Fam Fun - Week of July 3rd

"I sustain myself with the love of family." ~Maya Angelou

"To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there." ~Barbara Bush

We were all anticipating the week ahead filled with major family time.

With a sunny forecast for the 4th of July, we traveled northward to hang out with cousins at the beach.  It was a great day by the lakeside.  We had our first corn on the cob for dinner and we even saw some fireworks on the drive home that evening.

Ms. Amanda and Cam decided to make some homemade banana bread with chocolate chips. It is a favorite recipe in our household.  The baking duo highly recommend licking the beaters upon completion of pouring the batter into the bread pans.

On Thursday, Cam and his mom made cornbread and packed up some tasty snacks in preparation for visiting cousins at Maple Beach in Holland.  

Once a year, we try to gather together to see our cousins, catch up and share some laughs. We talked about how all of the couples met each other and early years. 

Cam liked listening to the stories and always cracks up hearing tidbits about his own parents.  As is our tradition, we dined outside on a beautiful, breezy afternoon.  The shrimp boil consisted of potatoes, corn, shrimp and sausage.  Cornbread and biscuits rounded out our meal with mini assorted bundt cakes for dessert.  We always chuckle when we say "goodbye" as another half hour of conversation continues.  We were also sent home with all of the delicious leftovers.

On Friday, we prepared for the arrival of Cameron's Grandma Sue and cousin Layna.  Their flight landed a little before 7p in the evening.  To say we were all excited was an understatement!  The minute our two relatives from Arizona made it into the house, it was a hug party.  

Saturday was our day of rest after the travel time for our family.  It was good to relax and hear stories about each other's lives.  We had a fun dinner of surf and turf on the grill.

Sunday after an early lunch, we made our way to the cottage for a beach day!  The water was still a bit chilly, but the sand was pretty hot.  We played on the beach with cousins and soaked up the sunshine.

Early in the evening, we made plans to stop and visit Oma and Opa in Grand Haven.  Layna fell asleep in the van as we made our way.  We stopped at Culver's to pick up our dinner and then enjoyed an outdoor picnic in the courtyard at Rosy Mound.

Cam, Layna and Chris played games in the courtyard while Grandma Sue, Jane and Cam's grandparents visited with each other.

We certainly packed in a lot this week and we're thankful that Grandma Sue and Layna will remain will us for a full week!  And they are thankful it isn't over 110 degrees in Michigan like it is in Arizona!

Camology Quotes:

While sharing stories at Maple Beach, Cam was very interested in tales about different times the adults had some trouble when younger.  In fact, Jane posed the following question to her son.

"Do you think I got into trouble, Cam?”

"Oh, I'm sure you did, Mom!"

The CamMobile + - Week of June 26th

"Every person that comes into our life comes for a reason; some come to learn and others come to teach.”  ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Ms. Ann has been tutoring Cameron for more than two years now and has known him since he was little. As a former teacher and recipient of multiple degrees, she is truly beyond qualified for the role.  An added bonus is that Ann is a very close friend and considered extended family.  She and Cam traveled to Grand Haven to visit with Oma and Opa.  They all ate at a local favorite restaurant, Russ' and Cam treated the group by paying for everyone.

Prior to the weekend, Cam is always willing to help with household chores.  Carting the laundry basket from one end of the house to the other is something that makes life easier for his mom.

Both Saturday and Sunday were spent at the cottage with cousins.  Playing with the new puppy, Hildie, was a fun experience for Cam.  We shared meals both days. 

Cameron's cousin attempted to avoid being tagged while running and while picking up blocks, they proceeded to make up their own fun! 

One of our true highlights was the introduction of a brand-new beach chair for our son.

Aristotle is quoted as saying that everything happens for a reason.  

At times, it is difficult to understand and fathom why certain things transpire.  Such was the case for Mike Deming and his wife, Karen.  After eight months of being married, Karen was in a car accident that left her paralyzed and a quadriplegic. Living in Florida, she always loved the beach and the water.  Her husband, Mike, was determined to create a beach wheelchair that could be used in the water for his wife. In the past 30 years, the Demings founded Debug Mobility and made it their mission to keep improving the experience for accessible beach lovers everywhere. https://www.beachwheelchair.com/about-debug

Chris and his son designed and built several beach wheelchairs we named "Cam-mobile" to provide transport on the Lake Michigan shoreline.  Due to Cam's continued growth, it has become more difficult to build in comfort.  Earlier in the year, Jane reached out to Debug Mobility.  When we ordered the chair two months ago, the company was uncertain they would be able to make our requested arrival by the 4th of July holiday.  After continued conversations and a team effort, the big box arrived on Friday!  And now, our beach time can truly begin 😎

Camology Quotes:

While driving to the cottage, Chris realized he had forgotten his sunglasses.  We do keep random extra ones in the vehicle and he found an old "cheap" pair provided as a free giveaway.  Once Chris put them on and showed Cam, his son laughed hysterically and noted:

"Dad, those look like senior glasses!"

Jamming Time - Week of June 19th

“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.” ~Molière

“Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional.” ~Roger Crawford

Early Tuesday morning, Cameron and his mom said goodbye to Chris for the remainder of the week.  For the first time ever, he was headed out for a Canadian fishing trip via a 7-hour drive, followed by a 30-minute plan ride to a remote lake.

Tuesday is a working day now for Cam.  He and Ms. Amanda made their way to the café.  Cam was excited to test out the new drink carrier tray created by he and his dad.  As an added bonus, the café worker made his way through the market crowd to pass out smoothie samples!  Who can resist a smiling face and a cotton candy flavored cool drink?

Friday was Cam's second job of the week.  Grand Valley graduate PT students awaited his arrival late morning.  The team of 4 was assigned the task to brainstorm to figure out how to best engage the "patient" they are working with.  

After stretching and reviewing some exercises, the guys had a plan.  Cameron had the distinct honor of holding a steering wheel to "drive" through a Mario Cart video game simulation.  It was fun and interesting for Cam and also worked lots of different muscle groups.

Friday evening, we welcomed our lifelong friend, Sarah Foody. She traveled from Colorado for a family engagement and we were delighted that she could spend 2 nights with us.  Cam and his mom had time to chat with her Friday evening and Saturday morning before she left for the day.  Then, Jane and her son made their way to Grand Haven to spend the entire afternoon with Oma and Opa.  After a picnic lunch outside and a few indoor activities, we decided to stroll around the entire grounds.  It was such a beautiful day with a light breeze and very comfortable outside.  We said goodbye to Cam's grandparents before dinner and thanked them for a great day before traveling back home.

Sunday morning, Sarah talked with Jane and Cameron for quite some time before she needed to get on the road.  We all agreed that it is truly awesome when our dear friends become the family we choose for ourselves.

As we anxiously awaited Chris' return early Sunday evening, Cam and his mom needed an afternoon project.  First, they had a store run to grab the necessary items including pectin and lots of sugar to join the flat of Michigan berries they had already procured a few days prior.  Then they busied themselves with the task of making homemade strawberry freezer jam.  Music played in the background for berry smashing and mixing in the sugar and cooked pectin.  It took them the entire afternoon to fill more than 24 containers but it was well worth it.

Cam's dad returned from his Canada trip in time for dinner and was welcomed with the biggest hugs and grateful smiles.  He had such a great time which Jane and her son were super excited about.  They did realize, though, that when one of their team members isn't in play, the game isn't nearly as fun!

Camology Quotes:

Cam and his mom definitely had some trying moments while Chris was away.  Jane told him that the good things always outweigh any negative.  

On Sunday, when Cam's mom remembered to grab chocolate milk prior to him even asking, Cam nicely commented:

"Oh Mom, that's so incredibly sweet of you!"

Get Your Hot Dogs - Week of June 12th

“You’ll never be bored when you try something new. There’s really no limit to what you can do.” ~Dr. Seuss

Everyone needs a sense of purpose.  Since Brody's Be Cafe opened in late 2019, Cameron told his parents that he wanted to work there when he was old enough.  With his 16th birthday around the corner in mid-August, we talked with the Cafe's director and she indicated he could volunteer to gain the experience.  If there is concurrence from everyone, Cam can be added to the payroll after he turns 16!

Every Tuesday, the village of Ada hosts a Farmer's Market from 9am-2p in the parking lot adjacent to the Cafe.  The Cafe has a hot dog cart set up outside and you go inside to order an iced coffee, smoothie or lemonade.

Cam's job this week was to advertise the Hot Dog Cart by driving around the market.  He was also encouraged to talk to others.  It was a cooler day and Cam was successful with his messaging and chatting it up with potential customers.

During hangout time with Ms. Amanda, the duo drove over to let out Amanda's dog, Otis.  He couldn't wait to greet Cam with some kisses as they ventured out on a walk.

Chris received news that he was a raffle winner from a charity golf event he attended earlier for Mary Free Bed.  

On Friday, he asked his son if he'd be willing to help pick up the prize from the Wheelchair Sport department at MFB.  

Cam's dad was the recipient of a new air fryer.

Saturday afternoon, we made our way to Grand Haven to visit Oma and Opa.  It was a beautiful afternoon and we had Father's Day goodies for Opa.  After a few projects and visiting at Rosy Mound, we wanted to treat Cam's grandparents to dinner.  We returned to the restaurant, Don Luis, which is completely accessible and the food is delicious.  

After our meals were finished, a dessert was in order.  Cam, as well as his grandma and grandpa, had never had Mexican fried ice cream. The tasty dessert is commonly made by taking a scoop of ice cream frozen well below the temperature at which ice cream is generally kept, possibly coating it in raw egg, rolling it in cornflakes or cookie crumbs, and briefly deep frying it. The extremely low temperature of the ice cream prevents it from melting while being fried. It may be sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and topped with whipped cream or honey.  It was a great way to top off a wonderful day!

Sunday was the day to honor dads.  Cam and his mom did their best to make certain Chris knew how much we appreciate him.  He is humble, funny, kind, generous and lovable.  True to his character, he worked on a project with his son.  Together, they created a foam tray designed to securely hold drinks for the cafe.

We asked Cam's dad to pick dinner out or dinner in of his choice.  He requested a steak dinner at home.  Our outdoor grill contained an entree of everyone's choosing: New York Strip, bacon and cheddar burger and a salmon kabob.  Jane made twice baked potatoes and broccoli.

To cap off the day, Chris requested we all watch the comedy movie "Big Daddy" released in 1999.  Cam really laughed at one of Chris's favorite parts of the movie.  The main character is having a conversation with a five-year-old about using the bathroom.  The five-year-old asks the older main character why he's not going. The response: "Because I don't have to go. Only you and my grandfather go every 30 seconds."

 Camology Quotes:

Jane helped Cam make a card for Chris to celebrate Father's Day.  In honor of his upcoming fishing trip, we had to add a little humor.

"You are the best, you make good stuff and you are kind and nice!  No trout about it, you're a reel kick bass Dad!"

Welcome to Summer Break - Week of June 5th

"What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.”  ~T.S. Eliot 

And it seemed, just like that, Cameron's 9th grade school year finished up on Thursday.  On Wednesday, the freshman Gone Boarding crew from Cam's class managed a fun group picture with their skateboards.

Friday marked our busiest day of the week.  We started off with Ms. Amanda back with Cam for summer hang out time.  We were on the morning schedule for a visit to the Grand Valley PT graduate students for a session.  Cameron is paid for his time spent with the students.  The group of guys listened to Cam's commentary about how to work with him, what his muscles feel like and his range of motion.

Later in the afternoon, we arrived at Chris's workplace for an employee and family gathering.  Much to everyone's benefit, Cam's dad was signed up for the dunk tank.  Chris's son had the distinct honor of being the first one to actually dunk the Director of IT.  Thank goodness it was a nice afternoon because Chris indicated the water was a bit chilly!

From there, Cam, Jane and Ms. Amanda headed to Uccello's for a belated birthday celebration for Cam's best bud, Brody. Four other friends, Brody's parents and another set of parents all joined in the festivities.  Part of Cameron's gift was a side by side picture of Cam and Brody on the WMML field 10 years ago and 2 weeks ago, attempting to recreate the same pose and photo. Ms. Amanda actually remained with us so that Cam's parents could go out for the evening to celebrate Jane's birthday.  Chris had to stay and be dunked quite a few times prior to heading out.

Jane felt quite spoiled by Chris and Cam for her birthday and the celebration continued.  Saturday afternoon, we were invited for a bday dinner with the cousins.  It wasn't exactly a beach day but we had such a great time as we always do.  After a delicious meal of salmon, chicken, veggies and fruit, we devoured white chocolate covered Oreos and Ryke's birthday cake.  

Before heading out, Cam's chair had a joystick error and had to be put in manual mode and pushed up a hill back into the van.

Sunday morning, the error persisted and we sent an SOS out to our buddy, Joe, who works for the manufacturer of Cam's power wheelchair.  He immediately came to our aid, met us at the local grocery store before 11am and replaced the entire joystick module and screen for us.  We are so grateful for people like Joe!  Without his repair job, the afternoon activity would not have happened.

Cameron was invited to a graduation open house for fellow classmates who worked in his classroom.
Twin seniors, Johanna and Katherine had extended an invite for the Sunday event.  They were truly overjoyed to see Cam arrive!  Another senior, Olivia, showed up as well and made certain to join in the photo opp.

Following the open house, Chris and Jane planned to head to an outdoor concert (O.A.R.) at Fredrick Meijer Garden while Ms. Ann spent the evening with Cam.  It was raining steadily when they left the grad party and Cameron asked Chris and Jane if they were still going to the concert.  They indicated they were since the tickets were paid for and a little rain never hurt anyone.  Cam's sarcastic retort: "O.k. parents...have fun!"

Camology Quotes:

Friday morning was Cam's first day to sleep in, which he took full advantage of, not waking up until 8:30am.  While still stretching in bed, he enthusiastically declared, 

"Ah...sooooo refreshing!"

All Good Things Come to an End - Week of May 29th

"It lasted for a long time, I believe. A very long time. It was a great success, but even great successes come to a natural end.” ~Isaac Asimov

Dr. Seuss is quoted as saying, "Don't cry because it's over.  Smile because it happened." 

On Memorial Day, we were excited to celebrate Cam's very first friend and buddy in this world, Emma.  Her graduation open house party was scheduled from 5:30p-7:30p.  The old neighborhood gang was together once again.  We all had a great time catching up with friends we hadn't seen in awhile.  Too soon, it was after 7p and Cameron came looking for his parents, reminding them he still had homework to complete.  Thank goodness for the most responsible person in our family.

Wednesday at school, Cam and some classmates presented their computer class projects.  Jane was able to pop over and hear Cam's portion.  The Gone Boarding project handmade skateboard was also completed!  Cameron was happy with the finished output which included his name and the Brody's Be Cafe logo.

Oma and Opa arrived Friday afternoon to spend a couple of nights with us.  Jane's mom brought a special surprise early birthday cake from their favorite bakery, Ryke's.  That evening our surf and dinner was complemented by the delectable white cake with raspberry filling and pink frosting.  Cam declared that chocolate ice cream paired best with the dessert.

Cam's grandparents were anticipating their grandson's final WMML game of the spring season on Saturday morning.  Chris was involved in the Lori's Voice fundraiser walk taking place at the same time.  Cam's helper was Carmen from the Miller Johnson law firm.  At his two times up to the batter box, Cameron nailed the hit and rounded the bases.  At the end of the game, each player is presented with a medal.  Brody and Cam were treated to a Culver's lunch to close out the spring season.

After our tasty lunch, we got busy making homemade applesauce. We found frozen sliced Michigan apples at Whole Foods and decided to test out the flavor for our homemade goodness.  Cam's grandma has always used a chinois strainer and pestle for the process.  Opa and his grandson both took turns using the pestle to push the sauce out of the strainer and into the bowl.  Once completed, Cam's expert tastebuds come into play.  We only needed a quarter cup of sugar to complete our recipe.  As a family, we watched the Jungle Cruise movie that evening which we all enjoyed.

We said goodbye to Cam's grandparents Sunday afternoon and thanked them for everything.  

As a family, we worked on a few home projects. Since it was such a nice day, Chris recommended an outdoor dining experience for dinner.  We made the short drive over to a favorite local spot, JT's.  In Michigan, the opportunity for eating on an outside patio is usually just a few months...time to start taking full advantage!

Camology Quotes:

One morning this week, Jane wore a pair of ripped white jeans.  Chris told his wife they were nice pants and asked Cam's mom if she realized there were actual holes in her jeans.  Cameron immediately said to his dad:

"Is that positive negativity? Like it's a compliment but not really?!"

Gone Boarding - Week of May 22nd

 "Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them." ~Albert Einstein 

When an opportunity arises, it is usually advised to take advantage.  In middle school, Cameron met one of his favorite teachers, Mr. Z.  He taught robotics and always figured out a way for Cam to be included.  Mr. Z. made a move to the high school and became involved in Gone Boarding.  Cam was invited to design and make his own board this week.  We can't wait to see the finished result!

Gone Boarding is a course that was conceived and developed by Bill Curtis and Bruce Macartney, teachers in the Forest Hills Public School's District in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This curriculum includes content for math and VPAA (Visual, Performing, Applied Arts), along with science, art, engineering, business, and an optional PE component. ​  Students in the Gone Boarding class collaborate to design, construct, and learn to ride all types of boards including: surfboards, snowboards, skateboards/longboards, stand-up paddle boards, and wake surfboards. Students also take part in service projects involving the school's district's younger students through a mentoring relationship built around action sports, and partner with the community to make an impact on the world both locally and globally. 

With the holiday weekend upon us, we were excited to have it filled with fun plans.  The weather forecast was also in our favor with sunny, warm temps predicted.  

After an early lunch, we made our way north for cousin time. We spent the afternoon outdoors and in the evening, we drove into Montague for a birthday celebration for our friend, Jude.  North Grove Brewers is a place we hadn't been before and our family was so impressed by its full accessibility, inside and out.  The food was tasty and Molly, one of Jane's dearest friends and Jude's wife, even brought cake to make the evening complete.  Even though we were back on the road later than anticipated, Cam rallied and made it through.

We slept in a bit the next morning and loaded up our van for the trip north once again.  We were excited to see Oma and Opa shortly after noon.  After a tasty brunch as a family, it was time to work on our tasks.  We started with cleaning out some closets with Cam's expert supervision.  With his constant cheering "way to go, Oma" and "great work!" the chore seemed much less tedious and very satisfying.  Our output included two full large garbage bags and a few treasures to keep.

Later in the afternoon, we were invited to our cousin's cottage for dinner together.  Oma and Opa were happy to see the little cousins again and spent some time reading a book to Calla.  Cameron is the "cool" older cousin to the younger set.  Calla even took an extra outing to be certain her cousin Cam knew she was saying bye to him.  After a weekend of family goodness, our drive home recounted everything we had done.  And we were very thankful to have an extra day to sleep in the next morning!

Camology Quotes:

As the end of the school year approaches, it seems there are students who may be too ready for the summer break.  Cam's class had an opportunity to partake in a pizza party on Friday... if appropriate behavior remained in place.  On Thursday evening, Cam wasn't too sure he'd be eating pizza or not. (Good news- they did!)

"I don't know if my class will make it.  They have to own it."

Road Trips - Week of May 15th

“In life, it’s not where you go – it’s who you travel with.” ~Charles M. Schulz

Before our on the move weekend began, we had in-town ventures on the list.  

Renew Mobility held their annual spring luncheon to raise awareness for this important non-profit.

Last year, we took Cam out of school to attend the event because he and his mom were the guest speakers. Even though he wanted to go again, we explained that it was truly more important for him to remain in school since it's so close to the end of the semester.  Jane and Chris both attended and did recognize a picture that was shown on the big screen.

In our backyard, Cameron and his mom marked Stella's spot with a keepsake stone.  

They talked about how much they miss their cat and the many laughs and good memories she brought to their family.  Cam did ask about the possibility of adopting another feline.  We decided that decision will be made after summer due to the many different house guests headed our way.

Road tripping began Saturday morning with two Weatherford vehicles headed to the WMML baseball game.  The Rockford field was chilly and breezy but the cooler conditions didn't deter the players at all!  And to warm everyone up, we all sang Happy Birthday to Brody, Cam's best buddy who turned 16.  The fans in attendance included almost every single one of Cam and Brody's teachers since kindergarten!  Ms. Barbara, Ms. Kathy, Mrs. Wells and Mrs. A. Klein.  It was completely random that they all happened to show up for the same game.  These women have all assisted with much more than Cameron's education.  Each has taken it upon themselves to help with other aspects of growing up.

After the game, Jane went to Anna's baby shower, while Chris and son went home to make some tasty treats for the next travel stop.

Cam and his parents loaded up their van again, this time packed with fresh watermelon, brownie cookies and some appetizers.  The cousins awaited our arrival.  Cameron brought his high school yearbook which we all determined was the heaviest memento of its kind we'd ever seen.
Calla was intrigued by the mechanical features of her cousin's power wheelchair.  He was showing her how he could lean back and be in a standing mode.  She seemed a bit concerned about Cameron and tried to stop the mechanism a couple of times.  This really made Cam laugh!  We headed back that evening after dinner and dessert.

Sunday morning, we were on the road again headed south to Stevensville.  We had planned to meet up with Auntie Karen and her sister, Sue.  Cracker Barrel was our chosen destination and each of us ordered some type of breakfast.  Before we traveled back to the highway, Cam received a new cool chair float from Karen which he cannot wait to use this summer.

Later that afternoon, we worked on projects and Cameron was enlisted for a weekly chore.  Driving a power wheelchair has its advantages and one of the biggest may be the ability to transport even the heaviest of items.  However, taking a corner too fast may mean that the load you're transporting doesn't quite make it to its destination without a mishap!

Camology Quotes:

Friday afternoon, Cameron was scheduled to work with the Grand Valley State University PT graduate students.  It is a job he takes seriously and he is paid for his time.  Typically, there are 4 students assigned to work with Cam.  Three of them were asking him questions while the other student was interviewing Jane about her son's birth, milestones and schooling.  Jane was responding very quietly so as not to disrupt the team and their efforts.  One of the questions that was asked was regarding Cam's hearing and if there was any concerns.

Jane (in a low whisper): "Any concerns? Yes. Cam's hearing is too good.  He hears everything, especially when he's not supposed to."

"I heard that, Mom!"