Easter Seals Day 1

It is Easter Seals Camp day!

This year we have been lucky to be accepted to Easter Seals Family Camp, again. This time we are at Merrywood. This camp is located 3 1/2 hours North East of us, in Perth.

 

We had to get an early start, and the kids were really excited!

 

But with a 4 hour car-ride, that excitement didn't last

But we got here!

Merrywood is on a peninsula, so we are surrounded by water. You can see the water from our room

There is lots to do and we went for a tour when we arrived (and unloaded 2 carts worth of stuff).
There are no hills and everything is pretty close together. Our cabin is the Moose cabin. We are the closest to the parking lot. But still close to all of the action.

Nick did the tour with his crutches.

They have a big hall/gym with costumes and karaoke, a craft hut, canoes, sailboats, kayaks, life skills with a kitchenette and a couple of different docks.
There is a grassing knoll and a snake

We made a sign for our family with all of the stuff that we wanted to do. And lots of water

After the tour and unpacking, the kids wanted to go to the pool We did 2 laps before it was time to get out. But the kids were happy with the quick dip.
Then it was time for story time. (Which we missed getting changed). And then Sell the Sizzle. We know Sell the Sizzle from other camps, it is when we find out the activities for the next day. Everything looks like fun. We need to sign up for our activities (and not just show up, like at Woodeden)

Everyone has asked if we've been to camp before. When we said we've been to Woodeden twice, they ask who is better. It is only the first day, but there isn't really a better but a different.

After dinner there was free time to play on the grassing knoll.

For family time, there was an Alice in Wonderland scavenger hunt. With clues for each cabin to do. The councilors really got into it!
It was lots of fun!

Painting the roses red

Having a tea part with the Mad Hatter

Meeting Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum

Meeting the Caterpillar

And praying croquet with the Queen of Hearts

In the end the Queen of Hearts was thrown in the lake!

The night ended with a campfire, and Nick was entranced!

We needed to try to figure out where to fit Nick's nightly routine, without having him miss anything fun. There is a teen program (that Katheryn is allowed to do), and so we did Nick's routine then.

I also really wanted to go to the parent program. Which was pottery!
I made an eye ball and I'm excited to see how it turns out!

When I got back, this is how I found the kids, reading with the councilors.
Then it was one more chapter and then bedtime

We were all exhausted!

Easter Seals Camp - going home

We had so much fun at camp, that we were sad when it was time to go.

But before we went it was time for a party! 

And of course we dress up for the party

Katheryn didn't really want her picture taken as a family, but I was able to get a little smile out of her when it was just the 2 of us

And we got another picture of just the 2 kids
Aren 't they so cute together

And one more try for a family picture

It seems we picked the right theme for our clothes, because it was a Hawiian themed party!

 

Nick made sure he went around to all of his favorite councilors and wanted his picture taken with them

 

Like Benji (who was a favorite of the kids), and from South Africa

Geneviève was from Ireland

Nick and I got to dance together

And I got to be part of the congo line

 

 

The next morning it was time to say good-bye to camp

 

The kids kept asking when we could come back.
But we have to wait to see if we are accepted to camp next year. And Nick will be old enough to go to his own camp soon (I'm not sure if I'm ready for it to be next year)

Everyone sang us out as we packed up and got ready to go

The kids were fast asleep before we got to the hi-way

We are so thankful to Easter Seals for the opportunity to attend camp as a family this year!

Easter Seals Camp - Parent and Family Time

Part of Easter Seals camp is that it involves the whole family. Including the parents.

So there are parent-only activities to do.

My favorite was the rock climbing.

 

 

 

I did this last time the last time we came.

I made it to the top and got to ring the bell (even if it was on the easy side)

 

 

And Kyle didn't want to try. But thats ok

 

After the adults all tried climbing, we all headed towards the sports wheelchairs and tried a game of wheelchair basketball

 We also did some parent-only archery and crossbow. (But I can't seem to find any of my pictures).
Really cool to shoot a cross-bow.

Another thing that was a favorite of mine, that I did by myself was pottery.
With a pottery wheel. Just like in Ghost.
The other moms who were there said that to the instructor, and she didn't understand the reference. (That made me feel old).
But this is my pottery cup. I think it was good for my first try

Kyle enjoyed the lookout and having some quiet time

Another favorite session was dress-up.
We got to try on different costumes, and if you are going to dress up, you need to take some family pictures!

 This was my favorite picture

And even though Iron Man doesn't look happy,



Easter Seals Camp - Camp Fun

Every day at camp is time for everyone at camp to get together and have fun.
Each day they had different themed activities and kids would go to different stations and try different things.

One of the days was a circus theme.

Nick's favorite was the cotton candy

Katheryn liked the facepainting

Nick is a Captain America minion, and Katheryn is batgirl

They had some medieval knights and sword fighting

One day was full of water fun.
Including a water slide!
This was definitely Katheryn's favorite

Nick wasn't too sure about it

He preferred resting and relaxing in the pool

 

That way everyone would come to him

 

Katheryn just liked getting wet

Another day was a whole camp challenge.
We were the green team

Everyone had to compete in challenges. And everyone had to do one challenge to win
I don't remember who won (I know it wasn't us), but we did have lots of fun

Every night was a campfire.
Katheryn liked just sitting and playing in the dirt

 

But Nick got really into it

During campfire there was lots of entertainment and songs.

The list night is a talent show.
We weren't prepared for the talent show the first time we came, but we had talked about it this year.

Nick wanted to sing O Canada.

When it was time to go out. Nick was very nervous
Look at all those people

For such a shy boy he did a FANTASTIC job!

I was so proud of him!

The Camp events are a really fun way to get everyone involved and realize how much of a community you are a part of. And of course they are fun