Summer Camps

I am behind on blogging because I have misplaced my camera...as soon as I find it, I will add some pictures. But I thought I would do a bit of an update on the summer before school starts, which for Camden, is tomorrow!

Parker has been doing a summer camp at the Tammy Lynn Center for the developmentally disabled. During the school year, they take the children that have too many medical issues for the public school system. During the summer, they have 2, 4 week, sessions of summer school for children that have special needs. Parker really enjoys it and gets so much attention and care! It is worth the tuition and the 25 minute drive each way. Camden and I have listened to several books on CD to and from his school-our favorites being the first 2 books of the Septimus Heap series! He is so excited when he gets to school every morning-as are his classmates and teachers. He has one little girl that always wants to give him a hug and a kiss and practically chants his name when he arrives!

Camden had 2 half day camps this summer. At the end of June, he was in an international culture art camp. They "travelled" to several different countries and then did art projects that had to do with the country's culture or festivals. He made all kinds of fun crafts.

After we got back from Albuquerque, he had a week off, and then went to YMCA Camp Blazing trails. This was my thought of what a summer camp should be! It was a half day camp at Lake Crabtree park about 10 minutes away. (If you have visited us, it is next to the big lake we pass on the way to and from the airport.) They did hiking, fishing, archery, canoing and even had a ranger come visit! They also had a fun water day at the end with a huge slip and slide. They gave Camden a cool walking stick. He really enjoyed the camp, and the counselors were sad he hadn't signed up for another week :( He loved all the beads that he got for doing various things (like kissing a fish,) and also got a camper of the day and camper of the week bead!

So, this last week was his last week of summer since he starts school tomorrow! (Ahhh!!! Where is that camera for my first day of school pics?) So, last week, we did mommy camp. We did a fun activity every day to end up the summer. We went to the Marbles kids museum, which has an awesom olympic exhibit for the kids to try the events. We also went ice skating, to a cool park with paddle boats, a train and carousel, and saw "Journey To the Center of the Earth" in 3D. I think that Camden actually liked the movie the best-he was SOOO excited to see it! I waited till late in the week so I could bribe him with good behavior (or threaten him when there was bad behavior...) Ice skating was an unexpected highlight. He went once when he was like 3 1/2 and Paul and I had to hold him on either side, but he did much better this time! First of all, Camden wouldn't let me help him-he was determined to do it himself. In fact, he told me that when I helped him, it made it harder for him to skate! He fell like every 20 seconds, and he would just get back up and keep going. I have some video I will download soon-it is really cute. He kept saying over and over how much fun it was-so it is definitely a do again!

Well, that was the kid's summer! Parker will continue in summer school for 3 more weeks...then a week off, and then they will both be in school for 5 weeks! Juggling traditional and year round school may be challenging, but I think that it will be fun to have breaks with both kids alone and really spend quality time with each of them. I look forward to our new school year and new adventure! I'll keep ya'll posted! (And I promise pictures will follow tomorrow!)