We were invited out to Camp Niwana today for a Family Fun Day. It was really cool to go back there, it’s been about 25 years since I was there last. Things haven’t really changed. There were activities set up for the kids, they did a scavenger hunt, charades, fish prints an obstacle course and boating! I think boating was the biggest hit for the kids, Dee, Mary and I got some good laughs playing tether ball.

When I was a kid at went to camp there, we had a horrible camp leader named Blacktop (we got in trouble because we called him “Asphalt” which was scandalous back in the day). He thought that we had ripped a cot and he banned us from swimming for the day and made us repair the cot. Honestly, we didn’t do it. I do remember the “fairies” at camp, who would come while we slept and sprinkle fairy dust (aka glitter) outside the cabins. We made houses for them and thought it was the coolest thing. While we were doing our scavenger hunt we took a detour through the Fairy Forest and saw the little houses the new campers had made, some fairy dust and we even made a couple fairy houses as well. Jessie, who is the camp director and someone we absolutely adore, taught the kids about the fairies and they were sold.

We didn’t get a chance to stay for the skits and campfire, the boys were toast but we made a quick stop on the way home for an early dinner at A&W (rootbeer floats!) which was a treat.

Tonight we had family dinner with Mary and Alice, then headed out to Sunrise Hill Farms to do their corn maze with flashlights in the dark. What fun! They actually had a punch card you took through the maze and found stations with a hole punch. There were times we were really lost in the maze, but all in all the kids had fun and going through it in the dark was the best. They also had a kids maze that our guys cruised through over and over again while we took a break, and ate some popcorn.

What a fun evening for us all…if you get a chance go check it out.

The sleep apnea tests came back and yes, Carlos has it. We kind of figured that was the case, but it was still tough to hear that up to 6 times per hour he has airway obstruction. The next step is getting his tonsils out and we’re hoping that’s going to make a big difference for him. You have to figure, he just can’t be getting enough sleep each night. As a mom I’m scared and hopeful and anxious and so many things. I think the recovery time might be hardest, he’s not one to be kept down for long!

I can’t really complain…we are kind of on a vacation. We’re in Yakima (affectionately known to some as “Yukima”) at the Foster Parent Conference. There are good things, the weather is better than in Seattle, we’re having some good bonding time with the big boys (Trey’s with Nana and Papa and having a blast getting 100% of their attention) and getting to swim in a pool is always a treat, too. The pool here has an island in the middle, not quite sure why, it’s like a little minature golf course out there but it’s there and astroturf and well, just there. Interesting design. The boys think it’s a cool pirate island and since there’s a part of the pool that’s only 2 feet deep they feel independent walking around and climbing onto the island while I actually get to swim in water deeper than 4 feet! They also love getting rides on my back through the “deep” water and sinking their goggles so I could dive to the bottom to get them.

We were wiped out after a morning autism spectrum class, Carlos and Dee stayed at the hotel since he wasn’t feeling good, and we came back and did a little more swimming. Let me tell you another thing about the pool. It’s COLD. Seriously frigid cold where I had to jump in or I wouldn’t have gone in at all. The boys didn’t seem to mind, though and really thought the warm kid-sized hot tub was a thrill and helped bring the body back up to temp.

We have a couple of classes tomorrow that we think will be super, about Understanding Anger in our Children and in Ourselves. Hoping to come out of that one with some valuable skills and new ideas.

Thought this pic of Carlos with the Pizza Hut box was cute…he kept walking around the hotel room saying “does anyone want a slice of my pizza?”. Maybe Pizza Hut will pick him up for endoresments.

Back to the land of gray skies and rain tomorrow…..looking forward to seeing Trey (we’ve sure missed him!) and Nana and Papa, getting back into the school routine and Carlos starts swim lessons, too.