Until next year Camp Okizu!

I'll share more pics of our Family Camp weekend later when I get a few moments but in the meantime wanted to share this quick snapshot of my three loves.

Even though Callum wasn't feeling well, we still had a fun weekend and most importantly, we all left with new friends and full hearts.

Now, to crash (and unpack) and decompress, in our fabulous comfy bed! :)

Old school at Family Camp!

Callum picked out the colors. I'm just the hired help. ;-)

Pit stop

We're on our way to Camp Okizu's Family Camp - but have stopped for a bite to eat since traffic is so gnarly anyway.

Callum says he's the cutest of the family. I don't know - looks like a tie to me!

Logan's Walk-a-thon

Today was the annual Walk-a-thon at Logan's school! Last year he meandered during most of the walk and chatted with friends.

But this year.

This year - he was all serious business!

All week long he's been negotiating with me for more money (to pledge him). Here's how one of our conversations went a couple of days ago:

Me: Ok, I'll give you a $50 bonus if you beat your record (he did 12 laps last year). And then I'll give you another $50 bonus if you make it to 15 laps. What do you think?

L: Awesome!

Then I started thinking about it, and thought well shit, he may be able to walk 20 laps so maybe I should incent him to do more!

So I said: Actually, let's do this. I'll give you a $50 bonus if you make it to 15 laps. And THEN, I'll give you a $100 bonus if you make it to 20 laps!

He said: So I can get an extra $200!! Cool!

Me: Uhhh, no. Wait a minute. It's an extra $150. How do you figure $200?

L: Mom! I'll get $50 for beating my record, $50 for getting to 15 laps and $100 for getting to 20! That's $200 extra.

Duh.

Me: Oh, I see. Well, I had thrown out that first $50 since I decided to give you a bigger bonus for making it to 20.

L: What?! That means you don't love your son! This is for CANCER MOM. Don't you want to help Callum?!

*sigh*

Another example of his negotiating skills at play happened this morning during the walk.

He was pretty beat toward the end (you can see the evolution in these pics - the first he's holding up "1" to show he's finishing his first lap, the second pic he's holding up "10" to show he's finishing his 10th lap, and the final pic is the exhausted kid on his last lap).

So, after finishing his 16th lap, he just stopped dead in his tracks next to me and said ok I'm done. I'm stopping at 16.

I said, but then that means you won't get your big 20 lap bonus!

Yeah, oh well.

How about one more lap? Callum and I will walk it with you.

Will you give me the $100 bonus if I do one more lap?

:)

(In case you're wondering, he finished at 18. And did very well! We're so proud of you Logan! I'll share more later after I tally up how much money he raised!) :)

Budding artists

At the Kids & Art event, after our tour, the kids were taken to a classroom where they were given an "art challenge". To make something (anything) out of the recycled "junk" available at the nearby tables. There were things like bottle caps and plastic knives and used CDs to choose from.

They were only allowed to pick 10 items to bring back to their table (and once chosen they couldn't go back to exchange or pick something else out) - and then were told to sketch their ideas out first, before building. :)

The boys loved this part of the event best. They already have such wild imaginations, that it wasn't too difficult for them to think of something they'd like to build, and then build it. I had a little fun and built some odd piece as well - which they both took to and asked if they could play with it alongside their own creations (but of course)!

What was even funnier was how they absorbed this activity so much, that they took to hunting down junk, in and around the playground after school on Monday, continuing to make additional creations and toys to play with. Pretty cool. :)

Chihuly Glass

There are a few Chihuly pieces hanging in the front lobby of the SJ Museum of Art, which the boys really liked. Callum asked me to take this picture for him - I guess we need to take another trip back up North to see more of Chihuly's work! ;-)

Kids & Art

Every month or so, there is a local organization called Kids & Art, that sets up fun art related activities and events for kids (and their families) who've been touched by cancer, to enjoy.

This last Sunday, we visited the San Jose Museum of Art, where we got a fun hour long tour of the museum first, followed by some hands on arts and crafts after. Here are a few shots of the boys (and I) enjoying the "dark room" exhibits.

They REALLY loved the room that looped through a video of outer space the most - as you can see in the last pic, where they were sitting in the VERY FRON, so as not to miss a split second of it. :)

Last Sunday

Last Sunday we had a jam packed day! I took the boys to their swim lesson - check out Callum all on his lonesome out there, swimming back to us/the wall!

After, we headed to a Kids & Art day at the San Jose Museum (more on that in a bit) and then after that, headed to hang out with the Jodoins for dinner and a play date! Phew!!

Startin' 'em off young!

Another LP in the books!

Today was Callum's LP day. He's been doing really well, numbers are right where we want them, and no issues during his procedure this morning. One of our best visits yet! :)

Callumism of the morning

"Mommy - do you know why you're one of my and Logan's slaves?"

Why?

"Because we tell you what we want you to make and then you make it."


And with that, Mother's Day is officially over. ;-)

Happy Mother's Day to all!

Swimming is coming along

I take pics here and there through the boys' swim lessons but I always forget to post about them. Yeesh.

These are actually from their lesson this past Wednesday. They're both doing really well. I love these underwater shots of them - they are so comfortable in the water now. And each day they look more and more natural and fluid with their strokes.

Callum is almost done with his current level - he's able to swim a length of the pool both on back stroke and crawl. His teacher wants him to do a few more strokes before rolling on his back to breathe (during crawl) so that's what he'll work on next time.

Logan just passed another level this past Wednesday which he's very proud of. He's able to make it about half way across the pool with his breast stroke and has started learning how to side breathe while swimming crawl. He's doing amazing, but his weakness is his kicks, since he sometimes forgets to kick and his whole body starts to sink. :)

This.

2nd Mother's Day Gift

The love keeps on coming! ;-)

Happy (early) Mother's Day!

Logan's school hosted a Mother's Day celebration this afternoon, complete with snack and special surprise homemade case and flowers for me. :)

Someday I'll have to update my CV. Just for kicks.

Callum just coughed in my face.

Then he laughed and said: "Mom, you're always getting coughed on, sneezed on, and farted on!"

(As he picked his nose and handed me a booger...)

*sigh*

Kindergarten Roundup

Today was Callum's Kinder Roundup (orientation) at his new school. We had such a great time. He was sooooo excited when we got to the school - he didn't even look back or linger when his group (the purple group) was called to head out on their tour (the kids were taken in groups, to visit the current Kinder classrooms and see the campus while the parents hung back and listened to the PTA schpiel).

After, we met up with several of the new neighborhood families at the neighborhood recreation center where they have a fabulous playground and a couple of pools. It was super hot so the families quickly moved from the playground to the pools - I hadn't planned on us going swimming but one of the moms insisted Callum wear her son's shorts (she had brought a suit for him) so that he could join in the fun. He had a blast, and was upset when I had to tear him away so that we could get back home to pick up Logan from school.

All in all, a fantastic successful day. I think Callum (and Logan) are going to transition in with these kids wonderfully! :)