked on stretching and "driving" a car through the car wash.  Melissa and Zak found creative ways to work with their "teacher" for the hour they were together.

On Sunday we arrived at Oma and Opa's ready for some beach time.  Unfortunately, the weather wasn't too cooperative as we were fogged in for most of the day.  The cousins were busy on the beach, though, attempting to remove a 60 ft log half buried in the sand.  Since Cam is a big fan of trucks and tools, it was interesting to watch the jetty pump push gallons of forced water into the sand to "dig" through it and raise the log.  It may have been a bit chilly as the afternoon wore on, but the entertainment factor and spending time with relatives warmed our hearts.

Summer..Please Don't Go - Week of Aug.18th

We are pleasantly surprised by the amount of wildlife we see around our home.  This unexpected visitor in our driveway didn't seem to want to leave.
Cam declared the fox was "silly" but that didn't force him into action either.  Apparently the blacktop was the ideal place for sunbathing.

The cottage provided a bit of sun time as well over the weekend.  Oma and Opa graciously hosted us again and we all enjoyed some extended relaxation.  The inflatable kayak is our favorite family toy and Chris found that he could completely stretch out in the boat.
Cam took turns riding and paddling with both of his parents.  Lake Michigan finally provided us with some bearable swimming temperatures and we all took turns splashing around.  Even with 75 spf on his skin, Cameron still manages to build a nice tan every summer!

It's no surprise that Oma is Cam's favorite beach playmate.  In a rare break from making sandcastles, racing boats, digging holes and playing in general, Cam and his grandma enjoyed being right in the water as they waited for the occasional wave to splash up like a sprinkler out of control.

It's this time of year when it seems summer moves into fast forward mode.  This quote sums it up: "Summer should get a speeding ticket!"
We said goodbye to visiting cousins and Cam said hello to one last birthday celebration.  The Schulze fam hosted us for dessert in honor of Cam.  Aunt Joyce even had a #7 candle atop a chocolate chip cookie cupcake filled with peanut butter and topped with chocolate frosting...and yes, it was unbelievably delicious!!  Many thanks for the sweet surprise...

Soak up the last days of summer and make it count!

Cam's 7th Birthday - Week of Aug. 11th

A smile that lights up the world!

Just in time for Cam's big day, his second front tooth fell out while he was sleeping this week.  It did not, however, deter him from eating or talking or being extremely excited about his birthday!

It was a busy week preparing for an afternoon ice cream sundae bar, cake, and chocolate fountain party!
Cam and Emma worked with Chris to fill the baseball jersey pinata full of candy.  Jane and Cam put together a baseball cup treat for each party-goer under the age of 10.

Each year, there seem to be so many changes, challenges and new experiences for Cameron.  As a tradition, the cake is usually modeled after a favorite "thing" he was introduced to during that time frame.  The WMML (West Michigan Miracle League) brought Cam into the world of baseball and helped him gain confidence and learn the game.  The edible picture on the cake (compliments of Ryke's) shows the pure joy that playing ball has brought.

Oma & Opa were such a big help!

Thanks for making the trek!

As family, friends and neighbors trickled in, the outdoor venue was the perfect setting- especially for a somewhat messy chocolate fountain!
'Auntie' Karen traveled from Chicago for the
special day and it shows that Cam was happy to see her!

Party guests made their own sundaes, had cake, and feasted at the fountain.  The pinata was expertly hung from the tree by Chris and every kid under 10 had a shot with a baseball bat.  Finally, Cam's buddy, Thad, placed the winning swing which broke the candy holder and the rest was emptied into the hands of the eager kids.

After that excitement, a semi-formal baseball game commenced in the backyard.
Cam and Jane batted together and made it around the bases.
We're not sure who won the game or even if anyone kept score, but all of the players and spectators seemed alright with that.

We are continuously overwhelmed by the love, support and generosity of our family and friends.  Cam opened so many wonderful cards and presents- lots of new chapter books, cool games, baseball accessories, and a donation to the WMML...truly, we are grateful to all.  Grandma Sue sent a "Cars" blanket, travel Trouble game, funny party glasses, and an activity book, all the way from Kansas.  Many Thanks to everyone!

Chris and Jane wanted to update Cam's bedroom for his 7th birthday- a new sports rug and curtains complement the handmade quilt shown on the bed.  The quilt was made by a friend who actually used to be one of Cam's bus drivers.  Jane saved many of Cam's favorite shirts and shorts from the last 4 years or so and Paula expertly designed and sewed the masterpiece together.  It is double-sided and we love that we're able to see pieces of Cam's childhood every day.

To paraphrase a quote from one of Cam's past favorites, Elmo, "I hope you always find a reason to smile."

Cam smiled his biggest smiles on his 7th birthday!

Find a reason to smile today and every day!!