Tripping into the Holiday Weekend - Week of May 22nd

"The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don't tell you what to see." ~Alexander K. Trenfor

Busy weeks go by quickly and it seems the weekend arrives sooner than you imagine.  Cam had two field trips on the school calendar this week.  First up was a trip with the third graders to Frederick Meijer Gardens (www.meijergardens.org) located not far from Meadow Brook Elementary.

"American Horse"

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park opened in April 1995 after 13 years of planning and fundraising by the West Michigan Horticultural Society. 

"Neuron"

In 1990, Fred and Lena Meijer were asked for their support, and they embraced the concept of a major cultural attraction centering around horticulture and sculpture. The original vision has turned into a top cultural destination in the Midwest region, known internationally for the quality of the art and gardens. Both indoors and outdoors, the 158-acre main campus is barrier free and handicap accessible.

Shaving cream art!

Jane was fortunate enough to have the morning off work to accompany Cam and classmates through a portion of the gardens.  The "American Horse" sculpture by Nina Akamu was inspired by DaVinci and is 24 feet high.  Adjacent to the horse, through a walkway is "Neuron" by Roxy Paine.  This particular piece led to much discussion with the kids.  While Jane saw a lightning bolt, others kids envisioned a heart, a tree.  Cam thought it reminded him of a spider.
Ms. Nancy toured with us and we ate lunch together, along with classmates Ben and Gerrit.  We had a great time exploring everything and all of the adventuring had us all tuckered out by afternoon.  Best of all, we were forecasted for rain and it completely held off until right before activities ended.

The next day, Cam's class headed to Forest Hills Eastern High School where they participated in a Very Special Arts celebration.  Not only did they complete cool projects, but they were also paired with high school students. Apparently, these guys on the grass enjoyed hanging out with our elementary student.
Upon his arrival home, Cam excitedly told his parents about painting a rock in front of the school as well as the other happenings.

On Friday, Jane picked up her son a little early from school and headed downtown for his Grand Valley job working with the PT grad students.  We met Kate, Haley, Shelby and Ellen for our session.
The girls introduced Cam to a device called "Color Bug" which allows you to control a ladybug equipped with a marker to determine where and what will be drawn on the paper.

And on Saturday, it was time to visit Oma, Opa and Lake Michigan.  Auntie Karen had made the long drive from Illinois the day before to stay with a good friend north of Montague and she met us at the cottage at lunchtime.
Shortly after eating, we were settled in on the beach.  Although the water looked inviting, it hovered around a cool 52 degrees.  The air temperature, however, was warm and breezy.
Memorial Day weekend seems to signify the kickoff to summer and over the years, we've definitely experienced some dismal weather.  We couldn't have asked for a better day filled with sunshine.
After playing in the sand and removing it from our clothing as much as we could,

Oma & Opa

Oma and Opa surprised us with reservations at Crosswinds restaurant in Whitehall.
Oma even made certain the kids menu included Cam's favorite- chicken tenders.  The meals were delicious and looking out over White Lake during our dinner was scenic and serene.

Chris- the selfie dude, Jane & Karen

Cam's grandparents are so generous to so many, especially us, and we are oh so thankful.


After dinner, we explored the pier and headed back while it was still light out.  

As the sun began to fade so did Cam's energy.  The busy week caught up with this kid and he didn't make it past sunset before sleep took over.


And when the sun fades on Lake Michigan, it's time to find a blanket.
The sunset wasn't as colorful as others we've seen, but it is just the beginning of what we know will be a spectacular summer!

The next morning, we bid farewell to our lake and Auntie Karen was able to stay with us one more day to relax and enjoy our time together.  We are grateful for her willingness to help, especially when we don't even know to ask...


Camology Quotes:

After Jane and her son took care of bathroom duty at the Frederick Meijer Gardens, they proceeded to pass right by the gift shop.

"Cam, we have time so why don't we go into the gift shop for a few minutes and look around.
Maybe we will see something we need."

Cam stops driving his chair and turns to look at his mom."Mom, we do NOT go shopping when we are on a field trip!"