Falling for Fun - Week of Oct. 21st

"The circus doesn't stay in town forever. The older you get, the more you realize there's a deeper meaning. It's better to leave 3 hours too soon than a minute too late." ~Jason Witten 

"Circus is what real life should be like. It's sincerity, feeling, emotions. All real. There are no lies in circus. There are artists working together to give a smile. It's a world where people help one another. It's the only show where a family, everyone from children to their grandmothers, can sit together and all be entertained by the same thing." ~Princess Stephanie of Monaco

Even though October 31st wasn't until next week, we had plenty of Halloween activities prior to the actual trick or treat event.

Wednesday evening, we made the five-minute trek to the Fowling Warehouse.  The annual fundraiser for Renew Mobility was scheduled.  All of the youth ambassadors were expected to be in attendance as well as the board of directors.  Cam and Jane were confirmed for their subsequent roles and Chris accompanied his family.  Cam's mom had purchased a Candyland outfit to use for an upcoming trunk or treat.  She also found a couple of shirts for the guys.  Chris donned his Sugar Daddy tee while Cam rocked the Reese's peanut butter cups.  We named our team "The Candy Crew!"  Cam's buddy, Liam, is also a youth ambassador so we had fun catching up with his family too.  Our Candy Crew took 2nd place in one of the contests and we received a wooden plaque and one of the hand painted bowling pins.  The evening netted funding for our non-profit and a fun time for us all.

On Friday, Jane picked up Oma to spend the weekend with us.  That afternoon, our agenda had us going to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, where Jane was in charge of the committee for the Guild Trunk or Treat entry of Candyland.  Three Guild members joined in and Oma was a huge help setting everything up.  Chris and Cam arrived a bit later.  One of the best costumes we saw were the "three little old ladies" who gave each of us a hug after receiving their treat.  Our Guild committee created customized treat bag for those individuals who signed up.  The bag itself is especially made for use with wheelchairs.  The windy evening didn't deter anyone from experiencing all of the different festivities set up.  Along with all of the trunk decorations, the therapy garden was turned into a "Scare-Apy Garden" for everyone to see.  We were all pretty worn out when we arrived home and thankful for a sleep-in day on the weekend.

Saturday morning, Cam enjoyed a new concoction for breakfast consisting of a waffle wrapped up with bacon, ham and cheese.  

That afternoon, Jane and her son took Oma to one of their favorite pumpkin patches called Deep Roots Produce.  We saw the goats and llamas, pigs and chickens.  They have a large building filled with all kinds of goodies, including fresh produce, donuts, pastries, meat and the largest assortment of candied apples we have ever seen!  We purchased a few apples, as we decided it was best to sample something new.  The peanut butter, chocolate caramel was the clear winner of the bunch.  A homecooked meal rounded out our evening.

Sunday morning, we were all ready for the annual photo shoot with Ryan Gauper.  He was due to arrive at our home right at noon.  The quick picture session included Cam's grandma and the fall colors in the backyard shone through.  We were all in the van by 12:30p on our way to downtown Grand Rapids.  Jane had pre-purchased tickets for the new Ringling Circus set to begin at 1pm.

Thanks to Cam, Jane had researched the best place to park as well as the door to access with the most direct route to the accessible areas. We arrived with time to spare and found our seats easily.

We weren't certain what to expect since this was the first circus tour without animals. The show was advertised as including 75 performers with 18+ countries represented, all showcasing awe-inspiring acts including aerial, acrobatics, world dance, music, comedy, and jaw-dropping thrills.

The acrobatics was a top favorite for us all.  At the end of the show, a girl known as the human rocket provided the grand finale.  She was catapulted across the arena reaching a speed of almost 65mph!

The circus truly is an experience for all ages, and we were the absolute best proof of that!

Camology Quotes:

An aide in Cam's classroom shared a story with Jane when she came to pick up her son at school for a PT/OT appointment. She explained that she had been searching for Cam's glasses in his backpack and couldn't find them.  Cam started laughing and exclaimed the following:

"Um, the glasses are right here on my tray.  I don't normally state the obvious!"