Ah...Summertime - Week of July 19th

"Keep your face to the sunshine and you will never see the shadows." ~Helen Keller 

"Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." ~Henry James

We never tire of seeing the wildlife in our backyard.  Even after watching the deer almost daily, they look at us and we at them with interested curiosity.

Cam completed his second week of summer school enjoying the three-hour period for three days a week.  As the summer heat ramped up, Jane noticed that Cam was quite hot when he arrived home on Tuesday afternoon.  After a quick chat with the bus driver, she was told the bus didn't have air conditioning.  After indicating to the driver that Jane had had a script written some years ago to ensure a cool ride for Cam, she realized renewed action was needed.  It may seem a bit silly but the busses with a.c. do cost more to run.  After a few emails and phone calls, Jane had the script reinstated and the bus driver was so very thankful to be able to drive a bus with cool air.  The driver also shared with Cam's mom that the other kids on the bus were extremely grateful too.

We welcomed the Holtz family once again on Friday.  We all thought a repeat of the June visit was in order and so we pre-scheduled another weekend of fun.  This time we thought ahead and determined that a Monday morning departure was a far better idea than Sunday.

On Saturday morning, the weather looked a bit suspect so after a recommendation from Cam, our entire crew loaded up into two vehicles to make our way to Deer Tracks Junction in Cedar Springs.  Our son had paid a visit to this location, but the rest of us were newbies.  We all loved the zoo portion where you're able to pet, hold and feed the animals.  After exploring the entire area, we were back in our vehicles to make our way into the drive-thru safari.  It is made quite clear that you are entering at your own risk as it relates to car damage.  After buying a bucket of pellets, we were off to view and offer the food purchased to the llamas, cows, deer, bison, yak, ostriches and the enormous, very impressive longhorn steer.  You're able to see bears but all windows must be up and feeding in that area is not allowed.  It was a most successful day and the remainder of time was spent playing Uno and Hedbanz, eating dinner and hanging out.  

Sunday proved to be the nicest day of the week.  We arrived at the cottage to full sunshine and very small waves.  Jane cooked up three boxes of Kraft mac-n-cheese, a staple from childhood, for everyone to share for lunch.  Most of us settled in on the floating raft in between building sand castles and digging holes.  Sally found her calling as a top babysitter holding Calla and giving the newborn's mom a nice break.  Oma and Opa joined us beachside as well.  

As the day moved into early evening, we built a campfire on the beach, ready to cook hot dogs with our cousins Coco & Max and Libby along with Molly and Jude, longtime cottage buddies.  It was our first beach fire of the season and it did not disappoint.  All of fixings and side dishes were in full array.  Immediately following dinner, it was time to cook up the best bonfire dessert in history, the s'more.  As we made our way back to Grand Rapids, the Holtz family was in the lead.  They sent Cam a video saying goodnight since they might not see him until the next morning.  Cam made a return video saying "Good night guys.  Love you!"  We can't make summer last forever, but the memories will stay with us and carry us through the chillier days in winter.

Camology Quotes:

We were making homemade tacos with our friends for Saturday night dinner and Jane used a new seasoning she hadn't tried out before.  As everyone was debating who would taste-test first, Cam spoke up saying: "Ok, I'll take one for the team and try it!"

Business or Pleasure - Week of July 12th

"The rule of my life is to make business a pleasure, and pleasure my business."  ~Aaron Burr

The last year brought many changes and one of them was business travel.  Cam's mom hadn't been on a plane since January 2020.  This week she needed to start up air travel once again for a business meeting.

Also beginning on Tuesday was summer school for Cam.  Three days a week the bus is scheduled to pick him at 8:15a and drop him off at 12:30p for the next 4 weeks.  Seeing some of his friends and having classroom time is a bonus for a kid who absolutely loves school.

Auntie Karen arrived for a couple of days to help out and hang out while Jane was gone.  She always brings a smile and Cam loves chatting with her and playing games.  We cannot thank her enough for always offering to be present when we need her most.

Jane arrived home on Thursday and we were all looking forward to family time on the weekend.  Cam is all about traditions and we have definitely gained our share due to him. 

Cam and Jane found this info about traditions online: Tradition is a belief, principle, custom or behavior with symbolic meaning or special significance that people in a particular group or society have continued to follow for a long time, often being handed down from one generation to the next. It’s derived from the Latin verb “trader” meaning to transmit, hand over, give for safekeeping. It’s frequently assumed that traditions have ancient history, but many have been invented on purpose over short spans of time. 

Traditions are important as they help us achieve the “Four B’s”: Being, Belonging, Believing and Benevolence. Being – our sense of inner peace and self-acceptance of our strengths and weaknesses and feeling grounded in our core identity. Belonging – our sense of comfort from being part of a group of people such as a family or team that share our values and provide support, respect and friendship. Believing – our need to believe in a system of moral principles and ethical behavior be that religious or secular. Benevolence – our predisposition to be helpful to others in need, to enhance the lives of others in our group of people or even strangers.

Our now traditional trek to the cottage on Saturday gave us some beach and rafting time.  The Lake Michigan water had warmed up enough for Cam to enjoy a lengthy float in his Cam Mobile.  We also celebrated Steff's birthday (our niece and Cam's cousin)and had our Haroldson cousins over for dinner and cake and ice cream.

Sunday took us to Maple Beach in Holland to see the Jellema cousins at their cottage for an early dinner.  Three siblings and their families had arrived from three different locations- Chicago, Vermont and Germany.  

This was our second year partaking in a shrimp boil with the entire crew!  Along with Uncle Jon and Aunt Betsy, we enjoyed the amazing spread with a spectacular view of our favorite Lake Michigan.  All of the kiddos were fascinated with the drone and it definitely captured some cool pictures of our large crew.  As a memento, Cam was presented with a camo hat adorned with a shellfish to commemorate the occasion.  It is definitely one of our most memorable.  Even though we only see these cousins typically once a year, it always seems like no time has passed when we all get together.  For us, tradition seems to always = love.

Camology Quotes:

Some days we just want quiet time.  Jane wanted to share a news story with Cam and began reading it out loud.  Her son, very politely, provided the following input: "Say it in your own mind.  I do not want to hear it right now, Mom."

The Gift of One's Self - Week of July 5th

"Priceless things matter not for their value, but because they offer us an enduring reminder of stability and permanence." ~Barbara Taylor Bradford

If you asked Cam what his favorite things are, he has a long list.  On the short listing of unfavorites is fireworks.  He thinks the colors are amazing but loud noises have always been an issue.  It's almost like Cam feels every boom throughout his entire body.  Fireworks were still going off the evening of July 5th and our son asked if we could call the police.  We explained how difficult it would be to determine where they were being lit.  Thankfully, they didn't last long and it was the last night we heard them.

Cam and Ms. Amanda always have activities to do during their time together.  One of them was creating a photo book online with Amanda's professional wedding pics she had just received.  This was one of Cam's favorites.

The end of the week brought more excitement than fireworks!  Cam's best bud Brody, his mom Jenny and Ms. Rachel all arrived at our house at 4p on Friday.  They had gifted Chris & Jane a dinner out while they had hang out time with Cam.  Ms. Rachel even stopped at a movie theater and had a bucket of popcorn to share with the group.  We are not certain who had more fun that evening but we do know Cam requested a repeat.

Saturday, July 10 we celebrated Chris' birthday!  Cam's dad opened a few presents at home including the Grand Rapids skyline photo trio for his new office at work.  Chris was promoted and is now the Director of IT at Fishbeck.  We are all so very proud of him.  Cam chose a favorite photo of he and his dad for a canvas print.  

At the cottage that day, we enjoyed our beach time even though it wasn't super sunny.  

Oma and Cam were up on the deck when Chris was playing with his drone and taking pictures.  

We enjoyed a delicious fajita dinner outside watching the water with our cousins.  Cam chose chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and raspberry filling for his dad's birthday treat.

It seems we have a constant reminder of priceless gifts.  Whether it's the way the sun sparkles on Lake Michigan or being surrounded by family for celebrations or taking time to hang out with friends, these are the moments that make us pause and remain so thankful for all of those gifts that don't have a price tag.

Camology Quotes:

Cam is so sweet about complimenting others.  One evening this week he told his mom how pretty she looked.  Jane said, "Well Thank you kind Sir."  To which Cam replied: "Wow, you're being formal!"

Counting Cousins - Week of June 28th

"Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold cousins together." ~Woodrow Wilson

It seems that every week a new adventure awaits Cam...  

On Monday, he had a long walk with Ms. Amanda, her mother-in-law Mary and their puppy, Jada.  It was sunny and warm and the Bernese Mountain dog was definitely tired upon return.

Then Monday evening we received the awaited news of the arrival of our new cousin!  Coco and Max did not want to know the baby's gender, so it was a surprise for everyone.  Their baby girl, Calla St. Clair Grace, was born Monday evening and Cam was screaming with excitement.  We were invited to visit Miss Calla on Tuesday eve and we explained to our son that he had never met a baby who was just a day old.  Jane also shared with Cam that when Coco was a baby, Jane held her and when Jane was a baby, Coco's mom held her!  We didn't stay too long but it was super special to meet our newest cousin, Miss Calla.

The summer weekends are typically reserved for the cottage and we drove northward to find the sun and relaxation.  Chris and son successfully finished yet another beach mobility chair we like to call the CamMobile.  As Cam has grown, the CamMobile needed transformation as well.  A longer seat, new fabric and the bright blue color were all enhancements of this latest model.

Fortunately for our family, our cousins invested in one of the coolest floating rafts we have ever had the pleasure of using.  Lake Michigan was very calm and raft-ready.  Cam started out on the beach in his CamMobile chatting with Oma and Opa and the cousins.  After he was in the water for a bit, we coaxed him into trying out the raft.  It was warm in the sun with a light breeze.  Cam said that floating in the water was so relaxing and very comfortable.  We were even offered snacks while in the raft and that was a first!

After a family dinner with the cousins, we were on the road again.  Before getting on the highway, we made a short detour to see cousin David who was in from Texas and had fun chatting for a bit.

As our extended family continues to grow, we know not everyone has the advantage of hanging out with their cousins.  It is a priceless gift and one that keeps giving.

Camology Quotes:

Cam was requesting daily updates about our newest cousin prior to her birth.  Jane relayed on Sunday that Coco was having contractions.  We hadn't discussed details but Cam has seen some ER medical and live rescue shows.  Without missing a beat (and much to his dad's complete surprise) Cam asked the following question after hearing that news.  "How much is she dilated?"

Jamming - Week of June 21st

Cam was born in 2007 and we just recently discovered a very cool animal park that's been around longer than he has.  And it's only 30 minutes from our home.  Miss Amanda, in her quest to visit wildlife happened upon the location while searching online.

Deer Tracks Junction, LLC is a Family owned and operated Agri-tourism business. In 2002, they started with just a few Whitetail Deer. As their family grew, so did their farm. They raise many different kinds of animals now, for many different purposes. Deer Tracks is fully licensed and accredited by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). They are proud members of Michigan Agritourism, Michigan Farm Bureau, and the Zoological Association of America (ZAA).  Deer Tracks offers getting up close and personal with the animals, buying food at the park to feed them and taking your own vehicle through a safari ride.  There is even an ice cream shop with their own homemade brand!  Amanda and Cam spent time there on Tuesday and it received a huge thumbs up.

With the calendar showing mid-June, the Michigan strawberries were reaching peak season.  Cam loves traditions.  One of our family favorites is making homemade strawberry freezer jam.  We buy a flat of berries from Heidi's Farmstand and quite a bit of sugar and Sure-Jell.  

The entire process works best with a crowd.   Cam led the charge with Amanda, Jane and Oma at the ready.  Amanda and Oma hulled the berries and then Cam and his mom began smashing the strawberries.  Once the mash up is completed, sugar is added and the mixture sits for 10 minutes.  Then the Sure-Jell is cooked, added in and a few minutes later the jam heads into the containers.  All of the effort produced 40 containers of tasty strawberry jam.  

If you stop by for a visit, you may just leave with your own sweet pint of deliciousness.  Cam recommends using it for toast, pancake topping and of course, a pb&j sandwich!

Camology Quotes:

Cam is adamant with certain thoughts but also concedes if it is discovered something is over emphasized or simply not correct.  He was talking about his PT appointment timing with Jane and indicated it was a rushed day.  His mom explained that things did seem adequately spaced out and relayed the day's activities.  

"I guess you're right, Mom.  It was just a random thought I had."

A Day for Dad & A Day for Dogs - Week of June 14th

The nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington. However, it was not until 1972—58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official—that the day honoring fathers became a nationwide holiday in the United States.

This was the first full week of summer vacation for Cam.  We also welcomed Miss Amanda back into our home for summer fun.  Amanda has spent many summers with Cam while his parents work and she has time off as a schoolteacher.  

In addition to daily strolls with Miss Amanda, Cam helped out with an extra activity this week.  Amanda was dog sitting for a family nearby to watch a couple of tail-waggers, Roxy and Lola.  Cam and Amanda drove over to visit a few times during the day and decided to take the dogs for a car ride.  When they stopped to stay hi to Jane, Roxy was very protective of Cam and even growled a little when Jane walked back into the house.  Dogs seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to Cam and they sometimes gravitate toward him but also tend to guard and watch over him.

On Saturday after lunch, we drove to the cottage to spend the night with Oma and Opa.  The clouds remained throughout the afternoon, but the sun appeared in the early evening.  We enjoyed a delicious dinner with our cousins and Cam had one of his favorites, homemade pickles with hot dogs.

The sunset on Lake Michigan never disappoints and its journey towards the water leaves behind the most beautiful hues in the afterglow.  The night wasn't as restful as we had hoped, but we celebrated Chris and Opa on Father's Day.  In the morning, Cam's dad headed to the golf course with cousins Jeffrey and Max arriving back at the cottage after lunch.  Everyone hung out on the beach for a bit before the clouds arrived in the afternoon.  An early steak dinner on the deck complete with dessert rounded out our celebration before we packed up to head home.  Within 5 minutes on the highway, our son finally succumb to sleep.  About 20 minutes from home his eyes opened and we asked him if he had a good rest.  Cam's response: "What?  I wasn't sleeping.  Why does my neck hurt?" 

Camology Quotes:

At Miss Amanda's wedding in May, a very nice woman walked up to Cam and said hi.  She then told him he had been to her house.  Chris and Jane were extremely puzzled since they did not recognize this person at all.  The woman must have noticed the puzzling looks and told us all that she was Roxy and Lola's mom!

"Oh, I know Roxy and Lola and I have been to your house lots of times!  Nice to meet you!"

See Ya 7th Grade! - Week of June 7th

"Yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream." ~Kahlil Gibran

Being in school is truly one of Cam's most favorite activities.  The routine, the different areas of learning, the amazing teachers and aides and seeing his friends make the days full of smiles, but also go by quickly.  Cam arrived home at lunchtime on Tuesday already missing 7th grade even though it had just ended.

Jane felt spoiled on Wednesday when the boys delivered a delicious breakfast for her birthday.  In the evening, flowers and presents arrived followed by a scrumptious dinner at home via takeout.

On Friday, we welcomed the Holtz family, our dear friends from Ann Arbor whom we hadn't seen in quite some time.  Amanda H. was the maid of honor for Chris and Jane's wedding.  Her husband Mark and their kids, Sally and Henry were with us until Sunday morning.  With electronics put aside, our families joined forces to play games.  Multiple rounds of Hedbanz and Uno Attack were the two most popular ones and we all had an absolute blast! 

Saturday morning was overcast but we threw caution to the wind and headed to the cottage ready for fun at the lake.  And it turned out to be perfect beach conditions on Lake Michigan.  

The kids played in the water, dug in the sand and rode in the kayak.  Sally said it best when she said she wished she could live at the cottage to see the beach every day.  

After eating dinner on the deck, we headed back to Grand Rapids.  Upon arrival home, it took all of the kids maybe 5 minutes before they were asleep.  Prior to the Holtz family leaving Sunday morning, we promised another weekend together in July, ready to hit "repeat" on our weekend fun. 

At lunchtime on Sunday, Cam and his parents were on the road again, headed back to the cottage.  The Haroldson fam had invited us all for an early bbq dinner.  We enjoyed another picture perfect day on the lake.  The calm water is rare and you could easily see the bottom as well as the sandbars.

Jane took her son on a kayak ride and floated around enjoying the view.  We also had quality cousin time catching up with everyone on the beach.  

Each year, we cannot wait for summer to arrive and then it starts whizzing by.  

We are thankful for friends willing to travel to see us and family to host us for dinners and hang out during their own down time.  The places we hold so near and dear are best shared with those we love.

After arriving back in Grand Rapids later Sunday evening, the deer in our backyard knew it was time to rest as well.  The weekend was full of memories but we all definitely welcomed sleep.

Camology Quotes:

Cam's parents and grandparents were having a discussion about where Cam would sleep at the cottage this year.  Typically, he is upstairs across from his parents.  Jane told Cam that it would be great to try sleeping downstairs instead this summer.  She was referring to the bedroom on the main floor, but he didn't realize that.

"What?!  You want me to sleep in the basement by myself?"

Summer Cold - Week of May 31st

"Tis healthy to be sick sometimes." ~Henry David Thoreau

After wearing masks for such a long period of time, Cam definitely stayed on the healthier side of life during this school year.  After a great deal of sneezing and coughing on Monday, it appeared that what was assumed were allergies may be in actuality, a full blown cold.  Dealing with sickness when the weather is so warm and inviting seems almost cruel.

Cam stayed home from school on Tuesday and attempted in-person Wednesday and Thursday but we picked him up both days after he felt crummy being there just an hour.  On Friday, though, he definitely rallied and made it through the entire day which included a pizza party to celebrate the last full-day of school.

We were thankful for Cam's continued upswing because Saturday was a big day!  It was the last official baseball game for the WMML Spring season and the day was full of surprises.  A local bank, Fifth Third, generously provided a new videoboard for the West Michigan Miracle League field.  Each time a kiddo is up to bat, their "baseball card" is displayed on the board.  And yes, Fifth Third also donated a stack of baseball cards for every player on the team!  Our community is unbelievably supportive and the bonus trading cards with the kids pictures and stats were completely unexpected.

The Cam Fans were in full swing with Auntie Karen and her sister Sue making the long drive from the Chicago area to attend.  Ms. Barbara, Cam's K-2 teacher, arrived to cheer on Brody and Cam, her former students.  Oma and Opa met us there as well.  Following the exciting game, each player was presented with a medal and a trophy.

Afterwards, we set up a picnic over in the playground area.  Auntie Karen and Sue, Oma and Opa, Cam and his parents all gathered around a table to share fresh fruit, deviled eggs and an assortment of crackers and cheese.  Oma was sneaky and brought a delicious Ryke's birthday cake for Jane to have an early celebration.  After spending the afternoon together and sharing laughter and delicious food and scrumptious cake, we said goodbye to Auntie Karen and Sue and we were already making plans for the next visit.

Back at home, we settled in for a relaxing evening watching a movie together, happy for Cam's grandparents extended stay.  On Sunday, Oma and Cam played checkers and games and we all shared a grilled dinner sitting at our new "used" dining room table.  The heavy marble tabletop was acquired from a neighborhood sale and perfect for Cam to drive right up and fit his chair under.  As the old saying goes, one person's trash is definitely another's treasure.

Camology Quotes:

Chris and his buddy Steve had a big task transporting the heavy table and pedestal back to our home.  Extra padding was needed and Chris found old carpet remnants in our basement to use as protection for the stone top.  Cam, however, misunderstood what his dad had actually done.

"Mom, did Dad just rip up the carpeting in our basement to use it?!"