I Am Thankful For... - Week of Nov. 20th

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. ~William Arthur Ward

Using your manners on a daily basis is a constant reminder for us all.  Saying 'please' and 'thank you' are not only important words, but they express respect and kindness.

Two years ago, when Ms. Michelle was watching Cam, they created pine cone turkeys with the message "I am Thankful For..." and it serves as a reminder to always recall what blesses us. 
This year, Cam's school calendar included the day before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving day and the day after the holiday as break time from school.
On Wednesday, Ms. Amanda and Cam tried out a tasty new recipe which included two of our family favorite cereals- Cocoa Puffs and Golden Grahams mixed with marshmallows, peanut butter and chocolate.

Thanksgiving is a special time for many, gathering families together for a delicious feast.  We were especially excited to have Oma and Opa with us for two nights!  On the official holiday, Cam was given the special task of helping his grandpa make the stuffing for the turkey.  Cam asked for a "farm fresh" turkey this year because "it tastes better and is healthier."  Please note he has only had one farm fresh turkey and that was last year...
Our ten-year-old has grasped onto tradition and is moving full speed ahead.  His special request was a small green bean casserole and rolls.  Much like his parents, Cam has an affinity for bread of any type.  In fact, he tried to sneak a crescent a little bit early as we were bringing food to the table.  Each person seated had to say what they were thankful for as part of our blessing.  Cam was very thankful for all of the delicious food he was about to eat, and after a little encouragement, mentioned everyone at the table as well.  Oma and Opa were thankful for their health, family and good friends.  Chris and Jane both listed Cam, all grandparents, relatives, special friends and the many people we consider family. 

Our group was relaxed and content after dinner.  We had finished decorating the Christmas tree.  It looked beautiful and Cam decided a new tradition needed to take place.  With the milder weather, he was hopeful there would be some spectacular light displays nearby.  We weren't disappointed after we came upon two houses completely decked out with lights and ornamentation.

To top off our evening, each of us enjoyed a bit of homemade apple pie with vanilla ice cream.  In all of the activity, our picture-taking fell by the wayside and we neglected to capture a family photo.  Our bellies and hearts were full and overflowing with thankfulness, especially for the extra time with Oma and Opa.
Imagine if everyone, each and every single day had to begin with saying out loud what they are thankful for! 

Camology Quotes:

Cam is very aware of when he has eaten enough.  Many times, he will indicate he's done prior to finishing a dessert or treat.  After he finished his Thanksgiving meal, he announced:

"I am up to the Full line."

"That Warms My Heart" - Week of Nov. 13th

Some weeks breeze by due to busy schedules, while others lag because of unexpected developments.  Cam picked up a nasty cold in the beginning of this week characterized by a runny nose and slight cough.  As the week progressed, we realized if we had bought stock in Kleenex, we'd be much better off.

Routines are part of daily life and when they are broken, it can be tough to figure out replacements.  On any given weekday, the school schedule is one that our fourth grader delights in.  Being home sick for two days in a row is not Cam's preference.  He would much rather be working at school.  To cheer him up, his teacher sent pictures she had taken of Cam and his best buddy, Brody as well as another friend, Audrey.  Ms. Kathy also provided some links for homework so her student would have some extra studying.

People often remark how sweet Cam's smile is.  He has a temperament to match.  When Jane told him how handsome he looked one day, he looked up and said "That warms my heart, Mom, thank you."  Certainly, he's heard the phrase before, but when it comes from a ten-year-old and sounds so sincere, it truly is heartwarming.

By the end of the week, our son was feeling better and returned to school.  We all agreed that this year's school pictures are one of his best!

On Saturday, a family project included putting up the Christmas tree. Cam supervised the effort assisting with the re-arrangement of things to clear out a space for the holiday's main attraction.
Chris thought we should try setting it up as part of Cam's chair which led to much laughter and Cam's explanation of why this would never work.

True to our sweet boy's nature, he insisted that decorating the tree must be delayed until Oma and Opa's arrival for Thanksgiving!

Camology Quotes:

It helps to have a partner in crime.  Chris found an item online he wanted to purchase and Jane was asking about some specifics which were being challenged when Cam chimed in.

"Doesn't Mom have a good point, Dad?"

Rinse, Walk, Repeat - Week of Nov. 6th

“Swimming is simply moving meditation.” ~Cesar Nikko Caharian 

Most folks know Michigan switches from fall to winter quite rapidly.  However, we were still surprised to the see the white stuff falling on a school day so early in November.  It didn't stick on the ground for long, but it made Cam utter these words, according to his teacher, after arriving at school that day..."Ms. Kathy, please tell my mom to bring in my snowpants!"
Luckily, we didn't need to resort to such drastic measures.

Cam's weekly November routine includes a swimming lesson after school on Mondays.  Since it's downtown, one of his parents has to pick him up at Meadow Brook, get his swim trunks on, have a quick snack and head out.  He's had the same instructor for 3 years now and Cam always asks Ms. Laura how her day was.
She typically has him walk in the pool and on this particular day, Cam started counting 'one Mississippi, two Mississippi' etc. to traverse the width of the pool.  As Ms. Laura fitted Cam into a vest, Jane was in the splash zone as her son kept kicking in attempts to get her wet.  The therapy pool at MFB is toasty warm and the atmosphere is quiet and relaxing.

On Wednesdays, Amanda and Cam head over to his physical therapy appointment at 5pm.  Patrick is the PT working with Cam on a weekly basis.  Since Cam's hip surgery, it's been important to continue to practice walking and stretching.  Apparently, Mr. Patrick seems to have a gift for making Cam laugh as well!

Oma and Opa arrived Friday afternoon to spend the night with us.  Oma wanted to get a head start on Christmas shopping with Jane.  A quick trip to Heidi's on Friday produced an array of vegetables, fruit and bread as well as homemade caramel apples.  One of the cashiers there, Ms. Pat, has known Cam since he was a toddler and loves to give her buddy a treat.  This time, it was a delicious chocolate chip cookie, and not a small one either.

Saturday morning, Oma and her daughter headed out for some shopping fun.  In the meantime, the boys group of Chris, Opa and Cam trekked over to Forest Hills Northern High School to pick up a pre-ordered apple pie that Cam contributed to for a fundraiser.  When they asked how many total pies were made, the boys were surprised to hear that 1300 was the number.
It was such fun to have Oma and Opa with us!  Cam and his grandma made homemade applesauce and we were thankful to gain three containers of the sweet goodness.  Cam also taught Opa how to play Uno for the first time and proceeded to beat him after teaching his grandpa the card game.

Another weekend project included Chris and his son programming a security camera for our home.  They may have actually used it to try to sneak a peek at Christmas presents being transported from the car to the basement.  Jane reminded her boys this is not the intended use of our security camera!

Camology Quotes:

As Jane and Oma were headed out for their Christmas shopping on Saturday morning, Cam was curious.

"Are you going to get presents for me?"
Yes, you, Dad and Opa.
"You are my most favorite Mom!"
Thank you, Cam.  But you are still not getting any presents early...

Parading Around - Week of Oct. 30th

“That fire you see can't last. Still, as it burns, it lights everything.” ~ David Kirby

As we rounded the corner to October 31st, there were still a few events left on the docket.

Monday, after school marked the candy collecting costume parade at FTC&H where Chris works.
Each year, the employee's families are invited in to an indoor trick or treating as each child has a bucketful of choices at nearly every desk.
This yearly event is something Cam has been a part of since he was a toddler.
It's also a perk to be inside if the weather takes a turn.
Although it was chilly, the rain stayed away and for this, we were grateful.

On Tuesday, the actual official day of Halloween, Cam had big plans.  First up, an afternoon costume parade at his elementary school, Meadow Brook.  Since our ten-year-old is now in 4th grade, this is his final year for parading around the school gym with his classmates.

Liam & mom Betsy.  Running joke b/t the
"moms"- our boys will never look at the
camera at the same time!

Parents, relatives and friends can arrive early to be seated in the gymnasium so they can see every costumed kid go by.  Cam has been a part of this tradition since kindergarten. 

On his final turn around the last corner, Jane may have held back a tear or two remembering all of the costume parades over the years and the community of students, parents and teachers enjoying the creativity of everyone.

Second up on the Halloween agenda was a trek to the local Cascade fire station.  Beginning at 5:30p, they open their doors to welcome families.  Kids receive a bag stuffed full of candy, a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss.  Donuts, cider and treats are displayed for all to enjoy.

And last but not least, neighborhood fun!  We opted to visit with our Windcrest neighbors this year stopping at most every house on the block.  The Raisch fam had a toasty warm bonfire out front and a bowlful of Cam's fave chocolates.  He requested a taste to keep up his energy for the evening.
The homemade octopus was one of our favorite costumes since spreading the boy's arms provided the last 2 tentacles.  Next to Cam are the "Daniel Boone" boys, Thad and Peter.

Thursday, Chris and Jane were invited to be guests at the Mary Free Bed Gala honoring the fourth largest rehabilitation hospital in the world!
It was a special treat given to us by Molly Krauss. 

Cam was happy that Miss Amanda could hang out with him while his parents had fun dressing up and sitting with Molly and friends. 

The dinner was most delicious and we sent Cam a picture of the tables to which his response was "Wow, that's cool!"
They even showed our Halloween For The Rest of Us video, a project the Weatherford fam and Molly couldn't be more proud of!

On Saturday, Cam's parents enjoyed a long overdue date night to the movies.
Cam, in the meantime, was pleased to decide his own dinner of choice and partake in an evening of playing police.
It's tough to say who had the better night!

Camology Quotes:

One evening, Cam said his coat looked weird and something was wrong with it.  We explained to him that his mom's coat was on top of his. He thought the whole thing was quite hilarious.

"Dad, say 'Cam, you are funny!'"
Cam, you are funny.
 "I'm glad you think so!"

(Near the end of the video from the visit to his Dad's office, Cam says "there's no candy here."  There was, he just couldn't see it and panic almost set in :)