Family Camp @ Camp Arroyo

We spent our weekend attending the Northern California Hemophilia Foundation's Family Camp at Camp Arroyo in Livermore. We met a lot of great families also affected by hemophilia & had a lot of fun! The theme for camp was pirates...so by the end of the weekend we had an "arrrrr"-ing Blake!

When in the dining hall...usually someone was speaking with a microphone, telling us the happenings of the day, etc. Blake was really scared of the loud voices and would shake his head no! I don't know how he learned the word, "Scared," but he's been saying it a lot lately whenever he's a little nervous. That darn microphone made him "Scaarrrred!"

1. Camp
2. Blake & Rus sportin their name tags.
3. The cabins had a phone...and of course Blake used it. Like his pants? I was trying to change his diaper!
4. When Blake saw this bin of balls...he was in heaven. He found a white basketball that never left his side.
5. Our family pirate flag.
6. Freezing at the camp fire.

On Saturday, Rustin had school all day, so it was just Blake & I. The adults had a group meeting, which meant Blake spent the morning at child care. And he actually STAYED! During our meeting I could see Blake running away from his group a couple times & one of the child care volunteers chasing after him! Stinker! When I picked him up before lunch...all the child care girls were telling me all the words Blake taught them...

Basketball jump, jump it, basketball hoop, hot, fire, cook - he sure knows what he likes!

After lunch the pool was open...by far the best part of the weekend!

(And of course basketball came along.)

1. Blake & Mia.
2. Walking to the pool.
3. In heaven.
4. I am so happy Blake has his port...this summer is gonna be awesome!
VIDEO - a little cold.
5. Trying to warm up with momma. Blake had so much fun playing in the water.
6. Mr Hot Stuff, watching the kids play.
7. Sharing his basketball with Max.
8. Golfing with the pool noodle and basketball.
9. The pool had a big shallow area & Blake got brave and let go of my hand!
10. This little boy, Bryan, was so cute with Blake.
11. Bryan & Blake
12. Momma & a cold boy.

Later in the afternoon, Rustin met back up with us. Then it was on the evening festivities...with our pirate garb on, we joined in the fun. The evening's entertainment was a pirate named, Captain Jack Spare Ribs...he was awesome! He wowed us with some magic & ventriloquism. Blake was NOT impressed at all by the magic. (mostly because he was using a "YOWD" microphone) At one point he grabbed my hand to cover his eyes and wouldn't let it move.

Check out the video below! Hillarious.

So Rustin grabbed him and they sat back away from the stage and he did better.

1. Pirate fam.
2. Me & Beth, our Bayer gal.
3. Us & the capt'n.
4. Captain Jack Spare Ribs, he stayed in character the whole time, even off stage!
5. I got to help with a magic trick...I kept getting in trouble cause I couldn't cut the rope even.
VIDEO...hillarious!!

On Sunday during breakfast Blake faced his fear and spoke into the mircophone...and what do you think he said?

"Basketball!"

Of course!

1. A timid, "Basketball" came out of that mouth.
2. Our amazing social worker from Oakland Children's, Kim
3. Rustin rigged up a hula hoop as a hoop.
4. Our sweet little friend Bryan playing with Blake.
5. Oreo teeth, or as Blake called em, "Ice KEEM!" (cause they look like the Skinny Cow Ice cream sandwiches!)
6. Lunch in the garden after camp was over.

We had a really fun time.
And met some really neat people.
We are looking forward to another NCHF get-together!